“Very funny. I’m surprised you two still have a sense of humor, being our captives and all. Let’s not worry about where we are then. I guess the more important question is who we are.”
“You’re the guys who crashed into us, I’ve been meaning to get your insurance info.” Bobby smugly said.
“Bobby, could you stop for Christ’s sake and let the guy talk.”
“Yes, thank you, boy.” The man had an excited glow to him, “Now, as I was saying, we are The Living. And our job is to keep the city… safe, from threats of the undead, and from threats like you two.”
“Like us?” Bobby asked.
“We’ll get to that. Anyway, we are the self-appointed defenders of this great city of Pittsburgh, and we have successfully kept it safe from multiple zombie attacks.”
“How many have you guys killed?” Tommy asked.
“Well we don’t like to brag about those kinds of things, but what the hell, we’ve killed five.”
The boys looked at each other, confused, “Five what?”
“Five zombies.”
“Your little, renegade group has killed five zombies… total?” Tommy asked.
“Why yes we have!”
The boys looked at each other again, and then began to burst out in laughter. The man grew very confused, as Tommy and Bobby hysterically laughed to the point of tears.
“Why are you laughing?” The man said, growing angry. They continued their hysteric bawling for what seemed like minutes. “What, do you expect me to believe you two children have killed more?”
“I don’t know Bobby, was it six?” Tommy said through faint laughter.
“No it was seven!” Bobby replied, and more hysteric wailing commenced.
“Yeah sure, you expect me to believe you two killed seven zombies on your own?” The man said, making them laugh even harder. Finally the man came over and threw a hard punch to Bobby’s face, shutting up their laughing. “How many have you really killed?”
Bobby spit off to side, a red tinge to his saliva, “Honestly?”
“Yes! Tell me!” The man’s embarrassment made him seem weak, but he wasn’t tied to a chair.
“You really want to know. It’s just going to make you upset.”
“How many?”
“Don’t hit me again when I tell you.”
“Out with it already.”
“Fine, it’s been dozens by now, I’d guess around 100 maybe.” The man paused for a moment, then carried on with his own laughter now, while the Nagels sat emotionless.
“Look, weirdo,” Tommy started, “Can we just go? I don’t know why you decided to ‘capture’ us but it’s just been annoying and a waste of time.”
The man stopped his laughing, grabbed a chair from the corner of the room and sat as close to Tommy as possible. “Boy, the reason we stopped you from entering our great city, is because only two types of people have actually come to Pittsburgh as opposed to leaving it or staying here. Zombies, and hunters. And you don’t look dead to me, boy.”
“What are hunters?”
“You. You are a hunter. People who have used this tragic genocidal event to hunt the most dangerous game of all, other humans, are hunters.”
“We’re not hunters-“
“Oh, you’re not hunters? What a convenient answer, except there’s a man in your trunk who would testify otherwise, if he could.”
“Oh I totally forgot about the dead guy in the trunk!” Bobby said.
“Dammit, me to.” Tommy added, “Look it’s just a misunderstanding.”
“I’m sure it is, I’m sure it’s also a misunderstanding that the vehicle you boys were in is registered under the same name we found on his license. Was it fun? Killing that guy and taking his car, like a grand theft auto video game?”
Tommy’s blood began to boil. He already felt bad enough for killing that guy, he didn’t need this guy rubbing it in his face as if he was some kind of monster. If the rope wasn’t holding him back he’d of pounced on him and pummeled his face in by now. Were there any right words to get him out of this? This guy wouldn’t listen to the truth, he seems too arrogant and stubborn to listen to what somebody else might have to say. Tommy is so close to Melanie, he can almost feel her embrace. The only thing separating him from her was the creepy, tattered man who thinks killing five zombies is something to gloat about. Tommy’s blood had boiled to steam, and he finally snapped.
“How in the hell was I supposed to know that out of over twenty zombies running towards us, that one of them happened to not be a goddamn zombie? Huh? Answer me that? You pathetic little dweeb. Oh not that you would know anything about actually being in danger with a zombie attack. Five zombies! You kidding me? This clown next to me and I could take on five zombies with our bare hands you bitch. I’m sure there are seven year old girls in the danger zone who have killed more than your entire, bullshit organization! So just get out of our way, and let me and my brother go find my girlfriend before it’s too late, you creepy, overzealous, arrogant, little pain in my ass!”
“Interesting.” The man started, “Very interesting. See we usually have a little test to see if the hunters are telling the truth or not.” The man paused, and walked around the room, letting his words sink in, “We call it ‘God’s choice.’ We let God decide your innocence by sticking them in the ol’ fighting ring with a zombie. You see we’ve only killed five but we’ve got another 10 in in captivity. And boy are they hungry. God has yet to save one of the Hunters from the zombie. But what’s interesting is that, I believe you said you, and your companion here, could take on five with your bare hands? The men would really like to see that show.”
“You’re sick. What is wrong with you?” Bobby snapped.
“Nothing is wrong with me, boy, I’m not the one who kills people for sport. That’s you. We have to have some sort of entertainment in these parts!”
“One condition.” Tommy said.
“What’s that, boy?”
“When we’re done with them, you step in that ring with me.”
Chapter 25
Their only way to freedom, their only way to live, was to face a known opponent with unknown means. They would step into a cage like animals and face a group of zombies without any weapons. All the while, they would be treated like the away team of a sporting event, with the “fans” cheering on the flesh eating undead to rip their limbs apart. You’d think having any sanity would prevent people from enjoying the sight of humans being murdered by the very creatures that decimated an entire region, including the region that caused them to form their own ragtag group in defense of it. Maybe the answer is easy, they don’t have any sanity left. They were told the festivities wouldn’t start for a few hours, and to enjoy the rest of their lives. Tommy and Bobby intended to enjoy the rest of their lives far away from these people.
They were left alone in the room, but remained tied to the chairs. Ideas raced through Tommy’s head of how to get out of this alive. Their ammo belts were still strapped to their waists, but their guns were sitting in the far corner of the room. This man irked Tommy, and the fact he was the one keeping him from Melanie made his blood boil. Tommy jerked and shook but he couldn’t budge out of the rope that tied him.
“What are you doing?” Bobby asked.
“What do you think? Trying to get out of here.”
“Relax, I got this.”
“We can’t fight them, Bobby! Best case scenario we beat them but get bit, and I have no interest being in their dog fight.”
“We’re not going in that ring.”
“How?”
“I have a gun.”
“Yeah it’s sitting in the corner over there.”
“When we crashed, it didn’t knock me unconscious, I just pretended it did. And I stuck a pistol in my briefs.”
“You wear briefs?”
“That’s what you got from that?”
“Briefs are so uncomfortable, they box everything up.”
“They’re like boxer brief
s not whitey-tighties or anything, and boxers are weird it’s like you might as well be commando.”
“Whatever, so you have a gun in your, junk?”
“More like behind it, in the taint region.”
“You have a taint gun?”
“Well yeah I figured they wouldn’t search there, and I was right.”
“Fair enough.” Tommy agreed. He thought more about what this gave them, the second they got untied they could try to take out the guards, go back and get their own guns, and shoot their way out of this place. It was a high risk plan, but less risk then getting in that fighting ring.
“Is it silenced?” Tommy asked, thinking it would be easier to sneak their way out.
“When would I have picked up a silencer? While we were sitting in their trunk?”
“I don’t know, it would be helpful.”
“Yeah so would a rocket launcher but we have to work with what we got here!”
“Alright!”
“Be a little grateful, man.”
“Thank you for your taint gun. When do you think they’ll take these ties off us?”
“I don’t know, could be right away, could be when we get to the ring.”
“So we’re just winging it?”
“Like always.” Bobby winked.
Chapter 26
“Alright boys, time to go.” said one of the two bodyguards that entered the room. They were each one hundred pounds more than either Tommy or Bobby, and carried pistols in their waistbands. Tommy was nervous, and hoped his facial expression didn’t hint at their uprising. The men slowly walked through the room towards their chairs. They’re going to untie us here, Tommy thought, and had no doubts in his mind. His hands were clammy and fidgety; he felt a slight bead of sweat trickle down his cheek in the non-heated room. They had to see right through him.
“Lookin’ a little nervous there.” The other bodyguard said. Tommy’s heart sunk.
“I’d be to if I was one of them!” The first bodyguard said, as they both laughed.
They walked around to the back of the chairs, and began to untie them. Tommy hoped to be behind Bobby so he could see what was going on and be ready to help. But before he knew it, his restraints were off while Bobby’s bodyguard still worked on untying the knot. Tommy was told to get on his feet and he did so, he gave a slight nod to Bobby as he got up and was walked toward the door. He heard the footsteps of Bobby getting up, and balled his fist ready to attack. Those few anxious moments felt as if they lasted a lifetime. Tommy was about to reach the entryway when he heard a gunshot.
He turned to see Bobby had just shot his bodyguard, but the large man still had enough energy left to attack back, if only momentarily. Tommy quickly reached for the gun at his bodyguard’s side, his hand arrived there the same time the man’s did. They struggled for control; Tommy slightly turned the front of the gun inwards towards the man’s leg, found the trigger and fired. The man let out a resounding groan as Tommy snatched the gun and pointed it at him. In the corner of his eye he could see Bobby also had his gun pointing at him, with the other man lying dead behind him. There was a momentary confusion as the Nagel’s had not thought this far ahead. Do they kill him too? He’s unarmed, his hands are raised, and he’s not making any moves towards them.
“Sit in the chair, hands behind the back of it.” Tommy said in a forceful low-volume. The man complied. Tommy kept the gun pointed at him while Bobby tied his hands behind together behind the chair with the same rope that had just been binding him.
The boys retrieved their guns and ammo from the corner of the room. They locked and loaded and headed towards the door. Waiting for them was a seemingly endless hallway with tan walls going in both directions, with many other hallways branching off, and closed doors throughout. The walls were bare, but some spots had remnants that whatever was there had been ripped off. They had no idea which direction was the exit, which direction was the jeep they’d been using, and which direction was the mob of people waiting for their arrival. A maniacal chuckle came from the tied up guard. Before they could choose which direction to go, they heard very faint voices from the far left, and took off right, then a sharp left down one of the branching hallways.
They jogged but kept their steps quiet through the barren hallways. They made a right, and then a left, then another left, then a right, looking for any sign of daylight. A couple of voices were heard from the right, so they went left. Then they heard footsteps from the left, and they went right again. They ran down a straight hallway when they heard people coming out of an approaching hallway, they stopped and began running the other way, when they heard steps coming from that way as well. There were no hallways in between, they were cornered.
They hid in an indent in the wall with a large white door. With no options present, Bobby opened the door. An eruption of noise hit them as soon as it was cracked, as Bobby saw people stacked up in bleachers, basketball hoops, hardwood floors, and a giant cage in the middle of the floor.
“It’s a gym!” Bobby said in a hushed voice.
“What?”
“It’s a gym like a basketball gym, we’re in a school.” Bobby said as the footsteps got louder.
“Oh God, that’s why we haven’t seen any windows, if we go through the doors they’ll be classrooms with windows.” Tommy said, the footsteps were right next to them now.
“Follow my lead.” Bobby quickly opened the door and slammed it shut as he walked out to the hallway.
“Who the hell are you two?” a scrawny raggedy man said.
“We’re security so we’ll be asking the questions, who are you, and why aren’t you inside there?” Bobby interrogated.
“Security my ass, there’s no security. You’re the two killers ain’t ya!” He yelled.
“Well it was worth a shot.” Bobby said as he raised the gun at him. As soon as he did, the school’s PA system came on.
“Men! They’ve escaped!” The Leader said, “They’re in the building somewhere, find them!”
Now they could hear the crowd from the gym even through the door. They bolted at the scrawny man in front of them, shoved him down, and took off down the hallway. Random gunshots were going off throughout the school. They turned down a hallway to the left and immediately into a classroom.
“Out the window!” Bobby yelled. The echoing gunshots clouded his voice from the barbarians in the halls. They ran over to the windows, but they were bolted shut. Bobby took the butt of his gun and started thrashing at the glass. But it didn’t budge. He then tried a metal chair, which made a huge sound, but still would not budge the window. Tommy was sure somebody must have heard the chair. He pushed Bobby aside, raised his assault rifle, and unloaded five automatic rounds, and the window shattered.
People definitely heard that. Tommy quickly hopped through the window; there was an occupied parking lot in the distance next to a baseball field and he took off towards it with Bobby right behind. They were in full sprint knowing they were being closed in on. They made it over 100 yards away when the bullets started flying by their heads. Bobby turned his shoulder to see some of them shooting from the classroom windows, others hopping out to pursue. Bobby fired his gun behind him as he ran, hoping to scare some of them off. But they were as fearless as the zombies and kept after them.
“Go get that car started, I’ll hold them off.” Tommy said motioning to a grey sedan in the second row. Bobby was hesitant at first to put Tommy in the riskier position, but saw the fire in his eyes. Tommy took cover behind a pickup truck, and began firing on his attackers. He was vicious yet controlled, firing many bullets at a time but with precision. One man went down, then another, then another. He kept picking them off, one by one. He quickly reloaded when he was empty, and then continued firing. A bullet whizzed by his head, shaking him for a second, but he kept on. Another one dropped, then another one. He didn’t even notice at first that Bobby had pulled up next to him in the car, and he hopped in.
Those were the third, fourth, fif
th, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth times Tommy Nagel killed a person.
As Bobby started to take off, bullets started hitting the car, one shattering the rear window. Tommy turned around to see the snarly man, who Tommy had threatened in the room, in front of the mob after them.
“Stop!” Tommy yelled, as Bobby slammed on the brakes dumbfounded. Tommy got out of the car, aimed, and fired the rest of his clip in his direction, until he saw one land in his chest. He got back in and Bobby took off far away from that place.
And that was the sixteenth (and most satisfying) time Tommy Nagel killed a person.
Chapter 27
The Living did not pursue them. Losing their leader and sixteen other members, counting the guy Bobby shot as he was running, probably scared them off, Tommy thought. Tommy found a map in the glovebox and began giving directions towards Melanie. His heart was racing with excitement. He felt like he could already feel her presence with him, he could feel her heart beating next to him. He had already stopped thinking about the fact he just gunned down sixteen people that he did not know.
“You okay?” Bobby asked.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, you kind of just killed a ridiculous amount of people…”
“But they were trying to kill us.”
“Yeah, it’s just the other times you were real shaken up.”
“Well it was weird the first time, it was the first time I’d killed anything other than a bug. And the second guy was innocent and that still eats me up a bit. But these guys… I don’t know, screw ‘em.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like what?”
“I don’t know I just worry about you is all. It’s like… you seemed as if you really wanted to kill them.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, it’s not like I’m going to have a reason to kill people when this is all over with.” Tommy said light-heartedly, but wondered what Melanie would think of all the violence.
The Fortress Page 12