I rode west on Route 71, taking in the cool morning air and the quiet countryside. The open fields to my left contrasted nicely with the forested lands to my right and the morning dew was not quite gone, so the world had a pleasant washed look to it. I turned south onto State Road 178 and pedaled quietly for another two miles.

I was nearly at the entrance when a little zombie came tearing out of the roadside ditch, right in front of me. I swerved sharply to avoid it, then looked back as it struggled to chase me down. It was a young boy, probably no older than ten, although it was hard to tell. His skin was badly decayed and great rents in his clothing and tissue told of a tragic, painful end. His face was twisted in a snarl as he pursued me and I had to give him credit, he was far faster than his older contemporaries. The skin around his mouth was torn away, usually an indication that he had been dead for a while and had feasted often.

I pedaled to the entrance to Matthiesson and stopped the bike, hopping off and heading back to the road where the little zombie was slavering away and closing in fast. I stepped onto the road and unslung my rifle. Ordinarily, I would take a lone zombie out with my pickaxe or knife, but I never took chances with the faster ones. Get them down, then finish them off any way you could.

I aimed my rifle at his stomach as he moved towards me, then waited until his head filled my sights. The gun barked once, sending a. 223 caliber bullet through the young boy’s face, blasting his head apart and sending him sprawling backwards. I had a brief thought about this boy’s parents, but pushed it away as I thought about Jake.

I walked over to the body and made sure it was dead. Dragging it over to the ditch, I unceremoniously tossed the small body in, squirted it with kerosene from a small squeeze bottle, then lit it up. I watched the body catch fire and when I was satisfied it would be fully consumed I walked back over to where I had left my bike. I was just in time to see Charlie step from the trees that lined the small road to the park.