The Last Alive

by H. L. Wampler

  “Maybe they were closed when the outbreak hit?” I puzzled out loud.

  “Maybe,” dad repeated.

  “Where would they keep the keys?” I asked opening another office door.

  “Up here!” Nathan called down.

  “Grab a few sets and let’s find a car before those things realize we’re up here.”

  “Any particular model you would like?” Nathan asked with a laugh.

  “Well let’s see; any BMW’s up there?” Dad laughed.

  “Jokes? Really you two?” I huffed.

  “You’re right, Emma,” Dad said.

  “I just want to get to the city.”

  “We all do, honey,” Dad told me.

  “Alright. I got a few different sets. Let’s go car shopping,” Nathan said handing my father and me each three sets of keys.

  “First one to find a car is the winner.”

  We spread out and started hitting the panic buttons. Not the smartest plan in the world. I thought when an alarm started blaring in the distance.

  “No panic alarms!” Nathan yelled.

  “Yeah, ya think?” I asked.

  “Hit it again!” dad screamed.

  I did. It didn’t go off. It got worse.

  “Shit,” I mumbled to myself.

  “Find that car!” Nathan hollered to us.

  We all broke out in a run in the direction of the car alarm.

  “Look at the tree line!” dad bellowed.

  I looked where he pointed. I squinted unsure of what I was seeing. It looked like the trees were moving. No, they weren’t moving; it was a massive hoard.

  “Oh fuck,” Nathan said quietly.

  “We need to hurry.” Panic crept into my voice.

  “Double time it!” dad shouted.

  We continued running through the parking lot hoping to beat the heard. My heart began pounding again and my legs began to shake. I tripped a few times landing hard on my knees. My thighs ached and my chest burned.

  “Get down! Hide!” Nathan called, dropping to the cement.

  I followed suite and rolled under a car as the herd made its way onto the black top. The car alarm was close. So close. There was no way they wouldn’t notice us.

  Can zombies smell fear?

  I closed my eyes and held my breath as one walked slowly around the car I was under.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What do I do? What do I do?

  I opened my eyes and looked at the underneath of the car. I had no idea what I was looking at.

  Okay. Do something that will distract them. What will distract them long enough for you to escape? Come on, Emma. Use that brain!

  I searched for something that could be the gas hose. They all looked the same though.

  Fuck it. Cut them all!

  I pulled the butcher’s knife out from my belt and began cutting all the hoses. Liquids of various colors spilled out onto the ground. I rolled out from the other side and army crawled along the ground until I found my dad.

  “Shoot at the red Honda,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  “Shoot at the red Honda,” I repeated, pointing to the car I was just under.

  “Why?”

  “Distraction. I cut all the hoses underneath it. One of them was bound to be the gas tank hose.”

  He looked at me puzzled.

  “The heat from the bullet should ignite the gasoline and boom. The car blows up. All the undead around here will go to that leaving us three free to get to that car and get out of here.”

  “Daughter, you are brilliant.”

  “I know, father.” I smiled.

  He stood and fired a shot underneath the car, but nothing happened.

  “Do it again.”

  I looked around and saw Nathan pop up like a whack-a-mole from behind a small black two door. Zombies were shambling toward us as dad aimed again. This time a fire lit beneath the Honda. I watched in anticipation. I could see the underneath of the car ablaze. Within a few minute the gas tank would be hot. Hopefully hot enough to explode.

  “We need to run,” Dad said, yanking on my arm.

  We ran toward Nathan as one of the zombies tripped and face planted into the black top. As we neared the car he was hiding under an explosion sent us flying forward. I landed against a car and slowly slid to the ground. I looked up and saw the car engulfed in flames as were a few of the zombies.

  “It worked!”

  “Yeah now let’s go find that car!” Dad said, climbing to his feet.

  “What the hell was that?” Nathan asked, helping me up.

  “A distraction. Let’s find that car.”

  We ran to the back of the lot where a black Kia Sorrento sat. I handed the keys over to Dad, who rather expertly turned off the alarm, and climbed in. The engine purred to life, and we sped off the lot.

  Fortunately the drive was peaceful. There was a blockade at the Liberty Bridge. Military Humvees lined the street and men with very, very large guns stood in front of our vehicle.

  “Everyone out of the vehicle, please,” a man in camouflage said.

  “Why?”

  “We’re checking everyone for bites.”

  “Nobody was bitten here,” Mom said.

  “Doesn’t matter, ma’am. We have to check everyone,” the man replied.

  Slowly we climbed out. A group of men converged on us and ordered us to remove our shirts and pants. I stood there in my panties and bra completely humiliated. One man checked every square inch of my body. I couldn’t help but think he was taking a little too long.

  “They’re all clear!” one of the men who inspected us shouted.

  “Welcome to Fort Burgh. Enjoy the rest of your lives,” the man who stopped us said.

  I chuckled, he kept a straight face. I would come to learn his name was Bill and he eventually opened a tavern in the middle of the city.

  Chapter Thirty-six

  A Pregnant Meaghan and Nathan’s Crazy Serum

  “What are you going to do?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. What can I do?” Meaghan asked back.

  “Does he know yet?”

  “Nobody knows,” she replied.

  “Are you sure you’re pregnant?”

  “Amazingly the one thing the drug stores are still stocked with is pregnancy tests. I’ve taken six. They all say the same thing. Pregnant.”

  “Why weren’t you using protection?”

  “Emma, I honestly never thought I would get pregnant.”

  “You did. Congratulations you’re the first person in four years to get pregnant in Fort Burgh.”

  “Don’t patronize me, Emma.”

  “I don’t know what you want me to say, Meaghan. I can’t believe you’d be so irresponsible!”

  “Me? Am I the one who dragged you out into the wild to go save my boyfriend? No!”

  “I didn’t drag you anywhere! I told you to stay here!”

  “I wasn’t going to let you go out alone! You’re my best friend!” she shouted, sobbing again.

  I took a few deep breaths. I knew she didn’t need to be lectured about anything right away. She needed a friend. I need to put my feelings aside and be there for her.

  “You’re my best friend, too, Meaghan. I’m just worried about you. I don’t want to see you end up…I don’t even know.”

  “I know. I just need you here for me.”

  “Let me go talk to Nathan. If this serum works, maybe your kid will be the future and not have to endure what we have for the past four years.”

  “Do you think it could have the kind of life we did when we were little?”

  “Not quite the same, but it’ll hopefully be zombie free eventually.”

  “I’d like that,” she sniffed.

  “Go talk to your parents, tell the boyfriend, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” I hugged her and headed back for the apartment.

  “Nathan?” I called out.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Do you really think that serum of yours w
ill work?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll find out tomorrow,” he replied. “Why?”

  “Meaghan is pregnant. I don’t want her baby to grow up in this shitastic world. Make that serum work.”

  “I’m sorry, but who’s pregnant?”

  “Meaghan. My Meaghan. She’s pregnant.”

  “Pregnant? As in pregnant pregnant?” he asked astounded.

  “Is there any other kind of pregnant? And can we stop saying that word. It’s starting to sound weird.”

  “Why did she get pregnant?”

  “I don’t know, she was bored? She didn’t do it on purpose. It was a surprise,” I said.

  “Well that’s some surprise,” he mumbled.

  “Anyway, Mr. Negative, if that serum works will it be safe for a pregnant woman?”

  “I have no idea! I didn’t think about pregnant women,” he said, furrowing his brows.

  “You have one to experiment on,” I muttered.

  “I don’t think so. What if it causes some birth defect or something?”

  “I’d rather the baby be born with a birth defect then bit by a zombie.”

  “I can inoculate her when she gives birth.”

  “Will we be back from taking shipments up and down the cost?” I asked.

  His face dropped. “I don’t know.”

  “Should we postpone the trip?”

  “Perhaps.”

  We spent the rest of the afternoon reading books and talking. Every few hours he’d take his vitals to be sure that he was still the same as before he injected himself. By time we fell asleep he was still one-hundred percent normal.

  As the morning light shone into our bedroom I yawned and stretched out. I reached over to Nathan’s side of the bed but it was so cold. I sat up and looked around but didn’t see him.

  “Nathan?” I called out sleepily.

  “What?”

  “God, why do you do that?” I asked, climbing out of bed.

  “Do what?” he asked.

  “Just get out of bed and not tell me!”

  “You were sleeping.” He laughed.

  “Then stay put till I wake up!” I exclaimed. “How are you feeling?”

  “Fine.”

  “Everything normal?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “When are you going to do it?”

  “In about two hours,” he said while biting his lip.

  “Are you nervous?”

  “Honestly? A little.”

  “I’m going to shower and we can go,” I said kissing his cheek.

  “Will you be okay with this?” he asked.

  I picked up my pistol from the bedside table and handed it to him. “I’ll be with you like you were with me.”

  “You’ll do it?”

  “Yes. I don’t want that weirdo Andrew near you.”

  “Hmm, me either.”

  We left the apartment in silence walking toward the gate hand in hand. Only a select few people knew about the plan.

  “You ready?” Bill asked as we neared the post.

  Nathan nodded.

  “Stay here, Emma.”

  “Be fast,” I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  “I will,” he said, pressing his lips to mine.

  “I love you, Nathan.”

  “I love you too, Emma.”

  I walked to the gate and watched as Nathan and Bill walked out. They didn’t have to wait long for undead to come out of the woodworks.

  “Which one do you want?” Bill asked.

  “Does it matter?” Nathan asked back.

  “I suppose not,” Bill said.

  “You’re crazy, doc.” Taz shook his head.

  “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

  “I’m not about to let you have all the fun though.” Taz smiled, rolling his sleeves up.

  I’d never seen a person tackle a zombie before. For being a middle aged man, Bill was agile. He ran out with his head down and rammed himself into the stomach of the first zombie he saw. It fell over, groaning the entire way. He quickly rolled the monster onto its stomach and tied the hands behind its back with twine. Bill then hauled the thing to its feet and pushed it toward Nathan.

  “How do you want to do this?” Bill asked.

  “As soon as it bites me, you kill it.”

  “Sounds good, boss.”

  I bit my lip as Nathan hesitantly stepped forward with his arm out. The zombie gnashed at the air. He pursed his lips tightly and shoved his forearm in the zombie’s face. I watched as its teeth sank into his flesh. He screamed out in pain as a single gun-shot resounded.

  “Hurry, back inside!” Bill let the zombie fall to the ground and pushed Nathan toward the gate.

  “Close it, Arty!” Bill shouted up.

  “What’s going to happen to the doc?” he asked.

  “Don’t know yet. Remember, you tell no one!”

  “Sure,” the man said quickly lowering the gate.

  I grabbed Nathan’s other arm and we quickly led him to the dungeons.

  “What happened?” Andrew asked as we helped Nathan sit on the bench.

  “None of your business,” I replied through gritted teeth.

  “If he was bit it’s my business,” the man snarled.

  I pulled the pistol out of my holster and pressed the barrel to his head. “Take one fucking step in here and I’ll blow your fucking brains out, Andrew.”

  He held his hands up defensively. “I ain’t doing nothing.”

  “I know what kind of a monster you are. If something happens to Nathan I will take care of it. Now leave us alone.”

  Taz pushed the man back, out of view of what we were doing.

  I sat beside my love and waited. I don’t know how long we sat there but I didn’t take my eyes off of him.

  “Here’s some first aid stuff,” Bill said, handing a small white kit to me.

  “Thanks.”

  “How ya doing, doc?”

  “So far so good,” he said, smiling.

  “It hurt?”

  “Like hell, but the aspirin should help with that.”

  I poured alcohol over the bite, rubbed antibacterial gel on it, and wrapped gauze around to prevent outside infection.

  “Not bad. Maybe I’ll make you my nurse.” He smiled at me.

  “I don’t think so.” I laughed.

  Bill stood outside the cell and continued waiting with me. The hours ticked by so slowly. I could feel drowsiness creeping in on me.

  No sleeping, Emma! Be vigilant! You must be vigilant. If he turns you have to do it!

  “How long has it been?” Bill asked.

  “A few hours.”

  “So it worked?”

  “I don’t know yet,” Nathan replied.

  “How much longer are you giving it?” I asked.

  “I want to give it a full forty-eight hours.”

  “Forty-eight?” Bill asked.

  “Yeah,” Nathan stated.

  “Then we’re going to need food. I’ll be back.”

  Bill returned after twenty minutes with a huge tray full of food. We sat around pigging out and waiting for something to happen. We never left Nathan’s side. The two days felt like two months. An alarm started going off from Nathan’s wrist watch.

  “It worked,” he said, standing up.

  “It did?”

  “It’s been forty-eight hours. Nothing happened.” He pulled the gauze off his arm and examined the bite mark.

  “It started healing! Like mine!”

  “Not as fast, but yes. I think I’ve found a vaccine.”

  “Unbelievable,” Bill gushed, staring at the fading teeth marks.

  “It’s unreal,” I said.

  “What are you going to do now?” Bill asked.

  “Making up as much of the vaccine as I can.”

  Nathan was able to produce fifty cases of his vaccine within the eight months of its discovery and Meaghan telling me she was pregnant. Of course I helped a bit. We se
nt word to the other forts and colonies about the vaccinations that we’d be delivering to every port town. A barge docked the night before in preparation of our long journey. Before going though we decided to inoculate Fort Burgh first. They would be the leaders. They would begin the zombie extermination without fear of a bite ending them. Of course if a vital organ or their neck was ripped out; they were shit out of luck, but a simple bite wouldn’t turn them.

  “Emma!” Meaghan screamed from a table over.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My water broke! It’s time!” she cried.

  “Shit! Nathan! Let’s go!”

  “What? Why?” he asked.

  “Meaghan’s in labor!”

  “Let’s go!” he exclaimed.

  I never witnessed a birth before. After helping I never wanted to see another one again. Liz assisted Nathan with the delivery. She was a paramedic prior to the zombipocalpyse and helped deliver quite a few babies in her time. Ethan impressed me by stepping up to the plate. He moved Meaghan into his apartment, which was enormous, and set up a nursery. He held the baby girl delicately in his arms while tears streamed down his cheeks.

  “Is she okay?” Meaghan cried.

  “She’s perfect!” Ethan exclaimed, handing her over to my best friend.

  “My little Becca,” she cooed.

  I looked up at her confused.

  “We decided to name her Becca. If that’s okay with you,” Ethan said with a weary smile.

  I pursed my lips as the tears flowed and nodded my head.

  “That is the perfect name,” Nathan smiled.

  “When do you leave?” Meaghan asked.

  Nathan glanced down at his watch, “About three hours.”

  “You’ll be back soon?”

  “As soon as we can!” I said, taking the baby from Meaghan.

  She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. She had soft, brown, fuzzy hair; bright green eyes; and a very squishy face. The baby squinted up at me and with all her effort I swear she smiled a big toothless smile at me.

  “I will be back to see you, Becca. I promise. So get big and start walking so we can get into trouble and drive your momma crazy!” I kissed the girl on her little forehead before handing her back over to Meaghan.

  “I love you,” she said softly.

  “I love you, too. I’ll see you soon. Rest up.” I looked at Ethan who sat next to his little family, “You better take care of them.”