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 trying to sense if there is something behind it. He opens it. He has to put his hand to his mouth right away, as a strong odor of excrement consumes the oxygen around him. He begins to descend the stairs, step by step...

Iñaki considers speaking, raising his voice and asking if there is anyone there. Since the incident with José, he hasn't heard from anyone. He saw people coming in and out of the building from his window but also heard screams, blows...Every step he takes sounds like an explosion of sound. Each shadow drawn by the light of the flashlight resembles one of them. With patience, he reaches the 4th floor. As before, he puts his hands and ears on the door to try to catch some sound, some movement...Nothing.

Iñaki is still glued to the door when he remembers that he didn't light stairs down to make sure nothing could surprise him. His throat dries and the color escapes his skin...seconds before he senses a presence behind his back.

Knife in hand, he turns to find...nothing. Iñaki swallows saliva while pointing his cell phone downstairs but there are no traces of people or zombies. Iñaki remains there for a few seconds recovering his breath until he decides to continue.

As he descends the stench increases. Third floor, Iñaki finally reached his destination. The staircase door is slightly open. Iñaki's body turns to ice. He tries to observe through the hole but cannot do it in the dark and the hand with which he holds the cell phone does not want to obey him.

In that instant, Rambo resumes his barking. Iñaki jumps up and is back in control of his body.

Iñaki opens the door. The smell of excrement makes him dizzy. The cell phone light invades the hallway and he verifies that two of the three departments keep their doors closed. The other - where the barking comes from - offers its door ajar. Iñaki walks in the direction of that apartment with his left hand holding the light and his right hand clutching the knife.

"What am I going to do with the dog?"

Iñaki knows that he has to do something about it but he didn't think about exactly what to do with Rambo.  Iñaki remembers when he found his necklace in the elevator...

Iñaki manages to mentally absent himself for a few seconds...until other sounds intermingle with the barking demand his attention. Movements, steps, even blows he thinks he can distinguish.

"Shit," says Iñaki at the same time he opens the door of the house.

The door creaks open revealing first Rambo, and then a boy with blond hair and empty eyes. He extends his arms and tries to devour the dog. Iñaki tries to understand why the little zombie only stretches his arms...until the light from the cell illuminates his mother's corpse sitting against the wall. Iñaki recognizes the woman.

Her left wrist is covered in dried blood. Her right hand still clings to his son's. The lifeless body moves with every pull that the infected child gives. The child must have turned once rigor mortis had already taken hold of her. Her maternal hand is closed in an immortal padlock.

Suddenly the little one stops moving. His posture, his gaze... everything reminds him of José. Rambo stops barking. The child notices the light from the cell phone. Once his eyes bump into Iñaki's, a smile seems to materialize on his face, but they are nothing more than his teeth chattering as he starts pulling his mother again.

Iñaki must be a tastier dish than Rambo as the rigid posture of the woman begins to give way. The boy drags her sitting behind him.

Rambo resumes his barking and Iñaki remains in place preparing for the attack. Rambo's barking can now be heard miles away. The little zombie's roars are deafening. The hand that holds the cell phone trembles slightly so the light now starts to emulate the movement and everything moves quickly around him. The creature is close...

"Ahhh!" Iñaki shouts as he stabs the infected. His arm stiffens when the knife hits the jaw of the infected. The creature moves angrily and Iñaki feels a liquid running through his right hand. Iñaki crouches down and pushes the knife up with both hands as cold fingers grip his forearms.

"Ahhhhh!" He exclaims louder than before and unleashes all the strength of his body in a single stab. The growling stops. The barking reappears. The child collapses and joins his mother; this time forever.

Iñaki approaches the German shepherd. The dog sits on its hind legs with its ears down. Iñaki kneels in front of him and, with the knife in his hand, prepares to…

Then Rambo licks his face once, twice, three times. Iñaki contemplates him frowning as the dog looks back at him and tilts his head to the side.

A bark and another face-licking were all it took for Rambo to become his new roommate.

Hours later Iñaki finds himself lying on the couch with a smile on his face. Rambo, at his feet, destroys the TV control as if it was the most fun activity in the world.

The moon illuminates the fangs of the animal that occasionally looks at Iñaki seeking his approval. Iñaki believes he understood the essential rule: not barking at home. Only time will confirm it, for the moment Iñaki continues to show his teeth just like the dog.