The Birth Of Decay (9 page)

             
R
icky and I walked cautiously passed the front desk and down the hallway.  I was glad the emergency light system was still on, even if it flickered.  I placed my handgun back into the holster, pulled my shotgun down from my shoulder, and looked at Ricky.  “We have to check each of these rooms.”  I whispered.  He gave me a nod and we walked up to our first door.  I held my gun tightly in my hand and Ricky swung the door open; it appeared to be a supply closet.  We continued down the hall and walked up to another door.  I turned the handle as quietly as I could and pushed it open.  Ricky and I peered in the empty room with one hospital bed and quickly exited.

             
I heard grunting at the end of the hall and noticed a tall figure standing with his arms to the sides.  He had of been well over six feet in height and very thin.  I motioned to Ricky and we pointed our guns at it.  The light flickered a few times and it suddenly started walking.  The lights flickered once again and I noticed the black blood pouring from its wide-open mouth.  “Decayed!”  I called out to Ricky.  We opened fired and it dropped to the ground.  I stood there and watched the figure slowly get back onto its feet and start running at us.  I fired a shot and its head exploded off its shoulders.  Its body hit the hospital floor and slid up to our feet.  “Son of a bitch!”  Ricky said in fear.  I shook my head and wiped the sweat from my forehead. 

             
We walked further down the hall and entered another room.  I heard grunting outside in the hall and shut the door.  “Damn decayed, there are a bunch of them.”  Ricky said disappointedly.  I looked around the room and noticed a dead woman lying in a bed; her eyes were in the back of her head and her skin was gray.  I covered her with a sheet, walked back to the door, and pressed my ear against it; I could hear the decayed walking passed the door.  Ricky pulled out a few shotgun shells and re-loaded his gun.  I motioned for him and he walked up to the door.  I quickly opened it and we ran back into the hallway.

We eventually found a stairway, went up one floor, and started to explore.  We walked down the hallway and started hearing distant pounding.  We made our way to a large set of double doors and noticed they were moving; someone or something was pushing against it.  We was about to turn around when the doors suddenly flew open and several decayed ran at us.  We fired several shots at the blood-covered crowd but did little to slow them down.  We ran back down the stairs, continued past the first floor, and ran out into the basement area.  We heard the decayed grunting in the stairway, ran down a couple of hallways, and found the cafeteria.  We ran in and locked the doors.  We grabbed a few tables and chairs and reinforced the doors.

              “Their not zombies.”  A man suddenly called out.  I quickly turned around and noticed the survivors standing on the other side of the room.  Ricky and I walked up to them and I shook my head.  “No, we’re here to rescue you.”  I said to the old man.  He looked at the door we barricaded and shook his head.  “That’s not going to hold them back long son.”  He said in a gravely voice.  I nodded in agreement and ran past him.  I entered the kitchen area and noticed a group of people hiding behind some shelves.  “How many are there?”  I asked.  The old man walked in with Ricky and he picked up a flashlight with his shaking hand.  He shined the light on the small crowd of survivors and put his hand out.  “It is okay, their here to rescue us.”  He said calmly.  A couple of seconds’ later three kids walked out with an old woman.  I looked back at the old man.  “What’s your name?”  I asked.  “My name is Carter.  That’s my wife Olivia and we found these kids hiding in one of the hospital rooms.”  He said in an exhausted voice.

             
Ricky opened his backpack and started handed everyone some food and bottled water.  I took out my handgun and held it out for Carter.  He looked down at the gun and shook his head.  “You just get these kids out of here, don’t worry about me.”  He said.  I looked over at Ricky.  “See if there are any emergency exits in the back.”  He nodded and headed to the back.  I looked at Carter and was curious why he said what he did.  “You will need a gun.”  I said with the gun still held out for him.  He sat down on a cafeteria chair and put his flashlight down on the table.  “Olivia and I are staying, just promise you will get the kids out of here.”  He said.  I heard the tables and chairs scrape against the floor in the other room; the decayed had broke the lock and were beginning to push back the barrier.  Ricky ran back in the room and looked at the kids.  “Follow me.”  He commanded.  He then looked over at me and pumped his shotgun.  “I found the exit stairway.”

I tried getting Olivia and Carter to join us but they refused.  Carter just told us to hurry and we guided the kids to the stairway.  I shut the door and we started to run up the stairs.  I noticed a couple of decayed wearing nursing uniforms limping down the stairs and I opened fired.  I had switched over to my 9mm and the muzzle flashed and loud shots caused the kids too cover their ears and duck down.  Ricky and I help them back to their feet and noticed an exit and peeked outside.  It was clear and we ran outside with the kids. 

We came around the side of the building and stopped.  The heavy stench of the town had hit me and I gagged a few times.  “Cover your noses.”  I said to the kids behind me.

             
I pressed my back against the hospital wall and peered around the corner; the small group of decayed were still biting and smacking the front entrance doors.  I looked back at Ricky.  “There are about seven of them, lets run up and ambush them.  Hit fast and aim to kill.”  I said.  I looked down at the kids and knelt down.  “We are going to take you guys to Jasmine and Dr. David.  Cover your ears and stay behind us.”  They covered their ears and I motioned for Ricky.  We ran out from the side of the hospital and started shooting at the decayed.  We did not stop moving until they were all dropped. 

I reached up and unlocked Ricky’s door and opened it for him and the kids.  “Get in!”  I yelled. Ricky and I helped them climb into the truck and a few decayed started running towards us.  Ricky jumped in and I turned around and fired at the decayed.  I missed their heads but the burette of bullets caused them too fall down.  I jumped in the truck and Ricky locked the door.  The kids were crying and Ricky went in the cab with them and tried calming them down.  “It’s okay, we’re safe now.  You’re going to see Jasmine and David again.” 

              I started the truck and drove into the decayed I shot earlier and ran them over.  I noticed the fuel indicator was blinking and I continued to drive further from the hospital.  “Ricky we are low on fuel.  I’m going to stop at a gas station.”  He came up and sat down in the passenger seat.  “Alright, you hold them off and I will pump.”  He said.  I noticed a gas station earlier when we entered the town near our exit.  I drove into a few more decayed and noticed the gas station in the distance.  “We’re going to die!”  One of the kids cried.  I quickly turned around and noticed the eldest kid crying.  She appeared to be ten or so years old.  I looked back at the road and drove around a few cars.  “We are going to be alright, I promise.”  I said bravely.

             
I pulled into the gas station and parked near the manhole covers for filling the underground tanks.  I went to the cab and grabbed my hunting rifle with the scope.  “Stay in here kids, you will be safe.”  I said calmly.  Ricky and I jumped out from the truck and looked around for signs of the decayed.  Ricky took the pump system from the trucks’ side compartment and I looked through my scope.  I noticed a decayed limping towards us and I steadied my breathing.  My heart started to sink as I realized this decayed could not have been no older than twelve years old.  I watched through the scope as it bit at the air and its arms frayed violently around trying to attack everything in its path.  I let out a breath and shot it in the head.  I watched it fall to the ground and I looked back at Ricky.  He was filling the first tank and sweating heavily.  I turned back around and looked back through the scope. 

A large crowd of decayed came around the corner and was heading right for us.  “Abort!”  I yelled.  I ran over and helped Ricky put the pump back in the side of the truck and we climbed back in.  We drove out and ended up hitting a large number of the decayed; their body ripped apart and busted when the truck smacked into them.  We managed to get onto the country road and we started the trip back home.

I started thinking about Carter and Olivia and how they had chosen to die.  It saddened me, knowing they were so strong for these kids when they needed them but when we arrived there job was done.  I knew that there had to be thousands of survivors around these cities and some of them may be entering the final stages of their survival.  I needed to get to that military base soon and be able to work with top of the line equipment.  I knew most of the advanced weapons were going to be hard to learn but I was willing to take my time and learn each and everything I got my hands on.  I knew it was mandatory for the military to have them chips planted in their heads and there would be thousands of decayed at the base.  I also knew that humanity could get through this and have a new life.  I will help rebuild this world everyday until my dying breath.

             
I pulled the truck over on the side of the road and the sun was now gone and the moon was coming up from the horizon.  I checked on the kids and gave them some more food and water.  I took this opportunity to get to know them.  There was Maya the oldest of the kids, Karen who was six years old and the youngest.  There was also a nine-year-old boy named Timothy.  I goofed around with them and got them to calm down.  I explained that my town was safe and that we can start over.  I laid them down for bed and continued driving.

             
I noticed bright flashes off in the distance and heard explosions; perhaps survivors like me were engaging in fights with the decayed or worse, with each other.  I knew that the entire Earth had too of been one giant battlefield and people were fighting until their last breaths.  It was only a matter of time until my town became a target of the decayed or bandits.  This kind of situation brings out the worst of the worst and the best of the best.  However, you had to defend what was yours.  Claire was holding my child and I was ready to be a father, even in this hellhole.

We got back to our town and locked down the barricades.  It was in the middle of the night and we put the kids to bed in the church.  Claire woke up and I told her the trip had gone well and there was nothing to worry about.  She fell back asleep and I went outside with Ricky too smoke a cigarette.  We sat down on the bench and Dr. David came outside too join us. 

              “We found the clinic when you were gone and started cleaning it up, I have good supplies now.”  He said.  I felt the exhaustion creep up on me and I looked at David.  “Good, I hope there is medicine there you can use.”  I said.  He nodded and smiled brightly.  “I think we will have what we need for a while.”  He said.  He headed off to the clinic to finish cleaning through the night.  I wished Ricky a good night and went to bed.

             
W
e rested for several days and started cleaning the homes in town.  We knew the fuel throughout the world would soon be useless and started making plans on finding horses.  Maya had told us she grew up on a ranch and her father raised several horses.  We took several trips into Maya’s hometown and managed to bring three horses back.  We cleaned a barn and provided the horses shelter.  Maya ended up teaching us what she had learned about the horses and we all became familiar with them.  I still used the truck and would continue to use it as long as the fuel would hold up.  We built stronger gates that entered our town and made places for people to guard the town from the outside world.  We also managed to have several gardens and eat at the church twice a day.  One of the homes we fixed up contained a well and the town used this as the main water supply. 

             
Jasmine adopted the kids and I moved her to a three bedroom home near the church.  Dr. David made himself comfortable at the clinic and settled in nicely.  Each of the adults had a night of the week that we patrolled the town by horseback.  We also used the fenced yard of the church for a playground.  We built little club houses and filled a crate with balls and toys for the kids to use. 

I continued to hear gunshots and explosions throughout the nights and I became more and more concerned for my town.  Dr. David had told me that Claire was having more sickness and we decided to keep her off her feet more.  Beth and Claire Jr. made good friends with the other kids and they all started forgetting about the decayed and acted more like kids.

              I tossed a few vitamin bottles in my bag and noticed David was grinding herbs in a ceramic bowl.  “Claire said she feels a lot better today.”  I said.  He took off his glasses and smiled.  “Good, she is a strong woman.”  He said proudly. 

I started thinking about Olivia and Carter again.  “Who were Carter and Olivia?”  I asked curiously.  David poured the finely ground herbs into a jar and leaned back in his office chair.  “I had worked in that hospital for thirteen years.  Olivia and Carter were volunteers that worked with sick kids.  They refused any money and spent most of their days there at the hospital.”  He got quite for a moment and stared off.  “Those kids sure loved them.”

              I put my backpack on and smiled.  “We need more people like them in this world.”  I said kindly.  He stood up from his chair and walked over to me.  He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled.  “We also need more people like you.”  He said.  I shook my head and felt a little nervous when he said that.  “I’m just like anyone else, fighting to survive.”  I said.  He shook his head in disagreement.  “You’re more than that, you’re our leader.”

             
I left the clinic and wondered down to the south barricades too check on Ted.  I noticed he was sitting on top of the shed we built and looking at the horizon.  “How’s it looking out there?”  I asked.  He rested his rifle on his lap.  “I noticed a few decayed wondering around but they don’t get any closer than a hundred feet or so.”  He explained.  I nodded my head and noticed his legs were shaking nervously. 

Ricky caught up to me and handed me a bottle of water.  I motioned for Ricky too look at Ted’s odd behavior.  He looked up and after he noticed Ted’s legs shaking I motioned for him to go to the other end of the barricade.  I turned toward the barricade.  “Who’s out there?”  I yelled.  I heard movement on the other side and Ted suddenly pissed his pants.  I pulled out my shotgun and looked over at Ricky; he was peeking through the cracks in the walls.  He looked over and pointed to his eyes, then held up three of his fingers.  I looked back at the barricade.  “I know there are three of you out there, just know we have a lot of people and a shit tone of ammo!”  I yelled.

              I heard a loud gunshot and Ted suddenly fell from his chair.  Ricky poked his gun out and fired his shotgun a few times.  I found an opening in the barricade and peered out; I noticed one man lying dead on the road and two other men were hiding behind a red car.  One of them stood up and fired a couple of shots at the wall.  Ricky and I ducked and then returned fire.  After a few seconds, the men jumped in the car and started backing up; I shot a few more rounds at the car and hit the driver.  The passenger crawled over, pushed him out of the car, and sped off.

I climbed up the ladder and looked at Ted; he had a gunshot too the head.  Ricky and I ran back to the church and rang the bell.  A few minutes later, our small town gathered in the church.  I stood at the podium and looked at their worried faces.  “We just got attacked, I need all adults to grab guns from the supply room and split up at the two barricades.  One of them survived and escaped, he may tell people about our town.  We must stand our ground.”  Claire stayed with the kids and we all ran out to the barricades.

              We buried Ted in the small cemetery and observed the horizons for a few days.  I looked over at Ricky.  “We need those weapons.”  I said.  He nodded his head and knew what I meant.  We filled the truck with gas and gave everyone weapons and ammo.  We didn’t want to leave them but had no choice, who knows what kind of weapons these people had?  We made better lookout points and gave everyone a good hunting rifle with scopes.  I also set-up a few grenades at the barricades that would go off when breached.  Ricky and I filled the truck with fuel and supplies and would leave first thing in the morning. 

             
I spent the day playing outside with the kids and they had me pretend I was a Roman soldier trying to defend their castle.  I ran around with a stick and pretended to battle imaginary enemies.  They cheered loudly and told me that I have saved their kingdom.

             
The sun was nearly set and I went inside the church and sat with Claire on one of the pews.  I held her hand tightly and told her that Ricky and I had reinforced the church.  I also explained that if they needed to leave; there was a van parked in the back of the church.  She just smiled and told me I would be back before anything happened. 

             
I took her hand and placed a ring onto her finger.  “Oh my god.”  She cried.  I had found the ring in one of the houses and was glad it fit; a little loose but good enough.  “I love you.”  I whispered in her ear.  She started crying and we held each other for a while.  We eventually went to bed and fell asleep during a conversation.

             
Ricky woke me the next morning and we jumped in the truck.  I did not wake Claire or the girls; I hated goodbyes and so did she.  David opened the gate for us and we hit the road.