Zombie Rehab: Impact Series - Book 2
Page 21
CHAPTER 21
Institute, WV
WHAM!
Tori screamed. Henry stepped in front of her. He could hear the unceasing chorus of the zombies: ravenous and violent. It was only a matter of time before they made their way through the doors, unless they broke them down first. He cringed at the thought. The zombies were strong enough, but with the XT Serum they would be even stronger than before.
“Fire Team One to Command. What’s your status?”
Horrified, Rudy grabbed Rod’s radio and screamed, “We're going to die! Get over here! Get over here now! That’s an order!”
Whap.
Rod slapped the man and took back his radio.
“We need a way out of here. Any suggestions?”
WHAM!
WHAM!
WHAM!
“Try the fire escapes. We’ll give you cover. It’s all clear on our side. Over.”
Rudy knocked down Weege as he bolted from the group.
Henry yelled after him, “Rudy! Stay with the group!”
As the man’s bushy head disappeared down the hall, Henry had a sinking feeling. Everyone’s eyes fell to him. Myrtle was picking Weege’s shaking form up from the floor. They followed him over and looked down the hall on the opposite end of the main entrance. Rod and Myrtle were standing their ground, shotgun barrels leveled toward the sound of the hungry zombies on the other side of the doors. Everyone’s expression was filled with fear.
He heard the door groan somewhere near the elevator’s foyer. He expected the zombies to pour through at any second.
“DAMMIT! DAMMIT!” Rudy was yelling, running back down the corridor. “We’re trapped. It’s sealed! The fire doors are sealed! We’re gonna die, Henry! Do something!”
He was afraid of that. The magnetic locks were engaged, making sure nobody was getting in or out. It was his biggest fear. Just like his brother Jimmy, someone, somewhere was calling the shots. He searched for the cameras near the ceilings and noticed a tiny red light burning on the top of each and every one. Someone, somewhere was watching. Bastards! But he couldn’t say a word. Despair filled him from his chin to his knees.
“Henry,” Tori grabbed his face, “Henry, don’t you give up. Turn on that brain of yours, and get us out of here. We need you, Henry! I need you. I don’t want to die like this!”
At that moment, the pounding stopped, but the moans and the numma-nummas remained. Henry was so sick of that sound that his despair began to melt away and harden like iron.
“Everyone, get your masks on. Just because we don’t have a door doesn’t mean we can’t take the window.”
“What! We’re three stories up! I ain’t jumping. I hate heights,” Rod said.
WHAM!
“Look, I’ll cover you crazy people, but I’m not jumping out some window.”
“I’m with you,” Myrtle added. The short woman looked and walked like an Ewok in her zombie suit.
“Let me have your radio, Rod,” he said. “Fire Team One, this is Henry. We’re gonna have to make our own door. Do we have anything below us to jump on?”
“You’ve got to say over, Dude?” Rudy slurred.
“Shut up!” Weege said, slapping Rudy in the head. “And put your mask on!”
“Everyone be quiet! Shush!” Myrtle said. “Do you hear that?”
Their necks all tilted. He could hear the sound of the metal doors groaning and popping. The moaning became louder with every creaking sound.
“There’s a utility building about 5 feet out from the wing. The jump doesn’t look so bad. Better than being zombie chow anyway. Over.”
Henry rushed over to the window as the zombies filled the hallway. Where’s that utility building? The windows were large panes of heavy glass that didn’t open or close.
Numma-numma.
Boom! Boom!
A symphony of thunder had entered the room.
Henry’s head whipped around just in time to see the first wave of the invading hoard. Four zombies were charging into the room on stiff legs. Rod's and Myrtle's shotguns rang out and knocked a zombie backward onto the floor.
“Get us out of here, Henry!” shouted Rod. “They’re getting back up!”
“Reload!” Myrtle shouted, handing the man more shells.
The zombie lurched back up, mouth clutching open and shut. The metal mask seemed to restore a small portion of its humanity, but its intent seemed more deadly.
Henry lowered his shotgun and blasted out the window. He jumped up on top of the desk alongside the window ledge and shouted for Tori.
“Come on!” She reached out, and he pulled her up. She clutched at his chest as she looked over his shoulder. The sound of the shotgun blasts was deafening, and she was shaking her head.
“You’ve got to jump!”
“I can’t! It’s too high.”
Weege and Rudy were at his side.
Weege looked outside and said, “Just hang over the ledge — like this!” The little man tossed his shotgun out the window and swung his body over the ledge. “The glass can’t cut you through the suit!” he yelled, clutching the jagged edge of the window with his gloved fingertips. “Come on, I’ll catch you. Better this than being zombie food!” He dropped down, landed on his feet, and fell flat on his back. “See!”
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
Rod was shouting.
“GET MOVING, HENRY! We can’t reload fast enough! Damn things keep coming!”
Henry grabbed Tori and lowered her to the ledge.
“Hurry up, Dude!” Rudy screamed as he forced himself to the ledge.
Somebody was screaming. Henry looked over his shoulder and saw Myrtle's squat figure ramming the stock of her gun into the face of a zombie. Behind the fray, more zombies were coming.
“LET GO, TORI!” He shouted, rushing to Myrtle’s aid, shotgun blasting at everything moving his way.
“Get out of here, Henry!” Rod shoved him back. “I got this!”
Myrtle was pinned under two zombies now, each tearing at her suit. He saw the woman stuff a pistol in one of the creature's mouths and fire away. It slumped over as another bit into her arm. Rod opened up a barrage into the creature's back. Another half dozen zombies were closing in. Some were crawling from the impact of their wounds, but they still came. Myrtle screamed a curse at the zombies, then she screamed no more. Henry felt sick.
“Henry, go! Take care of the others!”
He looked back at the widow, and Tori and Rudy were gone. Rod was the only thing between him and the zombies tearing him to shreds. The big man looked like a super hero in his suit as he fired into the zombies. Henry’s fear consumed him as he backpedaled to the window. He could hear Tori screaming for him from down below. He took one last glance at Rod—the bravest man he ever saw—mumbled a prayer, and jumped.