Dead of Knight: A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Tale

by Beard, Stephen J.

  “About a month ago. She told me when she was bugging me about none of us getting one.”

  “A month ago? Maybe she didn’t get a tainted one. She lives in a rural area. Maybe the tainted ones didn’t get to rural areas. Besides, something would’ve happened by now.”

  “Maybe. I don’t remember when the Boston victims got their vaccines or how long they were sick. But, I did see Baltimore go by on the list of cities that got the tainted vaccines. If you live on the eastern shore of Maryland, I bet your flu vaccines go through Baltimore. I tried to call her a few days ago and didn’t get her. I’ll try again in a bit.”

  Tabby got back from her task and sat down next to Sam and hugged her.

  “We good, Tabby?” She nodded and Mal came over and threw his arms around his sister. We stayed like that for a few moments, savoring the energy and love. Then Tabby asked the obvious question.

  “Now what?”

  “Well, I think we’re safe in the house for now. Do not open the door for anyone. Period. We have food and water. We’ll do what they say and hang tight for now.” Our house was a two story colonial style house. The bedrooms and two bathrooms were upstairs and there was a spare bedroom downstairs that we used as a craft and storage room. Another bathroom, kitchen, dining and family room were also downstairs.

  A change in the TV picture caught my attention. The CNN anchor was saying that they had lost the live feed from the crew in Boston and that they were working to get them back. Other sources were reporting that the hospital where the attacks were was being evacuated and ambulances were transporting the wounded to other area hospitals. I just shook my head and sighed.

  “Well, that’s the worst thing you could do. It appears that the dead are coming back to life and attacking the living. Right now there seems to be no other explanation.” I chuckled a bit. “Sorry. I almost said ‘logical explanation’ but caught myself. Yet, the wounded are being transported to other hospitals. Those are the anchors own words. They have no idea what they’re dealing with. They’re just helping to spread the damn things. These wounded are going to die then come back to life and kill more people. Those people are still thinking like doctors and nurses, trying to help. It’s admirable. But it’s going to get out of control. This is what I was afraid of.”

  ‘You’ve got to tell someone,” said Sam.

  “What? Tell who? I don’t think the Governor of South Carolina is going to take my call.”

  “Call CNN.” The words came from Mal. It wasn’t the worst idea.

  “Okay, get me the number.”

  While Mal was looking for a phone number for CNN a live feed came back from the missing crew in Boston. The scenes were of absolute chaos. The hospital was surrounded by flashing lights from police vehicles. A perimeter had been set up and there was smoke coming from the building, maybe three or four floors up. The camera operator had set up across the street from the hospital in another building so there was an excellent view of the chaos. Faint gunfire could be heard coming from inside the hospital. Every few moments a member of the police would bring out someone who had been injured. Most of the injured had probably been bitten so the police were unwittingly ensuring that the virus or whatever it was would not be contained here. In between the escorted victims, every so often an unescorted victim would come running out. Sometimes they were met by a medic and sometimes they simply ran into the watching, waiting crowd.

  Soon, police could be seen backing out of the building as they fired on some unseen threat. A few police ran up from the perimeter to join the fight as the zombies, I guess that’s what we’re calling them now, reached the doors and staggered outside in full view of every camera at the scene. The police stopped and made a stand, not wanting to let the zombies reach the crowd. Amazingly, the crowd stayed. Everyone was watching in amazement and horror. There were more than 20 zombies heading for the police line. A few went down with leg wounds as the police fired into them. But, the injured zombies continued to advance toward the crowd now crawling instead of staggering. One or two went down with head shots but the police didn’t seem to make the connection. Then an officer ran out of ammo, dropped his firearm and broke ranks, running into the crowd. This unnerved some of the crowd and they tried to back up, pushing and shoving. Then three more officers ran. Another fell to his knees and held out his arms like Elias in ‘Platoon.”

  Then, all at once, the zombies were on the police. They fell upon the brave men and women who had made their stand, trying desperately to protect the innocent lives behind them. The zombies feasted as the crowd tried to run. But there were too many people in the crowd and the ones in the back couldn’t see. The camera watched as people trampled one another trying to get away. Zombies looked up for their next meal as their previous meal died from their wounds. Those in the crowd who were trampled made easy prey, even for a slow, staggering zombie. The CNN camera operator zoomed in on a young girl as a zombie reached her and began feasting, tearing into her tender flesh. You could hear her screaming over the other screams as the zombie ate. The camera operator must’ve realized what was happening because they moved on and focused on the hospital entrance where more zombies were staggering out of the doors.

  The picture returned to the studio. The anchor was crying and someone moved into view to try to comfort him. Another anchor stepped in front of the scene and spoke as the camera focus adjusted.

  “I think you all feel the same after what we all just witnessed. It looks like a scene from a horror movie, but I assure you that this is really happening. It is not a joke. It is not CGI. It is not some ‘War of the Worlds’ type broadcast. We are getting reports of similar scenes, some worse if you can believe that, in New York, Atlanta, Orlando, St. Louis, Charlotte, Phoenix and our nation’s capital. Basically, and someone correct me if I’m wrong, these are all cities where the tainted vaccine was sent. The President is scheduled to speak in about an hour, but I think it’s safe to say that if you live in an area where the tainted flu vaccine was sent, or even if you don’t, just stay in your homes, or your office or school or wherever you are. Do not check on loved ones. Do not answer the door. Stay inside and let’s see if our leaders can come up with a plan for this new threat. What can only be called, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but can only be called the zombie invasion.”

  I’m sure the anchor continued talking but I didn’t hear any of it. I don’t think the other members of the family heard it, either. We all sat in stunned silence of what we’d just seen and heard. We were all crying and poor Thor was nuzzling Tabby trying to figure out what was going on. Maybe it was time to turn the TV off for awhile.

  “Sam, why don’t you go start dinner? Something fresh. We don’t want to use up anything in cans until the frozen and fresh stuff is gone. Tab, can you take Mal up to your room and play. Your Mom and I will be right down here if you need us.”

  Hugs all around then the family spit up. I grabbed a pen and pad of paper and started taking notes. I need a list. It’s how I work best. There were a lot of things to think about. Too many, actually. Where are the flashlights? Should we all sleep in one room or are we okay in separate rooms for now? Do we leave the safety of the house to check on the Thompsons next door? They’ve been so good to us over the years. The list goes on and on.

  Some of it was easy. I have my own flashlight as does Samantha. There were two others in the hall closet downstairs and one in the garage. Plus, we could use our phones in a pinch. For now, anyway. But, at some point we won’t have the ability to charge them. Other answers depend on how long this lasts. I guess that’s the big question. Can the government handle this type of emergency? Theoretically they could find all the people who got the tainted flu vaccine and round them up. Problem solved. Except it wasn’t. It was too late for that; the zombies had already broken out. Besides, the government couldn’t do anything quickly. It was way too large to mobilize to take care of the problems of Super storm Sandy or Hurricane Katrina. It’ll take days for them to get it
together. By then, 50, 000 people could die and wake up as zombies. Who knows what trouble that would cause? Then what about the people that had been bitten today? They’re gonna be zombies too. That’s how zombies work. If there are such things as zombies? Which now, apparently, there are. I can’t even go any further down that road. The basic math is bad enough. If everyone who got the tainted flu vaccine became zombies, then turned two other people into zombies, who then turned two other people into zombies, we’ll be ass deep in zombies in just a few days.

  Gotta get through today first.

  Dinner was, oddly enough, fairly normal, thanks to my wife who drove the conversation. We talked a lot about what the kids were doing in school and what was going on with their friends for Christmas. That stung a bit. I was well aware that no one’s plans for Christmas were the same after today. But I kept my mouth shut for a while. It was difficult. I wanted to make plans and talk about lists and inventories and the like. Only Tabby seemed to be worked up.

  “Dad, I want to make sure Justin is okay.” I wasn’t sure who Justin was, but I didn’t always keep up with school friends.

  “Well, Tabby you’re welcome to call, text or email him.”

  “I haven’t been able to get a hold of him. It’s not like him to not get back to me.”

  “I’m sorry honey. Does he have a house phone? Or, do you know his mom’s number?”

  “Nobody has a house phone anymore, Dad.” She was getting angry now. “I want to go see if he’s okay.”

  “No, Tabitha. I’m sorry but we’re not going outside. Certainly not as it’s getting dark. You remember what we just saw on the TV, say 20 minutes ago, right?” I looked over at Sam for help. Obviously, Justin was a boyfriend or whatever passed for a boyfriend at 14.

  “Tabby, keep trying to get in touch with him. Maybe tomorrow we can go out if things are better. Maybe,” said Sam. She spoke in a tender, loving tone that I didn’t seem to ever possess. It worked on Tabby for the moment. I took that opportunity to go fetch dessert. Thor padded along.

  When I came back from the kitchen with dessert, my wife was speaking in hushed tones with Malcolm. They were trying to be nonchalant about it in that obvious way people do. Once I had sat down, Sam spoke.

  “Mal has a question for you, Ryan.”

  “Oh? What’s that, Mal?”

  “Will we still have Christmas?”

  “Of course, buddy. I don’t know what the future will bring but I do know that we will always be together to celebrate Christmas. Your expectations about Christmas might have to change though.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Well, like I said, I don’t know what the future will bring. But, what if we don’t have lights up all over the outside? Or, what if we can’t put the light up deer out in the front yard? Would that still be Christmas to you?” The light up deer were the hit of the street. I had four of them and they got placed around a large number of blue lights on the ground that looked like water.

  “Why wouldn’t we have the deer?”

  “We might not have electricity.” Apparently he hadn’t thought of that. Maybe the reason he was so calm all afternoon is that he really can’t process what’s going on. I’d been so proud of him, both my kids all day. Maybe I’d overestimated their capacity for this emergency.

  “But if the electricity is off, how will the TV work? Or the PlayStation?”

  “They won’t work, Mal. Without electricity we have no lights, no TV, no air conditioning. Thankfully we have a fireplace for heat.”

  “Surely it won’t come to that Ryan. You’re scaring the kids with all this doom and gloom.” That bothered Tabby, who was still upset because of Justin.

  “Mom, I’m fine and Mal is fine. This is a really big scary thing. I think Daddy’s right. This will be bad.”

  “Tab, these people are sick and they will get better. As long as we stay away from them we’ll be fine. It’ll all be over soon.”

  “Samantha, are you ok?” I asked. “You watched what we watched in the other room, right? This will not end well.” She started crying and I felt bad. But she had to understand. I got up and stood behind her putting my hands on her shoulders.

  “I’m scared, Ryan. God, I don’t want to do this in front of the kids. I want to protect them from all this.”

  “We can’t, Sam. I’ll do my best to protect each and every one of you, I promise you that right here and now. But they need to know just how bad this will get. We can’t hide it.” She looked up at me.

  “Just how bad do you really think this’ll get? The government will mobilize the Guard or something, right?” I kissed her head and sat back down.

  “Okay, let’s go through this and see how bad it’ll get. Mal, these people died and came back to life. Now, they want to eat other people. What does that make them?”

  “Zombies.”

  “And what happens if you get bit by a zombie?”

  “You turn into a zombie, too.”

  “That’s right. Sam, this is how bad it is… There were 50,000 tainted flu vaccines. That’s 50,000 zombies to start. How many zombies could they make? Don’t forget, all those people that were killed or injured today become zombies. They’ll just wake up in a morgue or a hospital or on the street and bite whoever is closest to them. Then what about the people who lapsed into comas at home? They’ll turn too. Think of that.”

  “We should check on the Thompsons next door.” She said.

  “No way. Not after dark. I called them earlier and they didn’t answer. Their car was in the driveway. Maybe they weren’t near the phone but I don’t think zombies answer the phone.” That made Mal chuckle a bit.

  A hush came over the table. Tabby was looking down at her plate. Mal was looking at her and my wife just looked off toward the kitchen. No one spoke for what seemed like minutes. Finally, I couldn’t take the silence any more.

  “We’ll stay together and work together and we’ll get through it. Everybody does their part. Get it?” Everyone nodded and Mal asked the question this time.

  “What comes next?” I thought about the ways I could answer that question. There were many. I decided on the broadest answer I had.

  “Everything changes, Mal. For everyone.

  While the table was being cleared and the dishes cleaned up, Samantha needed a clarification of my broad answer to Mal’s question.

  “What kinds of changes can we expect?”

  “That’s hard to answer. It depends on a lot of things. Not the least of which is can the government get a handle on it? Can they identify everyone who is infected and contain them? The short answer to that is ‘no.’ we’ve already seen the problem spreading. Everyone who was bit today is, theoretically now a zombie.”

  “But, aren’t most of the sick people in hospitals?” Tabby asked.

  “Most probably started in hospitals, yes. But you saw what happened today. They got out. And hospitals are the worst place for something like this. Doctors and nurses, by nature and training are going to help. Then when the infected dies and comes back, the doctor or nurse is right there trying to help. Makes them likely to get bit. And it’s against their very nature to kill one of these infected people.”

  “Gotta shoot them in the head.” I had almost forgotten about Mal. He was being quiet while he dried some plates.

  “That’s right Mal. It’s the only way to be sure to put them down if they’re zombies. You must destroy the brain.”

  “Ryan, is all that necessary? ‘Put them down?’ that’s horrible to say.”

  “Yes it is, Sam. But it’s true. If you mother was a zombie she would not recognize you or care who you were. Her only desire is going to be to eat your flesh. You’d have to kill her.”

  “I don’t think I could kill anyone,” said Tabitha.

  I walked over and put my arms around her. My wife did the same.

  “I hope you never have to. Your mother and I will do everything we can to protect you and Mal.” Mal came over to join in the new g
roup hug and we stayed like that for a few moments.

  Okay, I want everyone to take a shower tonight. And make sure to wash yourselves, Mal…” Mal laughed. He had a habit of getting wet but not soaping up. “I don’t know when we’ll lose the water but if the power goes then who knows.”

  “Why would the water go out?” asked Tabby.

  “People are staying home because of this. The power stations won’t work on their own for too long. Coal plants have to have coal shipped in probably every day and that won’t happen now. Hydroelectric ones might work for a few weeks but without someone pushing buttons when needed even that will stop. Nuclear plants. Geez, let’s not even go there. But when the electric stops, then the pumps for the water stop.”

  “When do you think we’ll lose power?” Sam asked.

  “If I were willing to bet, I’d say three days.” No one looked as though they liked that answer. “It’ll be like camping.”

  Even Mal groaned at that. In spite of my best efforts, my family was not what you’d call, outdoorsy.

  “After everyone showers, then we do like we said. We stay in, hunker down and see what the morning brings. Mall and Tab, when you’re done with your showers do you think you guys could sleep in the same room tonight? We can move the Wii and whatever else and you guys can play till you’re sleepy. Is that okay? Tab? Mal?” They both nodded. “Thanks for your help, guys. I mean it. Okay, off with you then.”

  Sam and I kissed the kids and sent them off. It was too early for bed but I thought it would give them a chance to talk without the grownups around. I figured they’d need that time together. Plus, it’d been a stressful day, to see the least, for all of us. But, I didn’t think it would be the last.

  “Ryan, do you want a drink?” I actually pondered this. Rarely do I turn down a glass with rum in I but I didn’t want to be impaired if something happened. I decided that the chances of something happening in our neighborhood tonight were slim. After tonight, who knew? “Not too strong.” I answered and we settled down on the sofa together when she got back from the kitchen. After a brief silence holding hands, Sam spoke.