the Rest of Us

By Kenn Baker

If the world was dead, how would you live?

After the zombie apocalypse, three childhood friends survive day to day life:

"We didn't make this world what it's become, but it's ours now. Like every other generation we have the mess of the prior generations to deal with. This is life, only, streamlined. Ambition is dead. Careers don't exist. Slacking isn't an option. We're generation Z. We can't be artists. We can’t be doctors. There are no laws to practice. Our parents don't want better for us, they want to eat us.

All we have is living and dying. We aren't God's children. We aren't even the dominant race on this planet anymore. We are cattle, food for the masses. Moo.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenn Baker
• Release date: Oct 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301816125

Kenn Baker

Kenn Baker is a writer. He was born, he will die. Somewhere in between he will live.

Book preview

the Rest of Us

Kenn Baker

Copyrite Kenn Baker 2012

Smashwords edition

Laughing Hyena Press • Illinois

A Kenn Baker Book

Published by Laughing Hyena Press

Copyright © 2011 by Kenn Baker

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Laughing Hyena Press, Illinois.

ISBN #

All the characters in this book are fictitious and

any resemblance to persons living, dead or undead

is purely coincidental.

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Edition: 2011

The bright sunny day wasn't tarnished at all by the smell of decomposing flesh. They'd found the old house with the wrap around porch and agreed it was the perfect place to rest for a bit. That was an hour ago. An hour too long, Eve says to herself. Sitting any place for too long puts her on edge, but she looks at her two companions and they both seem perfectly at ease. As if none of this ever happened. Scott sips water from a bottle while leaning over the porch railing. The snide grin on his face tells Eve he's not going to let this topic drop. She sits quietly leaning back in the chair trying to ignore the slurps and burps coming from the floor where Tim is eating Longhorn Brand chili straight out of the can.

Not a cloud in the sky, she observes for no one’s benefit but her own.

Scott lowers the bottle, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand as he turns to Tim and Eve. Yeah, but what do you miss the most?

Tim looks into his can of chili. The sound sends a chill up Eve's spine as he scraps the spoon across the bottom of the can to get the remaining sludge. He slurps the last of it loudly, licks the spoon clean and sticks it in the right front pocket of his jeans, Home cooked meals, he says and looks at each of them in turn with the pride filled grin he always wears when he thinks his answer is clever. Eve's mind races through all of the things she's secretly missed: make up, friends, technology, her family, being alone. What she misses most is singing. She used to like to sing, though, she hasn't sung since this all began. It would just attract them. She leans back further in her chair, resting her hand on the comfortably familiar handle of her baseball bat, and shakes her head as if shaking away the thought, We should get going.

Relax woman! We have time. Nothin' but time. Scott says before movement from the right catches his attention. When he looks back, Eve sees the smile that has cracked across his face. You guys remember Mrs. Perkins? Tim laughs and points his finger up at Scott, Yeah, the music teacher that called you a retard in... what, fifth grade! Tim and Eve both laugh. Scott scowls at them both, Yeah ha ha! She's here. Eve and Tim look out.

Mrs. Perkins' shuffling steps draw closer. She looks the same as Eve remembers her from school. Chubby short legs wearing black patent leather shoes with silver buckles. Witch shoes, she used to call them when she discussed Mrs. Perkins with her friends. The same flower pattern dress she seemed to wear every day, the same bright red hair with not a single gray. Eve was remembering so vividly now, that it could have been yesterday when Scott was making farting noises and adding his own lyrics to songs in her class. She was a very patient teacher until he rewrote Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. to Ms. Perkin's face, belongs in the pound.

Eve gathers up her bat and backpack, she hates these trips down memory lane, Let's just go. She starts to put her backpack on, but Scott says, Not yet, I want to say Hi. Eve's exasperation shows. Scott, don't be stupid, let's go, She says sternly, but when he turns to her and smiles that evil smile, she knows that there is no stopping him. As Scott walks off towards Mrs. Perkins, Eve looks back at Tim who is still sitting with his feet up. She wants him to say something, but he just shrugs, That boy ain't right is he! Eve flops back down in her seat and sighs.

Scott walks towards Mrs. Perkins as if he's out for a Sunday stroll. That is, if people took Sunday strolls holding claw hammers behind their backs. Eve thinks that she should look away, he's obviously only doing this because he has an audience. Mrs. Perkins wouldn't care if she saw the hammer. She wouldn't go running. She would lumber towards him just the same, hopping to sink her teeth into him.

Hello Mrs. Perkins! Scott says loudly...too loudly. It's nice to see you again. With that, he dramatically raises the hammer high above his head