Class of the Dead: A Short Story

By Abel Hernandez

Adrian wakes up one day, hungover as hell and late for work. On the way, he doesnt notice the strange things happening around him until it almost bites him in the face . . . He finds himself trapped in a school with the bad kids in detention and coworkers that dont trust him. But he tries and tries to do whats right and keep people alive until help arrives or at least let them live as long as they possibly can. So the rogue, would-be punker hero faces forbidden love, jealousy, struggle for power, zombies, motocross riders, hidden psychos, and a struggle to hold on to what society was, not seeing the evil it held and the possibility of creating a new way of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524572846

Abel Hernandez

My name is Abel Hernandez. I was born on July 5th, 1974 in Fontana, CA. I am the 2nd oldest of 5 children from my mother Monica Solorzano. I have 3 brothers and 1 sister. Currently, I am a single father of 3 amazing boys. My oldest is David Hernandez and he’s 18 and a senior In High School. I also have twin boys that are 8 years old. I was married once to my twins’ mom but I’m currently divorced. I was raised by my grandparents Natie and Edward Cardenas and didn’t know I had a father till I was in 5th grade. Not having a father growing up taught me how to be a better father to my boys. I’ve always had 50/50 custody of them and I make sure that I am active in every aspect of their lives. Throughout my life, I found that I was naturally good at just about everything I did. A “Jack of all trades,” if you will. In high school, my friend Brian Pierce introduced me to comic books. The X-Men specifically, and I have been hooked ever since. Shortly after that I started drawing and creating my own super heroes and writing short stories for them. In my early 20’s a was a big dare devil. I liked danger. Cliff jumping, sky diving, bungee jumping. Anything that got my adrenalin going. In my late 20’s, I met some people that played in a local band called The Irritations. I quickly found that I was a natural at playing bass guitar. Within a few months, I bought a bass guitar and taught myself how to play. In less than a year, I was writing my own songs and I created a band called Black Dragon. During my musical career, I played in 5 different bands, recorded 7 different albums, and played in every major club and “hole in the wall” bar from Los Angeles to Indio. From Hemet to Barstow. Even clubs in Las Vegas. We did interviews and were played on college radio, internet radio and on “Dream’s World Wide Television” show in Los Angeles. I’ve had the opportunity to open for some of my favorite bands I used to listen to growing up. Bands like Quiet Riot, Marky Ramone of the Ramones… Even an all-star, 80’s band that included Steven Adler form Gun N Roses and members of Cinderella and Dokken. Once my kids were born, I gave up the rock star life and focused on being super daddy for my boys. They are my life! My life has always been an uphill battle and I’ve had more bad times than I care to remember. But I’ve always push forward and searched for as much knowledge as I could fill my mind with. Even though my current profession is a simple one, it pays the bills, provides for my kids and allows me my current hobbies. Riding quads and traps shooting tournaments. I also write, direct and produce short videos for my YouTube channel and the videos are scenes from the chapters of my book. While doing that, and writing this story, people keep asking me, “Why am I doing this? What do I wanna get outta it? Am I trying to get rich?” People have been asking me this about all the ventures I’ve done in my life. Drawing comics, writing and preforming music. Like my other projects throughout my life, I tell them the same thing… “I’m just having fun!”

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Let The Bad Times Roll

Adrian Hernandez had a terrible day at work. He is a custodian at Crestmore High School. He could not wait to get home, take a hot shower and relax, have a drink and maybe calling out for a pizza. He never really liked beer, he was more of a vodka and OJ kinda guy and he could drink the hell outta some cheap strawberry wine. It was his favorite and girls loved it, which got him a lot of action.

His plans were trashed when he drove up the driveway and could not park his truck because some ass hole parked in his spot! GODDAMN IT! He cusses in his head and he parked a few houses down. He hated his spot being taken by anyone!

Out front he saw a bunch of other cars parked in front of the house and even the lawn! Not again. Not tonight. He just got off at 11:30pm and had to be at work tomorrow at 7am. He had already told his roommates no party Friday night. They were renting a few rooms from him but it was his place. He was pissed off! He took in a suck-it up sigh and headed out of his truck and into the house

Adrian was 22 years old. A hardcore punker at heart, although he never dressed the part. To him it seemed like a uniform and you didn’t have to look like a punk to be a punk. Punk is a state of mind, not a fashion statement. He hated the government and authority. Anarchy was his religion but anarchy, as a means to an end. He wasn’t into society’s rules or fads. He rooted for the underdog, he went against the grain, just because he could. Single handedly, he’d wage his war on a personal level. Every day he would attack the establishment in some form, fishing without a license and he’d drink wine before it was time. Still, he was a good man. He’d do what was right because it was the right thing to do. He lived by his own morals and didn’t need babysitters like the state or government to tell him how to live or act. His father had left his mom when he was just a baby and later she had 3 other kids by 3 other men. Unfortunately, his mom soon became a heroine junkie. Not being able to raise 5 kids and doing drugs, mom left them all in the care of their grandmother. He was the second oldest. He had one older brother and two younger brothers and a sister just younger than him. Adrian grew up being influenced by his older brother into Punk Rock music and learning that the government sucked and he found love in Mosh Pits and a lot of one nighters with cute punk rocker chicks, even more now since he had been playing Bass Guitar for Straight Jackitt, a Punk Rock band. In his family, he was seen as a black sheep by the older ones, but his siblings praised him. His sister adored him the most.

As Adrian walked away from his car, a petite, lively, punk rocker chick was sitting on the porch greeted him, after blowing smoke out the side of her mouth! She had nice, firm boobs and a tee-shirt, that said, FUCK AUTHORITY on the front. He remembers thinking she must be a real prize! Her jeans are tight and black, she is about 5 feet or so. Her purple and black hair spiked on top and the left side of her bangs came past her chin, slightly covering her left eye. The back of her hair was bobbed so it was shaven close to her head from the back of her ears to the nape of her neck. She had facial piercings, above her upper lip two spikes one in each corner and two spikes over her eye brows. Her tee shirt is sliced and ripped in the back showing that she had no bra.

She sits up, smoke wisps out the corner of her mouth and disappeared up her nose. She flicks her butt on the ground and twists it into the ground with her thick soled black army boots!

Hey there! Aren’t you the bass player for Straight Jackitt? She sputters, her breath smells of rum and coke as she winks just as he walks past her. When she stands up, he can smell the rum pouring out of her sweat! Adrian knows she was drunk and primed for anything! He thinks in his head that he found something (or someone) to do later. Adrian never had a problem getting women, just trouble getting them to leave the next morning. They were always OWNED after a one night with him!

Adrian was 6 feet tall and well built. People often asked him if he was Mexican and he’d reply, No! I’m American. I was born here, not Mexico. He has tribal ink all over his arms and in some places, that did not show until after he got naked. On his chest, he had a Sun with a smiling zig-zag mouth, some Korean characters which said Hapkido a type of Korean Martial arts which meant; Hap: Unity, together, with mind, body and spirit, Ki: Inner strength the life and body energy and Do: Art of a way of life /learning and right below his tee shirt neckline was VANDALS in handwriting.

He opens the door and manages a half assed smile. Fuck! He thinks, Why do they have to be partying again tonight! He had an early Saturday shift at CHS and he really needed a good 7 hours of sleep! He hated that his roommates would plan these parties without talking it over with him, especially when he needed to get up at the crack of dawn.

HEY! ADRIAN’S HERE! NOW IT’S A PARTY! AJ handed him a drink and patted him on the back! Raising his bottle to him! AJ was his best friend and it was his father that had shown Adrian so much fatherly love and advice. The house was full of dudes and a lot of hot looking chicks! Mostly Punk Rockers who hung with the band. Adrian started to feel himself raise up and feel much better than a few moments ago, the hard day at CHS was melting away and best yet, he smelt pizza! And there was booze. Life was good!

After he drank a bottle of cheap wine and told himself he would go to bed soon, he looked at the kitchen clock and saw it was past 12! Okay, shit after one more drink! He told himself. Chicks kept coming up to him, even in twos and asked to dance with him, together! He found himself roaming all the rooms of the house and drinking shots and wine and the night started to get blurry. After sitting on the couch for a bit, he got up and went into the kitchen, 3 AM! The clock taunted at him! There is a couple of chicks in the corner kissing and feeling each other! HOT! He thinks to himself. He took one more bottle of cheap wine, unopened and grabbed the chick who had greeted him at the door. He takes her by the hand, led her down the hallway to his room. As she walked with him she looked back over her shoulder as if to say, BITE ME BITCHES, I WIN! They kissed deeply and passionately! For him it was a good ending to a bad day at work, for her it was an honor to bed down the bass player of her favorite local band! She shoved him onto the bed! Her soft lips were all he remembered!

*     *     *

A bloody face spits blood with every growl and snarl! The face drips dark reddish brown liquid from wounds on the face like scratches and some that look like the worst pimples ever, with yellowish pus dripping out! There are maggots wriggling in the corners of the red dripping eyes that stare but do not see! GRRRRRR GRRRRRROOOOOO uuuughh! More blood spills out and a hand reaches up!

*     *     *

Adrian sits up out of breath and dripping sweat that smells like sex and booze. The petite punk rocker sits up, grabs the still opened beer and exclaims. What the fuck!?

I fuckin’ had that dream again!

What dream? she asks, not really caring. This dream where dead people come back to life and eat other people! He says lifting his bottle to take a swallow, hoping to refresh his buzz from last night. That is stupid! She mutters. What the fuck are you still doing here? He says taking another swift gulp! ASSHOLE! She says slapping his arm then grabbing her cloths.

Adrian is in the shower warming up the water, he pisses in the tub, Kill two birds with one stone! He murmurs. He finishes off the bottle and takes a much-needed shower! Thinking he should have gone to bed MUCH earlier! And skipped the sex! The TV is on for background noise but Adrian is too sleepy and busy with his showering, so he does not really listen to the…NEWS ALERT!

SOX-TV NEWS ALERT: The Name under the News Woman reads Susan Mitchell:

There has been a small outbreak of cannibalism in a small town near the border of Laos in North-Eastern Cambodia. The culprit was discovered to be mosquitoes native to that region carrying a new strain of Malaria which thus far has a 100 percent mortality rating killing victims in fewer than 2 days. After death, this parasite is able to restart the heart of its victim for up to two hours after the initial demise of the person where the individual behaves in extremely violent ways from what is believed to be a combination of brain damage and a chemical released into blood during resurrection. Cambodian officials say that the outbreak has been contained and the public has no need to worry…

Her voice trails off as Adrian has something to focus on, it is 6:15 and he has 45 minutes to get to work, he is not happy that his roommates fill the house with their after-party stench, piss, barf and other fluids some of which are better to not know where they came from! Dozens of bodies litter the floor as well as soda cans and a shit load of beer bottles! Fuck them! They better clean this shit up! Is the last thing Adrian grumbles as he walks out the door, slamming it because he is pissed off at them and himself! His anger is fueled as he walks into the driveway and then remembers that his truck is parked down about 5 houses! Fuck! He mutters. He walks down 5 houses and sees his truck, it is plastered with bands stickers. Bands like, Dead Kennedys, Agent Orange, The Vandals, Guttermouth, The Misfits, NOFX, Anti-Flag, Strung Out, Fishbone, and a few more. He gets in and revs it up and screeches out of the neighborhood going 40 and on the main street floors it to 80! He has major issues about getting to work late! Principal Frost has his ass on the line and he is not going to be late. He reaches to his CD player and pushes in The Vandals CD, it plays his favorite song, Adrian sings and rocks out to Let The Bad Times Roll in a hurry everything he passes is a blur. He sees images but is in no state of mind to put it all together. Fuck! A bunch of drunks out last night! He thinks as he sees a Ford Truck overturned with it looks like someone trying to pull out the driver. But on closer view it looks like some kind of crazed, homeless man, tearing apart flesh of the driver who was trying to avoid an oncoming car. Nearby another homeless looking person is pulling long pieces of entrails out of the abdomen of a woman laying on a bus stop bench! Line # 64 North has stopped permanently with the driver slumped over and several crazed, starving bums are pulling skin up and off his neck and layers of yellowish fat and tendons are being torn out of the driver’s stomach and arms! The shrill screams of pain and terror are coming loudly from the driver’s wide open mouth as he is not yet completely dead! None of this is heard or seen as Adrian drives 80 MPH! He howls and sings with the Vandals it gives him power for the day ahead, turning up the volume he sings along,

"For all those that are feeling, way too fed up inside. Now here’s a celebration of failure and losing. Like to put a shout out to all y’all far and wide. Sorry people but that’s just the way it’s gotta be. I know, I know, I know, I know…. we are pushing the parameters to a brand-new low

The end is near there’s lots to fear, no such thing as a good day is what I’m told

Let the bad times roll

The grass is never greener on the other side, I’ll stay right here and frolic in the dirt and gravel

Where’s the love in this room? I feel teary eyed. Between you and me I don’t think it’s ever gonna change

Descend, rear end, offend a friend, it’s wise of you to run and hide from what’s around the bend

The end is near there’s lots to fear, no such thing as a free lunch is what I’m told

Let the bad times roll Up to me I’ll embrace them happily, let you people know, I’m not foolin’

come take a ride with me down to Riverside, show you what it’s like to be coolin"

45 minutes later he pulls into CHS parking lot for staff. He runs to the Custodial Office and hopes he is on time as he looks at Toby Villa Lobos, the other Custodian, he is there looking nervous and pacing he can see something is wrong! He is a big guy, 5- 11 and a solid 255 lbs., but the principal been working on him and making him feel like a piece of dried dog shit, again, so he looks like it. She has a way to make a big man’s balls drop off and forget he was a man! Adrian does not like the look of it! Toby hands him a Mobster energy drink and they sit down to talk when the Saturday detentions start to walk by. They all like the Custodians, because they come in on the weekends and sometimes bring in a pizza if the principal has gone out for lunch! The hall way comes straight down to the Custodian’s office and they can see everyone coming from there. The hall is bare for a few brief seconds and Adrian is thanking Toby for the much-needed Mobster energy drink. Suddenly he smells one of his favorite scents, Alexandria! He was not sure what it was, maybe her shampoo or something clean and so sweet! She walked slowly as she got near his door, she had a crush on him and made it known to him, but their ages kept them clean and decent at school. Hi Adrian, Hello Mr. Villa Lobos! She said in such a sweet voice! She has a white bag, she holds it out for him at the doorway, students were not allowed to go into the Custodian’s office. I saved some donut holes for you guys! She explained. Adrian got up and reached for them, Thank you, that is really nice of you! He said and Toby nodded as he takes the bag and a hole and pops it into his mouth. She had to go, it was almost COUNT TIME! And she did not want more time added on her for being late.

Alexandria DeBord, is 17 and a Senior at CHS. She is a cute punker chick, about 5 feet four with a trim and fit build. She was the younger of two brothers; Dave and Paul, she also had a Dad but he hung himself a year and a half ago and six months later her brother Paul shot himself. Life after the death of her father and brother has been a living hell! She is very cute and vulnerable. Losing her Dad, and oldest brother has really been a blow to her and she had to stand up and help out as much as she can, because Dave is also showing signs of going mental. Nearly getting fired from his job has made Alex feel she needs to protect herself and she has been looking for ways to support herself. She is often attracted to older men, not for sex, but for guidance. However, at her tender age and being so broken down, her attraction leaves her looking starved for companionship and that looks bad to most people around her. She needs and looks for men who can guide her and love her. And sometimes that is a hard thing to tell the difference from that and the men who want to have sex. There has really only been one man who she can trust to confide in and that has been Adrian. She has grown very fond of him in a way that she feels a strong love for him. He loves punk rock too and he is always very respectful of her, because he knows their age difference is a taboo among the people they are around. No one understands her needs for a father to guide her as well as a good male role model to show her not all men want to have sex or hurt a female who has lived through the pain and losses she has! Adrian sees her weaknesses and her abilities to be a survivor and he loves her too and would never hurt her or take advantage of the four years between them. He has been a mentor to her, teaching her about how corrupt the government is and about conspiracies! She already knew a lot of things but she loves to let him talk to her and think he is teaching her new ideas. They both are alike in so many ways. They both go against the grain and do not follow society’s cookie cutter NORMS! FUCK AUTHORITY! She’d do anything for him and continually tells him!

As Alexandria walks into the classroom a loud crackle and pop came over the loudspeaker, HER NAN DEZ! TO MY OFFICE NOW! click and crackle AND BRING VILLA LOBOS WITH YOU! He looks at Toby, Toby looks down as they run into the hallway leading to her office! When they get in she barks, Sit down boys. She has a deep rough voice, the kind a drill sergeant gets after yelling at the top of his lungs all day.

Ms. Frost…. Penny Frost

Ms. Frost is currently the principal there at Crestmore High School. It’s her first year there. She came from an elementary school where she ruled over the staff and students with an iron fist. She was brought here to straighten out the students and staff. She’s a big lady, about 5'11 and easily 200 lbs. Mid 30’s. Although she was a large woman, she had a napoleon complex. Never was popular growing up and was picked on as a child. To get back at those that picked on her, she studied hard and focused her attention on eventually getting a job that has power over people. Through college and the early parts of her career, she stepped on many people to obtain success. She only saw other people as tools to benefit her and she’d use them as she saw fit to get what she wanted, no matter the outcome to others. She chose her position as principal because she liked the feeling of towering over kids and ordering them around. This job even gave her power over other adults, as she was in charge of hiring and firing. She even went so far as to personally order all the furniture in her office, made just slightly bigger than average. Her chair, her desk and book shelves and cabinets. While the furniture in the room that was for other people to sit on when she called them in, was slightly smaller. To sit across from her in her office was quite intimidating. And she knew it and enjoyed every second of it.

They see that Shawn Llamas is already there with his proud puppy dog look, all that is missing is him panting with excitement and wagging his tail! He is sitting in one of the nicer upholstered chairs, while the smaller metal folding chairs have always been set up for the Custodians! Late night with the cheap women and the fast booze again Hernandez? She is pissed and she is usually always pissed at him. Adrian and his way of life represents everything that Ms. Frost hates. In her eyes, people like him are exactly what’s wrong with society. But she wasn’t the person that hired him and he was way passed his probation so he was protected by the union and couldn’t be fired from anything simple. So, she had made it her duty to make his life hell till he quits or she catches him screwing up royally. He puts his head down holding his forehead with his right hand. His head is throbbing from a hangover and that fucking bitch for a boss syndrome! He says nothing. It is best that way. Sitting in her throne sized chair she looks down on them! She has photos of herself shaking hands with V.I.P.’s all over the town and awards that Adrian is sure she made up for herself! One plaque over her desk reads, Stupidity comes from Idle Minds, Idle Minds are a waste of Space! And another one that reads in small type, If you are reading this, YOU ARE in trouble! Her