CHAPTER 3 THE HERD (THE MURMURS)

There was a large group of zombies in front of us, the car could not penetrate through that crowd and if we even took that risk that could have been a death wish, we had already had enough for the day, we had no option but turn around.

You know what was weird? Ok listen to this carefully. "John, do zombie walk upright? Do they the brains stare at someone?" Mercy asked surprisingly. No, why ask! "You see that male zombie there, he has been still and staring at me for over two minutes, and also his clothes are a bit clean for a walker." Mercy said as she pointed at one of the male zombies standing at a distance.

He looked masculine and was very tall, if you listened so closely you could hear them whisper, its like there was a group of people among the walkers. They moved together with the zombies, they behaved like the zombies, they dressed like the zombies, what we didn't understand is how they survived from not being attacked by the zombies.

"We have to turn and go back, this doesn't look ok to me we can't wait for what we already know is danger," Judy panicked.

As I started reversing the car, the masculine zombie man started coming towards us with a normal human being speed, he took out a knife out of his long-sleeved t shirt. At the moment I turned the car around, I saw a group of people who acted as zombies chasing the car, they wore zombie face skins.

Is Pinky, ok? "Yeah, he is ok, just drive fast and get us out…..." Mercy said. "Yeah, am fine man, I still got to live to see though this fucked out world, there is no fucking way am giving up this early." Pinky distracted the conversation courageously.

We had to go back to the old factory, where we had found the waste materials, that was the only place we were familiar with at the moment close to where we were.

Here we are, help me take Pinky to the room and lock the doors. We held Pinky and dragged him to the old factory, the factory was a three-floor building, we moved upstairs, we thought that was safe since the walkers couldn't get up there, this was around seven pm.

"I will go down stairs back to the garage to get us some food," Mercy volunteered. "Are you sure about that mate?" Pinky asked. "Yeah, I will be ok Pinky, nothing to be afraid of, I have a fire arm here with me." Mercy replied.

That's a bold move, as you go to get the food I will go and try to place some bombs some distance away from the building just in case the walkers track and find us. "Take me with you I could be of help. "Pinky said to me. No that is not going to happen, you two will remain here incase of any trouble. Judy wait here and take good care of him, if you see anything that is not Mercy or me shoot at it, here you just point at the target, and pill this trigger. You see it's that simple.

Mercy lets move, we are running out of time, we need to move with speed. "John, take this flashlight, you are going to need it out there." Mercy handed me the torch. Ok Mercy, good luck, in case of anything just yell, ok?

"Come on John, you know me better than anyone, I can't yell, I can handle myself, you know that right?" She said to me eagerly. Ok boss lady, as you suggest, who am I to say no. I picked a few electric wires, some petrol and a few tools I needed to get the bombs ready to go boom.

Everything was now set and ready, I had to get back to others upstairs. Hello people, is everyone ok up there, I hope y'all safe. "Yeah, we are all ok up here." They all said loudly. "Are you ok John? Mercy asked. Yeah, I am fine.

Any food left for me? I am starving. "Here, take this bread, I think that will help." Pinky handed me a piece of bread. Thank you Pinky I really appreciate. Ok here I what we are going to do, we will have one person at a time watching out for the night in case of anything so that we can be aware of what is going on.

"That's a nice idea brother," Pinky said. "I can start!" Judy said. "Are you sure about that?" Mercy asked Judy. She was always concerned about everyone. She always wanted to protect each one of us because she believed in herself.

Is alright Mercy, if she believes she can do it, why not? After all we will be here, she can call out incase of anything. Ok everyone, lets rest, Judy you feel dizzy wake me up, I will be next on the watch out.

"Ok John, you are loud and clear." She spoke. "Goodnight, everyone, sweet dreams." Judy wished us. We gathered some old boxes from all over so that we could make ourselves a bit comfortable, our aim was to see the morning.

I had to be alert just in case Judy doze off or in case I heard of any kind of funny sound outside. Everything was ok until a quarter to eleven. I heard Judy calling out. "John! John! Wake up! I think they are here."

Ok, wake up the others, tell them to get ready. Boom! I heard the bombs go off outside. I pipped through the window to see what was happening. Most zombies were already on fire, they had reached the fence already.

That would slow them up and give us some time to prepare ourselves. Take the guns, its now or never! Pinky, can you handle this, if you aren't sure, you can remain inside. "Hand me the shot gun John." Pinky said. Pinky you can barely stand for five minutes. "Hand me the fucking shot gun God damnit." He insisted.

Mercy take the left wing, Judy you will go right, I hope you know how to handle the gun, just like we practiced. "Yeah, I am good." She said. Ok, I will take the center and handle that crowd over there.

Let's move. We ran down stairs to fight a fight that would determine if we were going back home or we would end up corpses. Mercy, watch out, behind you. There was a zombie staggering behind Mercy ready to bit him.

Remember, do not stop shooting at the rotters, no matter what, do not stop. Pinky stay behind us. We started blazing at the walkers, they were tough to deal with, humans were among the walkers, their aim was to grab whatever goods we were having.

We had to struggle to the fullest. "Judy, aim for the skull." Mercy reminded her. Our clothes were covered in blood, not just blood but blood from the rotters, the smell was too much, our skins were slippery.

We had gunned down almost half the crowd, the humans who were among the rotters started to surrender, they had no guns, all they had was machetes and knives, so we had the advantage over them.

We took the win for that day. "Don't let them escape." Mercy said. We captured one of them, a young boy. Ok we are going to question him when we get home. Tie him up Judy, everyone got into the car.

We didn't know what was going to happen next, neither did we know what was waiting for us. Would those who escaped come for the boy? Would they come for revenge? Well, I guess we had to wait for that day to come.