Free Curse of the Immune by Levi Doone

to describe their bodily fluids?” I shudder in disgust.
    “I guess that’s fair.”
    “So, Rudy, if your house is such a good place to hole up, why did you leave it?”
    “After I shot my dad’s corpse, my house was quickly surrounded by the creepers. They were starting to come through the windows, so I shot a flare at a neighbor’s house. It caught fire and attracted the zombies.
    “I got out of the house and just went looking for other survivors. I ran into a group of guys in Cumberland. They were in a furniture store that quickly got swarmed after I got there. I used a torch to get the dead creatures to follow me, and that’s how I ended up by your tree house. The creatures you were hiding from were the ones following me. So I guess you being trapped was my fault to begin with.”
    “Oh,” I remark, and we sit in uncomfortable silence for a time. I shift my butt around. It feels a little better on the cushions but only for a while.
    Then Rudy says, “Okay, Lea, your turn. Tell me about yourself.”
    “Not much to tell. Like I said, I live, or lived, with my foster parents and my brother.”
    “Oh, I didn’t know you had a brother. I’m so sorry.”
    “No, he didn’t get sick. We sort of got separated. That’s where I’m headed, to get help and find him. At least that was the plan when I was chased out of my house by my zombified foster parents.” I tell him the embarrassing story of me being chased all over the town of Cumberland.
    “Well, you’re not going to find anyone, at least not any police, to help you find your brother. Do you have any idea where he might be?”
    “Last time I saw him, he was going to his girlfriend’s to get her and bring her back to our house. He never returned.”
    “I’m not going to bother telling you the odds he’s still alive.”
    “He’s alive!” I jump up. “He has to be.”
    “Then we’ll have to find him. Just tell me where his girlfriend lives. We’ll go tomorrow.”
    I tell him, then ask about his friends.
    “Don’t worry about them. They’re idiots anyway—loud, stupid, idiots, too stupid to stay alive. Besides, they’ve probably moved on by now.”
    “And you think you have a better chance staying alive with two small kids and a chicken?”
    Rudy smiles. “You guys are much better company. And all you need is a little training.”
    “Yeah right. I freeze every time one of those things comes at me.”
    “Wrong, you take a defensive position.”
    I snort “That’s a nice way of saying I cower.”
    “All you need is to learn how to attack and make that your reaction.”
    “And you can teach to me?” I hope he can help me. I’m sick of having to be saved. I need to be able to take care of myself in this new world.
    “Sure can.”
    “Okay, Rudy, you’re hired.”
    “First thing tomorrow.” He sets his watch to get up early.
    “What time is it anyway?” I ask.
    “Huh, just a little after nine.”
    “Is there a radio in the house?”
    Rudy thinks for a minute. “I saw one in the basement. Missing your favorite show or something?”
    “Avril, the girl I heard on the radio today. She said she’d be on at nine.”
    “Oh, cool. Just go down to the basement and go to your left. You’ll see an opened door. Go in and look on the workbench.”
    “Um, can you at least come with me?” What? It’s a creepy basement.
    “You can get it. I’m going to get some D batteries from my flashlights. Radio was probably running off a plug.”
    “Do you have a light for me?”
    “Sure.” He pulls out a small cylinder-shaped object from a large pocket on the side of his pants. “Don’t turn it on ‘til you’re on the cellar stairs and the door is closed. Don’t want any creepers coming ‘round.”
    “Okay.” Man, I don’t want to go alone, but if I want to see if Avril is still somewhat safe, I guess I have no choice.
    I follow Rudy’s directions and instructions, and in literally seconds, I’m back with an old-school boom box