A Rational Zombie

Chapter 62

With this posture, its easier to shoot. My arrows are more accurate. But now the prey are close to the fence, shooting isnt as useful as stabbing. Both injure prey. But stabbing is better; theres no downtime. With the bow, I have to grab the arrows off the wall, adjust them, pull the bows string back before I can attack. With the spear, I thrust. Thats it. Theres only three prey left. One prey stopped moving after it was hit by many arrows. Another prey stepped in a pitfall, tripped, impaled itself on the fence. It might not be dead. But its not moving.

Theres still the big prey, the one that can carry other prey around. Theres a smaller prey behind it. But its bigger than me. And theres the prey with the bow.

Thwip.

Its annoying. Ill have to position myself in front of the big prey, keep the bow-using prey behind it. It cant attack me if I use its companion as a barrier. Im surprised though. The prey are working together. They didnt scatter after two prey died. A normal group wouldve betrayed each other to escape by now.

But the prey arent the only ones with companions. There are still over eighty others here lined up against the fence. Theyre pressing down on it. Its creaking. I hope it doesnt break; the prey will have an easy way in if it does. For now, the prey are stalling at the fence. It looks like they dont know how to approach. The big one still hasnt dropped the prey it was holding. And it was the only one that I could shoot, the other prey hidden behind it. Itd be a waste of arrows if I shot it.

Brett, are you okay?

The sound came from the big prey. Or it couldve been the prey it was holding. Theyre both wearing domes, their mouths behind the dark glass.

Im cold. Its so cold. Why?

It seems like the prey that fell on the fence didnt die. It could still speak.

Vlad! Can you break off the spikes holding him up? The sound came from behind the big one. If you slam down on it, they should snap right off.

I cant. The smart one is pointing its bow right at me.

It was talking about me. Interesting. I didnt know the spikes on the fence could be broken by hitting them down. Theyre designed to stop dumb others. Theyd never hit down, only move forward. It makes sense.

Thats sorry, Brett.

Im cold. Perry, are you there? Perry?

Perrys on his way, Brett. He was shot in the hip, but he can still move. Hell be here in a sec.

Im not sure what to do. The big prey isnt moving because Im pointing my bow at it. If it lowers its shield, Ill shoot. But if it doesnt do anything, is staring at it the only thing I can do? I can shoot the prey thats on the fence. It seems like the prey behind the big one want to rescue it. How surprising. Not only do the prey not run, they try to save each other. Except for the prey thats being used as a shield. Maybe its being used because its already dead. Then Ill wait. When the prey in the back try to save this one on the fence, Ill shoot them when they show themselves.

I cant see. Its so cold.

Brett? Can you hear me? Brett?

Hes gone.

Shit.

Did the prey die? That means the other prey wont expose themselves to save it.

The big one took a step back. Whats the plan? Retreat? The fence doesnt sound like it can hold much longer.

Were the prey thinking of running? Why did they even come here if they were just going to leave? Did they get what they came for? But they didnt even get past the fence. Then theyre scared. When I want to retreat, theres lots of danger, enough to threaten my life. The prey must feel the same way. Theres a lot of others, much more than three prey can handle even if one of them is abnormally strong.

But its right there.

Sure, right there, across your fucking fence beside dozens of infected. Not to mention it has a bow.

A bow? Was I the reason the prey came? Other than on me and the prey, there arent any bows around. No, theres another bow in the grass way back there. It used to be on the shield preys back. But that bow is back there, not across the fence beside dozens of infected. Only I am.

Are we really going to let Nelson and Brett die for nothing?

We? There is no we. This was your idea. Their deaths are on you. The big one moved back again. If you have a way to kill it, go ahead. If not, Im retreating: My arms are tired, theres a fucking hole in my foot, and this whole place smells like shit.

Thwip.

I ducked. An arrow flew over me, hitting the wall. I was paying too much attention to the big prey; I didnt notice the bow-wielding prey step out from behind it. Luckily, the sound is loud even when Im next to groaning others. I stood up, got into the arrow-shooting posture. And the prey is hidden again. It was my idea to hide behind the big one. Why is the prey stealing my idea? But its not the only one that can move from side to side. I moved to my left. And bumped into an other. Maybe the prey was the only one that could move from side to side. If I try to reposition myself, the others will take the spot Im currently in. How annoying. And the big prey is still moving back at a constant pace. Do I shoot at it anyway? Even if it has a shield? Can I hit it any other way? Spear, no. Metal stick, no. Knives, no. Throw a brick? Still no. Try to break the fence to let the others out into the field? Then theyll eat the big ones muscles. It might turn into an other. But it wont be able to move. Theres no point in turning the prey into an other if it cant move.

Letting prey go like this, I dont like it. But they left behind one body. Itll be a pain to retrieve it without the others interfering. I wonder if I even can.