Sarah Aisling Week 67: Twice Dead

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Sarah Aisling’s Picture Choice: 1

Title: Twice Dead

Nathan trudges toward the fence, his milky eyes roaming over the battered old sign. He knows he isn't supposed to go in there but doesn't remember why. The letters are morphing and dancing around on the weathered background. Just when he thinks he might have a grip on what the words mean, they're on the move.

The fever has him in its molten grip again. His lips won't form words now, just incoherent moans. His mind shatters, splintering into many directions.

A sweet scent drifts under Nathan's nose on the gentle breeze, and he forgets about the sign or where he is or that he should be concerned about the heat cooking his brain.

Taste. Want to taste.

Must consume.

Feed.

Nathan shuffles around, his ankles twisting oddly, and follows the beacon of life before him.

As he reaches the frightened girl with the corn-silk hair, he tilts his head, and a memory of Milly digs into what's left of his rational mind, burrowing deep, a shard of white-hot pain.

The part of Nathan that's still human tries to pull back, but the slavering beast is anchored inside him. Rendered helpless, he has a front row seat to the experience of grabbing soft, screaming flesh and biting deep. Ripping skin apart from bone and sinew, digging deep inside and pulling out entrails.

Nathan is pushed further back where he can watch the horror but do nothing to stop it.

The shick-shick of a shotgun from behind him draws Nathan's attention. He turns slowly, still chewing on a kidney.

A familiar figure hovers a few yards away with the muzzle of the gun pointed at Nathan.

I'm in here! Please. Please.

With the last bit of strength he has, Nathan digs through the soup of his mind looking for the controls. He doesn't want to be this—trapped inside while this thing commits atrocities.

He ambles toward the man with the gun, arms spread wide. “Aaaaaahhhhhh!”

Bang! Right between the eyes.

Later on, Jeremy reports to his group that the zombies are more aware than they believe.

“I swear that zombie offered himself up to me. Someone else was in there with him. Part of the original human must be retained!”

The rest of them laugh, but Jeremy wonders if he'll ever sleep well again.

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Sarah Aisling hails from the East Coast of the US and loves living by the ocean with her incredibly indulgent husband and precocious daughter. She’s currently editing her upcoming novel, The Weight of Roses. When Sarah isn’t being enslaved by her characters, she can be found with her nose in a book, obsessing over nail polish or anything leopard, biking, hiking, camping, and spending time with friends and family. Twitter: @SarahAisling Facebook