Late into the night, the hallway was as silent as a ghost town.
Downstairs in Zane's building, some lady was putting on a real horror show.
She used to crash here, but now she was more like something out of "The Zombies," wailing so loud it'd give you the chills.
The door was cracked open just a smidge, like it was inviting you to eavesdrop on the whole creepy scene.
Zane nudged the door wider and stepped in.
The woman, her back to him, was in the middle of the living room, sobbing her heart out.
"Whoo-whoo-whoo~~"
Her ears were like radar; the slightest squeak of the door had her alerted.
She whipped her head around a full 180 degrees, her face twisting into something fierce as she let out a roar like some kind of wild animal ready to jump.
But when she saw it was Zane, her roar dialed down to a whimper.
"Whoo-whoo-whoo~~"
This lady, the Zombies wannabe, was clearly trying to communicate through her tears.
Zane got the message loud and clear—she was starving.
All her wails seemed to scream "hungry."
"Hungry like the wolf," Zane mused.
He had already stashed some grub for her today, and the other two zombie-types under his roof weren't making a peep about being hungry, just her.
"Whoo-whoo-whoo~~"
It was like she could read his mind, her cries turning into begging.
Zane kept it simple, just tossed a fresh corpse in front of her.
It was some thug he'd taken down earlier, still fresh enough to hit the spot.
Her eyes popped at the sight of the meal.
"Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh..."
She let out a creepy chuckle and dove into the corpse, tearing off a piece with gusto.
Turns out, this Zombies lady wasn't just a crier; she could laugh too.
And man, her laugh was way creepier than her crying!
Zane also clocked how quick she was.
Her legs, toned and muscular, blurred as she moved.
No surprise she used to be an athlete; her fitness level was off the charts.
As she chomped down on the flesh, "smack, smack," the room got heavy with the smell of blood.
The sounds of her feasting were straight-up macabre.
Any normal person stumbling on this scene would bolt in terror!
"Just keep it to yourself, it stinks..." Zane muttered.
"Alright, I gotta start naming you guys.
You're Zoe.
And the doc and the coach next door?
Nathan for the doc, Jake for the coach.
You're all my Zombies squad now, the Abbotts."
After setting the rules, Zane left the room.
He'd just showered and didn't need to smell like a butcher's shop.
Doc Nathan and Coach Jake were next door, quiet as church mice, so Zane skipped feeding them.
Guess it's true what they say, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease."
Back in his own space, Zane flopped on the couch to ponder the future.
Living off his stash wasn't a long-term plan, even though he had a decent stockpile of flesh.
Sooner or later, he'd need to find more.
The early days of the apocalypse were a breeze for scavenging, but now, supplies were getting thin.
Zane figured it was time to hit the road for a supply run.
He grabbed his phone to check his messages.
His inbox was overflowing—clearly, Ava had been freaking out about him.
Late at night, the halls were dead quiet, like a scene straight out of a spooky movie.
Downstairs in Zane's pad, some lady was throwing a major fit.
She used to hang around, but now she was acting like a character from a zombie flick, screaming so loud it could raise the dead.
The door was slightly ajar, practically begging for someone to listen in on the drama.
Zane pushed the door open a bit more and stepped inside.
The woman, facing away from him, was in the middle of the room, crying her eyes out.
"Whoo-whoo-whoo~~"
Her ears were on high alert; even the tiny creak of the door got her attention.
She spun around super fast, her face morphing into a wild expression as she let out a roar like a beast.
But when she saw it was Zane, her roar turned into a soft whimper.
"Whoo-whoo-whoo~~"
This lady, looking like a zombie extra, was clearly trying to say something through her sobs.
Zane got the hint—she was hungry.
All her cries seemed to shout "feed me."
"Starving like a wolf," Zane thought.
He had already saved some food for her today, and the other two zombie-like folks under his roof weren't complaining about hunger, just her.
"Whoo-whoo-whoo~~"
It was like she could read his mind, her cries becoming more desperate.
Zane kept it simple, just threw a fresh body in front of her.
It was some bad guy he'd dealt with earlier, still fresh enough to satisfy.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of the meal.
"Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh..."
She chuckled eerily and dove into the body, tearing off a chunk eagerly.
Turns out, this zombie lady wasn't just a crier; she could laugh too.
And boy, her laugh was even creepier than her crying!
Zane also noticed how quick she was.
Her legs, strong and toned, moved in a blur.
No wonder she used to be an athlete; her fitness level was through the roof.
As she munched on the flesh, "smack, smack," the room filled with the scent of blood.
The sounds of her eating were downright eerie.
Anyone else walking in on this would run for the hills!
"Just keep it down, it stinks..." Zane muttered.
"Alright, time to name you guys.
You're Zoe.
And the doc and the coach next door?
Nathan for the doc, Jake for the coach.
You guys are my zombie crew now, the Abbotts."
After laying down the law, Zane left the room.
He had just showered and didn't want to smell like a slaughterhouse.
Doc Nathan and Coach Jake were next door, quiet as mice, so Zane skipped feeding them.
Guess the old saying is true, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease."
Back in his own space, Zane plopped down on the sofa to think about the future.
Living off his stash wasn't a long-term solution, even though he had a good amount of supplies.
Sooner or later, he'd need to find more.
The early days of the apocalypse were easy for scavenging, but now, resources were running low.
Zane figured it was time for a supply run.
He grabbed his phone to check his messages.
His inbox was full—clearly, Ava was freaking out about him.