Meeting Zombie

*Amber*

 “Get up now.” She doesn’t look at me but hands the knife back towards me. My hand instinctively closes around the handle, though I’m not entirely sure what to do with it.

 I turn my gaze in the same direction as Kattie, and my heart drops. Four muscular young men are striding towards us, each clad in loose pants with pockets all the way down the legs… an unmistakable standard attire in this place. Their skin is marked with visible tattoos, and I recognize them from my lessons with Clay: they bear Zombie’s mark.

 The man at the front must be Zombie himself. He bears a striking resemblance to Adis, with high cheekbones, perfectly sculpted lips, and eyes that shimmer like green-blue galaxies. But his hair is longer, stark white, and his skin is much paler. Towering over the others, he carries himself with a regal air, as though he owns the ground he walks on.

 The three men flanking him are a study in contrasts. One sports long dark hair tied back in a ponytail, while another is completely bald and stands no taller than me, perhaps even a bit shorter. Both are difficult to age, but I’d guess they’re somewhere in their twenties. Each holds a gun in their hands, the weapons glinting ominously in the light.

 The last member of their group is younger, probably around KC’s age. He has darker skin and a stubble of pitch-black hair, as if he has recently shaved his head. A knife glints in his hand, and his eyes are fixed intently on me.

 “Zombie!” Kattie hisses, her voice barely above a whisper.

 “Well, good afternoon, Kat.” Zombie’s tone is disturbingly cheerful, as if encountering her has brightened his entire day. “And I’m guessing this is the princess herself, finally let out of Tjeck’s castle.” He turns to me with a smile that sends chills down my spine.

 I’ve heard so much about this man… mostly tales of his cruelty and malevolence. Yet here he stands, chatting as if we’re old friends, as if he’s just shared a joke.

 “Has Adis really allowed you to leave Tjeck’s safe fortress?” He asks. To be honest he doesn’t look like the monster I imagined, but I can’t shake the feeling that something dark lurks beneath his charming facade.

 “What do you want, Zombie?” Kattie’s muscles are coiled tight, ready to spring into action. She resembles a predator trapped in a corner, waiting for the right moment to strike. It’s a stark contrast to Zombie’s relaxed demeanor.

 “I just wanted to see the princess.” His gaze pierces mine, intense and unyielding. “Amber.” He rolls the name off his tongue as if savoring it. “I can see why he chose that name for you.” His eyes rove over my body. “You’re lacking a bit in muscle and honestly you are a touch too skinny for my taste, but we can work on that.”

 He reaches out as if to caress my cheek, but that’s when Kattie makes her move.

 It all happens in a blur. I can’t tear my gaze from Zombie’s eyes, which is why I don’t see Kattie as she lunges forward. Suddenly, she’s caught between two of Zombie’s men, a gash marring her brow and a gun pressed against the back of her head.

 “So, you’re not going to try to run?” Zombie’s expression is almost gleeful. I refuse to meet his gaze. I know I’m no good at running, and any of these men would overtake me in seconds. I choose instead to back away slowly, desperately searching for a sharp comeback.

 “Alec, could you?” Zombie says casually, nodding toward the dark-haired man behind me. Without hesitation, Alec steps forward. I can’t resist as he yanks the knife from my grasp, pinning my hands behind my back with one of his own and pressing the blade against my throat. 

 “You see, princess, Amber isn’t a name Adis can just give to just anybody… Actually, he can’t give it to anyone…” 

 “Zombie!” Kattie’s voice rises, a note of panic creeping in. “Don’t let her pay for Adis’ stupidity and your grief.”

 “Shut up, Kat.” With a swift motion, Zombie whips around and slaps Kattie, sending her head lolling forward and her body goes limp. She would’ve collapsed if not for the two men holding her up. A wave of panic surges within me, coiling tightly in my chest, making it hard to breathe. Sobs catch in my throat, trapped beneath the knife pressing against my skin.

 “You had a knife in your hand. You were armed.” Zombie’s calm demeanor is chilling. “I can easily claim there was a fight. I thought you were better trained, so I accidentally killed you.” He shrugs, as if the matter is inconsequential, as he steps closer. “It will spare you a lot of pain in the end.”

 “Please don’t… please leave me be?” My voice quakes as I plead for my life.

 Zombie inches closer, and in a single, all-too-rehearsed motion, he takes a position behind me. These men have done this before… there’s no doubt about it.

 My hands are freed from their restraints, but in a desperate bid for survival, I claw at his arm encircling my neck. His other arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against him in a nearly intimate manner.

 “I don’t even need a weapon. Just a quick twist, a snap of your neck. You wouldn’t even feel it.” His tone is disconcertingly soft, a stark contrast to the menace of his words. “It would be like wringing the neck of an unwanted kitten… over and done with in an instant.”

 Tears spill down my cheeks, unstoppable. I grip his arm, digging my nails in with all my strength, but it’s like trying to move a tree or a steel beam.

 “Let her go.”