Parasite; The True Story of the Zombie Apocalypse
Page 14
There was a lot of water and we were all severely dehydrated, so we took turns drinking greedily, literally shoving our heads in the cool pool of water and taking long noisy gulps. The water was tainted with the oil from the tar but it didn't matter. It was water and we were all in desperate need.
When we had drunk our fill, we carefully tied the blue tarp closed with Ned's belt. He had to keep a hand on his waist to hold his trousers from falling over his hips. In a melancholy mood from the recent events, we went back to the chair, dejected but not defeated.
With halfhearted attempts at small talk, we tried to get past our funk. There was little to speak about except the outbreak. All other things seemed diminished. Any conversation other than the virus had no bearing on the world today. The only thing that mattered was survival, what was happening here and now.
We still had no food so we just sat, conserving our strength and stamina. Belly full of water, I positively swished every time I moved. But I still felt hungry.
We stayed in the little shade the rooftop offered. The square room-like structure surrounding the doorway offered the best protection from the sun, but it seemed like the infected there could feel our presence. As we approached, they became more active, moaning and pawing at the door.
Even though they were securely barred from our area, it was too unnerving being so close and hearing them as they tried to get to us, to rip into our flesh. So we kept to the low walls surrounding the roof’s edge, changing places as the sun moved across the partly cloudy sky.
Early that day, I received a text from Henry. He assured me that he was on his way. It was comforting, but we were losing strength up on this roof. We were in serious trouble.
We slept much of the time. We were always careful to appoint someone to stay awake. It was difficult to keep watch. Even though spring was still young, the days were warm. If we weren't careful, we could suffer a heat stroke or worse. Sticking to the shadows of the low wall forced us to stay in a reclined position. That, combined with the heat made getting drowsy and falling asleep a real possibility while on watch.
The nights got very cold. We rehung the tarp each night to try to add to our water supply. It helped hold some heat in, but we had to huddle together to stay warm. We were very cautious with our water supply. It hadn't rained since the first night and our supply was dwindling. What we caught each night wasn't enough to replenish our supply. At some point, unless it rained, we were going to run out.
We began rationing the second day. The temperature swings were really starting to get to us at that point, freezing to death at night and boiling during the day. Even with water and food, we would eventually die of exposure. Our mood went from bad to worse. Bellies rumbling, we were getting weaker from the lack of food. If I stood too quickly, I got very dizzy. We were in danger of falling over the edge, so we moved our little camp to the stairwell. The infected within seemed to have lost interest in us. We hadn't seen them leaving the building, so we assumed our infected coworkers were still trapped inside.
We hatched crazy schemes to get off of the roof. Thinking that the sick people may have died, we even discussed how we could safely enter the building and make a mad dash for the door. We discussed anything and everything. There were no bad ideas, even though some of them were really, really bad ideas. We considered everything.
"The chain and padlock are still on the door," Ned suggested. "I say we open the door a crack and see what it looks like. They could be all dead inside."
"What if they aren't?" asked Amber in a shaky voice.
"We could try to chain it again," Ned answered, sounding ready to try anything.
"There's an easier way of knowing," I said raising my hand. I struck the flat of my palm against the door several times in succession. The sound echoed down the stairwell.
A chorus of moans answered the noise. They sounded far away at first, but over time they approached the other side of the threshold. Hands pawed at the steel enclosure, trying to find a way to us.
"You drew them to us," Ned accused.
"Even if we found a way into the building, they would kill us before we got out of here," I assured my friends. "Remember, the key is on the ground with Ted. If nothing happens by tomorrow morning, I say we cut up the tarp and make a rope. I think it is fairly obvious that we are not going to be rescued"
As my friends both hung their heads, I thought of the last words my husband had spoken over the phone to me. I'm going to come and get you, as if he were some hero. Although, he did sound different when he said it. He sounded determined.
I pulled out my inhaler and blew out a long breath. As I drew in the hot humid air I released the medication, inhaling it deep into my lungs. Looking the dispenser unit, I noted that it only had a few more doses of it. Things were about to get a bit dicey.
Hurry, I thought to myself, refusing to believe Henry wouldn't make it.
Chapter 15
Henry