Alpha of the Omega

by Corona, A. M.

  The wall of zombies was starting to close in on itself as Bobbie swerved to the left and right trying to dodge them as he went along. Then the car came to a screeching halt as the tires squealed on the hard pavement beneath them. Cowan slammed into the back of the driver’s seat. “What the fucking hell!” Bobbie was staring through the blood spattered windshield as the wipers went back and forth methodically. “We need to fucking move!” said Cowan. Bobbie just stared as if he did not hear or did not care to respond. Bobbie started to sob as the horde of zombies were pounding on the car. “Look man you need to get a hold of yourself because if you don’t we are going to die!” shouted Hobbs, as if this would cause Bobbie to snap out of it. Bobbie’s shoulders moved up and down with his hands in his face. “I can’t that is my wife… I… just can’t… kill… her.” Hobbs raised up in his seat and moved his left leg over the middle console and navigated over Bobbie’s leg and shoved his foot down hard on the accelerator. The car started to move again and the metallic sounds returned where the car was striking the zombies as it went. Hobbs tried to steer the best he could from the passenger’s seat.

  Bobbie tried to take deep breathes in order to gain his composure again. It was too late. The car had stopped from all the dead flesh that was beneath the tires and the horde of zombies were too great to break through. “Shit, shit, shit!” shouted Hobbs, as he released the pressure off of the accelerator. The pounding of zombies on the car were accompanied with loud moans cancelled any noise around them causing it hard to think clearly. Bobbie regained his senses and took back over the car. All that Bobbie could think was to try and get out of the situation they were in. Bobbie continued to try and break free but the car would only nudge forward and stopped. Cowan lowered the window and moved to the other side of the car as he started firing into the crowd hoping his rounds would land on the intended targets.

  The car started to rock back and forth from the horde as they pounded on the car. The zombies tried to reach into the windows hoping to taste flesh once more. “Fuck what do we do now?” said Cowan, as he tried to shout over the moans of the infected. Compartmentalize Hobbs once more told himself. All his neurons firing at the same time desperately trying to figure out a way out of the mess they were in. He quickly shot back, “We need to get out of here!” “No shit Sherlock but how do we manage that!” yelled Cowan. “Bobbie rolled down your window and get down” said Hobbs. Bobbie instinctively obeyed the order. He lowered himself as far down to the floor that he could bundling himself into a fetal position. Hobbs started firing into the crowd as the rounds ejected against the back window making a clinking sound.

  The car continued to rock back and forth. “We need to get out of here and into any building we can!” Cowan continued to fire into the crowd with one hand on the rifle and using his free hand to try and open the door. The door budged slightly but would not move any further. The door was jammed from all the dead bodies. Cowan dropped the empty magazine and reloaded with one smooth motion. He moved slightly back in order to get more room to kick the door open. After several attempts the door opened just enough for him to squeeze through. The rifle being in front and his body that followed he was able to get out safely for the time being. Once he got out he switched the safety switch from semi to burst with his thumb and started spraying his rounds in a half circle.

  Bobbie sat up and opened his door in the same manner that Cowan did pushing and kicking the door until it was open enough for him to get out. Hobbs pushed Bobbie as he got out trying to hurry the man up in order for him to get out as quick as possible. The men started firing into the crowd making a small path as they tried to reach the building that was on their left. The zombies reached out for them trying to grab anything they could while their jaws opened and closed as if taunting the men. When there was enough of a path they moved at a brisk walk. Cowan lead the front followed by Bobbie and Hobbs took the rear as they moved in unison with their backs against each other firing in all directions. Cowan reached the building and pulled on the metal handle opening the door. Bobbie quickly escaped inside and was followed by Hobbs. Cowan being the last one in. The building was an older building. It seemed to be a small quickie mart. The zombies pounded on the doors. “Cowan and Bobbie clear the area and make sure it is secure. I will stay at the door just in case they breach the door. “Bobbie, you move down the aisles” said Cowan in between breathes. “I will take the back.” Bobbie just looked around and seeing no zombies standing he yelled “clear!” Hobbs turned his head slightly looking over his left shoulder as he said, “No check down each aisle there could be some of them crawling around.” Bobbie just nodded as he walked sideways perpendicular to the aisles looking down each aisle as he went. When he reached the last aisle he went down it to make sure there were no zombies lurking around.

  Bobbie went down the back of the aisle and saw a zombie on its knees eating what appeared to be intestines as the zombie continued to pull and munch on them. The zombie just looked up from the noise of Bobbie’s footsteps. The zombie just moaned as he dropped his meal and started to head towards Bobbie. The creature stumbled a few times as it tried to maintain balance as it walked. Bobbie raised his rifle and shot it in the head blood splattering against the freezer. “Clear” he shouted.

  Cowan came upon the bathrooms first. He opened the door to the women’s bathroom with his left hand and holding his rifle in the right moving to his right trying to stay out of the fatal funnel. Nothing was there just a nasty toilet where someone had left a nice present all over the place and left it for the employees to clean up. He left the door open to remember that he had already checked it. He turned around to make sure there was nothing behind him and then proceeded to the men’s bathroom. There was nothing in there except urine that was splattered all over the toilet seat. He just kept moving down the narrow corridor moving his rifle left and right scanning the area for any zombies. He came upon the stock room. There was no door. He lowered his rifle slowly. “Shit, fuck me!” There were silver carts full of boxes stacked high on each side which blocked his view.

  “Bobbie” Cowan shouted. “Yeah.” “I need you back here!” Bobbie quickly moved towards the voice. Bobbie saw Cowan having his back to the corner. “I will go in first and I will take the left and you follow right afterwards and take the right.” Bobbie just nodded his head. The two men were on the left side of the door and Cowan tapped Bobbie on the leg. Bobbie’s immediately responded with, “What the hell.” “Fucking civilians. It’s a way of asking if you are ready.” Bobbie just nodded and tapped Cowan on the leg. Without hesitation Cowan moved into the fatal funnel and turned left going slowly. When he came upon an opening and slowed down. “Take a piece of the pie” he said in a hushed tone. He inched himself moving to his right slowly angling himself so he would not get surprised if there was something there. Then Cowan heard a scream from behind him. Followed by a shot and a second one. Cowan turned ran towards the direction of Bobbie. As he went he turned around twice lowering his weapon so it would not get caught on anything and raised it again. It was a way to make sure there was nothing following him.

  Bobbie was caught by surprise as he fired into the chest of the former employee turned zombie. Then gaining his composure he quickly fired again this time putting it down. Blood splattered all over Bobbie’s face as he screamed. He quickly tried to wipe off the blood with his shirt. Cowan arrived at the spot and noticed the zombie that was on the floor in a sitting position and looked at Bobbie. He quickly raised his rifle ready to fire and slowly lowered his rifle. “Did you get anything in your eyes or mouth?” Bobbie just stood there trying to wipe all the blood off staining his shirt a crimson red. “Did you get anything in your eyes or mouth!” demanded Cowan as he raised his rifle once more. “No I don’t think I did.” “Did you or didn’t you!” “No… no I didn’t.” “If I see any sign of you turning I will not hesitate to end your life. You are nothing to me you got that?” Bobbie stood in bewilderment. It was true he just met the two b
ut he was sure Cowan had no ties to him and would dispatch of him quickly without hesitation or thought. “Keep searching.” growled Cowan.

  Cowan shaking his head and continued down his section of the room. There was nothing there. He turned around and walked towards Bobbie. Bobbie just stood there in disbelief of the events that just transpired. “Come on man you need to get a hold of yourself! Move as I do side by side. You got that.” The two men once more moved in unison searching up and down. At the end of the room there was a metallic door to the freezer. Bobbie slowly opened the door from the left and Cowan stood on the right ready to enter as soon as Bobbie opened the door. Cowan went in first heading towards the left and quickly scanning what was in front of him as he moved. Bobbie followed right afterwards. There were crates of eggs and milk. The power was still on which made it bitterly cold.

  The zombies continued to pound on the door. Hobbs moved around the glass case slowly making his way around the register keeping his rifle pointed towards the door. The door was a lot sturdier than what he initially thought. “Hey Hobbs, we are all clear here,” said Cowan. The words startled Hobbs as he turned around weapon ready finger on the trigger. He first pointed it at Bobbie seeing his blood stained face but then he relaxed lowering his weapon. “What the fuck happened to you?” Cowan gave out a small laugh. “It’s nothing just killed a zombie and got some blood on me. I didn’t get any in my mouth or eyes so I am not infected.” Satisfied with Bobbie’s answer Hobbs dropped the subject.

  “Is there something we can bar the door with?” asked Hobbs. “We have some boxes from the back that we can use but I am not sure how well they will hold up” said Cowan. “Bobbie you take the door, I will go with Cowan and bring the boxes up front. We will make it five deep in order to barricade the door. “Cowan did you see any back door or anything?” “Yeah there was a small door but it is secure. Someone put boxes there already so it should be good.” “Alright then lead the way.” “You know there is a freezer back there with milk crates we could use those.” “Yeah that probably would be best.” The two men walked towards the freezer area and grabbed the crates of milk barricading the door and stacked them four high and five deep.

  The three men sat down on the floor one facing the back hallway and one facing the front door. The lights started to flicker. Hobbs wondered how long they would have electricity. He figured a few days maybe at most since more and likely there was no one running the plant. The sun started to set as the sky turned from blue to orange and purple until it gave way to the night. The store was dark except for the emergency lights and signs that read EXIT. Hobbs looked at the sign and just gave a small chuckle. The signs were misleading there was no exit and no way out. Hell surrounded them and there would be no escape from this nightmare. Hobbs went to the freezer that was along the back wall and pulled out a six pack of beer. He carried the pack and sat down on the floor and threw one to Cowan and then to Bobbie.

  Bobbie tried to twist off the cap making small cuts in his hand as the cap would not budge. “Hey Bobbie it’s not a twist off,” said Hobbs. “Well fuck me how the hell do I open it?” Hobbs lifted himself up and took the bottle. “You have to pry it off a bit.” Hobbs took out his P38 and lifted the edges of the bottle prying it open as he went along each side of the cap until it popped. He gave it back to Bobbie and sat down on the cold floor. Bobbie took a big gulp of the crisp beer before he let the bottle leave his lips. “I can’t believe that you killed my wife,” Bobbie said angrily but yet understanding. “Hey man she was already dead. There was no coming back from that,” said Cowan. “Don’t you think I don’t know that!” snapped Bobbie, as his eyes narrowed with tears forming that collected and eventually slid down his dirty blood stained face leaving streaks. “I am just saying man she was already gone and there was nothing else we could have done. If we didn’t we would be a McManwhich for those zombies out there. You could have killed all of us. All because you can’t handle that she already passed away. She was dead man. We just gave her a chance to rest instead of continuing on shambling and wandering around. Look we did her a favor if you can’t see that then fuck you!” Hobbs just put a gentle hand on Cowan’s shoulder as he always did to calm Cowan. “Hey ease up, the man just lost his wife and then we just killed her a second time all in one day.” Cowan just nodded his head apologetically but said nothing.

  “We were married for 28 years. She was the love of my life. We wanted to start a new life here. I lost my job ten years ago and I took my savings and moved us here and opened that gun store. When things got bad and I heard the constant gun fire I told her to get home and stay there. I just don’t know what happened.” He trailed off looking down at the brown bottle in his hand reminiscing about the goods times they had together. “I just... don’t know… what happened.” Bobbie managed to get out between sobs. “It is ok man at least you know what happened and that she is at peace now,” said Hobbs. “There are people might out there now trying to look for their loved ones and they will never get closure. At least you know what happened. That’s more than a lot of people can say.”

  Bobbie just continued to look down at his bottle and then took another big swig finishing it. Hobbs opened up another and handed it over to him. “What is up with this city?” asked Hobbs. Bobbie looked up from the second bottle. “What do you mean?” “Well when we got here we were told there was civil unrest and activists picketing and making trouble.” “Oh that, yeah that happened a while ago. The military came in when there was word of this virus running around. They said they were here for our safety. Yeah you see how well that worked out.” Hobbs gave Bobbie a quizzical look. Bobbie ignored it and continued on. “They were saying something about this being a strategic place and all. I didn’t really buy into that but I figured if they were here keeping us safe then there must have been a good reason for it. Other’s didn’t see it that way and started demanding answers. We didn’t get any of course and were told to go home. That is when reverend Yulie Dicks started saying the world was going to end and this was our punishment. She was quickly taken away and we never heard from her again.”

  Hobbs just thought about what Bobbie had said. That really doesn’t account for the reason why this place was strategic. Something was not right but he knew for sure the military would not tell the local people what really was going on. There had to be something else. A reason why they would come here. This place had to have something they wanted to keep safe but what was it? The thoughts were like a splinter in Hobbs’ head. “Hobbs, Hobbs do you hear me? Man snap out of it,” said Cowan. “Yeah what is it?” “What are you thinking about?” “Just all of this doesn’t really make sense there has to be something here that the government isn’t telling us.” “Does that surprise you at all? How long have we been in together? You should know there is a lot that is not said to us and especially not to them. Just forget about it we have bigger issues here like trying to get out and stay alive. So get your ass out of your head sarge and focus on what is going on now!” “Don’t forget that I out rank you,” said Hobbs jokingly. “Yeah like that matters much anymore” chuckled Cowan.

  “Ok guys, I will take the first shift, Bobbie you take the middle shift, and Cowan you take the last one.” The two men just nodded in agreement. Cowan took off his gear and his top. He continued to roll up the top making it into a ball to act as his pillow for the night. He curled up and was asleep in a matter of minutes. “Hobbs.” “Yeah.” “I know that I was not acting very grateful for your help earlier today but I am happy that you two were there to help me out. I don’t really know what I would have done. I would probably have been eaten in my own shop.” “My wife and I…” He trailed off trying to find the right words. What were the right words to say? How do you say you’re grateful for someone that saved your life but yet killed your dear beloved wife even if she did turn zombie. Was there anger in his heart or was he just upset about losing his wife to not only the zombies but to these two as well. “Bobbie,” said Hobbs as he ga
ve a sincere look of understanding. “I don’t know exactly what you are going through but I only did what I had to do to survive. I know it doesn’t matter much right now to you. You probably hate me just as much as you hate those things outside. This is just not the time to think about what we lost. We just have to stay focused and figure out a way to survive.” Hobbs didn’t really care how he came off because it didn’t matter. It changed nothing. It was done and it was the past now. He was not trying to win any popularity contest. This was not an election where he had to watch every word and action he did. There was no need for justification. He simply did what he had to do in order to survive and he would do it again if he had too. As soon as the others came to that same conclusion they would be better off.

  Bobbie’s eyes widened at what was said. He was in disbelief. His jaw dropped. He was expecting some sort of apology. Or was this Hobbs’ apology or failed attempt at it. Bobbie just admitted defeat at what seemed at the hands of a mad man or was it? Was this the new world now? Emotions and actions don’t mean anything anymore. Did humanity die all of a sudden leaving only cruelty, pain and suffering? Was it the new norm to do what they had to do to survive even at the stake of other’s lives? He vowed he would not be that person. Humanity had to live and to survive in order for them to rebuild society. Bobbie just laid down on the floor hoping to fall asleep even if it was for a little bit of time. Sleep hopefully would allow him to escape the grim reality. He just prayed the new world didn’t enter his dreams. Hobbs just kept looking around trying to keep himself occupied during his shift. Stay alert stay alive he reminded himself. People die when they do not pay attention to their surroundings or the warnings signs. There were no second chances in life. He finally stood up and walked towards the back of the open area turning left at the end of the aisle. He looked down at the half eaten man and the zombie that was obviously enjoying its meal before it received a bullet in the head. He half pitied the half eaten man. Hobbs just shook his head. The world had ended and he was in the middle of it. He supposed it might have been their time to leave this earth. Each species eventually met their doom. They had the power to kill the whole world and wielded it like a kid with a new toy. They were rebellious and didn’t care about the consequences of their actions.