Chapter Thirty-Eight

I looked forward as we continued our walk, only now noticing a strange looking outline on the ground. I stopped and pointed to it, getting Nina’s attention.

“Circle, strange.” I said, keeping my eyes on it.

“What’s strange about it?” she asked. “It’s a little out of place but it looks fine to me. We can go around if you’d like.” I nodded as we walked around it, turning around to make sure it was only a strange circle in the ground. Nina smiled as she guided me back to the path in front of us. Then, before either of us could react, a loud noise exploded from the circle. We turned around and saw a pillar of smoke rising from a hole where the circle once stood. I turned to Nina, wondering if she might have an answer, but before I could open my mouth, a boisterous yell erupted from the hole.

“You have fallen into my trap, and now I will claim my reward!” the voice said. Though it was loud, I couldn’t help but try to imagine the person who would have that kind of voice. It was high pitched, with only a hint of deepness to it. It sounded inexperienced, but confident, able to command my attention. As we waited to see who or what arose, we watched as an arrow was shot into the sky, landing some distance away from us. We looked back to the hole and saw a small hand reach the top. It pushed into the ground as another hand arose, this one with a crossbow attached to it. After a few seconds the rest of the person reached the top and stood up, hands to hips.

Nina and I looked at each other before turning back toward the person. It was a girl, much younger than me, in a dirty, puffy purple dress. She wore a purple beret and black scuffed pumps, with the white stockings that completed the outfit, full of holes. Her blonde hair was combed back into a braid that wrapped around her head, with multiple strands sticking out in every direction. Her face was telling us that she was in control, and we could see clenched teeth in between her confident smile.

“Woman on the left!” she said to Nina. “With those multitude of pockets, you must have treasures beyond belief! It is time to hand them over to me! I will take them by peace if you agree, and by force if you don’t!” Nina looked at me, unsure of what to do. The girl followed her gaze as she turned to me. “Woman on the–” she stopped as soon as she saw me. The color drained from her face as her expression transformed into something that looked unfamiliar to her. She started to shake while trying to walk backwards.

“Z, Z, Z,” she tried to say. “You…” Nina’s studied the girl’s reaction, watching her every move. The girl stopped and looked straight at me, her eyes dripping with fear. “Zombie!” With that scream, she raised her crossbow and fired a shot in one quick motion. Nina, reading her movements, reached for my head and pulled it off my body, making sure to stay away from the line of fire. The shot flew over my neck, right where the center of my forehead was not even a second ago. I stared, wide-eyed as the girl readied another shot, dropping it on the ground and picking it up. Nina stood up and grabbed my head and started to run. My body awoke with a jolt and tried to look around when another arrow flew over it again. It turned towards Nina and sprinted to her, faster than I had ever seen it.