Cast Out - Part 12

Hank was ambivalent about owning the donut shop. His dad had built and ran it for years, until he retired and gave it to his son. Hank loved his dad, but the shop kept his dad busy or tired, so when his dad died a few years later, he thought about selling the store and moving on. But donuts was what he knew, and going back to school just didn’t interest him.


While people loved the donuts Hank made, they didn’t much care for his bad attitude, some even took it as part of the “experience”. This made sure that the shop never got too big or busy, or that they expanded into franchises. Actually, they sold more donuts when Hank went on vacations, a fact in which he was acutely aware. The shop was also successful because of its great location. Being between the hospital and Hanks house, he missed anything happening around the hospital.

Hank got to the shop around 3AM, his usual time, and turned on the lights in the kitchen area. Working by himself, he was able to start mixing batches before the rest of his crew came in at 4 and they opened the doors at 5. He preferred to work in silence, with only the noise of the mixers and the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead to keep him thinking about…being away from donuts.

Around 4AM he unlocked the front door for his crew and went back to work. He still had not given anyone else a spare key to let themselves in, something learned from his dad. He thought about this for a moment, and then went back to work.

About 10 minutes later he began to wonder when the crew was going to arrive - they were late.

Soon afterward, he heard the front door open and the shuffling of feet on the old linoleum floor. He glanced up at the circular mirror to see who was entering, and he saw what looked like people stumbling in the dark, in front of the counter. “Customers already?” he thought.

“We open at 5.” He said nicely, but forceful. He went back to work.

No answer. He saw them standing there still, not moving.

“Folks, no donuts yet. Come back at 5.” He said with more conviction.

He looked up at the mirror again, and still they were not leaving. There were maybe a half dozen of them.

“No donuts!..” Hank said as flipped on the light and went out front. He looked at the people waiting on the other side of the counter - something about them wasn’t right. A few of them seem to have hospital gowns on, and the rest of them had clothes that were torn and ripped.

He raised his eyes and looked at their faces. One in front had his head down, but the rest ….all he saw was the large black eyes that seemed to bore into his soul.

The one in front raised his head and looked at Hank as he spoke in a deep inhuman voice, “Join us!” as the rest came around the counter and grabbed Hank.

Before Hank knew what was happening, they had bitten into his arms and drove him to the ground. His last thought was of complete terror, and then all went dark.

After killing him, they moved away from his body.

Hank’s body soon awoke with black eyes and then got up from the floor.

Leaving the shop, the group saw the light of the 24 hour diner down the street, and shuffled off towards it.

Cast Out - Part 11

Continued from Part 3


Walt was back on the road a few hours after the accident. He had been interviewed by the police, and gave his statement to them, but leaving out the exchange he had with …what was he going to call it? A crazy person? Someone with a death wish? A demon?

The police told him that they had heard strange things going on that night, and they had been warned about dead people attacking the living. They were told that they could shoot on site anyone who they know had died and was now alive. They checked the condition of the occupants of the other car with the paramedics, pulled them aside for a minute, and then followed the ambulance when it left.

“That was strange – the dead attacking the living? The 911 operator told him, now the police were telling him the same thing.” Walt thought.

No it really happened, and he needed time to process it. He drove away from the scene and down the highway, missing the exit he had planned on stopping at, his mind too busy to put the pieces together. He decided to drive on through the night, get to his destination by morning, and hope he didn’t catch heck for getting there too early.

After getting his bearings, he pulled the semi truck over and called his wife. They talked about the accident. He didn’t mention to her the exchange though. “Why bother until he was able to tell her face to face?” Walt thought. They agreed to meet the next day just outside of Kansas City and stock up at the club store, after he dropped his load and his truck. He asked her to bring his hunting rifle and handgun, along with all the ammo she could put in their truck. They prayed, told each other “I love you”, and hung up,

Starting up his rig, he turned on his radio. He heard the announcer talking about the nights events elsewhere. “So this is what we do know: About 4 hours ago, every person who has died within the last few days has come back to life and attacked the living, trying to eat them. Yes, if it sounds like a zombie movie, then….that’s what we believe is happening right now! So far, authorities believe that they have the situation under control in most areas. People are asked to proceed with caution near any dead bodies, and if any bodies come back to life, they are to run away and call the police immediately!”

Another voice broke in, this time a woman, “Chris, Do we know how this started? Was it a virus or chemical agent or….. something else?”

Chris responded, “Laura, No one knows how it started, but it seems to have started everywhere at once, so any talk about viruses or localized outbreak…..seems premature at this point. I mean, all over the world? How could this happen all at once?”

Laura asked, “How long after a person dies do they become…let’s just call them…zombies? How does it happen?

Chris answered, “For how long it takes, we have reports …. that if someone dies, it only takes a few seconds for them to …..change.” He paused, and not for effect. “No one seems to know how it happens, how the dead become alive again….at least not yet.”

Laura paused, and then asked, “What about the dead ….. talking? I have heard that some have reported them talking to people…before they….”.

Chris replied, “I have heard that as well. I don’t know what causes that. I don’t know if anyone knows why they are talking, if it’s happening.”

That made Walt drop his jaw.

“It sounds crazy, but I think I know why they talk!” Walt thought to himself.

“What was that I was listening to last week?” He grabbed his MP3 player and scrolled until he found the recording he was looking for. He played and listened to the pastor read and then explain from the Book of Revelation, chapter 12:

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”


“Folks, let me ask you a question: Did you know that at the present time Satan is not in hell? In fact, did you know that he has never been to hell? And did you know that when he finally does get to hell, he's not going to be in charge? In fact, when the devil gets to hell, he will be the lowest being there. He will be assigned the most horrible punishment of any creature ever made. He is not the king of hell. He is not in hell. And he's never been there.


In fact, he spends most of his time, according to this text, where? In heaven. Did you know that Satan who was once the anointed cherub, exalted above all other angels living in heaven with God, even now still spends most of his efforts before the throne of God? He still has access to heaven and he's not yet sentenced to hell. In fact, as I said, he's never been to hell…


Now Michael and the holy angels win a very decisive battle. . the end result catapults Satan and all of his hosts out of heaven down to earth and that explains why the Tribulation is such a terrible, terrible time. Because now all the demons of the universe have hit the earth. No more access to heaven. Literally verse 8 says, "No longer was any place found for them in heaven." No longer can they come before the throne of God…


He was thrown down. Down means down to earth, it says at the end of verse 9, "And his angels were thrown down with him." And what makes the Tribulation in part so horrible is not just the judgment of God, but it is the arrival of Satan and all of his fallen minions landing on the earth. That spells really the end of his time as prince of the power of the air and his whole operation is confined to the earth. And, of course that means that all the demons are fully occupied here in this very place. That horrifying, indescribable and unbelievable epoch of time is waiting..”

Walt had to stop the truck. Tears were streaming down his face.

He sat there listening for a few minutes and then stopped the mp3 player.

He asked, “Is this what’s going on?”

He didn’t get an audible answer, but he did feel a sense of peace, one like he had never felt before.

Wiping the tears away, he started the truck and got going down the highway.

Cast Out - Part Dyes-Yat

Until last week, practically no one outside of Russia had heard of the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam. But a few days ago, that all changed. This was the largest power plant in Russia, and the sixth-largest hydroelectric plant in the world. It is now no more.


A few days ago, sometime after midnight, the Dam failed and burst. The flood wave, estimated from 100 to 150 meters high and moving at 200km per hour, destroyed several towns, before moving on to more heavily populated areas of Abakan within an hour. The wave then reached the Krasnoyarskaya Dam and caused its failure as well. The resulting wave reached the city of Krasnoyarsk, and the residents there had little warning. The only news to the outside world consisted of bloggers and social networks providing video, and then the networks picked up on those feeds.

Russian military personal were performing flyovers within the hour, and rescue operations were being mobilized soon afterward. The shear level of devastation was mind boggling, and there were few areas that were not affected by the destruction. The Yemelyanovo airport in Krasnoyarsk was chosen as the site for rescue command and governmental HQ, but it first needed to be cleared of debris and the dead.

The numbers of dead were being reported to top officials in Moscow, and upon hearing the sheer numbers, various scenarios were being considered by those in the know.

The death toll was estimated to be at least 500,000 persons, and was suspected to climb even higher.

Russian news media was on scene within three days, when rescue operations switched over to recovery and clean up efforts. A news helicopter flew over Krasnoyarsk the next day, and where was once no one, spotted people milling about, shambling and limping in all directions. When the helicopter circled about the open city square, people looked up and raised their arms at them. The camera crew continued filming, as they zoomed the camera in, close enough to see faces. What they saw shocked them.

Everyone had deep black eyes.

And they all seemed to be speaking, almost in unison. But what were saying, no one knew at the time.

A convoy of rescue vehicles pulled down the street toward the square. The news crew continued filming, as the mob took notice of the convoy, and began to move towards it, limping and stuttering. The news crew watched in horror as the rescue personal were set upon by the mob and ….attacked and eaten.

The news crew reported this to the authorities on scene and sent their footage along as proof. They in turn informed Moscow. The news was not received well. It seemed as though whatever was affecting the disaster area was also affecting the rest of the country, and “it” appeared to have started at the same time. A decision needed to be made, and made quickly.

General Makarov called for options, and he was presented with several. The most favored one was agreed upon, and presented to the President. He agreed, on the condition that there would be additional ground verification before this option was carried out. He agreed that the option could proceed with preparations, should the verification turn out to be positive.

The Spetsnaz “Alpha” group located in the city of Yekerinburg was tasked with obtaining ground verification from Krasnoyarsk. The “Alfas”, a counter-terrorist unit, was trained in airborne operations, firearms (with silencers), and had the latest night vision gear. Their helicopters are also equipped with the latest equipment, modified for their own use.

Flying over Krasnoyarsk, the pilot informed the crew that he saw multiple bodies down in the primary landing spot. The co-pilot, running the display, informed the crew that he saw no human heat signatures below them. Whatever they were (and everyone suspected, but no one said it out loud), they were not alive. They went to their secondary LZ, verified visually that it was clear, and dropped their troops. The hilos flew towards their standby station, to await the request for extraction. It didn’t take long for the ground troops to make contact and request pickup, as positive confirmation was made. The information was sent up the chain of command, without the additional commentary from the soldiers about “zombies”.

The planes had been in the air for some time when the order came through. They proceeded to the Krasnoyarsk area, carrying their deadly cargo.

All ground personal in the area were ordered to leave their post at once and be outside of the area by dawn.

About 8 AM local time, the first of the Thermobaric Bombs were dropped in the area. The bombs each have the destructive power of a small tactical nuclear weapon, but without the radioactive fallout. Everything alive in the blast zone was incinerated. After Krasnoyarsk was leveled, some of the other planes moved towards Abakan, and ended near the remains of the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam.

Confirmation of the delivery was given to the President. He thanked the general who gave him the update, and then turned to face the other issues of the day, mostly having to do with the dead throughout the city and the country. He asked his staff “When are we going to start calling them what they are?”

After a slight hesitation, someone said “Zombies”. It turned out to be the President.

Cast Out - Part 9

The coup had gone better than expected, but more people had to be executed than desired.


While many people had to be killed, it seemed as though peace would finally come to the small African nation, at least for awhile. Who would have guessed that less than a week before, the president was alive and the government - seemingly stable? All that had changed in the last few days.

The soldiers were ordered to round up as many of the government officials and their families as could be found, and to put them in prison. They also gathered up as many of the supporters of the old regime they could find: Military officers, politicians, lawyers, professors, and teachers. The new leader wanted to make sure that any opposition was “done away”. Any who would not swear allegiance immediately while in jail was marked out. Those were told that they would be attending a “re-education camp”. Their entire family was taken out, put into trucks, and driven outside the city. When they arrived, they saw that there was no camp, only armed men. They were pulled off the truck, some kicking and screaming, and promptly executed - Men, women, and children. Cries of mercy fell on deaf ears. This pattern was repeated over the course of several days.

Now workers were preparing the mass graves with a bulldozer, while others stood by with shovels. A number of soldiers were observing the work, and some smoked while watching the preparations. A few laughed and joked, making gestures, reenacting the last moments of some of the people they had executed. They had assault rifles, shotguns, and a few bolt action rifles, as they guarded the dead bodies, stacked upon one another like firewood. The line of bodies stretched on for about 100 meters.

The sun had risen a few hours before, and the smell of gunpowder was waning, but the smell of the dead was becoming unbearable. Many of the workers and soldiers had covered their mouths and noses with scarves in a feeble attempt to keep the stench at bay. Flies were everywhere. Some of the bodies had been there for a few days, and some for only a few hours.

The bulldoze driver had just about completed the pit, when it happened.

All of the dead bodies started to move at the same time.

Anyone who had read the story of Gulliver wrestling in his ropes would have said that it was a comparable visual.

The dead got up quickly, like they were awoken from sleep by a loud noise. They looked at each other, and then they looked at the workers and soldiers with their black eyes. The dead smiled at the living.

As those on top on the pile tumbled to the ground, those on the ground got to their feet, and started moving towards the living. Their mouths opened and they said ‘Join us!” in the native tongue.

Soldiers fired the weapons into the bodies of the dead. They had no effect.

Workers had their shovels in hand, but for every undead they dispatched, five more took their place.

The bulldoze driver was set upon by over 100 of the dead, who came tumbling down into the pit, then mounted the dozer, and tore him apart. The bulldozer was found covered in blood.

The rest of the workers and soldiers were feasted upon by the undead. Blood covered the scene, but very few identifying pieces of flesh or bone remained for burial, and there were no survivors.

They were later buried in the pit they had dug.

The mass of the undead then turned toward the capital city.

Of all the survivors, the people who survived best were locked in prison.

Cast Out - Part Ba

The Chinese nuclear attack submarine “Zheng He”, a Type 095, was making its way back to its home port of Hainan after an accident that killed 20 of its crew and civilian visitors, occurred yesterday. During an underwater test run the fire suppression system discharged gas, suffocating everyone in the bow of the sub. The on board medical team verified that all the bodies in the bow were deceased.


Rather than dispose the bodies in the sea, the decision was made to leave them sealed in the bow, and go back to port (albeit at a reduced speed and under radio silence). The officers and civilian leaders wanted to make sure they got their stories straight. There was too much at stake to have this mishap scuttle the program.

About 1100 hours there was a report of sounds emanating from the bow of the submarine. Captain Zemong called on the medical team for additional verification that all the bodies from the accident were deceased. They confirmed their initial findings, but asked permission to re-examine the bodies. Captain Zemong granted permission, but told the team to wait for him, as he wanted to personally watch the re-examinations.

Less than 3 minutes later, the medical team, the captain and officers, as well as select civilian leaders were cramming in the space before the bow hatch. The captain ordered silence from all present, even the civilians. All complied.

They could hear the sound of movement in the bow. The captain thought to himself, “The medical team must have made a mistake with one of the bodies.”

He said, with determination, “Someone is alive in there.” He ordered one if his officers to open the hatch.

The hatch was opened, and the smell of decay overwhelmed everyone. Darkness in the bow covered the source of the stench.

Then they heard deep voices say “Jiaru women!” (Join us).

Fear and dread overcame everyone, who tried to take a step back, but they couldn’t. The civilians panicked immediately, the crew took about 2 seconds longer.

Out of the darkness of the bow compartment came the undead. Reaching, grasping, and lunging.

The undead had infested every one of the dead bodies.

They pulled in the unlucky officer who opened the hatch first. Everyone there heard him screaming. They were able to pull in several more unlucky souls, who soon would not have one.

Then they came out of the bow, one by one. Blood was dripping from their mouths and onto their clothes, and the deck.

The undead, increased in their number, moved forward in their hunger.

The living, the lucky few who made it out to the rear of the submarine lived a little longer than the rest. They were able to gather a few firearms from the rear armory, and while trying to take back the sub from the ghouls, a round discharged into the nuclear reactor.

The explosion tore the ship apart, and registered on Richter scales halfway across the planet.

Cast Out - Part 7

Fire Station 95 was right in the flight path of jets coming in at Los Angeles International Airport. Between the airport and the 405 freeway, they were first responders if there was ever a problem near LAX. The firefighters there liked to be busy, but not crazy busy. This day was pretty quiet so far, with only one minor call to answer earlier in the day.


After having a late dinner at In-n-Out, the guys watched people sitting on the small grassy area across the street, near the runways, with jets flying over their heads. Tom never could figure out why people liked to eat there, with the smell of the jet fuel, much less the noise. A quick drive back to the station, Tom was hoping for a quiet night. He pulled the engine truck into the garage, turned off the engine and started going through the power down list, and then it happened.

A loud boom rattled the windows and shook the ground. ”Was that an earthquake?” Tom thought.

Then the station sirens went off, along with the announcement. Firefighters ran out into the garage, putting on their jackets as they jumped aboard. Tom had already started the engine.

It was a plane crash! “Damn!” A plane went down in a neighborhood in Inglewood! Worst case scenario.

“We’ve trained for this, guys!” the captain yelled out.

This didn’t make Tom feel any better. It was going to be a messy night.

Calls were coming in for all available stations to assist. This was a big one. The radio never stopped blaring.

The whole station rolled out and was in route, heading eastbound on Century Boulevard, heading towards Prairie. They could see the eerie orange glow on the other side of the freeway.

“Please God, let it have missed the hospital.” Tom said to himself. He knew too many good people there.

News was coming in that this was a collision between two planes, and that they both crashed in a crowded neighborhood. This was real bad.

Also on the radio was lots of chatter about the news bulletins, about people attacking other people. There was talk about cannibals or something worse, then the captain told them to shut up.

“What are they talking about?”, Tom asked the guys with him. One of them said that the news sounded bad out there. They were even talking about people carrying guns for safety. “What?” Tom asked, but his mind was on driving the truck.

Turning up Inglewood Avenue, after about a quarter mile they began to see the devastation around them. Fires seemed to be everywhere, as well as debris and plane wreckage. The planes appeared to have come down in big pieces, instead of breaking up. “That’s good”, Tom thought, “Better chance of survivors.” They turned right on Hardy Street and stopped the truck. Other fire trucks pulled in behind them, along with paramedics and police.

The noise was almost unbearable, as screams filled the air along with sirens. Flames seemed to be on every house. Plane wreckage filled the street. It was utter mayhem on a stick. There were people on the street, some standing, some sitting, some limping along.

Tom was the last one out of the truck, and put on his jacket on as he approached what looked like a man with one arm, with his back towards him.

“SIR!” Tom yelled, “Are you hurt?”

The man turned to face him.

He had black eyes.

He opened his mouth and said, “Join us!”

The man then grabbed Tom with his one arm and tried to lunge at him, but Tom stepped back, breaking the man’s grip on him.

The man took another step towards Tom, but Tom took two steps back matching, and looking into the face of what was once a man, but now he wasn’t sure what it was.

Tom heard screams from around him. He glanced out the corner of his eye saw other firemen getting into fights with what appeared to be survivors.

The man still faced him, smiling.

Tom never heard the footsteps, and didn’t know they were there, until a bunch of people grabbed him from behind and started eating him.

The last thing Tom saw was the one armed man opening his mouth to feed on his face.

Cast Out - Part 6

The Garcia family had just finished watching a movie, at least those members who wanted to watch a “zombie movie”. It was Raul’s night to choose the activity, and being the eldest son, he chose a movie, somewhat to the chagrin of his mother. His father and younger brother watched with him, somewhat ambivalently. Mom was never into horror movies, and had a little trouble watching one without having to deal with nightmares. Now that the movie was over, it was time to talk about it.


“So Dad, what do you think about it?” Raul asked.

“It was pretty good, actually. A bit much on the gore side for me, but I can see why you like zombie movies,” replied Tony, Raul’s father. “I thought it was good to show that even with the zombies around, sometimes the worst things to watch out for are other people.” He called to his wife, “Honey, you can come out now. The movie’s over!”

“I know the movie’s over,” said Eva, the mother. Coming into the room clutching the book she had been reading, she asked, ‘Did you boys like it?”

“It was cool mom!” blurted out Javier, Raul’s little brother. “Zombies getting their heads blown off! People getting eaten.”

“Are you going to have nightmares, hijo?” Eva asked her Javier. Hijo was their pet name for Javier.

“MOM!” Javier exasperated.

“I’m just saying. The last time you watched this kind of thing, you woke up that night.” Eva pointed out, leaving out the most embarrassing part, to which Raul was foolish enough to add.

“You woke up crying!” Raul spoke up, then realized he should have kept his mouth shut.

“Raul….” Tony warned. “You know that your mom and I don’t really like this sort of thing in this house, but we are trying to let you make your own decisions. And when you make your decisions, you have to also man up and own the outcome. In this case, if your brother wakes up tonight, we’ll be waking you up as well.”

An awkward silence filled the room. Raul hesitated, and then let out a low groan. “OK Dad.” He paused, “Thanks for letting me choose this movie,” he said, looking at first his dad then his mom.

“You’re welcome, Raul,” Tony said and smiled. His oldest boy was growing up. “Let’s turn on the news.” Tony liked his family to watch the local news before bed.

Turning it on, they watched the newscaster say “… we are cutting to a live feed from our affiliate in the capitol.”

They went to another shot, this time of a hastily called news conference, with a familiar looking guy that appeared to have been up for hours, or just woke up.

“…stay in your homes. I repeat. Do not go outside. Stay in your home. Turn off your lights and close your curtains. We have reports coming in from all over the country and it appears from other countries as well. It appears as though…the dead are rising again and…eating the living. I know this sounds too incredible to believe, but until we have a better understanding about what’s happening, it would be better for everyone to stay in their homes. If you have a gun, load it and be ready to use it. Do not go outside. If you see someone outside moving slowly, do not approach them, no matter what are the circumstances, no matter who they are. Are their questions?”

“Raul, did you turn your movie back on?” Eva asked her son, looking at him, expecting a positive response.

“No mom! This is the news!” Raul answered back.

The TV blared again.

… “We don’t know how this happened. We just know that a few hours ago we started getting calls from all over the country, all at the same time. The dead were getting back up again and attacking the living. Obviously, we have never seen anything like this before. And that I know of, there is no plan to deal with this threat…”

“C’mon Raul! Stop it! You’re starting to scare me!” Eva said.

Tony spoke up, “Give me the remote!”

“I’m not doing it! This is real!” Raul said, with quite a bit of exasperation, giving the remote control to his father.

Tony changed the channel, but it went to the same news conference, He turned the channel again, same picture. Again and again, the same news conference was on every channel, even ESPN. They watched as the Senator spoke and answered questions, but mostly he seemed to know very little of the origins of this event, but he was sure that it was happening.

Tony muted the TV and spoke, “Is this really happening?” No one answered him for what seemed like a few minutes.

Eva spoke first, “We need to pray.” The family held hands and prayed together. While they were used to praying, this time, the prayers were different and urgent.

When they finished and had agreed together, Tony looked at Raul and asked, “Son, what do we do first? You know this kind of stuff better than all of us, what do you think we should do?”

Raul paused, looked at each of his family, and then said, ‘We need to get out of the city. Away from people. We need food, guns, medicine.” He continued on with his plan.

Tony had to admit that it was a pretty good plan. Tony smiled at his son, “You’ve been giving this some thought, huh?”

Raul smiled back and then said, “Maybe this was why I’ve into zombie stuff for awhile?”

Tony looked at his wife and other son as well and smiled. “You guys OK with his plan?”

Eva kept quiet for a few moments. “Why don’t we just stay here, like they said on TV?”

Raul anticipated that question. “Mom, we have to get out of populated areas and get to the country. It’s not safe around here with so many people. Aunt Maggie’s place is perfect for us to hold up.”

Eva was silent for a few moments. She then asked, “What time does the Club store open tomorrow?”

Tony and Raul smiled. Mom and Javier would go to the store for provisions, and Tony and Raul to get guns and ammo. More ammo. Lots of ammo. Tony got on the phone with his sister Magdalena, who lived in the sticks, She had been awake already and was just about to call her brother, when he called her.

Cast Out - Part Cinco

Miguel was still angry about what they did. Those bastards! Fired from his job for no reason!


They will pay.

Working the night shift in the assembly plant was an easy job. The hardest part was working alongside some backwater mestizos – “Nacos”. They belonged back on the farm, not here in the city. He told some of them that fact, and while he was warned by his supervisor, “Tener Calma” (take it easy), all it took was a shoving match between him and another worker to get himself fired. OK, so the guy fell down and had to go the hospital.

“What’s the big deal?” Miguel asked his boss as he was being walked out. His boss just shook his head and Miguel heard him say, “Pipirisnais!” (Someone who thinks they are better, but are not).

Miguel had planned his revenge well. He had gathered guns and ammo. He had got his hands on a grenade from the local drug cartel, where he also bought some Coca. Cost him all his 100 peso banknotes that he had collected, but he figured it was worth it.

He loaded up his car, and then took a big hit. “Arre.” (“Let’s do it) He said to himself. He sped off to the plant, feeling pretty good at all he had planned to do that night.

Nodding to the guard, he unloaded his bags from the car and walked casually to the office, where his boss’s office was located. He planned to get them all there, and then proceed to the plant floor, to get rest.

He placed his hand inside a bag as he walked into the office, looked around the room, and no one was at their desk. He walked around the office, and then he heard the TV on in the breakroom. Looking around the corner, he could see that the room was full of people! This is better than he could have planned!

He pulled out his grenade, pulled the pin, and tossed it in. A moment later he heard screams and then the explosion. Then he turned the corner, pulled out his handgun, and started shooting.

When he was done, and no one was moving, he looked around the room. He didn’t see his boss’s body among the carnage.

Miguel grunted, turned around, and went down the hall to his boss’s office.

His boss met him in the hallway.

“Miguel? Lo que esta sucediendo?” (What is happening?)

Miguel just smiled at him and raised his pistol.

Something made his boss look past Miguel.

Miguel, thinking it was a trick, ignored where his boss was looking.

But then he heard deep voices behind him say, “Únete a nosotros”, (Join us)

He turned just in time to see the people that he had shot grab him, and start eating his flesh.

Cast Out - Part 4

Amy was looking forward to getting some sleep, after pulling a nearly a double-shift at the hospital where she was a nurse. While she enjoyed her job, she also hated the crazy hours. Maybe in a few years she would have some senority and be able to work and live like a regular person, whatever that was.


After graduating from high school, she enlisted in the Army and served as a medic in Iraq. One time insurgents ambushed her medical convoy, and she picked up a rifle and helped keep them at bay until reinforcement arrived, and then tended to the newly wounded. When the media got a hold of her story, she became something of a hometown hero. She was awarded a medal for her bravery, and had several offers for “reality TV”, which she turned down. Even now, a few years later, people would sometimes recognize her as “That girl who...”

The phone rang. It was work. She needed to come in right away. Everyone was being called in.

Pulling into the parking lot 20 minutes later, she was surprised to find a place to park right away, as she could people outside the doors of the emergency room doors. It was busy.

She walked into lobby and had to almost fight her way to checking in. “What in the world is going on?” she asked the desk receptionist.

“Busy night!” was all she said before getting another phone call.

Before she could say anything else, a voice asked her, ‘Can I get some help for my friend? He’s bleeding again!”

She turned around to see a man, a little younger than her, looking at her exasperated.

She asked, “Where’s your friend?”

He pointed over to a man with a large bandage on his arm that seemed to be bleeding through.

They went over to him. She asked him, “What happened?”

“This crazy women bit me.” He looked terrible.

“What’s your name?” She wanted to check and see where he was in the wait list.

“Bob Humprey.”

“I’m Dave”, said his friend, smiling awkwardly.

“Wait just a minute”, Amy said. “I’m going to check and see how long it is until you see a doctor.”

“We’ve been waiting for an hour! Don’t leave!” Dave said. He then sheepishly said, “Please!”

Amy looked at Dave and for a moment wanted to tell him off, but said, “Guys, really. I’ll be right back, with either new bandages or a doctor. Promise.” She held up two fingers like a scout. They tried to smile at her, but she turned around.

As she got back to the receptionist, Amy saw that she was talking to a cop, maybe ten years older than her, and he looked like he meant business.

“Where is cop that was brought in?” the cop asked. “The one with neck injuries?”

“Name?” the receptionist asked. The cop gave his partners name. “He….was taken to ICU. Downstairs”, “ Funny,”she said, “ we haven’t heard from anyone down there for awhile…”

The TV blared “… we are cutting to a live feed from our affiliate in the capitol.”

They went to another shot, this time of a hastily called news conference, with a familiar looking guy that appeared to have been up for hours, or just woke up.

“…stay in your homes. I repeat. Do not go outside. Stay in your home. We have reports coming in from all over the country and it appears from other countries as well. It appears as though…the dead are rising again and…eating the living. I know this sounds too incredible to believe, but until we have a better understanding about what’s happening, it’s better for everyone to stay in their homes. If you have a gun, load it and be ready to use it. Do not go outside…”

Everyone stopped and got real quiet. Then all someone could hear was the realization of what was going on, a combined mixture of groans and sighs.

Then a scream from down the hall startled everyone.

Looking down the hall, all that could be seen were the bloody clothes of the dead walking towards the waiting room. They had started to feed on some people down the hall. There must have been more than thirty of them. Everyone panicked except Amy and the cop.

The cop took out his gun, and started firing. A few direct hits to the bodies, but still they kept coming. They were speaking something in a kind of unison.

“Dammit!” the cop said. Amy stood behind the cop.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“They don’t die! They just keep coming! Unless…” he broke off. He took aim at one undead women, pulled the trigger, and hit her in the head. She dropped like a stone.

“Head shots! Gotta hit’em in the head!”

Then his weapon opened up. Out of ammo. He put another clip in and dropped a few more of the undead.

“Good shot!” Amy said.

“I’m out!” the cop said. They looked at each other, then down the hall. It was still full of the undead.

“We gotta go.” They both said at nearly the same time.

They ran outside in time to see many people running for their lives, cars going every which way, people getting run over, and people pulling out others from cars. Complete mayhem.

“Over here! Nurse Amy!”

They both looked over to see the sound of the voice, and the friend of Bob’s was waving his arm at them. “Nurse Amy! Cop! C’mon!”

They ran over to the 4 door sedan and got in the back. Before they knew it, they were out on the street and going about 80.

“Thanks guys” said the cop.

“What’s your name?” Asked the driver.

“Dan” said the cop. “Yours?”

“Dave.”

“Nice to meet you, Dave”, said Amy, a little out of breath.

Dave glanced into his rearview mirror with a slight smile, “Same here”.

Cast Out Part 3

Walt had only been driving a truck for a living since he lost his job. Took his “severance” and with his wife’s blessing, enrolled in truck driving school. God had blessed him there and got a good job offer as soon as he got his license. The new job kept him away from his family during the week, but at least he was able to get home for the weekends. He was still able to be a deacon in their church, and most folks there were oblivious to the change that had gone on in their lives. So it seemed to Walt.


Walt had gotten into the routine of taking his cellphone and mp3 player with him on trips, along with the other necessities. The cellphone kept him in contact with family and other folks, and the mp3 player was packed with good music and Bible studies. Shoot, he figured that he was learning more of the Bible now more than ever in his life. So maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. He also got more time to pray than he ever had before. Good thing too, because he was going to need to be “prayed up” real soon.

Going down the Interstate at night was not one of Walt’s favorite things with the new job. He wanted to make good time with his load, but he was more thinking about finding a nice place to pull over and stop. Hotels were a luxury he only indulged in once each week, and this night he was looking for one. The road sign told him that there was a town coming up in 5 miles. “That’s good,” he said, “I’m done for tonight!”

Driving further, Walt saw what looked like fog ahead. “Maybe its dust?” he thought. Slowing down the rig, and switching to high beams, what he saw made his heart drop: Two cars had hit, one was in the median, the other was on the road in front of him. They were now just mangled pieces of steel. He stopped the rig, put on the hazard lights, and grabbed his cell.

He got a connection.

“911. What is your emergency?”

“There’s been a car crash about 4 miles outside of Hays! On the Interstate - Two cars! Send help, please!”

“Sir, help will be coming.”

“Thank you! I am going to check them out!”

“Sir! Be careful!” She paused. “Stay away from the dead bodies!”

“What? What did you say?”

“Sir, please. If there are any deceased…no….dead bodies…stay away from them! Run away if there are any dead bodies!”

“What do you mean, ‘Run away from dead bodies?”

“Sir, for the last hour … every call with a dead body…they have come back to life! But they have been coming back and …. and attacking people! For your own safety, if there are any dead, stay away!”

“Uh…OK. Thanks”. As Walt ran up to the car in the median, he thought, “Thanks! Crazy 911 lady tells me to stay away from dead bodies, and I say ‘Thanks’”.

Walt got to the car, or what was left of it. He looked inside and saw a body trying to move around, but it was trapped in the wreckage. It looked like a woman, and she was in bad shape. The wreck had messed her up pretty bad, and was bleeding still.

“Hey! It’s gonna be OK! Help is coming!”

The woman moaned, and then, the head looked up at him. It had black eyes. The darkest eyes Walt had ever seen.

The woman opened her mouth. “Set me free”. The voice was beyond strange.

Walt hesitated.

The woman looked at him like she was sizing him up for a fight.

Under his breath, Walt said “Oh Jesus…”

The woman twitched. “Don’t…say… that… name. Set me free.” Again with that voice!

Walt smelled gasoline.

The woman looked at Walt again and smiled, like when someone has a secret that only they know. “You will join us, Walter. It’s a matter of time.”

Why did Walt feel so cold?

The woman looked at him again and said, “Do you think that He cares for you?”

At that moment, Walt realized what he was talking to.

A moment later the fire started, engulfing the car in flames. The woman’s body just looked at Walt and smiled as the body burned away.

Cast Out Pt2

Dan and Mike had been partners since Mike got out of the Police academy. Dan was only a few years older than Mike, but he had those years of street smarts before becoming a cop himself. Growing up in the same neighborhood as he was patrolling in now made him more knowledgeable about the “hood” than just about anyone. But what he went though on this particular night – no amount of training could have prepared him for this.

The east side of town was more “ethnically mixed” than other parts of the city. With this mix came a great hodgepodge of cultures, but it also made it more difficult to prepare for each call. Every group needed their own way of being approached, as Mike was finding out – sometimes the hard way. “There is nothing like having every bystander get in your face during routine call, all because you didn’t approach a certain way.”

“You told her what?”, asked Dan.

“’Mike don’t do that!’ - that’s what I told her!” Mike said with a big grin.

Dan laughed. “You are gonna have a hard time keeping a lady with that attitude, my friend.”

Mike thought for a minute and then replied, “Who says I wanna be in the “keeping business” anyhow? The way I figure, I can play around for the next..”

The radio interrupted. “Seven Mary Six, please respond.”

Dan picked up the radio, “Seven Mary Six responding”.

The dispatcher answered, “Seven Mary Six, a report of shots fired in the area of Walnut and Main. Proceed with caution.”

Mike made a hard left turn to the car that surprised Dan a bit. Dan turned on the lights and siren, as Mike then floored it. It would only take a minute to get there.

Dan asked, “Dispatch, proceeding to the area of Walnut and Main. What kind of backup can we expect?”

“Calls just started coming in from all over the area. Sending additional units to backup, but they are a few minutes out. Proceed with caution.” The dispatcher voice, while calm, displayed a hint of angst.

“Great. Shots fired and no backup!” Mike snarled.

“That’s why we make the big bucks.” Dan replied. It was his answer for just about everything he disliked about the job.

They got there in 45 seconds, and it took only 5 more to see what had happened. “Another drive-by? How many does that make this year?” Mike thought to himself.

There were two bodies in the street, and there looked like two more on the grass right in front of the house. Both officers were leary about getting out of the car too quickly. Sometimes first responders got shot at from the vics they came to help.

Mike stopped the car with the lights turned onto the bodies in the street, and Dan turned the spotlight onto the bodies on the grass. You could hear some moaning, but besides that, nothing else.

Dan got on the radio and called for a bus and paramedics. This was going to take awhile.

Mike got out, pulled his sidearm, and checked the bodies in the street. The first one was still breathing but heavy and labored, “HUF….HUF…HUF”. Dan glanced at the second one when it started to rise up.

“You OK?” Mike asked.

No answer. It was starting to stand up.

“Are you OK?” Mike asked again.

Dan shouted, “Whaddya got?” He was checking the bodies on the grass out.

“This one’s getting up!” Mike was scared. He never had a victim get up like this one before. “Back away!” He raised his gun.

It kept coming at him.

It spoke and said, “Join us”.

“BACK AWAY! DAN!”

This person was on top on him and had him down on the ground. It was reaching to bite his neck.

“DAN!!! HELP!!!”

Dan barely had time to think, before it took a bite out of Mike’s neck. It strained its neck to pull Mike’s flesh away, like some kind of predator that had just made its kill.

Dan raised his gun and discharged two rounds, hitting the mark in the head, as splatter exited out the other side.

Dan rushed to his partners side. Mike was seriously wounded and losing blood fast.

“Mike, hang in there! Hang in there buddy! Help is on the way!” Dan said as he tried to find something to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.

Then he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. The other victim, who had been struggling with their breathing, was now getting up as well. And the other bodies were starting to move as well.

Dan yelled “STAY DOWN!” He pointed his gun at the other victim now.

“Join us.” It said, with a voice that sounded utterly inhuman.

“STAY DOWN AND SHUT THE #^%& UP!” Dan yelled again, this time with added expletives.

It stared at him for a moment, with soulless black eyes. Then it said, “What a sensation that was, to be shot. You will join us.” And then it got up and started to move toward him.

Dan shot it twice in the chest, but it had no effect. By the time he hit it in the head, it was nearly on top of him when it fell.

As the others got up to approach him, Dan knew either that either his instinct or training was going to save him. Either one was good enough for him.

He had more time to warn them, but they didn’t listen either. Not one bullet had any effect on them, except head shots. “Weirdest damn thing I’ve ever seen”, he thought.

By now the ambulance siren was getting closer. Dan had a partner down, four victims that he had had to shoot himself, and was sure that he was going to catch hell trying to explain what had happened.

But it didn’t matter unless he could stop the bleeding from Mike’s neck.

Cast Out, Part1

My first attempt at writing a Zombie type of story. Please give me any comments or suggestions.

David’s account -


No one knew HOW it started, but everyone knew WHEN it started. That was the funny thing. Looking back, it was just business as usual until that day, or as I experienced it, that night. I always thought these things started in one place and then spread out, but not this one. This came on everyone like a ton of bricks.

Once again I was up playing games on the computer, with my lights off at night. The TV was on while I sat there playing a game of one kind or another: FPS, RTS, whatever I felt like, with whoever was on the network. I had my list of “friends”, but they were total strangers, except in the game.

As it was getting later, I saw people dropping off – “wimps!” I whispered under my breath –“get back on and play me!” “Mommy is probably telling them to go to bed.” With no one else on the network, I kept on going for awhile against the computer – at least this one game had pretty good AI, and I didn’t feel like going to bed yet.

I didn’t notice the TV again until I heard the news break in for a bulletin. I had to pause my game for a sec.

On the TV the news person was the reporter that I had seen do those “human interest” stories, and she was onscreen - but in the newsroom. She didn’t have any makeup on and looked…stressed. She fluctuated between rapid fire excited speech and quiet pauses of shock.

“There are unconfirmed reports coming in that say…Is this right?....that the dead are walking. Dead people? ….Yes, its people…. Dead people are getting up and walking? We are watching monitors from several ..OH MY GOD!!!!”

Her eyes were bugged out, like they just saw something that she was still processing in her mind.

“Did you just see that? What the….? What just happened? It looked like someone grabbed his arm! Blood!”

“Wait! What are you doing in here?” The camera got tipped over and then there was a bunch of yelling.

I got up to change the channel, and that’s when I saw the figure out my window. I just stopped.

Who the heck is that? She was naked. “Why is she walking around naked?” I asked myself. She also looked like she was wet. I went to the window to look out, but not so I could be seen.

She looks like my neighbor from a few apartments down. I had spoken to her a few times, but I didn’t really know her that well, except that she was divorced and seemed kind of lonely most of the time. I just spoke to her a few days ago, and she seemed happy enough.

Now she was…shuffling…or something like that, not really walking. And her arms were...dark around her wrists.

She turned toward my apartment. She saw me. I felt like a peeping Tom. She turned and kept coming toward my window. My heart was already pounding. I had to think straight. What do I do?

I slithered over to the door, just enough to look through the peep hole and see if she was still coming. Oh CRAP! She almost here! What do I do? My mind was saying “She’s gonna turn you in as a perv!” or “Maybe she interested in you?”

I stood still. Not breathing. I took a breath out of my mouth. My heart was pounding. “Stay calm” I told myself.

I heard her at the front door.

She spoke. “Open the door. Come out.”

But that was NOT her voice!! It was low, guttural….evil.

There is NO WAY I am opening this door!

She spoke again. “Open the door. Join us.” That voice again!

She banged on my door. Even though I knew she was there, it still made me jump.

What do I do? Think man!

I remembered my gun in the bedroom. Somehow I got it and back to the door before she pounded on the door again. She was getting more forceful.

“JOIN US!!!” She raised her voice. But it was still NOT her voice!

She pounded on the door again.

I looked through the peephole at her. With the porchlight on I could see that her hair was wet, but it was her eyes that made me stop. Her eyes were black. Solid black.

I heard another voice outside. “Hey, what’s going on?”

She turned toward the voice. It was my next door neighbor Bob.

Bob asked “What are you doing there? What’s the matter with you?”

She moved towards Bob and was on him before I could open the door.

He put up his arms to block her, but she grabbed one and bit down. Bob screamed.

“Stop!” I yelled at her. She was eating his arm!

I took my gun and pistol whipped her.

She didn’t react. She kept eating!

Bob was screaming and saying “Shoot her! Do it!”

I hit her again and again. No reaction.

Bob kept crying out “Dave! Shoot her! Please!”

I moved around to her side and took aim at her.

“Stop or I’ll shoot!”

She kept eating.

I fired one round at her chest. It went in and …no reaction from her. I fired another round at her and it got the same response.

She then stopped eating his arm, long enough to pull away from it and look at me. Even though it was dark, I could make out that she dropped her jaw as if she was going to ..BAM! One round into her mouth and shattering her skull.

She dropped to the ground with a thud.

Bob was crying, holding his arm. Blood was all over the place.

Zombie Story

Working on a zombie story, and shared some thoughts on the PhoenixPreacher.net

Have been thinking about demons lately, and reading about them in the gospel of Luke. They seem to very busy there. They are also busy in my SS classes study of Revelation. Rev 12:7-17 is a passage that I want to use as a springboard. Cast Out.


With all of these inputs, I have begun a little fiction writing, and theorizing what would happen if I mixed demons into a zombie motif? Questioning “What would happen if God allowed demons to infest the dead?” Its a scary thought, that of giving demons a voice to taunt the living.

My thought is to give clues throughout the story (like the zombies talking is not typical zombie fare). Then at one point, one of them gets caught and the main character (a christian) is the only one who can interrogate it without being affected by the stuff it says.
Sort of a spin on the end times stuff with z’s.
I am leaning more for the mortuary moment, that is, the newly dead being infected. At least the embalmed would not be possessed. Disembodied spirits can’t talk – which would be one reason for them to get a body.

Think of it as cross between Dawn of the Dead and Screwtape Letters – kind of.

They would be speaking soothing things to get you to …well….you know. Think of the “backlog” of demons wanting to infect the dead….all over the world. At the same time.


They would speak the most hateful things to Christians and about God, so that stuff would have to stated as such. I am not writing out everything they say..
 
been writing some things out. Maybe I will post on my blog and ask for opinions and all that?


But I have been thinking through the “abilities” of the z’s and and the backstory of the demons. What you are all seeing here is my thoughts being played out.

"Do these guys eat brains? I kind of want them to, but I also think maybe there is something more spiritually symbolic they can do. What a great idea, Papias. This really has me thinking."