Zombie Wars of Somalia Epilogue

"Why are we so different from the others?" Corporal Mariam Ali wondered aloud. The zombified Somali female soldier turned to look askance at her sundered brethren. Until recently, they had all been members of the Somali National Army. Along came disaster in the form of Ayaan, the 'first' of the smart zombies, and existence would never be the same for Mariam and the surviving members of their unit. To say that she disliked her new existence would be an understatement...

"I've been thinking about that, in every group, there are outliers, those that are different, perhaps we are just a variant of the average zombie," said Private Malik Osman. Mariam looked at Malik and shook her head. He still looked mostly human, even though his skin was slowly turning ashen gray. In mortal life, Malik had been a handsome young man. Now he was one of the sentient Undead thanks to a certain Undead bitch that shall not be named...

"It doesn't matter what we are, we have a new existence, we are more durable now, immune to pain, and thirst, and we can only die one way, I say we embrace it," said Captain Mohamed Yusuf. Out of the three zombified former soldiers, the Captain seemed to be the most well-adjusted when it comes to the Undead existence. Captain Yusuf has always been a man on a mission and becoming a zombie hasn't changed who and what he is. The brother is still on a mission, and wholeheartedly embraces the state of being Undead...

"Well said, my friend," Ayaan said, as she seemingly materialized out of nowhere. The zombie leader stood there, hands on her hips, a grotesque smile on her face as she looked at her comrades. Captain Yusuf saluted, as did Malik. Mariam nodded at Ayaan in a way that meant very little. It was an acknowledgement, nothing more and nothing less. Mariam didn't care for Ayaan. The bitch bit her and took away her humanity to replace it with the poison of the Undead existence. Not the sort of thing one could easily forgive or forget.

"We have gathered the troops," Captain Yusuf said crisply, and Ayaan gently touched his shoulder. The four sapient zombies stood on a rocky outcropping, one that overlooked a valley. On the valley floor, hordes upon hordes of zombies awaited. The creatures shuffled along, something they did whenever there were a lot of them and there were no humans around for them to feed on. A certain lull seems to come over the zombies. They walk back and forth over a given area and seem to be in an almost dormant state. Mariam, Malik and Captain Yusuf didn't understand the 'regular' zombies but Ayaan had them wrapped around her little finger.

"Excellent, we will need them when we storm the City of Mogadishu," Ayaan said with a confident smile. Upon hearing that, Mariam and Malik exchanged a look. In the weeks since they got zombified, they had hunted and eaten humans. That's what all zombies do, whether they're mundane zombies or smart zombies. Mariam, Malik and Captain Yusuf retained their intelligence, personalities and power of speech. The smart zombies had mixed feelings about storming the capital of their former nation. Patriotism is a thing, even for Undead soldiers...

"Is that wise, Ayaan? I mean, the bulk of the Somali military will be protecting Mogadishu," Mariam asked. Ayaan looked at Mariam and the two zombie women took each other's measure. Ayaan gave Mariam the kind of smile a serpent would recognize. Mariam stood her ground. As a mortal woman, Mariam has always been tough and determined, proving both men and women wrong when it came to her abilities and skills. As a newly minted smart zombie, Mariam wasn't about to kowtow to the likes of Ayaan.

"Mogadishu will fall, as did the Village of Ham, as did your own military regiment, dear Mariam, for I am the Queen of the Zombies and I will it," Ayaan said sweetly. Mariam glared angrily at Ayaan. Captain Yusuf and Malik exchanged a look. Ayaan looked at the male zombies and shook her head. Malik hesitated, then backed down. Captain Yusuf bowed his head and took a step back. Mortal or Undead, there is always drama and a power struggle when strong-willed females clash. Wise men, whether alive or Undead, stay out of such conflicts.

"You are not my Queen, you're merely the bitch that bit me," Mariam retorted. Ayaan licked her lips and nodded. even though the self-styled Queen of the Zombies no longer breathed, she sighed loudly. Mariam braced herself for a fight. Ayaan suddenly launched herself at her. Fangs bared and claws extended, the zombie Queen went after the zombified female soldier. Malik and Captain Yusuf watched as Mariam and Ayaan tussled furiously on the rocky floor.

"I gave you the gift of immortality, Mariam, I can take it away," Ayaan hissed. Mariam spat and attacked Ayaan furiously. Mariam pulled a dagger out of her pocket and thrust it into Ayaan's chest. Laughing, Ayaan slapped Mariam hard across the face, sending the zombie woman tumbling backwards. Casually pulling the dagger out of her chest, Ayaan approached Mariam. Roaring, Mariam came at Ayaan, ready for another attack. This time, Ayaan let the rookie female zombie come to her. Mariam was so going to get smoked...

"You cursed me and my friends, witch, and you will pay," Mariam roared. Ayaan evaded the zombie woman's attack and lashed out with a foot. Mariam groaned as Ayaan kicked her legs out from under her. The zombified female soldier fell hard on the rocky floor. Ayaan stood over Mariam and pressed her booted foot against the zombie woman's throat. Zombies do not breathe and have no pulse, but Ayaan's victory over Mariam was all too evident.

"Ayaan, please spare Mariam," Malik pleaded. Malik looked at Mariam, and their eyes met. For a long moment, the zombified former private and the zombified former corporal exchanged a look. In mortal life, they had been close friends. As newly minted smart zombies, they remained friends. They were supposed to be together forever but Ayaan the bitch, self-styled Queen of the zombies, is about to cut their eternity short...

"Even if I could forget Mariam's treachery, I could never forgive her," Ayaan said crisply. The Zombie Queen locked eyes with Malik, who watched helplessly as she stomped on Mariam's neck. Ayaan stomped until the female zombie's head was separated from her shoulders. After that, Ayaan casually destroyed Mariam's brain, thus ending the smart female zombie's potential eternal life. Malik fell to his knees, mouth agape in shock. Zombie or not, Malik was distraught by what he had seen.

"You killed her," Malik said, and the zombified soldier leapt to his feet and launched himself at Ayaan. The zombie queen and the zombified male soldier fought furiously. Unlike his beloved Mariam, Malik fought strategically. He evaded Ayaan's claws and slashes, frustrating the zombie queen. Malik punched Ayaan, rattling her head and then sent her to the rocky floor with a body shot. The zombie soldier stood over the zombie queen. Ayaan hissed at Malik, and that's when Captain Yusuf joined the fray.

"You traitor," Captain Yusuf said, and he launched himself at Malik. Malik was ready for the Captain. Among humans, a lot of males do nothing to diffuse the situation when their women attack men, but they are quick to intervene when the woman in question is losing a fight to a man whom she attacked in the first place. It seemed to be the same rule among zombies. Malik knew that Captain Yusuf, the wannabe white knight with fangs, would intervene to save Ayaan from him. The Private dealt with the Captain accordingly...

"You chose wrong," Malik said, and he then pierced Captain Yusuf's brain with the same knife that Mariam drove into Ayaan's chest. Captain Yusuf fell to the floor, dead for good. Sensing danger behind him, Malik pulled the dagger from the Captain's forehead and whirled around. Ayaan hissed and sprang to her feet. The zombie queen came at Malik, claws at the ready. Malik punched Ayaan in the face, and then slammed the dagger into her brain. The smart female zombie and wannabe queen fell to the ground, dead. For good this time.

Even though Malik no longer breathed, he sighed. He was alone. All the other smart zombies were dead. Captain Mohamed Yusuf, his friend and former commanding officer. Corporal Mariam Ali, his good friend and colleague. And finally, Ayaan, the evil Undead bitch with delusions of grandeur. Malik cursed himself for not interfering when Mariam duked it out with Ayaan. Malik gathered the others bodies and buried them. It was the least he could do.

After burying his fellow smart zombies, Malik thought long and hard about what to do. First, he dispersed the zombie horde, sending them far from the City of Mogadishu. Next, Malik headed out into the deep desert. Let the humans and the zombies war with one another. Malik, the last of the smart zombies, had enough of both the living and the Undead. He wandered into the desert, and was never seen again. If chess pieces were sentient, some of them would choose to walk away from the chessboard. Malik's part in the zombie apocalypse was over. Let someone else or something else play that game...