Chapter 18: Jail break (part 7)

Tank is looking around for anyone but finds the spare houses the others were staying in empty. "Does no one remember we need to keep Riley here if we aren't looking around he will sneak out." Tank barks to himself. Storming to the workshop, Tank grumbles. "You better be here." Tank says. Rounding the corner Tank is struck with a sight he didn't expect. "The soft spot you can feel with your finger here." Riley says, pressing his fingers into the base of his skull. "A thin but long knife will slide nicely into without much work but the problem is they go immediately limp and pulling the knife out gets harder especially when there are more zombies coming." Riley says drawing 2 knives and spinning them gracefully. "That is why you should have more than 1 knife." Riley adds. "What's going on here?" Tank asks bewildered. "We are taking zombie killing lessons from Riley." The shy blonde named Marie says. "Oh well, continue on then." Tank says. "If you have a gun you wouldn't need another knife Right?" Marcy asks, pointing at the pistol on Rileys hip. "Knives don't jam, misfire, or need reloading. Guns simplify things but are finite and eventually you will need your knife." Riley says. "So bring more ammo and extra guns as well as knives. After all, if the zombies are dead they are quite safe." Riley says jokingly. "Oh and whatever you do, avoid using a chainsaw if the idea of zombies in your nose, face and mouth isn't appealing." Riley adds as an afterthought. "Are there different types of zombies?" Mrs. King asks. "Yes." Rat, Riley, Tank, and Alex say in unison. "Oh. " The previous nurse says. "As far as I can tell, fresh zombies are quick with some of their intelligence intact. Animals are always quick for some reason, and a bitch to fight and then the older ones that have been in the sun for a long time while they rot have very leathery skin making it a little harder to get into their heads with a knife. I recommend making sure in down time you sharpen your knives to help, and pick knives with a finer tip to help with burrowing in their skull." Riley says. "What about baseball bats?" Thomas asks. "Perfect cause I have an example ready for that." Riley says going to the truck and coming back with a severed head and baseball bat. After setting the head on the ground. "Come here Thomas." Riley says holding the bat out. The large boy walks to Riley nervously. "Smash the skull." Riley says. The boy takes the bat and after 15 mighty swings finally gets a loud crack sound. "And that is only 1 zombie." Riley says. Standing inches from the winded boy and grabs his shoulders. "Now hit me in the head." Riley says. The boy tries raising his arms and Riley yanks him close. "Your dead." Riley says. Taking a step back Riley grabs a marker. "Now do what I did to you, to me." Riley says holding the marker like a knife. Gripping his shoulders Thomas yanks Riley close and is jabbed twice in the chin leaving 2 black marks. "I can strike closer to myself with a knife and use it to move you as well. I can't use you to show that because it probably will kill you and I'm trying not to do that." Riley says laughing. "How many zombies have you killed?" Alex asks. "Going off my word since I don't bring them in." Riley says, pulling his notebook out and starts counting. "Somewhere around 700 not including the ones from the high school." Riley says. "Wow how is it so many?" Marie asks. "My goal is to kill at least 50 zombies a day. It used to be 20 but until today I have been pretty consistent." Riley says. The people all look at each other with wowed expressions as Riley lights a cigarette. "Why do you have that goal?" Mrs. King asks. "I could give you a bullshit story about public safety or duty, but our clan has a rule against lying, at first it was because I had to, now it's because I like doing it. Hunting them makes me feel powerful." Riley says, releasing his smoke cloud. "I can kill them and plenty of them yet they still haven't been able to get me. There is something in that knowledge that makes it easier for me to be outside the walls as often as I am." Riley admits. "Do you think we will ever be like that?" Thomas asks. "I hope not." Riley says. "Why is that?" Rat asks. "To stop being afraid of them eating you, you have to kill something inside yourself that makes a person not be a monster. Pretty soon you start being more afraid of yourself, we can hide from them behind our walls but we take ourselves with us everywhere we go." Riley says plopping down on his cot. "Are you afraid of yourself?" Tank asks concern in his voice. "Brother I was scared of myself before there were zombies." Riley laughs, opening an m.r.e. Rat smiles seeing Riley take time to eat. "But it doesn't matter. I'm useful in this world now and will keep doing what I am until I don't need to anymore." Riley says around a mouthful of food.