Confessions of a Zombie Slayer: A Daisy Daniels Novel

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Prologue

It’s funny how we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone, how we remember our failures yet forget our triumphs. We go on living our lives, forgetting our beginnings yet remembering our ends. Never knowing when we will take our last breath until we actually do.

Nobody ever thought that our end would come so suddenly, much less that it would take us by storm or without so much as a warning. While many predicted that our end would come from wars or natural disaster like it showed on the news, our end came in a much more gruesome and terrorizing way, with the dead walking the earth, devouring people that didn’t have the guts to fight back. The dead wiped out towns and major cities in days, without even giving them a chance to retaliate. A worldwide phenomenon and without so much as an audience to watch it go down in the end.

For many, the end meant turning into a blood-thirsty monster and devouring loved ones. Some chose to stop the process with a bullet to their own heads in a last attempt to save their own souls and spare their loved ones.

For me, the end meant losing everything I loved, my dad, my career, eventually even my humanity, and it all started on a perfectly normal day.

Chapter 1

Daisy, OMG! You have got to try this! I totally lost 5 lbs. in, like, two days and I could eat anything I want! said Mia, as she took the seat across from me and studied herself in the mirror

Why a 110-pound girl would want to lose weight is seriously beyond me. I still didn’t understand why almost everyone I knew wanted to be stick skinny. Well, I was living in Hollywood so I guess, puzzle solved!

Seriously, you have to try it. Dr. Chang gave it to me on the lowdown, she said in a whisper. He said it was some kind of experimental drug. It hasn’t even been approved by the FDA but it’s really effective.

Are you serious, Mia? Why would you want to lose more weight? What, are you trying to disappear? I asked, smirking.

She looked at me annoyed Well, I think you should try it. Maybe you could lose those love handles! she chided, trying to piss me off.

Augh, ha, ha, I said, rolling my eyes.

"They’re called hips, real women have them." I said, standing up and snatching from her small hands the bottle of pills that read T.SolXL in bold letters. Not that she would know anything about being a woman.

Mia was petite at barely 5 feet tall. Natural red hair, bright green eyes, and an Ivory skin tone with delicate features that made her look like an angel. In reality... well, she was a total pain in the ass.

I, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. At 5 feet 8 inches and 140 pounds, I had brown hair, hazel eyes, and an olive skin tone. I guess I had the whole girl next door look, while Mia had the supermodel look going on, even as a teen.

Mia, you really don’t need this, seriously. Losing too much weight is unhealthy. I looked at the small pill bottle. What is it derived from, anyway?

Who cares? It works and that’s good enough for me! Besides it’s probably some kind of berry, she said, shrugging her shoulders. You know how people are raving about all those African berries

Mia how could you take something without knowing what’s in it?

You tell her, girlfriend, said Chaz as he entered the room. Ready for makeup, girls?

Hey, Chaz, have you tried the new diet pills? Mia asked, glaring at me as she sat down in front of him.

"No sugar, are they any good? Lord knows I have tried it all. Justin says I look fine but I wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds," he said, grabbing his behind and raising his eyebrows.

Chaz was tall and dark with brown eyes, and curly black hair and he had just the right amount of flare that still kept him looking straight; that is, until he spoke. Let’s just say he breaks every young female intern’s hopes and dreams. Chaz was always super funny, easily one of my favorite people. That’s saying a lot since I hardly socialized outside of work. I wasn’t a bitch or anything; I just preferred to be alone. Free of all the peer pressure that plagues young Hollywood stars. Not that there was anything wrong with shaving my head, twerking, or rehab centers: it just wasn’t my style.

Honey, you’re feeling a little warm and you look a little paler than usual, said Chaz, as he felt Mia’s forehead and tilted her head up to take another good look at her.

I’m fine, Chaz. I just haven’t eaten today, said Mia, looking away. That must be it, I’ll grab something as soon as you’re done.

Well, if you say so, he said, smiling at her but not completely convinced.

Hey guys, I’m going to take a nap for a bit. I haven’t been sleeping well, I said with a yawn.

Lately I had been having nightmares almost every night. They usually got worse around the anniversary of my mother’s death and always ended always the same way.

Sure thing, babe. I’ll wake you when I’m done here, he said, winking at me.

As I headed towards my dressing room, I could hear sirens in the distance. I went a few doors down and opened my dressing room door. Ignoring the overflowing trash can near the entrance, I threw my sweater on the floor next to the mirror and lay down on the small white sofa. I stared at the off-white ceiling that looked like cottage cheese before I dozed off to dream land.

When I opened my eyes and reached for my phone that was on top of the small table across from the sofa to check the time, it read 2:30 pm. I had been asleep for two hours.

Damn it, Chaz! I said under my breath, as I got up and headed out the door.

I opened the door and I knew something was off. Normally there would be people walking through the halls chatting noisily or delivering espresso. Today silence greeted me. Outside the sirens could still be heard and I could also hear screaming and yelling. Of course the screaming and yelling was normal around here, especially with the new horror flick we were working on. But today it seemed like they really put effort into their job. Must be the new director. He was a real ass. I went a few doors down to the makeup room. Maybe Chaz was still working on Mia; she did tend to get a little picky about her make-up.

I opened the door. Hey, Chaz, you forgot to wake me up I scanned the room to look for Chaz, only to find it empty.

Chaz? Chaz, are you in here?

I could hear noise coming from behind the bathroom door. I knocked, no response.

Chaz, we’re due on set in 30 minutes. Hope you can do miracles, I said to the door. Still no response came from the other side, so I decided to go in.

I’m coming in, I said and waited a few seconds to give him any time to pull himself together.

I turned the knob and opened the door slowly. At the same moment, a coppery scent engulfed my senses. The room was dark but for some strange reason I’ve always had good eyesight even in the dark; dad always said it was in the genes. On the floor near the sink I saw two figures. One was lying on the ground, the other was crouched down hovering over the one lying down. It was Mia and Chaz. I recognized them both from the clothes they had on earlier. There was blood on the floor and on their clothing. Chaz was lying lifeless on the floor, his stomach torn open and a look of horror on his bloodied face.

Oh, my God, I gasped, covering my mouth. As soon as I said those words, Mia looked back and let out a blood-curdling shriek. Her face smothered in blood and bits of meat. Her once bright green eyes were now bloodshot and her once delicate ivory skin was a shade of deadly pale blue.

Mia? I said, unsure of what else to say.

I wanted to run but my feet were cemented to the ground. Mia turned all the way around and started sprinting towards me. I kept thinking to myself that this had to be a joke. I’m being Punk’d. Yup, that must be it. Is that show even still around?

Okay, Ashton. You can come out now. I am not falling for this shit! I said, staring at Mia, who was now a few feet away. Suddenly Mia launched herself at me with a crazed look on her face. I stepped back and closed the bathroom door, leaning against it in an attempt to use myself as a barricade. Her hands banging on the door and her nails scratching the door, sent me over the edge as she hissed and then let out another blood-curdling screech. I could feel my heart beating so fast that I thought it might just jump out of my chest and run off to hide somewhere.

No, I said, telling myself that this was no joke, that something was wrong. I had never seen special effects that good and that real. I was in deep shit. Mia started banging on the bathroom door again, I could hear her growling and moaning, scratching the door to get out.

I have to get out of here, I thought, pausing the nervous breakdown I was about to have.

I ran out of the room, going towards the parking lot. Looking for someone to help me, security, anyone, or a phone.

Shit, I said, remembering I left my phone and car keys in my dressing room. Then I remembered I had installed a hide-a-key magnet under the trunk of my car last year. My dad thought it would be a good idea, since I kept forgetting my keys in random places.

As I got closer to the exit, I could hear moaning and shuffling coming from around the corner. Mia’s noise had probably alerted whomever—or in this case, whatever—only problem was that they sounded like Mia. Which only meant one thing……… they were like her and they were getting closer. I tried to open the door next to me but it wouldn’t budge. The next opened up easily. I went in and locked the door from the inside and then leaned against it, taking in my new surroundings. I was now standing in the prop storage room for our new project, The Dead Walk. I could see the fake decomposed bodies we used in the cemetery scene, as well as the body parts that looked disgustingly real. I turned on the light and looked around. I heard a noise coming from the back of the storage.

Now, normally I would never be the brave one. Especially because of all the horror films I’ve seen. This was real life, though, and it was either find the source or the source finds me. If you ask me I prefer the element of surprise.

I walked the aisle on my left, looking for anything I could use to protect myself. Bingo, I said, lifting a metal bat. It felt light and cool in my hands as I swung it around to get a better feel for it. I started walking towards the back of the storage with my heart on high alert and the bat ready to strike if needed.

As I got closer, I saw a figure huddled in the corner under the small window. From the looks of it, a woman in shock. I could see her shoulders heaving and what sounded a lot like……… a gurgle?

Hello, I managed to hoarse out.

As soon as I said those words, she lifted her head; dead milky eyes stared back at me.

Oh, God. A sob escaped my lips as she started making its way at me, snapping her teeth. At the same time I started hearing scratching and moaning coming from the front door. More of those creeps were trying to get in. Were they going to eat me, like Mia had eaten Chaz?

As the monster came closer, she stretched out her hands and desperately tried to hold on to me, most likely to use me as a snack. There was a huge piece of her neck missing. That would explain the gurgling sound. I brought down the bat, hitting her on the shoulder. She stopped for an instant and wobbled before continuing to try and reach for me. I kicked her away, hitting her chest as she fell back in a sitting position. I just knew what I had to do, this thing was going to try and eat me to death and probably enjoy every last piece of me. I walked over to where she was and hit her over the head with the bat as she latched onto my ankle with her cold hand and knocked me to the floor. I kicked her in the face and screamed on impulse, getting back on my feet, bringing the bat over her head and down with all my force. I didn’t know how many times I hit her, I just stopped when blood splattered on the floor and covered my clothes. Most importantly, she stopped reaching for me. She stopped moving.

My hands were trembling as my breath became rapid and I could feel myself breaking out into a cold sweat. I covered my face with my hands as tears threatened to fall, when realization hit me…………..I had just taken a life.

The noise I was making apparently invited more to the party; I could hear a crowd of them outside the door now, trying to make their way in. Bloody fingers clawed at the gap under the door as the scratching noises got louder, more violent, and desperate.

I wasted no time in moving a heavy box to reach the window so I could climb out. Just my luck, the window was locked and screwed close. This was definitely a fire hazard, I thought, before I turned my head and broke the glass with the bat. I climbed out of the window and jumped down, landing on my feet and hands. At the same time I heard a loud crash as the door broke in. I bet they were disappointed that their take-out took off.

The parking lot was around