Undead Rising

Lorrie was woken up by the sound of her own legs skidding across the ground. Her vision was blurred and her head throbbed ceaselessly, darkness clouding everything around her. She tried to move her body, but it remained limp like a ragdoll. For what felt like an eternity, she slipped in and out of consciousness, afraid as to what could be happening to her. She dug like a miner into the caves of her mind, to try and remember what happened. All that could be recalled was something hard hitting her over the head, and Molly's voice. Whoever was pulling her was grunting loudly. She tried to identify the voice, but to no avail. Her stomach leaped as she was thrown, and hit the ground hard, followed by a loud slam.

'Where am I...? Hello...? Anyone....?" She asked subconsiously.

~o~

"I'm glad you came with us Jeremy." Max sighed in relief, staying vigilant at the path ahead.

"To be honest, I am too. I couldn't stand being with those assholes any longer.." Jeremy replied, shuddering at the thought of his so-called "comrades."

"This is the right way, no?" Bron asked, not being able to resist looking behind them to see if they were being followed, "Ohh my nerves are shot! I feel like they're gonna catch up any minute..."

"Don't worry Bron, we lost em'." Jeremy assured him with a smile.

Bron sighed and fixated his vision to the ground, trying to send his mind elsewhere.

"This should be the right way. Any minute now, we'll rear up on your camp."

As they trekked through the woods, there was a sudden downpour. The storm had finally arrived and began releasing it's tyranny on everything below. They jolted at the sound of lightning striking somewhere nearby.

"That was clo - " Bron began.

Another bolt of electricity struck a tree right beside them, sending sparks and wood ch.i.p.s in every direction. The three shouted and covered their faces, a loud cracking piercing the howling air as the struck tree broke off it's base and fell towards Max.

"Watch out!" Bron reached his large hand out and grabbed Max by the back of his shirt, narrowly yanking him out of the way.

"Close call...thanks buddy."

Bron gave him a thumbs up, and they kept moving. Soon enough, Max and Bron sighed in relief as they caught view of their camp. They couldn't run fast enough into it.

"Everyone! We're back!" Bron cheered, almost beginning to cry.

But, to their surprise, there was no answer.

"Guys?" Max shouted, searching each tent in search of his allies.

But they were nowhere to be seen. Bron g.r.o.a.n.e.d and ran his hands through his hair in frustration, while Max investigated a note on his bed in his tent. He gave it a thorough read and threw it down.

"Bron! I know where they are!"

~o~

"Everyone inside!" Jim shouted as he stood at the front door, waving his hands for everyone to seek shelter.

Jess and Scott both ran inside while Jim shut the door behind them. The three laughed and flapped their arms, splashing water everywhere.

"Ohohoh man! We got creamed!" Scott laughed and brushed his droopy, wet hair out of his eyes.

"I didn't expect it to come down so fast!" Jess giggled in response, holding her arms out to watch all the water trickle down.

"Ma! Get some towels!" Jim shouted, flapping his arms goofily.

Soon enough, Jim's mother scurried in with a handful of towels and fresh clothes.

"Here Scott, Jess. You need some dry clothes. You too Jimmy - bear."

Jess and Scott snorted.

"Jimmy - bear?~" Scott asked, trying to hold in a laugh.

Jim blushed and covered his face with his towel.

"Maaa...don't call me that..." He w.h.i.n.ed and started to ruffle his hair with his towel.

Scott and Jess held in their laughs as Jim and his mother argued as to what he should be called. It finally occured to Jess once she finished changing, that Lorrie was nowhere to be seen.

"Guys? What happened to Lorrie?" She announced as she walked into the living room, where everyone was relaxing.

"I heard she and Molly went out in search of something. Oh, that Molly, she's gonna get a scoldin' when she gets back..." Jim's mother sighed.

"They still haven't come back...?" Jess murmured, looking worried.

"They should be soon though, we're about to have dinner." Jim's father explained as he walked into the living room, clapping his hands together.

Jess was baffled, as to why none of the Milton's where concerned that not only Lorrie, but their own daughter, was missing.

"Let's go sit down. Okay?" said Jim's father, with a strange grin.

Scott happily agreed and walked into the kitchen. Jess hesitantly followed, eyeing Jim's father as his eyes followed her. They sat down, Jess suddenely having suspicions. Something wasn't right. Lorrie and Molly go missing and no one bats an eye? As the Milton's began setting the table for what would be a good feast, Jess suddenely blurted,

"May I go to the bathroom?"

"Of course sweetheart! But come back in time to eat!" Jim's mother nodded and turned to get the food ready.

Jess bolted out of the kitchen faster than a bullet. She wanted to investigate, but had no idea where to do so, nor did she know if she had enough time.

"F.u.c.k..." she swore at herself, trying to think.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. She wanted to tell the Milton's, but stopped herself and opened it instead, and to her surprise, came face to face with Max, Bron, and someone else she didn't know.

"Max!!" She gasped and flung her arms around him.

"Jess? Where did this come from?" He blushed.

Jess realized what she was doing and quickly rebounded off of him, blushing and hugging herself.

"S-Sorry. But...you idiots!!" She suddenely shouted and gave Max and Bron a hard knock on the head, "You guys go hunting and never come back?! What's the matter with you?!"

"O.." Max and Bron g.r.o.a.n.e.d, rubbing their throbbing heads.

"You guys look terrible..." She sighed, eyeing their torn clothes and dirt covered skin, "And who's that?"

"That's Jeremy. We'll explain everything later, let us in."

Jess almost shrieked and blocked the door.

"No! Don't come in! Something really weird is going on. If you come in, we won't get any investigating done."

"What're you talking about?" Bron asked, looking incredibly confused.

"Jess? What's taking so long?" came the voice of Jim's mother, sounding expectant.

"Crap...just, do some looking around! Try to find something weird, cause something definitely weird is going on." Jess explained frantically, looking behind her.

"Alright, go back in there, we'll look around."

"Try the barn!" She hissed and closed the door, running back inside.

"Come on guys." Max ordered and walked down the porch steps toward the towering barn. He was just as confused as Bron and Jeremy, but if something was wrong, something was wrong. Especially if Jess thought so, she seemed to be one of the most rational of the group. He pulled open the doors of the barn and walked in, Bron and Jeremy on his tail. The howling wind shook the barn from the outside, thunder piercing the clouds. The storm was getting worse. They searched around as best they could, but refused to check the very back, for it reeked and was far too dark.

"Doesn't look like anything's here..." Max sighed and walked toward the exit, Jeremy followed. Bron was about to exit, but happened to look down and spotted the copy of, "The Chrysalids".

"Wait!" Bron called, crouching down to examine the book.

Max and Jeremy pivoted to look at him.

"Lorrie always wanted to finish reading The Chrysalids. It was her favourite book as I child but she never finished. I doubt she'd leave it behind, she might be here." Bron said strongly, standing up and clutching the book tightly.

"Why would Lorrie be in here and not with the others?" Max asked, scratching his head.

"Exactly. This might be the 'weird' thing that Jess was talking about. Come on."

Max was surprised to see Bron so confident all of a sudden. For somone who was usually afraid, nervous and jumpy, he was suddenly struck by firmness and walked into the darkness leading to the other side of the barn. It was too dark to make out, but a large door at the end was very faintly visible. Max felt around for the door handles and yanked on them, but the door refused to budge.

"This thing's not opening." He sighed.

Bron let out a battle cry and rammed into the door with all his might, breaking clean through it.

"That works too."

Max stepped through the hole with Jeremy right behind. He wasn't worried about the commotion they were making, for the booming storm overpowered, and drowned it out. It was a grey room with some shelves and nothing else. Lorrie laid in the corner face down.

"Lorrie!" Bron gasped and hurried over to her.

He slid on his knees and turned her over, checking for a pulse. He indeed found one and sighed in pure relief. Max and Jeremy kneeled down on the other side of her.

"Is she ok?" Jeremy asked in concern.

"She's fine. She's unconsious." Bron growled, clenching his beefy mitts, "This is the damn Milton's doing. Why else would Lorrie be unconcsious in this locked room?"

Lorrie suddenly g.r.o.a.n.e.d, and fluttered her eyes open. She looked up at Bron and was struck with an expression of fear.

"Warn the others." was all she said.

Max and Jeremy were out of there in seconds, drawing their weapons and bursting into the house like the FBI. They slid into the kitchen and held up their guns to the Milton's, who were just sitting down.

"Oh my lord!" Mrs. Milton gasped, looking horrified.

"What the? What's going on here?" Mr. Milton, boomed, his chair scraping the ground as he stood up angrily.

Max and Jeremy both aimed at him, making him sit back down.

"Nobody move." Max growled, looking around the room, for everyone seemed to be accounted for, "You Milton's got some explaining to do."

"Max?!" Scott gasped, looking over at him in joy, "You're alive!"

"You know this fella?" Mr. Milton sneered, squinting at Scott.

"Yes! He's my friend! Him and Bron went hunting and never came back!"

"I'll explain everything once we get out of here." Max explained, not taking his eyes off of the Milton's.

"Get out of here? Why? What's wrong?"

"That's exactly what the f.u.c.k I was going to ask." Mr. Milton b.u.t.t in, looking severely annoyed, "You're trespassing!"

"We have every right to be here, knowing our friends are in danger."

"Explain why Lorrie is locked up in the barn." Jeremy added.

Scott and Jess perked up, their eyes widening in shock and worry.

"What?" They gasped simultaneously.

"Now...Now that's ridiculous! What proof do you have?" Mrs. Milton squeaked, fiddling her hands.

At that moment, thunder crashed loudly. Bron walked in carrying Lorrie against him. She used him for support as she rubbed her bloody head and g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

All three of the Milton's gasped.

"You f.u.c.kers...you hit me over the head and locked me up." She sneered, looking dangerously furious. Max was afraid she'd go mad and leap at the Milton's any minute.

"N-Now that's crazy. Why would we do that?"

"Because I found the truth. Explain why you have a MURDER DUNGEON out in the woods!!"

Everyone gasped.

"You f.u.c.kers have been murdering people ever since this started! Hell, you aren't even the real owners of this ranch! You murdered them!" And with her announcment, she proudly held up the photograph of the real owners standing in front of the ranch.

Another wave of gasps came, but only from those who WEREN'T Milton's.

Mr and Mrs Milton rose from their seats, a menacing expression covered both their faces. They must have known they were at a loss, because they caved in.

"It's true." Mrs. Milton barked, clenching her fists.

Max was suddenely hit over the head with a shovel and collapsed to the floor. Jeremy gasped and looked over, but was shot in the leg by Mr. Milton, who had drawn his hidden pistol. While everyone was shocked and disoriented, Molly stepped out of the shadows, grasping the bloody shovel and a knife, grabbing Bron and holding the blade to his throat. Mrs Milton and Jim pulled out guns and held Scott and Jess at gunpoint.

"You bastards!" Jess shouted furiously, a look of pure hatred on her face.

Scott could do nothing but stare in shock, almost petrified. His friends had been taken out with ease, and the people he saw as friends had all admitted to commiting murder. Even Jim, who held him at gunpoint.

"Jim...? You too..?" He stuttered, feeling betrayed.

Jim had a sorrowful expression on his face, like he felt remorseful for what he was doing. He refused to make anymore eye contact with Scott and turned his head away.

"Those people weren't gonna live anyway. It's a dog eat dog world, and it's time we started to live up to that. Or more like...man eat man." Mrs. Milton cackled and grinned wickedly.

"Don't tell me..." Jess gasped, looking at her untouched plate of food.

Suddenely she knew.

They were cannibals.