Outbreaks

by T. L. Frost

  “You got a phone man? Think I could use an ambulance.” Came a voice as Jim strode onto the Metro train’s platform to wait.

  The man who had asked was slumped down against a ticket machine, vomit crusted on the front of his shirt.

  “Had one too many last night did we?” Asked Jim.

  “I think my drink must have been spiked.” Said the man on the platform, his face grey and eyes sunken.

  “I don’t have a phone sorry.” Replied Jim “I’ll try the platform’s information point.”

  “Thanks man.” Said the man before throwing up again.

  Jim winced at the dry, retching sound and went to try the platform’s communication system as the man slumped forward.

  “Hello?” Said Jim pressing the information button “Anyone there?”

  Static burst out from the speaker. Jim tried again, pressing the button a few times but got nothing. The first train of the day pulled into the station. Jim looked for the man on the platform but he was gone. Shrugging, Jim got on the train and took a seat. He was the only passenger and he checked through his pack one more time as he waited for the train to depart. He seemed to have everything and settled back in the seat, planning his route in his mind. A low moan came from somewhere near the platform and Jim looked around wondering if the man he had talked to was still being sick. More moans came then, from different directions. Strange thought Jim, looking for their source. After a few more minutes the doors to the carriages closed, an automated voice giving information about stations ahead. Jim settled back. As the train pulled away the man from the platform appeared again, he was standing looking around.

  “Looks like he’s fine after all.” Said Jim to himself.

  Then the man turned, his grey, expressionless eyes watching the train, searching, window to window, suddenly Jim felt very exposed as he sat in the well-lit carriage looking out. The man moaned as the train pulled away. Jim sat still, not believing the change in the man’s appearance, dark sunken eyes with almost grey pupils, looking all around, dark patches appearing on his skin and seeming to spread as he scanned the train. Then he saw Jim. The eyes fixing on him, mouth opening and closing with lips pulled back to reveal his teeth in a vicious snarl. Jim watched in amazement as the man tilted his head back and screamed. It was a terrifying, chilling sound. Then he ran for the train as it picked up speed. Arms raised, hands curled like claws and a snarl on his face as he ran. Jim stood and took a step back, hands gripping his hiking stick as the man sprinted towards him. With a crash he hit the window, making Jim flinch from the sound of the impact. He bounced off the window, tumbling to the ground and rolling, leaving bloody stains smeared down the glass. As the train got faster, leaving the station Jim saw him jump to his feet, a snarl still on his lips as he ran, trying to catch the train but falling quickly behind.

  Chapter 2

  Sarah hadn’t slept much on Saturday night. Her friend Emma had stayed over and they had been enjoying a girls’ night in with cheesy movies, a take away and wine. The take away had never arrived so Sarah had cooked, a spicy pasta concoction with lots and lots of extra garlic, just how she liked it. They had been having a good time, despite Emma having the flu which was going around. Sarah joking about all the garlic she was putting in killing off any bug, but then Emma had started to quickly get worse.

  “Do you think it was my cooking?” Asked Sarah with a worried expression as Emma was sick again.

  “No I think it’s this flu.” Replied Emma “Even your cooking never makes me this ill.”

  “Ha! Well I’ve survived eating it all my life.” Said Sarah.

  “I think I just need a lie down.” Emma said.

  Sarah helped her friend to bed, she didn’t look well and Sarah was worried. The news was full of reports of people with the flu and they were getting worse too. She checked in on Emma but she was flat out and sleeping like a log.

  “Probably the best thing.” Said Sarah quietly to herself.

  She settled down to watch the news again with another glass of wine. A short while later Sarah woke with a start. She had fallen asleep on the sofa, a noise from somewhere waking her, or had she dreamed it? The news was still on, repeating the stories from earlier. Sarah turned the volume up a little and the noise came again, a banging sound from the spare bedroom.

  “Emma, you awake?” Called Sarah softly as she stood.

  There was no answer and Sarah stood, reaching for the handle to open the door, when a loud bang sounded, something had hit the door. Sarah jumped back, surprised.

  “Emz?” Said Sarah louder “You ok?”

  Something hit the door again, even louder this time, shaking the whole door and frame. Sarah froze, unsure, then reached out again. One of the doors wooden panels burst outwards with loud crash, splinters of wood flying causing Sarah to raise her arms protectively and take a step back. A hand reached through the hole, sharp splinters cutting it as it gripped the wood, pulling a large piece away.

  “Emma!” Shouted Sarah terrified.

  A scream came from behind the door and a loud crash sounded again as Emma forced her head through the hole in the door, her face pale with black patches, grey eyes watching Sarah as she pressed forward. Wooden splinters cut into her face and neck as she pushed, blood spurting outwards and running down the door as she tried to reach Sarah, mouth snapping at her. Sarah moved away, the cuts were deep but Emma pushed on uncaring, moans came from her and the door bowed outwards from the pressure.

  “Emma stop please!” Cried Sarah “You’re ill, I will get you some help!”

  Emma pushed even harder, legs and arms battering at the door as she screamed again, a sound of pure anger and horror. Sarah grabbed her phone and tried the emergency services but there was no reply, only an engaged signal. She moved further away as her friend struggled to get out of the bedroom. The door cracked and splintered, almost breaking as Sarah moved closer to the exit, grabbing her coat as tears ran down her face.

  “Emma stop please!” She said, her voice hoarse.

  Her voice just seemed to spur Emma on and with one final push, the door broke, pieces falling away as Emma tumbled into the room with a scream. Sarah watched in shock as Emma jumped up, blood pouring from the many jagged wounds she had received, her head turning, eyes fastening on Sarah. Her head tilted back and she screamed, a loud and terrible sound. Sarah felt as if her blood froze, then fear at last made her react. She opened the front door and went through, turning back she saw Emma snarl and leap towards her. She slammed the door shut and a loud bang sounded as Emma crashed into it. Sarah backed away as the screams and hammering at the door increased. With tears still in her eyes she turned and ran.

  Chapter 3

  Jim sat in the Metro carriage as it rolled along quietly. He shook his head in disbelief, glad he hadn’t decided to stay and look for the man on the platform. He had looked too ill to move and then had gone berserk. Jim remembered the grey eyes staring and the thrill of fear he had felt as they focused on him. The train pulled into the next station, slowing to a stop, the doors opening automatically. The platform was empty and Jim looked out, the driver was walking down the platform towards him.

  “What happened?” He asked as he inspected the blood on the window.

  “No idea son.” Said Jim “He was sitting on the platform ill and couldn’t move, then he just went nuts. I’m glad the doors were closed.”

  “I saw him hit the train from the cabs monitors.” Said the driver shaking his head “Never seen anything like it.”

  “What now, are you stopping the train here?” Asked Jim.

  The driver shook his head “No, I tried contacting the network’s control room to report it but there was no reply. They have an office at the next main station, I’ll stop there and see what they say.”

  Jim nodded “I’ll stay on in that case, I can get onto another line from there if I have to.”

  “Okay, it’s only a few more stops.” Said the driver as he turned and headed back to his cab a
t the front.

  Jim sat back down and waited as the train pulled away. The next two stops were empty, nobody waiting to get on as the train stopped at each of them, the doors opening and closing automatically. The next stop was the central station, several lines heading in different directions, at least he would be heading out of town after that one. The train rolled along quickly, scenery flashing by as it went into the tunnel under the city, the track sloping downwards gradually. The dark tunnel flashed by as Jim waited for the platform to appear. Soon the train started slowing and Jim stood next to the door, ready to get off and find another train. He thought he heard a scream, but wasn’t sure. The train slowed more and the view of the tunnel changed to a view of the well-lit station at the centre of the city. Jim heard the scream again, followed by others. A man in a suit was running along the platform next to the train, a look of fear and panic on his face, as others chased him. The chasers were almost on top of him as the train slowed, their grey eyes staring as they ran, arms outstretched, bloody, claw like hands reaching for him. The man reached the train, which had almost stopped, hammering madly on the door.

  “Let me in!” He yelled.

  The chasers jumped on the man, pulling him away from the train as his hands tried desperately to grab hold of the smooth, shiny exterior surface of the doors. He was pulled to the ground, still watching the doors, hands grasping towards where Jim stood. One of the chasers knelt down beside the man, leaning forward, its mouth wide open, teeth sinking into him, spurts of bright red blood pumping out as it raised its head again, tearing off a large chunk of flesh from the man’s neck. Then he was lost from sight as more of the grey chasers gathered around him. All along the platform was carnage. More of the grey-eyed chasers were shambling into the station, joining others there or looking around for fresh prey. The train stopped. Jim stepped back, looking around wildly.

  “Oh no, the doors…”

  Looking around he saw an emergency exit on the other side. Jumping onto the rails and heading into a pitch black tunnel wasn’t very appealing but it seemed a hundred times better than the alternative when the doors opened. But they didn’t open. One of the zombies raised its head and saw Jim standing in the carriage. It screamed and rushed forward, and just then, the train started moving again. The creature smashed into the closed doors, hammering at the toughened glass. Others joined it along the length of the train, trying to get in and Jim thought he heard the sound of glass breaking as the train quickly picked up speed, leaving the blood soaked station behind. Jim sat down again, shallow breaths coming quickly as he looked at the blood and gore dripping down the glass of the doors. The train didn’t stop at any more stations after that.

  “This is the driver.” Came the voice over the carriage’s speaker system “I’m taking the train to the last station, there won’t be any more stops until then.”

  Jim breathed out a sigh of relief as the background music came back on. That had been too close. The train rolled on, the stations eerily quiet, though once Jim heard screaming in the distance as they slowed for a bend. Eventually they reached the coast, the final stop. The train crawled along the open platform, lit now by the slowly rising sun. It looked deserted. The train stopped and Jim looked out, nothing was moving as Jim watched and waited for the doors to open.

  “Please step back from the doors.” Came the automated message over the speaker system.

  As they opened, Jim stepped out, looking around. It was all quiet and he breathed a sigh of relief as he turned and headed for the front of the train. The driver appeared from the front carriage, he turned and waved to Jim, walking towards him. As he passed the second carriage Jim noticed the broken window. They must have smashed it at the central station, he thought. Jim hurried, suddenly feeling exposed outside. The driver stopped and examined the damage to the window as Jim got near. Then a scream came, loud and angry. Jim stopped and the driver froze, the sound had come from the carriage with the broken window. The driver took a step back, then another, surprise on his face as he looked at Jim then back at the carriage, then a zombie jumped through the opening where the window had been. It landed on its face in front of the driver, hands clawing at the platform as it struggled to rise.

  “Run!” Shouted Jim looking around and spotting the way off the platform.

  The driver turned, starting to run and Jim watched almost as if he was watching a slow motion scene in a movie, the zombie reached out a hand, arm stretching out as it half stood, half leapt at the man. Its hand grasping as it fell forwards, reaching the driver’s ankle and gripping. The driver fell forward with a yell, face smashing into the concrete platform, leaving him dazed and confused. The zombie pulled itself forward, reaching the driver as he tried to push himself up. Jim ran forward but he knew he was already too late. The zombie raised its head, mouth open and bit into the man’s leg, a large piece of flesh in its mouth as it pulled away, then it quickly crawled up the man, teeth sinking into the back of his neck.

  “No!” Yelled Jim as he ran forward, hiking stick held firmly in both hands.

  The zombie bit into the man’s neck again, blood pouring from the wound, then looked up as Jim reached it. It snarled, starting to rise, mouth open to bite. Jim thrust forward with all his strength, the metal tip of his hiking stick punching through the eye of the creature and smashing through its brain to hit the back of its skull. The Zombie dropped, unmoving.

  “Oh no.” Said Jim kneeling and examining the driver’s wounds.

  It was too late, the huge lumps of flesh the zombie had bitten out of the back of the man’s neck meant he had already bled out. He gave a final gasp and then was still. Jim turned him over and checked for a pulse but it was too late. Jim stood, anger and fear filling him, if only he had been a little quicker he thought…

  Looking around he found the exit again and started walking, trying not to look back at the bodies on the platform. He was almost at the exit gate when he heard a sound. He looked around but nothing moved, then he heard it again, a low, quiet moan. The dead driver twitched. Jim looked on unbelieving. The moan came again and the driver’s body twitched a second time, more violently. His arms moved, his head slowly turning side to side. Jim pushed through the exit gate, leaving the platform behind.

  Chapter 4

  Sarah enjoyed the sunshine as she walked along the beach, seawater lapped peacefully at the shore to her right. She had always loved the coast and had moved nearby a few years ago. She couldn’t afford the properties which overlooked the sea view directly but had managed to find a place a short walk away. The sounds and smells of the popular holiday location had always brought back pleasant memories of family day trips. Fish and chips, the smell of the sea, the shrieks of laughter from the amusement park, all good memories. The only shrieks to be heard now were those of zombies. The smells of the sea mixed with the smells of decay. The fish and chip stalls wouldn’t be opening any more. Climbing some steps leading up from the beach, Sarah risked a look over the top of the sea wall. There were a lot less zombies around here, they seemed to avoid the sea, but their numbers quickly increased just a short distance inland. Soft moans could be heard in the distance as they wandered around, looking, searching. Occasionally, though less often now, the screams came. Wild, animal sounds, sometimes far away, sometimes nearby, always joined quickly by others as the zombies hunted.

  That first day Sarah had ran, her mind numb, hoping for help until realisation had struck. It wasn’t just her friend who had turned into a crazed, bloodthirsty monster, it was almost everybody. She had run for a while, not sure where to go or what to do. Loud, terrifying screams had come from all around. She saw people being chased and attacked in the distance, one or two cars sped by, some with broken and blood-stained windows, but none of them stopped as Sarah tried desperately to signal them. She found herself heading instinctively away from them until she ended up on the promenade overlooking the beach. There were some shabby beach huts there, used in the summer, though most were neglected now. On the
way she had found a builder’s van, doors open, windows smashed and blood-stained. Sarah risked a look inside and had spotted a crowbar among the tools, she grabbed it and ran. Later she used it to break open the door of one of the beach huts, locking herself in and crashing to the floor, her hands trembling as she held tightly to the curved iron bar. She had forced herself to calm down, taking slow, long breaths. Then drying her face, she gritted her teeth, standing and looking out of the salt caked window, she nodded to herself ‘Yes, this will do for now.’ she said to herself as the screams and cries continued in the background.

  After a day hiding, followed by a night of broken sleep filled with nightmares, Sarah woke still feeling tired. She hadn’t eaten in over a day and she was thirsty. The screams had lessened now, replaced by the moans of the creatures as they passed nearby, above where Sarah hid. Looking out of the window again as the sun rose, on a bright but cloudy day, the beach looked quiet, only one person in the far distance to be seen, their clumsy, unnatural walk letting Sarah see it wasn’t a tourist, well not a living one anyway. When it had moved on out of sight Sarah opened the door of the hut, listening for any sounds nearby. Steeling herself, she went out, looking over the sea wall. Just a short distance away, across the main coast road was a small amusement park, lights flickered through the windows of the closed, shuttered arcades, there hadn’t been much business when the flu hit and most places had stayed closed over the weekend. The main gates into the park were open though, one or two business owners well enough to open had made it in, though whether they made it out again was anyone’s guess.