Undead Rising

They were all geared up with weapons, and now their plan was put into action. The three entered the empty building. It was terrible. Blood was everywhere, bodies littered on the ground. The stench was so terrible, they had to resist the urge to vomit.

"Phew… I'm never gonna get used to this smell…" Scott g.r.o.a.n.e.d and plugged his nose.

"I'm never gonna get used to the visuals…" Jess sighed and stared at the bodies.

Max and Scott exchanged glances. To comfort her, Max patted her on the shoulder. She appreciated the gesture, and smirked. The entire way up the first flight of stairs, they didn't say a word. It was really awkward.

"So uh...where you from Jess?" Scott asked, attempting to strike up a conversation.

"Douglasville." She grunted.

"Ah. Not too far from here.." Max said.

"Yes. In the first few days me and my family stayed there. We heard about the safe zone and made our way here."

"But you're alone. Where's your family?" Max asked.

She didn't answer.

They kept on until finally reaching the first door. The stairwell swirled up in a spiral staircase kind of way, meaning if someone fell over the side, they'd plummet right down to the bottom. Ouch. They reached the door leading to the roof. Jess was right. It was boarded up like crazy. Wood planks nailed horizontally from top to bottom. You could barely see the actual door itself.

"Shit. You want some door with your wood?" Scott chuckled.

No one laughed.

"Yeesh...tough crowd."

"Just get the thing open you goof." Jess sighed and rolled her eyes.

Max and Scott approached the door and pulled on one of the planks with all their strength.

"This isn't gonna work." Max sighed as he retreated and rubbed his hands.

"Come on ladies. Put your back into it!" Jess said.

"If you're so tough why don't you do it?" Scott growled.

"If I could, I would've been in the safe zone ages ago."

"At least help. We need to work together right?" Max pointed out.

Jess sighed and rolled her eyes.

"OK ok, alright. Fine."

They all pulled at once, but still no dice.

"Ugh! Now what?" Scott w.h.i.n.ed and stomped his foot.

They all jumped at the sound of a low groaning. A rope was tied to the railing beside them, leading down. They peeked over, and saw one of the creatures dangling by its feet in the open area of the spiral stairwell. The trio trekked back down the stairs until they came face to face with the monster. The minute it saw them, it growled loudly and reached for them, but dangled like that, he couldn't do a thing to harm them. He wore a janitor's outfit, his nametag read, "Wells".

"Poor guy…" Jess frowned.

"I wonder how this happened…" Max said.

He wore a strap going diagonally across his torso, an axe attached to it. A big, heavy, sharp one.

"Score! That could break the boards!" Scott cheered.

"Don't cheer yet, we gotta get it off of him first."

Max leapt up on the railing, crouched, and reached over.

"Be careful! Don't fall or anything!" Jess cried out.

Max turned around and laughed.

"Aww what? You care about me or something?~" He said in a silly voice and put both hands on his cheeks.

"N-No! I-It's just cause y-you won't be any use to us if you fall…" Jess protested, blushing profoundly.

Max would have responded with something funny, but instead, was strangled by the creature's claws. He got distracted for too long. The bastard gurgled and pulled him off the railing

"MAX!!!" Scott and Jess cried simultaneously.

Max coughed as he struggled to fight back, dangling 20 stories. The only thing keeping him alive was the beast holding onto him. He reached down and grabbed his cleaver, heaving it into the monster's head. It instantly let go.

"F.U.C.K!!" He grabbed onto it's arm at the last second, and started to climb back up.

"Close one…" Scott sighed and wiped his head.

"Get that axe! Quick!" Jess panted and pointed at the axe.

Max nodded and reached for the axe. They bounced a little. He heard a snapping noise. Scott and Jess disappeared from his view as he plummeted down. The creature fell limply with him.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

In a matter of seconds, he'd be a squishy red stain on the floor if he didn't act. He reached over, slipped the axe off of the monster and reached out to grab a railing. His hand latched on to one, his arm strained as he came to a sudden halt. Max watched as his adversary kept going until he crashed to the bottom with a loud slam. He decided to pull himself up before his arm ripped off.

"God. DAMN!' He shouted as he hoisted himself up, panting and wheezing.

"MAX! ARE YOU DEAD?!" Came Scott's voice from about 10 stories up.

Max laughed and slapped his knee.

"I'M ALIIIIIIVEEE!!!" He shouted back.

"OH THANK GOD!" Jess replied as Scott laughed in the background, "DO YOU HAVE THE AXE?!"

"HELL YEAH!"

"ALRIGHT GET UP HERE!!"

Max g.r.o.a.n.e.d, realizing he had to walk all the way up. His arms were throbbing with pain from latching to the railing so suddenly, but he ignored it. No time for pain. He finally reached the top floor, and was greeted by his companions. Scott patted him on the back, Jess nodded. That's the best he was gonna get.

"Alright.. Here's Johnny!" He chuckled and smashed the axe into each plank.

One by one until the last one clattered to the ground, torn in half. Scott grabbed the knob and opened the door.

"I wonder why this door was boarded u- OH MY GOD!" He slammed it shut and locked it.

"What?!" Jess shouted.

"There's about…." Scott counted his fingers, "....8 or 9 of them out there."

"How the f.u.c.k!? Great! This day just keeps getting better."

"Hold on. Everybody calm down. This is our only chance of getting to the safe zone. So we're gonna run right through them and jump to the building in front." Max said calmly.

"Oh I don't like this…" Scott quivered.

"You have a better plan?" Max swerved to look at him.

"No. Get off my back man..Fine, let's just do it."

"Good. Let's do it then." Jess scoffed and grabbed the knob.

"1…." Max said.

"2…" Scott whimpered.

"3!!" Jess shouted and pushed the door open.

They ran straight into the group. Swerving to avoid the beast's arms swinging at them.

"JUMP!!" Jess cried and leaped with all her might.

Max and Scott were quickly approaching the edge.

"I can't do this!! Scott screeched and began to slow down.

"YOU HAVE TO! GO!" Max grabbed him and gave him a shove to help him jump.

"DUDE NO!!!" He screamed and soared over the edge. His jump fell short. He wasn't going to make it. Jess leaned over and grabbed him at the last second.

"Gah!" She roared, struggling to keep her hold on him, and hoisted him up.

Max leaped over and met up with them.

"What the f.u.c.k man?!" Scott yelled at him through his panting breaths.

"Sorry! But I had to!" Max roared back.

"I could've died! You don't f.u.c.k.i.n.g push someone at the edge of a rooftop!!"

"HEY! If Max didn't push you, those things back there would have killed you. So be thankful." Jess b.u.t.t in.

Scott huffed and turned his back to them.

"Whatever…"

"Listen, we can't fight at a time like this man…" Max sighed and attempted to reason with him.

"Lets just go." Scott replied, walking over to the edge of the building, "Looks like we'll have to jump across 4 rooftops."

"Let's get to jumping. I can't wait any longer!" Jess hopped up and down.