by Dean James
Rosa’s throat burned with thirst, and her stomach felt like it was collapsing in on itself. The hours ticked by while the monsters milled about the supply room. Occasionally she would peek out of the small tear to get some semblance of time. The morning sun had given way to shafts of afternoon sunlight pouring into the ER. She checked again, and the afternoon had dissolved into evening, and soon it was night again.
Through all that time, the things never stopped moving. At one point in the middle of the night, two creatures fell into the canvas cart she had used to shield her own. It tipped over, spilling its contents to the floor. She watched as one of the former patients picked up a white sheet stained with crusted blood, and begin to chew on it. Its eyes rolled upwards as if it had found a source of ecstasy in the rust colored stain.
Her muscles ached after the long hours cramped up in the canvas laundry cart. Without the other cart blocking her view, she was able to peer through her tiny tear and beyond the wall of dead flesh. The early morning rays again pierced into the horror show that was the emergency room. She knew exactly where she was. A run out the door, a quick left, and the ambulance bay doors would be a few steps away. A short run she had no hope of making.
She pulled back, laying her head back on the bundle of sheets she bunched up into a pillow. Her body heat was trapped under the pounds of material on top of her. Sweat poured off her in steady streams. On top of her concussion that had calmed to a dull roar, she was facing the very real possibility of dehydration. Hopelessness overwhelmed her as the realization hit that she could be lying in her own tomb.
Her thoughts drifted back to her parents, and the days she spent in their home outside of Albuquerque. She thought of the family she lived with in Chicago after her parents died suddenly. She thought of her friends, her coworkers, and even her newlywed neighbors who liked to remind her at least three times a day that she was single and living in an apartment with very thin walls. She was saddened with the realization that she would probably never see any of them again.
Deep in thought and muddled in grief, it took her a few moments before she realized something outside her stuffy confines had changed. It was quiet. No shuffling or growling; all was completely still.
Did she make a sound when her mind drifted off? Was she discovered? Were they closing in on her? Those ideas raced through her mind as she tensed with fear. She didn’t want to move, but she had to peek outside. She had to know.
She pulled the small flap of canvas back, peering through her tiny window into the world beyond dirty laundry. They were like statues, unmoving and silent. But unlike before, their heads were turned towards the open doorway and away from her. She listened intently for some clue as to what held their attention. She did not have to wait long.
“Mom! Dad!” a voice called out.
“Dude, this is crazy! We shouldn’t be here!” another young voice. They sounded like teens, twenties at best.
“You can leave if you’re scared! I’m staying!” he sounded desperate, and close to hysterics.
“Look around you! They’re gone man!”
“Mom! Dad!”
“Shut up! Those crazy fucks are still behind us!”
Rosa’s fists balled up. Her compassion and drive to help others warred with her own survival instincts. She could call out and warn them of the danger they were in, but at the cost of her own life. In the end all she could do was watch through her little tear in her canvas wall.
“Mom!”
Suddenly the mass of the dead moved. Within seconds the room emptied as the creatures surged out through the door. Moments later the men cried out, their painful wails almost drowned out by savage growls. She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears to block out the horrific torment of the dying.
Without thinking, she was on the move. She pushed the filthy laundry aside, and attempted to spring out of the cart. But her muscles were painfully cramped from the long hours spent in the fetal position. The cart toppled over, throwing her onto the floor and into the putrid bile and clotted blackened blood that had oozed from the creatures bodies. The smell was like raw sewage, and it was seeping through her scrubs.
She pulled herself up and struggled to keep her footing through the slime. She guided herself along the wall until she reached the broken door. She stepped out into the brightening morning light blasting into the ER and gasped at the horror a short distance away.
They were like swarming ants piling on top of each other. She couldn’t hear or see the men, but she knew they were under the mass of frenzied creatures somewhere. Blood was painted on the walls and floors. Splatter had reached as high as the fluorescent lights, casting deep red shadows across the room. Amongst it all were dozens of dead faces, long strings of sticky and bloody drool hanging from their lips. They were reaching through the swarm, eating whatever scraps of meat they could pull from underneath the pile of squirming dead bodies.
She turned away from the carnage and pushed through the muscle cramps towards the sliding glass doors. Beyond them sat a red and white box ambulance glistening in the morning sun. The back doors were still open, and she could make out the keys still hanging in the ignition. She dragged herself forward, expecting the sensors to engage the motors to slide the clear glass doors open.
Nothing happened.
Frantically, she waved her arms in front of the door sensors to no avail. She tried to push the doors apart, but they would not budge. She glanced at a small red panel on the wall to her right. An amber light on the upper display was flashing. Somehow the emergency lockdown had been tripped. It was a new system to stop people from entering or leaving the hospital. One push of a button behind any nursing station would lock down an entire floor and alert security.
She spun on her heels and saw several of the dead that had broken away from the feeding frenzy shuffling towards her. Mouths open, the same strange spittle emerging from their lips. Their grimy stained hands outreached towards her, teeth clattering at the air.
Rosa pushed her cramped muscles to their limits. She ran back to the ER station where she knew the lock release was situated. She stopped short, skidding across the tiled floor until she was close enough to slap down on the large red button. There was a loud click, and the door motors came to life.
As she turned to run back the way she came, she saw that several more creatures had broken from the feeding pack and were sizing her up for their next meal. One in particular drew her attention. She saw it just as it bit down on an intact eyeball, sending its juices flying as if it were an overripe cherry tomato.
For the first time since she had woken up, she screamed. Zombies that had not noticed her before were now turning their unholy eyes on her. Several were already on the move, and she was their target.
She ran towards the closing doors. Jagged fingernails raked at her sleeve as she ran dangerously close to a toothless old man still attempting to gum a small piece of bright red flesh. The door sensor triggered and the doors opened to the icy winds of the Wisconsin winter. The frigid air was a welcome change after the hours spent sweating inside the laundry cart.
She dove into the back of the ambulance and slammed the doors behind her. It appeared the locks she had disengaged had kept the most of the monsters trapped inside. As soon as the doors opened, the dead flooded out of the building. The parking lot was filling fast with the walking ghastly horrors.
She charged through the patient compartment and into the cabin, sliding behind the wheel. Rosa reached underneath the seat and toggled the rig’s power switch, saying a small prayer that the batteries had not completely drained. She held her breath until the dash lights came on, and the power indicator read a full charge.
“Come on!” she exhaled as she turned the key and the glow plug indicator illuminated. Within seconds the light went dim, and the diesel engine roared to life.
Cool air suddenly crept up her arm. She jumped when she looked over to see a mutilated skinless face staring back at her. Its fingers wrapped aroun
d the door handle, and it was starting to open.
Rosa shrieked and threw the vehicle into drive. The ambulance rocketed out of the bay, slamming into three corpses in the process. She no longer cared about a clear path; she had to get away. She felt one of them under the massive tires, bones crunching as the rig obliterated its skull. She swerved around as many as she could, but the top heavy ambulance rocked violently, threatening to topple over and leave her helpless against the growing horde.
Rosa straightened the wheel and barreled through the remaining things blocking her path, until she cut the wheel onto the exit drive. She looked back one last time to the place she had spent so many happy years.
She drove away knowing she would never see that hospital again.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Adam couldn’t believe his luck. He had only been walking for an hour before he heard a heavy diesel engine coming his way. He was beginning to wonder if he would be able to survive the day. There were so many more of the things walking around since they had left Janesville the previous night. He found himself hiding in the trees most of the morning since he had been thrown out of his last ride.
His outrage grew every time he cowered within the branches. He couldn’t believe that bitch would throw him out. What did she expect? he thought to himself. It was just him and Amy, the way he knew she always hoped it would be. But when he made his move, the bitch went psycho on him. If she hadn’t pulled that gun on him, he would have given her everything he knew she wanted, and more.
“Fucking slut!” he whispered under his breath as he climbed out of his latest hiding spot. There were only a couple of the monsters this time, so he didn’t have to wait long. He ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair, wishing he had time to grab his hat. He was lucky the crazy bitch didn’t shoot him when he reached for his bright orange jacket though, so he took what he could get. He thought the day had finally taken a turn for the better.
He was starting to question how good his luck was, however, when the ambulance turned a corner and barreled towards him. The engine screamed as it bore down on him. He backed off the road thinking that whoever was driving was intent on running him down. He lurched into a run when he heard the brakes lock and the tires skid to a halt, the driver frantically waved him towards her.
“Jesus, I thought you were aiming for me!” he said as he opened the passenger door. He was taken aback by her visage. She was pretty. In fact, she was pretty damned hot despite the seriously nasty shit she was covered in.
“Get in!” she shouted. “They’re coming!”
“I know, I know,” he said as he lazily tossed his bag into the cabin. “Chill out girl, there’s only a couple of them. I just watched them go by, I’ll protect you from them,” he grinned and winked.
“Not them dumb ass!” she snapped. “Them!” Rosa pointed back towards the way she had come. Adam looked back and suddenly felt like a boulder had lodged itself firmly in his gullet when a horde of creatures turned the corner. They moved with singular purpose, to reach the ambulance and the warm meat inside.
“Oh shit!” he gasped.
“You getting in?” the woman shouted. “I’m leaving with or without you!”
Adam’s feet suddenly felt lighter than air as he bounded inside. The woman didn’t wait for the door to close before her foot firmly planted itself on the accelerator. Adam scrambled to lock his seatbelt into place before the crazy woman killed him with her driving.
“Where the hell did those things come from?” he asked, his head whipping around like a nervous deer.
“There’s a hospital down that road,” she answered. “Until yesterday, most of those monsters were friends.”
“You like a doctor or something?” he asked. Adam looked her over. She was even hotter than he thought. He could look past the rotting sewer smell for the time being.
“No, I’m a nurse,” she answered simply.
For the second time that day he was amazed at his turn of luck. Not only was he saved by what had to be the hottest nurse in the state, but she was driving a pharmacy with more drugs than he could have ever imagined getting his hands on. He would have to play this smooth.
“What’s with the goofy grin?” she looked at him questioningly.
“Nothing, just happy you came along when you did. You saved my ass. I’m Adam,” he said, extending his hand and giving her a serpents smile. “Adam Hadaman. I’m very happy to meet you.”
“I bet. I’m Rosa,” she said shaking his hand. “What the hell were you doing walking in the middle of the road? I’ve been out of the loop with news, but I’m thinking it’s dangerous everywhere.”
“We tried to hold out in my ole lady’s crib. But things went to shit and we hit the road.”
“We?” Rosa asked.
“Yeah, I was with some friends and my girl,” he lied. “But the cowards took the car and left me hanging. I’ve been walking ever since.”
“I see. Well you survived this long, that’s something I guess,” Rosa said turning her attention back to the road.
She bought everything he said. He was never with any friends, and Amy wasn’t his girlfriend. After two years in juvie and a three year stint in county lock up, the one thing he could do well was lie. He knew how to manipulate and con his way in and out of almost any situation, and he was good at it. This end of the world thing may not be so bad, he thought to himself as he leaned back into his seat.
“So Rosa, where are we headed?” he asked. “You’re right about things, it’s shitty everywhere.”
“Well, I live outside of Janesville. Maybe there,” Rosa replied.
“Not a good idea. That’s where we came from. That place is dead,” he said.
“I see,” Rosa said under her breath. She stared blankly out the window and down the long road winding though the rural landscape. The groan of the engine filled the cabin as the two of them retreated into their own thoughts.
Adam had no idea what to do next. He wasn’t a survivalist, and he doubted the woman next to him was some kind of commando on her days off. He started to think he would be better off taking the ambulance from her and fending for himself. He glanced over at her, sizing her up to decide if he would have to leave her behind or take her along for himself. It would always be helpful to have a pretty woman with him to make the apocalypse more bearable, whether she agreed to it or not.
“You know what?” Rosa shot up and started rifling through her pocket. She produced a small pill bottle wrapped with the pharmacy label. “Maybe this will work. I don’t know him other than his daughter being a patient this morning. But his insurance is military. I know it’s a long shot, but it’s all I have. If he’s military, he might still be alive. He might even have contacts to get help.”
“Chris Foster, huh?” Adam read off the information on the bottle. He looked over at her once more, and decided to go with things for the moment. “Sounds like a pussy to me.”
“I hope not,” Rosa said. “For both our sakes, I really hope not.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Faith, get in the house,” Chris said, looking down his long access road.
“Daddy, why is there an ambulance here?” Faith asked.
“I don’t know, but get in the house until I say so. Tell your mom to keep an eye out,” he said. Faith ran back to the house, calling for her mom as the front door slammed shut.
Chris retrieved his AR-15 from his truck. It wasn’t his favorite weapon by far, but it traveled well for short distance supply runs. He was making quite a few of those lately. He had just returned from one such trip to check on his old friend and neighbor, Jake. Chris was not in a good mood.
The vehicle slowed as he drew his weapon out and into plain sight. He readied the rifle, pointing the barrel towards the ground with his finger resting above the trigger. He didn’t want to look threatening, just intimidating enough to make any potential trouble think twice. It appeared to have the desired effect, as the vehicle slowed to a near stop.
Chris waved the ambulance forward. He could make out two occupants, but that was it. The bright sunlight glared off the windshield blocking most of his view. The rig idled closer to him until he put his hand up, motioning them to stop.
“Turn off the vehicle and toss the keys on the dash,” he said, raising his weapon towards the driver. No need to take chances, he thought to himself. The engine cut off, and suddenly Chris realized how loud the diesel engine was. Anything with working eardrums in the immediate area could have heard it. This day was getting better and better.
“Put both hands on the dash and don’t move. Do exactly as I say, and we’ll get along fine. Make any movements I deem threatening and you will have a very bad day.” He side stepped in a semi-circle, sweeping towards the driver’s window. He stayed at least ten feet back, more than enough room for him to react in case these newcomers decided to challenge him.
“Please, Mr. Foster,” a woman’s voice came from inside. “I’m the nurse who treated your daughter. I barely made it out alive. We’re tired and hungry and really have nowhere else to go.”
“You, I remember. I don’t know him,” Chris said motioning with his weapon toward the passenger. “What’s his story?”
“Yo, I can talk for myself,” the man said irritably.
“Good for you. But I wasn’t talking to you, was I? I was talking to the one person out of the two of you that I have had the chance to meet face to face,” Chris replied
“I picked him up on the side of the road,” Rosa said clearly trying to diffuse the situation. “His name’s Adam. His friends abandoned him. He’s been okay so far, but I’m sure he doesn’t like having a gun pointed at him any more than I do.”
“I’m sorry, but situations being what they are, I believe I’ll defer to my more cautious nature. I have a family to protect,” Chris said, lowering his weapon slightly. “Go ahead and pull around to the back of the house. I’ll be walking behind you. When you get to the back, park in the carport and kill the engine. Do not get out until I say so. Am I clear?”
