Zombie Dawn Exodus by Michael G. Thomas

death, what’s your
excuse?” asked Justin.
    “I’m on watch,” said Madison.
    “Convenient that whenever services are held you’re
up here,” said Justin.
    “He’s my father, I already know what he’s going to
tell you all, I hear it the rest of the day!” said Madison.
    The glint of some movement in the distance caught
her eye. She stood up and squinted to make it out. Her sight
confirmed what her heart already knew, a zombie staggered down the
main road towards their homes. A crossroads at the church meant
that they could be approached from four sides, but fences and walls
in all homes and side roads meant that everything was channelled
down the main long roads. This meant the management of defences and
survivors was simple, without having to live within walls.
    “We’ve got one,” said Madison.
    “Shit, that’s the first one in a week!” shouted
Justin.
    He leapt to his feet to look out down the open road.
Unslinging his rifle from his shoulder, Justin peered down the
hunting scope at the creature.
    “Looks like a city boy!” he said.
    “Yeah, I look forward to the day when the creatures
stop coming to find us,” said Madison.
    “Yeah, how do you think they do that?” asked
Justin.
    “I dunno, there’s so many out there maybe it’s just
luck, or maybe they can smell us from thousands of miles away,”
said Madison.
    “I’d love to shoot this bitch right here and now,
one shot through the fucking eye,” said Justin.
    “No, no, not with a gun!” shouted Madison.
    “I know, just saying,” said Justin.
    Madison propped her AK47 against the wall of the
tower and picked up the crossbow next to it. The entire community
owned guns, at least one, whether they had them before the Zompoc
began, or found them afterwards. However, Babylon had a simple
policy, guns were for emergency use only and the weapons with
easily replenishable supplies should always be used. A simple
routine cull of a single creature or two like this would never
necessitate the use of a gun. A silent weapon was also favourable,
as it didn’t break the peace and quiet that the town and parish so
eagerly protected.
    The zombie was a hundred yards away when Madison
slammed the crossbow stirrup down onto the floor and put her foot
through it. She pulled the string back until it locked into place
on the trigger. Standing up, she slipped the bolt onto the track
and laid the rifle crossbow to rest on the wall. She pulled her
chair closer and sat down on it, providing the most comfortable and
steady position she could for shooting.
    Peering down the scope at her target, Madison could
see the creature used to be an office worker, the typical simple
grey suit, now ripped and ragged. The shirt was so stained with dry
blood, dust and grime that it was hard to tell it used to be white.
She took careful aim at the beast’s skull through the red dot sight
and then finely squeezed the trigger, whilst Justin still watched
through his rifle scope.
    The bolt skewed the zombie through the eye socket, a
well placed shot. The two watched as the creature staggered on a
few extra steps whilst spasming, until it collapsed to the ground,
finally lifeless, this time for good.
    “Fucking right on!” shouted Justin.
    Madison looked over at him with a grin. Despite his
annoying her, she was satisfied by the applause of the crowd she
had, revelling in her martial skill. She noticed lights appear in
the distance, the artificial light at night that only manmade
technology could make. She picked up the binoculars hanging from
her chair and looked out down the long flat road.
    “It’s the hunters!” shouted Madison.
    The town organised regular missions to gather
supplies from afar, essential items such as ammunition, medical
supplies and food products which they could not grow themselves.
These parties were called ‘hunters’, as they were in the
traditional sense, hunter gatherers. The hunters were the only
people allowed to use cars, except in cases of