by Ann Riley
“I’d stab you right in the head.” He says.
“Comforting.” I tell him.
“We’re here. Bring your ass nephew.” I tell Marc.
“My arm is broken so give me a second.” He says.
“Right. Your arm is broken, not your damn legs. Get your ass on.” I tell him.
“You’re worse than momma.” Marc says.
“You haven’t seen shit yet bud.” I tell him laughing.
“Holy hell in a hand basket.” Marc says under his breath.
We get into the store and head to the ammo. We load up on what we are out of and I grab three crossbows, four machetes, and straps and scabbards. I pick another pair of binoculars as we have lost one, probably in the accident.
I look over to see Marc piling the beef jerky into his backpack. Hey, it goes a long way plus it won’t spoil on you.
We make our way back to the front to see we have a few followers.
“I’ll get them.” I tell Marc.
I walk over and stab each of them in the top of the heads. We continue out the front and to the truck.
With everything loaded, we start on our way to find the place we are looking for.
“So, do you think it will be a tall building or a single level? You think they may have an underground facility in there?” I ask Marc.
“Probably. I think they would feel safer being underground so they aren’t seen.” Marc says.
I nod.
“We’ll just sit and watch to see if there is people being moved in and out.” Marc says.
“We need to look for a way in too.” I say.
“Come on and show me how to load this bow.” I tell Marc.
“I’ll tell you as you go.” He says.
“What is this rope for?” I ask.
“That’s the cocking rope. You use it to pull back on the string. It eases the tension on higher pound cocking bows. Just grab and pull until you can get the string lodged in the catch.” Marc says.
So, this is a 150-pound pressure bow. The cocking rope makes the pressure to pull about 75-80 pounds. Doesn’t sound like much, right? Try to pull it back and hold it long enough to get the string in place.
I get the string pulled back and hooked in place.
“Keep fingers off the trigger.” Marc says.
I give him a glare. Even I know that.
“Get your bolt, lay it in the bolt holder on the bow and it will sit to connect with the string. Hold it up and aim like a rifle. You’re going to have to set your scope, I’m sure it isn’t since its new. So aim and let’s see how far off it is. It takes about five pounds of squeeze to fire the bolt.” Marc says.
I pull the bow up to my shoulder and aim at a road sign. It misses my target by about three inches too far right.
“Sit it down here and I can show you how to set the scope.” Marc says.
He shows me the elevation and windage caps and shows me how to turn them. I try four more shots until we have it set to perfect aim. I have 100 bolts and 35 arrows. The bow itself will hold five arrows and Marc is constructing me a carrier for the rest of them. I just have to remember to pull my arrows out each time I use one.
“So, the bolts travel faster?” I ask.
“Not really. Arrows are lighter, the bolts do more damage.” He says.
We watch. We wait. Not one person stirs around that building.
“How long you think this shot will last?” Marc asks.
I shrug. “Who knows. We don’t even know if the CDC is working on any cures. We don’t know if the CDC or government still exists. There are no officials around. And what the hell are these idiots doing? Are they helping or hurting? Are they doing shit to make things worse or what? You can’t trust anyone now. People are out for their own pleasures and world domination shit. Who the hell wants to dominate a world with no humans left? That’s what we are getting to. All of us are dying out and you have dumbasses who want to dominate while the human race is at extinction level.” I say.
Marc nods.
We see someone come out of a side door and get into a white Crown Victoria car.
“Wonder who that is?” I ask.
“I’m going to walk around the corner and see if I can tell which way they go.” Marc says.
“Now why in the hell do you want to split up?” I ask him.
“Not splitting up, walking around the corner. Big difference.” Marc says.
“I will kick your ass. Don’t make me come look for you.” I tell him.
“Splitting up never ends well in the movies.” I say to him.
I get an eye roll.
Marc walks around the corner and I continue to watch the building. We are about 100 yards from where the car left. I don’t see anyone else moving around so I start watching up high. On the corners of the building, at entrances and other areas where a camera may be hidden. I don’t see anything but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Dammit, why can’t it be just a cut and dry situation? We see people and can see where they are going. But no, we have to be left wondering.
Suddenly, a side door swings open and a man comes running out. There are three other men behind him. I whistle around the corner for Marc and he comes back.
“What’s up?” he asks.
I point to the running man.
“Looks like he doesn’t much want to be here.” Marc says.
“No shit.” I tell him.
“Stay here.” I tell Marc.
He looks at me.
“Stay your broke arm ass here so I can try and head the runner off. I want to see why he’s running. If I have to ill shoot the other three. They probably deserve it anyway. Bastards.” I tell Marc.
“Fine.” Marc says.
I duck down and walk around the front where the runner came from and still see the chasers behind him. Should I start shooting them? So I do. I pull up the bow and continue walking toward them. About thirty yards away I can get a good shot in. It’s dark and hard to see, but they are under a light here. I aim at the first chaser with a bolt loaded bow. His knee shatters. I can hear breaking bones as the bolt passes through it. He falls screaming. The other two are looking around telling him to shut the hell up, he will draw walkers.
You don’t say? I think to myself.
I look again at chaser number two. He turns at the last minute and I get him dead in the ass. An ass wound hurts, don’t let anyone say it don’t. He falls screaming.
I hear them chattering now about “someone is taking us out.” I aim and fire at chaser three and as I pull the trigger, a walker runs into my back and knocks me forward making my aim fall to number three’s chest. I turn and stab the walker in the head as chaser three drops faster than a dancer on a stripper pole. Dead. Oops. I didn’t mean to kill him, but like I said, he probably asked for it at some point. I turn to see where Marc is. And he is sitting where I left him shaking his head at me. I flip him a finger and start walking over to the chasers.
“Well hello men. Sorry to shoot your asses, but why were you chasing that man?” I ask.
“Fuck you bitch.” Chaser one says.
“Now why in the hell do you want to piss her off?” Marc asks from behind me.
He has apparently joined the party.
“Fuck you too.” Chaser two tells Marc.
“Well, aren’t y’all just little rays of sunshine on a cloudy day?” I ask the dumb asses.
“Stuart will kill your asses.” Chaser one says.
“Well, now, who is Stuart?” I ask.
“Fuck you.” From chaser two.
“No thanks, I have enough charity cases to worry about now. And if you don’t answer me, you’ll never fuck again when I finish castrating your ass.” I tell him.
He looks slightly green and he gags at my comment.
“Think it sounds bad? Wait until I hand your balls over to you. Now tell me why you were chasing that man.” I say.
Damn people these days will make you want to choke their asses out, especially when
you know they are up to no good and they want to curse and call you names, like they aren’t scared. If I head for his balls, he will pass his ass out from fright. Weak ass people.
“Fine.” Chaser one says.
“He was supposed to be volunteering for some testing. But he ran off.” Chaser One says.
“Volunteering or being forced to?” I ask.
“It’s all the same.” Chaser Two says.
“What? Are you so stupid you don’t know the difference between being forced and volunteering?” I ask.
Marc and I look at each other. People really have no empathy now days.
“Forced.” Chaser one says.
“What testing?” I ask.
“For that new cure they say they have. It’s supposed to stop the parasite from spreading.” He says.
“Keep going.” Marc says.
“They said it started due to the population being infected with toxoplasmosis. Then, infected people got flu shots, which made the parasite mutate. Now they are trying to see if they can stop the mutation of the toxoplasmosis gondii parasite in people who are getting flu shots.” He says.
“So, to be clear. They get people infected with toxoplasmosis, inject the flu shot and see if they turn into zombies?” I ask.
He nods.
“How the hell does that help? They turn more people. Right? If it doesn’t work, more people are turned? What happens when we run out of people? Are they insane?” I scream.
“Well, there goes my nice mood I had going on.” I tell Marc.
“You weren’t being nice.” He says.
“Work with me a little here, please.” I say.
“What do y’all do with the people who are turned from the experiments?” I ask.
“We burn them in the crematorium built into the lower levels.” Chaser two says.
“Well, isn’t this some shit?” I say to Marc.
He nods.
“When do y’all go out again to get more people?” I ask.
“A few hours.” Chaser says.
“When y’all go back in that building, we are going too.” I tell them both.
“And if either of you so much as make one little peep that we are in with you, I will personally cut off every ball I see in sight and hand them to the owners.” I say.
Marc freezes at my statement. I guess he felt the pain for them. Well, they will be feeling if they get us caught.
Chapter 8
Marc and I load up on guns. I opt for the 30 06 and my 44 right now. I attach a machete and a knife to my belt and we get in the truck with Frick and Frack.
“Remember, act natural. I will cut them off and won’t blink an eye.” I say.
“I’m going to kill you bitch.” Chaser says.
At this point, does it matter if I call them one or two? They are both idiots and are more than likely about to get killed for crossing Marc and me. I know this because two keeps eyeing me like he wants to pounce. Did they miss the ball removal memo? Maybe.
“Well, knock yourself out.” I tell him. “Just remember to guard your balls, dumb ass.”
“You know when we get someone and head back to that facility, these two ass wipes are going to try to take us out?” I ask Marc.
“Hell yeah. They are eyeing us like it’s lunch time at a Jenny Craig resort.” Marc says.
“Hey, I’m chunky, you smart ass.” I tell Marc.
He shrugs.
Smart ass nephews.
“You got your knife close?” Marc asks.
“Yeah, ready for the ball cutting.” I say.
Marc shivers.
I think it’s funny. Maybe he will stop being a smart ass to me now.
The chasers load up a man that was walking along the roadside. They hit him on the head and throw him in back with Marc and I. We get back to the facility and get to the check gates and I look over at chaser two, act like I’m grabbing my crotch and making a slicing motion with the knife. He goes green.
“Don’t make me cut yours off.” I tell him.
Marc and I duck down in the back. The van pulls through the gates and enters into an underground parking area. The chasers get the man out and Marc and I get out and look at each other.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
“Hell no. I’m not fond of being underground like this. It makes me feels like we are trapped.” I tell Marc.
He nods.
We follow the chasers down the slope leading to the elevators. When we get inside, one of them show us the floor plans on the elevator wall.
“When we get down, y’all should walk out of the elevator and go right. This will lead to some patient rooms.” Chaser says.
“Why? So y’all can go and tell we are in here? So they will shoot us? So will have to track you down and cut your balls out?” I ask him.
He ignores me.
“What are we going to find in those rooms?” I ask him.
“People who are waiting to be treated with the flu shot. They are already infected with toxoplasmosis.” He says.
“We aren’t going in there.” Both say together.
“Toxoplasmosis parasites aren’t airborne, you twit. If it was, there would be no one who doesn’t have it by now. It’s passed through tainted foods, cat feces, direct contact. As long as you don’t come in contact with someone who has it, you can be in the same room and not catch it.” I tell the two twits.
Maybe I should start calling them twits one and two now since they are apparently lacking in knowledge due to the under use of reading materials.
The elevator stops.
“This it?” I ask the twits.
They nod.
“Just remember, if y’all are lying, I swear when I find y’all, I will make each one of you watch while I cut the other’s balls off. Don’t play with me.” I tell them.
Again, they turn green and I hear Marc suck in a deep breath.
They both nod and turn to leave.
“So, where to?” Marc asks.
“Right. I want to look around. Do me a favor, don’t touch anyone. Just to be on the safe side.” I tell Marc.
He nods.
We walk to the right and soon come upon some rooms with the doors closed. Marc and I look at each other and keep walking, trying to find an open door. I’d rather not open any closed ones. You never know what’s behind them.
Finally, we see an open door and look in to see what’s in the room. It looks empty, but again, that don’t mean shit.
Marc goes in first. Then he waves me in. Empty.
“What now?” I ask Marc.
“We sit here for a few minutes to see if there is anyone moving around the hallway. If not, we start looking into the rooms.” Marc says.
I nod.
We sit and wait for about thirty minutes. Not one person anywhere in sight. Then I hear muffled talking. It sounds like it’s in one of the rooms we passed. I nudge Marc to see if he hears it. He nods that he does.
It’s amazing how a zombie apocalypse will teach you to read people’s hand signals, facial expressions, gestures and stuff. You learn to communicate without words.
If you want to live, you have to. Zombies love noise. And the less noise you make, the fewer zombies you have to deal with.
We leave the room and walk back down the hall toward the way we came in. As we walk, the talking gets a little louder. Marc looks at me and nods his head in the direction of the door to the left of us. I nod.
I walk up to the right side of the door and Marc stands to the left side, gun aimed at the door. I slowly put my hand on the knob and turn. It's unlocked. I nod at Marc and continue to turn the knob. The door clicks open. Marc still has a bead on the door. I pull my body back around the door facing and use only my arm to push it open.
Marc gets a little closer to the doorway and nods behind himself for me to watch his back.
See how that silent communication is working? Pretty good I would say.
I turn my back slightly toward Marc’s back so I
can see behind and to the sides of us while he watches in front. We enter the room and see two beds. It’s dimly lit, but we can see pretty well.
Marc walks over by the beds. There is no one in either of them. We hear a sniffle from the far corner of the room off to the left.
“Come out. We aren’t going to hurt you.” I say softly.
Marc and I stand there waiting. Soon, we see a head slowly rise from behind a table. It’s a young girl she looks to be around twenty but it’s hard to tell as we can clearly see she has the toxoplasmosis parasite. Her eyes are cloudy and she is having difficulty with hand coordination. And I can tell she has fever by the sweat she is producing.
“What's your name?” I ask her.
“Lori.” She says.
“Lori, I am Tracie and this is Marc. He’s my nephew. We’re trying to find out what's going on in this place.” I tell her.
“They said they are going to make us feel better again. They are going to cure everyone. But I don’t feel better since I was forced here. I feel worse.” Lori says.
Damn, they already gave her the flu shot and are waiting for her to become a walker.
“What have they done to you Lori?” I ask.
“They gave me a shot and said it would make me well again.” She answers.
I can tell she is having trouble seeing now. It’s only a matter of time before she turns.
“I’m sorry Lori. That you have to endure this.” I tell her.
“My whole family is dead now. I have no one left.” She says.
I look at Marc and shake my head. I can see the anger rush into his face.
“Lori, lie back on your bed and rest. We will leave you alone now so you can sleep.” I tell her.
She walks back to her bed and sits on the edge.
“They have a lot of people here. Some of them don’t look sick, but most of them look they are going to die any minute. They don’t come into our room, they lock the doors at night so we can’t get out and just leave food outside the door. I’m tired of being sick.” Lori says.
I am trying to keep the tears from falling now. It’s hard to see shit like this going on and not be able to help in any way. But there is nothing we can do for her now. I want to find the bastards doing this.
“Try to rest now Lori.” I tell her.
She nods and lies down.
