Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Fourteen: A Tasty Meal

Regina drew a deep breath and peered into the dark interior of the store. A low wind blew, brushing the truck with its cold fingers. If she was going to get supplies, she had to get in and out quickly. She was hungry. She was cold. These were undeniable facts, facts that necessitated that she risk her life once again.

Yet the three corpses barred her path. Any one of those things could come alive instantly and go right for her jugular.

But her stomach growled its discontent. She clenched the frying pan, and opened the door into the brisk morning air.

She stepped onto the pavement and stole her way toward the store. She slinked past the gas pump, coming upon the first body. It was a middle-aged woman with light blue eyes that stared lifelessly upward. Her matted blonde hair was streaked with blood and dirt. A rotten smell issued from deep teeth marks on her neck. Regina winced, and raised the skillet. She slammed it down, hard, on the head. The skull cracked under the cast iron. Blood splattered on the surrounding pavement, sending cold, congealed flecks onto Regina's face. An even more disagreeable smell assaulted her nostrils. When she brought the skillet back up, the face was unrecognizable.

"That seemed to do the trick."

She looked at the other two bodies lying next to the store's entrance. She stepped away from the first body and walked toward the door. Both bodies lay there - one of an old man with overalls and a red plaid shirt, who looked pale, ghostly, and emaciated. The other was a boy of about fifteen. Regina looked a moment into his vacant eyes, wondering who he was - what his hopes had been, whether he had liked any girls at his school, of all the joys of life he never would get to experience.

Don't think like that, Regina said. He's the enemy.

She raised her skillet, ready to bring it down on the boy's head. But something stopped her. She didn't know what it was for a moment, but then it came to her in a burst of realization.

The boy reminded her of her little brother.

He was about the same age, and just thinking of him forced a tear to come to Regina's eye. She couldn't bring herself to smash his face in.

She shook off the thought. Her brother was one thousand miles away in Nebraska. That was a long way from East Texas. With her cell phone left back in the apartment, forever out of reach, Regina had no way of being sure if her family was safe.

She lowered the skillet, unable to make herself to what had to be done. Maybe she could get in and out fast enough.

She stepped into the store, her converses crunching over some broken glass. The store looked to have been ransacked. Blood smeared the floor. This had been a site of an undead skirmish during the night.

The store's interior was dark, and she walked carefully over to the food section, making as little noise as possible. She reached for a box of granola bars, ripping it open and tearing the wrapper and plunging the food into her mouth. She ate ravaneously - a whole meal's worth within a minute, before going to the fridge and grabbing some water. She guzzled the whole bottle down.

She looked around the store for a moment for something to carry food in, but there seemed to be nothing in reach, and she didn't want to risk the time to look. She instead grabbed some food and water, as much as she could carry in her arms, and walked toward the door.

But she stopped dead when she became aware of a disturbing sound - the smacking and ripping of flesh off bone was undeniable. Slowly, Regina turned to look. A door leading into a back room of the convenience store was slightly ajar, revealing nothing but a sliver of darkness.

Something welled inside her heart, a great fear of knowing where the monster was, but not being able to see it. It spread out from her chest and reached every part of her, to her shoulder, to her arm, to her hand, then to her fingers, paralyzing them with fright. The muscles in her hand slackened, and the skillet slipped from her hand and clanged onto the floor.

There was a moment of silence that seemed to last for infinity, stretching time and space. She felt her head dim, her vision darken, and felt every pound of her heart against her chest just in slow motion exactly three times, felt the life of her blood with each pump surge through her veins, felt a suffocating constriction seize her lungs. She suppressed the urge to throw up.

The zombie's gorging on flesh ceased. A low, foreboding moan emanated from the back of the store, making Regina'a skin crawl.

Then, like an explosion, life resumed its furious pace and Regina kicked into overdrive. She grabbed her skillet and food and ran toward the front door.

But the zombies outside were now standing, shambling toward her, having responded to the sound of the beast within the store. She was trapped, and once again, she found she had to make a terrible decision.

She could either take on the two zombies now blocking the doorway, even the one looking like her brother, or brave the one zombie in the back room that was out of her worse nightmares.

And she only had a fraction of a second to decide.

What should Regina do?

Go out the front (against two zombies)

OR

Go out the back (against one zombie)?

Place your vote in the comments section, and return soon for the next chilling episode of Regina the Zombie Slayer.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Thirteen: Potential Supplies

Regina drew a deep breath of cold morning air and headed east down the road. The pine woods flanked her either side, and her feet echoed off the asphalt and into silence. There was no sound here, not even of birds. It was like everything had died overnight and she was the only one left. She clung tightly to her skillet and suppressed an urge to cry. Her damp clothes chilled her in the cool breeze had made her start to shiver, but the sun was warm - she hoped that as the day drew on, it would warm up. The sky for now was a clear, pure blue, promising a beautiful day that conflicted madly with the fact that a real, live zombie apocalypse was unfolding.

She rounded a bend, scanning the tree line for any threat. For now, the woods were clear. She walked on for thirty minutes. She finally came upon a gas station at an intersection. Suppressing a shiver, she ran ahead to a small truck still sitting at the pump. It was empty, its driver having abandoned it for some reason. As she finally reached the gas station, she noticed the smell of death and three bodies lying prone on the pavement. She walked quietly, hoping that they were not close to reanimating into the walking dead.

She softly opened the door of the vehicle. She got inside, thankful to be out of the cold wind. The key was still in the ignition. She pulled out the keys, about to turn them in the ignition.

But before she did, she looked inside the store. Inside, there would surely be food. lighter fluid, better weapons, warmer clothes - not to mention anything else she might need. It might be a good idea to stock up.

But Regina looked at the three bodies lying on the ground riddled with bite marks. Maybe it just wasn't worth the risk. But if she was going toward the highway, she would surely run into more of the ghouls - and now might be the only time she had to get supplies. She could sneak up on each of the bodies and bash their heads in before they even had a chance to reanimate. The prospect of doing this terrified her - yet her stomach growled in hunger and her body shivered with cold.

Was it worth the risk?

What should Regina do?

Go inside and get supplies,

OR

Just drive away?

Return this Monday for the next episode of Regina the Zombie Slayer.

$.99 Zombie Books!

Amazon's Kindle has some amazing offerings of zombie literature - and lot of it can be gotten for less than a buck. Many others can be bought for $1.99 or $2.99 (and, of course, Night of the Necromancer for $3.99!)

I've recently read two, and am working on a third. I read Amanda Hocking's Hollowland, a very entertaining zombie tale that's very action-packed that has interesting characters - though the ending leaves you hanging a bit and opens the opportunity for a sequel. It's definitely worth the price, and I like the use of a tough, female lead. While the romance is obviously meant to appeal to teenage girls, I still thought it was quite entertaining.

I also recently finished After Life by Jaron Lee Knuth. The story chronicles the lives of two childhood friends, Alex and Morgan, surviving in an apartment in Minneapolis during a zombie apocalypse. It's decently written, and also very much worth $.99. It also has a very unique take on zombie mythology with an idea I hadn't really thought of before - but since this is somewhat of a twist in the book, I won't reveal it here.

Currently, I'm reading The Becoming: Outbreak, by Jessica Meigs. I'm one chapter in, and so far, so good. There are three books in the series, but currently only the first two are out. I'm excited to finish this one and follow the story of survival in a zombie-infested Atlanta.

So anyway, check these books out. A buck ain't much, even in this economy. By the way, I tried to post covers, but they didn't look good on the blog. So, just follow the links to see them.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Twelve: The Undead Dawn

Regina wasted no time. She swam toward the shore with all her might. Behind, she heard a large splash, but she dared not look back. She was halfway to shore when she felt the monster's teeth pull at the bottom of her jeans, tearing a piece of it off. The monster roared at being denied its meal as Regina narrowly escaped, her feet now scraping Deadman's Lake sandy bottom.

She rushed onshore where two ghouls shambled toward her. She raised her blood-caked frying pan and smacked the first one hard on the skull. It fell in a heap as the other lunged toward her. But Regina sidestepped, still panting from exertion, and clobbered it on the back of its head. Regina heard a snap as brains and pus oozed from the toppling zombie.

Regina briefly turned back toward the lake, but several ripples revealed only where the mysterious creature had descended back into the deeps of the dark lake.

Regina forced her tired legs to move into the woods, away from the day camp of the dead. The zombies that were left moaned and followed her into the trees, but their undead gait was much slower than Regina's steady jog. After ten minutes of running and weaving her way through the forest, the moans became distant, almost drowned by the cold wind. Regina paused beside a large oak tree, catching her breath.

In the east, she noticed the gray of dawn's first light, and with it came a wave of utter exhaustion. The horrible sleep she had managed to get in the cold cabin had been too little. She fought back fitful tears as she stared ahead with resolve. She plugged on through the woods, beating aside the underbrush with her handy skillet. Her disheveled blonde hair and fell in front of her eyes, and she could feel zombie blood caked onto her face. She would have to wash that off at first opportunity.

The trees suddenly ended, revealing a little-used country lane. There were no cars in either direction, and more woods rose from the road's other side. To the left, the road disappeared around a bend, while to the right, it skirted up a hill, went around it, and was lost to view. The sun now peeked through some trees, and the first rays of dawn fell on Regina's face. She needed to find a safe place to sleep. She needed food. And eventually, she would need a better weapon and a car.

She suppressed a shiver, still wet from the lake. At least the wind wasn't blowing now. She needed to keep moving to stay warm. Her mind longingly thought of fire and warmth. But for now, it seemed as though all of those things were very far away. But she could at least try for a place to sleep - and if she was lucky, a lighter to start a fire.

From the woods, she could hear the distant moans carry on the wind. She would have to continue moving to maintain her lead. Unfortunately, Regina did not recognize this place, but vaguely knew from the sun's position that the left led east and the right led west. The east would take her toward the highway, and possibly cars, and the right would take her deeper into the wild. While she might be farther from zombies there, she knew she might also be farther from help, food, and other supplies.

What direction should Regina go?

Go left, around the bend and toward the highway

OR

Go right, over the hill and into the wild?

Place your vote and return tomorrow to help Regina make her next decision.

The readers' score: 1 death

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Eleven: The Jaws of Death

She looked left. Right. Bubbles rose to the surface in front of her, and then dissipated. She felt a current against her thigh. She shrieked as something scaly and slimy and cold brushed her ankle.

Then, there was a calm. Regina listened to her heavy breaths, felt her heart pounding against her chest. He arms and legs continued treading.

Then, a great beast rocketed from the deeps of Deadwater lake. It was at least forty feet long, a ghostlike swimming lizard with rows of sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight. Its reptilian, pale eyes gleamed in the dark. The creatuure dived back into the lake, and Regina felt its current sweep past her feet.

She turned and swam as fast as she could to the shoreline. She heard the creature screech from behind her.

But she couldn't look. That thing had to be much faster than her.

It dove and swam right beneath her. Regina came to a stop, and could see the lizard, like a pale shadow, pass under her body.

She couldn't turn again. That would just lead her back to the center of the lake. She veered right toward the shoreline, nearly out of breath.

Then, the fearsome reptile surfaced just in front of her. Its wide jaws opened, and Regina felt herself being pulled into the great maw of jagged fangs.

"No!"

The jaws snapped close around her, the sharp teeth sinking into her frail form with unbelevable force, piercing past her skin into bone and organs. She felt herself be pulled under, down and down into the dark depths of the lake. She breathed the water in, and it felt cold and slimy going into her lungs.

As the beast thrashed her about at the bottom of the lake. Regina's last thought before she lost consciousness was that it wasn't a zombie human that had finally gotten her.

It was a zombie crocodile.

Come back next Thursday to continue with option two of Episode Two: A Watery Grave. A decision will have to be made - and don't make this one her last.

The readers' score: 1 death.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Ten: A Watery Grave?

Regina looked back . The zombies were closer than she had realized. She wasn't going to be able to beat them on foot for much longer.

She had to swim.

Regina turned and bolted down the path toward Deadwater Lake, praying it wasn't too far.

The path sloped down and to the left, surrounded on both sides by towering pine trees. The route seemed endless.

Tears of desperation streaked down Regina's cheeks. She loved life more now than she ever had before.

Where is that lake?

Ahead, the path straightened out and the trees opened up. Regina could see moonlight glistening of off a calm, murky body of water.

"Yes!" Regina made her feet go faster. The path ended in an old, wooden dock. For a moment, Regina imagined kids playing on it, jumping into the water, launching canoes.

Those happy moments were long gone from the place. Now, Deadwater Lake was privy to a scene of horror: hundreds of zombies chasing after a girl armed with nothing but a frying pan.

Regina felt like she was flying as she ran from the dirt path to the dock. She readied herself to dive into the lake, attempted to quickly recall the swimming lessons she had taken as a child.

Crack.

Regina fell through the docks and slabs of jagged, rotten wood flew up around her face. She shielded her eyes as the splinters cut into her cheeks.

"No!" The perfect facial complexion she had always taken pride in was now ruined.

To make matters worse, she was now flailing in dark, stagnant water that tasted like mud and metal. She swung her arms and legs around in the awful water, trying to calm down. She surfaced and gulped in precious air.

Regina looked up at the gaping hole in the dock through which she had fallen. Regina felt stupid for trusting the old platform. She should have found a different place to jump in.

Before Regina could have another thought, shadowy hands were reaching into the hole, grabbing violently for her.

"No!" Regina screamed as a zombie got a hold of her shirt with hands covered in gangrene. The ghoul was surprisingly strong, and started pulling her out of the water. Other zombie hands grasped her as well, each one helping the other to pull their potential meal from the water.

Regina realized that she was still holding the frying pan. It seemed nearly attached to her arm now.

She swung it out of the water and bashed at the grasping hands and arms. Water cascaded off the pot and into Regina's mouth as she gave a primal scream.

The ghouls let go of her and she swam out from under the dock, coughing and choking on the terrible water. Regina kicked her way to the center of the small lake. Despite its size, it still took a few minutes to get there.

At the center, she began to tread, turning to look back Tthe shore line.

Zombies had lined up along the lakeside, clearly afraid to jump in.

"Take that!" Regina thrust her pan in the air triumphantly.

However, Regina realized how dire her situation was when she turned towards the other side of the lake to see a line of zombies there as well.

She was surrounded on both sides.

"No!" Regina shouted through gritted teeth. "Charlie! Will! Help!"

Regina knew it was pointless to call for her deserters, but she wouldn't be able to get out of this situation by herself again.

Something brushed against Regina's leg.

Once. Twice.

Oh no.

Regina was either going to have to take her chances and swim out, or stay in the water, hoping that it was just harmless fish swimming past her legs.

Another scrape against her thigh. That didn't feel like a fish at all...

What should Regina do?

Keep treading water

or

Swim out of the lake?

Regina's in more trouble than ever before. Only your decision will help her survive the next moments of her life. Come back next week for the next harrowing chapter.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Nine: Left Behind

Regina's feet were suddenly carrying her toward the window before she even realized what she was doing

"Wait!" Charlie shouted from behind her.

Too late.

Regina was already breaking the window, opaque and thick at the bottom with age, with her skillet. No turning back now.

Regina stepped aside. "Lead the way, Will!"

Will raced forward, climbing through the window.

"You've really done it now," Charlie growled, his accent growing thicker.

"We've gotta move."

Regina climbed through the window after Will, scraping her hands on remnants of glass on the sill. "Bickering will only get us killed by that horde."

By the time Regina dropped down from the window, Will was already several lengths ahead of her. Leaves crunched under Regina's feet as she ran through the camp grounds. The moans of the horde swelled in response to the noise of their escape, but there was nothing she could do to prevent it. She could only run faster.

Regina risked looking back at Charlie behind her. The beam of his flashlight shook violently as he ran to keep up.

Regina tripped as she turned around. She thrust out her arms to keep from falling flat on her face. She scrambled on all fours for several moments, trying to cover ground while she regained her balance.

Charlie came barreling in behind her, knocking her to the ground as he jumped over her.

"What the hell!"

Regina looked up as Charlie and Will disappeared into the darkness and trees.

Regina jumped up and turned around. A few zombies were right behind her now, zeroing in on her position. Regina high-tailed it into the trees, searching desperately for Will and Charlie. She could not even see their flashlight beams anymore.

Regina chastised herself as she ran. She had known not to trust those men. Now, they had left her behind with the horde.

Tree limbs and other sharp things she couldn't see put fresh cuts on her arms and legs.

"Damn, damn, damn!" Regina shouted. She clambered through the trees and underbrush. She finally broke through the tree line on the other side and found herself on a trail that sloped down to the left.

Regina followed the trail down, hoping Will and Charlie had gone the same direction. At the bottom of the hill was a rest stop with a parking lot, and what looked like a Ranger Station or information center. A wooden swing set, well into the process of rotting, sat lopsided in front of the building.

Regina ran straight through the rest stop, not knowing where she would go next. The roar of the horde was deafening now. If Regina fell or dared to stop for any moment, the zombies would be upon her. But, even adrenaline and fear couldn't drive her tired limbs forever.

At the end of the rest stop, there was a crossroads. There was a pole a little taller than her with arrows attached, each one pointing to a different destination.

Stoneman's Valley was to the right. Deadwater Lake was to the left.

Regina almost laughed at the name of the lake. It was terribly appropriate.

She had no time to appreciate the irony, however. She needed to make the right decision.

Heading for Stoneman's Valley meant a lot more running, but maybe Will and Charlie had gone that way. The valley, whatever it was, might also be the way out.

Then again, Deadwater Lake might be the right choice. Regina was sure zombies couldn't swim. She could jump in the lake, swim to the middle, and wait for the horde to pass. Or she could swim to the other side and have a huge head start on the zombies.

Regina looked behind her. A few running zombies had broken ahead of the horde's solid line and were headed right for her. She had to move now.

What should Regina do?

Head for Deadwater Lake

or

Head for Stoneman's Valley

Vote now and come back Thursday for the outcome. Hopefully, you will make the decision that saves Regina's endangered life once again.

The readers' score: 0 deaths

Book Review!

We Zombie has posted a review of Night of the Necromancer! Check it out by clicking here.

The site is a great resource for all things zombie. I highly recommend it.

Also, an interview of Jelani and I concerning the book should be appearing on the site. Be sure to watch out for it in the next day or two.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Eight: March of the Undead

Regina found the courage to stand up for herself. She was not going in there first.

"So you guys send in the girl with the skillet first? I don't think so."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Do the men always have to everything around here? Have it your way then. Will - check the cabin."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You're closest, so get on with it."

"That's not a good reason..."

Regina was almost tempted to go in just to stop them from yapping. But her life wasn't worth these two - not by a long shot.

"Fine," Will agreed. "I'll go in. But I get dibs on the beds."

"Suits us," Regina said.

Will slowly, tentatively stepped foward. He reached his pistol out and pushed the door open with it. As it opened, it let out a foreboding groan. Will stepped in. Regina could hear his boots creak on the planks inside.

"Looks clear," Will said. "Come on in."

Charlie and Regina stepped toward the door. At last, she could see the cabin's interior. Dust coated everything - and dead leaves from a decade's worth of autumns lay in the corner. There was a musty smell - as if nature were slowly taking this small piece of civilzation back. It was cold in here, too, but at least there was no wind. Several mattresses, yellowed with time and the elements, lay on the floor. Two were set on the top bunk, and were relatively clean.

Regina wasted no time in jumping on one. It had a sour, unclean smell - but at this point she didn't care. She was exhausted.

"Just as well there are only two beds," Charlie said. "One of us will have to keep watch."

Will had already settled on the other bunk, and was now breathing heavily.

"You worry about getting a good night's rest," Charlie said to Regina. "You've had the roughest night of all of us. I'll wake you up with the sun. We need to put some more distance between us and those monsters."

Regina wasn't even listening. Despite the cold, she was already nodding off.

* * *

Something was touching her leg.

Regina woke with a start, being jolted out of her nightmare. She saw Charlie's face, a mask of fear. He put a finger to his mouth .

Regina felt cold, and it had little do with the room.

Across the way, Will was already awake. His wide eyes glistened, and he held his pistol tightly.

"What is it?" Regina whispered.

Charlie didn't speak. He merely pointed out the window.

Regina looked out. A line of about a dozen zombies were limping down the forested hill they had descended earlier. Regina wanted to scream, but caught herself - such an action would surely get her killed - or worse. As she continued watching on horror, she noticed more zombies materializing in the fog from behind the first line. And more. It was an entire horde. They marched slowly, steadily, an undead parade.

They were about a football field away.

"I think we can outrun them," Will said.

"We're safe here," Charlie said. "As long as we don't panic and stay quiet."

"Those things can smell us. How do you think they followed us this far? It's only a matter of time before they break in."

Eighty yards away.

"They sure don't look like they see us. They're rather quiet, I would say."

"Now's our chance!" Will slipped down from the bed. "I'm running. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not going to wait out a siege."

"Wait!" Regina hissed.

Sixty yards.

"Whatever we do, we do together. If you run away, you'll just get us killed!"

"We don't have time for this," Charlie said. "They're too close now."

Will eyed the door. Regina felt like he was going to go - no matter what she said.

Then, she got an idea - an idea that seemed repulsive to her, so repulsive that she didn't want to believe she had thought it. She could just let Will go. While the ghouls were distracted eating him, she and Charlie could slip away.

Forty yards.

There was no time. Regina had to make her decision, now.

What should Regina do?

Let Will run away,

Convince Will to stay and wait it out,

OR

Convince everyone to go as a group.

The score: o deaths.

Choose wisely, and be here Monday for episode nine of Regina the Zombie Slayer.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Seven: Zombie Camp

"Alright," Regina said. "I'll go with you guys. But no funny business!"

The Englishman raised his hands innocently. "Easy there. We just want to help. Why not stick together? Our chances will be much better."

The American nodded his agreement. "You're safe with us. Sorry about the rope thing. It obviously wasn't meant for you."

Regina looked from one to the other before she gave a nod. "Alright, then. Where are we going?"

"There's a summer camp half a mile away," the American said. "It's pretty out of the way, and it's closed this time of year, so it should be safe."

"Should?"

"You can go back to town, if you'd like," the Englishman suggested. "But we're headed to the camp. You're welcome to tag along if you want."

I'm already liking you jerks...

"Fine," she said. "Let's get moving."

The three tromped through the trees and crunched over fallen leaves. A cold wind blew, and there was no sound from any living thing. The full moon hung overhead - it must have been two in the morning. With that thought, Regina felt a wave of exhaustion overcome her.

She kept up her pace, and she decided to talk to stay awake. "So, what are you guys' names?"

"I'm Charlie," the Englishman said, "and he's Will. You?"

"Regina."

Nothing more was said as they walked up a wooded hill. She noticed that both carried pistols in their right hand. Guns had always made Regina nervous. Her skillet probably looked useless to Charlie and Will, but it felt just right in her hands.

"Is that your only weapon?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah," Regina said. "I don't like guns."

Charlie gave an ironic chuckle. "Good luck with that."

Regina decided to just ignore him.

They topped the hill, and a valley spread out below them. Within the valley was a large clearing that held some old, wooden buildings.

This must have been the summer camp.

The buildings lay on either side of a dirt path. A large building on the top of a small hill looked like a dining hall - another large building looked like a community center of sorts. The smaller cabins were spread out, outside of the clearing and half-hidden in the woods. A light fog enveloped the entire place.

Regina couldn't help but feel she was entering a horror movie - and the fact that she didn't trust these guys didn't help either.

"This place looks pretty abandoned," she muttered.

"That's strange," Will said. "I guess they must have shut this place down. That's good for us. Means no people."

They walked down the hill toward the first row of cabins. Darkness hid whatever could be lurking inside of them. One had a broken window - perhaps decades ago, a boy had thrown a baseball or rock at it. The cabin's front door faced toward them and hung ajar. It swung freely in the wind, creaking forebodingly.

"I guess this place would be good as any other to shelter in," Charlie said.

Regina heard what sounded like a distant scream from somewhere within the camp. The hair on her neck stood on end. It was unearthly and unreal, and she clung to her skillet tighter.

"Did you guys hear that?" she asked in a near squeak.

"Hear what?" Charlie said. "You're just imagining things. This place is kind of spooky, though."

"Yeah, it sounded more like the wind to me," Will said. "Let's just take some shelter. If it is something, we don't want to be out here in the open."

Regina shivered. It was getting colder, and she had neglected to bring her coat.

"I don't like the look of this place," she said. "Let's just go back."

"To those things?" Charlie gave a rather loud laugh. "Hardly not. Come, now. In you go."

Reluctantly, Regina took a step toward the cabin.

But then she stopped. She didn't want to go in there. At least, not first.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Charlie demanded angrily. "We haven't all bloody night."

"Yeah, go in the cabin," Will echoed.

Both of the men looked at her intently.

Did she have to do this? Would they get angry if she refused?

They did have guns...

What should Regina do?

Run for it!

Investigate the cabin,

OR

Suggest one of them investigate it?

Place your vote and come back this Thursday for another episode of Regina the Zombie Slayer.

The readers' score: 6 correct decisions to 0 incorrect decisions.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Six: It's a Trap!

"I better stay in these woods," Regina whispered.

She threw the bike aside and fled into the thick trees. It would do her no good out here.

The horrific moans of zombies still at her back made her skin break out in goosebumps.

She suppressed a shiver as she ran for her life. Sharp leaves cut into her skin as she ran. She gritted her teeth, so as not to scream in pain and frustration.

Regina didn't dare turn back to see how close the ghouls were. She would surely trip and be eaten. She put one leg after the other and listened to her ragged, uneven breathing.

The cold air was unforgiving on her lungs. They ached with exhaustion. She was beginning to feel sick with the effort.

A sudden tightness constricted around Regina's left leg.

"Ahhh!"

She was yanked up and left dangling in the air from a tree. She swung back and forth like a pendulum.

Her bloody skillet dropped from her hand and bounced on the damp ground and into a pile of leaves, far out of reach.

Blood rushed to her head and her hair obscured her vision. She could see nothing but a small swath of ground beneath her.

But she could hear the tortured cries of the zombies grow ever nearer.

"Help!" She flailed her arms down, up, around. It was futile. Her fingers only met empty, apathetic air.

She was now a dangling piece of zombie food.

"She's not a zombie!" An excited, male voice.

"She brought a ton of the buggers with her, though." A second voice. British accent, also a man.

"Please don't hurt me!"

These two men, whoever they were, had complete control of her.

"You're safe, baby doll," the British man said. "We're just gonna take proper care of these zombies, real quick ."

The men walked away, leaving Regina alone. She whimpered at being abandoned and helpless. The blood to her head was becoming unbearable.

Gunshots. A crescendo of moans and groans. More gunshots.

Silence.

Footsteps slowly walking back.

Hands were now on Regina's legs and ankles, and she cried with relief. The rope was untied and she landed on her shoulder with a heavy thud. She lurched up and stepped away from the two men. She could barely see them in the shadows.

"Hold on," the American one said. "You're safe."

"How am I supposed to know that?" Regina asked . "I was just caught up in your little trap!"

The two men were now coming into focus. The American was probably in his thirties and seemed nice enough - at least on the outside. But the British guy had a strange gleam in his eyes she just didn't trust. He was in his forties, and portly, with a dark shadow of a beard. He had eyes that seemed to see right through her. They looked at her expectantly, waiting to see what she would do next.

Regina weighed her options - fight, flight, or trust.

And, never had her life been more on the line than it was right now.

What should Regina do?

Fight,

Flight,

or

Trust?

Vote in the comments section to help Regina survive the next moments of her endangered life. The action continues on Monday!

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Five: Forget Those California Boys

Regina took a deep breath...and turned from the car. She was doing well on her own, and her gut told her to stay on her own for now.

The car peeled off into the darkness behind her. She spared a thought to wish them well.

They would need it.

Regina let go of all idle thought. She was ran straight back toward the path of zombies that now stood between her and the woods.

Regina picked up her speed as the lead zombie sauntered toward her. She swung her trusty pan and clocked it on the head . Blood, thick and black, sprayed in an arch as the zombie's head sailed to the ground and rolled across the pavement.

"Eww, eww, eww!"

She kept up her sprinting pace, even if the smell assaulting her nostrils made her want to hurl.

Two more zombies approached. The ribs of one were clearly exposed through its ripped clothing and flesh. The other's intestines fell from its stomach as it lumbered forward. It tripped on the tubular flesh and fell to the ground.

The one still on its feet reached Regina first. She clotheslined the ghoul just like the other one. Its head came off even easier. The head bounced and cracked open like a rotten egg. Dead brain matter spilled onto the concrete.

Regina didn't miss a beat as she stomped the other zombie that had tripped, reducing its head to a bloody pulp. The worst part was ruining her shoe.

That's when she saw the bicycle rack. Five bikes were there for the taking. All Regina had to do was pick one. And fortunately, no more zombies barred her path for the time being.

Regina skidded to a stop in front of the racks. She checked to see if they were chained.

Locked. Locked. Locked.

The fourth bike, a red and grey Mongoose, was not chained.

"Thank God!"

Regina's careless shout drew instant attention from nearby zombies.

Crap!

She hopped on the bike and peddled toward the woods.

A line of zombies formed in her wake and chased her down.

Regina coasted into the trees. Navigating became difficult as concrete gave way to uneven gravel and dirt.

She stopped the bike and made herself think. The moans of the trail of undead were uncomfortably close.

She didn't know what to do. The highway was to the west. She could head for the road and ride alongside it to wherever the pavement took her. But surely there would be many horrible dangers there.

Her only other choice was to travel deeper into the woods. But there were trees, wild creatures, and almost complete darkness. These woods extended for miles and miles. Getting lost was a very real possibility, and encountering ghouls in this dark place was not an appealing idea.

Even though the risks of both decisions were high, she remained calm.

She hadn't expected an easy way out anyway.

The first few zombies now stumbled through the first line of trees. She had to get moving.

She looked down at her pan for a moment.

I'm gonna need to get an upgrade sometime.

Regina placed her foot on the bike pedals again. It was time to brave up or die.

What should Regina do?

Go deeper into the woods,

or

Head west for the highway?

Will Regina survive? It's up to you. Place your vote now and return Thursday for the next gory episode.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Four: Which Escape?

The zombies formed a half ring, constricting Regina toward the wall of the apartment. There was no way she could take on this many.

She had to run.

Regina spied a small opening between two of the ghouls on the right.

It was her only chance.

She darted forward as the zombies lunged toward her with snapping jaws. But Regina was fast. She ran between them, brushing shoulders and nearly getting bitten from their twin snaps. She ran past and broke free of the ring.

She ran around the apartment to find only more ghouls. Being the only living person outside meant that every zombie was homed in on her. A new circle formed, and once again tightened.

The unearthly moans were almost deafening, but through the din Regina could make out a car engine. Not too far she saw a small white car driving out of the parking lot.

"Hey! Wait!"

Regina sprinted toward the car. Thankfully, it slowed to a stop. Inside, two guys were yelling at each other. Apparently, the passenger didn't want the driver to make this stop. The driver, a goofy looking blonde with long hair who looked quintessentially California, made a desperate wave for Regina to join them.

As she was halfway to the car, Regina broke free of the undead ring enclosing her. But something made her pause. The streets were clogged with stalled cars and the ghouls were out in full force. Was it possible to survive in such a state? It was only a matter of time before the car crashed. Stalling out on a zombie-ridden street would not be the best of situations.

But the two were potential allies, and if Regina hesitated too long, they could get impatient and drive off.

But there were also some woods behind her apartment. Regina could try to shelter in them, and getting there would be relatively easy - the zombies had not yet entered that part of the parking lot.

Regina had two choices - to quickly jump in the car with the two guys, or to make her own way toward the forest.

What should Regina do:

Jump in the car,

OR

Hide in the woods?

Place your vote in the comments section and return this Monday to see if Regina survives once again. And don't make this decision her last.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Three: Be Aggressive

Regina scraped away the jagged edges of glass that remained stuck to the window pane. She was going to jump.

It was a bit high, but Regina was used to heights. She had been a cheerleader in high school. Standing atop pyramids and being basket-tossed had totally prepared her for this moment.

Regina stepped back and mentally prepared herself for the jump. Behind her, the front door buckled and crashed to the floor. Four zombies shambled into the room, their every jerk and shudder fueled by wild hunger.

You have to go now!

"Be aggressive! B-E aggressive!"

Regina leapt over the lip of the window and into the empty air. Her insides fluttered. It was a familiar feeling.

Regina pretended she was falling toward the arms of her trusted teammates. They would catch her at the bottom. She would be okay.

In reality, Regina was caressed by concrete at the end of her fall. She let gravity pull her upper body toward the ground. She folded herself inward and rolled.

Cement pebbles imbedded in her arms and legs. Her elbows and knees were scraped and bloodied in an instant. But, Regina somehow rolled to her feet, holding her skillet out in front of her.

Regina had survived her fall. And, she had done it with style.

If only her stupid boyfriend could see her now. Regina hoped that zombies were feeding on his intestines at that very moment.

"No more time for resentment." Regina backed toward the apartment building as ten zombies converged on her position. She had two choices.

She could fight: use her skillet to bash each and every one of those zombies heads in.

Or, she could run: let the zombies chase her around the apartment building until she found an escape route. The ghouls were slow - surely she could outrun them. But, what if some of them could secretly run? That wouldn't be good.

Yet, fighting wasn't the best option either. Ten zombies against a human with a skillet was definitely an unfair match up.

The zombies had Regina almost completely cornered now. She had to act now or be eaten.

What should Regina do?

Run from the zombies

OR

Fight them?

Vote in the comments section to help Regina make her decision. Check back this Friday to see what happens next!

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode Two: A Skillet on the Skullet

Regina grabbed the skillet in a frenzy. She raised it above her head with both hands and swung as hard as she could.

She forced herself to keep her eyes open. If this didn't hit, she was dead.

The heavy skillet arced down and clipped the zombie on the jaw, knocking it onto the floor. It's jaw hung open, held up only by sallow skin. With a groan, it slithered toward Regina, unfeeling of pain.

Regina swung again, pummeling it on the head. Her hands rang from the impact, but she could not stop now. She hit it again and again, the dull thud of metal and splattering of blood meeting her ears.

At last, a disturbing snap of bone signified the skull had cracked. Blood and brains oozed from the crevice and onto the once pristine linoleum. The zombie's groans ceased as it moved its arms feebly.

Regina continued clobbering it. She panted from exertion as blood sprinkled her T-shirt and jeans.

Finally, the zombie ceased its twitching and grew still. A rotten smell that made her want to heave permeated the air.

The blood now on her face was a sobering reminder not to go too crazy. If that so much as entered her eye...

She dropped the skillet with a clang and ran to the sink. She turned on the faucet and washed her face. She then went to her bedroom and changed into a clean shirt and jeans before returning to the living room.

The zombie was still inert on the floor. Blood continued to pool under its misshapen head. Regina was afraid it would spring back to life. But how could it? Its skull was flattened as if an eighteen wheeler had run it over.

"I...actually did that...."

Regina wanted to fall down and cry, but she did not have that luxury. The zombies outside continued to beat against her door, desperate to make their entrance. The top hinge appeared to be loosening.

It could fall any second.

Regina had to think of something. But nothing came to mind. She was stuck here. There was nothing she could do.

She ran to the window and looked outside. Well, jumping was something. But a dozen zombies now wandered the parking lot, searching for their next meal.

But what else could she do? Wait in here until they broke in? Even if she were to die out there, she was as good as dead in here.

Regina walked to the kitchen and picked up the skillet, her arm shaking from its earlier effort. Unfortunately, the skillet was the best weapon she had. There was nothing else in the apartment with its skull-crushing capabilities.

Regina once more walked to the window. If she could just jump and run very fast, she might be able to break free of the zombies outside. But if she landed wrong, or got surrounded, or was just plain unlucky, she would be dead for sure.

Behind her, she heard the top hinge fall and clink to the floor.

She closed her eyes, trying to gain her focus.

It was time to make a decision.

What should Regina do:

Jump out the window,

OR

Try to think of a better option?

Cast your vote and return next Tuesday to see if you made the right call.

Regina the Zombie Slayer, Episode One: The Undead Siege

The moans of the undead outside Regina's apartment were getting uncomfortably loud.

Not that any sound the undead make is comfortable. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

But they were out there in the parking lot now. Regina did not dare stand by the window. She did not want to be seen by those...things. Instead, she sat huddled in a corner, shivering, waiting, phone to her ear.

This phone call was her only hope.

An insurmountable dread had formed in her stomach, chilling her like a block of ice. Her stomach churned, and a whimper escaped her throat.

God, please let him answer...

Outside, screams sounded in the night. She fought with every fiber of her being not to join them, however much she wanted to give in. Her boyfriend needed to answer.

He would never leave me here.

Beastly snarls and the ripping and tearing of flesh from outside met her ears, followed by more bloodcurdling screams. She was thankfully on the second floor, and her door was locked tight.

But would it be enough?

At last, the rings went to voicemail - and Regina felt an all new coldness. She was being ingnored. She had been abandoned, betrayed; numbed to the point that she could not think or even feel angry.

"Oh God," Regina said, the tears starting to come. "Oh God..."

She looked toward the front door. It was locked, chained. She thought that maybe she should also move something in front of it.

But she couldn't even move herself.

I'm dead. I'm going to die...

She curled into the corner, paralyzed. She didn't move for a few minutes - not even daring to lift a finger.

Outside, it had quieted. There was nothing but the wind and the crackling of a fire outside.

Slowly, Regina stood and looked through the window. A fire engulfed a car across the parking lot - she had heard it explode earlier, had seen its fierce light paint the walls in the hues of the sun for a moment. Behind the fence, the trees were dark, indifferent to the chaos that had unfolded.

There were none of the horrible creatures, however. At least, none in sight.

Perhaps they moved on. Perhaps this wasn't real - just a dream.

She pinched herself, even though she already knew the pointlessness of such an act. Somehow, someway, zombies were attacking her apartment complex, and she was going to die.

Don't think like that. It's not over yet. They don't know you're in here. They haven't seen you.

She suddenly went cold when she realized she had just stood in front of the window. It was a stupid, careless thing to do. She might even die for it.

Then, realizing nothing could be done about it, she forced herself to move. She stood and began pacing the room. She paused a moment, thinking of who else might help her.

She shook her head. If her boyfriend would not come for her, who would?

She only had herself.

The room darkened a bit, and Regina frowned. There was a heavy stillness.

Then behind her, the window shattered. She screamed as shards rained down on her neck, causing sharp, stinging pain. Adrenaline and fear coursed through her veins as she stumbled onto the floor.

A bloodthirsty snarl sounded from behind her, and she gave another futile scream.

She crawled away madly, screaming and whimpering, oblivious to the broken bits of glass cutting into her hands and knees. She crawled toward the door, not daring to look back at the zombie behind her.

She put a hand on the knob and started to turn it, but then she heard the scuffling. The sound of another zombie - right outside her apartment door.

She was cornered.

She could hear the zombie crawling toward her on all fours, grunting, groaning, bent on its goal. Regina sobbed as she leaned into the door.

She could not get out.

Regina finally looked at the zombie. It wore a tattered black suit. Red clumps of dirt fell from its shoulders, its skin gray and peeling. Long, gray hair descended in a skullet, green with slime. The large, baleful eyes stared at Regina: ghostlike, vacant, hungry.

It groaned louder as it neared, and the zombies outside her door echoed its call. Regina pressed her back against the front door. She could hear fingernails scraping down the wood.

Then, as if of its own volition, the panic subsided. She knew she had to do something - anything - because doing nothing would get her killed.

She looked around the ktichen for something to defend herself with. It was hard to see through the tears in her eyes. The zombie on the floor was pulling its way toward her, like a slug.

At last, she saw an iron skillet sitting on the stove. That could work. She could use that, right on the head, and knock the zombie out.

But maybe I'll miss...and then I'm good as dead. And I'll have to swing it really hard.

Or I could go outside, but there is at least one zombie out there, maybe even more waiting for me. If I could just take this one out now...

These thoughts raced through her mind as the zombie crawled toward her, as slow and inevitable as a glacier.

Regina knew she could not move from her place. It was too close now. It could snap at her. One bite, and it was all over.

She only had two options - use the skillet, or try to force her way out the front door and into the horror-filled night.

The zombie was now only mere feet away...

If I'm going to leave the apartment now, this is my only chance.

Regina looked once more at the skillet. The zombie reached for her...

What should Regina do:

Fight the zombie with the skillet,

OR

Get out her apartment?

Place your vote in the comments section, and come back Friday to discover Regina's fate.

Regina the Zombie Slayer

You know her as the perpetual whiner and annoying girlfriend in Night of the Necromancer - but what if things had been different?

What if Regina was never rescued by her boyfriend, who thought she would only hurt his chances of escape?

So much chivaly. And now, with zombies pressing in on every side, Regina is alone, afraid, and abandoned. The ghoulish monsters outside her apartment are just waiting to tear her apart.

And you, readers, will decide her fate.

How it will work:

Regina the Zombie Slayer will feature 250-500 word posts written from Regina's point of view, released at a rate of about three times per week.

At the end of each post, one of two decisions will need to be made. Readers will vote on each decision in the comments section, and whichever gets the most votes is the course the story will take - for better or for worse.

This is not a sequel, so no prior knowledge is needed. Just read and have fun!

When will it start?

Tomorrow, the first part of Regina the Zombie Slayer will be posted. Readers will immediately have the chance to read and vote on her next choice.

Will Regina survive? Will she become the greatest zombie slayer of all time? Will she have the chance to confront her cruel boyfriend, for either vengeance or mercy's sake?

Her fate awaits you in Regina the Zombie Slayer.

Night of the Necromancer now available on paperback!

I'm pleased to announce that Night of the Necromancer is now available on paperback!

The cover looks pretty sweet, done by Jelani's uncle, Gary Phillips. The book looks very professional (in my opinion).

Get yourself a copy today, and continue to support your favorite indie zombie authors!

Who is the Necromancer....

For those readers and friends who have fortunately remained ignorant concerning their knowledge of the Necromancer (learning the truth almost always means certain death) below you will find an explanation for the title of the book, and some insight to the most dangerous person you will encounter during your night of survival.

NECROMANCY- conjuration of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events. (Merriam-Webster Online)

The sound of rattling bones

The crawling of dead flesh

The emptiness of the grave

The macabre conquering of death

You will know the Necromancer by these signs...

(from THE BOOK OF THE UNDEAD)

If you had read this before the terrible night when the zombies rushed into your apartment complex, you would have written it off as creepy, insane, occult, pyscho-babble. But now you know that the legend of the Necromancer is an all too real threat to your life.

It is rare that anyone survives an encounter with a necromancer. Unfortunately for you, he will become your chief foe as you struggle to survive the terrible predicament that you've found yourself in. The secrets of his existence, and his sinister motives, are all locked up within the choices you make. Choose wisely. You will only have seconds to make life-saving decisions when you encounter him.

He controls a vast undead horde of zombies.

You and your fellow survivors are only five strong.

The odds are already stacked against you.

How will you ever survive the Night of the Necromancer?

Accept the challenge here.

Night of the Necromancer is about...you.

You have always viewed yourself as a survivor. You're smart. You know all the rules of the game and your fight or flight response is highly tuned. But, can you really survive the Zombie Apocalypse. How will you really react when a massive, Necromancer-driven horde of ghouls are closing in on you, their undead breath cold against your skin.

Before, when you had your fantasies of survival, they were all in your head. But now, it is time to determine how smart and savvy you really are. Now it is time for you to brave Night of the Necromancer.

You are in control. You make the decisions. You decide how you will live or die. Your choices will determine whether you survive, or whether you die a horrible, grisly, bloody death at the cold, merciless hands of ghoulish fiends. The intelligence of your decisions will gauge how ready you really are for the zombie apocalypse. And from the looks of it, you have a lot to learn.

There are a hundred ways to die, and you may die one of those deaths tonight. Luckily, you will get to turn the page and give your self a second chance. But that won't be an option when the Z-day finally comes. You're greatest test is to survive this story without dying...not even once.

But, that shouldn't be a problem for you. You say you're ready. You think yourself a regular zombie slayer. Enough talk.

Let your decisions speak for you.

Night of the Necromancer is Live!

At last, Night of the Necromancer, an 80,000 word behemoth of a choose your own adventure, is live and ready to sell for $3.99 on both Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Taken from the back cover:

"Just hours ago, you were a student trying to survive college. Now, as zombies attempt to knock down your apartment door and eat you alive, you must ask yourself if you will survive the night. And, in order to get through this nightmare, you will have to make all the right decisions.

"Will you save your overbearing girlfriend, who just broke up with you hours before the zombies arrived? Will you trust the survivors you meet along the way? Will you retreat to the forest in an attempt to escape the undead hordes, or will you face your fear head-on and fight your way through the city?

If you are quick on your feet, you just might see another day. One wrong decision, and you'll end up as zombie food, or worse, a member of the undead."

It was a lot of hard work, but worth it in the end. The book has been live for about a week and already has two positive, unsolicited reviews on Amazon.

If you've ever wondered if you have what it takes to survive the zombie apocalypse (and it will come), then why not test your skills before the inevitable arrives?

Click here or here to check the book out!