by Sean Kidd
“General, it’s Bob! I’m calling with an update. I just left Dr. Marcil and Dr. Simone in the lab. They have figured out a way to alter the serum and should have a sample developed for testing in the next 48 hours!” There was a brief pause on the other end of the Sat-Phone, “I’m not going to lie, Bob. I’m not too convinced we’re going to be able to beat this thing. The virus has spread to every side of the globe in the last 72 hours. This is a global pandemic. Every sick person who ingested water containing Dr. Marcil’s ZMapp has died and turned into one of those things. Now half of the world is trying to eat anyone who’s not sick or dead. We recalled all of our troops from overseas. Not counting those who are sick or already turned dead, we’re down to ten percent.” Bob nearly dropped the Sat-phone, “General are you telling me the United States Military is almost non-existent?” Bob heard a sigh over phone, “That’s exactly what I’m telling you, Bob. We’re not the only ones. It’s every military on every continent. The only men we have left are those working special details with the President, the chemical bunker guards, and the few who were immune to the virus.”
“What can I do General?” asked Bob. “Bob, if this new serum works, you need to get it to Atlanta. The President’s here with me in a secure bunker. We’ve got everything we need to wait this out, but mankind is depending on you. There’s one more thing, Bob. I have to warn you. I know you haven’t been out of that lab in days, and you need to be prepared. They’re all dead out there. When you walk out of those secure doors, you will be fighting for your life. Life as you know it, has changed. There’re no more trains, the airports have been overrun and are now non-accessible. The roads are just as dangerous. The sound from the cars seem to attract the dead. You’re 1,200 miles away. You need to make it here one way or another. We can synthesize your serum here and try to save any non-infected. Godspeed, Bob!” The General said as the line went dead.
Bob stepped out into the hallway and called for MARIA.
“MARIA would you please pull up the exterior cameras on this monitor.” The monitor warmed up and displayed twelve four-inch square boxes. Every box showing a different camera shot of the lab exterior. Bob searched the monitor and found the exterior courtyard view. He used the cursor to make the courtyard camera expand to full screen. It was empty at first, and he was about to switch to another camera, when he caught a young woman run into the camera view from the east. Without stopping, the woman looked back across the cobblestone courtyard and lost her footing. She tumbled, landing on her hands and face. She was slow to get up, and it became obvious why she had been running. Two men and a woman entered the screen from the same side as the woman. Even with the graininess of the monitor, Bob could see the decaying flesh of the woman’s three new friends. They were slow and clumsy, but gaining distance on her. She tried to get up again, but stumbled on her twisted ankle. One of the dead men got a few fingers wrapped in the woman’s sweater. It was just enough to slow her down, so the second dead male was able to grab onto her. Like wild animals fighting for a piece of meat, the three attacked her. Clawing, biting and tearing away lengths of flesh. The woman’s shoe had fallen off, and Bob watched as the woman’s pantyhose covered toes stopped twitching. He continued to watch as other dead came into view and joined in the feeding frenzy. Bob turned his head away from the monitor, stood up and walked away.
MARIA escorted Bob back to Dr. Marcil and Sophie. He gave them the General’s grave news and told them about the attack, not less than twenty yards from where they were standing. Dr. Marcil put a hand on Bob’s shoulder, “I’m sorry you had to see that my friend.” Sophie took his other arm, “Bob, if they’re all dead, then how are we supposed to test the serum? If the tests are successful, how are we supposed to get it to Atlanta?” Sophie asked. Bob thought about it, “We’re going to drive until we run out of gas. Then we’re going to find another car. If we can’t find another car, then we are going to walk.” Bob insisted.
“It will take us a month to walk to Atlanta.” Sophie said concerned.
“Well, I hope you have a good pair of sneakers!”
CHAPTER 20
October 11th 10:39 PM
Five minutes later, I came back into the living room to find Chevy watching out the window again, “What’s out there?” I asked. Chevy wiped away the condensation left on the glass by his breath, “There’s nothing. I mean, I don’t see anyone. It’s like they’ve all disappeared.” He used his sleeve to wipe the window again. I joined him in his exterior search through the living room window, “Are we gonna do this thing or what? I need to make sure my parents are okay.” I said. I felt the knot in my stomach starting to come back. We ended our exterior watch and headed for the front door. I stopped at the door and took a knee for a quick inventory of my backpack. Granola bars, gloves, an extra shirt, and four sodas stuffed in the bottom. The side pocket held a four inch folding knife that I only carried when I was deer hunting with my dad.
I decided to pull the knife out of my pack and stuck it in my front pocket.
“What’s that for?” Chevy asked looking at the knife.
“It’s for protection, in case we run into anymore of those dead people out there? The lady on the TV said you have to destroy their brain!” I explained as I unfolded the knife and tapped the point with my finger.
“You bring up an interesting point, Ty!”
“I’ll be right back.”
Chevy left and began searching the house for his own weapons. Over the course of the next three minutes, I heard boxes banging, doors slamming, and at one point I thought I heard Chevy walking around the attic. When he finally emerged from the hallway, he was transformed into a killing machine. Swinging from his right leg was our camping hatchet and on his left, a framing hammer. Our 20-inch barbeque fork was half stuffed into a pocket on his pack with the tines sticking out the top. He was holding a six-foot metal rod in his right hand. Chevy had duct taped a steak knife to the end of the rod’s shaft.
“What the hell is that thing?” I chuckled. Chevy held up the shaft like a javelin, “It’s a spear! I ripped down my curtain rod and taped a steak knife on the end!” Chevy said as he handed me the spear. I lifted it, like I was working out curling a dumbbell, “Wow, it’s heavy!” I said as I handed it back to Chevy.
“Yeah, I know! It’s twisted brass and expensive. I took it from my parent’s house before it was sold. It will be great for stabbing those things.” he exclaimed, and I had to agree. It was a formidable weapon.
Again, we met at the door, both ready for battle. I looked out of the front door’s peep hole, “It’s clear!”
Chevy hit the light switch and the living room went black. We stood there in the dark, both ready and scared to death. I swung open the door, and we both charged into the front yard screaming with weapons drawn, and prepared for anything that might come our way. We stopped in the middle of the yard, screaming battle cries. We spun around, ready to kill enemies from any direction, “Ah-hhhhhh!” I screamed, as we were attacked on all sides, by silence. There was nobody. Standing there alone with Chevy, I felt a little foolish. Even Mrs. McCarthy was gone. The only thing that remained of her was black ooze stains she left behind in the street. “So which way should we go?” Chevy asked, as he kept his eyes watchful for continuing threats. “I say we make a beeline to their house, cut through backyards and only cross the roads when they’re clear.” Chevy agreed with a single nod. We crept through our yard and made it to Chevy’s truck. We took up position behind one of the huge tires. I got down on my belly and shimmied under the truck, peering out to see if there was anyone coming from either direction. As I scanned the road, I thought I heard Chevy say, “Don’t worry old girl. I’ll be back for you as soon as I can.”
I couldn’t help but giggle, “Are you talking to your truck?” I crawled out from under the truck and looked up at Chevy.
“No! I wasn’t talking to my truck! I was talking to you, and you must have misheard me.” Chevy complained.
“If tha
t’s the case, then why did you call me old girl?” I asked, now grinning from ear to ear. “Damn, Ty! You’re being a jerk! Now is the road clear or not?” Unable to hold it any longer, my smile turned into a full fledge laugh. Chevy walked away, headed for the street pissed off. “Wait for me! You don’t want to leave me, your old girl, behind do you?” Chevy kept walking without looking back. For the next ten minutes, we walked in silence. Oops.
CHAPTER 21
October 10th 1:45pm
After not sleeping for days, Dr. Marcil took off his glasses setting them on the counter next to him. While reaching up to rub his eyes, he called out to MARIA. “Yes, Dr. Marcil is there something I may assist you with?” the voice squawked. “MARIA, please locate Dr. Simone and Colonel Aiken. Ask them if they would be so kind as to meet me in the lab?” Dr. Marcil put his glasses back on and turned the flame off from under the 1,000 ml flask. The dark red rapidly bubbling liquid began to slow. The doctor removed the flask and gently swirled the inner contents looking for uniformity. He was setting the cooling liquid back on the stand as Sophie and Bob walked in.
“What do we have here Doctor?” Bob inquired as he admired the red swirling fluid. “That’s it!” Dr. Marcil cheered. “I’m calling it Emapp, and it’s ready for testing!”
He poured a few milliliters into a smaller beaker, using those contents to fill a syringe.
Dr. Marcil capped the syringe and handed it to Bob. He studied the syringe and then looked up at Dr. Marcil. “What am I supposed to do with this?” he asked, holding up the needle. “It’s your job to test it, Colonel.” Bob gave the doctor an, are you crazy look, and threw the syringe on the counter, “I’m not sticking that thing in my arm! Remember what happened to Miranda!”
Dr. Marcil, now slightly offended said, “It’s not for you, Sir. It's for you to give to a sick person.” “Where the hell am I supposed to find a sick person? The hospitals and city have been overrun with the dead, and you expect me to go out there and find someone that’s showing symptoms?” Sophie stepped in between the two men, “It’s time for you both to put your penises away! We’re scientists. We need to put our heads together and figure this thing out!” Bob interrupted Sophie’s lecture, “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to go out there and find a symptomatic person! You can just lock yourself in your nice and safe protected laboratory while the world out there dies around you!” Sophie’s eyes began to fill with tears, and she stormed out of the room. Bob went to chase after her, but stopped when Dr. Marcil grabbed onto his arm. “Colonel, you need to let her go. She’ll be fine. I’m sorry for being blunt before. I too, am under a great deal of stress, I blame myself for everything that’s happened. I understand your predicament. It may be a difficult task acquiring a symptomatic patient who hasn’t been drinking water. It might very well be an impossible task, but you have to try.” Silence fell over the men as they searched their heads for a solution. The speaker above their heads clicked on, and MARIA came to life, “Colonel Aiken and Dr. Marcil, Dr. Simone would like you both to meet her outside of the isolation room.” The two men made their way through the maze of security doors and keypads, finally reaching the isolation ward. They entered to find Sophie sealed in one of the glass isolation rooms. Sophie held down the button on the intercom, “Gentlemen, please don’t attempt to open the door. I have infected myself with Miranda’s strain of the virus. It’s already attaching itself to my cells and without treatment, I will begin showing symptoms in 24 hours. If our calculations are right, administering ZMapp would essentially kill me, and reanimate me into one of the dead. In theory Doctor, this” Sophie held up the syringe filled with Dr. Marcil’s new Emapp serum, “should save me and prevent any onset of symptoms.” Bob slapped both of his hands against the glass wall, “Sophie! Why?” he screamed. “We could have figured something out!” Sophie walked over to Bob, and put her hands on his, separated by the glass, “I am sorry, Bob. This is the only way.” Sophie leaned in and kissed the glass between Bob’s hands. He moved in and kissed her back. A tear rolled down Sophie’s cheek. Bob's mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out. Sophie reached down to the gurney, grabbed the syringe and thrust it into her arm before either of the men could say anything. The red liquid vanished into Sophie’s vein. She removed the syringe and sat down on the gurney, “It’s done gentlemen!” Both men’s heads dropped, knowing inside that it had to be done and cursing themselves for not having the courage to do it. “Gentlemen, if the serum produces any adverse effects, we should know in the next three hours. In the meantime, if you’ll both excuse me, I’d like to get a little sleep.
CHAPTER 22
October 11th 10:45pm
The darkness gave way to street lights as Sidara Cruel passed into the Plattsburgh City limits. A town she had never heard of. Sidara felt like she was walking through a ginger haze. The orange color of the high pressure sodium street lights tainted the darkness surrounding her. Sidara had been on the back roads trying to escape her Potsdam dorm room in a stolen vehicle. Now, lost and out of gas, just a few miles away wasn’t helping her situation. She was starving, needed a smoke, and a warm place to sleep until she could boost another car in the morning. Sidara had stolen the car six hours earlier after being attacked by her roommate and half the Potsdam campus. She knew of the Ebola outbreak, but couldn’t understand why all of her dead classmates were coming back to life eating everyone they could find. She packed a bag, stole a car, and got off the campus as fast as she could.
She found herself stopping ten miles outside of Plattsburgh. She had come across a Humvee that had crashed and was laying on its side. The vehicle was deserted, so Sidara took a chance searching the Humvee, looking for supplies that might help her on her journey.
She left her mother and thirteen-year-old sister in Virginia to go to college. She didn’t like the idea of being so far away, but it was hard to say no to a full academic scholarship. Now her mission was to get back there, to take care of her mom and sister.
She was just about out of gas and couldn’t afford to be out here on foot with no weapons. Sidara climbed onto the trailer hitch and pulled herself onto the side of the Humvee. The door was too heavy to pull open, so she dropped in through the open passenger’s window. The vehicle was empty and in shambles. She found a duffle bag and pulled out the contents. There wasn’t anything in there except BDUs and a pair of boots. Everything looked like it was too big for her. Sidara threw the duffel bag to the back of the rig, revealing a military rifle with a small scope on it. A little more searching turned up an ammo bag containing fifteen loaded magazines and a twelve-inch knife that looked like it had come out of the movie Rambo. Sidara pulled the knife from the sheath exposing a blackened steel blade. Etched in the steel across the backbone of the knife were letters spelling out REAPER! Oh, the irony. Sidara slid the knife back in the sheath clipped it to her belt. She slung the rifle over her shoulder and threw the ammo bag out of the passenger’s side window. She saw the bag hit the ground through the windshield giving off a metal twang. It was a five-minute struggle to work her way out of the Humvee and back onto solid earth. She laid the rifle on the ground in front of her, trying to figure out how it worked. She had handled plenty of firearms in the past, but this one was a little different.
Sidara grabbed a magazine from the ammo bag and inserted it until she heard a click. She flipped the safety to fire and stood up. She lifted the rifle up to her shoulder, and pulled the trigger, waiting for the loud bang. Sidara was more shocked by the silence when the gun didn't fire. She pulled the gun away and hit the side of it. Nothing happened. She inspected the outside of the rifle, finally coming across the charging handle on the top, just below the sight.
As she pulled the handle, she felt the spring pulling back, and she knew she had it. Sidara lifted the M4 to her shoulder again and looked through the small scope on top. She pointed the rifle at the Plattsburgh 10 miles sign, and put the red dot in the scope in the middle of the zero on the 10. She p
ulled the trigger and the gun went off. To her surprise, there was very little kick. She lowered the rifle and saw a small hole in the middle of the zero. A natural! She thought. Sidara snapped her head around when she heard something rustling just off the road in the wooded area. She dropped to a knee and brought the M4 up to her shoulder. She watched in silence as the sound grew louder. Sidara knew it was one of the military soldiers by the camouflage clothes that were beginning to appear. When the soldier finally emerged, Sidara could see his skin had started turning gray. His left eye was missing, and a deep black hole was left in its place. Moans came in between each snap of the soldier’s teeth. She took in a deep breath, released half of it, and held the rest. She maneuvered the red dot on the M4’s scope until it was centered in the black hole of the soldiers missing eye. Sidara pulled the trigger, and a single round passed through the eye socket. The head did not explode like she had imagined it would. A light mist of black spray came out as he fell over backwards. Sidara rose to her feet and walked over to the fallen soldier. She gave him a light kick on the leg to provoke a response. He didn’t move. The soldier was dead.
Sidara searched the soldier looking for more supplies. She started by removing his sidearm, a Sig-Sauer 229 with three magazines, each with twelve rounds. His MOLLE vest was full of large pockets. The first pocket gave her three more magazines for the M4. Each pocket after, continued to give up its bounty as she opened them. Sunglasses, binoculars, an empty canteen, two grenades, a GPS unit, two MREs, a first-aid kit with quick clot, a multi tool and lastly a second large knife. Sidara packed all the bounty back in the MOLLE vest and released the Velcro straps. With a little work, she got the vest off the soldier and tried it on. It was a little big, but manageable. She pulled out one of the grenades and was fascinated by its weight. She examined the pin and imagined removing it and hurling the grenade into a group of dead. Sidara had never felt so powerful as a woman. She tucked the grenade back in her vest and headed to her car. She got in, started the vehicle, and surveyed the scene one last time before she drove away. She was convinced there was nothing left for the taking. As the vehicle crept away, a flash by the speedometer caught her attention. She looked down and saw blue flashing letters, “10 Miles to empty!”
