Chas held her breath as the phone rang, praying with all her might her mother would answer.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Please, be alive. Please, be alive.
“Hello? Chas? Is that you?”
The line crackled with static, but it was unmistakably her mother, and Chas cried, “Mom!”
“Oh, thank goodness, Chasity. You’re alive,” Vivienne said with a sob of relief. “I can’t believe it.”
“Mom, are you still at the hospital?”
“Yes, I’m here. We’re trapped in the cafeteria,” Vivienne replied.
More static.
“We’re coming to get you, Mom. Lala and I are—”
“No, don’t come here. It’s too dangerous,” Vivienne cried, interrupting Chas. The line crackled, and the next sentence came through in bits and pieces. “The first floor is overrun…stairs blocked…don’t come…die…don’t have long now.”
“Mom, please. Hold on,” Chas said, bitter tears burning her eyelids.
“Go to the evacuation center, Chas. Before it’s too late.”
“Mom, no!”
“Do as I say….love you…”
“Mom?”
The line died, and no matter how many times she tried again, it stayed dead.
Finally, her grandmother took the phone from Chas’ hands. “Leave it be now, hun. The phone’s dead.”
“But, what about Mom?” Chas said, tears streaming down her face.
“We can at least take a look, Chas. It’s right up ahead anyway,” Dean said.
“Yeah, I’m sure we can try something,” Vanessa added, though she didn’t look very confident.
“Like what?” Chas asked. “If the place is overrun, there’s not much we can do, and I don’t expect you guys to risk your lives for me. Or for my mother.”
“Calm down, sweetie,” her grandmother said, pulling her into a warm hug. “Like Dean said, we can just take a look. You never know.”
Chas didn’t agree, hopelessness flooding her entire body even as she took comfort in Lala’s arms. All her determination of before had left her in a rush. Neither Lala, nor Vanessa, nor Dean had heard the fear and panic in her mother’s voice, the utter terror, and Vivienne was one of the strongest, bravest people Chas knew. She did not get scared for nothing.
Chas squeezed her eyes shut, trying to control her sobs, even while she knew her mother was lost. They were too late. Her eyes popped open again and fixed on the clock. Twenty to two. Just enough time to make it to the evacuation center.
Chapter 18
Dean tore around the corner of the hospital block, gunning for the main entrance while the rest held on for dear life. Already, the situation seemed hopeless. Not only was a group of infected chasing them, but more thronged the streets around the hospital, their hungry faces like those of rabid jackals in the moonlight.
There was no way they’d be able to make it into the building without getting killed, and that was assuming the inside of the hospital was safe, which they all knew was not the case. It was hopeless, and Chas knew it.
“Dean, it’s okay. We can’t do this. It’s too dangerous,” Chas said, forcing the words out while knowing that they sealed her mother’s fate. It felt like she, Chas, was killing her personally, abandoning her to a terrible death.
“Yeah, I’m sorry, Chas. I really am,” Dean said. “Maybe if we had more guns we could do it.”
“I know, and it’s all right. You all did your best,” Chas said with a sinking heart.
“I’m sorry, hun,” her grandmother said, her voice cracking with grief. She, too, was losing someone very dear to her. A daughter. “I really am.”
“Go to the evacuation center, Dean. If we hurry, we can make it on time,” Chas said, glancing at the clock. Ten minutes to go.
“If you’re sure,” Dean said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
“I’m sure,” Chas said, leaning into her grandmother’s side with a sigh of defeat, sorrow filling her breast at the thought of losing her mother and that on top of Grumps. At least, I still have Lala.
“Dean, watch out!” Vanessa screamed, rattling them all to the core.
Dean slammed on the brakes, and the truck careened across the road before coming to a stop barely a foot away from an army convoy bristling with soldiers. Dozens of barrels turned their way, and a soldier barked something over a loudspeaker.
Whatever he said had to wait, though, because the next moment, the horde of infected chasing them came screaming from around the corner of the hospital. The soldiers opened fire, and Chas cried out as the loud gunshots tore through her eardrums and brain like hot lead.
She pressed her hands to her head and sank down into the seat, huddling next to her grandmother who’d done the same. Vanessa and Dean likewise cowered in their seats while the truck’s engine coughed once before dying a miserable death.
The infected screeched as the soldiers cut them down in a hail of bullets, their dying moans sounding enraged to Chas’ terrified mind. On and on it went until she thought it would never end, like a video on a loop.
A few of the zombies evaded the soldier’s gunfire and banged into the truck, slamming their fists on the windows until she was afraid they would smash through and crawl inside. Chas stared at their bloodied faces pressed against the glass, the hunger in their eyes almost tangible.
A voice crackled over the loudspeaker, and the sound of the guns diverged as the soldiers flanked the trucks, shooting the infected trying to break in. Like bloated ticks on a hide the zombies fell away in a mist of crimson blood, the truck’s windows covered in the stuff.
Chas jumped when someone yanked open her door and squirmed as a rough hand dragged her out of the truck. “Lemme go!”
Despite her protests, Chas was pushed into a single line along with her grandmother, Vanessa, and Dean. For several seconds, they were pushed and prodded by two female soldiers, all while sporadic gunfire still sounded in the background.
Finally, the women stepped back, and a single soldier, an officer judging by his manner and uniform, stepped forward and shone a flashlight into their faces. “Are they clean?”
“Yes, Sir,” one of the women who’d searched them answered.
Chas squinted up at the tall officer, her eyes narrowed against the glare of the light. His face was stern and his manner cold, but his voice sent a frisson of fear down her spine, it was that emotionless.
“Have any of you been bitten or scratched?” he asked.
“No,” Chas replied, echoed by the others.
“No, Sir. I just saved your asses. Show a little respect,” he said.
Chas gritted her teeth as anger took the place of fear. “Yes, Sir.”
“Have you come into direct physical contact with the infected?”
“No, Sir,” they answered once more.
“Why are you not at the evacuation center? All citizens were told to go there,” he said.
“With all due respect, Sir. My daughter is inside that hospital. We came to rescue her,” Chas’ grandmother replied, her voice calm and dignified.
“Rescue her? What makes you think she’s still alive?” he asked. “The place is a dead zone. Look at it.”
He waved a hand at the front entrance of the hospital, and Chas gasped. Pressed against the doors were hundreds of infected all clamoring to break out. Some were dressed in scrubs, others looked like doctors and nurses, but most wore plain clothes. People who got ill and booked in as patients.
For the first time, Chas realized the full scope of the situation inside the hospital. There were hundreds of zombies trapped inside its hallways. Her little group never stood a chance. Unless…Chas studied the officer, calculating. He looked like the kind who enjoyed power. The type who climbed the ladder and looked for any opportunity to advance.
Chas cleared her throat. “Sir, if I may. My mother is still alive. So are a number of doctors, nurses, and the State Senator’s e
ldest daughter. I know this for a fact.”
Lala shot her a surprised look but didn’t say a word, and neither did Vanessa or Dean, all three striving to keep a straight face.
The officer’s eyebrows raised, and he asked in a mocking tone of voice, “Really? And how did you come by that important information, little girl?”
“My mother is a nurse, Sir. We managed to get a call through to her, and she told me they were all barricaded inside the cafeteria,” Chas said, the lie rolling off her tongue like water off a duck’s back.
“Including the State Senator’s daughter?” he said with a dubious frown, folding his hands behind his back. “What would a Senator’s daughter want with Red Rock?”
“She’s here for a PR stunt, Sir. She visited the Pediatric Ward earlier today to raise awareness for her father’s campaign.”
“And your mother told you all of this over a phone call that I’m still not sure ever occurred. Why?”
“My mother thought the army would send a rescue team seeing as they had someone so important with them. That’s why she told me,” Chas said, keeping her face as smooth and innocent as possible. While she’d been taught not to lie, this was a life and death situation. “Isn’t that why you’re here, Sir?”
“I’ll ask the questions here,” he said.
“Sorry, Sir,” Chas said, ducking her head to look at her shoes.
“How do we even know they’re still alive? That the cafeteria hasn’t fallen already?” he argued.
“I spoke to her only minutes ago, Sir.” Chas took her phone from her pocket and showed him her dialing history. The call was to “Mom” and lasted just under a minute.
The officer studied the screen with a frown. “I see. I’m inclined to believe you, but I still don’t see why I should risk my men’s lives inside unfamiliar territory.”
“Sir,” Chas’ grandmother said, raising a hand. “Let me go with your men. I know the hospital better than anyone. I know exactly where the cafeteria is, I also know there’s a stairwell to the top that leads to a helipad.”
The officer pursed his lips. “That changes things.” He looked around. “Alvarez!”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Gather your squad and escort Mrs…”
“Ensign.”
“Escort Mrs. Ensign and her friends to the cafeteria. Liberate the survivors and proceed to the rooftop for evac. Got it?”
“Yes, Sir!” Alvarez answered with a prompt salute, though Chas thought he looked anything but happy at the thought.
“The rest of you, prepare to roll out. We’re falling back to the evacuation center.”
Chas’ grandmother stepped forward, a protest on her lips. “Sir, what about the children?”
“What about them?”
“Can’t you take them with you? The hospital is no place for them, surely,” she pleaded.
“I’m afraid we have no space for civilians, Mrs. Ensign. They will have to stick with you. Good luck, and God speed.” With that, he turned and disappeared around the nearest truck.
Minutes later, the convoy rolled out with a thunderous roar, leaving only Chas’ little group and Alvarez and his men. An uncomfortable silence fell as each eyed the other, clearly not happy to be stuck together.
“Why that arrogant pig,” Chas’ grandmother muttered. “He’s clearly not from around here, or his mama would’ve beaten him black and blue by now.”
Alvarez laughed then quickly covered it up as a snort. He shouted out a few commands to his men before turning back to them. “Right. Ma’am, kids. You heard what Officer Brown said. We will proceed to the hospital now. Please, stay in formation at all times. If you stray, I cannot be held responsible for your safety.”
“Formation?” Dean asked.
“Stick to the middle, kid, and we’ll have your back,” one of the other soldiers answered in gruff tones, his hulking frame twice as large as Dean’s.
“Um, thanks,” Dean said.
Chas fell in line with Lala, Vanessa, and Dean, surrounded by the squad of soldiers. While it was nice to have them around, she didn’t know if they’d be enough against the number of infected trapped inside the hospital. The mere thought of going in there sent shivers down her spine.
At least, she still had her birthday knife tucked away in her belt, while Vanessa and Dean each had their bats. Lala had the shotgun too, and Chas trusted her more than she did the soldiers. Her grandmother loved her, while they were only there on orders from a power hungry officer hoping he’d get a promotion if they saved the fictional Senator’s Daughter.
Chas still couldn’t believe she’d come up with that falsehood on the fly like that, and judging from the looks Lala sent her, neither did she.
Her grandmother nudged her just before they set off and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “The State Senator’s daughter, huh? Strange, because as far as I know, he only has a son, but that will be our little secret for now.”
Chas exchanged a hidden smile with her grandmother, and when they set off, she felt just a little bit lighter. A liar she might be, but it was for the greatest of good. We’re coming, Mom. Just hold on.
Chapter 19
Alvarez motioned his group forward, and they ran in formation toward the hospital doors. Chas and her group kept to the middle as they’d been ordered to, and it wasn’t long before she noticed the soldier who ran to her right and slightly ahead of her. Though she couldn’t see his face clearly from her angle, she thought he looked familiar. There was something about his hunched soldiers and lanky frame…she couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she knew she’d seen him before. Who is he?
This thought nagged at her until they drew closer to the zombies that clawed at the hospital doors. The view was even worse from there. Not only were the infected going nuts at the sight of so much fresh meat, but all of them sported injuries ranging from a simple bite mark to vicious wounds.
Here Alvarez called a halt and discussed the situation with his men in low tones. Chas guessed it had to do with getting in. The zombies were pushing the doors shut from the inside, creating a sealed entrance, and there was no time to waste on alternate routes. None at all.
After much pointing and arguing, two of the soldiers moved ahead while the rest formed a line behind three abandoned cars, effectively putting a barrier between them and the infected.
“You lot, stay back until we’ve cleared the infected,” Alvarez ordered Chas’ grandmother who nodded and herded them aside and out of the way.
Together, they watch as the other two soldiers jogged to the glass doors and planted grenades spaced a few feet apart. They ran back and got in line just as the bombs exploded, sending a shower of glass into the air. Rumbling vibrations carried through the ground and up their shins and spines as the shockwaves spread outward.
Debris rained down, and Chas cowered down next to Vanessa until it ceased. Vanessa threw Chas a terrified look and reached out her hand. They gripped fingers for a brief moment of comfort before it was over in a flash as chaos took over.
The undead poured out in waves, howling with hunger, only to be met by a withering wall of fire. Their front ranks had already been decimated by the grenades, and the rest stumbled and tripped over their fallen brethren. It didn’t take long for the area in front of the hospital to look like a carpet of bodies.
Once the gunshots thinned out, Chas dared to raise her head and look around. Only a few more zombies were trickling out of the building, and they were quickly picked off by Alvarez and his men.
Alvarez looked around and seemingly satisfied, waved his hand forward. “Form up. Advance.”
His men moved out from behind their barrier of cars with Chas and her group sticking close behind. With careful steps, they moved forward, shooting anything that moved and checking each infected they came across to make sure it was dead. They were cool, calm, practical, and efficient, and Chas wondered how they managed to do it when her own heart was bucking like a deer being attacked by a bear.
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“Come on, children,” Lala said, herding the lot of them toward the hospital. Her face was as pale as theirs, but her expression was determined. “Don’t look, okay? Just keep walking.”
Chas clung to her grandmother’s side, and tried to follow her instructions and not look down. It was hard, though, because if she didn’t look, she risked stepping on something, and that was more than she could handle.
It was an awful sight, one she’d never forget. There was so much death, it was hard to take it all in, and the metallic smell of blood coated her tongue despite the strip of cloth around her neck which she hastily pulled over her mouth and nose.
Somehow, they made their way across the lot, through the entrance, and into the lobby. Once inside, the worst was over. Not only were all of the infected lying dead outside, but the hospital was lit from within thanks to its emergency generators.
Chas heaved a sigh of relief as she let go of Lala’s skirts and looked around at the once pristine front entrance of her mom’s workplace. It didn’t look the same at all. The service and reception desks were all abandoned. Papers, files, phones, handbags, and even bunches of flowers lay scattered across the floor. A single “Get well soon” balloon floated against the ceiling. There was other stuff too, horrible stuff, but Chas did her best to ignore it.
Alvarez and his men were moving around securing the lobby, though there was nothing they could do about the doors. Those were blown wide open.
While they waited, Chas sidled closer to Vanessa and Dean whom she noticed for the first time were holding hands. “I’m sorry I got you guys into this.”
“Don’t feel bad, Chas. We volunteered for this, remember?” Vanessa replied.
“I know, but I still feel guilty. You could be on your way to the safe zone by now with your foster mom, Sarah.”
“And miss all this?” Vanessa answered with a glint in her eyes. “Never.”
“Besides, this is way more exciting,” Dean said with a wide grin. “I want to be a soldier one day. Have you seen how these guys operate? It’s amazing.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Boys.”
Gen Z Boxed Set Page 10
