Table Of ContentALMOST DEAD ALMOST DEAD II:
Seeing Red
THE TWO-PACK
ALMOST DEAD
1
It was a smoldering hot Saturday in the middle of July. Me, and my fifteen year
old brother Robbie, were about to take a camping trip to the North Carolina Mountains
with our parents. What you are about to read is the entire story of our horrible vacation.
I am Robbie's younger brother Cody, and I had to stand back helplessly as every terrible
event of this vacation took place. Now you will read it in the safety of your own home.
Don't let this happen to you. Please.
***
"Are you packed YET Robbie?" "Yes Momma, Just a sec!" Robbie was trying to
fit everything he had into his tiny suitcase. "C'mon Rob, If we don't hurry, it will be
WINTER by the time we get there!" I grumbled. He always takes forever to pack. "Ok,
ok. Carry my suitcase for me." Robbie threw me his suitcase and I almost fell down the
stairs. "AHH!" I caught myself on the rail before I took the tumble. "Carry your own
suitcase." I frowned and ran down the staircase.
After driving for two hours in the morning fog, we finally saw a human. You'd
think we would be happy... but this man was NOT friendly. We were coming around a
curve on a one way road up the mountain and some homeless looking guy ran out in front
of us! We stopped in time to avoid hitting him, but he gave us and evil stare. That was all
we could see of his face... his eyes. He was wrapped up in clothing and scarfs that
covered his face and head.
So, after looking at us he stepped to the side of the road slowly. Dad pulled up
beside him. "Are you alright sir?" Dad asked him. The man didn't look up. Dad then
began to roll away slowly, but as soon as the man was in line with my window he looked
up again, and he opened his mouth in a hideous, toothless smile. As I stared into his
throat, I watched as a huge, slimy, black cockroach crawled down his tongue...
2
I was the only one that saw him smile. My brother had looked back down at his
magazine when we began to drive away. I knew that something was definitely wrong with
that man, but I was afraid to mention it to my Mom and Dad. About Thirty minutes later
we reached our cabin. We had found it on the Internet and rented it. When we got out of
the car to look around, we saw that this place was deserted.
Our cabin looked like it was the only one on the mountain, plus we had no view
because the trees shaded everything. Even though it was only Two-O'clock, on the
mountain it was pitch dark. "WOW! Isn't this great?" My dad exclaimed sadly. I could
tell it wasn't what he had expected when he paid the Realtor the $500 for a Five night stay
here.
But, what could we do? After seeing what little sights there were in the woods, we
walked to the front door and Dad unlocked it. A rocking chair sat in the corner of the
porch and was rocking in the wind. I noticed a red stain on the deck that looked odd...
but I figured it must be just that - wood stain. It was a wood cabin after all.
Robbie pushed past me and into the house. "Cool, bunk beds!" My brother said, after
seeing the bunk beds through the open bedroom door. "Hmm... you and Cody will sleep in
there, and I guess me and your Father will sleep in this next room right here..." My mom
thought aloud. "Good. Robbie, come help me get the stuff out of the car." Dad
instructed. "'K." Robbie walked back out and I turned my attention to the stairs leading
to the second floor.
Mom noticed me looking curiously at the stairway. "Why don't you go up and
investigate the rest of the house?" She questioned. "O.K., I will." I answered nervously.
"Wait, you'll have to take this flashlight, there aren't any lights in here." "Oh great!" I said
sarcastically. I then started up the creaky staircase. When I reached the top, I noticed one
door at the end of a hallway. The door was open partially, and some light was peaking
through. I headed toward it with my flashlight bouncing across the bare walls. When I
pushed the door open, I couldn't help but scream.
3
Laying on the carpeted floor in the otherwise empty room, was a black garbage bag.
It was tied with thick rope and definitely had something big in it. Out of the open end of
the bag, I saw the unmistakable sight of DRIED BLOOD on the white carpet. As I continued
to look, I heard my Dad come running up the stairs yelling to me. "Cody, what's the matter??"
He ran in and immediately turned his attention to the bag on the carpet. "Oh god..."
He said, turning away. "Dad, is that what I think it is?" Robbie asked when he walked in
behind us. "I - I don't know... But We're going to have to open the bag to see what it is."
My dad determined. Robbie loved horror books and movies, so he automatically jumped
with excitement when Dad said this. "CAN I HELP??? Please, please, please, I'm not scared
of dead people! I've seen 'Sixth Sense' SIX TIMES!" "This isn't funny Robbie. We'll have to
call the police right now." Dad told Robbie sternly.
Well, we thought everything was going to be alright after the police came and took
the thing away. But they never came. In fact, we never called 911. Our phone line was dead.
We then looked behind the phone and saw that no wires were connected to the wall. We had
no cell phone and there were no people around for 100 miles from the cabin. So we decided
that we would actually have to open the bag ourselves. We were in for a horrible surprise.
Dad got out a pocket knife and some gloves, and began carefully slicing the bag open.
Robbie was practically jumping up and down with excitement. We all leaned forward to see
what it was as our candlelight finally poured into the trash bag. We all gasped when we saw
the hideous thing that was inside. Someone, or something for that matter, had killed a brown fox.
But the worst thing of all was, despite the rest of the body being mostly intact, something had
pulled it's eyeballs entirely out. All that was left were two black indentions in it's head.
Mom turned her head away and told Dad that we couldn't stay at this cabin. "Aw c'mon
Mom, it's just a dead animal... maybe somebody accidentally ran over it with their car, and – and
it's eyes popped out, so then the person took the eyeballs and had them for supper, and then
decided that it would be safe if they hid the body in a trash bag... in a cabin!!!" Robbie exclaimed,
trying feebly to get us to laugh. But Dad was right, this wasn't funny at all. Some weirdo lived in
these woods, and I was determined to find out who it was.
4
The next morning, after a night of hardly no sleep, Dad buried the dead fox. After
eating breakfast, we decided to do some hiking on some trails we saw in the woods.
Robbie carried a box of trail mix and dropped some of it every few feet of walking,
because the trail kept going in and out. After about 20 minutes, we found an open area on
top of a cliff to sit and rest. But I wasn't tired, and neither was Robbie. I was kneeling
down looking at a rock that was shaped like an arrowhead when I noticed a wet feeling on
the back of my neck.
I stood up and touched it, then looked at my hand. On my head was more red liquid,
but it wasn't blood... I could tell. I then felt another drip on my hair that made me look
up. Hanging from a low tree limb was a sign that was freshly painted. I read it
aloud: "I'M COMING FOR ALL OF YOU..." I didn't understand it, and I didn't
want to scare Mom or Dad anymore, so I decided to just not tell them. But as I looked
ahead into the woods, I noticed another cabin!
I thought to myself that maybe that cabin is where the weirdo lives... the one that
killed the fox, took it's eyeballs, and painted the sign. I glanced back and saw that
everyone was sitting looking around, so I decided to go investigate the new cabin. There
was no trail left to it, but I could still easily walk there. As I approached the cabin, I
started to notice the large amount of junk lying everywhere in the yard. Tires, empty cans,
cages. But around the corner, I noticed a row of tombstones, or at least they looked like
tombstones.
I decided to search the house first before reading them. I walked up the front steps
and took one last glance back at my family before going in. I turned back and pushed
open the dirty screen door. As it creaked open, I immediately jumped when I saw a
shadow run by me. When it walked into the light I could tell that it was just a cat. It
hissed at me and walked away. I looked straight ahead down a hall. All the doors were
closed from what I could see. Before I had a chance to explore the rooms, a hoarse, loud
voice yelled out "GET OUT NOW!!!"
5
Afraid to look back, knowing what I would see, I ran full speed out of the screen door,
slamming it against the wall. I barely got two feet from the house before tripping on a
gravestone. I slowly raised my head to see a row of four of these protruding from the ground
in front of me. I began to slowly scan the names on the stones.
'R.I.P. Cody Edward Larson 2/9/1989 - 7/23/2003'
'R.I.P. Robbie Jacob Larson 4/10/1987 - 7/23/2003'
'R.I.P. David Marlow Lar...'
Before I could read the last two gravestones a hand grabbed my shoulder. I timidly turned
my head to see the rest of the person who planned on ending my life today.
"Sorry kid, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Larry, the Forest Ranger here, and I was just
taking a look at this here shack. It is in very unsafe condition, and I was planning to have
it demolished. I just got a little carried away when I told you to leave." A large, chubby
man said to me. "Oh... OK." I said, as I stood to face this man. "What were you doing in
there anyway?" Before I could answer a large shadow began to fall over Larry's head.
What brought about this shadow was a very old, rusted, aluminum baseball bat. "Look
out!" I screamed to Larry, but sadly, I wasn't fast enough. The club came down on his
head with a horrible 'clack'. As Larry fell to his knees, what stood behind him was the
worst thing I could have ever seen. Dressed in an orange jumpsuit with huge tears
covering it was the man that my father nearly ran over just days ago. Again as he looked
at me, this time getting a very good look - this monster of a person opened his mouth and
spit something wetly out and onto the ground. I looked down cautiously to see... a
bloody human finger.
6
As I then began to back up, still facing this hideous man, he - or it - began to
speak. "You know too much now Keziah. You had no business messing around
where you didn't belong. But now, you know the secret I tried to keep. You did see the
last gravestone there - did you not? Yes. Have a look child." This ugly man uttered to
me. I, now confused in so many ways, started to squat down to read the stone. I did not
know why this man called me Keziah, and I also did not know about any secret this man
was trying to keep.
But, I followed his directions anyway. I cautiously crouched low to the ground, knowing
that at any point I could be attacked by this man too. I read the gravestone aloud.
'R.I.P. Ernest Chadwicke Larson 10/9/1938 - 7/23/1993'
Who...Who is Ernest Larson?" I asked nervously. "Oh, but it's me of course child. You
see, I was your grandfather a long, long time ago. Your father's father to be exact. I was close
to Robbie, but I never got to see you after you became old enough to walk. This is because your
father was jealous of me. Your brother loved me, and your father did not want you to love me,
your own grandfather, more than him."
"So, your father forced Robbie to help him end my life. Do you know that wood-chipper
in the basement Keziah? The one that your parent's never use, and won't let you see? That is what
put me to rest. I tried to climb back out, and managed to save a few body parts, but in the end, all
of my limbs were sewn back together so my body could be buried. No one found out that your
father and brother did this to me. I returned from the dead simply to tell you this Keziah - and to
avenge my death."
"I only wanted to kill your parents and Robbie, but you my friend, you snooped too
much. You have seen me, and I cannot let you tell the world that people can return from
the dead. People are beginning to learn too much, and I cannot let you tell them this.
Bring your family over here now Keziah. I will blindfold all of you, and I'm sure you
won't feel a thing."
7
Well the truth is people, I really didn't feel a thing, unless you count the saw slowly
piercing my leg. Back and forth - back and forth. Oh yes, and then there was the other quick
piercing feeling, somewhat like a machete entering one's body. And who could forget
the...
THE END OF
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WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY: MATTHEW WATTS
ALMOST DEAD I I: Seeing Red
1
You may have heard of me. My names' Ernest Larson. I've got a bad reputation, and I really hate that. Cause it's
not the truth, and I don't like being thought of wrongly. I guess I'm just like anybody else. I roam around my yard, through
the woods, sometimes strollin' out into town. Maybe the only thing that sets me apart from a lot 'a people is the fact that I
died not to long ago. Was back in '93 if 'yer keepin' track.
Yeah, got into a little tussle with my son. After my son became a father, I obviously became a brand new
grandfather. He seemed to think that I was intrudin' on his life, trying to be the father I never was to him. It wasn't much
like that... I jus' loved them kids. I woulda given my life for... whoops. Well, I didn't exactly have to give my life away for
them kids, my son went ahead an' took it into his on hands for no reason. He took a wood chipper to me... those dern blades
in that chipper were so dull, man that was rough.
Well, I went through that wood chipper, and I felt every bit of the pain. I'll try to save you any more 'a the gory
details, but lets just say, I don't feel much better now. No, being dead... or almost dead - as I like to think of myself - isn't
all it's cracked up to be. My bones still hurt, I feel every stitch that goes through every body part I had reconnected. I'm so
stiff, I walk like I got peg legs. You probably think it's all pretty funny, but there are numerous bad things about being a
dead man walking the Earth again.
I just stay so starved-like, it is a pain in me, I just have to eat. Can't a dead man eat once an' a while? It's not only
that, though... well you're about to hear what I DO go through all the time. Go ahead and feel sorry for me. I'll allow that.
2
Now I know you heard the first part of my story, probably through little Cody's eyes. Well, as much as I loved the
kid, I had to do what I did to survive. You see, they ventured into MY woods. No, they didn't know I was gonna be there.
I have always lived in them mountain woods, it just so happened that they came to 'em. I knew ahead of time, though. I
couldn't wait to get one last look at my grandchildren. Forget the parents, they did this to me. To heck with them.
Well, I never wanted to go and kill any of 'em, it's just that... well, they saw too much. In the undead world, there
is a code of conduct kind of thing. You just can't let the living know that you... came back. Any time I go out I've got to be
covered completely with clothes and rags. If I didn't, my skin would be falling off all over the place. Can't have that. And
then there is that eating thing again.
To the almost dead, we starve for human flesh and blood. Without it, we would just fall all to pieces... literally.
Every bite of meat just keeps us walking that much longer. Which brings me to my story. You need to know my side of the
story.
***
It was early fall season and I was feelin' great. The leaves were just beautiful up in the mountain range that time of
year. I wanted to get out one day, just to breathe in the cool air, maybe go into town. So I decided to make a trip to the
supermarket. This would be some more task. I had to wrap up completely, making sure my scarf covered all but my nose.
I dropped on some dark sunglasses, just in case, and pulled a red ball cap over my head. Sure, I would stick out like a sore
lip, but at least I would get to enjoy myself for a day.
I headed out into the trails and took the long walk to the edge of the highway. I peeked out from behind the biggest
tree I could find, waiting for a small sedan to pass me by. Once he was gone, I stepped out onto the highway and crossed it.
It wasn't a highly traveled roadway, that was because of the other one only a couple miles over. But it was the best way for
me to reach the town and all of the stores.
Once I had made my way through another half mile of brush, I finally stepped out onto grassy land that meant I
was on the outer edge of the supermarket parking lot. I pulled my hat down a little lower and then set out for the front
doors. I was looking straight ahead when I felt a hard bump in my side, It nearly knocked me over! I looked to the side to
see that a dumb woman in a van had hit me as she tried to back out of a space. One of the bad things about being a zombie
is the slow reaction time we have. By the time I saw the van, it was up against me.
I was getting rather hungry, thought she might need to learn a lesson, so I stood firmly in my place. With my right
leg wedged under the back bumper, the woman had no choice but to get out of the absurdly large automobile. She
impatiently swung her door wide and smacked it right into the side of the car next to her. Not noticing, she stomped her
way toward me. Without a hint of regret, she asked me angrily, "Are you alright?... You need to watch where you walk!"
I smiled under my scarf as I responded to her smart remark, "So do you." I pulled the thick wool scarf off of my
face and raised her soft arm up to my mouth and took a small nib-let out of the side of it. It was pretty tasty, but she winced
rather angry-like at me when I did this! Can't please 'em all, I guess.
3
After the woman ran off into the woods screaming something to the effect of "HE BIT MY ARM, HELPPPP!!", I
continued on my walk to the supermarket. I approached the amazing doors that knew when I was in front of 'em and
watched as the slid wide open for me. I shook my head, remembering the days when you had to open doors with your
hands. Immediately upon entering the supermarket, I was hit with the ghastly music I was forced to listen to every time I
visited. It was old chart-toppin' songs on the intercom, except they didn't play the words to 'em! It ain't even the same thing
when you take away the soul, the words to “hit” songs!
I guess I was too attached to the past. Other things irked me about the supermarket, but we will get into that in a
minute. I knew one particular area of the store that was pleasing to me. I could eat anything a human could, and I did have
a sweet tooth, but meat was an undead man's passion. That was why I always headed straight for the butchers freezer. Oh, I
did love some Rib eye steak.
Remember that code of conduct thing I talked about earlier? The one for the almost dead? Well, there was an
unofficial thing about "Us" not being able to work for someone. It was too risky, especially when it came to the resume.
The "Personal Interests" section was always cause for a good laugh. 'I enjoy watching sunsets on winter nights, writing
poems of heartache, as well as often feasting on the flesh of the living.
If you couldn't work, you certainly had a hard time gettin' money. Sooo... you had to steal just a little. Just enough
to get by. It isn't like the dead can physically break the law! We just bend it a little bit to fit our needs. In times of need,
times of hunger, I had to nab some kind of meat here or there. I cautiously approached the general area the Rib eye steaks
usually occupied, and picked up a large pack. A small boy who could barely see over the freezer, glanced up at me. His
eyes filled with crocodile tears and he ran to his Mommy, who was at the sausages.
