by W. A Castle
“Maddie!” I heard Trevor’s growl and an intense tug-o-war ensued. Me being the rope being tugged. I kicked my feet furiously and tears seeped through my clenched eyes as I felt strands of my hair being ripped from my scalp. When I felt putrid air hit my nostrils my eyes snapped open. All around me I could see the glimmer of red eyes and the moonlight bouncing off the teeth of those trying to get a piece of me. Night had fallen while I was being pulled in all directions. All these bastards were in such a frenzy to get dig their rotting teeth into my flesh that they were tripping over themselves and pushing each other out of the way.
This was it. As I braced myself for the imminent bites to my face, my eyes wandered to the left and through the space between the seats I made eye contact with Adrie. She was blankly staring at me with her eyes brimming with tears. She was still hugging her knees.
All I could do was to stare at her. In that moment everything felt like in slow motion. I felt my body being jostled and tugged but I knew that whatever was about to happen, I had no control over it. I fought as hard as I could but-
Excruciating pain tore my scalp, I shrieked as loud as I could. I wrenched my hands away from Trevor’s and pulled them up to my head, I felt like I was being scalped! (Which, essentially I was). “Let go!” I yelled. Not sure if I yelled at the freaks or at Trevor and Lexi who were now holding onto my legs. My hands instinctively pushed at the hands that gripped my hair. I felt my right hand land against something squishy and wet and I felt teeth closing around my hand. Fuck! I whimpered and I tried pulling my hand back down towards me but teeth clamped down on one of my fingers. I felt something wet and gooey latch onto the inside of my arm and begin to suckle. I turned to look at a disfigured face with half its jaw missing suckling on my arm. Mother of Pearl! The sight was enough to turn my stomach inside out. There was a sharp pain on the side of my stomach and within seconds an odd burning sensation mixed with the pain from the bites and both sensations traveled from my scalp down to my arms to the tips of my toes. I felt a shudder take over my body and my body felt like it was on fire!
“Oh no, no, no.” I moaned and shrieked. I knew what was happening. And I felt my heart was about to burst. I felt more teeth pierce my body. I wasn’t ready to die, I’ve never truly lived, not really, I’ve always been plagued by this stupid fear of mine. It seemed stupid now that I was about to embark in the never ending nightmare that this virus locked you in.
I locked my gaze with Trevor’s; I didn’t look away from him as the flesh eaters managed to finally fully pull me out of the car.
“Maddison!” I reached for Maddie’s feet as she was pulled from mine and Lexi’s grasp. I could do nothing as I watched Maddie being pulled out of the car by the flesh eaters. My mouth was open in a scream and my heart pounded painfully in my chest. Maddison was gone! No! I was supposed to keep her safe, for god’s sake! Lexis scream snapped me out of my momentary daze. I still couldn’t believe I had lost Maddie before I ever really had her.
“Get us out of here, you dick!” Lexi shook my shoulders. I winced at her words but I pressed my foot down on the gas pedal as far as it went. The screeches and growls of the flesh eaters still pounding on our windows and those trying to get in from the broken window was enough to make my head spin. I couldn’t pass out. Sue-Anne and Eli still counted on me. Oh God how was I supposed to face Sue-Anne after this?
A cracking sound spread throughout the car. I turned around and saw the back window had cracked. I didn’t curse often, but, Fucking shit! We were all going to die. Up until now I believed we were sort of invincible, the way we just annihilated all the flesh eaters that crossed our path until now, I believed we could do it. But… seeing Maddie screaming as she was pulled from my grasp shook me to my core. We weren’t invincible after all.
“Trevor!” Lexi dug her fingers into my shoulder as her side window cracked. I pounded my fists against the dashboard. I grabbed my bat from under my seat and readied myself as best I could. Just as I thought the front windshield was about to cave in, the back window came down in a shower of broken glass. Before I could turn around Adrie was halfway out the window. Lexi’s scream stunned me for a second before I lunged back and grabbed onto Adrie’s ankle and held tight. Lexi grabbed Adrie’s abdomen and pulled back until Adrie’s body was inside once more but Adrie’s arms were still outside trying to fend off the flesh eaters when I saw a flesh eater lean over from the pack and dig its bloody teeth deep into Adrie’s forearm ripping a big chunk of her flesh and muscle. Christ! Adrie who had been almost catatonic was now flaying her arms around and yelling. Her sobs near broke something in me.
All of a sudden the swarm that was threatening to pull all of us out the back window suddenly dispersed and the others around the car didn’t fill in the gap. After two beats, I realized with a jump, this is our chance!
“Out! Out now!” I hollered, pushing the girls out the window before making my way to the back of the car. (Which, wasn’t an easy feat considering my size.)
“No! What are you doing, dick head!” Lexi raged. There was no time for this. I pushed her out roughly.
“This is our chance, get out now or die in here.” I almost apologized for my harsh tone but I needed to get her to understand what I was not so eloqunetly trying to explain. I swallowed a grunt as I caught my leg on a shard of glass as I was sliding out the window and down the trunk. I hit the ground painfully, landing on my hip and elbow. I looked around but now the sun had completely set and only street lights lighted the road. I got up and ran as far from the flesh eater horde as I could. I helped Lexi pick up a writhing Adrie and together we ran, dragging Adrie between us.
“This way!” My head snapped towards the voice so fast, my body following the turn so sharply that I almost dropped Adrie.
Waga kamiyo, is that Maddie?!
“Come on guys!” Maddie (a very bloody Maddie) half limped half ran towards us, helping with Adrie.
“How- how did you get away from them?” Lexi had an uncredulous look on her face.
Maddie ran a shaking hand over her brow, subsequently smearing more blood over her already bloody face, “I honestly don’t know.” She whispered hoarsely. Her legs shook but she egged us on to jog faster. I was so relieved to see her alive, but I was also broken hearted. There’s no way Maddie could be covered in all that blood and none of it belonging to her. She was bit. I haven’t seen how the virus works exactly so I have no idea how people lose their minds or how long the process takes.
“Why aren’t they chasing us?” I frowned as I looked over my shoulder, squinting when sweat dropped into my eye. The flesh eaters were still around the car, some still beating on it as if we still were inside, and others were beginning to wander away. But it was like we were invisible in their radar. They didn’t pay us much attention as we made our escape. I would have said it was out of character of them to just ignore us when they could most definitely out run and over power us easily right now, but I had no reference point, nothing to calculate their actions to know what is normal or abnormal behavior for them. But still…
We ran as quietly as we could, we made in to the library property in no time. Adrie was regaining her motor skills again and soon kept up with our pace. The library was set atop of a hill so it was a steep walk up the path.
As we staggered up the steps, Ulises opened the front doors and waved us in.
“What the hell happened?” Ulises hissed once he secured the front glass doors. He took us towards the administrative offices at the back of the first floor. Ulises kept his eyes on Maddie which was starting to piss me off.
“Are the others here?” I ignored Ulises’s question with my own. I needed to see Eli.
“Yeah, Aaron and the rest got here not five minutes ago.” Ulises opened one of the office doors for us. It was the staff breakroom. It was surprisingly a decent size room with a full size refrigerator and gallons of water in a corner next to the water cooler.
“We were just about to go searching for you guys.”
Aaron stood up from his spot next to his wife and kid and walked over to us. Sue-Anne’s eyes flew to Maddie as soon as we walked in but she stayed sitting down next to Eli.
“We were cut off by two merging hordes-” I started to explain. But Lexi interrupted me midsentence, “They broke our car’s windows and pulled Maddie out of the car,” Sue-Anne gasped at this and made her way to her daughter, I glared at Lexi but she was looking at the others, “Then, they… tried to pull Adrie out. But we were able to get away, thank God.” Lexi bent over and gripped her knees with her hands and breathed deeply.
“Not all of us were able to get away.” Adrie’s chocked voice broke through the silence that had fallen amongst us. As Val worked on bandaging Adrie’s wounds, I glanced towards Maddie and saw that Sue-Anne was running her hands over her daughter, stopping when she got to Maddie’s hands. Maddie’s right hand was covered in blood and when her trembling hand was lifted it revealed a half of her finger was torn off… bit off. As Sue-Anne checked Maddie, she discovered more bites.
“Fuck!” I ignored Ulises’s roar. I knew Maddie had been bitten, but now it really was confirmed she was, beyond doubt. I felt the floor sway from under my feet.
“Trevor. Were you bitten?” Ulises asked from the armrest of the couch. I ran a hand through my disheveled hair and almost toppled over when my leg couldn’t support my weight.
“Trevor!” Eli shrieked, running towards me with a terrified look in his eyes.
“I’m okay otōto.” I hugged Eli to my side, “I just cut up my leg a bit, I’m okay.” I couldn’t keep my eyes off Maddie.
“Sweet child.” Val’s voice cooed as she examined Adrie’s arm. Two of our people were going to be gone soon. I squeezed Eli to me.
“Maybe it’s okay. Maybe nothing will happen.” Clara said from a plastic fold out chair next to a plastic white dining table pushed against a wall. Clara was rocking Diego gently in her arms.
“Clara.” Gary said in a warning tone.
“What?’ Clara scoffed, turning away from her brother, “We don’t know anything about this sickness. There’s a chance you can’t get infected by a bite right?”
“You turn from bites.” Sue-Anne spoke for the first time. Her voice was thick with emotion. “We’ve seen it happen to a neighbor.”
Adrie broke out in sobs. But my Maddie stood shakily, her face had a look of determination to it.
Turning to Adrie, Maddie asked, “Do you know how this happens, Adrie?”
“Shut the fuck up.” Lexi took a step in front of Adrie with arms crossed and a glare. But Maddie ignored Lexi and looked around to Adrie. Adrie dried her tears and stared at Maddie for a few moments.
A glance around the room told me everyone’s eyes and full attention was on Maddie’s and Adrie’s interaction. Those who hadn’t seen the virus take over someone first hand wanted to know how it happened, at least I think they did based on their expressions, both grim but at the same time eager to know more about the virus that held a swinging knife over their head. Maddie and Sue-Anne explained some of it to me, and I didn’t want to hear it again. I didn’t want to think of Maddison going through that.
“Tell me how it happens.” Adrie said, stiffing her trembling chin
“No Adrie.” Lexi turned to face her friend and from my position I could see Lexi’s eyes brimming with tears.
“I have to, Lexi. I’m bit; I want to know what is going to happen to me.” Adrie’s whisper was as loud as if she had shouted it from the top of her lungs.
No you don’t, I thought. Part of me wishes I didn’t know. But it is information we all need to know. I look down at Eli who wouldn’t take his eyes off of Maddie. My poor little brother’s childhood was cut short far too soon. But the more he knew the better prepared he would be.
“Pay attention Eli.” I leaned down to whisper in his ear.
My body felt like it was being prickled by a thousand tiny needles. It was a warm painful burn that up until now was somewhat tolerable, but now I could feel my skin breaking out in a cold sweat. Oh God, this is happening too fast. Not even half an hour and already a fever was setting in. The floor underneath me swayed and I swayed to the side. Ulises was at my side instantly, holding onto my arm. Where-where had he come from? I looked up and everyone was staring at me. Oh yeah…
“I don’t know much. I don’t know how long it takes for the virus to take over or if it’s the same for everyone-” I started to say before Lexi took a step forward towards me again, “If you don’t know anything, then shut up Maddie.” Lexi said through gritted teeth.
“Let her talk, Lexi.” Adrie stepped around Lexi and walked towards me, she was cradling her bleeding arm across her chest. My eyes immediately scanned over Diego’s sleeping form in Clara’s arms. I wanted to hold him so bad, but I felt like my body was vibrating from the inside out, I could barely hold myself up. A hot pressure on my arm reminded me Ulises was helping me stay up.
“After you’re bitten, a fever sets in. Then you slowly start to lose your mind. Your eyes turn-”
“What do you mean you lose your mind?” Gary stood from his chair and walked over to the forming circle around me and Adrie. I gritted my teeth and tried to swallow the annoyance in my voice. I really didn’t want to spend the time I had left being me explaining what I knew about the virus to these people, but I at least could do this for Adrie.
“From what I’ve seen, the virus takes over your brain and takes control over your motor skills, I don’t know how or why but your consciousness gets locked away, I think.” I paused. This was stupid; all I had were theories and suppositions. There were no certain answers, no certain facts. “There are some flesh eaters,” I flinched at the word, “who come back to their minds. I’ve seen it happen a few times...” I heard gasps and murmurs go around the group as they took in what I was saying. I didn’t want to go into anything else about that side of the sickness. I didn’t want to tell them that the people I have seen come back come back in agony and despair and being able to remember everything the virus has made their bodies do. But I did. By the end, Adrie was clutching to my good hand and crying thoroughly. I wanted to cry too, but there was no point.
I felt so hot and dizzy, I don’t know at what point I stopped hearing and seeing everyone around me. When I opened my eyes next I was lying down on the couch with a wet towel on my forehead and momma was sitting on the floor besides me holding my hand.
“What-” I cried out when my throat felt blisteringly raw, I lifted my good hand to my throat and asked again, “What’s happened?” Momma immediately sat up and ran her hands down my cheeks. Her hands felt so good and icy cold against my hot skin.
“You fainted earlier, baby. But you’re okay.”
I could tell by her expression that she was just trying to not panic me. I knew what was happening. I felt it happening in my body. Everything was so achy I wondered if this pain would ever end. Then I realized… it wouldn’t, not unless momma killed me. Fucking shit.
I was so angry I wanted to get up from this goddamned couch and just go back to before all of this happened! I want to go back to my old life. But I was too weak to lift even my arms without getting winded.
“Where’s Adrie?” I managed to croak out.
“She’s in the other staff room upstairs. She’s resting.” Momma smiled at me.
I felt tears forming in my eyes and my heart was pounding so hard I felt it make my whole body move with each beat. The strain of the tears made me realize my eyes felt too big for their sockets. I gingerly placed the pads of my fingers around my eyes.
Momma tsk’d, “Don’t touch your eyes sweetheart.”
I wanted to ask why but I couldn’t muster up enough energy to ask. I lifted my mangled hand up to my eyes but my finger was already bandaged. I was bitten in other places too, the side of my stomach, and my back. I had a suspicion a flesh eater had taken a chomp out of my scalp but the general corporal pain made it impossible to figure out where the pain was coming from. It was comi
ng from everywhere. The world around me started to fade to black once more and I didn’t fight the pull of the darkness.
Maddie was getting worse. My baby was going to die and there was nothing I could do. I spent the last few hours going between Maddie and Adrie. Both poor babies were getting worse by the hour. Soon after they arrived both fainted, given what Janet had said, I knew more or less what to expect was going to happen, but I just couldn’t accept I was losing my only daughter.
I look down at Maddie and pat her forehead down with a wet towel, her skin is so hot it warms the towel immediately. I brush a stray strand of hair back from her face. A parent should never have to bury their child, their child is supposed to bury them. If only I hadn’t switched places with her, she would have been in the hummer and she wouldn’t be dying.
I couldn’t help the tears that escaped my eyes. I had been trying to be strong for Maddie, but her fever was so high and no amount of Tylenol that Val had in her bag seemed to be doing anything.
Maybe if hospitals were still running they would know what to do. Surely doctors there could help.
I stood up straight. We didn’t know for certain that hospitals weren’t still running. We hadn’t checked, we just assumed everything was deserted because that’s what it looked like, but what if…
“Trevor!” I turned around ready to run out to find him, but he was not two feet away from where Maddie laid. He and Eli had stayed close by this whole time watching Maddie deteriorate. Trevor was feeding Diego when he looked up startled.