This was the heinous creature that killed his friend.
Part 3: Brutality
The next day, the crowd had gathered again for another display of death. And Thomas was again ready to give it to them. For the crowd, there was nothing more to this spectacle than the vengeance of destruction, the chaos of punishment. These creatures were hardly aware of anything anymore, but they were aware they were being destroyed like nothing more than a virus. Sure, the men who caught the zombies had their names live on for a few weeks as the ones who brought in the prized fun, but then there was another to replace them if they never came back.
Thomas motioned for Henry to join him on the stage. Behind them was the bound zombie, still in its scrubs.
"Our compound has become something of a famous place now that we're one of the few remaining cities willing to punish these creatures. Here today is the man who caught our entertainment, and even lost a friend in the process, all to bring this creature back to you." The crowd cheered at Thomas' words.
"Today, we're going to let him do the honors," Thomas added, handing Henry a hammer and a combat knife.
There was no reason to wait and no words to say to the crowd. Henry had only one purpose in mind, and only one thing that he had been thinking of for the hours leading up to this moment. Without hesitation, he began. First, he smashed out the jaw of the undead, and with an extra hand, tore it away with a large string of tendon clinging it to the head. He sawed through the piece with the knife and then threw the jaw to the side. He cut off the ears and the nose before putting out the eyes in a rush of fluid.
But when Henry took the combat knife to the rope that bound the zombie, Thomas yelled for him to stop.
"Don't!" he screamed as loudly as he could, and there were many gasps from the audience. The front row of people tried to retreat back from the stage and from danger. But it was too late, and Henry released the monster before anyone could stop him.
In a second, it lunged forward at him, but Henry, ready for it, dodged away. The creature lunged again, but he side-stepped it once more. In its blindness, it could sense him, but not find him, and Henry dodged it a couple more times as it stumbled forward. The crowd laughed as the tension broke.
With one clean kick, Henry shattered the creature's knee and made it impossible for the zombie to move quickly. Putting it in a choke hold, he took the combat knife, and pinning one of its arms back, cut through the joint until the arm gave way. Blood spurted everywhere and covering him.
"You killed my friend," he seethed under his breath. "And now, you're going to get your reward."
He kicked the thing in the chest several more times, and it tried to issue some sort of sound from what was left of its mouth.
"These people-- this is our world," he said. He gave one more swift kick and then crossed to the far end of the stage. Picking up a gasoline can, he brought it over and began dumping its contents all over the still writhing body. It lunged out again and tried to grab him with the one arm that it had left.
Henry threw the can to the side and removed an old book of matches from his pocket. He turned to look at the crowd momentarily, but there wasn't a sound as everyone stared, waiting for him to finish the job. So, with one flick of his wrist, he lit the match.
"I'm taking back what's mine," Henry said.
When he threw the fire onto the body, it immediately burst into flame. The undead creature kicked and convulsed as it was engulfed in light and heat. Slowly, the seizing and twitching came to a halt as the flesh turned black and charred.
The crowd cried out in delight and demanded more.
“Rescue in the Maternity Ward”
Story #9
By
H. K. Sutherland
“Oh! Good God! I can’t take them all! Which ones?” She blurted to herself as the reality in the hospital nursery became clear. Beth could see the horrid creature crouched over the baby crib, with the baby’s mangled and bloody head hanging from its mouth. It was gurgling as grey bits of brain squeezed out through its lips. There was no saving that one, but she could try to save some others. She was pressed for time… she could hear faint shuffling and moaning from somewhere in the building.
She saw a tray of surgical tools on the counter next to her and grabbed the longest surgical scissors there. Without hesitation, she grabbed an empty crib and rammed the creature into the wall. She pushed the metal railing with all her might to crush it, and skewered the creature through the head with the scissors. It hissed, crumpled at the waist, and black liquid spurted out of the new gash in its head. The partially chewed baby head dropped out of its mouth and tumbled into the empty crib. It rolled to rest in the corner with one dead eye staring toward the ceiling.
Quickly looking over the small nursery, Beth counted three more babies. They had all been jolted awake by the noise in the room and had started to cry pitifully. Beth moved quickly past the charts on each crib, checking for names.
“Baby Boy Romero, Baby Girl Gonzales, Baby Girl Martin… I’ve got to get these three to their parents!” Beth said to herself. She had to look at the dead baby’s mangled remains… Baby Girl Pearson… Rest in peace. She prayed for just a split second. She looked at the three babies… Which two? I can carry two… Then a better thought hit her… She picked up Baby Gonzales and put her in the crib with Baby Martin, then ran to get Baby Romero and tucked him in next to the tiny girls.
She paused to take a breath, fighting down nausea. She had to get these babies to their mothers in the maternity wing. She pushed the crib out into the hallway, looked both ways, and jogged with the three crying babies. She could hear the few patients in the small hospital calling out questions as she moved past their doorways. She reached the doorway of the first maternity room and pushed the crib inside.
Beth quickly checked the wrist band on the woman’s arm. The woman had been asleep, but the crying babies had wakened her, and her eyes were wide open now.
“What’s happening?” She was obviously frightened, looking back and forth at the crib of screaming babies and the night nurse.
Beth quickly compared the numbers on the woman’s wrist band, matching them to the band on Baby Girl Martin. She picked up Baby Martin and put her on the hospital bed next to her mother.
“Get out of bed and bring your baby. We’ve got to move.”
Beth turned the crib around and rolled it to the next two rooms, repeating the procedure and instructions with Mrs. Romero and Mrs. Gonzales.
Next, she found the room with Mrs. Pearson in it. She took one look at her and saw that she was dead. Her head was half gone and blood streaked down the front of her gown and saturated the bedding around her. Her right arm was broken, hanging over the hospital bed railing, with shredded flesh strewn along the metal rail and blood dripping onto the floor.
A momentary flash of understanding hit Beth, violently cramping her stomach. She turned aside and involuntarily vomited. As she straightened up, she knew… Mr. Pearson was the infected creature in the nursery- seeing his family- turned on them...she could hardly stand her own thoughts.
Beth found the hospital room supplies to quickly rinse her mouth and wash her face. She returned to the hallway to gather the three remaining mothers and their babies together.
“Look… something terrible has happened.”
The other night nurse, Linda, came running around the corner with eyes wide. Seeing Beth, she called to her. “Beth! What’s happening?"
“A horrid creature attacked the nursery.”
Linda’s face turned white. She pulled out her cell phone, and walked into a room for privacy. “Dr. Dubin? We need your help…maternity wing.” She called the police next with the same message.
Beth looked at her group of mothers. Where could she take them? They couldn’t go far. They were tired and frightened. She looked at Linda. “Where should we go?”
“The surgical suite.” Linda answered, but she was biting her lip. “I’ve called the police. They’ll come if th
ey can...” Linda’s voice trailed off, but her eyes were widening rapidly. Beth now heard the moaning and shuffling sounds.
Beth turned to look in the direction Linda was staring. Two creatures had rounded the corner where Linda had just been. They were hissing and clawing the air, heading straight for the women.
Beth pushed Linda behind her. She saw a painting on the wall and yanked it off, breaking the glass against the hand rail running along the wall. She banged the metal frame on the railing and stepped on it to make a jagged spear. With as much strength as she had, she screamed a guttural cry and charged toward the creatures, flailing the spear horizontally across the creature’s heads.
She made contact with the first, dragging the jagged metal through its brains and out of its right eyeball. Its body slumped into the creature beside it, but its head tore off its neck sideways, taking the metal spear along with it. As the metal ripped through its flesh, it sunk into the next head, ripping through it. The intensity of the second blow knocked the metal out of Beth’s hands. She barely stopped herself as the two crashed onto the floor with black blood and chunks of brain spewing out like pig slop. She braced herself, grabbing her knees as her body bent over forward in the direction of her expended energy.
Beth caught her breath for only a moment. She yelled at Linda to find the doctor. Linda was nearly frozen with fear, but she went off on a run.
Beth led the way to the surgical suite with the mothers close behind. They were inside in a few minutes. She had each mother take a bed in the recovery area. She handed each mother a blanket, and began a search for supplies. She noted that the suite was small, with just a few rooms, all adjoining each other, but they all opened into one main entry area, which could be guarded.
Beth started to think it was taking too long for the others to arrive. She collected some surgical scissors and slowly opened the door to the hallway. She listened, and heard more of the moaning and shuffling she had heard from the nursery area. The sounds were closer now. She headed toward the hall with the patient rooms. The noises were even louder.
As she rounded the corner, loud screams erupted in the hallway. Linda’s patients were spread on the floor with creatures crawling all over them, chewing on brains and guts that bulged out from bodies like ugly worms. Gushing blood and torn flesh was covering the floor.
Dr. Dubin was pushing Linda away from the huddle as a creature sunk its teeth into his leg. He fell to the floor as another went straight for his side. Linda was backing away in terror as Beth grabbed her from behind and pulled hard.
“You can’t help them now!” Beth screamed in her ear and pulled even harder; hands on both shoulders. Linda wailed in horror as Dr. Dubin’s intestines poured out of his abdomen. Undead creatures were lapping up the bloody entrails and chewing on them like long red licorice candy.
Beth dragged Linda away from the evil scene. They had to get back to the women and babies. Beth started to run, pulling Linda up to her speed. They were out of breath by the time they reached the surgical suite. Beth shut the entry door behind her and locked it. There was an expanse of frosted glass on the entry wall, which worried her. She backed away from it instinctively, drawing Linda with her.
As the two women turned to go into the recovery room, Mrs. Gonzales came out of the doorway holding her baby girl. “I’m feeling much better now. I want to go to my family.” Mrs. Gonzales looked determined.
Beth countered, “There are creatures eating patients out there.”
“I don’t want to die in here. I’m going now.”
Linda turned to face Beth. “I’m going too. I can help her.”
Beth was incredulous. “I just pulled you away from them!”
“I can help with the baby.” Linda was completely serious. Beth saw it in her eyes.
Beth handed her surgical scissors to Linda. “I’ll help you to the parking lot entrance.” The women hurried to the entrance, glancing on all sides as they made their way. When they opened the door, they saw dead and mangled bodies everywhere. The stench of old blood and filthy intestines filled the air, and Beth’s stomach cramped again.
“Okay…it’s now or never!” Linda shouted, and sprinted off with Mrs. Gonzales and her baby. Beth watched the three leave, thinking that she might never know what happened to them.
Beth turned and ran back to the recovery room. Mrs. Romero and Mrs. Martin met her. She locked the door to the entryway behind her. Mrs. Martin was the first to speak.
“I’m not staying here either. I can’t wait here not knowing if my husband and son are okay. I’ve got to try to find them.”
Beth was in absolute disagreement. “The parking lot is filled with dead bodies and the stench alone will make you vomit.”
“Just give me a sharp knife.” Mrs. Martin walked to the table and chose a long surgical instrument, seeing that Beth was reluctant to do it. “We’ll be fine.” She walked to the entryway and unlocked the door.
“Wait…I’ll go with you to the parking lot.” Beth caught up with the pair. As they hurried to reach the outside, Beth was on high alert. She could hear loud moaning and shuffling sounds again somewhere in the hospital and it made her ever more cautious than before.
They opened the parking lot door, Mrs. Martin waved, and turned around to sprint out with her baby in her arms. Beth watched her go, with her skin prickling and her ears tuning in on the sounds around the area.
Within seconds, a horde of creatures emerged from behind the parked cars at the farthest edge of the parking lot. They completely surrounded Mrs. Martin and her baby. Wildly turning from side to side, with nowhere to go, Mrs. Martin abruptly stopped and stood stock still. She looked up at the sky for a moment, took out her knife, hugged her daughter close and gave her a kiss. She made the sign of the cross and slit her own daughter’s throat, crying out as she did. Kneeling down, she put her dead child on the ground, crossed herself once more and disemboweled herself. Her body slumped over her child’s as her blood and intestines erupted out onto the ground. Both were dead before the horde could infect them.
Beth screamed in agony as the scene unfolded. Completely helpless, she was defeated. She had another keenly painful flash of understanding. Mrs. Martin had decided long before she left the building. It was better to die by choice than to suffer the unspeakable alternative.
Beth’s mind was working a million miles an hour.
She had to get back to her last patient. She turned to go and saw another creature shuffling toward her. She took a deep breath. She saw the reception desk to one side of the door, and moved to yank the chair out from underneath it. She held the four legs facing toward the creature and charged it, using two legs to push it up against the hallway wall. She pushed as hard as she could and felt the legs squish through the zombie. She shook the chair legs out and smashed its head into a pulp of bloody ooze and filthy gray brains on the wall. She couldn’t stop smashing for a few seconds, but realized how crazed she was, and finally dropped the chair on the floor.
Beth staggered and stumbled her way back to the surgical suite. She sat down on a recovery bed. Her eyes were blank. Mrs. Romero came and touched her shoulder lightly. “It’s just the three of us, now, isn’t it?”
Beth nodded slowly. It was a very clear answer.
“We will stay with you. We have nowhere else to go. We have nobody waiting for us. Thank you for being here with us.”
Beth looked up at the young woman in front of her. She stood up and went to lock the entry door. It might be awhile, but the police, or someone else, would come soon. This was the reason she was here. This little baby boy and his mother needed her care. She would be the best nurse she could be for as long as it took.
“Scorn of a Woman”
Story #10
By
Kendra Stoffel
Jennifer laughed as her thick braid flew through the air, the bits of nail and other sharp metals caught in the face of the zombie trying to sneak up behind her. A nail snagged a dangling eyeball, pulli
ng it the rest of the way out of its socket and adding another grotesque decoration to her long black hair. It was just one more weapon in her arsenal and Jennifer firmly believed that all weapons were good weapons. As she twirled around to face the threat, she brought her machete up and with a quick slash, decapitated it. The body took two more steps toward her before falling at her feet. A quick shot to the snarling head and she moved on to the next one.
There was no rhyme behind which monster she took down next. Her reason? They were there. The monsters had moved into Jennifer’s territory and Jennifer always protected what was hers. The next one was hardly worth the fight. By the size, she guessed it had been a teen when turned. The zombie in front of her had only a few rotted teeth left in its blackened gums. The sparse hair on its head clung to what skin there was left covering the creature’s skull. It moaned as Jennifer moved closer, the flat passage where the zombie’s nose used to be catching the scent of fresh blood.
Jennifer let it get close before making a move. She grabbed the wrist of a reaching arm, planted a boot on the zombie’s chest and pulled. The skeletal arm parted with the rest of the body, her leg followed the body down as it fell back from the force of her actions. Jennifer sighed in disappointment when the black goo that normally flowed from fresh wounds was absent. This one was too old and hadn’t fed in too long. Really, she was doing it a favor. She gave it one last disappointed look before releasing the pistol strapped to her thigh and put a bullet between its rolling eyes.
She took a quick look around and saw Tony moving through the sea of corpses, occasionally stopping his own skirmishes to help one of their other teammates. Jennifer took the time to admire the way he moved. If they were in any other world, he could have been a dancer with how graceful his movements were. In their apocalypse torn world, he was all predator, and the undead were his prey. She was a predator too, and they led their pack of hunters. Seized with fierce pride at being able to call this man her own, Jennifer fought her way to him.
Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse (Issue #3 | October 2015) Page 7