The Word in the Dark

By B.P. Massa

Set in a post-apocalyptic, modern world, the protagonist is a survivor of a zombie virus outbreak and all out climate collapse.
Having been alone too long, he starts exhibiting signs of ill effects to his own psyche. Go along for the ride and explore the deep inner workings of one human mind as it tries to sort out what is real and what is fantasy when left to its own devices.
Flesh eating zombies, sub-zero temperatures, and total darkness might not be the only thing to fear when you are all alone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wolf Paw Publications
• Release date: Jan 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310153976

B.P. Massa

B.P. Massa, familiarly known as Brian Massa, was born in Staten Island, NY on November 8, 1980 to MaryAnn and Peter Massa. While he was born in NYC, he was raised in South Brunswick, NJ since the age of 4. Currently, he resides in Baltimore, MD with 2 roommates and 3 cats. He is a trained chef and certified mixologist, but also worked as an EMT in some of NJ’s roughest cities for over 10 years.Never one to sit still and always adventurous, Brian loves to try new things and experience new places whenever he can. In spare time, Brian enjoys playing MMOs (Star Wars: The Old Republic and Guild Wars 2), hiking, playing guitar, singing, recording music, and cooking.While not ascribing to any certain religion or spirituality, he does read into and study many different faiths and beliefs. He has an extreme interest in the paranormal, the unknown, and crypto-zoology to which he adds into his works. Brian has also been a part of two paranormal investigation squads in his time.

Book preview

the word in the dark

A novella by

b. p. massa

wolf paw publications

richland, washington

The Word in the Dark

B. P. Massa

Copyright @ 2014 B. P. Massa

Published by Wolf Paw Publications at Smashwords

ISBN-13: 978-1494943219

ISBN-10: 1494943212

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following people for making this book possible through inspiration, love, and support:

Mom and Dad for always believing in me and supporting me through life. You never gave up on me even when I screwed up. Love you always!

Kristen Hoffman for being the best girl in my life. Your talent and support is and has always been a true inspiration. Thank you for the cover illustrations and design! Love you so much!

Kelly and Erik Lachow for always having the right things to say at the right time. Your words of support and wisdom have guided me more than you know. Love ya Cuz!

Kit and Irime for being here and being you! You have taught me about staying and thinking positive. When you do these things, amazing and wonderful things can happen.

S. Cu’Anam Policar for always pushing me to do something and be better. You and I have been friends for many years and we have sowed the seeds for many great stories. Good luck with Rise of the Xosha and Abomination!

And to the many other friends who have come and gone throughout the writing process of this book. For without you, I may not be who I am today.

Chapter 1

Darkness. Bitter cold. It’s fucking snowing again. The taste of stale cigarette smoke lingers on my tongue. By now I’ve lost all sense of time, as far as the hour, day, or even month it is. Does it really matter, you ask? Why should it? Afterall… BANG!!! Another body falls to the frozen ground with a thud. Now where was I? Oh yes, time doesn’t matter in a world such as this anymore. Frankly, I’m all that’s left… oh… check that. I’m one of the few that’s left.

You see, Hollywood had it partially right. Unfortunately, it’s the part about the flesh licking zombies, climate change, and other things of the like. Although, if you were to tell me this about two months ago, I would have told you that you were full of shit and probably would have chalked you up to being another mental asylum candidate. But no, I was naïve like the rest of them. But the fact is, all of it happened. Not just one scenario, not two, but all of it. I know you must be pretty curious; after all, you are still listening to this aren’t you? Of course you are! The thing is; humans are pretty dumb for such smart creatures. We are the only race that thrives on its own destruction. When you watch the news, ever see the ratio of uplifting to fucked up stories? As much as we try to ignore the craptastic world around us, we still find it unnervingly gratifying to watch others in misery whether we choose to admit that or not. Maybe we are glad that whatever it was that happened didn’t grace our lives directly. Either way, oh fuck, here I go again. I’ll just explain to you what happened.

The fact of the matter is, genetic experimentation or some biological weapon wasn’t what created these utterly annoying things that try to scrape my brains out with their bare hands and eat it with a chocolate sauce topping. Oh no, nature took care of that for us. In fact, it has lived on our bodies since were born. The strep virus; it actually lives on our skin everyday of our lives. You know, the one that likes to cause sore throats and infections? The one that was originally found in a mutated form to eat our flesh away from the bone as we lived our daily lives? Yeah, well it mutated again. This time it’s able to manifest itself within its host’s brain. Kind of like a little man at the cockpit of a large robot. But since this little fuck is a simple organism, it doesn’t have a brain. It just knows it likes to eat meat.

Oh and the darkness and cold part? Yeah well that was pretty much like what everyone was saying was gonna happen. Only it happened in a matter of days. So now, not only is ninety-two percent of the world’s population dead or zombified, but I’m in a world of no sun and no warmth. It’s fucking twelve degrees right now and I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be noon on a day in the middle of June here in New Jersey. Ok, I’m not the Omega Man or anything. I said I’m part of the eight percent that’s not fucked up or dead right now. I see other lucky or un-lucky survivors from time to time but you can imagine conversation isn’t exactly intriguing. So, why am I immune to this mutation? No fucking clue! I bleed, I break bones, I get sick… I’m not unbreakable by any means. I’m just trying to live as long as I can, just like any person would. When you lose almost everything that you’ve ever had but your life, you try as hard as you can to cling to what’s left. It’s cliché but the saying goes, You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone." Or something like that.

BANG…BANG… BANG!!! Another body falls to the ground with a thud. Ok, am I afraid? I’m terrified of course. But where is that going to get me? As I mentioned a few times before, these things have no brains. They can’t smell, they can’t think, and they will die just like any other person would. They only know I’m standing here talking to myself and to them it’s appetizing. If I go inside, they will never know I’m here. I don’t have hordes of zombies beating down my door like Hollywood movies made them out to be. They don’t even communicate to one another. The people that got sick inside their homes are still in there because they can’t even turn a simple door knob. Simply put… they are dumb.

So I walk across a frozen ground that is only forgiving because of the sheer fact that there is a thin crust of snow and ice that crunches under my boots every time I take a step. I light another cigarette and reload my pistol just as a heaping mass of mindless flesh presses forth in my direction limping its way through the snow. I take aim, fire, and the bullet makes its impression in its forehead making it drop to the ground. Walking to my truck I can see a few others trying to make their way to me, but I just start my truck and drive off to the convenience store down the street where I can pick up some stale cigarettes, a couple of drinks, some snacks, and some reading material.

It’s getting windy and the snow is still falling, which at this point, is making a drive of any distance a bit more interesting for anyone, as if there were any others. I continue down the highway and find what’s left of the Army / Navy store to pick up more firepower and clothing. This is