This Would Be Paradise (Book 1) (21 page)

Of all the things I had done. Of all the things I had seen. This was beyond the worst I could imagine. Just thinking about it hurt.
Is this what humanity has come to? Is this what we’ve been reduced to?
This sight would haunt me for the rest of my life. It wasn’t an infected feeding on some poor sap. It wasn’t a group of infected trapped back here. No, it was much worse.

Scrawled on the back wall in dried blood, blotted with fingerprints were the words, “And Like Him, We Too Shall Rise.” In front of that, a scene pulled from the crime section of a newspaper looked back at me. Two small children were decaying on the ground, a hole adorning each of their foreheads. Next to them was the badly rotted body of a woman with a matching bullet wound, a Bible clutched in her dead hands. Across from them, slumped to the side, was a male figure with a fallen handgun at his side. The wall behind him was stained with blood and brain matter.

I stood there frozen, unable to move.
Why?
The only word echoing in my head.

“What is it?”

“Stay there!”

Whatever was in my voice had Chloe stop in her tracks. I quickly shut the door, wishing I could scrub the image from my brain. Nothing could prepare you for something like that. I rubbed at my eyes; maybe I could force the image out.

“What was it?”

“Drop it, Chloe.”

And to my surprise, she did. I floundered for a moment, the shock throwing me off. I turned to the shelf and tried to distract myself by searching for 9mm ammo. I managed to find a box and a half, but all the guns were cleaned out.

Except for the handgun in there,
my brain cruelly reminded me. There was no way I was going back in that room; it wasn’t worth it. And I’m sure it would be considered bad luck using that gun. A shadow passed over us as an infected crossed in front of the display window.

“Hold still,” I whispered.

We both froze hoping the thing would move on. It turned its head toward the window, tilting slightly, as if curious. With jerky movements, the infected continued on shuffling past the window. I swallowed loudly. We needed to cut our losses and get to the general store, which would mean taking out those infected.

Did I risk the gun for that? Or try to take them out melee style? With that many, a gun seemed like the easiest way to take them out. But that meant noise, so we would have to hurry in the store in case more infected showed up.

We left the counter behind and started back through the aisles. I handed Chloe the aluminum bat. It was light and not too big for her stature. I had spotted an axe on our way down the aisles, so I decided to upgrade. The axe was heavier but manageable. It would do more damage than the bat and that’s all that mattered.

I couldn’t wait to leave this building, I was desperate for it. I looked out the window and spotted the infected that had passed by. He was just slightly to the right of the building. I would have to take him out first.

“Chloe, I’m going to get you to hold the door open. If anything happens or an infected comes near you, you close it okay?”

“What about you?” She looked up at me with concerned eyes.

“I will be fine. I can outrun these few infected. If that happens, I will lead them away and come back, you understand?”

She nodded. I opened the door, and she gripped it tight to hold it open. The infected turned its head toward me and made a gurgling sound, as he approached. Its foot was bent at an odd angle, so he limped toward me rather slowly. I wound up the axe and let it swing, as I used my forward momentum to take it out. The blade landed soundlessly in the infected’s neck. No blood spurted, and I could see the spinal column once I yanked the axe free.

With its arms still reaching for me, the infected fell backwards. I assumed the noises it was making meant it was angry, but I didn’t give it time to get back up again. I placed my foot on its chest and brought the axe down. The head came clean off and rolled to the right of body. To make it even more grotesque, the head was still snapping away with what was left of its rotten teeth.

I flipped the axe in my hand and brought the blunt side down on the severed head. The forehead caved in like a cracked egg, and then the snapping sound stopped. I whipped the axe around, trying to dislodge some of the blood and skin from the blade.

The other roaming infected seemed oblivious to what just happened, which was fine with me. I pulled the handgun from my waistband and clicked off the safety. The infected were spread out, making for good target practice. But I needed my aim to be spot on, so that they didn’t all start to come after me when I fired.

I propped the axe up against the tailgate of the old Chevy and started toward the nearest infected. Using both hands to steady my aim, I took the first shot. It rang true, and the infected dropped like a stone. Then all heads were turned to me. I took the next one, but I would have to move closer to get the rest.

They all started to shuffle toward me, and I walked to greet them. I felt like a crazy person, heading toward the danger rather than running from it. I also felt pretty stupid, as I basically ran around them in circles, picking them off one by one. Ten shots later, I was surrounded by slain bodies. My breathing was ragged from the exertion and adrenaline, my arms limp by my side. My chest heaved, as I peered down at my morbid handy work.

I looked like a sole survivor of a bomb blast, surrounded by all the fallen corpses. Chloe poked her head out of the doorway, and I waved her out. She ran to me faster than I would have thought possible. I gathered up my axe, and we silently headed to the general store.

“We have to make this fast. There was no way that noise wouldn’t attract other infected in the town. Remember, we need to find a map.”

I ejected the empty magazine and slipped in the full one. Cupping my hands around my eyes, I gazed into the general store bay window. There didn’t seem to be any movement, but I could only see so far. As I opened the front door, the bell hanging above it chimed, signaling our entrance.
Stupid small town stores.
I gritted my teeth as my ears picked up the sound of movement coming from one of the furthest aisles.

Chloe was right behind me, gripping her bat like she was ready to swing. I just hope I wasn’t too close when she did. I readied my axe as the sound got louder. Stepping toward the aisle, I could see a rather large, masculine infected wearing a shopkeeper’s apron. It was torn and dirty, just like the rest of him. His beard was patchy around his emaciated face.

I heard Chloe gasp behind me. The thing regarded me with interest, almost like he was savoring his prey. It was eerie.

But I’d had enough of this. Enough of waiting to be attacked.

Letting out my own yell, I ran for him and swung with everything I had. The axe blade embedded in the infected’s massive chest with a hollowed
thud,
and he let out a hiss as he was knocked back from the impact. The shelf behind him shook with the force and started to teeter.

Products on the shelf fell into the aisles, like they were abandoning ship. The axe was still imbedded in its chest, so I lifted up my foot and used him as leverage to yank the axe free. His arms tried to reach for me, but he was thrown further back from the momentum. This time the shelf decided to tip completely. I watched as the metal shelving toppled to the side, falling into the next one. I had started a chain reaction. All four shelves had fallen over, like dominos, except much louder.

I quickly turned back, worried that Chloe had been squished. She had made herself as small as possible and was wedged safely in the corner by the front door. I looked back to see the infected lying on top of a pile of products, beside the now angled shelf. It reached for me again, as if I would just come to him.

So I did just that.

I brought the axe down again and again. Thick, congealed blood sprinkled everywhere. Pieces of skin and cartilage were flying around, but I couldn’t bring myself to stop. I kept swinging that axe, long after the infected had stopped moving.

Anger.

It’s all your fault.

Frustration.

It’s not fair.

Sadness.

We are all doomed.

With a strangled cry, I let it all loose on this infected. Faintly, the sound of the blade clanging against the linoleum floor reached my ears. By the time my arms stilled, I was out of breath from the effort. My arms burned from the sudden use of so much force. I had to lean a hand against the wall for support, as I caught my breath.

Catching a glimpse of my reflection in the beverage-cooler door made me cringe. Head to toe I was covered in blood and skin clumps. I wiped at the mess on my face, using my sleeve as a rag. When I say the infected was now in pieces, I meant it. He was splattered all over his store and wouldn’t be getting back up again. It looked like a massacre and I was the butcher.

Chloe shouldn’t have seen that. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. I felt like a monster.

I swallowed nervously, as I turned to Chloe. Her stare said more than words ever could. She looked terrified of me; like she was worried I needed a next victim.

“It’s clear now,” was all I managed to croak out.

It took a few seconds before Chloe tore herself from her corner.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.”

She looked at me for a second and then nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

I should really have given her more credit.

I managed to get a lot of the surface goop off, but my clothes were pretty much trash at this point. Still, I tried to get most of it off.

“Do you think we will be able to dig through this?” Chloe asked, as she bent down by some fallen goods.

“I don’t think we have time for that. Just the essentials.”

I continued down the clear aisle, aiming for the non-food items that looked like they were at the back of the store. I heard Chloe unzip her backpack and shove some stuff in.

“Stay close,” I prompted and she ran to me as she slipped her pack on again.

The back of the store had some skylights, which was rather lucky considering the sun from the display windows didn’t reach back here very well. The back shelves were out of the line of fire and were still upright.

The store place was pretty picked over. Gaping holes adorned the shelves where product should have been. I slipped off my backpack and started stuffing in soap and a few other hygiene items. Clearly I would need that tonight.

“Look!” Chloe exclaimed and I grabbed for my axe that I had set down.

She was pointing to a white metal spinning rack. Maps. And there were still some left. I hurried over and patted Chloe’s head.

“Good job.”

“Eww, you didn’t get stuff in my hair did you?” She wiped at the top of her head.

“Now you can smell like me.” I forced a small grin and her face scrunched up.

There was one map of Louisiana left and a couple of different local maps. And they were the laminated ones, too. I quickly stowed them safely into my backpack. Now, that meant we could grab what we wanted. They had a small pharmacy area that had been picked clean, but I scavenged some gauze, Benadryl and basically everything I could. To my surprise, they had some generic clothing as well. This really was a general store.

I found a grey hoodie, sweatpants and some V-neck T-shirts, which I rolled up and stuffed into my bulging bag. I guess I was going to stay looking like a university student for a little longer. I suppose when shit hit the fan almost three months ago, people weren’t looking for clothes. We went back to the food area and grabbed what we could still reach. In less than ten minutes, we had gathered a collection of canned and packaged goods; nothing that would be considered particularly nutritious, though. I had spotted some of those reusable mesh bags and we each filled one to carry.

I needed to be able to swing into action if need be, and Chloe could only carry so much. I threw the bag over my shoulder, grunting at the extra weight. Chloe was able to wear her backpack and the bag with more ease. Dreading the next part, we crept back to the front of the store. New infected had appeared further down the main drag, right where we needed to go.

“Shit.”

“What?”

“The infected have already started to migrate here.”

There were only three that I could see, but I was willing to bet more were on their way.
How am I going to pull this off?

“All right, you really have to stay by me this time.”

“I’ve stayed by you the whole time,” Chloe shot me a droll look.

Does nothing faze this kid?

I gave the bag on my shoulder one more heave for good measure and tore down the stupid silver bell above the door. The last thing we needed was literally for a dinner bell to ring. I bid this place fucking adieu and tore through the door. We kept up a brisk walk, not wanting to tire out in case we really did have to run. I directed us away from the few infected that started to stroll down the main road.

Rounding the corner of the building on the edge of the street once again, we ran into a group of infected. I immediately stopped and twirled to the side. Using the few seconds of confusion to my advantage, I grabbed the strap of Chloe’s backpack, yanking her to me and basically pulling her around the infected. They started after us, some moving faster than the others.

“I think we’re going to have to run some.”

I picked up my pace, making sure Chloe was right beside me and could keep up. I spotted the alley entrance we needed just a bit down, but proving with my theory that the universe was out to get me, it was blocked with a good few infected. Basically there were infected in our way and behind us. The street was beginning to become saturated with them.

“Bailey, I’m scared,” Chloe tearfully exclaimed.

Even she could see how screwed we were.

“We’re almost at the alley.”

I didn’t have the time or the capacity to make meaningless reassurances at the moment. I jerked to a stop a few meters from the alley, planning on using my axe again. The bag I was carrying slid off my shoulder and scratched down my arm, leaving angry red welts in its wake. I suppose it was heavy enough to use as a weapon.

I tossed my axe toward the infected guarding the alley entrance and they peered down at it as it clanged to the ground.

“You just threw your weapon away!” Chloe screeched.

“No I didn’t.”

I ran to the infected and swung my heavy, filled to the brim bag at the first one. I had the odd urge to yell, “This is my purse,” at them as I brandished the bag like a weapon.
Maybe I am starting to lose my mind.
The infected went flying into the other two and they all fell down in a mass of limbs. A few cans popped out the top, but I didn’t bother retrieving them.

“Come on!” I yelled as bending to pick up the axe.

Chloe ran to me, her bags jerking up and down. The alley had more infected lying in wait for us and the others had started to catch up and were now pouring into alleyway after us. I used my axe to poke at the ones that got too close, having to only stop to take one out that was directly in front of us. I couldn’t afford to get bogged down.

The house we were aiming for loomed in the distance.

“I see it!” Chloe huffed.

I had to crack open the skull of one female infected blocking the fence we needed. I thanked my past self for having the foresight to toss a chair over. My brain must have been working overtime. Using most of my reserve strength, I tossed my heavy bag over the pointed fence, then Chloe’s.

“Hurry!” Chloe yelled.

I had to knock back an infected that had snuck up on me with the butt of my axe. Seeing no other option, I stomped my heel down on the middle of its skull when it hit the ground. A flash of a memory shot through my brain, reminding me of the time Darren did that and how disgusted I was.

Chloe climbed onto the chair and I gave her a boost. Her leg and arm latched over the ragged boards at the same time I was steam rolled by an infected. I heard her scream as I hit the ground, shoving at the body trying to tear into me. Drool and fowl breath hit me, but I was able to shove it to the side. I scrambled to pull the hunting knife from my pants.

By the time the knife was clear of the sheath, the infected had crawled back to me. I shoved it back and rolled on top of it, rearing up my arms to bring the knife down. It landed in the things mouth and went out through the back of its head. It gurgled for a bit and then stopped moving. I jumped up and saw that Chloe was no longer on the fence. She must have fallen to the other side.

I climbed up on the chair and threw my backpack and axe over. I don’t know where the strength came from this time, but I was able to pull myself up enough with my arms that I could hook my leg over. My pants snagged on the pokey fence when I brought my other leg over, tearing right down the seam. This made me lose my balance, and I toppled the rest of the way down, landing on my side. Pain shot up my whole right side, especially in my elbow, which I had sticking out as I flailed down. I quit breathing as the pain made my eyes water. I had to force my lungs to start again, praying that nothing was broken.

Wheezing, I managed to sit up. New pain shot down my body. I was able to focus long enough to stand up and spot Chloe. Dragging my backpack onto my screaming shoulder, I went to usher her into the house.

“Bailey,” she said weakly.

I looked down at her. She was clasping her left arm tightly. Bright, red blood was pouring from her arm, staining her clothes and dripping onto the overgrown grass.

Oh God.