“What the fuck do you have a gun for?” He asked. Trinity rolled her eyes and softly patted Christian on the top of his head,
“Poor little snowflake.” she said.
Chapter 12
12 hours earlier
“They got them little mints on the pillows and everything!” Victor shouted. He shoved the small assorted bottles of shampoo and body lotion into his pockets and snatched the mints off the pillows. Victor looked over at Aliyah and then back at the green foils in his hand. “Do you-”
“You can have em’. You damn sugarholic.” Aliyah said. She shook her head and tossed the black duffle bag onto the bed. Her fingers found the metal zipper and she pulled at it. The black bag quickly started to tumble open from the release in pressure.
“So honeymoon or anniversary.” Victor asked. Aliyah pulled out an all black pistol, with an unusually large barrel due to a built in compressor. She ran her finger over the only color on the black gun metal weapon. A white shield that sat on the handle of the gun.
“Pimp and hooker.” Aliyah said. She held up the gun and stared through the scoop, then placed it back into the bag and pulled out a modified M4 and then slapped a clip into it.
“That’s racist. So the big black man got to be a pimp? I can’t be some respectable business man, taking his wife to see the Alamo?” Victor asked. Aliyah smiled and placed the scope of the M4 to her eye,
“Who said you were the pimp?” Aliyah asked softly. Victor popped one of the chocolate mints into his mouth and dropped down on bed causing a set of grenades to roll out of the bag. Victor’s eyes darted over to the grey metal balls.
“You expecting a party? I thought this was just a bag and grab?” Victor asked.
“Just a little bang for the honeymoon, sweetheart.” Aliyah said. Fluttering her eyes at Victor who laughed and dropped back on the bed. He rested his head on the pillow and let out a soft sigh.
“Married life is grand.” he said.
Now
“What was that!” An old woman shouted. She was trailing behind the pack, Aliyah and Victor were in the heart of the group, while Neil and Jeremy lead the way up the mountain of stairs. They had six more flights before they could make it to the roof and even then, there was no telling who would make this literal leap of faith. While Jeremy had high hopes, his father’s only concern was for them. Neil looked over the railing trying to get a better view. The whole group grew silent as the sound that got the old woman’s heart racing, started to echo through the stairwell. It wasn’t clear at first by as Neil listened closely he recognized the haunting sound all to well. It was the bloodthirsty cry of the infected.
“Keep Moving!“ Neil demanded and he took the lead, leaping up the stairs, two steps at a time. Aliyah peered over the railing and saw flashes of blood and pale skin cut in and out of her line of sight. Her hands tightened around the brown chipped paint of the hand railing.
“What the fuck?” Victor said softly as his eyes connected with one of the infected. “What the hell is that?” he asked.
“No idea. Let’s just pray they ain’t bullet proof.” Aliyah replied. The people rushed past them, frantically making their way up the steps. Victor tossed the duffle bag off his back and onto the steps. The zipper was yanked open and with no explanation or warning the guns came out. The faces of the guest went from panicked to confused within seconds. The old woman stopped to stare at the weapons and Victor’s head snapped toward her,
“Keep moving!” He shouted. The barrels of the modified M4’s went over the railing.
“Let them get closer.” Aliyah said.
“Hospital or Morgue?” Victor asked. The screeching got louder and Aliyah locked eyes with one of the monsters. It’s head was twisted painfully upward as it stared at her. Her finger flick the selector switch from safe to semi, and she could see the infected’s bloody eye socket, where it seemed something had ripped it’s eye from it’s head,
“Morgue, a whole shit load of bodybags for the morgue.” Aliyah said. The first of the infected came into full view on the staircase directly below them and their fingers pulled back on the triggers almost simultaneously. A curtain of lead came flying down as they took shots that would bring down any normal human being, shots through the kneecaps, shots through the chest. Aliyah even watched as one of her bullets went clean through the neck of a man in a security guard uniform. He fell back down the steps and then within a moment was back on his feet racing toward them.
“Shoot em’ in the head!” Aliyah’s eyes went up to see Neil leaning over the railing shouting at them, “Shoot em’ in the head!” Aliyah’s eyes fell back onto the pack that was a few steps away from them. Her barrel spun. Her eye lined up with the sight and she pulled the trigger. The bullet drilled through the guards skull and his body crumbled in the middle of the pack. That was it, there was no returning after a headshot. Aliyah was about to announce her thoughts to Victor but she saw body after body drop from his shots to the skulls.
“Keep moving, I’ll hold them back.” Victor said.
“Fuck that!” Aliyah shouted.
“No, fuck this! This mission was a shit show from the jump. We got to get out of here!” Victor shouted. Aliyah continued shooting. The pack of infected, with no concern for their fallen, stepped on the lifeless bodies as they continued up the steps. They were at the bottom of the steps. All of them running at once for their next meal. “Move it Aliyah! I’ll be right behind you.” Victor shouted. Aliyah turned and continued up the steps. She could feel the breeze from the opened hatch to the rooftop. The sounds of moans, screeching and her footsteps filled the stairwell. The M4 brushed against her knees as she raced her way toward the rooftop. When her face hit the cool night’s air, she realized there were no gunshots. Aliyah turned around to hear the screeching getting closer. She slammed down the lid of the rooftop hatch and looked over to see Neil and the rest of the guest at the edge of the roof.
“I’ll go first.” Jeremy said. Neil placed his hand on his son’s shoulder,
“No, I’ll go first.” Neil said softly.
“Someone needs to fucking go!” Aliyah shouted as she ran towards the group. Jeremy placed his hand on his dad’s own and then took a few steps back, before he sped towards the ledge. His foot connected with the top of the ledge and his body lept through the air. His arms were sailing as his body started to get closer to the top level of the parking deck. Jeremy could see the hard landing coming into view and he started to brace himself for impact. Then a thunderous bang was heard and the group watched in terror as blood exploded from Jeremy’s head. His body twisted and turned through the air as he went plummeting to the ground below. Neil ran towards the edge,
“Jeremy!” He shouted. Another thunderous bang was heard and the old woman who was trailing the pack went flying back , her body dragged along the white pebbles of the roof until it was stopped by a vent. Her body sat there in a hemp. Blood was pushing from a grapefruit size hole in her chest and spilling out onto the white pebbles.
“Sniper!” Aliyah shouted. The group of guest frantically started to run back towards the staircase entrance. Another bang and another body was sent flying across the roof. Aliyah ran toward Neil who was still staring down at his son’s lifeless body, “We need to-“ The hatch was pulled open and a wave of zombies descended upon the unsuspecting guest. Aliyah’s head spun around when she heard the screams. Leading the pack of infected was her partner, father of two, and husband to one of the best women Aliyah knew. She watched as Victor set upon the guest with the rage and fury only seen when a lion decides to go for the kill. His teeth dug into a heavy set man’s chest. There was screaming and blood splashing all about. Once Victor’s head came back up with a long piece of flesh trapped between this teeth, Aliyah pulled back on the trigger. A bullet was sent right into middle of Victor’s bald head. Aliyah watched her partner crumble to down and bleed out among the white pebbles that lined the rooftop. The scope lowered from her eye and Aliyah was given one moment to
grieve her fallen friend before a wave of thunderous bangs were heard across the night sky. Aliyah’s hand slapped onto to Neil’s neck and she guided him along the rooftop. Staying low and zig zagging as they moved.
“What the hell is going on!” Neil shouted. Aliyah ignored his cries and placed the scope up to her eye once again. She fired two shots and the sound of glass shattering echoed along the rooftop.
“Jump!” Aliyah shouted as she leaped off the edge aiming for the hotel room with it’s shot out windows. Her right shoulder connected with the bricks of the building before her body tumbled through the opening. Aliyah lied there on the floor surrounded by shards of broken glass. Neil looked over the edge and ran back a few feet, before taking the same suicidal leap that Aliyah had made. Neil’s body rolled along the glass and he slammed into the tv stand of the room. Neil’s hand shot towards his ribs and he slowly started to get to his feet. When he did he could see Aliyah standing still.
“Who are you? Who the fuck killed my-“ Neil’s words were cut short by Aliyah raising her rifle. Neil looked over his shoulder to see a blood stained woman and four small children standing still staring at Aliyah. Neil took a deep swallow, his dry mouth trying to form something wet enough to clear his throat, and then looked at Aliyah.
“Stay behind me.” Aliyah said softly. Neil nodded and slowly turned around toward the infected. “Neil,” Aliyah hissed. The man cautiously started walking towards the blood covered family, the mother had one bite mark on her arm, while the children looked as if they were half eaten. One was missing the flesh from his entire left arm, another’s head hung to the side due to the massive hole along the right side of her neck. Then the last two, who looked like blonde haired twins in blood stain pink pjs, each had their intestines hanging from their midsection. “Neil, get behind me.” Aliyah said slowly. Neil walked up to the mother. He stood face to face with her, he could see a small bit of green in her eyes under the milky gray haze. Neil sighed and side stepped the woman making his way to the door. “Neil?” Aliyah said puzzled. The door pulled open and Neil looked back at Aliyah.
“I wish I could say I hope you make it, but that would be a lie.” Neil said and then slammed the door behind him.
Chapter 13
Fun Fact:
Did you know most hotels and tall buildings don’t have a 13th floor. They skip 13 and go right to 14. This is to avoid issues with the disorder triskaidekaphobia (The fear of the number 13) and the overall dislike and superstition that surrounds the number 13 and with that…
We continue up.
Chapter 14
“How about this?” Christian’s said. Trinity turned around to see the small black broom being tightly held in Christian’s hands. He swung it from left to right like a baseball bat. Trinity turned her head back to the Storage closet,
“You’re so lucky you’re cute.” Trinity said. Christian dropped the broom and looked around the pool area. The cool water splashed back and forth along the pink stained titles. Christian cautiously started walking toward the pool and the water started to violently splash. Trinity looked at Christian, she watched as he took another step closer to the waters. Christian was a mix of smiles and witty remarks, he had been that way since the first day him and Trinity met. That day his smile was masking the argument his parents and him had about Christian’s decision to change his major from business accounting to art history. Back then Christian was sure that was the end of his world, then his dad died and now Hector. Trinity stood up slowly, “Hey,” Trinity said. Christian turned around and Trinity tossed a rusty metal pipe. Christian’s hand went up and he snitched the pipe out of the air. He smiled for a moment and then looked back at the pool. The infected guest splashed viciously as they worked their way toward Christian. Yet, all they could do is jump and send waves of blood and water onto Christian’s feet. “You alright?” Trinity asked. Christian shrugged his shoulders and walked back over to Trinity. She held a small metal mallet in her hand, dropping the head of the mallet into her open palm slowly.
“I’ll be better once this night is over.” Christian said.
“Yeah, if I know all this would have happened-” She said.
“You wouldn’t have asked me out?” Christian’s hand went over his chest and he gasped, “I’m heartbroken.” Christian replied.
“Boy, nobody asked your ass out.” Trinity replied. She looked down the dark hallway of the hotel and then back at Christian, “Do you have a plan?” She asked. Christian shook his head,
“Nope. You sure you wanna do this?” Christian asked.
“Nope.” Trinity said with a smile. She slapped the mallet in her open palm and shrugged, “but we gotta end this.” The pair made their way through the dark halls with only the exit light’s red glow brightening their path. Slow soft footsteps made their way along the dark carpet. Moans and screeches rang through the halls. Sweat ran down Trinity’s neck as she pressed her back against the hot walls of the hotel. The eerie cool breeze that once ran through the halls were gone, killed off by the darkness that came with the lose of power. Austin heat was taking over, turning the hotel into a seventeen floor oven. Trinity’s eyes rounded the corner, the hall was dead. She looked back at Christian who nodded and quickly took the lead. The pair got a few feet until Trinity grabbed Christian by the arm. Christian looked over at Trinity, her index finger was on her lips and then she pointed towards her ear. It was then Christian heard it, a light cracking sound that was coming from up ahead. Trinity’s grip tightened around the handle of the mallet as they continued down the hall. They came upon an open hotel room, the door was being blocked by the heel of a woman’s shoe. Christian’s eyes followed the black leather to a pale white ankle. His eyes scanned up the ankle to see blood droplets along the knee and beyond that, nothing but a dark bloody stump. Trinity’s hand went over her mouth as she held back a gasp. Blood and chucks of flesh lined the floor of the hotel room. Three infected were huddled together on the floor by a blood soaked white bed. Trinity shook her head and slowly continued on, Christian kept staring at the pack. The cracking sound grew louder. Then came a snap and a yellow object rolled along the floor. It stopped in a pool of blood, her blue eyes staring at him from a hauntingly shocked face.. Christian’s eyes came up from the head to see the three infected staring at him.
“Keep moving Mijo,” Jorge said from behind the infected. Christian’s eyes locked with his father for a moment and then his hand reached in and pulled the hotel door closed. There was a click and then a series of blood chilling bangs as the infected bashed into the hotel door repeatedly. The sound echoed through the dimly lite hallway, Trinity turned around glaring at Christian.
“What part of shh, don’t you understand?” Trinity asked. Christian jogged down the hallway and Trinity rolled her eyes and turned towards a gray door with a red Employees Only sign. She pushed open the door and Christian quickly followed in behind her.
“So I take it you have a plan?” Christian asked.
“No, but I’m sick of fumbling around in the damn dark. I’m gonna kick the power back on.” Trinity said.
“You know how to do that.” Christian asked.
“I’m assuming it’s like the breaker at my apartment.” Trinity replied.
“So, that’s a no.” Christian said. Trinity closed her eyes and laughed,
“You’re cuteness is starting to ware off.” Trinity said. She walked down the steps as Christian rammed his pipe in the hinge of the door, to keep it from closing and trapping them in complete darkness. Trinity pulled open the generator door. It barely opened half an inch before the metal door slammed into Trinity tossing her into the gray brick wall. The mallet danced along the floor into the darkness as a large pale man in a pair grease stained overalls stormed toward the doorway. Christian had no chance to react to the loud screech of the infected before he felt the man’s hands lift him up and slam him onto the floor.
“Cono!” Christian shouted. His head slammed into the ugly black and gray carpet. T
he milky gray eyes glared at him as the man opened his mouth and started to frantically snap his jaw. With every aggressive chomp the man came closer to Christian’s face. Christian pushed at the man. He kicked and squirmed, but he was pinned. The man had a good sixty pounds on Christian and even if he didn’t, the infection made people stronger. Not in the manner of being able to pick up a car with one lift but in being able to put all their force into trying to pick up a car, because something in their pain receptors weren’t telling them every muscle in their back was tearing.
“Chris...Chris,” Trinity said softly as she started to roll back onto her side. Her eyes fell upon the madness that was unfolding in the hall. Trinity spun from left to right. The mallet was gone, lost somewhere among the Darkness. Blood was cascading down the man’s overalls and onto Christian’s chest. Christian’s hand shot up and dug into the bloody wound of the infected.
“Get…” Christian’s fingers clawed around the chest muscle of the infected. He could feel the tight meat and slick blood surround his fingers, “The fuck…” Christian’s fingers dug into the man’s flesh as Christian created a tight grip on the man’s chest muscle, but even with all that force the man didn’t flinch or waiver from his task at hand. Christian was meant to be his next meal, “off me!” Christian shouted. His roar was met by a shower of blood onto his face and neck. Through the red Christian could see Trinity pulling the pipe back and swinging it forward once again into the man’s skull.
Another swing.
More blood.
Another swing.
More blood.
Another swing and then a crack. The blood didn’t rush out like a fountain this time, nor did the pipe return when Trinity’s hands came back. The rusty metal had cracked the skull of the infected man and buried itself inside of his head. The man toppled to the side, freeing Christian from the floor.
Patient Zero Page 9
