This Would Be Paradise (Book 1)

by N. D. Iverson

  She reached up, intent on grabbing anything she could get her gnarled left hand on. I placed my foot down on her left arm to hold it down and clubbed her in the head with the flat side of the axe blade, like I was hammering a nail into a coffin. Despite my body’s protest, I took out the remaining two. I looked around at the fallen infected. I sighed, knowing what I had to do next.

  I started to drag the bodies to where I had hidden the last one. By the time I was done, there was quite the pile, but the overgrown bushes still managed to hide them. I walked back to the house, my elbow giving off heat it was so sore. I peered up into the bright, blue sky. It gave no indication of the horrors we were faced with, in fact it seemed almost serene. You would think with all that had happened that the sky would be a constant mass of dark clouds to reflect the abysmal form of life we were now forced to live. But no, it instead mocked us with its ocean blue hues; I was almost resentful.

  With the keys in hand, I started the Taurus. I had to try a few times as the neglected engine tried to start. It roared to life on the third attempt and I watched the gas needle land on the full line. At least it had gas. When I was done with it, I would need to siphon the gasoline out for the Mazda. I turned on the windshield wipers to clean off the dusty mess. Chemical cleaner and dirt ran down the sides, and I could finally see out of the glass. Leaving it running, I went back inside and found Chloe sitting on the couch. I grabbed my backpack and weapons.

  “Lock the door once I leave and keep your head down.”

  She didn’t reply, and I shut the front door behind me.

  Chapter 36

  I got into the car and tossed my bag on the seat beside me along with my trusty axe. With one last look, I made sure the area around the house was clear. Nothing moved, so I hit reverse and left the neighborhood behind me. The street that connected to the cul-de-sac had barely any infected on it. Most of them must have been congregating in the alley behind the house we were squatting in.

  There were a few wanderers on the road; I made a point to hit them. Pushing down on the gas petal, the Taurus lurched forward with infected in the crosshairs. A feminine-shaped one hit the right corner and spun like a top down to the tarmac. The next one hit the grill and bounced up, cracking the windshield on the passenger side. I watched in the rearview mirror as he landed in a crumpled mass on the hard ground.

  A strange face peered back at me through my reflection. Her smirk was cruel and hollow. It scared me. I tore my eyes from the mirror and back to the road; there would be no more of that. This car was disposable to me, but I still needed it to get back. And encouraging crazy behavior could only lead to something worse. I was fully aware that it looked like I was coming unhinged. I wonder if most people who go crazy know they’re insane? A question for the ages, I guess.

  So I swerved to avoid the others in my way. I took my last left and found myself on the road that ran behind Main Street. Houses lined the boulevard, and I counted until I hit the fourth one in. That should be the medical center. There was a sign posted above the door that said, “Gibson Medical Center. All are welcome.” No cars were parked outside, which was a good thing. Last thing I needed was to fight someone for the supplies inside. I parked and got out, with my backpack and weapons in tow.

  An infected shuffled toward me from the front lawn, his face was…well…missing a part. A baseball sized chunk of the left side was gone. I could see through the cheek and into the mouth. Also the left eye was almost torn out of the socket. I had no idea if his face had been eaten or blown off with a gun. I used my axe to take it out of its misery. Again, I found myself dragging a body, this time disposing of it behind one of the neighboring white picket fences. You know, there’s a joke in there somewhere.

  Maybe that thing was here for some treatment or at least had tried to get some before he turned. This made me wary of what I would find in the medical center. I cautiously walked up to the front steps. Whoever owned this building had renovated it completely. The front door was one of those push open glass ones that you found in all the shops. There was also a metal gate pulled out on the inside for added security. It looked like the front door was a bust.

  I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. The gate created a diamond pattern with the light, coating the front lobby in shadows. It had a reception desk and waiting room chairs lining the walls. There was a hallway that I couldn’t see very far down toward the back. I started walking down the side of the building, looking to find another point of entry.

  The backyard was like an extension of the waiting room. Instead of grass, the yard was covered in cement and had a bunch of tables and chairs. One of the canary yellow seats was occupied. A rather fat infected man was sitting in one. I tip-toed over to the unmoving mass and poked it with the end of my axe. Its bloodshot eyes snapped open and he lunged for me, moving faster than I thought possible. I scrambled back and tripped over an uneven slab of cement. The thing landed half on top of me and I struggled to push his heavy form off.

  He snapped his teeth and gurgled, all while trying to claw at me. I pushed the handle of axe along the things neck, keeping his teeth away from me. My elbow protested the whole way, but I was able to muster enough strength to keep pushing the axe away until my arms were fully extended. Slowly, the infected rolled off of me and with a final shove, I bucked it to the side. I rolled as soon as I was clear and yanked out my hunting knife.

  Had this been another time, I would have probably laughed at the fat infected as he struggled to get himself up, his bloated stomach creating an obstacle. I brought the knife down on the top of its head and it sunk down to ground. I wrenched the knife out of the infected’s skull and wiped it off of his ripped dress shirt. It always seemed so insulting in movies when the killer would clean their weapon on the victims’ clothes. Now it seemed more practical than cold.

  I sheathed my knife and stretched out my elbow, trying to get rid of the stiffness that was setting in along with the pain. Another door blocked my entry. There was a heavy set padlock on the outside. I raised my axe and brought it down on the hasp staple. One side of metal piece detached from the wooden door frame and hung loosely. I tried the door knob, but I already knew that would be locked too.

  I wedged the axe blade in between the door and frame as much as I could and started to pry it open. I was grunting from the exertion, the creaking sound of the frame spurring me on. After a few seconds the door slid open as the piece in the door frame came loose. I grabbed the door and yanked it all the way open. The smell hit me first. The place had been locked up tight and it looked like I was the first one to try to break in, so why would it smell like rotting bodies in here?

  The light from the front didn’t reach the back hallway, so I had to pull out my flashlight. The beam of light illuminated the dust motes flying in the air. It looked like I was the first one in here in a while. I closed the door behind me as much as I could. The long hallway was surrounded with doors, some open, some closed. I peered in the opened ones. They were the standard examination room with a chair and patient table in them. I tried the door labeled Lab, but it was locked. My elbow was begging me to stop using force, so I went in search of the keys.

  Various medical posters lined the walls, stressing the importance of safe sex and getting your prostate checked. I made it all the way back to the front waiting room, which was still empty. The old floor creaked in one spot, the wood beginning to rot. I heard a bang come from below. I froze and swallowed. There was that cloying smell of rot, yet everything up here seemed clear.

  Snooping through the receptionist desk, I found various labeled keys in the desk drawer. I scooped up the one that was for the lab and grabbed the basement one as well. The lab door opened with a click and I shone my flashlight in before entering. It was clear of bodies. Shelves lined the room and a locked cabinet at the back caught my attention. It was made of glass and I could see the pill bottles just sitting in there.

  Using the end of my axe, I broke the glass doors, looking awa
y as I smashed the glass. I read through all the labels and grabbed the ones that ended in the suffixes -mycin or -cillin. I knew enough that those were antibiotics. After throwing my stash into the backpack, I looked around for more supplies to scavenge. Sterile, stainless steel tools littered the place and gave me the urge to shiver. They always reminded me of horror movies.

  A louder bang caught my attention. I shouldered my backpack again, the pills rattling like a child’s toy. The noise had come from downstairs, and I headed back to the door labelled Stairs. It opened without a key, and I was faced with a looming set of stairs leading further down. I beamed my light in and saw another door at the bottom of the landing. The smell was tenfold down here.

  Morbid curiosity was getting the better of me. I knew I should just leave now that I got what I came for, but part of me wanted to know what the hell was down there. I knew it would be nothing good, just like what we found in the hardware store. Using my axe, I propped open the door at the top of the stairs then started down. There was a rattling sound that was getting louder as my footfalls echoed in the confined space.

  I stilled my breathing and put my ear up against the door. The rattling sound was coming from inside somewhere. The key fit in the lock perfectly, but my hand froze. Did I really want to see what was down here?

  Then I heard a voice say, “Well, isn’t this a coincidence?”

  My heart stopped in my chest.

  Chapter 37

  I turned around slowly, dread like a lead ball in my stomach. At the top of the stairs stood Riley. He had a look on his face that I couldn’t quite classify as a smile. How did he find me?

  The pink tip of his tongue ran over the bottom of his teeth. “Well, I can’t say this isn’t a surprise, running into you like this. I thought we had seen the last of you.”

  “Are you following us?”

  “Well, well. I thought you were a mute,” he smirked. “You didn’t say a word last time.”

  “Forced imprisonment does that to a person.” I glared back.

  His grin spread further across his face. “You left me with quite the souvenir, you know.” His hand came to rest on the spot where my knife had sunk in. “I can’t say I’ve ever let someone get the better of me before. Took ten stitches and a bottle of Captain Morgan to set me right.”

  What do I do? What do I do? Should I shoot at him? I was trapped at the bottom of the stairs with the unknown on the other side of the door. He’d more than likely return fire, and I was a sitting duck down here. I desperately wished that whatever was on the other side was an improvement. I turned the knob and dashed inside as I pulled out the keys. I fumbled with the lock on the inside, making sure they couldn’t get it. Heavy footfalls sounded down the stairs.

  “You’re only going to make this harder on yourself,” he said. “I just want to talk.”

  I’m sure all killers say that to their victims. It was pitch black down here and foul, damp air clawed at my nostrils. I dragged the flashlight from my backpack and clicked it on. I heard the chains rattle before I saw the bodies. A skeletal infected reared toward me, and I stumbled back until I hit the wall. It was yanked to a stop a few feet from me. With its arms outstretched, it scratched at the air between us.

  I blinked a few times, my eyes adjusting to the sight and my heart rate starting to return to normal. A metal collar was fastened around the infected’s neck, a chain running from it to the wall. Two other infected were chained up, but they didn’t seem to have as long of a reach. One was not even moving, lying still in a pool of filth.

  Okay, so this isn’t an improvement. I needed to get out of here. I shone my flashlight around, trying to spot an escape route. Muffled voices were on the other side of the door; Riley must not have been alone. Then the banging started. They were ramming the door trying to get in. The two mobile infected now had all their attention focused on the smashing sound.

  Using the wall as my guide I shuffled along, getting further out of their reach. The beam of light landed on a small, boarded up window. It was one of those tiny basement windows that basically served no purpose other than to make it feel less like a dungeon. Good thing I had lost weight in the last few months, I could probably squeeze through it now. I shuffled over, the infected still rapt upon the banging. It reminded me of when my brother used to taunt our neighbor’s Rottweiler by banging on the fence. I ran into something hard at waist level and shone the light down. A mobile hospital bed laid in my way. The sheets were stained in blood, and a pair of handcuffs dangled from the bars.

  I gulped audibly as I maneuvered around it, careful not to step into the infected’s chain radius. They still weren’t paying attention to me. I mean I was being extremely cautious with not making noise or sudden movements, but fresh meat had to be calling to them. I had never been so close to an infected and been so slow. Usually I was running from them. It was like I no longer held their interest once I wasn’t making noise or making noticeable movements in their sight range.

  Now was not the time to question it. I stuck the end of the flashlight into my mouth and tried to pry away the boards. They weren’t nailed on, just placed against the glass. Daylight spilt through the small opening, providing a little bit of vision. Now I could see the basement more clearly.

  There was a heavy, industrial door toward the back that looked like it headed into a small room. It seemed very out of place for a doctor’s clinic. The walls were covered in smooth tiles, making it look more like a shower room than a basement. Hospital beds were scattered all over the room, tables with trays of tools beside them.

  The gleam of stainless steel scalpels and scissors were reflected back at me. Maybe they had used this as an operation room? Or for something worse? The way the infected were chained up led me to believe the latter. And what the hell would they need the meat locker-looking room for? The shit I get myself into…

  The banging increased tenfold, spurring me on to use the butt of the flashlight to smash the glass. Still using the flashlight, I cleared off the rest of the jagged pieces. I shoved my jingling backpack through the opening, but I couldn’t reach it fully. I needed something to gain ground with. Whipping my head around, my eyes landed on the hospital bed I ran into. With a heft, I rolled it toward the window. The wheels squealed from lack of use, and one of the infected turned toward me. I stood as still as I could, waiting for it to go back to clawing uselessly in the direction of the door.

  Once it grew tired of staring at me, I wheeled the bed the rest of the way. The door flew open at the same time I planted a foot on the bed. Riley, and the man I recognized as Conner, burst into the room momentarily caught off guard by the infected waiting to devour them.

  “Holy shit!” Conner yelled as he slid to a stop.

  Unfortunately for him, he entered the room first in a sprint and was unable to stop in time. The infected with the longest chain latched onto him and took a massive chunk out of his arm. Conner’s scream bounced off the walls, encouraging the other infected.

  Riley pulled out his gun.

  “No man, don’t!”

  The gun flash briefly lit up the dim basement. Conner dropped like a stone, the hole in his head still smoking. The infected fell down with him, tearing into any part it could get to. Riley’s head snapped in my direction, and I scrambled to get out, having wasted precious time watching the whole scene, hoping Riley would meet his end too. No such luck.

  I had my arms and head through the opening, my legs flailing to try and get purchase. I felt a hand wrap around my ankle and yank. My arms scraped along the window frame, and I landed face first on the disgusting hospital bed. Then with another forceful pull, my face met the cold cement. I could taste blood in my mouth, my teeth having sliced open my tongue.

  Riley tsked. “You just cost me another good team member.” Roughly, he grabbed my upper arms and turned me over. “You’re going to pay for that.”

  I spit the blood welling in my mouth at him. He made an angry grunt, and a hand flew to his face to
wipe the blood off. I kicked out my leg, and it landed just to the right of his groin.

  “Bitch!”

  Using his brief moment of distraction, I scrambled onto all fours and got up. He was right behind me, having recovered fast. Riley tackled me to the ground; my hands flew out, instinctively grabbing at anything and a tray of tools clattered to the ground with us. The sound of the stainless steel hitting the cement rained down all around us.

  I used the tray still gripped in my hand to smash Riley’s face. He grabbed my wrist, pried the useless weapon from my hand and threw it away. It rattled like a tin sheet, as it sailed away from us. I fought to punch and hit him, but Riley managed to gather my wrists in his hands.

  “Keep fighting me. I like it.” He was out of breath from our wrestling.

  “Fuck you!” I yelled straight into his face, blood and spit mixing with my harsh exclamation.

  “You would like that wouldn’t you?” His grin didn’t reach his eyes, they were dark and dead. He might as well have been an infected for all I saw in there. “But that’s not what this is about. Revenge. Once I kill you, I’ll find the rest of your group and kill them too.”

  To emphasize his point, his hands moved from my wrists to my neck. My oxygen was cut off abruptly, and I clawed at the hands now squeezing the life out of me. The pressure on my neck was beyond painful, and I kicked out my legs, desperate to get air. Black dots began to line my vision.

  “Fighting will only make it last longer.”

  The coldness in Riley’s eyes was replaced with sick amusement. He liked killing. This world didn’t ruin his life; it set him free. He had killed before and would keep doing it. What if he did find my friends? What if he found Chloe? I removed my nails from the hand wrapped around my neck and felt around the floor near me, looking for anything that could be a weapon. I didn’t have much time. I was fading; blackness invaded the edges of my vision, like termites eating away wood.