Escaping From The Salon

***AUTHOR'S NOTE***
Remember my story Hair of the Living Dead? Well, here's the next chapter!

(This is my own story with my own characters and ideas. Any similarities to any other story published in a book, magazine, news paper, or on the Internet is purely a coincidence.)


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I looked over at Savannah. Her big brown eyes full of fear. Her lips began to quiver and her breath was becoming irregular.

I remember thinking "Didn't she say she is a horror fan? Why is she so scared?" Then I realized, she may be a fan but she's not a student. Well, good thing I learned from Hitchcock, Romero, and Carpenter. This was as close to a horror movie life could get, hopefully all my hours in front of the tube would pay off.

Before the dead started walking, my work was my life. I'm a failed actress. Spent 2 years at Yale studying drama before I realized I would fall into that category of pretty actresses that were always typecast. I'm a Mexican -American Indian halfbreed who always ended up being a maid, food vendor or nanny. So, rather than let my future end up being a list of one or two episode spots on random tv series, I threw my heart into the hair and makeup world. Honestly, it's the best move I ever made. I felt more at home with a pair of shears or an eyeshadow brush in my hand than I ever did on stage. Put myself through a top notch cosmetology school, got my business license and set up shop. Eventually I managed to buy some acres in the country and own my own little shop/apartment in the city. I lived in my shop Wednesday through Saturday and spent Sunday through Tuesday at my country home. With all my clients, the traveling for work and keeping crazy hours, I spent a lot of my free time alone watching movies. No time for a man or family when you only focus your energy on your business.

I brushed away all the "it was all in vain" thoughts and began to pack up my go bag. I grabbed some extra undies, tank tops and slipped on my boots. I made sure to throw in my huge first aid box. It had everything from band aids to suture equipment to electrolyte tablets. Lots of accidents can go down in salons so I made sure to splurge on a fancy first-aid kit. "Now, I know this could come in handy!" I thought. I also packed up my shears, razor (and blades of course) and a few combs. After all, humanity would need someone to be able to cut hair. Kind of hard to fight zombies when you can't see where you're going!

By the time I broke a leg off my little wooden dining room table (needed a club since Savannah had my bat), a couple of the undead were just sort of standing in front of the glass front of my salon. Savannah stared at them while tears ran down her cheeks. I could tell she really thought the government would handle things. Seeing them fail must have snapped something inside of her. She looked like a little girl who just witnessed her puppy being ran over.

I walked slowly up her and said, "Come on, honey. We need to get to my farm. I've got a huge fence they can't get through. You can try calling your family when we get there." I put my arm around her in a very motherly gesture. Even though I was only six years older than her, I've always been a mother hen, and the apocalypse wasn't going to change that.

"I don't have any one." She slowly turned and gave me the same blank stare she was giving to the undead that were gathering outside.

Shocked, I managed to say, "I thought you said you were home from college visiting your family?"

Savannah then began to shake uncontrollably. She let out a sound that only the truly pained heart could make, wrapped her arms around my neck and started sobbing.

"I came home from school because my grandmother died. Dad abandoned me when I was three, Mom died when I was ten. Grandma raised me all by herself and now she's gone. I have nothing left."

I fought the urge to cry too. I had to be strong for Savannah. So, I said "It's ok, darlin! You can just stay with me. I'll need help making sure everything is zombie proof anyways." She smiled a sweet, sad smile. Looks like I had some responsibility now.

I began to plan my exit strategy. My Ford Escape was parked right by the back door. I figured we could look out the window, see if any geeks were around the SUV, and if not, we could make a run for it.

I remember yelling at Savannah to stay put while I went to look out the back door's peep hole. She gave me a look of fear and stammered, "Y-y-you said you'd s-s-stay with me!"

She ended up going with me to the door. I slowly looked out. YES! My SUV had no undead around or near it. We made a run for it. Locked up safe and sound, we started on the long road to my house. Nothing could have prepared us for the sights along the way.

- Whether you love me or hate me, you know who I am.