The Apocalypse

by Gary Chesla

  Thousands of people have been infected and killed by that virus and they, like our men in the infirmary, are all coming back to life and are trying to kill everyone they can find.

  There are thousands of them and they are roaming around out there everywhere.”

  Chervy stopped to take a breath then continued. “Right after they overran the east fence, another group came over the southern fence.”

  “But all the gun fire we heard,” Davis asked, “with as much fire power as we have at the base, how the hell could a bunch of unarmed dead people, if that’s what they really are, overrun this base? It’s impossible.”

  “Yeah Cherv,” Rogers added, “Davis has a point. The men from the infirmary this morning, the MPs managed to wrestle them to the ground and tie them up. If they would have decided to shoot them instead of wrestling them to the ground, that whole thing this morning would have been over in about ten seconds.”

  “What’s really going on out there? Are we being harassed by gangs? Terrorists?” Davis asked.

  “Our security patrol confirmed what the Doc was afraid of,” Chervy replied. “The Doc said he couldn’t heal the dead, and well, the security patrol came back saying that their guns couldn’t kill the dead. They said our men just kept firing into the wall of bodies closing in on them. But the result was almost like they were firing blanks. The dead kept coming as if nothing happened. They didn’t go down until they had a leg blown off, but even then, they didn’t stop. The ones without legs started crawling.”

  “This is all hard to believe,” Davis said. “It all sounds crazy. Even if it were true, we have more than guns here that could end this problem, fast.”

  “Maybe, if it were that simple,” Chervy replied. “I talked briefly to Doc before I was ordered to man the station here and he said we also have another problem.”

  “Great,” Rogers sighed, “as if the walking dead weren’t bad enough.”

  “You know all the MPs that were injured this morning over at the infirmary?” Chervanak asked. “Well the Doc treated them and sent them back to their barracks to rest. About the time of the east fence breach, all the injured MPs began to go crazy and attack everyone in their barracks. That, Doc said from what he saw, he believed all the injured MPs had died from the infection and came back to life like at the infirmary. He said it was a real blood bath. I only talked with him briefly, but he said it looks like anyone that gets injured by someone infected with the Russian Z virus, will become infected themselves.

  He also said getting directly infected like the MPs did, the virus progresses much faster through the body than in the people that were exposed to the orange rain. He said direct contact with the dead results in a living person becoming infected and dying in as little as twenty minutes or so. The Doc also believes that by shooting or blowing up the dead, we may actually be spreading the infection and making the situation worse.”

  “If all this is happening, shouldn’t we go out and help defend the base?” Rogers asked.

  “No, our orders are to man our post until we are notified otherwise,” Chervy replied. “We are to man and defend this building.”

  Davis thought for a second, “You know what I think is going on. I think they are using us for a sleep deprivation experiment to see how long soldiers can be subjected to things in the heat of battle without sleep before they go crazy.”

  “I think you have a point,” Rogers agreed. “We’ve heard all the damn noise coming from outside, but we’ve been shut up in here and I can’t honestly say I’ve seen anything other than a bunch of MPs running past the building this morning. The sirens, gunfire and other things could all be canned noise being broadcast into this room. All these stories of dead people coming back to life, honestly Chervy, this is all crazy shit.”

  The lights flickered and then went out.

  A few minutes later the emergency lights came on as the emergency generators kicked in.

  “That’s right, you guys didn’t see what happened at the infirmary this morning,” Chervy said. “And you’re also skeptical because you didn’t see what I just saw out there. Well, if one of you would like to go outside and have a look around so you can believe me when I say we have a big problem, then be my guest.”

  A loud thump sounded at the door, followed by something scraping across the side of the building.

  Davis and Rogers looked at each other.

  Davis shrugged his shoulder and walked over to the door.

  He unlocked the door and began to slowly open the door.

  He had only opened the door a few inches when something crashed into the door, forcing it open and knocking Davis on his ass.

  A disgusting smell filled the room as a large figure fell into the room, landing on the floor in front of them.

  The figure was wearing a Navy uniform with an MP’s band around his arm.

  The uniform was dirty and large bloody patches covered the MP’s arms and legs.

  Chervy ran over and closed the door as the big MP rolled over and began to struggle to get to his feet.

  He then turned back to the others that were just standing and staring at the big MP.

  The MP was missing an eye, a large bloody eye socket remained where the eye had been.

  The MP opened his mouth, revealing his blood covered teeth, and began to moan.

  His remaining eye, which was clouded over with a milky film, began to dance in its socket, moving from Rogers then to Davis.

  Rogers began to look at the man’s body, especially where large chunks of his flesh and uniform had been torn from his body.

  “McDaniels?” Rogers gasped. “What the fuck happened to you?”

  McDaniels looked at Rogers, raised his arms as if to reach for Rogers and then he let out a long moan.

  Then he began to stagger towards Rogers.

  “Get back,” Chervy yelled, don’t let him touch you and for God’s sake, don’t let him bite you. You’ll be just like him in a few minutes. Then we will have two of you to deal with.”

  “What do we do?” Davis asked.

  Chervy moved over to the desk and grabbed the back of the chair and yelled back at Davis, “Grab another chair!”

  Davis grabbed a chair as his eyes darted between McDaniels and Chervy, waiting to see what each one was going to do.

  Rogers backed away slowly towards the door as McDaniels followed after him.

  Churvy swung his chair, hitting McDaniels across the right arm.

  The sound of the chair hitting McDaniel’s right arm was followed by the loud sickening snap of the upper arm bone snapping in two.

  McDaniel’s right arm dropped to his side as he continued to move towards Rogers.

  “It didn’t look like he even noticed you hit him.” Davis said in astonishment.

  “The Doc said he doesn’t believe that they can feel pain or anything,” Chervy replied. “That’s why shooting them doesn’t do a thing. They don’t breathe, they don’t feel pain, their bodies are dead and all they do is just move around and kill. The doctor doesn’t know why, other than it has something to do with the Russian virus.”

  “Do they know what they are doing?” Davis asked.

  “The Doc doesn’t know what is going on with their brains, he hasn’t had much time to try and figure that out,” Chervy replied. “But he doesn’t think so. He said it just looks like they are acting upon some basic animalistic instinct.”

  “All this is nice to know,” Rogers uttered nervously, “but I’m getting backed into a corner here. How about doing something?”

  “Hit his other arm,” Chervy instructed Davis.

  Davis’s swing broke McDaniel’s good arm.

  “Now you go for his right leg and I’ll take his left leg,” Chervanak instructed.

  They both swung their chairs at the same time and McDaniel’s body fell to the floor as the shoulders and hips kept frantically trying to get at Rogers.

  McDaniel’s head finally began to swing around rapidly as his one eye looke
d at each of the men around him.

  His teeth clacked as he snapped his mouth open and closed as if he was trying to bite them.

  “Now what do we do with him?” Rogers asked then added, “he smells like hell. This is way worse than the vet office smell I noticed before.”

  “He smells like a dead animal out on Route 80 that has been lying in the hot sun for a week,” Davis said holding his hand over his nose.

  “You’re right, that’s the smell of something dead. He is still dangerous though, even with both arms and legs broken, he could easily infect us if we aren’t careful,” Chervy replied. “Rogers open the door and take a quick look outside.”

  “No thanks,” Rogers replied. “I believe you. I don’t need to see anymore.”

  “We can’t leave McDaniels in here with us, we have to get him outside,” Chervy said. “Open the door just a little and look out and tell me if there is anything right outside.”

  Rogers took a quick look then quickly closed the door, “There are people staggering around as far as I can see with the emergency street lights, but there isn’t anything near our door for now,” Rogers said.

  “Davis use your chair and we’ll see if we can push McDaniels out through the doorway,” Chervy instructed and looked at Rogers. “On three, open the door.”

  Rogers nodded.

  “Three,” Chervy said and the three men sprang into action.

  The commotion of pushing McDaniels out the door along with the frantic moaning coming from the broken body attracted attention as dozens of awkward moving figures turned and began to make their way towards the door.

  Rogers and Davis stared out the door and at the advancing figures.

  “How many of these things did you say are out there?” Davis asked.

  “Thousands,” Chervy replied.

  “I think we have a problem,” Davis replied.

  “You think so?” Chervy said. “It certainly took you two dense assholes long enough. Let’s get back inside. Help me push the desk against the door and get ready for company. Our job is to keep anything from getting in here and damaging the computer system.

  “I think it’s going to be a long night.” Rogers said.

  “I hope it’s a long night,” Chervy replied.

  “I hear you,” Davis added.

  Chapter 13

  Saturday May 8th, Johnstown, PA

  Jamie grabbed George and cradled him in her arms.

  “Mom,” Jamie called out, “George and I are going out to play.”

  Linda walked into the hallway and smiled, “OK, but you two stay in the yard. I’ll bring out your lunch in an hour.”

  Jamie smiled, “What’s for lunch.”

  “Let’s see,” Linda grinned, “how about peanut butter and jelly for you and tuna for George?”

  “George wants peanut butter and jelly too,” Jamie replied.

  “He does?” Linda smiled.

  Jamie grinned.

  “We’ll see,” Linda laughed as Jamie and George disappeared out the back door.

  Linda looked out off the back porch and surveyed the yard to be sure the back gate was closed before turning and going back inside.

  Linda had been cleaning the kitchen and decided to take a break and sat down on the couch in front of the TV.

  She picked up the remote and hit the power button, hoping to catch todays episode of Days of Our Lives before getting back to work.

  The TV came on to channel 2, KDKA Pittsburgh. The channel number showed on the top right corner of the screen, but the screen itself was black.

  Linda switched to channel 4, WTAE, but it was the same thing.

  Next she tried WPXI, channel 11, but again, nothing.

  Linda was about to give up, thinking that something was wrong with the TV, when she hit Channel 6, WJAC, Johnstown’s local run station.

  There was a man face and shoulders that filled the screen as he talked. Below the man’s chin on the screen were the worlds “Breaking News.”

  Linda looked at the TV curiously and turned up the volume so she could hear what the man was saying.

  The definition of emergency or breaking news had become extremely loose over the last few years.

  She had heard emergency broadcasts covering everything from a kitten being stuck in a tree to a man with memory problems wandering off from the local nursing home. It was as if all TV stations were required to have a weekly emergency alert, even if it meant that they had to improvise or bend the definition of what an emergency was.

  However, since it was either get up and start the laundry or stay and watch what was on the TV, Linda decided to see what this emergency was all about.

  The newscaster was in the middle of his talk.

  “However, since we have been unable to contact our affiliates in St Louis, Chicago, Kansas City, Indianapolis or even in Pittsburgh to confirm any of the facts or what they mean, all we can do for now is give you what we know.

  Again, it appears that some kind of illness has rapidly spread across the U.S. and now into much of the eastern U.S. The first reports we had two days ago, was that this unknown illness had caused thousands to be hospitalized.

  Shortly after that story aired, we began to lose contact with the affected areas.

  As of last night, all TV and radio broadcasts coming from those areas have stopped.

  We soon began to hear rumors about civil unrest occurring in those areas, but again, these rumors have not been able to be verified.

  So, what do we make out from all of this?

  At this point we feel it would be irresponsible to come to any conclusions for fear of causing unnecessary panic or concern.

  What we feel it would be prudent to say at this juncture is that everyone in our viewing area should take precautions in the event there is some kind of condition hazardous to your health spreading this way.

  It appears the areas that we still have contact with is rapidly shrinking as major blackouts seem to be spreading our way.

  Prepare for possible power outages and food shortages.

  Don’t panic, but our experts say to be prepared to get by without power and water for approximately one week.

  They cannot see of any situation that would result in these severe conditions lasting longer than one week.

  We will update you as any pertinent information becomes available.

  If we are unable to continue our broadcast, please turn to the emergency broadcast channel for instructions and information.

  This is WJAC TV signing off until our next broadcast on the hour.

  The screen went blank, then the symbol of WJAC appeared on the screen with the words, “Our next broadcast at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

  Linda stared at the TV for a moment, looked at her watch then clicked off the TV.

  “I’ve never seen a broadcast like that before,” Linda said to herself. “It gave me the chills.”

  Linda went to the back door to look out at Jamie.

  Jamie was sitting at the picnic table playing with George and her doll. George was wearing more clothes than the doll, but he seemed to be enjoying Jamie’s attention.

  The doll looked more annoyed than George,

  “There has to be something wrong with that cat,” Linda laughed.

  Once she was sure Jamie was still safely in the back yard, she filled up a few gallon jugs with water in case there was anything to that emergency broadcast.

  She took a quick look in the pantry to take stock of their food supply.

  If the power went out, her family would be OK for at least a week.

  She began to wish that Mike was home.

  Mike would be home tomorrow which would make them all feel a lot better.

  But even as bad as that broadcast sounded, she knew the news service had a way of making things sound a lot worse than they really were.

  “Now on to the laundry,” Linda smiled.

  As Linda was heading to the laundry room, she noticed the time on the clock in the
hallway.

  “It’s peanut butter and jelly time first,” she laughed. “It’s time to feed the savage beast, and George too.”

  Linda made two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and prepared a small dish of tuna.

  She made two sandwiches to keep Jamie occupied long enough for George to eat the tuna before Jamie would eat it too.

  The kitten was tiny and didn’t eat much, but around Jamie a little was all it would get, if it was lucky.

  She picked up the two plates and went to the back door.

  As she opened the door and stepped out on the porch, a foul odor assaulted her nose.

  Linda raised George’s tuna to her nose and smelled the plate.

  “It’s not George’s tuna,” she thought. “It can’t be the peanut butter and jelly but something stinks.”

  Linda began to look around for the source of the smell, but the only thing she saw was that Jamie was no longer in the back yard.

  She walked out and set the two plates down on the picnic table.

  Her next stop was the four-foot high wooden fence between their yard and the Ramsey’s.

  The Ramsey’s had a little boy a year older than Jamie. For some reason, Jamie was fascinated with the boy and anytime they couldn’t locate Jamie, more often than not, she would be over visiting the neighbors.

  “This was another reason,” Linda thought, “Mike needs to curb Jamie’s Pajama aversion problem.”

  Jamie reached the fence and looked into the neighbor’s yard, but there was no one there.

  Linda began to check off in her mind the places where Jamie liked to go.

  She looked under the porch but Jamie’s dirt den was empty.

  She looked up in the tree, but Jamie and George weren’t there.

  Linda was about to check the outside steps to the basement when a light breeze blew in from the street behind the house.