Getting Started
Two weeks of sleeping during the day and walking for hours at night they finally got to their destination. The old hotel known as Dead End. They stayed at the top of the hill that Shiny and Lasso had stalked her hotel from so many months ago. The front was swarming with zombies all as still as statues. Everything was silent. Charlie stared at all the dead faces. Some looked to be dead for years while others had arrows through their chests. What made Charlie finally look away was the fact that it wasn't only adults down there. Children. Zombified children were down there too. "Um- Cy-" he stammered quietly then looked at her. For the first time in awhile he saw a soft smile on her face. "Hey kid, you ever lead a horde before?" She whispered and he hesitantly shook his head. "Um- no- can't say I have-" he mumbled and Cypher got up and began walking down the hill. Charlie quickly followed close behind.
She began to walk away from the gates and around the walls that surrounded the hotel. "There's a trench back here, come on" Cypher began to jog. Charlie was quick to follow. They jogged through the woods behind the old hotel until they got to a large trench. Thick tree branches hung over the trench and ropes were tied to it. "Um- what are the ropes for?-" Charlie asked. He what he hoped for her not to say is what she said. "Well to swing across of course. Need a demo before we have a zoms behind us when we do it?" She asked and he nodded. His eyes were wide and he felt his breath get caught in his lungs when he watched her take off running towards the trench. Her feet got so close to the edge he thought he was about to lose her. Then she leaped. She dove for the rope and grabbed it, she then swung across and let go once she was safely on the other side. She did this with such grace he guessed she had been doing it for years.
"Your turn!" She yelled to him. He took a deep breath but then froze. What if he fell? What if he missed the rope completely and couldn't grab it. Panic filled his mind and he stumbled back. "Don't worry! The dirt's soft if you fall I can just fish ya out!" She yelled at him and that snapped him out of his daze. Charlie took a deep breath then began to run. His run turned to a sprint then once he reached the edge he leaped. He dove for the rope and fumbled with it in the air. He managed to grip it and fling himself to the other side of the trench. Instead of landing on his feet he flipped himself and landed on his stomach instead. He coughed and rolled onto his back. He breathed heavily and listened to a sound he hadn't heard in awhile. Cypher's laughter. He slowly looked up to see Cypher walking towards him.
"Geez we gotta practice your landing bud. You're clumsier than a dog I'll tell you that." She laughed and helped him up. "Do we have to swing back?" He coughed and felt like collapsing when she nodded. "We also gotta lure all those zoms into that trench. So we'll be back and forth quite a bit." She patted his back and he nodded. "You'll get better once you've done it a few times" she assured then ran and swung across again. He followed and this time landed on his back. "You do know your feet go under your correct?" She asked and helped him up again. "I'm trying-" he coughed. They then both walked to the front gate. "Ready?" She asked and he looked at her. Some of the zombie already began shuffling to them just at the sound of her voice. "Ready for wha-" he was cut of by a loud clanking noise and all the zombies began to shamble to them.
Cypher swung and hit the gate numerous times to get the zombies attention. "Start yelling random stuff come on" she began to walk back to the trench with the zombies shambling behind. Charlie followed and began yelling nonsense to keep their attention. "Ok ok your good, they can see us moving" Cypher laughed and walked with Charlie to the trench while the horde shambled close behind. Charlie stopped yelling and smiled, proud that he's being helpful.
Once they got close to the edge they sprinted and dove for the ropes. Cypher swung and landed on her feet while Charlie ended up flinging himself and barrel rolled to a stop. "Feet under you-" Cypher helped him up. "I'm working on that-" he dusted himself off then watched the horde fall into the trench, trying to continue after what they thought was their next meal. "Good job though" she patted his back and watched as well. "Probably a few stragglers inside that we'll get but it's fine" once they all were in the trench she ran and dove for the rope, swinging across and landing on her feet but stumbled a little this time. She then turned to him. "Come on Charlie, I'll catch ya" she motioned for him and he took a deep breath and ran. He dove for the rope and swung across. He then felt Cypher grab him mid air and put him on his feet. "Atta boy!" She praised him as they walked back to the front gates to get the rest of the zombies out.