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He gave her a look, that meant it was her. Rose said, “ Keith. You didn't tell me that. She will come back.” He said, “ No. But, it's alright.” He gave a quiet sigh. He said, “ Okay... So, how do we warn them? Aside from your show, which will really be our only avenue. What do we do?” She turned to her side, “ So, you will help me?” He said, “Don't I, always?” She kissed him. “Yes. That is why I love you. I should have married you.” He stared at her. “ He said,” I know. But, if you had, I would have to leave dishes in the sink, and throw my dirty underwear on the bathroom floor for you to pick up. Then, you would tell me to clean up after myself, and I would have to divorce you. And, I am not sharing custody of my camera, or my Three Stooges Collection.” They both laughed. She blurted out, “ You are such a dork!” Then, he turned the video back on. He sighed, again. He knew that this was not good. In a more serious tone, he said, “ Okay. I don't have anything scheduled for a couple of days. Let me watch all of this, and see what I can put together for you on video. I'll make a call and see if anyone knows anything about this.” She said,” Okay. I spliced some of it. It's already up. I'm going to Granny's, tomorrow. You want to go?” He said, “I can't. I have a lot to do. Looking at an apartment. Need to do some packing.” She said, “ Okay. I'll call you when I get back, then.” She remembered him saying something about chicken, as she dosed off. The next day, Rose went to Indiana to see her Granny. She drove through the city. As she studied her drive through Chicago, she looked around for traffic. There was no one around. She thought about everything that she had learned the last few weeks. She came to a red light. As she came to a stop, the intersection was empty. As she sat at the red light, before the turn off to the expressway, she saw a mob of strange looking people. They seemed to be walking in sync with each other. From far away, they looked so strange. As if they were moving in slow motion. As they moved closer, she saw that there was a homeless man sitting on a curb. She remembered that, those people traveled in mobs in the videos, too. They were all focused on the homeless man. She started to beep, in an attempt to get the man's attention. He looked around. They came closer. He realized, too late that, they were actually coming for him. He stood up and started to run away. One of them lunged for him and grabbed his arm. The man fell. He tried to get away, but they all swarmed him. They were biting him. He was yelling for help. Rose picked up her phone and called 911. There was a busy signal, then a voice message. The voice in the message said, “ We cannot answer your call, right now. Please, leave a message about your emergency. Tell us, where your emergency is taking place. Don't forget to leave your contact information. Your contact information should include, your name, telephone number, and the address where the emergency is taking place. Don't forget to leave details about your emergency.” Rose heard a beep. She turned the phone towards her, and stared at the screen. She had to leave a message? She was in shock. She blurted out her name and continued, “ A mob is attacking a man! .At the red light, near the off ramp leading to I-294 east. Please, hurry! They are all on top of him!” She stopped the call, then re-dialed the emergency line. A busy signal. She heard sirens. She looked around, thinking that help was coming. In her rear-view mirror, she saw an ambulance pass by at the intersection behind her. She frantically looked around for help. She did not know what to do. There were too many of them for her to be able to help him fight them off. She started to cry. She helplessly watched in horror, as the mob bit and started eating the man. They were actually trying to eat him! Suddenly, a car pulled around her, right into the middle of the intersection. Two men got out of the car and ran towards the man. They were both yelling at the crowd. They started to pull some of the people off of the man.
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They tossed some of the crazy people down to the pavement, like rag dolls. Now, Rose saw the man that the crazy mob had attacked. He was still alive. They had bitten him all over. His clothes were torn. The terrified man was still screaming. The two men, realized what was happening. In shock, they both froze at the sight of the man being eaten. Now, the attention of the attackers were focused on the two men. Rose cried out, “Oh my!. No! “ One of the attackers stood up, and staggered towards one of the men. He pushed him back, pulled out a gun and started to fire shots at the crazy man. They were both yelling “ Get back!” Some more of the mob stood up, and also went for the two men. Now, the mob swarmed the two men. Rose locked her doors. She panicked, and drove off. She didn't even know if there was a red light, or a green light. She drove through the intersection, anyway. She sped down the ramp, and onto the Interstate. She felt like she could not breathe. She thought about the videos. The crazy people in the videos, looked just like the people in the videos. She started to cry. She was terrified. She drove down the ramp, and onto the interstate. She called Keith. “ Hello,” he said. She cut him off before he could say anything else. “Keith! It's all true! Stay home! Don't walk anywhere! Warn your family! I have to tell my Granny and sister. I'll be back, later today. Be careful.” Hearing the fear in her voice, Keith said, “ Whoa! Whoa, Rose...What happened?” She said, “ I just saw it happen, Keith. A mob of those...things attacked a man. Then, some other men stopped to help him, and they attacked them.” Keith asked, “ Rose, where are you?” She said, “ I'm on the Interstate. I'm fine. Stay in, Keith. Please? I'll be back, later.” He asked, “ Rose, how far away are you?” She said, “ I just made it onto the expressway. There is hardly anyone on the road. It's the city that is dangerous,Keith. Don't walk around, anywhere. Okay?” He said, “ Rose. You should come back here.” She said, “ No. I have to talk to Granny. There is no one out on the road. It's the city, Keith. Did you get a hold of your Mom? You should get her a flight booked.” Keith said, “ I'm working on it. Don't get out of your vehicle, unless you are at Granny’s. Okay?” Rose said, “ Okay, Keith. I'll call you when I get back home.” She touched the “off icon” on her screen. She placed her phone in her handbag. She thought about that poor homeless man, all of those men. In her mind, she replayed what had happened, over and over, again. She turned on the radio. Many of the channels were static. She remembered what Mr. Tobias had said to her. She felt the feeling of impending doom. On one of the channels, people were talking. They were actually talking about the pandemic. One man, who called into the radio show, asked a someone called, Dr. Rios some questions. “ Doctor, how fast is this thing growing? What can we expect from the government, as far as squashing this thing, before it gets out of control?” The Dr. answered, “ It is already out of control. The best thing that you can do to protect yourself, is to get out of all populated areas. Especially, if you have children. DO NOT allow them to go back to school, until all guarantee of this pandemic is gone. Don't take any chances with your children, watch the elderly and the terminally ill.” The interviewer cut in, “ But, Doctor....Doctor, what started this?” The Doctor replied, “ Well, Jack. There are rumors within the medical community. Apparently, the Government decided to not keep their big old thumb on the people who were handling some mutated bacteria. That bacteria was added to some vaccines. All that we know of this bacteria, is that it is fatal to the patient, while the mutation, a new strain..... continues to live in the body after death. It somehow, re-generates the nervous system....after death.” The interviewer blurted out, “ After Death?” The Doctor was silent for a moment. He said, “ Yes.... After death. It is very contagious. If bitten, the victim will contract the contagion, and his health will steadily degrade.”
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The interviewer cut in, again. “ Okay. How is it cured?” The Doctor was silent. The man repeated, “Doctor? How is it stopped?” The Doctor inhaled, then exhaled. The listeners could actually hear him inhale, and exhale. He said, “ At this time, we have no cure or antidote to stop it.” The interviewer was silent. Rose turned the radio off. She felt like she was in a daze. She gave herself a talking to, “Breathe, Rose. Get calm. You are not going crazy. You have to hold it together. Tell Granny and Dawn. Get back home, do
another show and get out of the city.” She stared in front of her, as she drove. There were almost no cars on the road. There should be a lot of cars. Even if, in spurts. If this was as bad as she thought it was, how could she tell her family? She had to warn them. But, how? She finally made it to her Granny's place. Clea Fox, was a Cherokee and Pawnee of the First Peoples. She had seventy acres, just outside of Flora. She hoped that Dawn came out there. They never had time to see each other, anymore. Not since, Rose moved to Chicago. Now, she really needed to talk to her. To warn her. When she arrived at her Granny's house, Dawn and Granny were waiting for her. She was running late. It was around 2:00 P.M. She walked into the big farm house, and gave her Granny a kiss and hug. She didn't want to let go of Granny. Granny sensed that something was wrong. Then, she hugged her sister, Dawn. Granny said, “ Well! It's about time! Didn't think you'd ever get here, Girl! Come on, sit down. I made some chicken and dumplings. I made you girls some biscuits, corn, and slaw, too. Made pie, too. I better not hear that you two are not hungry. Too much food here to waste. Dawn, I made a batch up for Tom and the kids, too.” Rose was nervous. She had to warn them, while being calm. The table was already set. She was suddenly, hungry. She said, “Hm, Granny. I knew you'd feed me.” Both sisters followed their Granny into the kitchen. They all carried bowls of food into the dining room and sat everything down onto the table. Rose started to fill the water glasses. She was deep in thought about what she had seen on the way there. She wanted to warn Granny, and her sister. Then, the happiness of being back at Granny's touched her. She felt a sense of safety, here at Granny Clea's house. But, the feeling of gloom and doom sat in the pit of her stomach, too. She would eat something, then tell them after they had all finished. But, she still worried, and it showed on her face. Dawn, asked her, “ Sis. What is wrong?” Granny walked into the dining room, carrying a bowl of fried chicken. Rose looked up at Dawn. She said, “ We'll talk after we eat.” Dawn stared at Rose. Her sister was worried about something. Granny pulled her chair out, then sat down. She started filling up plates from where she sat. The sisters sat down, they all bowed their heads to give thanks to the Lord. Granny led the prayer, “ Lord Jesus. Thank you for bringing my girls home. Thank you for this food. Bless us Heavenly Father. And, keep us all safe. In Jesus name we pray, amen.” Dawn and Rose agreed. They started to eat. Granny asked Dawn, “ So when do I get some more pictures of the kids? Why don't you bring them out here? You and Tom, can take them up to the pond. Teach them how to fish.” Dawn said, “ Granny, Tom and I.... well, we are separated.” Granny looked surprised.“Separated! Why?” she asked. Dawn started to explain why herself, and her husband had split up. The two talked, while Rose ate. After a few moments, Granny started to eye Rose. She knew that she was nervous about something. She always over ate when she had things on her mind. As Rose ate, she contemplated how she would tell her family what she knew, and what she feared would take place. Dawn noticed Rose's odd behavior, too. Rose kept thinking, if her information was correct, there was a massive pandemic already spreading throughout the city. Soon, it would make it to the country. She had to tell them, even if they thought that she was crazy. She was nervous.
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But, the food was too good to stop eating. In fact, she was gorging herself. Granny and Dawn started to watch her eat. After they finished eating, Rose sat at the dining room table, silently contemplating what to say. Would they think that she was crazy? Then, she thought about Granny going to bingo, alone. What if those crazy people saw her? She thought about her niece and nephew. Rose watched Granny and Dawn passing pictures back and forth. At one point, both noticed that Rose was unusually quiet. Granny was getting concerned, Rose had been acting odd all afternoon.. Dawn pulled more pictures from her purse. She said, “ Rose, want to see?” Rose, nervously looked back and forth between her sister and Granny. She sat still in her chair. She spoke slowly, “You guys.” Both women stopped passing the pictures and waited for Rose to finish. They both looked a her intently. Granny said, “ Well, spit it out, Girl!” Rose continued, “ I have been working on this story. And, well....” She paused. Dawn asked, “ What is it about?” She continued, “ A pandemic. It makes people, attack others...” Granny repeated, “ Attack Others?” Rose said, “ Yes. And, it's very contagious. Very dangerous. It's ...well, there is no cure and, they can't contain it.” Granny now, stared in disbelief at her. Dawn said, “It can't be in our area. The school has not sent home any notices. I am glad that we live on the east side of town. We will be okay there.” Rose said, “ For now. You will be okay, for now. This thing...it's moving rapidly. I think you and the kids should come out here with Granny.” Granny listened to the urgency in Roses' voice. Dawn said,“Sis. The locals have not said anything. Everything is fine.” Rose cut in, “ No Dawn, this is bad. People are trying to eat other people. They are saying that there is no cure for it. Some kind of mutated bug. Have you noticed a decrease in people around you? In your neighborhood? At work? In the grocery store? Television channels out. Radio, too. I am telling you, Dawn, this is bad.” Dawn, in disbelief said, “Maybe at work. But, why nothing about this on the news?” Granny crossed her arms over her chest. She broke her silence, and cut in, “ Three more cable stations were off of the air this morning. And, all of the local stations, but two.” There was dead silence. Then, she went on, “Girls, you both gather some clothes and come out here for a while. We will tend to each other. And, Dawn.... I think you need to bring Tom. Whatever your differences, the children need their Father. You two can sort it out later. I am surprised that his radio buddies have not been talking to him about this. I'll ask Will about it.” Dawn rolled her eyes. Rose said, “ I have to get some things in order. If I bring Keith and my equipment, can I set it all up here?” Granny said, “ Don't worry about that stuff.” Rose said, “ I need it to warn people, Granny. I have to tell as many people as possible.” Clea was concerned. She had never seen Rose so spooked. She continued, “Rose. I do not think you should go back to Chicago. It is too far.” “Granny, I have to go back and tie up some loose ends. It will not take long. Then, I will be back. I am going to bring Keith, if he wants to come. I can do my show from here. I will need his help.” She paused, then added. “Granny, don't leave here. Okay? Wait for me to come back. Give me a list, and I will bring you what you want me to get for you. Okay? This may be over in a few days, until we know we're safe, I just want you to be careful.” Dawn scoffed at both of them. “You two cannot be serious! Now, you are starting to sound like Tom and his nutty friends. Granny! Don't take this seriously. I don't want you to hear the wind outside, and think it's a ghoul coming to get you. I can't bring the kids here. They will be having nightmares within five minutes, after hearing you two talk.” Clea addressed Rose “ Don't leave here? What if I need something, before you get back?” Rose said, “Yes. If you see someone outside. Don't go outside. They don't die, unless you shoot them in the head. I'll be back, in a day.”
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Dawn blurted out, “ Rose! Stop it! You are going to scare her. Now, you are getting creepy. What happened to you in Chicago?” Rose said, “ Dawn, believe what you want. At least, bring the kids here if you start seeing any weird behavior by people. Keep them home for a few days from school. Please?” Dawn could see the fear on her sister's face. She didn't have an answer. Later, Rose made it back to Chicago..... There were no cars on the road. She was exhausted when she got in. Her phone started buzzing, it was Keith. She answered, “ Hey. Where are you?” He answered, “ At my place. It is getting weird over here. I was getting worried. Did you make it back okay? ” She said, “ Yes. I have a lot to tell you. Can you come over? Keith, I saw it happen. They are real. And, they are running around in packs... attacking people. Just like the videos. I tried to tell Granny and Dawn. Did you tell your Mom? We still have a hour or so of day light. You should come soon. Keith... Bring clothes and anything you need for a while. I need to talk to you about staying at Granny's place for a while. We can upload from there
. Okay? “ He said, “ Rose, stay inside. I'll be there in a while. They have my street blocked off. Looks like a lot of police, and couple of ambulances down at the corner.” Rose blurted out, “That is what I want to talk to you about, Keith.” He hung up on her. She stood there, just staring blindly at her phone. When he arrived, Rose shared everything that she had seen with him. She pled with him to go to her Granny's place for a few days. He reluctantly agreed. They made plans to leave in the morning. Keith slept on the sofa. Rose woke up early. She started to pack some of her things. Then, went into the kitchen to make breakfast, and have more coffee. Then, she thought about packing her canned food. She knew that Granny had a lot at her place. She would talk to Keith about it. Keith walked into the kitchen. He saw Rose sitting at the kitchen table. She looked over at him. “You are up? I am making breakfast. You want coffee?” He walked over and took a cup from the cabinet, then poured himself a cup. He sat down next to her. “ So, how long?” She repeated,” How long?” He continued, “ At Granny's. I left a message for my Mom. She is flying out this weekend. I am going to the airport Saturday to pick her up.” She said, “ Good. I am glad she is coming. Even if this is not as bad I think it is. It is better for her to be here.” He said, “ I think you are on to something. Well, I know that you are. I have been hearing stuff for months.” Rose asked, “ What stuff? The things that you told me about night before last?” Keith said, “ Rose, there have been a lot of sick people on the crews. Some of the gigs that I've had, have been canceled at the last minute. People being attacked. Strange things. Like a full moon... everyday.” She said, “ Why didn't you say something?” He shrugged. “There is something else. “ She asked, “ What?” She took a drink of her coffee. He said, “ When this is all over, I may go back to California.” She was dumbfounded. She didn't want Keith to leave. She asked, “ You are leaving? Why?” He said, “I just need a change, Rose. I have stuck with you for a long time. You are going to be fine on your own.” She didn't know what to say. Keith had stuck with her, even when she broke it off with him. He did everything for her. She wanted to scream. She stood up and walked to the stove. She looked down at the bacon that was frying in the frying pan. She picked up a large fork, and turned the bacon over. With her back to him, she asked, “ Do you want to tell me why you need a change?” He said. “I just need a change, Rose. It is just for a while.” She took two plates, placed some bacon and pancakes on them. She turned around, and set both of the dishes on the table.
Living Dead 2.0 Page 4
