LAST NIGHT'S NIGHTMARE

*Names have been changed.

The sounds of fire, of breaking glass, and screaming broke through my veil of sleep and my eyes shot open. My wife, Grace, beside me in the bed was already awake, sitting up in bed and looking horrified. Through our bedroom window we could make out the outlines of numerous figures shambling around across the lake, attacking and eating other people.

Zombies.

I couldn't believe it but there before my very eyes was proof. I watched as a person got bitten, and then broke free of their attacker only to turn and attack someone else moments later.

“Grab Will,” I told my wife, indicating our two year old son in his crib, as I got dressed.

The zombie hoard was still on the other side of the lake from us but it wouldn't take long for them to reach us. I crammed our 72 hour kit into my backpack and then checked my bike over.

“What are you doing?” Grace asked when she'd finished packing Will's diaper bag and joined me by the front door. “We won't need the bike.”

“The car's out of gas,” I reminded her, “And besides, the streets are going to be flooded with cars. We'll be sitting ducks if we get caught in a traffic jam.”

Grace nodded but still looked reticent to use a bicycle for our escape.

The bike checked out and together, the tree of us climbed on. Grace sat on the seat holding Will while I stood to peddle our way through the mayhem. The zombies reached our side of the lake as we left and our neighbors' screams were just beginning. As I'd imagined, the roads were a parking lot.

I pulled out my cell phone and made a quick phone call, having my wife hold the phone to my face while I continued to pedal and steer the bike.

“Hello?” A tired voice answered on the other line.

“Paul!” I exclaimed in relief at hearing my brothers voice, “You're not going to believe me, but the zombie apocalypse is happening right now.”

There was silence on the other line for a few moments.

“Paul?”

“I'm here,” He said wearily, “But it's the middle of the night and I'm not in the mood for jokes.”

A woman reached out of the car we were passing and screamed for help. I had just enough time to turn and see that her lower half had already been chewed off and that a half dozen zombies were working on her torso. I swerved to avoid her grasp.

“I'm not making it up,” I assured him, “We're on our way to your place now and with any luck we'll be able to make it in about an hour.”

A zombie lurched out from behind the cars ahead of us. Grace screamed and I searched frantically for a way to dodge the zombie but we were boxed in by cars on both sides. It would take too much long to stop and move the bike by hand and it began to look like the only way was through.

“You there?” Paul asked but before I could respond, Grace threw the cell phone at the zombie, smacking it in the head and distracting it for just long enough that we were able to zip by.

“That was close,” Grace breathed and she held me tightly, Will sandwiched protectively between us.

Most of the screaming was behind us now, but there were still shambling figures moving between cars and along the sides of the road. The screaming was finished here, I figured, because there wasn't anyone left to do the screaming.

Grace's grip tightened even further when a pair of zombies in front of us turned on each other and began fighting, biting huge chunks of flesh from one another. It seemed that they didn't care what they ate so long as it was human.

“At least we're not the only one's on the menu,” I said.

Next thing I knew, I was on the ground, skidding to a stop and Grace's screams pierced the night. I scrambled to my feet, shaking my head clear and stumbling back towards the bike as fast as I could. A zombie had stumbled out into our path and knocked us over, but from the looks of confusion on its face I could only assume that it had done so by accident. I took advantage of its momentary confusion and kicked it in the face, knocking it over and giving me a clear path to the bike and my family.

Grace was in hysterics but I managed to right the bicycle and get her and Will back onto it before the Zombie could get back up. I started to peddle and the zombie made a few swipes at us but we got through without it being able to stop us. We rode on without incident for a few minutes. And then Grace began to scream.

“What?” I asked, shocked at her sudden outburst and I looked around for the source of her panic. “What's wrong?”

I wanted to stop but shadowed figures were lurching out of cars and buildings all around us, following the sound of Grace's screams.

“What's wro—” I began but then I heard it; the snarl, the inhuman growling, and I recognized the voice: Will.

I managed to look back at them and saw my son straining to bite my wife. Grace held him tightly, but I could see blood on her arms from where he'd already bitten her.

“He's infected,” Grace said when she saw my terrified face, “I'm infected.”

I had to look away, not only because I was steering the bike but also because I thought I might be sick if I continued to watch as my son fought, my wife's blood and flesh dribbling down his chin.

“You'll be okay,” I assured Grace, “We'll get to Paul's house and—”

“I can already feel it,” Grace said.

“Just hang on,” I told her, still unwilling to accept it, “Just hang on!”

* * *

An hour later I pulled to a stop in front of my brother's house. He was out on the front porch, sword and baseball bat in either hand. He gave me a matching set when I reached him.

“Where's Grace and Will?” He asked.

“They won't be joining us,” I said.

Paul nodded gestured to the roof. “I figure up there's the safest place for us to wait for rescue.”

“Stephany?” I asked in reference to his own wife.

Paul didn't meet my eyes. “She won't be joining us either.”

I didn't press the matter, but I couldn't deny my confusion. The zombies hadn't reached this far yet, I'd passed the last of them a half hour before.

Paul stared out towards the distant downtown, an orange glow illuminating his face. A few of the buildings were already burning when I had passed through them on my way to Paul's house but now that they'd had some time to grow and spread, the downtown area looked like so many burning towers. Some had already collapsed.

“Stephany didn't believe it at first,” Paul began without any preamble. “Even after we saw the reports online, she couldn't believe it. Then downtown caught fire and...she's always had a phobia of zombies.”

I knew that, even the barest mention of zombies caused a visible reaction in her.

“She locked herself in the bathroom,” Paul went on, the orange glow making his face difficult to read, “And then...well...we should probably get up onto the roof. I think I can see some movement down the street.”

Together we climbed up onto the roof and took it in turns keeping watch. Before long, the shambling hoard reached us and all we could do was try and stay hidden while we waited and prayed for rescue.