Both May and Faisal disagreed. “Negative. A headshot is the only way to take them down,” Faisal said.
“No, a…a guy shot himself in the head and turned,” I said.
"A kill shot in the head will only work if you completely take out the central nervous system,” Faisal said. “You need to know where you’re aiming.”
“That might explain the guy on the bridge. The bullet might have damaged the central nervous system of the brain or spinal cord, but didn’t shut it down," Deema said.
Both Rakan and Faisal stared at Deema.
"She’s a nurse," I said. Their faces went easy and a little relieved. A nurse could always come in handy.
"But if that's the case, then we’re not killing them. We’re only paralyzing them," Deema continued.
"Good enough for me," I said.
"Me too," May agreed.
"How did you get out of there?" Malak asked, studying Faisal.
"We walked away as soon as those in charge turned. I and a few of my comrades made it out of there," he said.
"Where’s the rest of your platoon now?" I asked.
"You’re looking at it, lady," Faisal said.
"Lady?" I repeated, not appreciating the tone.
I looked at Rakan who had his eyes locked on May. I glanced back at Faisal. It seemed like this Faisal guy had a serious attitude, but with his training, he was an asset.
"Do you have food and water?" Rakan asked, removing his attention from May to me.
"We have a little, not enough," I said, returning my gaze to Rakan.
An alarm broke the peace in every direction. The sharp sound echoed throughout the neighborhood. We exchanged glances; fear prevailed on our features. We didn't know where the sound was coming from.
"A car alarm," Faisal said. The honking reverberating.
"I have to disarm the alarm," Rakan said, “before it’s too late.”
"What! You’re going out there?" I asked. "It's not safe.”
"Sounds attract those things. If I don't turn that off, it’s gonna draw them straight to us from all the neighborhoods," he said. "We'll be outnumbered.”
"We're safer here altogether, even if they surrounded us. They could never get past the high walls," I said.
"I'll be alright.” His warm, convincing voice assured me. I paused. His radiant eyes were so hypnotizing.
"I'll stay with them," Faisal said and patted Rakan’s shoulder. "Watch your back, cousin.”
Rakan nodded and turned toward the door. I wanted to warn him or tell him to be careful but I choked on the words.
"Wait," I was able to say. I pulled out a keychain from my pocket, a little gold keychain with the letter "S" hanging on it. "The biggest one is the front door key," I said and dropped it in his palm. He looked at my lips as I talked, and I could see a slight smile on his. He said nothing and darted toward the doors.
"Is there anyone else in there?" Faisal pointed at the house.
"There's a zombie, but someone tied it down to a chair," Malak said.
"Do you have any weapons?" Faisal asked.
"I have a gun," I said and pressed my pocket, feeling the gun on my outer thigh.
"There is an ax that was left behind. It's inside the house," Deema said
"I’ll go get it," he replied.
"Wait, wait, no one’s going anywhere. Haven't you learned anything? The stupid ones always die first," May said.
"Did she call me stupid?" Faisal asked, looking around.
"You don't know your way around the house," Malak said.
“Plumpy,” I said. “I need to get Plumpy.”
“Plumpy?” Faisal said.
“Plump is my bird,” I said.
“Plumpy sounds like a baby hippopotamus,” Faisal said.
“He’s a bird,” I said. But he might weigh the same as a baby hippopotamus. I placed my hand on the other pocket from the outside. There was no bump. My heart beat faster. No phone. “My phone. I left it in there.” The phone to me was hope. It was the only way we could reach Mom and Dad. It was my light to see in this dark situation. It was something I needed to hold on to.
"We're not splitting up," Malak added. “It's settled, then. We all go in.”
"Fine, we'll all go," Faisal said. "I’ll go in first.”
Faisal adjusted his holster and started to the door.
"Typical," Malak muttered. I looked at her and smiled. This was great. We had no idea what we were doing, and the only thing we excelled at was our stubbornness. What could go wrong?
"I'm not going in there," May said. “There is no way I am ever going back into that house. Ever.”
"Well, okay then. You can stay here and stand guard.” I walked past her and followed Faisal.
Chapter 25
"I‘m not staying out there with zombies in the pool." May followed.
"I don't think they would mind you crashing their pool party. They might appreciate a light snack," I said.
“You’re really not funny,” May said. I heard that a lot. Not sure I believed it. I thought I was hilarious.
“I don't like him," Malak whispered, walking beside me. "Can we trust him?"
"I trust Rakan," I said. I wasn't sure why I trusted him. But I did. She didn't comment, and I knew she had more questions than I had answers to. We sped up behind Faisal. He radiated with confidence as if he knew exactly where he was going and what he was doing. He appeared more than confident, a little cocky? Our military's finest. He pulled out his gun and opened the bullet chamber. His lips moved slightly. I thought he was counting bullets before he pulled the front door open. He turned on the flashlight on his phone and gestured for us to follow, entering the darkness. We went in with our phones blazing.
"Where's the ax? " he said. I stood right behind him.
"On the floor.” I pointed to the corner of the room and ambled toward the seated zombie still tied to the chair where we left it. Faisal close, the rest stood next to the staircase, aiming their phones our direction.
"I'll get it," he said and marched a few steps ahead toward the ax. He tucked his gun in the holster and clutched the ax. I went straight to the sofa and took my phone. Then met him near the zombie.
"Do you recognize him?" he asked.
"Nope. Never seen him before," I said, covering my nose from the smell of the ex-human glaring at us, snapping his jaws.
"Why would they tie him down like this?" he asked, looking at him. His expression went soft.
A scream tore through the living room. Faisal and I both turned and pointed the light at the end of the living room. A zombie appeared and already had its hands wrapped around Malak’s arm. He sank his teeth deep into her skin.
"Malak," I yelled, involuntary running toward her. May and Deema’s screams fell in the background. Everything happened too fast. I could hear Faisal saying something as he ran past me toward Malak and the zombie. He was much faster than I was. He reached Malak as she pulled away from the zombie. Faisal raised the ax in the air and plunged it down the zombie’s skull, splitting it wide open with a single blow. The corpse dropped on the floor with a thud, followed by stillness, not a single twitch. I bolted toward them.
"She was bitten," Faisal said, standing next to Malak. He pulled his gun out and aimed it at her head.
I ran and threw myself in front of her. "Don't shoot!" I shouted.
"Get out of the way. She was bitten," he said with a firm voice, not lowering his gun.
"You’re gonna have to shoot me," I said, gathering all the strength in my shaking body to stand still.
"Get out of my way." He raised his voice, causing blood to forcefully pump through my veins.
"Get out of the way," Malak said softly and placed her hand on my shoulder. Her touch calmed me down instantly like sand on fire. "I was bitten."
"No!" I said, refusing to look back at her. I couldn’t turn back. I couldn't look into her eyes. I tilted my head sideways, Deema and May in my peripheral view. They stood frozen, a terrified
expression on their faces and holding on to one another.
"I will not let you put our lives in danger, including yourself.” He pointed his gun sideways behind him to the zombie tied down to the chair, and with a single bullet, ended his grunting. Then he swung the gun back at us. "Move."
"You even think about shooting her," I warned, pulling out my gun and directing it straight at him, "I'll blow a hole in your head.”
Malak squeezed her fingers on my shoulder. My heart tried to leap out of my rib cage, barely synchronizing my breath. I inhaled, studying Faisal’s every move. Malak’s fingers loosened on my shoulder. Then let go. She collapsed on the floor behind me. I felt her drop, but I had my eyes on Faisal. Securing my position.
"Please move," Malak said.
"You won't shoot me," Faisal said.
"Don't try me," I said, my breath faster.
“Sara, come here,” May said.
“Shut up, May,” I said.
"Sara, get out of the way. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Malak’s soft voice floated in the air.
"Please," I begged, not lowering my gun. "Please don't shoot her.” A tear escaped my eyes.
"Sara, she's gonna turn," Faisal replied with a calm voice, gun still aimed at her.
"Give me a minute to say goodbye," I said, the tears cold against my cheeks. My chest tightened and my logic waned, putting my sanity in danger. "Please.”
He dropped the gun and looked away. He paced to the other side of the living room.
I lowered my gun and went around Malak, sitting in a position where I faced Malak yet had Faisal in my sight. I held her hand. "I'm not leaving you. You’re gonna be okay." My cold tears burned my cheeks.
"I can't let anything bad happen to you," Malak said. "You have to let him do it.”
"No." A sigh escaped along with a sniff. "No.” Approaching footsteps echoed in the dark. Turning my head behind me, I saw Deema’s face. She leaned in and sat close to us.
"This place is compromised. We need to leave,” Faisal said from a distance. "We don’t have to shoot her but I have to get you all out of here.”
"I'm not leaving," I said.
"You have to." Malak smiled with watery eyes. Malak shot Deema a look. Then Deema nodded back as if there was a nonverbal agreement between the two I was not aware of. The thought of leaving her behind and helpless ran my blood cold. A raw, empty feeling in the pit of my stomach made me ill. Shooting pain thundered through my arm, making my palm sweaty and my hand numb. Then my knees buckled. I didn’t think I could stand; it hurt too much, and the worst feeling of all…I was helpless…helpless.
"I'm not leaving you," I repeated, my heart rate nowhere near slowing down. "Sisters don't leave sisters behind, remember the rule?"
"Sisters never hurt each other," she said calmly, tears dripping on her cheeks. "You gotta be strong for me and leave.”
"I won’t let you shoot her," I shouted, addressing Faisal.
"I won’t. She stays. We leave," he said.
I drew in a deep breath, then wrapped my arms around my sister’s warmth and softly kissed her cheeks. Deema and May both came closer and did the same.
"I can't leave you like this." I held her hand. “This is not happening.”
"This is what we'll do. You go outside and we'll talk behind the door till I—" She didn’t say it.
"No. No.” My breathing became heavier. "I'll stay here.”
"You need to go now, or I’ll go running up to my room and ignore you.” She giggled nervously.
"We have to go," Faisal said, "now.”
I got up and helped Malak up. We headed toward the door. Everyone walked out. I turned to Malak and hugged her so tight one last time, to save the feeling in my head.
"I’m so sorry," I said. "I love you.” My cheeks were wet from my tears and hers. She pushed me out and closed the door. The lock made the cruelest sound I’d ever heard. My knees gave in, and I collapsed on the porch. Numbness grew colder. I was aware of every heartbeat pounding, following this overpowering feeling that burned through me. Anger that I couldn't conceal. I placed my hand on the wooden door, breathing heavier and heavier.
"Malak?" I said.
"I'm here," she replied, her voice peaceful and angelic. Like her name. Malak, a word in Arabic that literally translated to “Angel.”
"You’re gonna be okay," I said, the door cold against my palm. Everything felt so cold.
"Sara, remember when we got in trouble because you decided it was a good idea to hang upside-down from the broken monkey bars, and to make it worse, you convinced the other girls in the playground to do the same.”
I laughed while trying to unblock my nose. "Yeah yeah, I remember. The scars remind me of it every day.” I looked down at my wrist, my scar matched hers.
"You were always in some kind of trouble," she said, coughing. “I don’t know how you’re older.”
"So were you," I replied.
"Only because you convinced me it was a good idea.”
I wiped the tears running down my cheeks. "I promised that day I'd always watch out for you.”
"You always made sure no one in school bullied me.”
"And that was hard. You were kind of a dork.”
I heard her soft laugh and heard my heart shatter into little pieces just as loudly.
"You were always there for me," she spoke softly. "I love you.”
"I…” I tasted the saltiness of my tears. "You brought the moon and the stars closer. Love you, little sister.”
"Malak?" I said, terrified of never hearing her voice ever again, "Malak," I repeated. Please answer, please, I was screaming from the top of my lungs inside, but words didn't come out. I choked on air. I couldn't breathe.
"Malak?" I screamed. "Malak answer me.”
Nothing.
Silence.
She was gone.
Chapter 26
Three days earlier
Abdulrahman leaned in on the table, tapping the wooden surface. The cold blonde coffee conformed to the shape of the mini cup it was in, rippling forward and backward with every tap. He didn't realize how hard he was tapping. A distant look in his eyes, staring into the air as if it would provide explanations if he stared longer. He sighed and wondered if it was too late. I hope to God we are not too late. His glance flickered at the thick black file on the table next to the miniature flag. The words “confidential” printed in red.
A guy walked in wearing a thoab, a man that could be mistaken as a civilian in the streets of Riyadh. But not in those halls. He took one look at Abdulrahman and sighed, holding a coffee in one hand and a brown bag in the other. He placed the bag in front of Abdulrahman.
“Eat,” he said. “I got you a shawarma from your favorite place.”
“It’s not the time to eat,” Abdulrahman said, the smell of shawarma hitting his nose. That does smell good.
“Extra hot sauce,” he said. The lines from a smile mapped his face. “Listen, you won’t be any good to any of us if you don't eat.”
“Anything new?” Abdulrahman said, pushing the bag aside, his stomach rumbling in protest.
“They are sticking close to their homes, jobs, unconsciously like they recognize it, as if some force is pulling them and keeping them there.”
“God help us.” Abdulrahman wiped his palms over his face like he was washing it.
The guy’s gaze fell on the black file, and the smile vanished. “The incidents are increasing. It’s happening all over the country. It’s spreading. We know that much.”
“Fahad, how bad is it?” Abdulrahman said, releasing an exasperated sigh. “Give it to me straight.”
Fahad said the one sentence Abdulrahman did not want to hear. “Biohazard Level Z.”
“Hajj,” Abdulrahman said. The horror of the realization spread fear in both of them. Hajj was less than a month away. The holiest spot for Muslims was the Kaaba which was in the center of the grand mosque in Mecca. The direction that every Muslim on the planet
prays toward. Religious pilgrimage is the fifth pillar every Muslim must perform once in a lifetime. It’s literally the Mecca of Mecca. A place that draws millions of Muslims annually. Muslims that will come from every country on earth and leave taking back more than a clean slate when they go back home. They will take this disease with them. Abdulrahman thought whoever planed this was a mad genius. They knew exactly when and where to launch this disease for maximum damage.
One of the four phones on the table lit as it rang. Abdulrahman glanced at it. All he could think was, I hope the call brings good news. Progress. He answered the call and put it on speaker. “Yes.”
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