Empty Vessels

By K M Boze

It is part love story and part horror, and the main character, Xyla, is relatable to the reader as is her intent to punish those who killed her mother. The protagonist's repeated dreams about zombies keeps the reader wondering as to what will happen next. This is a good book for the lovers of horror, medical S&F, and zombies.
The US Review of Books
Empty
Vessels

Empty Vessels is the perfect way to describe any situation that could arise. Anything is possible with the way society is today and the carelessness in each individual. Zombies could be taken to another level.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Sep 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490713250

K M Boze

Writing has always been a passion of mine. I started writing about a year and a half ago with my first book 'Empty Vessels'. I fully enjoy writing and I hope all my readers are taking the time, pleasure, and interest of soaking up all the stories that I am sharing with you to enjoy.

Book preview

PART ONE

Whispering Conscience

Chapter One

S he walked into the classroom and noticed that there wasn’t anybody there. Tables and chairs were turned over, trash thrown on the floor, and blood spots splattered all over the room. She slowly made her way over to the window where the light beamed through. People were running across campus, and some she noticed were walking very slow, dragging their feet, with matted hair and torn clothes.

She turned and looked toward the door when she heard a noise come from the hall. Ducking down, she made her way to the front of the class to the teacher’s desk. Someone entered the classroom as she crawled under the desk. She peeked around the side of the desk and was amazed at what she saw. It was a young girl. Her breathing was gruff, her hair and clothes were messy with blood, and her clothes were full of holes. The girl walked around the room for a while, then she finally made her way to the door and left the room.

She got out from under the table and looked out the door. The young girl walked down the hall and entered another room. She knew this was her chance to get out of there. She ran down the stairs to the first floor. These zombies were all over the place. She saw the entrance at the end of the hall, so she made a run for it. As she was running, she felt like she was in slow motion. The hallway kept stretching longer and longer, with zombies coming out from all directions. They all reached out to grab her shirt and pants as she vigorously kept her eye on the door. Just as she approached the door, zombies came out from nowhere and grabbed her. She opened her mouth to scream but didn’t hear anything come out.

Xyla quickly sat up in her bed, crying, wiping the tears from her face. Relief came over her when she realized it was just a dream. She got out of bed and went into the bathroom to splash water on her face.

Why do I keep dreaming about zombies? she asked herself, looking in the mirror. Walking back into the room, she noticed the clock said 1:50 a.m., so it was off to bed for a few more hours.

The alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. She got out of bed and looked out the window; you could see the sun just starting to come up off in the distance. She threw on some blue jean shorts and a yellow tank top and headed downstairs to see if her dad was up. John was sitting in the living room on his favorite recliner, drinking his coffee, while watching the news.

Morning, sunshine, John said, where are you off to so early this morning?

Morning, Daddy. It looks like it’s going to be a nice day, so I figured I would take a walk on the beach. I’ll grab me a coffee on my way, she said, kissing the top of his head.

On her way to the beach, she stopped at the closest convenience store to grab a coffee. She pulled into the parking area at the beach, found a spot to park the car, and got out with coffee in hand and headed to the sand.

A smile came on her face as she looked back in time. Her mother used to take her here at this time in the morning during the weekends when she was a little girl. With a coffee in her mother’s hand and a hot chocolate in her hand, they would sit on the sand and watch the sun rise.

Shh, can you hear the sun hitting the water? her mother would ask.

I can hear it, Mother, Xyla would say, smiling.

You are as beautiful as the sun, my dear Xyla, her mother bragged. Xyla was her world.

Tears came to Xyla’s eyes; she missed her mother so much it hurt.

Then her thoughts wrapped up to the present day.

I hope going to America will be prosperous for me, she said to herself.

The waves came splashing in; she smiled and then took a deep breath with the satisfaction that somehow this was the right decision.

Xyla Rose, with her long blonde hair and natural, light brown highlights, walked toward the water. With sandals in her hand, and showing a very nice tan says that she spends a lot of time at the beach. She was very thin, at age twenty-five, single, with only her father, John, at home. Her mother, Katerzyna, had passed away a few years ago, due to cancer. That is what caused Xyla to commit her all to the study of science. She wants to make a difference in the world.

This was the most perfect opportunity of a lifetime; she did not want to pass this up. She had been offered an assistant professor of science position in America. Her father, John, told her to go and make that difference.

She left the beach and went into town. Walking the streets that afternoon, she wanted to make sure she would remember every store, restaurant, and neighbor. As she walked along, she met up with some college friends. Just a few friends she had classes with.

Suezanna, the baby of the six of them, at twenty-two, with brown eyes and black hair, was with her fiancé, Bradley. Bradley is twenty-three, and he, like Suezanna, has black hair. They are a jeans-and-T-shirt kind of couple. Their T-shirts always promote rock bands. With them was Tim; he is also twenty-three. He has blue eyes and short blonde hair. He’s the quiet one out of the bunch. You will always see him in jeans with a nice shirt, sometimes even a tie. Noelle, who is also twenty-three, has long brown hair, has hazel eyes, and dresses casually. She also has a dream of becoming a professor. And last is Tayt. He is twenty-five with short brown hair and blue eyes. He dresses casual and is in love with Xyla. He tries his best daily to make an impression on her, but she is so dedicated to her work she doesn’t even realize what Tayt’s intentions are. He hopes that someday they will be a couple.

After their hellos, they all decided to meet up later that evening at the Coach House Hotel for a bite to eat and a few drinks before Xyla goes to America. It was a Thursday evening, and she was leaving Sunday afternoon. They decided to meet at seven o’clock that evening.

The college she is going to in America starts their semester in a week, so she needs to get settled in ASAP. Summer was ending for her, and being a student in college was just an end to one chapter in her life, and she was starting to embark on another chapter. Only this time everything she learned in her classes was going to be put to the test as an assistant. Was she ready for this?

Xyla got home and made steak and potatoes for her dad; it was his favorite. As they ate, they discussed her going to America. He is a typical father and wants to make sure she is going to be okay. With no family or friends with her, it can get lonely. She assured him that she will be fine. Then they talked about her going out that evening with some friends.

John mentioned, That Tayt is a nice fellow.

Xyla replied, Yes, he is. I’m going to miss all my friends.

As her dad got up to get something, he said, Keep your phone with you and turned on at all times, and also, here’s a new laptop with a camera as a going-away present. We can talk anytime. I bought me one too so we can chat. Her dad smiled.

She started crying. As she wiped her tears, she gave her dad a kiss on the cheek and a hug and said, I love you, Dad. Now it was clean-up time.

Up in her room, she put on some soft music and started getting ready for her outing that night with her friends. She straightened her hair and pulled each side back in a clip. Then she decided to put a curl at the ends. Next was what to wear. She wanted to be comfortable but nice. She decided on a baby blue miniskirt and a white blouse, a medium-sized dangling hoop earrings, an anklet, and her favorite cameo ring from her mother, which accented the attire. She threw on some high heels to complete the outfit. A little foundation, eyeliner, and eye shadow always gave her a natural look when she applied it really lightly. Just as she was leaving her room, her phone rang.

Hello, she said, picking it up.

Do you need a ride? Tayt asked.

She answered, Well, I’m ready to walk out the door. Are you close?

Chuckling, he said, Kinda, I’m outside in your driveway.

I’m coming out the door now, she said, laughing.

As she came down the stairs, her dad was falling asleep in his chair. She kissed his cheek and said her good night.

Of course he woke up and told her to have a good time and be safe.

She grabbed her little clutch bag on the table by the front door and headed to Tayt’s car. He got out and came around to open the passenger door for her. She got in and buckled her seat belt; Tayt came around and got in the driver’s seat. He turned on his radio; he listens to jazz sometimes. They made small talk on the way to the club.

I hate for you to go to America by yourself, Tayt said.

I’m going to be fine, she said. This is what I want, it’s what I’ve been studying to do my whole life. Of course, I’m going to miss everyone here, but I’m so excited at the same time.

Tayt, still concerned, said, Well, if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me, okay?

You have my word, she said with a smile of assurance.

They pulled up to the club and parked in the rear parking area. As they entered, Suezanna, Bradley, Noelle, and Tim were already waiting at a table. It was a good thing they were all there holding a table. The place was pretty crowded. They all had a jump start on drinks. Tayt and Xyla sat with them and ordered their drinks. Tayt was a beer drinker, and Xyla liked her vodka—Bay Breeze was her favorite. Tim decided to get a round of shots. Everyone downed Spiced Rum! They were all feeling pretty good at this point.

The band played a soft slow song. Tayt looked at Xyla and asked if she wanted to dance. She nodded her head yes. As she tried walking away, she looked back at the group, laughing, telling them not to touch her drink. They all laughed and reassured her that they wouldn’t. Of course, Bradley, being the clown he is, acted like he was going to pick it up and drink it. Suezanna slapped him jokingly.

Xyla was laughing as Tayt pulled her closer to him for the dance. His arms came around her waist and her arms around his neck, and they just stared at each other smiling. She put her head on his left shoulder as they swayed to the music. He whispered in her ear how much he was going to miss her. She picked her head up and looked into his eyes and said, I’m going to miss you too.

He decided this was the moment he has been waiting for; it was time to make his move. He took a chance and moved his face closer to hers, and their lips touched. A few minutes felt like a lifetime. The gang at the table was too wrapped up in their own conversation to notice.

The song ended, so they headed back to the table. A few more drinks later, Xyla and Noelle danced to a couple of fast songs. Laughing and talking the whole night, they all were having a wonderful time together. No one wanted this night to end.

As the night came to a close, Xyla was saying her goodbyes to the gang out in the parking lot. After much tears from crying and talking, with laughing mixed in, everyone got into their cars and headed for their homes.

Would you like some coffee? We can go to my place and sober up a bit, Tayt said, laughing.

That sounds good. I’m not very tired right now anyway. With the move, and not seeing my dad till who knows when, when does one find time to sleep? Xyla mentioned while looking out the car window.

They pulled up to Tayt’s condominium. Tayt got out and went around to open Xyla’s door. When she got out, something in the sky caught her eye. When she looked up, she only saw stars fill the sky, but then off in the distance she saw a plane going by. It was so far away you couldn’t hear it. It was so quiet and peaceful looking up at such a wonderful amazement.

They looked at each other, then Tayt took Xyla by the hand to lead her to the front door. When they got inside, he told her to make herself comfortable. Tayt put on some soft music and went to the kitchen to start some coffee. His living room and dining room was one large room together. Xyla walked around and gazed at all his pictures and certificates from college. Tayt was very intelligent in the science field and has done very well for himself.

When the coffee was done, he made them each a cup, and they both sat on the couch. He had a sixty-inch flat-screen television and a huge fish tank that separated the living room and the dining room. The kitchen was small, so it shared part of the area with the dining room, and the bathroom was off the living room.

Tayt sat closer to Xyla and proceeded to let her know how he felt about her.

Xyla said, Please don’t, I don’t want to ruin our time together.

I just think it’s only fair for you to know the truth, Tayt said.

Tayt leaned over to kiss Xyla. She knew she had a little too much to drink, and with that, she didn’t refuse his advances. He picked her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom and shut the door.

She walked into the classroom, and blood was splattered all over the room. Tables were turned over, and the room was a mess. She walked over to the window and saw people running across the campus, then she heard a noise coming from the hall. She ran over to the other side of the room where she saw a closet door open. She closed it real slow when she heard someone enter the room.

Whoever it was, they were dragging their feet and breathing real funny. She tried to crack the door open to see what they were doing. There were a couple of people in the room. They looked terrible. She tried her best to be quiet. Finally they left the room. She got out of the closet and went to the door. They were walking down the hall. She ran out of the room and down the stairs. She was so nervous she tripped down the stairs and hit the floor at the bottom.

Zombies were coming at her when she came to. She tried to get up, but she must have twisted her ankle when she fell down the stairs. She finally got up and went to run down the hall, but a zombie grabbed her ankle. She started kicking and screaming to get free. The zombie lost hold of her, so she got up and ran down the hall dragging her foot. When she got to the end, she swung the door open, and sunlight hit her face. Zombies came from every direction.

Xyla sat up in bed crying. As she wiped the tears from her face, she looked around the room and realized that this was not her bedroom. A streak of daylight was showing through the window. She got up, got dressed, and went into the kitchen. Tayt was making coffee, pancakes, eggs, hash browns, and sausage.

Good morning, he said, smiling.

Morning, Xyla said. When did you get up and start cooking?

I got up about an hour ago. You were out like a light. Did I wake you? Tayt asked.

No, you didn’t wake me. I love your bed, it’s really comfortable, Xyla replied. She paused for a little bit. I’m sorry about last night. I don’t know what came over me. It must have been the alcohol.

Tayt answered, Don’t apologize. I’m not sorry.

Xyla replied, But it should not have happened. This is not the way I wanted to leave. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone or when I’ll be coming back. I didn’t want to leave this way.

It was the perfect going-away evening, Tayt said, so don’t be sorry.

This is just not what I wanted, Xyla kept insisting.

Tayt reassured her that it was okay and kept making breakfast.

Xyla went into the bathroom to freshen up. She closed and locked the door behind her, looked in the mirror, and started crying. This was not in her plan.

Tayt had her breakfast ready on a plate with a cup of coffee. They ate their breakfast with small talk about her going to America and wondering what it will be like. After breakfast, it was time for Xyla to head home. When they left Tayt’s place, it was a little cloudy outside. He lived only about ten minutes from her house. They pulled up in front of her house. Tayt put the car in park, put his arm around Xyla, smiled, and told her he loved her. Xyla just stared at him then smiled and kissed him on the cheek. She opened the car door, got out, shut it, and waved goodbye to Tayt.

As she walked to her front door, it started to rain. She pulled her heels off and ran the rest of the way. Her dad looked out the window and saw her coming, so he opened the door to let her in, waved Tayt on, and shut the door.

He had to joke with Xyla a bit. So with Tayt all night, he said, laughing.

It’s not what you think, Dad, Xyla reassured him. It was late, and we stopped for coffee, and I just ended up crashing at his place, no big deal.

Oh, okay, John