" What do I lack?. Why would you do this to me?. Why are you so heartless?. I was there before your peak, yet, so see me as worthless to be on your side."
- by anonymous 

A single sound as a bird chirping wasn't what I hear the next afternoon as I woke up. A deep growl and choking was what woke me up, up here, 20th feet from the ground. The sound resonating around the woods, as I look down, a big guy, with a line of citrine on his back. He was a big, really big guy, he was half a way from my spot. He was built four time bigger than a big human I possibly have seen in my life. 
What I heard as a growl and choking was a sea of zombies were followed behind him. A pale skin, almost blueish, with a muscles like a monster it is, grabbing a zombie nearest with him, he throw into the ground, with a cracked of bone heard, as he took him and throw into the ground again, and again. 
He pulled the body the same level with his eyes, as he snapped the head and shove into his mouth, the size make him looks like, the monster just ate a whole chicken. He throw the remaining body, as the growling went deeper and increased in the air. 
I gulped harder. 
That's might be me. What the fuck was that?. What the fuck is happening?. My head might be gobble up by this big monster and at size a whole chicken in his hand?. I was glad I climbed high enough when I thought it was fine yesterday for being only 10th feet up here, but I was uneasy and went for another 10th feet. 
What made my spine vibrated even more, he wasn't stomping, he was the mountain jumping from one foot to another foot, as the woods filled with his thundered steps on the ground and wasn't even running. 
I was sweating cold, hoping they doesn't lay any eyes on me. 
But, that's hope crash when one of the zombie shrieking when I was focused on the big guy. It's came clawing the tree I was on. The big guy turned in a sharp turn, making something snap inside me, and it made me terribly remind of my very own death, soon. 
My butt could feel every stomp of his giant feet, as I almost fell by that's vibration only. I clutches the trunk harder, refused to be the zombies food today. Hoping the big guy might passed me as a twig, not worthy to be eaten.
The tree shake like crazy, until I almost saw the zombie a couple feet from me, held out their hands to grab me. One of them successfully grab my shirt with the smeared blood hand. The tree bend back in a quick breath, as it shake like crazy, almost sending me crash into the ground a couple time. But, a deep roar was heard, before the zombie can grab me. 
Oddly enough, the zombie does step back as they watch the big guy trying to get me off from the trunk. I just realized the tree was pulled from the ground with those roots unable to keep them on the earth. 
Seeing the monster doesn't have pattern in his violence, I tried to reach others trunk, I want to survive, I don't care if I hurt to have that. 
A couple tried was failed until I give it a bear hug and trying to quickly let go the trunk which get brutally knocked off the ground. I certainly doesn't survive that. 
The big guy went to my spot earlier to give a check. When the spot was nothing but, a brutal sign of his violence, he roar loudly, making the zombies shrink into four stance, clicking in their throats. 
Worried, I reached to climb another few feet. I think I was twelfth feet or so, and that's was nothing but danger. I quickly went into action before the big guy see me. 
Thanks to whatever my past was, I climbed like a skilled monkey almost to the top of the tree, where I know was unstable, but safe enough from their eyes. It's a tree, and it's not weird when I see a squirrel jumping to the tree with a berry in its hand. Upon seeing me, it's land on wrong feet and fall down. I almost catch it, but only a tail touch the tip of my finger. 
My heart beating madly as I watched the zombie shrieking and killing each other for a squirrel. The blood splashed as they ripped the tiny creature. 
I shoved my head further into the trunk, unable to see more from what I had experienced. I think that's a miracle, I could reach the other tree in time before getting squash into the ground.
............
I was scared. I was scared to climb down and find another way to the safety. I was on the tree, with both hands feels numb, but I refuse to let go the tree. Even when the sea of zombies and the big guy passed my sight, I just can't shake off the feeling. 
I have long lost the trace of time when I heard a car with bad engine, the smoke puff out like a coughing smoker. The car stopped just a few trees from mine. And it's silent again.
I waited. Worried if this time a zombie ride a car. Anything possible. 
However, the old rusty red car make a noise when the driver open the door, and pushed it back, closing it. He wore an old jean, with a leather brown coat, he shove something on his long dark hair, a hat, a whole look of a logger but in the same time, a cowboy. 
He leaned on the car, and grabbed something inside his coat pocket until he flick it up, and he dragged and puff the smoke out of his nose. A cigarette, I guess. 
Some time later after I contemplating to climb down and ask for his help, a motorcycle roar in the air, coming closer and closer.
Do these guys doesn't scared of zombies? They might come after those sound of an evil engine. 
The red motorcycle come and stopped right next to his car, in front of the man. Unlike the other, this man has a shotgun behind his back. A couple smaller gun in both his side, and not to ignore the long ass leather thing for that butcher knife except this is larger than an average butcher had.
He wear a simple plain dark cotton shirt with a pants matching his dark hair. He climbed off his motorbike, as he went closer to the man. They talked about something until it went heated, the motorbike man, went to his bike, pulled something from under the sit. He throw the envelope to the cowboy man's face and leave. 
The roar of his motorbike fading away as the man look up. The man waving his hand to me. Not gonna lie, my heart drop a little bit, scared of nothing. Kill me. Since when I became this weak?.
I climb down as he asked. Either way, he does not look bad at all. The worst could happen is me died, that's not the worst if you being saved from this nightmare though.
As I reached the ground, he came patted my shirt, trying to smooth it out. He chuckled. He looks like someone who is good at being grandpa.
"You do look like you need some shower. How's up there?"
I looked at him, not knowing what to say. It's been a while since I see real people and the flickering memories doesn't count at that. 
" I uh..."
He smile warmly. He put his hand on my shoulder as if trying to comfort me. He have a bit wrinkles, and from this close, I saw his beard getting white and same goes with his long to shoulder hair. 
I was glad, he's here. With me. This time I wasn't alone. And that thought makes my eyes water without I realised until he give me a bro hug. Patting my back so hard, I nearly get my spine broken.
"No need to tell me what you have been through, young man. What if I gave you place to stay for some days?."
How is that?. My tears don't stop flowing, it's just a couple of zombies, but this like I have gone through something big and much much worst and a kind words is something I need so much. 
He pulled from the embrace as he patted my shoulder this time. That gonna paint some other bruise. 
" You done well, young man. You done well."
And he spent another couple hours in the car trying to take my mind off from what happens back there. 
"This place called redwood forest. There's redwood outpost here. Safe from the zombies. Yup, there it is."
We passed by a base called redwood outpost and Dylan slowed down a bit, there between two hill, there's an outpost with stack of logs at the left of it. And it's heavily guarded, with a high thick wooden fence. The guard perches up there with guns in their hands, extra gun behind them, with a heavy soldier suit up. 
One of them gave us a glance, and this old man I found out his name Dylan, waved his hand and the guard gave a brief nod stiffly.
"It's a safe place. Not as safe like the raven shelter though, but safe as it is."
He said as he sped up the car. 
"Then, why don't you stay there?."
He laughed before he answered. 
"I have a place to protect, and we refuse to be there where everyone does not trust the people there."
"But, you do."
He paused a lot longer. 
"I was. But not anymore. I don't after what happened. And all I believe we still can have that safety if we built it right."
I stared at his side profile, confused. But decided to not dig anymore. His eyes squinted as if he remembers bad, really bad things. His chins tremble before answering my questions, that's enough for me to know, he went something bigger than what I have.
" Why do you accept me Dylan?. What if I am an evil person?."
He laughed, so loud. My head ring with the intensity of his laugh. 
"You?. Evil?. The one who hug the tree like it's his last life line?. You, who cried?. No man. Anyhow, I see you want to survive. If not that, I would kill you there right away."
He is not kidding because his gun is tucked on his waist like a cowboy he is. And I swear I just noticed that. 
"What happened here?. What was those things?."
He gave a weird look for a second before he stare on the road again. 
"It's been a year, lad. What do you mean has happened?."
I took my time trying to remember. It's been a year, but how am I alive?.
"I don't really remember. As if all my memories being wiped out. All I know I woke up near the river and trying to find help when I stumbled upon those creatures."
He paused. Again.
"You might need some rest first."
He said as he swing the car to the left and went for a narrower mud path. The car shook, as the mud and some rock did not go well together. He drove farther away from the road, that's all I can see now was woods, even the road wasn't in sight anymore. 
I start doubted my choice to follow him until there's a big beam as an entrance. There's a small hut inside of it, at least three men guarded the entrance. They take a look, and curiously look at me, before they pull the rope of the wood gate with a small space at the middle, probably helping them to see who's coming.
The vibrations from the heavy gate fascinated me, thinking how the fuck they built all this with wood at that. 
There was a line on the right and the left side with wooden building, with a sign in front each of them. I recalled the sign hospital and there's a white van next to it, a cart sign, with a lot of things in there and many sign I barely know it's meaning. After the line, there's another gate with metal fence this time with spike lining up there, and there's a hut each corner, heavily guarded. 
The guard shout "chief!. Open the gate!."
Probably to their chief. 
The metal gate open, the place surrounded with trees, barely seen even from far. The line up house certainly lead to somewhere, I thought. But at the end of the line, there's a house built like a whole court except this built with log. 
It's three floor at the middle, with both left and right two floors, and a whole greenhouse in front of it. And surrounded by spice plants as a decor or what?. Red chillies is all I know from those plants. 
The green house is a twice size from those lined up house. 
Dylan parked the car in the garage next to a house near the court house or whatever that is. He climbed off, signalling me to do the same.
I scattered out the car, and went to walk on his side. 
"That's the main house where we kept a lot of things and held meeting there. And that's a whole greenhouse to feed all of us. We have barn back there. We also have open pool."
He looked at me at that sentence. I looked back, oddly. He is a man a few centimetres taller than me, so, it's wasn't intimidating to be here at least. 
"Just kidding young lad. It's a river."
He laugh, loudly. Again. That makes an old lady came running to the door connected with garage. 
"What happened Dylan?... Oh, who's that young man?."
The old lady pulled me inside their house, the kitchen with a toilet and a room before the stairs lead to somewhere on second floor. The place has a glass cupboard with a lot of dishes I doubt they use. 
"He is a young man I found on the tree Sarah, he cuddle it up like a little panda he is. "
Dylan laughed again. But, the old lady, Sarah gave him a glare which he choose to shut his mouth right away. 
"You must be hungry. Come, I just finished cooking some food."
She pulled me to the round shape dining table, with three seats there. 
"Oh, Sarah. I was joking but I do find him in the tree."
"Dylan!."
Sarah slapped his tummy and he almost laughed before he saw the stare and started crumbling to the floor, pretending to be hurt. Sarah took some plate and mug, set it in the table. 
"Let me help you, ma'am."
She snapped to me, seemingly surprises as her eyes brimmed with tears. She brought the soup to the table and a bowl of salad. 
"No, no need young man. You must be tired after all the journey. Just sit down, please."
My heart shrunk painfully at her shaking voice, as if reminded me of something. I sat as she told me to. Dylan soon find his place to my right after helping Sarah with all the foods.
"Oh Sarah, don't. You cry in front of our guest."
The lady wipe her tears with her sleeve. 
" I am so sorry. It's not a kind of me."
"It's fine, ma'am."
"Just Sarah. Don't 'ma'am' with me."
She chuckles.
"Eat, then you can take a shower and rest."
Dylan nodded beside me already shoving his food into his face.
However it's an odd to me to see three seats and many pairs in three. If there's someone else, their child maybe. I might be a complete ass for taking their seat.
"Do you perhaps have someone else in the house?."
They paused. Then, Sarah looks at me with a warm smile. 
"No, we don't. He left for some work, so you can use his room later. I forgot to tell you that. Do you mind sleep in his room?."
"If he is fine with that."
I hesitated.
"Don't worry. He won't be back for some years. Just use them how long you want. You can stay for sure with us here."
Dylan cut off before Sarah could say anything. He smiled, hopeful glitter in his eyes. 
I nodded, being nothing less than gratitude. They both have safe my life.
And I survived because of them.