Outbreak

by Paul Carberry

  Published in Canada by Engen Books, St. John’s, NL.

  Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

  Carberry, Paul, 1984-, author

  Zombies on the rock / Paul Carberry.

  Previously published by Authorhouse in 2015.

  ISBN 978-1-926903-33-0 (softcover)

  I. Title.

  PS8605.A6843Z457 2017 C813’.6 C2017-900333-X

  Copyright © 2015 Paul Carberry

  NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING AND RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATION STORAGE OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR, EXCEPT FOR BRIEF PASSAGES QUOTED IN A REVIEW.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Distributed by:

  Engen Books

  www.engenbooks.com

  info@engenbooks.com

  First mass market paperback printing: October 19, 2015

  Second mass market paperback printing: March 2017

  Cover Design: Matthew LeDrew

  EBook ISBN-13: 978-1-926903-39-2

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One: A Missing Person

  Chapter Two: Heavy Rains

  Chapter Three: Black Coffee

  Chapter Four: A Suspicious Turn of Events

  Chapter Five: Hit and Run

  Chapter Six: The Super Soldier

  Chapter Seven: Bitten

  Chapter Eight: A Quick Recovery

  Chapter Nine: A Single Shot

  Chapter Ten: Underground

  Chapter Eleven: Revelations

  Chapter Twelve: Incidents Around Town

  Chapter Thirteen: High Fever

  Chapter Fourteen: A Deadly Game

  Chapter Fifteen: Heading in the Wrong Direction

  Chapter Sixteen: An Impossible Choice

  Chapter Seventeen: Nearing Midnight

  Chapter Eighteen: Midnight

  Chapter Nineteen: Adrenaline

  Chapter Twenty: A Fight to the Death

  Chapter Twenty-One: Near Death

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Escape

  Chapter Twenty-Three: The Hospital

  Chapter Twenty-Four: Chaos

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Blind Luck

  Chapter Twenty-Six: A New World

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Desperate Need of Supplies

  Chapter Twenty-Eight: Gas Station

  Chapter Twenty-Nine: Grief and Misery

  Chapter Thirty: In the Weeks After

  Chapter Thirty-One: Welcome Home

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Author Bio: Paul Carberry

  Preview: Black Womb by Matthew LeDrew

  Chapter One: Small Town

  Other Titles from Engen Books

  Zombies on the Rock

  Paul Carberry

  This book is dedicated to my wife, Leah,

  whom since we first met, has made all my dreams come true.

  PROLOGUE

  It was a typical cold fall day on the west coast of Newfoundland. Tina Caines had made the trip home from college for Thanksgiving break. She didn’t realize how much she missed the comforts of home until last night at supper. The home cooked meals, the smell of fresh laundry, the scent of lemon that lingered in the house from the clean hardwood floors. She missed sitting at the table with her parents, drinking tea and eating sweets that her father would bring home.

  It didn’t take long to notice that her school books had already been neatly stacked away on the book shelf in her bedroom. All of her laundry had been pristinely folded on her dresser, ready to be packed away for the trip back to Corner Brook on Monday.

  As she lay in her bed, she wrapped up in her comforter and let her head sink into the fluffy pillow. This bed was much larger than the one she slept on in her dorm back at school and she didn’t have to share the room with anyone. The walls were painted a deep purple with white trim.

  Her parents were watching the evening news out in the living room. Her father was very tall and lanky. His once jet black hair had started to grey over the years, and now it had a salt-and-pepper look. His face was clean-shaven, with thick, tanned skin from being out in the sea air so often as a fisherman. Her mother was also tall but had aged more gracefully. Her hair was still the same dark brown colour that Tina could remember from her childhood.

  Tina, however, seemed to look the opposite of her parents. She was short, and some would say slightly overweight. Her skin tone was pale and freckled. She had dyed her hair a bright blonde and kept it short with long bangs. Bright red lipstick stood out like a sore thumb from her pasty skin. Her dark blue eyes were the only thing she had in common with her parents.

  She found it strange how far away she felt from home even though school was just an hour away. She attended the college in Corner Brook where she was studying nursing. Her parents visited most weekends, but when they came to see her, it was only for a few hours at a time. Her father was a fisherman and worked early mornings. Her mother had stayed at home while Tina was growing up but had since taken a job at the local fish plant to help pay for Tina’s education.

  Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. She didn’t miss Black Duck Siding, there was nothing to do in the lonely, isolated town. She just missed home. Tina pushed herself out of her comfy bed and headed down the hall towards the living room.

  “Mom, I’m heading out for a little walk.” Her mom and dad were sitting in their usual spots on the couch, drinking tea and watching the evening news.

  “Sure dear, but it would be nice if you don’t stay out too late.” Her mom had always worried about her out late at night. It was both comforting and annoying that they still worried about her like she was a child.

  “And please take your jacket, it’s a cold day,” her father’s raspy voice piped in. “And be careful around that river. The water is cold this time of year.”

  “I will, I promise.” Tina made it a point to put on her coat so that her parents would see. Her father had always kept a close eye on her, but sometimes Tina thought he only said it to comfort her mother. Her father knew that she could take care of herself. He had taught Tina how to fish and how to survive in the woods.

  “Bye.” Tina left and looked back at the familiar light blue siding that one would only see in an outport community in Newfoundland. The living room light illuminated a patch of lawn through the big bay window at the front of the house. The white light reflected brightly in the dew that had formed on the grass.

  Tina headed down the road towards the trail that led to Harry’s River. The frigid night air was creeping under her clothes, sending goose bumps all over her body. Her teeth began to chatter, and she hugged her body trying to warm herself up.

  As she neared the forest she began to notice how different the air smelled. The scent of earth and fresh air was exhilarating. As she got closer to the river, the sound of the water rushing towards the ocean was familiar. The aura of the water mixed with forest to create an intoxicating perfume. She decided to stop for a bit and enjoy the serenity that only nature could offer. The babbling noise of the river felt calming. It was like all of her worries washed away with the river’s current.

  As she stood on the bank of the river, the wind began to whip the trees back and forth. A rotting, sour smell carried in the wind. As the funk entered her nostrils it overpowered all of the other scents that had been so pleasant. The unpleasant odour was coming from up river and it was pungent. It reminded her of a rotting moose carcass. She was about to continue down the river, but her curio
sity got the better of her. She was compelled to find the source of that sour stench.

  Tina decided to use the trail to double back and return to the river upstream. The banks of the river were too slippery this time of year to safely walk across, and the water was much too cold to risk falling into.

  The forest concealed the last rays of daylight and kept them from reaching her suddenly. It seemed much darker now than when she first entered the wooded area. Her mind began to race as the darkness fell. Shadows seemed to dance all around her as the last rays of light played a mean game with her.

  Now the smell had grown much more repugnant and overpowering. Suddenly she felt an undeniable urge as her stomach twitched, the smell nearly causing her to heave her supper onto the forest floor.

  She was having second thoughts about discovering the source of the nasty odour. The clearing in the trees was just in front of her now. All she had to do was walk a few more steps to find out what was causing that foul stench. Her heart raced, and despite the bitter cold, she was sweating. She took a deep breath, and her heart seemed to jump into her throat. She closed her eyes as she stepped into the clearing. She stood there motionless, with her eyes closed and let the fumes fill her nostrils. She gathered all of her courage and opened her eyes slowly.

  “AhhhHHHH!!!!”

  Her shrill voice echoed loudly in the silence. Frozen in terror, her jaw dropped as she stared at the horrific scene. It was like something straight out of a horror movie. The source of the rotten aroma was not an animal. It was something much more sinister.

  A man propped up against a large tree, his stomach had been ripped apart, and his blood soiled the forest floor. The contents of his innards were now on the outside as if something had pulled them out. Deep cuts and horrific gashes riddled the man’s arms and face. What kind of creature could have done this? A giant black bear was the only answer that entered her mind. As much as she tried to look away, her eyes remained glued to the horrific, mangled body of the man who lay dead upon the forest floor.

  As she drew a deep breath, she took one step forward. Steam was rising from the man’s skin. The thick, purple-reddish blood was still flowing freely from the open gashes on his body. As if the brutality of the scene was not enough to terrify her, she realized that the cause of all of this mayhem could still be close by. She launched into a sprint, her legs carried her away as if someone else was controlling them.

  She did not remember exactly how she made it home. It was like an out-of-body experience that she had heard about. She never knew that she could run so fast. The forest path had seemed to whirl by like when you look out the window of a speeding car as she raced home. She ran across the front lawn and burst through the front door.

  “Dad! DaaaaAAD!!!!”

  The panic in her voice went unanswered. A white piece of paper sat on the table. She picked up the note and read it out loud.

  “Honey we just went out to get a few things from the store.”

  Tina took a moment to try and gather her thoughts. She peered out the window. It seemed a thousand eyes stared back at her through the darkness at the edge of the forest. She quickly turned on every light switch in the house as if the illuminated light bulbs would keep the evil that was lurking in the darkness away. Now the image of some monster from her childhood raced into her mind. She could see it hunched over the man’s body, feasting on the flesh of its fallen prey. She felt her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that she would have to build up the courage to call the police. She walked across the room, picked up the phone and dialled 9-1-1.

  “9-1-1 What is your emergency?” The voice on the other end of the line seemed to belong to an older woman. There was a comforting tone to her voice.

  “I... I found a dead... dead body...” Tina’s voice trembled with fear.

  “Where did you find the body?” The woman’s voice was full of concern.

  “Near Harry’s River. Please hurry, it just happened,” Tina stammered as she heard a noise from outside.

  “What makes you think that, honey?”

  “He was still bleeding!” All of a sudden the door opened.

  “Ma’am, we are sending an officer to your location. What is your name?”

  “It’s Tina, please hurry. I live on 16 Main Street.” Tina’s parents stood dumbfounded in the doorway with a concerned look on their faces. They seen the look of terror that clouded Tina’s face and they heard the sheer terror in her voice.

  “An officer will be there as quickly as possible Tina.” The operator tried comfort Tina.

  Tina dropped the phone and threw herself into her father’s waiting arms.

  “What’s wrong?” Her mother’s voice was full of worry.

  “I... found a body. I found a dead body in the woods! I’m afraid Dad!” Tina began to sob uncontrollably into her father’s jacket. Fear still had a tight grip on her. She shook frantically, unable to block the image of the man’s mutilated body out of her mind.

  “You’re safe now, sweetie.” Her father embraced her as he wrapped his arms around her. “Are you ok? Where did you find it?”

  “Off the trail by the river. It was awful. Blood was still... coming from the body.” Tina looked into her father’s concerned eyes. Her eyes darted towards the window, making sure that the monster was not standing on the lawn.

  “Did you check to see if they were still alive?” Her father’s voice was full of worry.

  Her mother already had the kettle on. As if a cup of tea would magically help her forget what she had witnessed.

  “No, I was... too scared. There was blood everywhere!” The thought had never crossed her mind. She was too frightened to check and see if the man had still been alive. All she could envision was the man’s stomach ripped open, and the intestines strewn about the body. The horrific image sent a cold shiver running down her spine.

  They sat down at the kitchen table until the ominous red and blue flashing lights of a police car pierced through the window. A hard knock at the door got their attention. Tina’s father calmly walked into the porch and opened the door.

  “Good evening folks, my name is Officer Phillip Payne. Is everyone here ok?” He was a tall man with jet black hair that seemed to be a part of the uniform. His black jacket had two yellow patches of the local police department sewn into the arms and a silver badge glimmered with the light from the kitchen.

  “Yes, we are fine, but we need to check and see if the man is still alive.” Her father stood up and grabbed his coat, and threw it on over his shoulders in one swift motion. He picked up Tina’s jacket and held it out for her. “Honey, you need to show us where you found the man.”

  “Ok dad.” Tina stepped into her jacket. The thought of going back into the forest was beyond disturbing. It made her sick to the pit of her stomach as the grotesque images raced through her mind.

  “Ok folks, I know this must be hard for you but we need to head out.” Officer Payne’s voice was very deep. Phillip held the door open as they walked towards the police car. As Tina sat down in the back of the squad car, the chirp of the siren dominated the silence of the small town. Phillip asked her if she could direct him towards the path that would lead them to the victim.

  Darkness threatened to swallow the forest, it loomed over it like a bad omen. The headlights from the car struggled to penetrate the blackness that blanketed the trail leading into the forest. The river would still be shrouded in total darkness. Maybe it was shock, maybe it was disbelief, but Tina felt like she was a part of some horror movie. It had only a short drive but the anticipation of heading back towards the nightmarish forest was twisting her stomach into knots. She felt safe in the car. She did not want to leave the safety of the car as she stared down the cruel, nerve wracking path as it winded down into utter darkness. Her heart began to flutter in her chest.

  “Here’s the path, it’s just up ahead,” Tina said as she pointed towards the trail.

  Officer Payne stopped the car and stepped out. He showed n
o signs of fear. He put his hand on his radio, but Tina couldn’t hear what he was saying. Officer Payne walked over and opened the door for her. As she stepped out of the car and her legs nearly gave away under the fear that pressed its cold fingers into her shoulders. Tina’s legs felt like rubber bands about to buckle under the immense pressure, but they found enough courage to keep from breaking.

  “Ok folks, let’s hurry.” Officer Payne led them down the gloomy path. It seemed like a dark corridor, the trees creating a wall that seemed to envelope them. Officer Payne had his flashlight turned on but the beam of light barely cut through the darkness surrounding them, danger lurking just beyond the murkiness of the single beam of light.

  Eerie shadows danced all around them. Fear had moved its cold, deadly vice-like grip on to Tina’s beating heart. The phantom figures seemed to be stalking them as they ventured deeper into the backwoods. The ghastly shadows started to form more demonic silhouettes the deeper they went.

  Tina led them to the clearing where she had first found the body. “It’s just through there.”

  There was no way she was going to step back into that clearing. She could not bear witness to that horrendous sight again. Her father and Phillip pushed past the thick tree branches and disappeared into the clearing, leaving her entirely alone in the darkness. The terror she felt was unbearable as her heart pounded against her chest, ready to explode at any moment. She was having a panic attack. Fear’s grip was squeezing her heart.

  Somehow, it felt like the forest was against her, helping the monster conceal itself. At any moment some demonic creature was going to reach out and grab her, tearing her apart like its latest victim.

  She could hear her father and the officer talking, but they sounded distant, in some remote area beyond her reach.

  “Tina! Could you come over here? Now!” Her father called out.