The Rotting Flesh Book 1: Escatology
Chapter 2: Tanya

"Hey Hannah!! Bring me my torch will ya I can't see a damn thing in this fog" Joel called out to his wife

"Joe just sit in the house and check in the morning" replied Hannah

"These cattle are what sustains us, so give me the torch or should I get it myself" he said irritably

"Dad can I come with you?" Tanya their eighteen year old daughter said

"No never in a million years, you stay here and help your mother out" replied Joe

"Joe don't talk to her like that" the mother said concerned

"Cumon can't you guys take a joke I'd never do that to my little pumpkin, its just cold out here and you know how her frost bites get at times" said Joe in a soft loving voice

"I love you dad" Tanya called out

"I love you too Pumpkin, if I don't come back know I love you two because the grounds I am entering are treacherous ones" Joe said

"Joe please that joke is getting old one day it'll come true then what will you do" Hannah said obviously annoyed by her husband's unpleasant humour

"I'll be too dead to know ha ha ha ha, thanks for the torch love" he said kissing Hannah on the forehead "Marrying you was the best decision I ever made" he complimented her as he wore his jacket and went to the stables

The fog was so thick you could not see anything that was more than 5 meters from you. The cattle were bellowing so loudly a response which they do only when in danger or when one of them has fallen extremely ill. Joe and Hannah had owned this ranch for over twenty years and were experts with these animals. The bellowing was coming from all the stables but there was one stable which was quiet like there were no cattle in there and it was unnatural since these soft beasts answer to each other's call. Joe decided he was going to first see why this particular stable was quiet. As he got closer he heard groaning like that of a human.

"Hello!! whose there?" he called out as he moved his flashlight from one point to another even though it was basically useless.

He thought he saw a figure move to his right and moved his torch to illuminate that way but the fog was thick. He heard footsteps coming slowly towards him and he turned to see what it was but the fog was still too thick. Joe began to slowly taking a few steps back when he tripped on something huge and fell backwards. He sat upright, picked up his flashlight to see what he had tripped on and he froze it was a cow with an open abdomen missing a lot of intestines.

"Jesus" he blurted out moving backwards and bumped against what felt to be human legs. As he was about to turn the person went for his shoulder and sunk their teeth in him

"Ahh shit!!" he yelled as he wrestled to get the person of and more came biting off his flesh.

He was in so much pain he could not think properly. His adrenalin kicked in and he managed to escape and run for the house calling out his wife and daughter's names.

"Mom do you hear that, Dad is calling for us" Tanya said and they immediately left the kitchen running for the entrance. Joe got there and fell on the stairs striking terror into the hearts and minds of his loved ones.

"Joe oh Joe what happened" Hannah screamed crying and holding him

"Dad" Tanya said weeping "What happened?" she asked shaking

Joe looked up at them coughing blood and said "Run" then immediately died

"Oh my God Joe"Hannah cried as Joe lay dead on her legs

"Mom look!!!" Tanya yelled pointing in the direction her father had come.

There they were slowly dragging themselves. Four people dressed in lab coats drenched in blood from head to toe. They groaned a hiss like groan. Hannah froze failing to believe her eyes. Tanya yanked her pulling her out of the trance. They ran back into the house. Hannah took Joe's shotgun and went back outside

"Mom please we have to go to the police please" Tanya begged but her mother ignored

"No those people out there killed my husband I won't allow him to just die like that" Hannah refused and began firing at them.

The force from the shotgun would throw them down but they kept standing back up like some super humans. Tanya watched as her mother ragingly shot at the undying people. As she was trying to reloading, her bullets fell and in the effort to pick it up one of the undead went for her triceps causing blood to splash everywhere. Hannah screamed and dropped her shotgun, biggest mistake she ever made. In no time all four were onto her ripping her apart and devouring her flesh. Tanya stared in sheer terror unable to do anything.Before Hannah went quiet she managed a few words

"Money in Joe .....drawer run!!!"

Then there was silence and only the sound of chewing was left. Tanya ran into the house, grabbed the money, cars keys and drove off at a tremendous speed. Tears couldn't stop flowing down her flushed cheeks and she could not stop trembling. The further she got from her home the clearer it became. As she drove she heard gunshots ahead of her to her right and when she got to the spot she slightly reduced her speed enabling her to see three soldiers shooting at two people who looked like ambulance drivers with blood all over them.

What is happening to this world she thought as the lights of the big city began to emerge.

She drove for a while, finally stopping and falling asleep in the car at a fuel stations 50 kilometers from her father's farm. She slept soundly through the night and was rudely awakened by someone knocking at her car window the following morning. As she woke up reality began to come back to her in a huge wave and she broke down and began to shiver. The man who was knocking at her window noticed and managed to convince her to open her door. He parked her car in the proper place and went with her to the back gave her a blanket, coffee and a bench to sit on.

"I'm Rodrigas I couldn't help but notice you are not okay" he said in a soft voice.

Rodrigas was an african young man in his late twenties who kept absolutely no hair at all and fancied semi formal clothing. He had brown eyes and had a very deep sexy voice.

"T T T T" she stammered

"No no don't worry T is good enough for me right now" he said in a very concerned manner "so T please if I may ask what might be the problem. I couldn't help notice the massive amount of money you have in your car its dangerous travelling with such large amounts you know" he added

"Mom,Dad" Tanya said shivering

"Okay let me give you time how about I take you inside and I work while you sit in my office" Rodrigas said and led her into the store "here you can sit in here while I open the store" he said kindly and as he was about to leave Tanya grabbed his shirt

"Please don't leave me" she said more tears coming out of her eyes

"Okay I won't, I won't open the shop today and I'll stay with you is that fine" he asked and she nodded. He led her back to her seat and sat on the chair opposite to hers.

He took some snacks and began slowly chewing them while watching TV with her. They sat in silence for ten minutes that felt like ages to Rod until the moment the news started. Tanya pointed to the screen shaking

"What is it, whats wrong is the volume too much?" he asked with a lot of concern

"Th th those people the doctors" she said slowly

"Yes they were attacked, they died" Rodrigas said trying to sustain the conversation

"They killed my parents" she said

And Rodrigas paused and looked at her in confusion.

"Where is your home?" he asked

"Joe's red meat ranch" she said

"Okay come on lets go there " he suggested standing up

"No we can't they said I must run" Tanya whined

"Don't worry im here ill protect you I promise" he said assuring her and they left for the farm.

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