Adrian's Undead Diary (Book 6): In the Arms of Family

by Philbrook, Chris

  The main doorway of the clinic was a glass double door that swung outward. It was also one of two double doors (inner and outer, like an airlock sort of), creating a small dead space to catch the cold air for winter. Basically a place to put your mats to wipe the folk’s feet on. We had to deal with some undead inside the innermost door, but we were happy to see someone had the presence of mind to lock that inner door, keeping them in. We wound up busting it with a halligan to get it open to set up our kill zone.

  The undead started coming out one or two at a time, and that was easy work. Plinking away with the .22, or waiting until they were outside and them braining them with the point of the halligans was tit. When it got to three or four at a time, we had to focus, and we started having three people on the door, two to shoot, and one to stay on point with a halligan to get anything that crept too close. A lot of these undead had died violently. Bite marks all over, with torn throats, giant chunks missing from their arms, and scratch marks from nails on the faces. Gory stuff.

  When the largest burst of undead came at us, I want to say a group of maybe ten or twelve at the same time, all rushing forward, I heard Martin yell out from our rear, “Holy fuck more from the side!”

  At the time I was standing next to the HRT’s driver’s side door, which was opposite the side of the building the undead were coming through. I took off at a run, HRT still running, and wrapped around the ass end of the building as gunfire just exploded at the two locations. The three folks at the main door, one of which was Blake, just opened up as that crowd started to rush the opening, and Martin whipped out one of Gilbert’s AKs and went to town. The sound of the AK chattering sent chills up my spine. Not a sound I like at all. Even if it’s friendly, it makes my blood run cold for a split second. I had too many experiences with that noise meaning someone I cared about was getting lit up for it to sit well with me.

  I hate that fucking rifle. I don’t care how reliable it is.

  I rounded the back of the HRT, cleared my lane of fire, checked for anything past the undead I might hit with any over shots, shit my pants a little when I realized how many were there so fast, and I started shooting. I dropped three or four right off the bat in the first few seconds. Once the lead line of zombies went down and Martin had finally gotten himself under control, I looked over my shoulder and saw that the front door was going to get overrun. Immediately I screamed to no one in particular to drive the HRT into the breach of the door and seal it shut. If another door opened right then, we’d lose the whole operation. Better to plug the hole we knew we had, and deal with any other leaks first.

  I think it was Angela who drove the HRT into the doorway once the three folks moved out of her way. It had to be her, because I think she’s the only woman who can drive stick. I don’t think Abby can. It might’ve been Amanda, but I can’t say for sure. Some blonde woman. Did a good job. Blah blah.

  Great job actually. Saying that does whoever did do it a disservice. Without that kind of clutch reaction, we might’ve had dead folks on our hands yesterday. The HRT slammed into the opening with a crunch of glass and steel, shutting it completely, and allowing us to focus on the dozen or so undead still coming at us from our right side. Once that initial threat of the main door was sealed, we dropped the other undead in just seconds. Overwhelming fire I guess.

  Fuck my life. Wow what a shit moment.

  I can’t believe none of us thought to shut the fucking side doors, or check to make sure they didn’t or couldn’t open easily. It blows. If we’d just put a fucking concrete block or two in front of that side door we might’ve avoided all that bullshit. We are so fucking lucky. Unreal. Note to self: At Gilbert’s Warehouse, please take a moment to investigate and secure all exterior doors.

  After my profanity laced tirade directed mostly at myself, I had everyone clear the parking lot once again, seal off any exterior doors, and check all the ground floor windows to make sure no rooms were being overwhelmed by zombies. Last thing we wanted was to have a few of them smash a window and come spilling out. There’s little we could’ve done to plug a window broken in that way.

  Fortunately, we were able to push a few cars in the parking lot against the doors we wanted sealed, and then we were clear to back the HRT away. Once it lurched out of the way with Martin at the wheel, a few of us just lit the fucking doorway up at head height, and mowed the plug of undead standing there down. After that, we were able to enter the building with our breach team, and go room to room, putting them down.

  The breach team as we discussed it was Hector, Patty, Angela, and I. Outside we went to our blocking positions as they would be at the warehouse job, and we did it as close as we could to the real deal. The inside of the clinic was a goddamn mess. Gore everywhere. I don’t know what happened in there, but the entire place looked like it was crusted over in blood and bits of people. Granted, it was all dried and desiccated and rotting from having sat there for a year or more, but the impact wasn’t lost on us. The place looked and smelled like a slaughterhouse.

  There were so many dead. I know I had two magazine changes, and everyone else had at least one each, which puts our headcount somewhere around 150 dead inside the building. I can’t even fathom that number today. I don’t remember shooting that many targets in that building, and I certainly didn’t think there would be that many dead in there. I shudder right now thinking about how all those dead folks were just meandering inside that building this whole time. I've driven by there more times than I can recall. Gross.

  The breach went like clockwork. We had some minor technical issues, mostly due to the reloaded ammunition Gilbert made for us. I don’t think he put enough powder in them, because we’re occasionally getting jams in the M4s. The ARs are fine with it though. New rule is that we aren’t using any reloads in CQB situations. Only when shooting at range, and only when it isn’t intense like that was.

  No injuries of note. No deaths. A few minor heart attacks, and I know some of us need new underwear, but frankly, those risks come with the territory nowadays. Also, I should make note that the Outsiders didn’t show up, which was sort of disappointing. I was secretly hoping that they’d show up and make another pass at us and we’d be able to lay into them again.

  No dice.

  Once we had the place clear, we decided to EMPTY the clinic. Leave nothing we could remove behind. The breach and clear was finished up at something like 1pm or so, and we had the place emptied of goodies by 7pm. Just as the sky was starting to show signs of dusk we headed home.

  I won’t chronicle all of what we got there yesterday, but sufficed to say, it was a nice haul. More than what we got from the Westfield clinic, but that stands to reason because Westfield had been using the clinic’s supplies for some time, and this place hadn’t been touched in over a year. More medical supplies, medicine, gear, blah blah. We left the dead inside the clinic because we didn’t bring wood like last time to restart the pyre. Plus we didn’t want to make it look like the clinic was safe to enter now, for fear someone else might enter and either take or destroy equipment we might need down the line.

  In the basement they had a HUGE backup generator powered by diesel. We debated trying to get the damn thing out somehow down the line, but Abby pointed out that was probably going to be necessary to power the heavier medical gear should we need the clinic down the line. It also makes me think we could turn the clinic into a more robust shelter to live in later. I guess we’ll see.

  The smashed open front entrance was barricaded with a van from the parking lot. We sort of forgot to come up with a way to lock the place down after the ramming tactic, so that’s my failing again. I gotta get better at this planning shit or else.

  Incidentally, there was a Toyota Prius in the clinic’s parking lot with the keys still in it. Blake bled the tank dry, got some fresh gasoline in it, and wouldn’t you know it, the fucking thing started right up. I tell you what man, Toyotas. The Prius actually makes part of my life much easier. More on that another day. We b
rought the Prius back here to campus so Hector and Blake could give it a once over to make sure it was in decent working order.

  The trip home was fine. Later that night Mike radioed into us saying the Outsiders were on the move something fierce again. He said it was just the two wagons once more, but they were hauling ass around the east side of town near the STIG area. Lots of driving, lots of gunfire. I think they are attempting to clear out undead that way. Makes me wonder how much ammunition they have on hand if they can just drive around like fucking morons shooting willy-nilly like that. Either they are idiots, or they’re swimming in ammo.

  Time will tell which is the actuality.

  Today on campus we worked on the wall, sorting out and storing all the medical gear across campus so it isn’t all in one place, and also beginning the installation of a heavy duty rear exit for the wall. Ollie, Martin and Blake spent the entire morning scouting the area near staff housing for a good spot to build it. Over there it’ll still be near the water should we need to make a water exit, and plus it’s as far away from any kind of civilization as you can get. Should be safe.

  They came up with a plan for it, and they’ve got the crew working on it. I took the day off today and more or less just helped move med gear around. I don’t feel all that well today. Either something I ate, or maybe allergies. Just lightheaded and I can feel some ninja shits just around the corner. I wonder if I caught something at the clinic yesterday. I’m avoiding Mallory as best I can so as to avoid getting her sick with whatever I might have. I’m sleeping in self imposed exile on the couch in the living room tonight, which is where I’m typing this. Otis is avoiding me too. He seems skittish again, which strikes me as a bad sign. Maybe I really am getting sick.

  Tomorrow we’re hitting MGR. They need a restock, plus I want to touch base with Mike to go over the clinic clear, and what our final plans are for hitting the warehouse.

  If that goes well, we will hit Gilbert’s place on the 15th.

  -Adrian

  August 14th

  The wheels are in motion. We are officially moving on Gilbert’s warehouse tonight to recon it. I should be more specific and say that some of us are moving on Gilbert’s warehouse tonight.

  Curious Mr. Journal? I thought you might be.

  We did a quick run to MGR today right around noon to restock them and to go over our plan. We drove the Prius we got at the clinic with us as well. All is well at MGR. Everyone is getting along well enough. Mike seems happy to have a serious role to play with our group, and he is clearly very much involved and happy with Patty. I don’t think I’ve seen Patty this happy in a long time. My most recent memory of her being this happy was just after the Williams family arrived on Campus on Christmas Day last year.

  Abby was with us for our meeting, and I was trying to watch her reaction to Patty’s happiness. Abby seemed a little distant, and didn’t say much to her mom, but I did catch a few expressions on her face that seemed like she was coming around to her mom’s situation. As I’ve said, I don’t think Patty handled it well, but she isn’t perfect. No one here is. She certainly isn’t the first parent to make a mistake with their child.

  I can’t hold anything against her for doing something that makes her happy. Life is too short, especially now for us to waste a chance, any chance at being happy. Grab what you want, grab what makes you happy, and hold onto it for as long as you possibly can. I just hope Abby feels the same way about her mother’s happiness.

  I wonder how much of it is jealousy? Abby is clearly still getting over the loss of Gavin, and now her mother has found someone special, and Abby is still without her man. I dunno. I hope it all works out for all three of them.

  Speaking of love interests, it appears as if nothing has happened between Dwayne and Renee yet, according to Mike and Patty. That doesn’t mean anything. They could still be putting it to it on the sly. Doesn’t matter. I just need to be in the loop if they’re planning on making babies. We made sure Mike had condoms to pass out when we first staffed MGR, so hopefully those get used.

  I’m off subject here and I need to get to sleep. I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday, and I credit spending some quality time on the potty. Once thoroughly purged I was much better off. Long day for us tomorrow if tonight goes well. If right now goes well.

  Since the jump Mike and I have had a plan to recon Gilbert’s place. I haven’t said much about it here because quite frankly, I was worried our arsonist and potential murderer might find this laptop, and suddenly know everything there is to know about most of our plans. I know it sounds random to say that I kept that one fact out of here, but the reality is, I keep a lot of things out of this journal until they’re already set in stone, or they’re discarded. Some things don’t even make it into here. I guess even now my paranoia prevents me from being totally open.

  Finding the Prius the other day at the clinic was a huge asset for us. Here’s why. Tonight, right now in fact, Mike and Patty are slowly driving across town in the Prius. This morning we covered the headlights with black trash bags, and unplugged the brake lights so it can run totally in the dark. If Mike drives the Prius at slow speeds, only the battery will power on, and the car will run pretty much silently. The two elder lovebirds are driving across town to the warehouse in the dark to see if there are any roadblocks, collections of undead, movements, and basically to see if anything has gone south on us.

  We have a QRF force stationed at the grocery store right now. Abby, Martin, Blake, Hector and Angela are all sitting down there in the humvees, and if Mike and Patty need help, they’ll roll out in force. No bad words so far, so hopefully all is well. I should probably add that no word could also mean they’ve been killed in an ambush. That was said strictly to ward off the Jinx Fairy.

  Bitch.

  When Mike returns with Patty and his intel, we will make our go or no-go call on the run to the warehouse. Our final planning will be tomorrow morning if we give the thumbs up, and I’ll drop an entry in to let you know what the final plan is Mr. Journal.

  Wish Mike and Patty luck.

  -Adrian

  August 15th

  We’re rolling out in an hour. It’s 6:20am as I write this, and as soon as I hit save, and shut this pig off, we’re going out the door to hit Gilbert’s Warehouse.

  I’m very much confident in this operation. I have multiple sources of intelligence, and they’re all pointing to this being successful for us.

  Mike reported back in about an hour after I finally fell asleep last night. He drove all the way back here to campus to make sure he and Patty were with us for the operation today. That means Dwayne and Renee are all alone at MGR, but we’re dropping off another pair of bodies on the way today to make sure they aren’t too vulnerable.

  Mike said the path to the warehouse was open. No roadblocks, no overwhelming amount of undead roving about, and no real dangers above and beyond what should be expected. He said the warehouse doors appear to still be sealed from a drive-by standpoint, and all of the windows are intact. Neither he nor Patty could see any undead inside the warehouse, or any of the other businesses in the small strip, so that’s very encouraging.

  He did say there were quite a few accidents and undead roaming near the highway, which is only a mile or two from the warehouse. If you do the math, and look at a map, the warehouse is only a scant half hour tops from the city limits. I haven’t been that close to the city in the longest time. The thought of the on ramp to the highway being so close quite clearly gives me the creeps.

  The city scares me. A lot.

  After I fell back asleep in bed last night I drifted immediately to sleep. It felt like only seconds had passed from the time I shut my eyes to the time I started dreaming.

  I dreamt of The White Room. Gilbert and Gavin finally came to see me again. God I’m so happy to have seen them again. It was like a breath of fresh air.

  I don’t know how long I sat there before saying hi to them. It seems now that I waited for a long time,
but the passage of time in my dreams when I’m in The White Room seems strange. Almost like whatever happens there isn’t really happening in concert with real time, or real space.

  Gilbert smiled at me, and said the following; “Adrian buddy, it’s time. I think you’re ready.”

  I remember nodding at him, and feeling worried despite his reassurance.

  Gilbert shook his head, showing that he wanted me to be more confident. “Son, you’ve got all your T’s crossed on this. That run to the clinic the other day sharpened your people right up. They’ll be good to you, and if you do what you planned well enough, you’ll be in and out with no trouble at all.”

  “Thanks Gilbert,” I said back.

  “Hey Adrian, so you know, make sure you bring extra water. Tomorrow will be really hot we think. You guys are going to be sweaty and dehydration is an issue. Plus we’re thinking you might run into other survivors, and if they need water, you’re going to want extra,” Gavin said. It was nice to hear his voice again.

  “Okay. More survivors though? Who? From where?” I asked.

  “We don’t know. There are ripples in the water around the warehouse that are like other people moving, or coming. It’s hard to say. We can’t see everything. Just be ready to meet people, good or bad,” Gavin said as Gilbert watched on.

  “Okay. Are you guys alright? Is everything okay with you all?” I asked. It occurred to me that being dead might not be the best state to be in at the moment. Strange thought for the conversation I guess.

  “We’re fine. It’s good to be a part of the plan,” Gilbert said.

  “I’m glad.”

  “It’s almost time to get up. Make sure everyone does well today. Be safe, be smart, and move fast,” Gilbert said.