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Zombie Apocalypses? Rapture? 2012?
From the short story
SOULS
A work in progress
By B.E. Schafer
Blake Schaefer
Dreams of mist and fog twisting through the hallways of my mind; I find myself on a dark interstate all alone. Sweat drips profusely from my brow as I peer out the rain-splashed windshield as the wipers squeal, pushing me deeper into this hypnotic nightmare. Is this a dream or am I living in a strange dimension far from the world I have always known?
The tires whoosh across deep puddles of water as the rain tapers away. I am cold doing my best to see through the speckled windshield. I try to focus my weary eyes on the misty concrete that stretches endlessly before me. It almost seem as if I am sitting still, making no headway at all.
Suddenly I’m dodging white chunks of ice that are scattered out along the way. “Ice?” I’m thinking. “Why Ice on such a warm summer night?” I strain to focus on the chunks. I come to realize this is not ice; but chunks of bloody flesh, dismembered body parts.
Suddenly I’m locking up the brakes, fish tailing sideway and back. I bring the car to a stalling halt and there before my car she stands. She is young beautiful white porcelain skin. I get out, walking towards her I ask. “Are you okay miss?”
She says nothing as she twists her lips in a cockeyed grin baring snarly brown teeth. I stumble back as she raise her blood soaked hands and lurches toward me. I make it to my seat; slam shut the door as she presses her horrid face against the glass. I watch as she mouths to me. “I lust for you babe. I’ll see you in hell tonight!”
I shiver; I shake as I wet my pants in the angst of the deepest fear. Slowly I watch as her powdery face becomes filled with dark deep lines and then crumbles like saltines before my eyes.
Putrid smells of death and stank fill the confines of my car. Am I living some zombie apocalypse? I blink not once but twice and find myself alone on a mountaintop. A fire rages on every side, smoke brings water to my eyes as I gasp and choke to hold on to life giving air. I stumble, down an overgrown path still smelling the stench of death hovering upon the air.
Wafts of hot air rush my face. Fingers of blood red flame reach out to me as blisters bubble upon my skin. My skin burns, my lungs ache. The fire envelopes me and I think. No, I shout aloud. “God save me!”
Through the mist of smoke and hell-bent flames, I see a figure drawing close to me. An old decrepit man with cane takes my hand and leads the way through the blistery inferno of hell that rages about us. He moves us swiftly down the mountain as if he only knows the way.
As we reach a cliff he points to the city below us. Before I know it I’m standing back at my home. It is not my house. Nevertheless, it is. Somehow I know this is my house. Maybe a future home? A dazzling mansion beyond my wildest dreams. The wealth, I desire. The fame I long for stands out in one shimmering instant than is engulfed by the raging flames.
The old man shakes his head at me. He never speaks but somehow I understand.
“Lust and greed, envy and sloth all about us to devour our souls. “
I hear a popping sound as the smell of cooked meat drifts into my nose. I feel moisture upon my skin. I look down as my flesh melts and drips with greasy blood. The flames envelope and I become dust.
I open my eyes to find myself on a dry cracked path. My lips are parched from the hottest blinding rays of sun, I have ever known. My kidneys are on fire. My urine is black. My throat dry as I thirst for cold water of the purest kind. My stomach is in knots of hunger, twisted from week’s maybe months with no eat.
My joints ache, my muscles slowly push me forward. I fear what lay before me as I try like hell to wake from this horrid nightmare. I cannot move. I wish to open my eyes and wake from my dream. But my eyes are open. I stumble towards a dilapidated barn.
I hear music and laughter. Merry sounds of happiness that I long for.
Slowly I find my way in side. I see a banquet table laid out in sparkling grander. A man motions for me to join him at this feast. I see steak, wine, fruits and vegetables from the ripest vine. I take a seat and look around at all the feast to eat. I watch those with folded hands of prayer and those who eat like they are wild beast.
An elderly woman folds her hands, shaking them at me and points to the sky and says. “Amen.”
I grab a glass of cold wine sucking it down to quench my thirst. I chew upon some steak and eat a juicy peach. That is when I notice the old lady and several other crying, sobbing and wailing. I look to my left and then to my right as these people about stare at there feast with eyes of empty. I go to sip my wine only to taste black thick blood. I look down at my plate to see worm, maggot ridden chunks of human flesh. The whole of the zombie hoard laughs.
I watch as those who had wailed and cried, get up from the table and in single file walk away from me and my zombie friends. They walk into the light and I did not get to go. I sit alone now at Satan’s feast with soulless zombies just like me.

Zombie Apocalypses? Rapture? 2012? What ever will be, will be. Just tell those around you how much you love them and prepare. Prepare! Prepare!

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