NOVEL WEB Chapter 15: Zombie Hunters
Jake gripped his knife tightly, his knuckles white as the glowing zombie advanced. Its eerie light illuminated the forest around them, casting warped shadows on the trees. Every muscle in his body tensed, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Matthew was behind him, barely able to stand, and the situation seemed hopeless.
And then, out of nowhere, a flash of electric blue light darted into the clearing.
"Get down!" a woman's voice shouted, her tone sharp and commanding.
Before Jake could process what was happening, a figure in a spandex jumpsuit appeared her short, curly hair dyed electric blue. She vanished and reappeared in a blink, instantly closing the distance to the glowing zombie. She kicked it hard in the chest with a spin, sending it staggering back a step.
"What the hell?" Jake muttered, his grip on the knife loosening slightly in his confusion.
"Stay back," a calm, serious voice said from his left. Jake turned to see a man in a suit, carrying a briefcase and wearing glasses that gleamed faintly in the light of the zombie's glow. He looked completely out of place in the forest, his composed demeanor unnerving in the chaos.
The man placed a hand on the shoulder of a teenage boy standing beside him. The boy's straight black hair hung low over his left eye, obscuring it entirely. Tattoos snaked up the boy's arms and neck, their intricate designs catching Jake's attention momentarily. The boy lifted his hair, revealing an unnerving red eye that seemed to glow faintly in the dark.
The glowing zombie let out a guttural snarl, recovering quickly from the woman's kick. It lunged toward her, its glowing claws slashing through the air. But she vanished just before it could strike, teleporting behind it. She reappeared with a grin, delivering another well-aimed kick to its back.
Somehow, the woman moved as if she already knew what the glowing zombie would do. Her dodges and attacks were perfectly timed, and Jake couldn't figure out how she managed it. She would occasionally glance at the boy with the red eye as if silently communicating, but no words were spoken.
The glowing zombie snarled, its movements becoming more erratic. The woman teleported again, narrowly avoiding a swipe that would have taken her head off.
Jake watched in stunned silence as the trio worked in perfect sync. The boy's eye darted rapidly, and though he didn't speak, the woman's actions seemed to match his predictions flawlessly. The man in the suit observed everything intently, his expression calm and calculating.
The glowing zombie let out another guttural growl, lunging with terrifying speed.
"It's staggering," the boy said aloud, his voice quiet but firm. "Opening in three, two… now!"
The woman didn't hesitate. She teleported one final time, appearing directly above the zombie. With a grunt of effort, she lifted her heel onto its head with a sickening crunch. The creature collapsed to the ground, its glow flickering briefly before fading entirely.
For a moment, there was only silence. Jake realized he'd been holding his breath and exhaled shakily. His knife slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground. Matthew's voice broke the stillness, though it was barely more than a stutter.
"W-who are you?" he asked, his eyes wide with disbelief. His words seemed to catch in his throat, the shock of the battle still hanging in the air. "And why did you help us?"
The woman stretched, rolling her shoulders as if she'd just finished a light workout. "You're welcome, by the way," she said with a grin.
"We're hunters," the man in the suit replied, adjusting his glasses. "Zombie hunters, to be specific. We've been searching for a place worth protecting."
"A place worth protecting?" Jake echoed, his voice tinged with suspicion. His eyes flicked between the trio. The woman exuded confidence, while the boy appeared deep in thought, his glowing red eye dimming momentarily.
The teenage boy glanced at them, his red eye dimming slightly as he lowered his hair. "We've seen too many places fall. Too many people give up. We're looking for somewhere that can last." His words were calm but carried the weight of someone who had seen too much destruction.
Matthew blinked, still trying to process everything. "And you just… happened to be in the area?"
The man in the suit nodded. "We'd heard rumors about a city called Perkatory. A sanctuary. We decided to investigate. It seems we arrived at an opportune moment."
Jake's breath caught. "Wait. Perkatory? That's where we're from. We were bringing these beans back for the community." He gestured to Matthew's pack.
The woman's eyes lit up. "No kidding? So we just saved Perkatory's couriers? That's… that's awesome!" She looked at the man in the suit. "Guess we found the right place after all."
The man allowed a small smile to break through his solemn demeanor. "It would appear so."
The walk back to Perkatory was far less tense than the journey leading up to the encounter. The new trio introduced themselves as they traveled. The woman with electric blue hair was Riley, whose teleportation ability had saved her life more times than she could count. The teenage boy was Ethan, a quiet but sharp young man whose foresight often gave his team the edge they needed in combat. The man in the suit was Dr. Julian Vance, a former psychologist whose telepathic abilities had made him both their leader and strategist.
As they walked, Riley revealed how she'd honed her teleportation skills, narrowly escaping death in several close calls. Ethan shared how his red eye had first appeared during a terrifying encounter with an experimental zombie, a result of a twisted mutation he'd never fully understood. Though reluctant to share too much about his past, Dr. Vance admitted that his telepathy had initially felt more like a curse than a gift.
Despite their eerie abilities, the more Jake listened, the more he understood: These weren't just skilled fighters—they were a team and a damn good one at that. If they were willing to help defend Perkatory, it might become the safe haven everyone hoped for.
When the city's makeshift walls finally came into view, Matthew let out a shaky laugh. "We made it."
"Welcome to Perkatory," Jake said, glancing at their new allies. "Looks like you've got some introductions to make."
Riley grinned. "I can't wait to meet the people who built this place. Let's see what we can do to help."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Zoe hovered in the ethereal space between the worlds, her senses tingling with the strange, heady mix of energy from the Imbued Elixir. She was searching for Matthew and Jake, though she wasn't sure what they looked like. It was a gamble that had already taken her through countless failed attempts. The Elixir let her project her consciousness out of her body, but it came with strange limitations. She had to focus. It was almost like watching a game—if only she could figure out who was who in this chaotic world of swirling energy.
Her mind raced as she scanned the dense forest, the Elixir's power allowing her to feel the presence of the two boys. Then, there they were—Matthew and Jake, right in the middle of the clearing. They were cornered, surrounded by the ominous glow of the zombie, and Zoe's heart lurched with terror. She could see their fear, the desperation in their movements. Her breath caught as the zombie advanced toward them. She could feel it—this was bad. Too bad. They were going to die. She could feel the weight of their fate pressing down on her.
Zoe's mind screamed as she desperately tried to find a way to help, but she could do nothing. Her projection was weak, and she was a mere observer, powerless to intervene.
She clenched her fists in frustration, feeling helpless in the face of the horror unfolding before her.
Then, suddenly, a flash of electric blue appeared. Her heart skipped a beat as a woman in a spandex suit, with hair glowing like a neon sign, teleported into the clearing. Zoe's eyes widened in disbelief. Who were these people? They weren't from Perkatory. What were they doing here?
She watched as the woman, with astonishing speed and grace, danced around the zombie, dodging and striking with perfect precision. After a moment of observation, Zoe realized that the woman was a force to be reckoned with. The boy with the glowing red eye seemed to be guiding her, anticipating every move the zombie would make. It was like watching an intricate game of chess in fast motion. Zoe could only watch, a spectator to the brilliant teamwork unfolding.
As the final blow struck and the glowing zombie crumpled to the ground, Zoe released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Relief flooded her chest. The boys were safe. Her heart was racing now—not out of fear, but exhilaration. These strangers—whoever they were—had just saved the day.
And then, Zoe's thoughts turned back to Perkatory. They had just saved its couriers. And now, they wanted to help. Zoe couldn't contain her excitement. Maybe—just maybe—Perkatory was about to get the reinforcements it desperately needed.