by West, J. D.
The doctor’s recreational use of drugs was getting worst. Many of his colleagues knew what he did and some even helped him hide it.
“BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!”
“The only help I need is right here in my pocket!” yelled Dr. Green.
“We can both make it if we find something to brace the door or slow them down!” Dr. Okonkwo said with a fleeting glimpse of hope.
“I already found something!” he said.
“GROOOWWWL!”
Dr. Green pulled a scalpel from his other lab coat pocket and smiled at Dr. Okonkwo with a devilish grin. For Dr. Okonkwo the look was a tell-tale sign that he was in deep trouble.
“Whatever you are planning you don’t have to it!” said Dr. Okonkwo. “I know I can’t move that fast but together we can try.”
“BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!”
“It’s too late to talk about this!” Dr. Green said while watching the door shake. “It will take a few minutes for them to finish off a man your size and that’s all the time I need.”
Dr. Green saw himself as a savior not the coward he truly was!
“GRRRRRRR!”
The two men had never liked each other but Dr. Okonkwo never fathomed it would come to this! Now they stood face to face starring at each other. Dr. Okonkwo lunged forward with a desperation punch. Dr. Green stepped to his right causing the blow to glance off his jaw. Dr. Okonkwo’s second shot landed on his temple. The blow caused Dr. Green to stumble backwards toward the CAT scan machine. Dr. Green brainwashed himself into believing what he was doing was right. Both men stood their ground and were now locked in battle. He stepped forward and stabbed his colleague in his side. Dr. Okonkwo was taken by surprise. His body trembled violently as primal screams were released from deep in his chest.
“Aaaiiihhheee!” he yelled.
The blood pumped out fast and soaked his shirt. The two desperate men continued to struggle. Dr. Okonkwo yelled out again as the surgical tool pierced his torso again.
“Uuuggghhh!”
Dr. Green shoved him back against the door and stabbed him two more times in the same area. The last one slipped past his rib cage and punctured his lungs. His legs gave out from underneath him and he slumped to the ground with a thud!
“BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!”
“The truth has been in front of us the whole time!” explained Dr. Green.
Dr. Okonkwo was left to fend for himself. Dr. Green stood over top of his victim and leaned down. Dr. Okonkwo lay there writhing on the ground. The battered man desperately tried to crawl toward the hole in the wall. Soon he became weak from the massive blood loss.
“Not so fast my African friend!” said Dr. Green while grabbing the foot of the wounded man. Then his razor sharp scalpel severed Dr. Okonkwo's Achilles tendon in one swipe of his hand.
“Yowl!” he screamed.
In one crazy senseless act he destroyed the last piece of humanity he had left. Dr. Green thought he was saving his own life so he was happy instead of being remorseful. Dr. Okonkwo's screams echoed through the hole. Okonkwo was on the ground broken and sobbing. His breathing was erratic and a look of disbelief covered his face.
“I will see you in hell you sick bastard!” he whispered as his lungs began to fill with blood.
“Not if I see you first!” Dr. Green laughed.
His victim coughed uncontrollably spitting up blood. His attack was interrupted by the sound of bending metal and hungry grunts.
“CRANK! CRANK! BLAM!”
“GRRRRRRR!”
The last two hinges were separated from the frame. The door slammed to the ground right before Dr. Green sprinted across the room and crawled out the hole. He hoped the monsters did not see him but he would know soon enough. Dr. Green pushed a full housekeeping cart in front of the hole when he got to the other side just in case. From outside he could hear them coming but the creatures were preoccupied. They never even noticed him go out the hole. He took off running before stopping abruptly. Dr. Green looked around to get his bearings and then rushed down the corridor. The paramedic trainee was the first beast to emerge from the corridor and stumble through the opening.
“GROOOWWWL!”
He took several steps before pouncing onto the crawling doctor Okonkwo's back. The weight of its body pins him to the ground.
“GNAAAW!”
Dr. Okonkwo managed to shout out in agony as the dead medics teeth sank into his neck.
“Nooooo!” he screamed.
He could feel its teeth slicing through his flesh as they scuffled. The rest of the forsaken descended onto the old man’s body like carnivorous vultures. He was too weak to walk or stand. They swarmed around him and began tearing his clothing and skin. They violently stripped the meat and flesh from his unconscious body.
“MUNCH! MUNCH! MUNCH!”
During the meal small chunks of undigested flesh were dumped onto the floor. They fought over his dismembered limbs and internal organs in a frenzy spattering the room in blood. Dr. Okonkwo was lying in a pool of his own blood. The other forsaken were approaching him as fast as they could shamble and getting closer by the second. The doctor's muscles tightened as he prepared to defend himself. He was exhausted from trying to hold off his attackers with his last bit of strength. He kept his wits about him and swerved from side to side on his back to avoid getting bit. By kicking he was able to put some distance between them but they were gaining ground. It worked at first but then one creature was able to bite mouthfuls of bloody chunks from his shoulder. Dr. Okonkwo immediately grimaced in pain and held his arm.
“GRRRRRRR!”
He tossed Okonkwo around like a rag doll. The doctor scooted himself back into a corner but they continued to close in. Soon he was covered by three more beasts as they joined the fracas.
“GRRRRRRR!”
Okonkwo tried to curl up in a ball to protect himself. Blood splashed onto his lab coat and spilled all over his pants. Streams of the precious body fluid spouted from his wounds. Okonkwo tried to retreat but couldn't get to his feet. Then he felt his leg being pulled toward one of their mouths but he was too weak to resist. As a last resort he rolled onto his back.
“Help me please!” he pleaded. “Help! It's got me!”
“CHOMP!”
The rising dead mauled him for several minutes as he lay there helpless.
“Uuggh!”
Every forsakens' face was covered in the doctor’s warm blood. His last futile words were spent cursing and swearing at his tormenters. The rotting ghouls ripped clumps of flesh from his already bleeding body. His muscles, bones and internal organs became visible through open wounds and bites. They tore into his body cavity disemboweling him and then severed his head from his body. Soon he was shredded into a bloody soup of meat, bones, and skin.
CHAPTER 17:
Footsteps in the Dark
We were all counting our blessings after such a narrow escape and found hope again on the other side of the wall. Luckily there were no signs of any trouble or evidence of an outbreak. The familiar settings made it easy for everyone to keep up with the person in front of them. It was noticeably quiet too quiet. We were used to hearing the noisy beep of monitoring equipment, the loud ringing of phones, or the click clack of hurried footsteps in the hall. When Carlos caught up to us we were stopped at the end of the first corridor. Unsure of the best way to go I had paused for a second to look around. The signs above our heads pointed in different directions for locations of key hospital departments. It felt like we were finally having some good luck. The next hall we took was the opposite of the first. The true nature of our situation was revealed.
“Sniff! Sniff! You smell that?” asked Carlos.
By now it was easy to recognize the unmistakable putrid odor of death.
“Wow tha
t is really strong!” responded Joe.
The nauseating stench of decomposing human flesh filled our nostrils and hung in the air. We discovered that most of the other people in the hospital were probably dead. Swarms of flies buzzed around our heads. Scattered blood splatter and stains grew more concentrated as we moved closer. That’s when we saw them all sprawled out in the open for everyone to see. The bodies showed obvious signs of injury and were piled on top of each other. Slimy white maggots crawled and squirmed over the corpses. The insects burrowed into the open wounds to feed on the dead the same way the forsaken fed on us. We would maneuver around one body only to step on part of another. They were almost invisible because of the darkness. If it wasn't for the smell we might had missed them. Everyone's sense of unease was growing stronger causing them to flinch. We still had to navigate through picking our way past a host of corpses.
I preferred to keep moving so I led them on and they hesitantly followed. The dead were left in a pool of their own body fluids. The bodies had various injuries and were stripped of their skin. We had to step over murdered women, children and men. Many in the group following me shook their heads in disgust at their horrible mutilations. It was the sort of thing you wish you never had seen. The children were told to close their eyes to protect them from the carnage. The adults didn't have the same option. It was hard for us to see the chewed up bodies and gnawed bones of our colleagues. Some of the other people were immobilized by fear while others remained emotionless.
“Are you sure this is the way out?” asked Kahleem.
“Just keep going!” I told him.
“That's easier said than done!” responded Blair.
“Damn!” said Kahleem. This is pretty nasty!”
“You can say that again.” said Anne. “I can feel my stomach churning!”
“It’s a shame!” said Maria. “A lot of good people died last night!”
All of them tried to disassociate what they saw from their memories but the rank odor of death caused a natural gag reflex to kick in.
Suddenly it looked like a pile of bodies started to move. Joe and the pastor went to investigate. A tiny pale arm twitched confirming what they saw. They found a young girl alive under a stack of the other corpses. Her mangled body began to stir as the rest of us cleared the other bodies away. That's when her big green eyes suddenly popped open.
“Daddy is that you?” she whispered.
“It's OK we got you.” said Joe.
“Everything is going to be alright.” added the pastor.
She was breathing heavily and stuttering from trying to catch her breath. A foamy froth of blood formed in the corners of her mouth.
“My head hurts,” mumbled the girl.
She didn't realize her head was split open. We could see her brain through the bite size hole. If we couldn't stop the blood loss she would die. The rest of her frail body was covered in teeth marks and bites. It was hard to believe she was still conscious.
“Check her pulse!” cried one of the women.
The little girl only lived a few more minutes before dying from her fatal wounds.
“It's too late!” I responded. “She's dead!”
“Don't worry little one!” said the pastor. “Now you don't have to suffer anymore!”
He closed her eyes and Joe used an IV pole to smash her skull and send her home to Jesus. It was the rational and the humane thing to do.
Everyone had horror stories of how they had seen strangers, neighbors and even family members killed but having to kill a child felt different.
“We need to find supplies and get the hell out of here!” said Joe. We crept down the rest of the hall with our guns drawn and weapons ready. Everyone had to pay attention and watch each others back as we proceed. We had to crotch down and remain motionless several times. The late afternoon sun made it hotter than before. The corridor was lined with wooden doors and ended in a T-shaped intersection. A longer and wider hall led off in each direction. This area was used by the clinics and outpatient services.
“Which way do we go now?” asked Blair.
“No matter what direction we take it won't be easy.” said Carlos.
Most of them looked nervous. I started to question how long I could hold all of us together. I hoped that reuniting with their families would be enough incentive to keep them going. Every shadow they saw made them jump and every noise made them want to run. You discover a person’s true nature in a time of crisis. I made the rest of the group squat down close to the wall about ten feet from the corner. It would give them some security.
“If I’m not back in ten minutes don’t wait for me.” I told Carlos. “Take the other corridor and get these people out of here!”
My eyes were locked on the void just ahead of us. Then I peered down the first hall to the right. It was darker than the other one on the left side. The only light came from a flickering exit sign at the far end. Only a few feet after that were visible. Carlos didn't say a word but glanced at me to show he understood. I hugged the wall cautiously then crossed the open space. After a few feet I could hear what sounded like footsteps. I didn't even dare move but my eyes shifted in that direction. Two lifeless forsaken creatures stammered around in the darkness about twenty feet in front of me. Together they trudged through the dreary halls searching for signs of life. The soft tissues of their face lips and cheeks had been eaten away. Fresh damp blood dripped from the mangled mouth of the tall one. The shorter ones nose was cut open causing blood to stream down. The rest of their skin was withered and discolored. Dark rings surrounded their sunken in eyes.
Their movements were clumsy and awkward. The creatures hungrily searched for a meal to satisfy their blood lust. They moved around the debris and turned over equipment looking for a victim. If they heard me or spotted the groups movement we would be in trouble. The darkness helped us hide from them but it also made it more dangerous. As soon as it looked like they were about to leave something caused them to turn around and approach me. After a few seconds they were concentrating on one of the office doors. Something or someone had caught their attention. A small amount of fresh blood had pooled at the base of the door. Both of the beasts immediately became more excited and agitated. An insatiable hunger for flesh fueled their rage.
“GRRRRRRR!”
One after another the two ghouls hurled their bodies into the wooden door multiple times until it began to give.
“BLAM! BLAM! CRASH!”
They stiffly lumbered through the doorway and then furniture crashed to the floor. After the loud banging I heard a terrified human voice inside let out an agonizing scream.
“Aaaiiihhheee!”
The woman was pleading for her life but the screaming only got worst.
“CHOMP!”
Using calculated small steps I backed up into the shadows and out of sight. It was too dangerous to attempt go that way but we had another option. I headed back to the intersection. The floor near the mouth of the corridor to the left was sticky with blood and other body fluids. It was like walking across fly paper. That was not a good sign.
I could hear a low banging sound followed by screeching coming from the end of the corridor. The noise sounded like metal bending.
“What the fuck was is that?” I mouthed as I looked back towards the intersection.
Carlos shrugged his shoulders and gripped his pistol tighter. The entire span of the doorway on my right was blocked. Someone had flipped over a bed and left it lying on its side trying to seal it off. There was an exam room to the right and the left of the door. Smeared hand prints and blood specs could be seen around the door frame. I pressed my back against the wall adjacent to the door and cautiously peered inside. Thankfully I didn't see anything so I slowly move
d forward keeping myself out of the light. Further down I came across a knocked over pharmacy drug cart. Hundreds of different pills flooded the marble floor. Pills crunched under my boots with every step I took but the final small stretch of hallway was also clear. Up ahead the sun shined through an open doorway. The screeching and banging sound grew louder as I got closer. When I reached the end of the hall I took a deep breath and leaned my head into the room.
The sun shined brightly through the window and temporarily blinded me. After hours in the dark my pupils were wide open and had dilated. With my free hand I shielded my eyes and looked around. Even a blind man could see that the room was in shambles but appeared to be empty. The desk chair and other small pieces of furniture were broken. Several charts were scattered across the floor and a doctor’s lab coat was underneath the chair. The computer was tossed on the floor and blood was on the monitor. Blood was also splashed on the medical books on the shelf and the journals on the floor.
The victim lost a lot of blood but the body was nowhere to be found. After a few seconds I discovered the source of the screeching and banging. It was coming from a small two foot wide by one foot high window. The window was located close to the ceiling right above the desk. A small breeze from outside was causing the rusty old window to blow inward before slamming shut. Several bloody hand prints covered the window and the wall around it. Whoever was attacked in this room tried to get out the small window but failed. There was nothing we could do for them now so I headed back to Maria and the others.
******
Back at the intersection Carlos was keeping watch on everything.
“Carlos what's going on?” asked Maria.
“Why are we still stopped?” asked Blair. “I don't want to be here out in the open!”
“We should just hide in one of these rooms.” Joan yelled while looking around.
“Don't be stupid!” Kahleem told her. “I don't want to be trapped in some room again!”