by Barone, Cenz
The radio host went on as Kenny shook his head and said “At least somebody is keeping a sense of humour and being honest”. Baxter now stopped the camper van in the middle of the road. He was before a fork with two possible options of where to go” everyone in the back became alert to the fact they had stopped. Baxter was debating which direction to take. Gage bellowed at him “You said you knew which way we are going?” Baxter calmly reassured Gage “I do Gage” but Gage persisted in questioning him “So why have you stopped” Baxter trying to ease his growing concern and sensing the others were as equally as concerned said loud enough for all to hear “Both ways get there, only one way is shorter, I am just trying to remember which one is the shortest route”.
Gage turned around and looked at Laura who was holding her hand crying slightly “It fucking hurting” she moaned as Melissa said caringly “Laura just hold out, it should relieve the pain. “How long are we going to be Melissa?” Laura asked her friend who had zero idea. Finally Baxter hit the accelerator and the camper van began to move, he took the left sided road and now the camper van moved towards the mountain roads. The terrain now became far more ruralised, as the road was leading them away from urbanised areas. The speck of houses decreased in number but still fledglings of those people were visible, some stood on the streets, in the middle of the road or on the sidewalk, with interest shown in the camper van ranging from trying to attack it or just observing it.
Baxter put on the full beam headlights of the camper van as roads were now soon to be without street light as the rural areas was driven towards. Baxter said in relief “At least I don’t have to see that city anymore” Nancy took out some medication from her pocket. This was paracetamol she had transferred from her back pack medication kit in the security station they were last at. Nancy groaned in pain as she muttered “I don’t know how long it will be until I really start to feel it” she said to her leg, which was burning her. Gage had already told the girls in the back their plan so he said hopefully “It won’t be long okay. Baxter knows the hospital” all had to put their faith into Baxter who continued to drive on.
Again the drive went on for a few more miles, and within the camper van the radio was playing quietly in the background. To Gage it was too much so he shouted “Will you shut that asshole up” said an annoyed Gage to Baxter about the radio DJ. Baxter answered “He’s the only one on the radio and we need to know what’s going on”. Gage reached the back of the driving seat as Kenny decided to jump out and went into the back, Gage this time slipped into the front. Kenny near Cherie who was beside the driver’s side, both Kenny and Cherie looked at each other, a prolonged wave of eye contact, both quietly pleased to have come this far, considering where they were at the start. Then Kenny went towards the back.
The drive went on and Cherie refocused on the road as Baxter drove, Cherie wanting to be aware as much as possible about where they were going and what they were doing. As they went on an excited Cherie saw a sign on the side of the road that read Brandenberry Hospital. As the van passed this remote sign Cherie asked “Is that where we are heading Baxter?” Baxter confirmed it by answering “Yes, it is secluded, really remote”. Cherie now turned to Elise and said to her, trying to encourage Elise “It’s going to be fine, we will get there before you know it”. Cherie sat near Elise and tended her arm, Elise who was by this time shaken out of her shocked trance, she turned to Cherie and smiled “I hope so” Elise said, and Cherie saw Elise produce tears from her eyes which began rolling down her face and Elise wiped them away. Cherie was trying to console Elise, but unsure what to say, the way Grant died was horrific after all.
“I wish I could have done more to help Grant” Elise said, recalling what happened as Elise’s voice was heard by the rest of the people in the back of the van, all lost in their own thoughts. Elise added “It is because of him I have survived this long, and now he’s dead”. Cherie wanting to reassure Elise replied “Grant saved me to, without him and that van I don’t know where I would be. What happened to Grant was sudden. It was too fast for any of us to do anything. You can’t blame yourself”. Elise nodded, knowing Cherie was right as Elise said “I know I shouldn’t but I can’t help it” a whimpering sounding Elise shared. This made Cherie instinctively hug Elise, upon this contact of care Elise broke down and started to cry, she was embarrassed to do so but could not help it and limited her cries as much as she could by burying her face into Cherie’s shoulder. Nancy was watching them, feeling their fear and pain and their total exhaustion, the way Grant died could have happened to anyone of them. Laura and Melissa remained ashen faced. With Kenny near them both and opposite Elise and Cherie as Cherie looked upon Kenny once more who was struggling himself to cope with what happened to Grant.
Kenny looked ahead as he felt the camper van slow down and he stood up and saw something up ahead which made those sitting down who looked up at Kenny realise something was wrong. Kenny made his way towards the front seats where Gage and Baxter were. “What’s going on Kenny” Nancy tried to stand up but struggled and cursed herself for having this injury. Nancy could tell something was up, and they had been on the road for almost one hour since leaving the city. Kenny turned to them all and said with a brooding expression “There is a road block up ahead”. “Like a tree blocking the road” asked Melissa as Kenny turned back to look out of the front driving window and back to Melissa, he then responded “No, it is more like trucks and some fire engines, only nobody is there, its abandoned”.
Nancy lamented “They did it didn’t they, they ran like everyone is running and leaving road blocks, stupid decisions, so they can run and be safe but they want to lock everyone in. It is cowardice” Nancy sat up as she reflected on the sort of instructions and orders being given out to the police by their seniors and how decisions taken elsewhere seemed to fly in the face of common sense. “You need to lie down Nancy” Kenny advised her but Nancy was determined to get up as she said “No, I can handle moving a vehicle. We will need to drive them off the road”. Kenny though was not having this because he could see the state she was in made asking for her help would be dangerous to them all. So he said “We can do it, Gage, me and Baxter. One of you though should get in the driver’s seat, in case something happens to us, you will have to drive this thing back the way we came so we can make a quick getaway. Just remember that fork in the road Cherie” Cherie looking at him as he said “You take the camper van back that way and go up that side. Baxter says just follow that road, it will take you longer but the signs will be there to, to lead you to the hospital”.
Laura stood up holding her injured arm and waded in, saying to Kenny “Don’t go out there, you might get killed, surely we can just ram through”. Kenny shook his head as Baxter getting closer to the road block was preparing to stop any moment now. Kenny remarked “No Laura, we cannot risk barging through. If this van for any reason breaks down we will be sitting ducks. We don’t have to move all the vehicles anyway, we just need to move a few to make a path for us to go through” Kenny looked at the injured women, Nancy with her leg, Elise and Laura with their arms as Melissa and Cherie sat near them as she said with compassion “Enough to get you guys to the hospital”.
Elise asked Kenny curiously “What if there is nobody in the hospital, maybe they have fled” all had this thought in their minds but Kenny just told her “That is a problem to address when we get there”. Baxter brought the camper van to stop finally and Gage quickly opened his driver side as he said “We have to make this as quick as fuck Kenny. Let’s go” Baxter opened his door and then handed Kenny the keys to the camper van. Kenny took hold of the keys and went to Cherie, she and Melissa were the only ones uninjured and able to drive the van, he handed Cherie the keys “You take these. Just remember the fork in the road Cherie”.
Cherie did not want him to go, none of them wanted Kenny, Baxter or Gage to go but they were going to try, they all knew they had to and much of this effort was for the benefit of the injured and all were than
kful. Cherie stood up and took the keys as Kenny went to make his way to the door, he was terrified and they could see it across his face, then Cherie affectionately hugged him and whispered “Look after yourself Kenny, please come back” she broke her hug and Kenny just nodded at her but he was being hurried by Baxter outside. Kenny then reminded Cherie “Don’t take any more people inside the camper van, if any other survivors come don’t let them inside”. He looked around at their weapons and said “You keep your guns close to you at all time, and hold them close”. Nancy managed to stand up and said annoyed “Kenny, I need to...” but Kenny interrupted her and said as he pointed to his own throat and where he was injured “You need to rest Nancy, you helped me. Now let me help you and repay the favour. Let us just do it, okay”. Us being him, Gage and Baxter as Nancy just nodded resigning herself to this, and she sat back down.
Baxter now opened the side door to the back compartment of the camper van and called at Kenny “Why are you taking so long, let’s go”. Kenny then followed Baxter outside as Baxter made eye contact with Laura, when Kenny was outside he closed the door behind him and Laura watched as the door slammed shut. Kenny and Baxter disappeared with Gage already moving vehicles, they had their weapons and started to now observe the three men heading to the vehicles and going inside, they were scrambling and hoping there was keys available and most had them, it became clear this was likely a road block that was housed with personnel until something happened as around the scene were body parts and blood, bullet holes and indications of a fight they missed.
Cherie had moved to and sat impatiently behind the front wheel, Laura next to her as Melissa watched from behind the seats. It was so dark and only the car headlights of the stationary vehicles were on, they could not see Baxter, Gage or Kenny due to there being no street lights and only saw movement when one of Baxter, Gage or Kenny found a vehicle and the headlights came on. Then they heard guns shots. Nancy shot up from resting as if the dead things were in the camper van. Nancy exclaimed “Oh shit”. Elise took her weapon and stormed out of the camper van Laura turned from the front seat and stated “Where is she going?”
Nancy hobbled outside and heard even more gun-firing. She held her weapon by the door and it was hard to see but then she saw Baxter was running towards the camper van. Baxter jumped from the side and Laura screamed as did Cherie who saw the dead things running behind him. Kenny had successfully managed to move the vehicles but it was Gage who had done the most work and effort. Nancy fired her weapon at the ensuing dead things and Baxter fought them off as best as he could outside the camper van, they were so close to him he dared not open the passenger door. Elise ran up and fired but was over excited and the gun did not work properly.
Melissa picked up a weapon and joined the group outside. Melissa fired into the shadows of the dead things but was totally off aim. Baxter fought off his attacker and ran away from the camper van. Cherie and Laura watched from the inside, Baxter led several of them following him and then he double tailed to the other side of the camper van giving him enough space so that he jumped into the open door and fell inside the camper van. He was assisted within by Nancy who was struggling with her shot up leg. Then they heard a vehicle coming down the road smashing into 14 of the attackers outside the camper van, the small car was mowing over them, its lights allowing visibility to be seen so that those within the camper van could appreciate how many were outside. As the car continued to mow then down, it came to a stop to the side of the camper van and the door opened, Kenny fell out of the vehicle but there were more of the dead things coming.
Then Kenny noticed he was surrounded and he shouted at them “Go, get out of here. There is a clearing for you. Put on the lights” as Kenny shouted this he ran away from the road and down the side of the embankment into the woodlands as Cherie watched him leave. Cherie shouted “Kenny, come back!” she screamed from within the camper van.
Nancy watched as Elise entered the camper van from the side door and shouted “There are more coming” she was panicky but felt like she had to go out and fight those dead things who murdered her friend Grant. Nancy now locked the door as the dead things banged against each side of the camp van. Nancy hobbled on one leg to the front pushing aside Melissa who herself had returned into the van and Nancy shouted at Cherie “Go, there is an opening ahead, put on the lights and go”. Cherie, even though she and the others knew Kenny and Gage were still out there hit the gas and sped through. Baxter was breathing hard in the back, lying on the floor as Cherie saw the opening they made, she crashed through the dead things and the opening would be a tight squeeze.
Laura turned to him from the passenger side and demanded “What happened to Gage?” Baxter coughed as Elise went to assist him with Melissa in tow, but he was struggling to stand, he was not injured just tired as he replied “Gage is dead! He was the one firing those shots. Gage got surrounded by those things. There was no hope for him, they came out of nowhere. I could not do anything” Baxter becoming emotional, as he lay on the floor, the women all listened, devastated as Baxter continued and said “Kenny cleared the cars alongside Gage and I provided cover but I had to run, there was nothing else I could do. I tried all I could but they came out of every direction”.
Cherie shouted as she drove onwards “We have to go back for Kenny, Kenny is still out there. He could still be alive”. “There is nothing we can do for him now Cherie” Nancy shouted back but Cherie could not control her temper even though she kept on driving through the blockade as she stated “It’s for you we went up this way, we came up here because of your injuries so how can you turn your back on him you heartless bitch?”. Nancy shouted back equally as outraged as Cherie as Nancy stated “We have no choice Cherie. Do you want to risk all our lives, so we can what park up and go scouting, there are too many of those things back there”. Cherie remained silent, knowing it was a point well made but she did not like it even though as the adrenaline kicked in she knew Nancy was right, they all needed to get out of there and already within the space of a few minute they lost another two members of their group. None objected to stop and go back, it was too dangerous and there was no way of knowing if he was alive, but in truth the chances were Kenny was dead just like Gage. Baxter was moaning in despair.
Chapter 26 - Brandenberry Hospital
Almost 45 minutes had gone by since they had bypassed the vehicle blockade, and the camper van travelled through many small country roads. Baxter had by this time switched back into driving since he recovered from the fright of moving the blockade, but also Baxter knew the way best, and he was handling the vehicle neatly and followed the signs with patience despite how highly charged he was due to recent events. Baxter was careful and observant on the signs which seldom came beside the road. The rest of those in the camper van were quiet and nervous. Only the light from the main beam of the camper van allowed anything to be seen outside, and on either side were trees and hedges, there were hardly any houses seen or any buildings on the side of the road. The street lights being absent and their presence would be welcomed to those in the van to just know what else was going on around them, as they drove at a speed of around 30mph. Baxter wanted to keep it at a relatively easy speed because he was worried about debris in the road. The saving grace was the hospital signs when seen read less and less miles until they would reach it.
Finally Baxter turned near a small junction and the sign read “Welcome to Brandenberry Hosptial”. They were now entering the grounds of the hospital, after passing a pretty flower garden on either side of the road they saw the building up ahead near an empty car park. The building was small and had grey walls with electronic doors at the front, as well as an upper floor on the left side. Baxter stopped the camper van as everyone looked on at the building, Nancy herself had stood up with assistance from Melissa, and she came to the front. Baxter was quiet watching the building as Laura turned to him “Why have we stopped?” Laura asked. Baxter after a moment of gathering his thoughts replied “I am just che
cking”. Melissa answered him “Checking what, it is empty nobody is there” as Baxter turned back to look at her and say “Outside it might be empty but we don’t know who is inside”. Nancy moaned, she was barely able to remain standing up as she leant on Melissa.
With Nancy’s moans Baxter began to drive down the small hill and headed into the car park, he drove quite close to the electric doors. Nancy within the back said “Everyone get your weapons, be careful. We have to go inside. Melissa help me” Melissa again allowed Nancy to put her arm over her shoulder and they streamed out. Baxter opened the driver’s side door and Laura opened the passenger side. The group gathered near the middle of the camper van, preparing to go inside the hospital. Elise used her uninjured arm to hold a pistol and Laura held a machine gun, barely able to considering her injured arm was causing her issues but she stomached it. Nancy said “Baxter, lead the way inside” Baxter did not object, his fight against fear was less and less profound at this point after all he had done, so he walked towards the door. He also felt invigorated to be leading the group, especially since it was all females at this point.
Everyone moved except Cherie. Laura moving to the left noticed Cherie was not joining them so she asked “Cherie, what are you doing, come on”. Baxter stopped as did the others, all turned to her. Cherie remained standing near the camper van. Nancy knew what was on Cherie’s mind after their argument within the camper van. Nancy bluntly told her “Cherie, you can’t go back for him”. Cherie sounding annoyed just replied to her and said “Nancy, just go and get your fucking leg fixed”. Elise answered distraught “We don’t even know if anyone in there can help us” Baxter muttered “We don’t know if anyone in there wants to kill us”. As the others spoke amongst themselves, Nancy focused on Cherie and stated forcefully “Cherie, we need to stick together”.
