Love in the Time of Zombies (6 page)

Concord Hospital

Concord, California

Dr. Shannon Drake cradled Carla Ripley’s thin hand between her own. Not that the woman knew she was there, but it comforted Shannon to spend a few minutes each day with the comatose patient. Frantic from morning to night, these moments with Mrs. Ripley calmed her. She talked to the woman and heard answers in her head.

She sighed. “We should be seeing Seth again soon, Carla. He comes about every other week.”

The son had brought her in months ago after she’d escaped from Oakland and fell into a diabetic coma on the trip out. Shannon still couldn’t figure out how she was still alive. The doctors finally decided it had something to do with the flu epidemic she had survived. For whatever reason, the patient lingered on.

“Maybe you’re the lucky one, not us. You get to sleep away this whole nightmare.” She laughed. “Maybe when you wake up this will all be over.”

Everyone looked to Shannon for answers. After the first wave of attacks, she was the senior doctor left in charge. Senior, ha! Wasn’t that a joke? At thirty-five, she was in charge of an entire hospital. They all looked to her for answers, and she just didn’t know them. She didn’t want to be a leader, just a doctor. But, choices had been taken away, along with every other freaking thing. Food. Medical supplies. Clean water. Everything was in short supply.

She rubbed her eyes. They felt as if they were sand-blasted. Not enough hours in the day to get everything done. On top of the usual insanity of a hospital, she also had to organize food and supplies with Ripley, make sure the generator kept working, and worry about zombies.

She was just so tired. When did it all just stop? When did she get a break? Not since her intern days had she felt so bone-weary.

“Carla, you have a wonderful son there, you know?” She patted the woman’s bruised hand with gentle strokes. “We would have never made it without his deliveries.”

A nurse came into the room. “Dr. Drake? The patient in 2F is having a heart attack.”

Shannon put Carla’s hand down gently on the covers and jumped up. There hadn’t been a code blue alarm, not since the beginning of the Z virus. That one had every zombie in the area at their front door. After that, a nurse ran and got the doctor. She still wondered how they could hear it all the way outside. The damn things had supersonic hearing or something.

After thirty minutes of trying, Shannon stepped away from the patient. “Damn it. Who was responsible for charging the defibrillator?”

A young man stepped forward. “I was.”

She read his nametag. “Well, Todd. If you had been paying attention when you were charging, you would have noted that the charge wasn’t holding, the button going back to red as soon as it was unplugged.”

“Dr. Drake. I’m sorry.”

“Todd, I’m sure you are. But that doesn’t bring Mr. Jamison back, does it?”

Todd smirked.

Shannon smiled unwillingly. “Okay, you know what I mean.” She pulled her gun out of the holster and handed it grip first to the young man. “Mr. Jamison’s non return is now your responsibility.”

She left the room and stood by the closed door. She waited for the slight sound of the silenced weapon and the young man’s sobs before she headed upstairs to visit the rest of her patients. That he had cried meant there was hope for him yet.

“Work, dammit,” Jed Long yelled at the radio as he pounded on the side of the casing, and then stopped to rub it like he’d hurt the inanimate object. He’d started as a janitor at Concord Hospital until the Z virus turned everything upside down, and Dr. Drake had discovered his hobby was ham radios. After that, he was the communications hub for the Far East Bay Area.

Thanks to Seth Ripley, he’d been able to make a run to his apartment downtown, and return with all his radios and equipment. He swiped long hair back behind his ears. Now, he was connected to the area and the world. Not that there was a lot of world left out there. Spain and Portugal had gone dark early on. Cornwall seemed like the only place left in Great Britain, must be the rough terrain he’d seen pictures of in school. Paris fell in the first few days. The flu vaccine may have been meant for the United States, but once it mutated into a lethal virus, worldwide travel took care of the rest of the planet.

Asia held on the longest; with so many people vaccinated for the bird flu, it took another mutation to do them in. Before they went dark, China was reporting deaths and risings in the hundreds of millions. He shuddered. Thankful the country was on the other side of the world. The thought of hundreds of millions of undead was enough to make him never sleep again.

He pushed his glasses back up his nose and turned the dial on the radio calibrated for the local camps and compounds. A shrill hum vibrated into his headset. He twitched and yanked them off, slamming them to the desktop. The hum had been infiltrating the radio for days.

He rubbed his jaw. The hum set his fillings to vibrating, threatening to fall out, and unless a dentist miraculously appeared, he wasn’t getting new ones anytime soon. The door behind him opened, and Jed spun around in his chair. That young nurse, Amy peeked around the door.

“Hi, Jed. Talking to anyone interesting?” She talked while chewing and popping her bubble gum. He wondered where she kept getting some. And how she managed to walk and chew at the same time, when it seemed like her brainpower would only be capable of one or the other.

“Now I am,” he said with a smile.

She smiled back, swallowed her gum, got down on her knees, and swallowed him.

A while later, she sat up on the mattress they’d fallen on to and handed him his glasses. She looked around as a hum filled the space like feedback from a microphone.

She covered her ears, while Jed jumped up and turned down the sound on his radio. The hum grew dimmer, but remained. He pulled on the headset. He switched frequencies and it died. His fingers played with the dial, bringing the sound back. Glancing at the chart thumb-tacked to the wall, he saw it was the location for the small enclave across town. A few stubborn holdouts were trying to survive atop a small strip mall just off the freeway. A couple of old men and their cult-like followers who chose to live by the mantra of at least two women for every man and no woman alone. The only reason they still existed was drivers like Ripley who’d take supplies to them from time to time.

He pressed the mic. “Rob’s group. Do you read me? I’m getting feedback. Anyone there?”

“They—everywhere. Can’t—them off. God—us.”

“Rob’s group. This is Jed at Concord hospital. Can you read me?”

Nothing but static. Even the hum was gone.

Jed jumped up, pulling the headset with him. He jerked back, ripped it off, and threw it on the desk. He grabbed his pants and yanked them on, throwing Amy’s clothes at her. “Get dressed. We have to find Dr. Drake.”

“Man, I hate new boots,” I muttered, swishing my toes in the bucket of sun-warmed water. The boots Suz had thrown at me earlier in the day were brand new. Correction. They had been brand new; they were well broken in now. I had the blisters to prove it. Looking away from the pink-tinged water, I stared at Seth instead. He turned on the lantern and hung it from the tent pole.

Squatting, he took my feet out of the water and gently dried them, patting with a towel. I sighed. The feet must be an erogenous zone I’d never heard about. I leaned back on my elbows and enjoyed the unexpected pleasure. Carl had been all ‘me, me, me’. I would have never thought to get such tenderness out of him.

I stifled a yawn. What a long day. But we’d brought back ten truckloads of stuff: food, ammo, guns, and equipment. Closing my eyes, I could still see the acres of tents on the rooftops. A few more trips and everyone would have the comfort of canvas and nylon for defense against the heat we had now and the rainy season to come. Not to mention privacy. My face heated up with a blush.

Sitting up, I ran my fingers through Seth’s thick hair. Strands of black, brown, and sun-streaked blond fell through my fingers. I ran my hand behind his neck and pulled him toward me. “Let’s go to bed.”

He crawled from the foot of the bed like a panther on the hunt. His body heat covered me as he slid along my legs and rested at the apex between them. His hard flesh pulsated against my core.

My fingers ran over his smooth-shaved cheeks. In the middle of everything, he’d found time to shave. Blood heated in my veins and my pulse rapid-fired in a staccato burst. Tears formed and blurred my vision. This was a very kind man.

He sat up and pulled off his shirt. A very hot man, too. Even with the ‘mom’ tattoo I’d discovered on his chest. I smiled as he pulled off my shirt as well. Unhooking my bra, he lay down and covered me; touching skin to skin. I sighed. I could stay this way forever. Until, he moved and I wanted more.

My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him close. His lips found mine. His tongue slid along the edge until I opened my mouth and let him in. He tasted of the chocolate bars we’d found at one of the houses. Finding only two meant we got to keep them for ourselves. More than five of something eatable required us to return it to base to be put with the rest of the supplies.

Our tongues slid together and a moan escaped me as his fingers found my nipples. They glazed lightly over them, just like I loved best. His kisses left my mouth and traveled to my earlobe, my shoulder, and the delicate spot in between that had my back arching and warmth flooding my center. Tingles sparked along my nerve endings.

Like magic, the rest of our clothes were off and flung across the tent. Our sweat-slick skin slid together until his hardness found the wetness between my thighs. Heat engulfed me as he thrust inside. Warmth built with each glide back and forth, until molten heat filled me. My legs tightened around him. I never wanted to let go.

Our groans filled the tent as we came together. He collapsed on top of me for a second, before he turned to fall on the mattress, keeping his arms about me. We snuggled as a breeze found its way through the mesh window at the back of the tent. It faced away from everyone, so I could leave it open for air and light.

His fingers tangled in my hair as he swept it back from my eyes. He gazed at me and I saw something other than satisfied lust in his eyes. His next words confirmed it.

“I could stay right here forever.”

I swallowed deeply, dryness coating my throat. Thinking the same thought was not like saying it aloud. “There is no more forever. You know that, right?” My heartbeat was racing, thumping hard. “We don’t even know if there will be a tomorrow.”

His hand slid down and cupped my cheek. “There will always be a tomorrow. The sun will rise. The sun will set. The Earth will go on spinning.”

I tried for lightness. “The sun could go supernova or something. Like they used to show on those Discovery Channel programs.” My voice hitched to a stop as the twinkle left his extraordinary greenish-brown eyes.

He grabbed my hands, massaging my fingers. “Don’t do that, Em. This isn’t about me getting my rocks off. You are more than that.”

I pulled my hands back and covered my breasts with a blanket. “I don’t want this to mean more than that. Just sex. Can’t you understand that? There is no future. Not for us. Not for the world. Not for anyone.”

Seth moved closer until I had to stop or fall off the mattress onto the rooftop. His fingers grazed my chin and raised my face. The warmth had returned to his eyes.

“There used to be a saying when I was younger. There are girls you fuck and there are girls you marry. You, Emily Gray, are not one of those just for fucking.”

He laughed; his head thrown back and a twinkle in his eyes. “You should see your face. I’m not proposing marriage or anything close. But you are better than a one-night or several nights stand. You are special, Emily and I’d like to be with you until one of us doesn’t want to be. Can you do that?”

I dropped the blanket and launched myself at him. We fell backward on the mattress. Tears filled my eyes and dripped onto Seth’s face. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”

Dawn broke and the sun rose over the Streets of Brentwood. Commander Jack Canida rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. He hadn’t gone to sleep yet. The news continued to filter in from Concord Hospital and Jed Long, the ham radio operator there. Survivor camps were continuing to fall all over Concord and Pleasant Hill. One by one, they were calling for help over the static-filled airwaves, and then falling silent. Jed mentioned the squeal on the radio from each location but damned if Jack knew what it all meant. His MOS in the army had been artillery, not communications.

He looked up when Paul Luther entered the communications trailer. A nod and he turned back to where Beth was delicately turning knobs to find one of the small communities they talked to each week for an update.

“Sunvalley, come in. This is Streets of Brentwood. Sunvalley, are you there?”

Jack’s fists tightened at his sides. The Sunvalley group was bigger than their own. Over five hundred people were using the mall roofs of the shopping center in the heart of Pleasant Hill. He’d visited there once in the early days to set up communications between the groups.

“Streets of Brent—wood. This is Sun—ey. You’re breaking up. We are having trouble reaching several groups here. College Park is off the dial. Nothing but that low hum we are getting all over the airwaves.”

“Sunvalley. Please describe the hum.”

“Streets group, it is a low-level squeal. Comes and goes on the dial. High-pitched. Sets my fillings to aching,” the voice laughed.

Jack looked to Paul who just shrugged. He leaned over Beth’s shoulder. “Try to get the College Park group.”

She turned the dials to the setting on her piece of paper. Nothing there, but the static and the low hum. Beth rubbed her cheek with the heel of her hand.

“It does make your fillings ache. I’ve only got the one, but it’s like biting a fork when you eat.” She shuddered. “I hate that.”

“Keep trying, Beth. Go down the list and mark who you reach and who you don’t.”

He tapped Paul’s arm and jerked his head. They both stepped outside of the trailer. The stairs creaked with their weight. Jack moved away from the trailer and Paul followed.

“I don’t know what to think. Do you think we’re seeing an influx from somewhere else? Walnut Creek, or further out, Danville maybe?”

Paul scratched his chin. “The groups have been reporting low numbers of zombs. A small group here and there, same as we are. Nothing like a horde big enough to take on a well-armed group of humans. You think they got out of San Fran? Swam across?” Paul laughed and stopped abruptly as if at the thought of zombies being able to swim.

Jack shuddered, a chill running up his spine. “Swimmers? Damn, that is all we need. They’ll be floating down the San Joaquin and running over Antioch in no time.”
If a whale could do it, why not zombies?

He stared north, as if he could see through the buildings, across the short distance to the river north of Antioch. He ran numbers in his head. Only a little more than ten miles by car separated Brentwood from the river. If the creatures got out of downtown Antioch and hit Highway 4, they could be in Brentwood in a couple of hours, even shambling along.

“We need someone to run recon by the river.” Jack turned to Paul. “Do you think the way is open enough for Seth and his truck?”

Paul stared over his shoulder. He turned. “Speak of the devil,” Jack whispered.

Goose bumps rose up on his arms. Like someone stepping on his grave, his mother would have said when he was little. Seth stared at Commander Canida and his buddy, Paul. They had grim smiles on their faces that promised anything but a happy day.

Sweat formed on his hand, the one holding Emily’s. He tried to pull away and she gave his fingers a squeeze and held on tighter. Tension seized his shoulders. As if his mother knew what he’d been doing with Emily. He stood taller and strode to the men’s side.

“What can I do for you gentlemen?”

Paul stepped back and Jack slid his hands to his back and assumed parade rest.

This was official Streets of Brentwood business.
He took a deep breath and relaxed.
Has nothing to do with Emily and me.

Jack coughed and cleared his throat. “We need you to drive down to the river in Antioch and see if we have a problem with floaters or swimmers. This isn’t an order, just a request. But we think you have the best chance of making it with your truck since you make runs all over the area.”

“And I’m not a member here, so I’m expendable?”

The commander stepped back as if Seth had yelled instead of the soft voice he’d used. “I’m sorry, Jack. That was uncalled for. Of course, I’ll check out the river for you. Anything else?”

“Yeah, Seth. I’m sorry, but we really need you to run to the Concord Hospital. We’re hearing some disturbing things.”

Emily spoke up. “Do you need me to leave?”

Seth pulled her to his side. “No. I’m sure this concerns all of us.”

Jack nodded. “It does. I don’t want this spread about yet, but the camps and groups in Concord are falling off the grid. Communications are going black. The people at the hospital are vulnerable. I don’t need to tell you that, Seth.”

No, he didn’t need to be told that. His mother was there, oblivious in her coma. With one arm, he squeezed Emily closer to his side.

“I’ll check out the river, check in, and then I’ll head to the Concord Hospital. I’ll take Emily with me.”

She jerked away from his side. “Excuse me. You’ll take me with you? Whether I want to go with you or not?”

Jack and Paul coughed and looked away. “I’ll leave you two to it. Just let me know when you’re leaving so we can discuss radio frequencies,” Jack added and the two men walked away.

He looked at Emily. “I’m sorry. I should have asked if you wanted to go. I figured it didn’t matter if you stayed, anyone can do your job, and you could get away for a while.”

If anything, her look had gone from angry to pissed off in the second it took to get out his sentence.
What did I say?
He ran his fingers through his hair and fiddled with his lucky shamrock earring.

“I don’t need to get away for a while,” she threw his words back at him. “This is my home now. I have a job to put down zombies and I do it damned well. I’m not some arm candy to make you look good, Carl.”

Her cheeks flashed bright red and she looked away. “I don’t know where that came from. I’m so sorry.”

Seth stepped closer and caressed her shoulders. “I’m not your husband. I just thought you might like to go somewhere else for a while. Spend some more time together. Guess I was wrong.”

Her head came up and her eyes flooded with tears. “Guess you were,” she whispered, pulling back.

He shrugged. “I’ll get my stuff and get out of your way, then.”

Not looking back, he left her standing there.