Decipherers

As I crossed a deserted land the sky blasted. Massive crowds were expected on the road. Those bloodthirsty biters, ‘the zombies’, were everywhere. I heard their moans from a distance and commenced running, looking for the guide whom I was promised. Nobody was there and I was running out of food and water. I wondered where the dark complexioned man in red poncho was.

I drank the last drop of my bottled water and fell on the ground. A moving sombrero was approaching me. I just saw a pair of flip-flops standing next to my head. He stretched out his hand. I hesitated but recalled that a zombie would never do that. As I caught his hand and stood up, he adjusted his red poncho and stared at me. I felt too exhausted to ask where we had to go, trying hard not to tremble.

He pointed to a river without saying a word. I reminded him that I never swam. He smirked and commenced walking ahead. I had no choice except to follow him obediently. A tropical sky replaced the agitated one as we hiked across the desert. I didn’t know whether that was a mirage or the promised destination.

Next to the river, there was neither a boat nor a canoe. The screaming crowd who wanted to cross the river scared me. Zombies and the normal, both frightened me with their howls and cries.

My silent guide took off his flip-flops and hit the water. As I struggled to float in the water, the guide gently started walking on it. People were drowning in the river and I plunged deeply into the water. Deep down in the river my reflection blinked at me and pushed me to the surface. I took a deep breath and looked for the guide. He was not there but I was walking on water. I found his red poncho and sombrero on the other side. I put them on and entered a new land.