Mala (Zombie Apocalypse)

Puffs of smoke rose high, making the sky a slightly greyish colour. While ensuring it was under control outside, I tried to look out of the narrow, dusty room in an empty building. There was no one but bodies strewn about the streets like trash. Cars and public facilities were damaged due to demonstrations and massive looting that occurred several years ago. But, I'm not sure, I don't know, maybe I've forgotten too much about the sea of people.

I looked up for a moment and looked at the cloud of smoke. Maybe a fire. Then, with stealthy steps, I approached one of the bodies lying under the electricity pole on the right side. The reaction that arises is always the same every time I encounter a lifeless body; I almost vomit stomach acid when I see the condition of the corpse of a man wearing a security guard shirt with the name Sunaryadi on it. His face was destroyed with gaping bite wounds covered in flies on his left hand and both legs. I don't know what happened to the poor man until his right hand was no longer intact.

Scenes like this have become a constant sight since demonstrations and the pandemic. Even corpses that had become human skeletons were left lying like carcasses. But a scene like this is a nightmare that can't be avoided even if I try to wake up. My brown irises caught the knife and gun at his waist.

While saying a prayer in my heart that I didn't mean to steal, I slowly took the two weapons, trembling, then put them in the two back pockets of my jeans. Then I left the security guard's body and looked for another hiding place. Unfortunately, my stomach suddenly thrashing for filling made me think twice.

I have to find a hiding place that has a supply of food.

Barefoot, I walked warily and occasionally hid behind walls or cars. Not because of fear of being arrested by state officials amid a strange epidemic that has hit the country, but rather because humans who have met their end come back to life as something else. Something scarier than a predator that preys on humans. More greedy than state officials who fight over seats and treasures.

Sometimes, I also wonder about nature; women who are always considered weak by men have managed to survive this far. Walking aimlessly along streets is considered safe from 'them,' taking shelter at night in high places, and moving as fast as possible during the day without a weapon. The hot sun burns every layer of skin, especially the soles of the feet, which come into contact with the asphalt. What a fool! When I find an empty shop, instead of looking for footwear, I prioritise looking for food to maintain my life.

Raising my head while reading the street sign that says Boulevard Raya - a row of abandoned luxury houses and shophouses - is like a silent witness to the disaster that struck this place. My eyes widened when I saw one of the strange creatures walking alone in the middle of the road with a blank stare. With a quick movement, I ducked to protect myself behind a rusty dark green bus. My heartbeat was racing wildly, beads of sweat appeared the size of corn kernels, and I was breathing shallowly, afraid that the brainless creature would hear the slightest sound. Unlucky! Both hands trembled when I imagined whether my life would end in this place.

In my heart, I should have just hidden in that narrow room. However, hiding without knowing the outside situation is the same as slowly committing suicide. Swallowing hard, I crawled under the bus with quick movements without making any noise. I can see from here that both legs are clad in worn and torn brown pipe pants; the creature is walking unsteadily while occasionally stopping to find out what to look for.

He stopped about ten meters from my position—the closest distance for them to attack and take lives easily. As a result, my heartbeat became increasingly erratic; even for a few seconds, I held my breath. I crumpled my t-shirt to my chest so the pounding wouldn't get louder like the song that invited them.

The shuffling footsteps approaching the bus made me want to scream for help. However, there was no time to avoid them, so I took the security guard's knife. I had to survive even though I didn't know how to kill that crazy predator. If vampires are killed in the heart, then where should I stick this knife into their body?

When pacing around like he was looking for something with a growling voice, all my nerve cells were forced to avoid the bus immediately, and I decided to crawl out of there. In front of this old bus was a rusty public transportation painted dark blue not far away.

Unfortunately, bad luck suddenly came when my right shoulder accidentally touched the bus's body. After being caught off guard by the undead, I ran to find a hiding place. He ran, almost keeping pace with me with a scary growling sound and cloudy white eyes.

"Ah, damn!" I exclaimed with my energy starting to run out.

My body fell onto the asphalt when I accidentally tripped over a pair of black flip-flops. Blood seeped from his forehead and knees: pain and soreness. When I stood up, the living corpse would lunge at my body with its slimy mouth ready to tear flesh. Reflexively, I kicked him in the stomach quite hard, causing him to take a few steps back.

As if not giving up, his two blackened hands wanted to grab my body again, but fortunately, I was in a stable position to fight back. My right hand pierced his forehead, which was so soft, causing black and rotten blood to flow profusely. He just collapsed in the middle of the road, and I took the opportunity to run as fast as possible to find shelter without even looking back.

I don't know whether this method was able to kill him or not because all this time, all I did was hide and hide like a coward. Now, I no longer feel the nerves in the soles of my feet that touch the asphalt under the hot sun. Everything was numb except the survival instinct.

God, I don't want to die in that condition.

#####