Don't Dare Call Them Zombies : Books 1-4 (26 page)

“Are you behind this apocalypse? Did you make the dead rise?” I asked.

“Of course not. These events do us no good. If billions of humans die, it denies us the opportunity of doing the harm ourselves,” the demon stated.

“Why do you want to harm us?” I asked.

“Because God loves you, and no longer loves us. He cut off his love when we rebelled. By hurting you, we hurt God,” the demon stated. “Do you realize that in the entire universe, there are only a few planets in which God took the form of his creation and died for them?”

“No, I didn’t,” I said.

“God loves you despite your sin, despite your violence, and despite of how you kill each other. All you have to do is ask for his grace, accept his sacrifice, and your faith grants you paradise. Unlike you, my species is damned. We cannot gain forgiveness, although we do not seek it,” the demon said.

“Do you know what caused the outbreak?” I asked.

The demon laughed through the corpse of the freak. It was a sickening laugh that echoed in the room. Apparently, the corpse was not faring well, and it was beginning to spit up blood.

Taking a look beside me, I saw everyone else in the room were terrified. They were clinging to the wall with their eyes wide open.

“What do you think are the mysterious objects that people have seen flying in the skies around your planet for thousands of years?” the demon asked.

“Some people think they’re extraterrestrials,” I said.

“That is right, but the truth is beyond what you can imagine. This galaxy alone is teeming with life in all forms. Many of the species in this area of the universe are biological, but many other species are technological. Some are even purely spiritual,” the demon said.

“One of the biological species created the agent that was dropped on your world,” he said.

“Why did they do it?” I asked.

“I don't know. I don't know everything. I'm not God. But I do know they’re watching the events on your planet,” he said. “Many species are watching the events on your planet.”

“Can any of them help us?” I asked.

“Are you aware that humanity exists on more than one planet?” he responded.

“No,” I said.

“Well, this area of the galaxy is filled with you wretched beings. Many of the civilizations are far more advanced than your own. They might decide to help you,” the demon stated.

“How can we get into contact with them?” I asked.

“I've already said too much,” the demon said.

“Do you know how we could contact them?” I asked.

“Your government is already in contact with them,” he said.

I decided to change the subject, because I didn’t know how long the conversation would last.

“Does the spirit of the woman you inhabit still reside in her body?” I asked.

“No, it does not,” the demon said.

“The moment the body dies the spirit leaves,” he said. “However, the body becomes a suitable host for my species to possess.”

“So are you causing the undead to attack the living?” I asked.

“No. Whatever biological agent has mutated their nervous centers has also hindered our ability to influence their actions or movements. For this reason, very few of us have chosen to inhabit these corpses,” the demon said.

“Then how are you talking to me?” I asked. “If you cannot control their movements, how are you talking?”

“God has commanded me to do so,” the demon said. “He wanted you to know these things.”

“How do I know you’re not lying and making all of this up,” I asked.

“God still works miracles,” the demon said.

Suddenly, all of the corpses, except the one possessed by the demon, fell limp.

“They’re dead, but God has eliminated their infection,” the demon said. “I also want to say that although your species are nothing more than roaches to me, I wish this apocalypse had never happened.”

“One of my sisters is in the room,” he added.

I turned to the left and saw a brilliant glowing light.

It was an angel.

Apparently, from the voice, a female angel.

“Leave the corpse, my brother,” the angel said to the demon.

Instantly, the woman's body collapsed.

“Now, finish your business here, and find your mother,” the angel told me.

I then collapsed to the ground.

I tried to keep my eyes open, but I went unconscious.

Chapter Nine

When I woke up, Jennifer had her hand on
my forehead as I lay on the floor. I was still in the cellar of the room, but the bodies of the freaks had been removed. Thinking about the events that had just transpired, it all seemed like a bizarre dream. However, something inside of me realized it had been real.

“Did you see all of that?” I asked Jennifer.

“I saw the freak talk gibberish, then you were talking with freak, it started to laugh, and then it collapsed. The other freaks collapsed too,” she said. “Then I saw a bright light and we were all knocked out.”

“Where are the freaks?” I asked.

“They’re getting proper burials outside,” she answered. “Somehow the freaks were cured of the infection. They’re dead, but they’re no longer moving.”

“Did you understand what the demon was saying?” I asked.

“No, I didn’t. It scared me though,” she said.

“Did you understand it?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“What did it say?” she asked.

“You wouldn’t believe me,” I said.

“I might not want to know,” she responded.

I sat up and then stood to my feet. Jennifer and I started to climb out of the cellar.

“We need to leave the church,” I said. “I need to find my mom.”

“I've had enough church for a year,” Jennifer said. “I'll be glad to go with you to find your mom.”

“I think I've had enough for five years,” I said.

“The angel said that I needed to finish my business here,” I added.

“Yes,” I said. “I just don't know business I have here.”

By the time we exited the cellar, a crowd of people had surrounded the door to the supply room.

“It's a miracle!” I heard someone shout.

We exited the room and walked down the hallway to the social hall. The entire time there were people asking us about what happened; I tried to ignore them

Lunch was being served, and I was hungry. Jennifer and I sat down at a table. A few older ladies were passing out plates of sandwiches and chips. I took a plate, and began to eat eagerly. My strength started to return, but more people started asking questions. Roy and Kay joined our table, and started to inquire as to what occurred. Before long Meredith, Sam, Robert, Deacon Cooper, and Linwood were all gathered around the table.

“So how did you cure those zombies?” Meredith asked.

“I didn't cure them,” I said. “God did.”

“I hear you talked to a demon,” Kay asked.

“That’s true,” I said.

Before long, I had shared the entire story with everyone at my table. I recounted every question I had asked the demon and every answer he’d given. A few people were skeptical, but they couldn’t account for how the infected freaks had been healed.

“It has to be a miracle,” Kay stated.

“I don't know exactly what it was,” I said. “But I need to get my van on the road and get out of here.”

“It's already done,” Robert stated. “While you were in the cellar we changed the tire.”

“Then we need to be on our way,” I said.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Ms. Teresa asked, standing behind me.

“I don't want to be some kind of freaking celebrity,” I said. “Something happened down there, but I'm just an ordinary person. I wish all of you would leave me alone.”

“Would you please at least write down your experience,” she begged. “That way we will have a record of what was said.”

“Alright, but no more questions,” I said. “And for goodness sakes, will someone find my dog!”

I proceeded to walk towards a far corner of the room and write down everything that happened. It took quite a while. About an hour into writing, I was brought some coffee. I guzzled it down, and continued to write.

When I was done I turned around, and Jennifer let my little Chihuahua dog out of her arms. It ran towards me, jumped, and started to go wild as I petted it.

“Where has the dog been?” I asked.

A woman in a blue dress spoke up, “The dog has been in the nursery the whole time. He has been fed and cared for. The kids love him.”

“Why don't you let the kids play with him a bit longer and let them say their goodbyes?” I asked.

“I kind of hoped that you might consider letting us keep him, but I can understand why you like him so much,” she said.

“He’s part of the family,” I said. “We adopted him in Sandy Hills, and we’re not going to abandon him or give him away to anyone.”

“I would never ask you to do so,” the woman said.

At that moment, Reverend Sikes appeared. Apparently, he’d just come inside from giving a quick burial to his family members. He asked me what had happened in the cellar. I briefly recounted the events that had transpired, and I handed him the tablet. He wanted me to talk with him in more detail about the events, but I declined.

“Everything that happened is written here on this tablet,” I said.

I then asked the pastor for something I had been hoping for for some time.

“Reverend Sikes, can I address everyone in the room please?” I asked.

“Certainly,” he answered.

I stood up, and everyone in the social hall stopped talking and looked at me.

“I don't know what you’ll think about what's on this tablet, but it's what I recall from the events in the basement. Please be aware that I am not a prophet, messenger of God, or even a church member. I'm a meat cutter from Sandy Hills. I scrape pork chops and grind beef for a living. Remember, I'm just an ordinary guy. I just happen to be pretty good at killing freaks, and I had one brief, extraordinary experience in the basement of this church. Do not turn this tablet into gospel, but try to use the information to help you survive. If you want to do anything for me, just pray that I find my mom and that Jennifer finds her sister.”

I turned around, and I walked to the restroom. Jennifer followed me.

“You can't be in the men's restroom,” I told her.

“I don't care,” she said.

Suddenly, she embraced me.

“Let’s get out of this place,” she said.

“I need to get washed up a little and check on a few things,” I said.