Planet Dead 2
Patient Zero
Sylvester Barzey
There isn't a day that passes, that I don't wish I did more. This maybe too little and too late but this one is for you.
I miss you & I love you Dad.
For My Angel, My Little Monster & My Mama.
Contents
Foreword
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Afterword
About the Author
Also by Sylvester Barzey
Foreword
If you enjoy this book:
Leave a review
Tell a friend
Visit sylvesterbarzey.com for more
Thank You
Prologue
December 24, 2020 Present Day
“Do you still dream about it?” He asked.
“Dream about what?” She replied.
“The event.” He said.
Her eyes closed as the doctor tapped his pen along the clipboard.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Her eyelids flickered and slowly rolled. It had been sometime since ‘The Event’ and she was still getting used to life after it. They had running water now, hot and cold. Warm beds, and even three hot meals a day. Things were safe within the walls of the compound, but beyond the walls were monsters. Ones that hunted you, tortured you and then consumed you. Monsters ran the world and walking among the monsters were zombies. The world fell apart and humanity went with it, but none of that was news to Sue.
“Is that what we’re calling it?” Sue asked.
“What would you like to call it?” The Doctor replied. Sue opened her eyes and folded her arms over her chest, her white tank top was clean and bright, so much so it stood out against her back jeans and black combat boots.
“How about the day my best friend died?” Sue hissed. The doctor leaned back in his seat and slowly took his glasses off, he tossed them onto the desk and sighed as he ran his hands over his face.
“That’s a bit dramatic don’t you think? You only knew each other for…” He pulled open a tan folder and ran his fingers along the black marks on the paper, before finally saying, “Three days?” The folder dropped down onto the desk and the Doctor picked up his clipboard, the tapping continued.
Tap.
Tap.
“How long is our life expectancy?” Sue asked.
“Excuse me?” The doctor replied. Sue smirked as her eyes went toward the glass window of the office door. Jordan was standing outside, he waved slightly and Sue waved back.
“I bet it’s something like 5 years now.” She said.
“A little more than that but you’re not far off.” The doctor replied. Sue nodded and her gaze fell back upon the doctor once again,
“Yeah, well with the risk of me dropping dead tomorrow, I think three days is enough to enter the BFF zone.” Sue said.
“And is that where you and Mrs. Briggs were? The BFF zone?” The doctor asked. Sue stood up and shook her head,
“I don’t understand why we’re still doing this. It’s been what? A year now? If you guys don’t trust us by now-” Sue’s words were cut short by the sound of her folder flying open once again. “Fuck are you looking for?” Sue asked. She watched as his fingers traced along the white page, slowly feeling every ripple the black ink made.
“August eighth, patient displays anger issues, is unresponsive to staff direction. October twentieth, patient refuses to eat. Patient has been reported to be scream nightly in her sleep. This is due to-” Now it was the doctor’s turn to be cut off as Sue’s hand slapped down into the middle of the page.
“You can fucking read! That’s great, I’m really proud of you.” Sue said, when her hand came back the files came back with it and went flying across the room. Papers exploded as the folder slapped into the nearby wall.
“You’re suffering from some form of PTSD Sue, and you need to get a hold of it before you end up trying it again!” He shouted. Their blue eyes were locked on one another, this was a weekly dance they had ever since Sue was deemed a danger to herself and others. Sue was the first to break away as her blonde hair swung behind her as she stormed toward the door. She knew all too well what she did, everyone in the compound knew. Sue was the talk of the building, the girl who wanted the easy way out. When her hand grabbed the door knob, Sue stared down at the jagged scar that wrapped around her wrist, like some kind of sinful bracelet.
“Nightmares,” Sue said softly.
“What?” The doctor replied.
“I don’t dream about it, I have nightmares.” Sue said but before the doctor could think to answer, Sue quickly added, “There’s a difference!” The slam of the door echoed through the empty hallway and then was met by the shattering sound of the doctor’s diplomas hitting the wooden floor. Sue smiled as she listened to the sound of the glass dancing behind her, then her eyes fell upon Jordan who was glaring at her with his arms crossed.
“What?” Sue asked.
“You keep this up and they’ll ship you out.” Jordan said, his arms dropped and he shoved his hands into his pockets. The boy turned on his heels and started walking down the hallway before saying. “And I won’t be able to stop them this time.”
“Well good! Maybe I don’t wanna be here,” Sue said. The statement sounded so childish when it hit the air that even Sue questioned if it really came out of her month. She was on the short list to be removed from the compound, Sue knew that. The only two things that kept her safe was the fact Tennessee was closer to the door than she was and Jordan.
Jordan had become Dr. Brooks’ right hand in the compound, he could have just given his blood every week and went back to the bunk but he decided to help out, to learn. Because of this he had a voice in some matters, it was a small voice no doubt, but a voice nonetheless. Jordan stopped in his tracks, looking over his shoulder at Sue, he asked,
“Are you drunk?”
Sue rolled her eyes, “I haven’t had a drink all morning.” She said.
“It’s five in the afternoon and you smell like you took a bath in vodka.” Jordan said. Sue lifted her arm and took a quick sniff of her armpit. Her head quickly turned, vodka was a polite comparison. The scent of alcohol and vomit burned through Sue’s nostrils causing her to gag. Her hand shot over her mouth as she felt the liquid burning in her throat as the bail made it’s way up. Sue’s eyes closed and she felt Jordan’s soft hand, patting her on the back. Jordan hooked one of Sue’s arms around him and did his best to ignore the sweaty body odor that she was admitting. “Let’s go get you cleaned up.” He said softly. Sue wanted to protest, she wanted to fall to the ground and curl into a ball. A dirty pathetic little ball, that was planning on drinking and crying her way through life. Sue was broken and she wanted to stay that way, but as she felt the cool porcelain of the bathtub meet her cheek, she knew Jordan would never allow that.
“I’m sorry,” Sue said.
“No, I’m sorry,” Jordan replied. His hand pulled down on the shower handle and a stream of cold water came rushing down onto a fully dressed Sue. The woman shot up in the tub and screamed. “I’ll see you at the mess hall for chow,” Jordan
said with a laugh. A shampoo bottle went flying but Jordan slammed the door behind him, causing Sue to miss her target. She scrambled along the clawfoot porcelain tub, trying to get to the shower handle. After a slip or two she finally turned the water to a soul satisfying temperature. The type of warmth that made you want to stay under the water forever and hope it could some how wash your day away. Sue tossed her wet clothes to the floor and let her thoughts run down her body with the rest of the dirt and grime.
I can’t do this anymore.
I don’t wanna do this anymore.
The unwanted thoughts of a broken woman came in and out of her head, till she heard the voice of a strong woman say ‘Cry tomorrow. Fight today.’ Sue started mouthing the words to herself as her hands ran over the thick skinned scars that lined her back and sides. Sue picked up her face and let the water wash over her before she heard another voice, but this one wasn’t in her head. This one she wished she had never heard.
“I heard you passed out in the bar again.” Tennessee shouted. She started laughing as her knuckles knocked into the wood. “Hurry the hell up, Peter wants us all at dinner.” Tennessee looked at her black fingernails and smiled, “Like some fucked up family.” She softly said.
“I’ll be there in a few,” Sue shouted over the sound of the water. Sue had gotten good at two things since she got to the compound. One of her amazing skills was being able to pass out anywhere and everywhere after a bottle of vodka or three bottles of wine. Sadly wine was getting harder to come by, so the cheap Russian poison was all Sue could hone her craft with. The second was a skill she had been perfecting long before the dead walked the earth. Lying, was a trade that Sue had mastered. Being able to swear you’re fine, to smile when you want to scream, and to be best friends when your soul wants to reach out and strangle a bitch.
“I’ll meet you out there, just got to sober up first.” Sue said. She listened for Tennessee’s laugh, then for the footsteps, and then the metal click of the door. With that the water quickly turned off and Sue stepped onto the cold black and white tiles. “Bitch.” Sue said softly.
A few minutes later, Sue was pushing open the double doors to the mess hall. She scanned the area for a moment, taking in the large wooden floor that held dozens of folding tables and chairs. Sue’s late entrance wasn’t the focus of the room, no their eyes were all locked on Peter and his makeshift santa outfit. The jacket looked like an old firefighter jacket that he had sprayed red and lined with crumpled paper. He had a white mop hanging from his chin like Santa’s snow white bread and he held his stomach that was clearly more pillow than Peter as he laughed.
“Ho, ho, ho!” Peter shouted. Jordan leaned back in his seat and screamed,
“Look everyone, it’s Hoodrat Santa!” The room broke into a roar of laughter. Peter glared at Jordan and he put his fist up waving it.
“Words hurt, you little punk.” Peter said softly. The laughter followed Sue down the long walk to her seat which was right next to Peter and right across from Jordan and Tennessee. Sue put her elbow on the table and leaned on her hand staring at Peter.
“What are you doing?” She asked. Peter pointed at his ears as he shouted,
“Santa can’t hear you over the mountain of disrespect in this room, darling!” The laughing slowly started to die down and Peter slapped his padded belly as he continued, “As you know Christmas is tomorrow and there have been a lot of good boys and girls who haven’t told Santa what they want this year.” Sue stared past the mop and locked eyes with Peter. It was for only one short moment where his hazel met her blue and their union built a small smile on her face. Peter’s eyes were pulled away as Dr. Brooks’ hand rested on his shoulder.
“No one wants to do this sweetie,” Dr. Brooks whispered. Sue sat up right and shrugged,
“I don’t know, maybe a little Christmas sprint is just what we need around here.” Sue said.
“I don’t think we need any more damn sprints around here. I swear my room is haunted.” Tennessee replied. Jordan started laughing as he said,
“Welcome to New Orleans.” Tennessee stuck her tongue out at the boy and motioned her head towards Peter.
“Go sit on Uncle Santa’s lap, so we can have dinner and get the fuck out of here.” Tennessee said.
“I’m okay.” Jordan replied. Peter rubbed his padded belly and shouted,
“Ho, ho, ho!” Before leaning down to Peter’s level and saying, “If the children won’t come to Santa, Santa will come to the children!” Peter got down on his knees and put his hands on Jordan’s shoulders. The room was focused on them as Peter said, “What do you want for Christmas little man?” Their two eyes met one another, the same eyes that shared dinners and campfires. The same eyes that watched the dead rise and the living fall. Those eyes locked and it was Jordan who looked away when the tears started to come. The boy sprung up and pushed past his uncle as he went running through the mess hall.
“I’m guessing what he wants ain’t in that trash bag Santa,” Tennessee said with a smirk.
“I thought he would like this,” Peter said softly as he sat there on the floor. Sue’s hand went out and rubbed Peter’s black waved hair. Peter looked up at her and she didn’t need the question to be asked. She stood up and started down the path Jordan had left, to ensure he was okay.
“Jordan?” Sue whispered. She cautiously crept through the darkness of The Lalaurie Mansion. It was a house with a cold and dark history that matched its apocalyptic present. Why the government decided to fortify such a place of pain over the countless other locations forever puzzled Sue. She turned another corner and came to a complete stop. There were no dim lights or LED lanterns resting on end tables like in the many other corridors of the mansion. No, this hall was covered in the eerie feeling of dread that seemed to have carved a home in the walls of the mansion over the years. The windows had been reinforced and sealed with metal shutters, that were programmed to only open with a keycard. They were locked away for their safety, that’s what they were told when they arrived in New Orleans, but locks can be for both safety and imprisonment. Sometimes Sue wondered if her drinking wasn’t to just ease the pain and memories away, but also a sad attempt to get a good night's sleep in a house that the devil built. “Jordan!” Sue shouted with a stomp. Refusing to venture any deeper into the dark. The house was silent, only Sue’s frantically speeding heartbeat could be heard. Dr. Brooks told sue time and time again, it was stupid to be scared of an old house when there were flesh eating monsters only a few feet outside the mansion doors. There were three places Sue didn’t want to be during a zombie outbreak, Time Square during New Years, the hospital during any point of the year and Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. Wall to wall people mixed with one infected turned New Orleans Into a booze filled death trap, with the mansion being the only safe haven for miles. Well as far as they knew. While being scared of a house during an apocalypse was seen as ridiculous by the doctor it didn’t put Sue’s mind at ease during the nights. Aside from that, Sue once thought clowns were a fear of the past and she found out how wrong she was.
“Come here,” a soft disembodied voice came from the darkness and Sue tossed her hands up.
“Nope,” She said softly and she turned to run, but a hand quickly grabbed her and kept her still. Sue looked back to see Jordan with his finger resting on his lips, signaling her to be silent. Sue nodded and followed the boy deeper into the darkness. Their footsteps were soft and careful as they made their way down the halls. A few moments passed and the unsettling feeling of being surrounded by a thick air of the unknown started to overwhelm Sue. Her chest started to rise and fall faster than her heart was beating, her fingers tightened around Jordan's hand. “I can't do this! I'm too young to die!” Sue shouted. A metallic click filled the air and a wall slide to the side revealing a bright white room. The light pulled Sue from fear’s sweet embrace. She stared into the white room with its silver tables and computers.
“Can you let go of my hand now? I can’t feel my
fingers,” Jordan said softly.
“I'm sorry,” Sue said releasing her wrestler like grip of Jordan’s hand. She watched as Jordan rubbed his hand while walking into the white room. “What is this Jordan?” Sue asked.
“This is where she’s keeping them,” Jordan said.
“Who's keeping who? What the hell is going on…” Sue put her hand over her chest and started to shake her head slowly, “Oh my God, the ghost got us and now we're in heaven.” Jordan looked over his shoulder at a teary eyed Sue. The boy sighed and turned back around,
“You’re cut off. Not even wine coolers.” He said softly. Sue continued to follow Jordan into the massive room with it’s silver tables and screens that lined the wall. It was another lab, not as high tech and fancy as it's CDC counterpart but a lab nonetheless. Hidden away in the walls of the mansion. Sue was in awe but she noticed Jordan wasn't, he didn't look up at the monitors and their heartbreaking footage of an infected person turning and being met with a bullet to the skull in the name of science. No Jordan seemed all too comfortable in the lab, he pulled out a keycard and pressed it against a black pad.
“Whose access card is that?” Sue asked. The glass door slide open and Sue took a step back. Flashes of blood and the smell of spent ammunition filled her head. Jordan moved forward and then Sue’s hand shot out grabbing the boy by his shoulder. Jordan’s head turned and he placed his rich brown hand over Sue’s trembling fingers,
“It’s okay.” Jordan said softly. He held her shaking hand firmly, far firmer than Sue thought a boy his age could. The shaking didn't stop, but it lessened. Sue took a step into the room holding Jordan's hand. In this hellish part of the lab there were three bodies strapped to tables. The first table held a pale and shaggy haired Patient Zero, who the rest of the compound renamed Zero or Subject. Sue asked what his real name was once but was told by Dr. Brooks that it was ‘long past the point of importance.’ It felt easier to have him as a nameless lab rat, a subject with no feelings or history. That's the conclusion that Sue came to, that Zero or whatever his name was…Was forgotten by the world.
Patient Zero Page 1
