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Southern Star, v. 1, issue 4, December 1941

Page 20

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4 THE ZOMBIE CITY by - So. Car. - [[underline]]Billy Jenkins[[end underline]] - Fiction - (Note: The editors of the STAR consider it a privilege to present to their readers the following remarkable narrative, precisely as composed by Harry Jenkins' brother, Billy, aged fourteen. It is the belief of the editors that they are thus bringing to the attention of the readers the first storyof a writer destined to make history in science-fiction. --The Staff, SOUTHERN STAR) . I was sitting comfortably in my new lounge, listening to my favorite program, Glenn Carson and his Swing Orchestra. I was listening to this program over my new style push button radio, when a voice broke in saying " Your Attention Please " this being repeated again and again. Then the voice continued " if you care to look around in back of you, you will see a human Zombie ." In my mind this would have been a joke but my emotions made me turn around and all that I could say was "g'awd what an ugly thing he was ." Yes, he was a Zombie a dead person brought to life by scientific ways. His eyes were as white as snow and his skin a purple color as a drownded persons looks just after being rescued. The Zombie a horrible, ugly looking thing. Then the voice over the radio continued, "After tonight there will be no inhabitants in the little city of Besta. All Zombies when I give the word to kill you may kill your company however you wish ." The Zombie said ," Yes Master" and from his cloak he drew a crude looking knife. I let a soft whistle go through my lips. Then I heard the man on the radio say " okay Zombies ." The Zombie started charging but he stopped as he heard the bark of my dog Rags. Then the dog became visible and the Zombie ran and jumped through the window to the street 14 stories below. I ran to the elevator and was down on the ground floor in a few seconds. I ran out to where the Zombie had fallen. There he was all squshed mass of flesh, blood, and bones. As I had expected there was no one on the street except me. Then I heard Rags barking and turned around to see him chasing a Zombie, but this Zombie was larger than the others. He was about 9 ft tall. Rags took a flying leap in the air and landed with his fangs in the leg of the Zombie. The Zombie stopped dead in his tracks and fell to the ground. WhenI got there I felt the heart of the Zombie. Yes, he was still living. The Zombie started talking " my name is Goliath, I was killed by David. I was brought back to life by a Doctor Franklin ." I asked him " why did you run from my dog ?" He answered " every Zombie knows that if he is bitten by a dog that he'll only have about five minutes to live ." I fired another question at him " Do the Zombies ever hold a meeting?" The Zombie answered " Yes, they will hold one at the City Hall at 8: o:clock tonight ." His whole body went limp as death scored it's second time on the same victim. I ran up to my room, forgetting the elevator. Ranto the telephone and called the nearest town, telling them to bring all the dogs and men they could find to my hometown, Besta. I looked at my watch it was 7:50, exactly 8: o:clock the men and dogs from the next town arrived. I told them my plan and they agreed to help. We went to the City Hall and formed a circle aroundit with the dogs trapped in the center, then I threw a cat in the midst of the dogs. The cat had but one place to go, into the City Hall and the dogs following. The dogs and the Zombies had a fight the dogs winning. Some of the zombies gained entrance out of the City Hall but they were killed by the men in the circle. Doctor Franklin was picked up at his Laboratory and his Lab, and equipment was completely demolished. After all the 16,000 corpses had been removed from the houses and apartments, the little city of Besta started all over again. The little city of Besta was nicknamed THE ZOMBIE CITY.
 
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