Dead and Forsaken

by West, J. D.

  “Hold it right there asshole!”

  The hostage taker was an inmate named Carlos Sandoval. Carlos had just arrived from the jail and was in custody after being arrested for drug possession and firearm violations. . He was here to get treatment for bites he got from a police dog. The incident left him with some deep cuts on his arm and stomach. Luckily he was still handcuffed and shackled. The inmate was allowed out of his holding cell because he needed to use the restroom. The deputy was walking behind him texting on the phone not paying attention. The inmate had scoped out the entire layout of the ER from the very moment he stepped in the door. He used the bathroom trip as an opportunity to turn back and hit the deputy in the head.

  “Take that fucking pig!” He wrestled the deputy to the ground as they both struggled to gain control. The younger prisoner got the upper hand and began to choke the officer using his hand cuffs. The deputy struggled to get free but was dazed after the prisoner grabbed a clump of his hair and began beating his head on the ground. An ER tech tried to help him but was head butted and knocked out. The inmate was able to grab the deputy’s gun and took him hostage.

  “Don’t even think about it white boy.”

  The prisoner took the deputy’s gun and slapped him across the face to show his authority. The scared deputy’s nose was broken. His lips were bruised and blood flowed from his gums.

  “This is Robinson to communications. We have a hostage situation in the ER. I repeat we have a prisoner with a gun and a sheriff deputy has been taken hostage!”

  Hernandez repeated my transmission and radioed for back up. I tried to get in position to take a shot but the prisoner was smart enough to stay behind the officer and use him as a human shield. The deputy was ruffed up but he was still alive. At that point I was concerned that there was a chance that an innocent bystander would be hurt.

  “Don't make me shoot you man!” I pleaded. “We both don't want that!”

  I was talking shit but reluctant to shoot because it wasn't in my nature to kill someone.

  “Put the gun down and let the deputy go!”

  I had done a lion’s share already overseas. The military trained me to do it and not think about it but no one tells you how to forget.

  “Fuck you motherfucker!” boasted the prisoner. “I ain't dropping shit!”

  “Don’t do this.” I ordered. “It won’t end the way you think it will.”

  “Kiss my ass motherfucker!” he answered. “I’m walking out the door or this white boy is going to get smoked.”

  “I can’t let you do that and you know it.” I responded. I walked backwards down the hall as he moved toward me pulling the deputy with him. I had backed down the hall so far that I ended up in front of room # 10. A year ago I would have double tapped that punk and been done with it. Tonight I could not pull the trigger.

  The hall was full of patients and staff members. They screamed and ducked for cover. Others were too afraid to get off their beds. We were in a cramped space and collateral damage was everywhere. I was dealing with a man that clearly had nothing to lose.

  “Get the fuck out my way rent-a-cop!” he responded.

  “Put the gun down sir. No one has to get hurt.” I pleaded.

  “If somebody gets hurt it is going to be you.” he yelled.

  “If you kill me or anyone else then you will get the death penalty for sure.”

  “As long as I got this gun and his pasty white ass!” he yelled. “You can’t tell me shit.” The deputy’s face was turning red and he was starting to sweat.

  “What are you waiting for officer?” he barked. “Shoot this wet back mother fucker.”

  He was talking tough but I saw the fear in his eyes.

  “Don’t worry.” I told him. “I am going to get you out of this!”

  “Just shoot his illegal ass!” he begged. “I got a wife and kids.”

  I was trying to keep Sandoval calm but the deputy’s dumb ass was making things worst. Sandoval smacked him across the nose with the gun again. Then he shoved the barrel of the gun in his mouth.

  “Don’t do it man! He has kids.” I told him.

  “Fuck this racist mother fucker and his family!” he shot back.

  “He might be a jerk but he is still a human being like you and me.” I explained.

  “This redneck thinks that I am a wetback!” he answered. “So you know he don’t care about your black ass.”

  “Me being black ain’t got shit to do with this.” I told him.

  “They got you fooled bro.” he answered. “You being black has everything to do with this.”

  “Nobody has me fooled and you better remember that.” I stressed.

  “White people don't care about you or me.” he screamed. “We are in the same boat.”

  “The only thing that matters is that you’re a criminal and I am not.” I told him. Sandoval had the deputy in a death grip but at least he took the gun out his mouth. I had my gun pointed at him from about four feet away. Sandoval grabbed a handful of his hair and slammed his head into the room # 10 door. We were concentrating on each other and did not see a large set of hands reach out the door. As it flew open all three of us turned and got the shock of our lives.

  The four hundred pound man who I thought died earlier was standing in the doorway. His skin was very pale because blood was no longer circulating to the tissues in his body. The man’s eyes were crazy and frosted over. He looked at me then turned his attention to the deputy.

  “GRRRRRR!”

  Sandoval let the deputy go and took a couple steps back.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” said Sandoval.

  The man gripped the top of the deputy's head in his large hand. Then he swung his right arm over and knocked Sandoval down. With leg braces and handcuffs on he could not catch himself. He fell hard bumping his head on the tile and dropped the deputy's gun. The large man picked the deputy up off the ground with both hands. The deputy’s eyes were fixated on the man’s drooling mouth. His eyes widened in terror and anticipation of pain. Then the deranged man bit down on the officer’s chin and lower jaw.

  “GNAAAW!”

  He used his teeth to peel the skin off the deputy’s face like an orange. Waves of pain coursed through his body. The large man swallowed each mouthful. Blood poured from the deputy’s face covering his tan uniform. It also splashed on the man’s hospital gown.

  Sandoval raised his hands to shield his face from the splatter. I do not know what caused the man to go crazy but he was definitely not dead. “Put him down right now Mister!” I yelled. I struck the man several times with the butt of my gun and he dropped the deputy. Before he could turn I speared him with my shoulder and knocked him into the door frame. He swung his arms around knocking my gun out my hand. I backed up and he lurched forward.

  “Stop right there!” I screamed.

  “GROOOWWWL!”

  He ignored my commands continuing to stumble toward me.

  “I am not going to tell you again.” I repeated. “Stop and get down on the ground.”

  I extracted my baton and took a couple of warning swings in his direction but he was not scared. Joe one of the larger techs tried to grab the man but he ended up on the ground. The large man fell on top of him and pinned him to the ground. The man tried to bite him but Joe stuck his forearm under his neck to keep him at bay.

  “Help me!” cried Joe. “Get this motherfucker off me!”

  I ran over and kneed the man hard on the side of his head. I knocked him off Joe but he did not stay down long.

  “GRRRRRR!”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” I said to myself. “What the fuck are you on dawg?”

  He pulled himself up using one of the beds in the hallway. The bed had a terrif
ied mother and her son in it. The large man’s body cast a shadow over their bed.

  “Not my baby!” begged the woman. She pushed her son against the wall and shielded him with her body

  “GROOOWWWL!”

  “Get the fuck away from them!” yelled Sandoval. I jabbed and struck him at least a dozen times in his legs and lower torso with the baton. He wobbled a little but did not go down. After that he abandoned the mom and her son and started to move in my direction.

  “Let’s see how hard your head is!” I laughed.

  I took a couple of steps back and swung with all my might. The blow hit him in the middle of his forehead. The polished steel opened up a gaping hole rocking him backwards.

  ”That’s what I’m talking about!” laughed Sandoval. Two more blows to the fresh gash sent shards of skull into his brain. He ended up face down.

  “The bigger they are the harder they fall bitch!” I yelled. I kicked him in the head and face repeatedly smashing them into mush. The flowing blood formed an outline of his large body. He was down for the count and was not getting back up. I looked down the hall and Sandoval was getting up off the floor. He picked my gun up and pointed it at me. He smiled at me kind of sneaky and then started to frown. I thought he was about to shoot me.

  Then he shouted out “Get the hell out the way!” I lunged to the left and fell over a wheel chair. From the floor I looked up and realized he was looking behind me at a scraggly looking woman covered in blood. During the fight Sandoval saw her shamble out the doors following two medics. The EMT's had left earlier but came back because one of them forgot his EMT trauma bag. When they went into the trauma room transportation had not picked the woman’s body up yet. She was still on the table covered up with a sheet. They had their backs to the woman looking for the bag when she rose up and climbed down off the table. Neither one of them heard her dragging her foot across the tile floor. She had turned bluish green in the face and was very pale. The woman lunged at one of the medics without warning.

  “GRRRRRR!”

  She bit down on his arm viciously tearing his bicep off. She repeatedly bit chunks and swallowed his flesh.

  “MUNCH! MUNCH! MUNCH!”

  The other medic shoved her to the ground and helped his partner out of the room. As they walked away in shock blood squirted from the injured man’s arm. It dangled by only the bone and tendon. The woman followed the smell of blood until the scent got stronger. Then she pinned his partner against a gurney and violently attacked him.

  “GNAAAW!”

  He suffered painful bites to the right side of his head. The woman put her mouth over the paramedic’s ear biting it off. She slurped it down her throat and let out a primal roar. “Growwwl!”

  She dug into his throat spraying his blood on her face.

  “Eeeyouch!”

  The man pushed her away and grabbed his neck. Sandoval fired the gun at the medic’s crazy attacker but missed. “BANG!” The recoil rocked him backwards and sent his cuffed hands into the air. It almost knocked him off his feet. The gun fire didn't scare her it just brought her closer. He adjusted the gun in his handcuffed hands and fired several more shots. “BANG! BANG!” The hot ejected casings fell onto Sandoval before clanging against the floor. This time the 9mm rounds hit her. The force of the impact spun her around. Her body slumped to the ground. The bullets shattered her jaw and pierced her temple. I stood up and looked around the to see blood everywhere. Then I turned to Sandoval. He lowered the gun and sat down on an empty bed in the hall. I walked over to him and stood in front of him.

  “Nice shot convict!” I told him.

  Sandoval pointed at the large man and said. “You did okay too rent-a-cop.”

  “I need that gun back convict.” I told him.

  “There is some crazy shit going on around here cop.” he said. “I think I'm going keep it.”

  “That is not going to happen.” I told him.

  “I helped you out!” he responded. “Damn you think you would be thankful and shit!”

  “Trust me.” I answered. “I appreciate you stepping in but you’re still a prisoner.” I held my hand out and he placed the gun in it. We both had a grip on it and stared at each other. After a few seconds he let go.

  “I will make sure I put in a good word for you at your trial.” I promised.

  “That’s bullshit and you know it bro!” he said as he stood up.

  Then I placed him in one of the holding cells. I checked the deputy’s pulse only to find he was dead. I remove his duty belt ammunition and placed his gun in my waistband. I surveyed the mess and radioed Hernandez.

  “I don’t know what the hell’s going on but we have multiple people down in the ER main hallway.” I explained.

  “I will call Phoenix PD and see if they can get some officers out here.” He responded.

  “And see if you can get the rest of the guys on the radio or one of the cameras!” I told him.

  “No problem.” he said. “I will call you back when I know something.” The staff rushed in and began emergency care on the wounded. Up and down the hall I observed people that were visibly upset. Some of them had fresh wounds. Most of them were from people falling down or tripping over stuff while trying to get away from the killers. Both of the paramedics were dead after the assault. The staff worked on the other victims. Some of the nurses cried at the horrible site. Thick puddles of blood were everywhere. A janitor and several housekeepers used mops and buckets to try and remove the fresh blood from the tile. Mopping it only smeared it across the floor and made things worst. We wondered what could cause perfectly sane people to snap out and start killing people.

  “They must have been on drugs?” cried a nurse.

  “Did they have mental problems?” a doctor asked.

  “Why would they attack the people that are trying to help them?” said a patient.

  Dr. Black went to talk to the social worker. The two of them would be responsible for notifying the families of the victims and attackers. All around the ER people who witnessed the attacks huddled in groups of twos and threes. Something like this sticks in your mind. You'll never forget it. Whispers about the attack spread around the hospital via E-mail and text messaging. I was halfway down the hall when I saw Dr. Sanchez come out of exam room # 6. She helped a nurse that had blood on her out of the room. A strange looking preacher followed them. He made a cross in the air and then closed the door behind them.

  “What happened? Are you okay?” I asked.

  “I fine Kevin. Just help me with her.” she said.

  “I see that the devil has been to work out here too!” Pastor Harrell said as he looked around. Maria told me about the horror that took place in room # 6. I knew we were in trouble. A dedicated loving son killed his own mother in cold blood. Two other patients that came to the ER with similar bite injuries also went crazy and started killing innocent bystanders.

  It was just like what happened in Tucson. Without test results we wouldn't know for sure. The only other thing they had in common was that they were recently declared deceased.

  “Kevin I saw both of the men in exam rooms # 6 and # 10. Trust me they were both dead!” Maria explained.

  “She is right officer they both had no pulse and stopped breathing.” added Dr. Black. “They were clinically dead.”

  “What about the lady brought in by Phoenix fire Dr. Okonkwo?” I asked. “What is her story?”

  “She was declared dead on arrival after getting to the hospital. I called her time of death myself.” He explained.

  “I am a logical man so none of this made sense.”

  “No offense doctor but dead people do not just rise up and start walking!”

  CHAPTER 6:

  Out of the Darkn
ess

  Dr. Black assembled all the doctors and the charge nurse in the doctor’s lounge to discuss everything that happened. I went too. There was something that we were missing. When I got inside they were all watching TV.

  “Everyone watching or in the sound of my voice I have new and vital information.” said he announcer in a dry monotone voice. “This is a message from the Emergency Broadcast System of Arizona. We are interrupting this regularly scheduled program to issue a disaster warning. The bodies of the dead are returning to life and attacking the living. At first glance they may appear lethargic or intoxicated but don’t be fooled. They may be slow moving but they are persistence. The only way to kill them is to destroy the brain or separate it from the spine. These individuals only desire is to gorge on human flesh. Stay locked in doors and off the street if at all possible.

  Evacuation shelters have been set up and are listed on the bottom of the screen. Most of them have been set up at area high school and college gyms. Evacuees are asked to bring their own food and supplies. This is not a test! Once again this is the Emergency Broadcast System. The EBS was activated to keep you updated with information and informed with instructions. 911 calls are flooding the police and fire department switch boards. Please report any eye witnessed acts of violence or murder.

  Anyone that was bitten is highly contagious. Bite victims suffering from the disease will be in a dazed and trance like state. They will also exhibit extremely violent behavior. We will update information as it becomes available. I repeat the dead have begun to rise! Scientist and doctors from the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, GA have confirmed these reports. The victims will die after a two to six hour incubation period. When the deceased return they will start biting and randomly attacking the living.

  There is no cure and the mortality rate is one hundred percent. Everyone bitten will die only to rise again to kill someone else. The CDC is still classifying the undead as infected and are treating this as a disease. We have survived outbreaks and epidemics in the past but this is genocide. The only thing that can stop them is massive trauma to stop their brain function. They feel no pain. The dead will show no mercy. The forsaken as they are being called kill and eat the flesh of the living. These creatures are dangerous and will attack the living on sight. This could be the end of mankind.”