I, Zombie (excerpt)
("I, Zombie" is my story, collected in the book "Zombies Need Love, Too.")
I gradually struggled to my feet, brushing the clods of dirt from my trousers. I hurt everywhere, I was confused, and I was hungry.
Where was I? Who was I? I looked around. I was in a field of some sort, but I couldn't remember how I got here. There were trees, and shrubs, and many holes in the ground. There were also many other people, looking as confused as I was. They were moving -- no, lurching -- toward the west, toward the setting sun. I followed.
Moving with the crowd, I found that my legs were not working correctly. My knees would barely bend. So I walked, lurched, stiff-legged, along with the crowd, picking up speed and trying to keep up. My arms swung limply at my sides. I couldn't remember my name, where I was from, how I got here. But it didn't matter; all I knew was that I was still hungry, so very hungry!
I caught up with one tall thin fellow. Lumbering up to him, I tried to ask him where we were and where we were going. But no words came from my mouth, only grunts. I could form the thoughts in my mind, but my mouth would not utter them. He turned to look at me. Half of his jaw was missing, and his eyes were hollow in deep, dark sockets. He frightened me. I turned away, and continued lurching along with the crowd.
I saw a group of people huddled on the ground, crouched around a moist black shape. I smelled food. I was so hungry. I went to them. On the ground in the center of the group was a heap of flesh; I could not tell what sort of animal it was from. Bones and flesh and entrails were everywhere, oozing gore. The group was reaching in, ripping out shreds of flesh with their hands, devouring them. I shouldered my way into the circle; I was so hungry! I reached into the bloody, fleshy mass, and ripped out a handful of the greasy, slimy meat. I raised it to my mouth and fed. It tasted putrid. But I bit and chewed and swallowed. It was disgusting, but I was so hungry. I needed more; I couldn't stop. I reached for another handful, and somebody tried to push me aside. I elbowed him in the face; his skull collapsed and he fell aside. I didn't care. I took his place, crouching on the ground, and continued to feed on the rancid, putrid flesh and offal.