The night has fallen. The hands of the clock rotate relentlessly as the silhouettes of the two corpses stalk Iñaki in the darkness of the living room. The alcohol that swam through his bloodstream has also left him.
The entrance door continues open and so many hours pass in the same way. A sound or a thought- Iñaki is not sure- breaks his dream state. Never before had his limbs weighed so heavily on him, nor had he felt his mind so anesthetized. "Survival!" Iñaki does not know where the message comes from or if he should hear it.
Why keep living in a world like this? To end up being another zombie? Are they even aware of being so? To continue to exist, to continue to breathe?
The questions resonate in Iñaki's head when he feels something moving in his leg. His heart races as he reaches for his jeans; It's his cell phone. When he takes it out of his pocket he sees that the screen indicates Mama.
"Iñaki?" Asks his mother's voice.
"Yes."
"You all right, son? What's going on in Buenos Aires? We were evacuated, can you believe it? We are in a sports center half an hour from the city of Rosario surrounded by military and doctors, this is crazy! I think it's all an exaggeration...about that virus and the attacks too. Iñaki?"
"Yes?"
"How are you, how's everything in Buenos Aires? We can't even watch the news here!"
"... it all went to shit."
"What did you say?!"Her tone changes suddenly.
"That everything went to shit."
"What...? Are you okay?"
"I'm alive..."
"How's Valentina?"
Silence.
"Iñaki, how's Valentina?"
"Valentina's dead."
"What...o..ue..parl...ime...igo...hij...Valentina!...you put...ñal..."
The cell phone signal leaves Iñaki along with his mother's voice...It seems that the age of communication has come to an end.
"My mother and father are still alive." Without wasting time, Iñaki walks to the door and when he is about to close it he senses that someone is watching him. The feeling lasts what a blink. Iñaki closes the door and prepares to carry out the horrific task.
Iñaki prepared everything: the window that faces the back of the urbanization is wide open to the night. It's time to get rid of the bodies.
The remains of the infected lie 15 meters from Iñaki; his body is a grotesque mixture of flesh, bones, and fluids. Valentina is still in the living room, lying in a pool of her own blood.
It's time to get rid of her too.
Iñaki bends down, runs one arm under his knees and another down his back. He is about to stand up when he stops to look at her eyes; they are no longer Valentina's eyes.
A thought crosses his head and gently closes the eyes of his beloved. With another equally delicate gesture, he cleanses a trace of blood that stained her forehead. Now she just seems to be sleeping.
Finally, Iñaki stands up with Valentina's body glued to his chest. Tears come back to Iñaki's eyes.
Iñaki moves slowly towards the room. His body does not want to get rid of the corpse, while his mind is not so sure...
"That's because you don't believe in anything!" Valentina's voice bursts into her mind. "I want to be buried like my grandmother." Iñaki is not sure but he thinks he remembers that his answer, between laughs, was "Ok, ok, but I will surely die first."
Carefully, Iñaki rests Valentina's body on the edge of the window but slowly lifts it again; he is going to bury her.
Iñaki walks towards the elevator and when he presses the button the door opens instantly.
As he enters, the elevator light gives a crisp reflection of Iñaki and Valentina in the elevator mirror.
Iñaki fixes his gaze on Valentina's body. Her pants are ripped and her legs are now a purple color. Her shirt is completely stained with blood.
Iñaki's footsteps echo in the garage. Arriving at the door that leads to the urbanization park, Iñaki leaves Valentina on the floor and opens the door.
Once in the park, Iñaki goes to a plastic booth. "Tools" indicates an inscription above the door. When trying to open it, Iñaki notices that it is closed with a padlock.
Iñaki steps back, and with all his might kicks the door. The door of the booth sinks inwards, freed from the lock. Silence...for a few seconds...until the first moan reaches Iñaki's ears...
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 6: Goodbye
The beating of his own heart resounds in Iñaki's eardrums. "Are there two, three...?" he wonders, inspecting the vine. Some hands then cross the vine and enter the inner garden. The individual explores the air with his hands. The creature came alone. Iñaki relaxes his shoulders and resumes the search.After opening the door, Iñaki finds the shovel next to the hose. He grabs it and walks to the tree at the far end of the garden. That's where he's gonna bury Valentina.Iñaki sticks the shovel to the ground and turns around to observe the reaction of "Curious Hands." A few meters behind Iñaki, the arms freeze for a few seconds before continuing to investigate the air.Iñaki throws the earth over his shoulder, digs again, and again the infected stops. Iñaki doesn't notice a bit of violence in the creature, just curiosity. "Would it be the same if he saw me with his own eyes?" Iñaki thinks as he sinks the shovel into the ground. "I guess not."At the tenth time, Iñaki can't help but let o
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 7: Silence
The shadows witness the disappearance of the last sound in the house. With the batteries from the wall clock on the table, Iñaki considers the task finished. The house is now a cemetery.The clock on his wrist says 20:35, but it could be 3: 00 in the morning. People marked the passage of time with their routines...nowadays they do it and it's always dinner time. The day begins and they are ready to tear the skin of the living. The day ends and they are still there; with their empty eyes, their jaws open..."No, they do not mark the time," Iñaki concludes. "They are the time."There, in the dark Iñaki listens as someone is torn apart by a horde of infected. It's the sound of every night. Some fool thinks that the darkness will play in his favor and not theirs. He ventures to dead Buenos Aires in search of anything and discovers that the infected do not distinguish between day and night.Enclosed in those four walls, Iñaki learns from the mistakes of others. There is nothing he can do fo
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 8: Mother and Son
Iñaki lays out on the table all the objects that he thinks might be useful to him: the cell phone, all the knives in the house, leather gloves, insulating tape, the keys to his house, a broom, and a winter coat that covers him to the knees.He puts the keys in his pants pocket and checks that it only has room for three more items.Iñaki decides to put on the gloves satisfied that they offer him a little protection. Then, proceeds to contemplate the small collection of knives. Soon he finds the longest and sharpest...the "butcher's knife." Almost ready, Iñaki grabs his cell phone to use it as a flashlight.Satisfied with his choice, Iñaki prepares to leave.He turns the key as slowly as he can and opens the door...darkness. There's no one in the hallway.One more step. The darkness of the corridor covers Iñaki completely. The cell phone comes to his rescue and illuminates his way. Still, all the shadows are suspicious.Iñaki reaches the stairwell door and puts his hands on its surface
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 9: Sofia
"Where am I?" Iñaki wonders as he fights against the gravity exerted by his eyelids. When he manages to open his eyes he is in the living room of his house. The furniture is intact and a blue fog hides his surroundings.There, in front of him, is Valentina. A smile is drawn on his face as he extends his arms. Iñaki surrenders to the embrace surrounding Valentina's back with his arms and feeling like poisoned tears begin to sprout from her eyes."Inaki," her voice is hoarse and her body cold.Suddenly, Iñak feels an overwhelming pressure in his chest. Valentina abruptly separates from him with Iñaki´s heart in her hand. Iñaki tries to articulate words but only a sigh comes out of his mouth."Inaki," Valentina repeats once again, bringing the heart to her mouth and devouring it.The blue fog surrounds Iñaki and with it brings the sound of a few blows. They sound like hammering on wood.At that moment Iñaki's eyelids shoot upwards. He's in his living room. There's no blue fog, no Valent
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 10: Undead
Iñaki dragged the father's body up the stairs His corpse was terrifyingly light for a man his age. Iñaki knows he can't leave it there, but there are other issues he has to attend to first.Sofia now sleeps curled up next to Rambo on the couch. Iñaki tries to give her something to eat but nothing seems to be able to wake her up...which, considering the circumstances, seems best. The figure of the girl on the sofa grabs all his senses and does not dare to move for fear of waking her up. "Valentina...What would you think of Sofia?"The little girl sneezes interrupting Iñaki's thoughts. A smile begins to form on Iñaki's face. Sofia settles down on the sofa while Rambo scratches an ear while Iñaki grabs a sponge from the bathroom to wipe Claudia's face.Sponge in hand, Iñaki pulls a chair close to the sofa without making much noise and prepares to wipe her face. Once the task is completed, Iñaki proceeds to clean her arms and legs. Upon completion, Iñaki prepares to make a medical assessm
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 11: Escape
The rain of fists continues to hit the stairwell door. Iñaki feels the vibrations in the soles of his shoes. Sofia is a statue in his arms and Rambo barks furiously.Iñaki's eyes check every corner looking for an escape. Screams, barks, moans, vibrations..." think, think.""Going down the stairs is impossible." Iñaki discards in his mind "going out the window too...""Shit!" he exclaimed. "Go down, we have to go down!"The roars of the reanimated grow louder as Rambo barks, snapping at the air, his saliva flying into the air."Relax," he says to himself, "breathe, breathe. How many ways are there to get down? The stairs...and the elevator. The elevator! Will it work? " Iñaki wonders, squeezing Sofia into his arms. "It is the only option.""Rambo, get ready."Iñaki approaches the door of the apartment. Dying groans enter his ears and run through every nerve in his body. Another step. Iñaki opens the door.The noise is deafening but they have not yet managed to knock down the door to t
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 12: Surrender
The elevator descends and allows Iñaki to hear his heartbeat. The mirror on his right offers an image he is not willing to see. Iñaki closes his eyes and feels Sofia's trembling body against his ribs.A little startle reopens them. The door starts to open. Roars.Iñaki doesn't think twice. He shoots in the direction of the door that leads to the street. Behind him echoes the hymn of death. With Rambo at his heels, he grabs the door handle and, feeling a few fingers on his shoulder, pulls inside. Iñaki slams the door behind him and an infernal groan accompanied by a pair of hands crashing against the other side of the door.The air caresses Iñaki's sweaty face. The glass of the door begins to break, hit by their deceased neighbors. Every cracked glass is a stab wound.Iñaki runs to the street as every muscle in his body screams in agony. Sweat clouds his eyesight. Then the sunlight - the one he had eluded for so long - burns his skin and relaxes him. Sofia's nails stuck in his back and
The Age Of The Dead Chapter 13: Oasis
Iñaki opens his eyes without knowing how much time has passed. He looks around feeling the movement of the car on his body. Sofia is stiff again on his lap. Rambo, however, has half his head out the window; he enjoys the wind and barks at every infected he sees."Hello," says the man with a strong Yankee accent, "it's Mike. You alright?"Iñaki nods."Bitten?"Iñaki shakes his head."Let's go to my urbanization," he says, looking at the road and dodging a zombie, "we're safe there."Going at high speed and looking at the sun, Iñaki allows himself to forget his problems and imagine that nothing has happened. The sun's rays light the way and promise a better future. If only Mike kept driving to infinity there would be no problem.But after a long drive, the car stops in front of an urbanization and Iñaki finds himself again.The water droplets in the clouds become too heavy and fall heavily on Buenos Aires. The rain descends vertically as Iñaki closes the window. That scent of moist ea
Latest Chapter
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 21: 15 Bullets
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 20: Sweet Dreams
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 19: Adaptation
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 18: Victor
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 17: Calm in the Oasis
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 16: Survival Story Part 2
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 15: Survival Story Part 1
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 14: Welcome
- The Age Of The Dead Chapter 13: Oasis