Swarmed
A Deleted Scene from Detention of the Living Dead
by
Rusty Fischer
I wipe the sweat out of my eyes and grab another soccer ball from the giant mesh bag at my feet. There are about seven balls inside the net, and four more sitting on the grass field just to the left of it.
I hear Coach Mulligan’s voice screaming in my ear with every kick: “More power, Alaiel! More! Power! You can do it, Alaiel! You! Can! Do! It!”
I try, I really do, but the more power I put behind it, the more each soccer ball veers off to the left. I have no idea why, and that’s why I’m out here, an hour after everyone else has gone home from school, practicing my power kicks.
The sweat stings my eyes but I’m used to it now and, besides, the sun’s gone down a lot since school let out. There is a nice breeze, the field’s empty and it’s just me out here. It’s kind of nice, actually, if I didn’t have notes to prepare for Chem Lab tomorrow and that oral report due in Sociology next Monday.
Still, the quiet time is nice. God knows my sister’s home from middle school by now, raising a ruckus when she sees Mom’s redecorated her room – again.
So, yeah, alone time + quiet time = good time.
I just wished all the balls could land inside the net. We’ve got that game against Central coming up next week, and I really want to start this time, and no way is that happening if I can’t score.
I kick another ball, it goes in, and I start to feel good. Then I kick two more, quick like that, and both land, again, just to the left of goal.
I reach for the mesh bag Coach lent me to practice with and find it empty. I groan, drag a sweaty arm across my sweaty forehead and run past the goal, gathering up all the balls that didn’t quite score and slipping them inside the bag. Then I grab the balls inside the goal and shove them in as well.
I’m reaching for the last one, the bag full to bursting and nearly twice my size by now, when I feel the rumbling on the grass field beneath my sweaty fingers.
I put my hand against the grass and it gets even thicker, like a freight train right beneath the surface of the practice field. A second later I hear the roar of engines and, I don’t know why, but I duck, crouching behind the massive bag of soccer balls like a cowboy hiding behind hid horse. (It’s almost as big and I’m just about as sweaty!).
Just as I’m peering over the top of the bag, feeling slightly – okay, completely – ridiculous, I notice the first black truck. It’s massive, with all kinds of wheels and bars over the windows and tinted windows and antennae wiggling and dangling from the roof.
It’s on Bayside Drive, the street just beyond the back of the school, rumbling along when suddenly the driver slices left and leaps onto the practice field itself.
The great, giant wheels tear up turf and rumble over the extra hurdles the track team never yanked back into the gym after practice and come about as close to the goal stands as you can without actually plowing right thought them.
I let out a little “eek” and cover my head, grass and turf landing – and sticking – everywhere; on my sweaty arms, my sweaty calves, the back of my sweaty neck and all up in my ponytail. I almost stand, instinctively, to scrape it all off but this close to the ground, using the giant mesh sack of soccer balls as cover, I can feel more rumbling coming; lots more.
One, two, three more massive black trucks grind onto and over the practice fields, each coming closer than the next to literally driving over me without even looking down.
I watch as the last one passes, the rumbling growing distant as it parks, next to the others, just behind the Catfish Cove High School gym.
They just sit there like that for a minute, engines ticking, backsides rocking with the momentum of their assault, four massive trucks lined up in a row.
Then, as if on cue, the doors all open at once and soldiers, all in stiff blue fatigues, storm out. We went to the circus last year, as a family, one of those “we need to do more things together” evenings my Mom cooks up every few months when some women’s magazine article has made her feel guilty or doubt her parenting skills or whatever.
It was pretty lame, though we each got our own cotton candy, which was pretty cool not having to share with my little sister. Anyway, there was this one act where a little tiny car pulled up into the middle of center stage, sat there for a minute, then the door opened and one by one, all these clowns got out.
At first, like one or two, then we kept counting and it was fifteen or so by the end. I couldn’t believe it, and that’s kind of what I’m thinking now as this army of soldiers streams out of these four trucks.
I can’t imagine what they’re doing here, and as they fan out around the back of the building, pairing up and looking left and right, I inch down behind my camouflage and watch from what I hope is a safe vantage point.
But it’s not; not really. Two of them, big suckers, too, all dressed in blue, skin gray like they’re wearing makeup or something, head over to me. They’re coming slow, and I could probably run, but they’re carrying guns, big ones, and I’m not that fast.
Just ask Coach Mulligan!
I hunker down, wondering what I should do, as I hear the grass of the soccer field crunching beneath their sleek, black boots. I risk a glance over the sack of soccer balls and they’re both staring right at me!
Their eyes are yellowish, like maybe they’re sick or wearing contacts but they don’t really seem to be looking at me, maybe just past me. Then they slow down and I hear sniffing noises, but I’m too afraid to look over and see what – or who – they’re sniffing.
Grass crunches so close I can almost smell shoe leather when, suddenly, glass shatters back at the school. More grass crunches and I can sense the soldiers turning when I risk a peek above the mesh of my hiding spot. Sunlight catches on falling glass as hands, bloody hands, and lots of them, wave from the third floor Chem Lab window.
The men, the soldiers, run toward the school. They all do. Everyone converges below the window and, shocked at what’s happening, I finally stand from behind my hiding place.
The hands inside the broken Chem Lab window are attached to arms, bloody arms, attached to faces; bloody faces. I recognize a few from the Math-a-Letes club, but what are they doing in the Chem Lab?
Mary Sinclair shoves her face through the crowd and screams, “Zombies! There are zombies in here!!!”
I smirk. This is some kind of elaborate prank, I figure, but the blood sure looks real and as dramatic as Mary Sinclair can get reading the announcements in the morning, she sounds pretty believable.
The soldiers look up at the window, then at each other, and then raise their guns. Mary Sinclair screams as the first shots ring out, the sound of shattering glass and crunching grass under my feet drowning her out as I run, run, run for home.
Across the playing field, down Bayside Drive toward our apartment complex, my kleets loud on the deserted highway, cop cars racing in the opposite direction as I flee, faster than I’ve ever run, long past tears and my breath ragged and wheezing before I finally fall down in the cul de sac outside our apartments, grass between my teeth as I gasp and scream into the dirt.
Awesome deleted scene. This book sounds really interesting. :)
ReplyDeleteThat was a cool excerpt! If the book is any like the deleted scene, it sounds like it could be pretty cool. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteReally awesome excerpt! I love the voice and characterization. Lots of info about the people and backstory but in a great way:)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I would read it, but I know some friends that will love the book :)
ReplyDeleteThis was just...awesome! <3
ReplyDeleteFantastic excerpt! I can't wait to read Mr. Fischer's book - he is really talented!! <3
ReplyDeletePs - I luvs zombeeeez hehe
Mary DeBorde M.A.D.
Cool excerpt! Kinda scary though >,<
ReplyDeleteCool excerpt, perfect story to read with Halloween just around the corner!! :D
ReplyDeleteCertainly an action packed scene. I can totally picture it.
ReplyDelete+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteZombies with guns? What an interesting twist! =)
Ooh I've never read any of this author's works before. I will add to my tbr list, thanks! :)
ReplyDeletethis book sounds good and owh first picture scared me >_<
ReplyDeleteI just glanced at the pic and it was too scary!
ReplyDeleteThis looks cool, gives a lot of background info which is very interesting :)
ReplyDeletegreat post - definitely need to read this one
ReplyDeleteoooh very cool
ReplyDeleteThat sounds bad arse! And creepy! I love me some creepy! I love a good guest post! And a deleted scene always makes me smile. I am going to have to check this book out!
ReplyDeleteInteresting excerpt. I want to know more.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great deleted scene! I might have to check that out... :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Marie
I've never heard of zombies using guns. It's fun to have a little twist like that.
ReplyDeleteI love me some zombies!!! I'll check this baby out right now! ;)
ReplyDeleteGives me the creeps!! Nevertheless sure looks like an interesting read...
ReplyDeleteNot my cup of tea normally but it's nice. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt! I love zombies :) The Walking Dead is one of my favorite shows!
ReplyDeleteNever read anything about zombies so this is interesting. I just don't know if I have the guts to read some yet.
ReplyDeleteI loved it! Great story for movie,
ReplyDeleteArtemis
OOkay! Definately different...intrigued!
ReplyDeleteI love zombie books! The delete scene is interesting and makes you want to read the entire book to see what's going to happen.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a great zombie fan, so I just guess this is not for me. Thanks for the excerpt though.
ReplyDeleteTeenage zombies, eh? Well... that sounds... terrifying. O_o
ReplyDeleteHaha, anyways, the excerpt was really cool! I think I will add that book to my TBR pile. ;)