Chapter 6 Welcome
Kylie and John still hadn’t managed to kill a single zombie. They had been running for their they couldn’t take down even
lives the entire time. With their cowardice and incompetence
one.
“Kylie, I can’t run anymore. Maybe… Maybe we should just go back and ask Luke to take us in.”
Kylie flinched at the mention of Luke’s name, her entire body trembling as if she had just recalled something terrifying. “I can’t go back! If I do, he’ll kill me. He already warned me that if I fail this mission, he’ll throw me to the zombies, Dad. No matter what we do, we’re dead either way.”
Then, her expression twisted with hatred as she turned toward the distant castle.
“This is all Sheila’s fault. That bitch ruined everything! If it weren’t for her, Mom wouldn’t be dead, and we wouldn’t be running through this godforsaken forest, trying to kill zombies just to survive. Once I get inside the castle, she’s the first one I’m going to kill.”
She continued forward, but John groaned in pain and collapsed onto the ground.
Kylie’s gaze flickered downward, then her face drained of color. Her eyes locked onto the wound on John’s leg.
“You… You got bitten?”
Panic flashed across John’s face. “No! No, it’s just a scratch!”
The wound was unmistakable–a deep bite mark, oozing foul–smelling pus.
Kylie immediately backed away, her body tensing in fear. “You’re infected! You’re going to turn into a zombie!”
As she spoke, her hand moved to her belt, drawing a dagger.
John felt his heart drop. “Kylie, I’m your father! The only family you have left in this world. Your mother just died. Are you going to kill me, too?
“Kylie, I’ve always loved you the most. When you wanted to abandon your mother, I stood by your side. I did everything for you! I swear, once we get into the castle, I’ll help you kill Sheila and Gavin. I won’t betray you. I promise.”
Kylie uttered curtly, “If you love me so much, then you should do what Mom did–sacrifice yourself for me. You’re infected, which means you’re never making it into the castle anyway.
Sheila said I just need to kill two zombies to get in. You and Mom make two.”
John’s face twisted in horror while tears of bitter, crushing regret streamed down.
“What monster did I raise? I should have brought Sheila home years ago and left you in that orphanage to suffer! If I had taken your mother and followed Sheila instead of you, maybe we
Chapter Welcome
wouldn’t have ended up like this!”
But regret changed nothing.
Just as she had done to Mandy, Kylie tied John to a tree and watched as he turned. The moment his lifeless eyes clouded over with hunger, she drove her dagger into his skull, killing her first
zombie.
Now, she only needed one more. She turned to the rotting corpse of her mother, still bound to
the other tree.
When it was done, she picked up the radio and said, “Sheila, I killed two zombies. I’ve met the requirements. I can enter the castle now, right?”
“What about Mom and Dad? Are they okay?” I asked.
Kylie suddenly broke into loud, uncontrollable cries. “They… They sacrificed themselves to save me! The zombies got them! Sheila, I’m the only family you have left. Before they died, they wanted us to look out for each other. You have to listen to their final wishes. The dead should be honored.”
If not for the surveillance cameras, I might have actually believed her.
“You’ve met the requirements. Welcome to the castle.”
