by J. W. Vohs
He sat down on the edge of the bed and forced himself to remember some of the tight spots he had been in during the war and consider how he had survived so many battles against long odds. He smiled a bit as he reminded himself that the greatest weapons he had ever wielded in war were his heart, mind, and spirit. He forced himself to think through this situation before taking any further action, just as he would have done before any mission assigned to him in Afghanistan.
The first fact he had to accept was that he had some time to work with; it seemed the virus took a day or two to completely take over the host body, and the number of infected at this point was still small. Even if half of Afghanistan was infected, which it wasn’t, he probably had several weeks to prepare for the pandemic. He needed to plan and act carefully over the coming days and weeks if he was to give himself and his loved ones the best possible chance to survive the looming disaster. The next day was Tuesday, and he needed to use the rest of the week wisely, so he slowed down and carefully packed the few items he thought would be essential at The Castle. On the way out of town he stopped at several stores carrying items for the plan forming in his mind, finally hitting the interstate and heading home just before midnight. Professor Jack stayed in Louisville as Ranger Sergeant Smith crossed the Ohio River in to Indiana, mentally preparing for his next war.
The rest of the week was a blur of activity. Jack liberated most of his remaining money from the banks and maxed out all of his credit cards, sending Carter, Deb, and his sister-in-law, Laura, on purchasing forays to stores throughout the region. He also ordered hundreds of items by Fedex overnight shipping. All of them continued to watch the news, shocked but not surprised by reports of outbreaks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and the Washington D.C. area. A number of health care workers had been bitten by the wounded Marines who had survived the initial attack, and the news was full of stories of violence and cannibalism in various areas around the capitol. Still, the virus was taking time to spread and incubate, and despite rampant speculation on the internet, none of the major news outlets could offer any solid information about the strange occurrences in and around D.C.
On Friday night he set his three gophers down, along with his brother Carey, and explained the plan. He and Carter had convinced the others that the world was about to experience a pandemic that would turn its victims, for lack of a better word, into zombies. They were all still in shock, and Jack knew the reality of the situation wouldn’t really sink in until they saw the creatures on the news or in person. Still, they were following his orders so he detailed how they were going to combat the coming disaster.
“Okay, like Carter and I explained to you, we believe this virus is spread by bodily contact, specifically a bite from an infected person. We learned in Afghanistan that these creatures still have vision, but most important to us is the fact that they are attracted by noise. You all know that we have enough guns here to fight a war, and we have enough body armor for fifty people if we ever have to exchange bullets with other humans. But we need to try hard to avoid using guns if we have to fight these zombies. We have a number of Ruger .22s with silencers on them, and they will come in handy, but mainly we are going to defeat these monsters by smashing their heads!”
Except for Carter, they all looked wide eyed and scared, but he continued on with his explanation. “You all know that I have several hundred medieval weapons stored here, and we have the materials to make many more if needed. I’ve had you out buying crossbows and compound bows for the same reason: we will need to fight quietly. Now, the downside is that we have to get really close to these creatures if we are going to kill them this way, and that’s why we’ve been buying the other items I’ve been sending you out for all week. The motorcycle racing gear we’ve been picking up is made of leather and Kevlar. The helmets are even tougher. On the way out of Louisville I stopped and bought a bunch of those spiked dog-collars the Goth-kids wear, they should do a great job of protecting our necks. We have Kevlar-lined gloves and snake-proof boots. I also bought several bolts of tanned leather so we can make any other protective gear we may need. I believe we will be very well protected from bites with this gear, and we have enough of it to equip at least a hundred people.
“The reason we bought so many mountain bikes and parts is because they are quiet and don’t require any type of fuel. I worry that horses will be freaked out by the zombies and may well attract them by sound or smell, so I decided on bikes. The child-trailers will be perfect for carrying weapons and supplies if we have to fight away from The Castle. Now, we still have time to add to our supplies if you can think of something I may have overlooked. Anybody have any ideas?”
Carey asked, “Why didn’t you want to use the armor you use in SCA for fighting these things?”
“Chain mail and all the other items are heavy, very heavy. I may fight with that stuff, and Carter might too, especially if we are just defending The Castle, but if we have to move beyond these walls SCA armor just isn’t practical. Those knights back in the old days had that armor carried to battle sites and put it on just before the fighting began; the war we’re going to be fighting probably won’t allow us the luxury of deciding when and where to put on our protective gear.”
Carey nodded, “Makes sense to me. I can’t think of anything to add to what you’ve already done, except maybe to buy more of what we already have.”
“Well,” Jack explained, “I’m going to be mail-ordering until the system breaks down, so we have more gear on the way. But I think what we will see is that this virus will increase exponentially over the next week until it is basically everywhere in the world. I’m sure it’s already in every major city on earth via the airports, and it’s incubating as we speak. Once it gets rolling a lot of people are going to be infected quickly because nobody will believe what is happening until it is too late, and even then few people will have any idea of how to survive the zombies. I know this must all sound like a bad George Romero film to you, but Carter and I both experienced it; I assure you that this is really happening.”
A long silence fell upon the room until Carter addressed everyone, “Me and Jack were sworn to silence in Afghanistan. We even worried that Colonel Barnes might lock us up or have us killed. We both tried to forget ‘bout it and live our lives, but we never really got over it. We both suspected that the virus had slipped past us when we fought on the ridge ‘round that village, else it would somehow get away from USAMRIID. Jack’s right about how it’s gonna spread too: once that ball gets rollin’ there ain’t nothin’ to stop it. Best we can do is convince everyone we love to get in here and ride this thing out together. Once we survive the initial wave we’ll see how long these zombies last, or how we gotta get rid of ‘em. It’s all true though; better get that through yer heads right now.”
Everyone gave somber nods until Deb suggested that they turn on the news, then they all sat quietly for hours watching Jack’s predictions begin to come true. Reports were now coming in from TV stations in the D.C. area that had video showing zombie-like attacks. An on the spot reporter in Arlington was attacked in a shopping mall while on air, a group of zombies grabbing and biting as they pulled him down. The final image from the scene was of the camera falling to the floor before the video-feed cut off, leaving a stunned anchor back in the studio trying to explain what the viewers had just witnessed. An hour later the mayor of D.C. announced a 24-hour curfew for the city, ordering everyone to stay in their homes until the authorities could gain custody of the infected. Basically the city was being quarantined, a fact confirmed by the president a few hours later when he declared martial law in Washington D.C. and all of the surrounding counties.
One by one the occupants of The Castle shuffled off to bed or fell asleep on the sofas and recliners in the viewing room, but by mid-morning they were all back watching with coffee mugs in hand. Jack and Carter were quietly calling friends and family and telling them to get to The Castle ASAP, hoping that their earlier instructions to group members co
ncerning food and other survival items had been followed. At noon the local newscast out of Fort Wayne came on and everyone listened with dismay as the anchor reported several cases of the virus being diagnosed locally, with the victims being treated at Riverview Hospital. Jack looked over at Carter and silently mouthed, “Treated?”
Carter shrugged as the newscaster revealed that both victims had escaped a melee near the D.C. airport by renting a car and driving straight back to Indiana just before martial law was declared. When the local news program turned to weather, Carey hit the mute button and asked, “Well, what do you think of that?”
Jack replied, “I think THAT has been happening for days all over the country. By tonight we will learn that victims are being ‘treated’ in every major city in America.”
Deb pleaded, “Isn’t there anything we can do about this?”
Jack and Carter looked at one another for a long moment until Carter nodded once. Then Jack declared, “I’m going to suit up and head into that hospital. Carey, I want you to come along as backup. Carter and Deb will stay here and begin organizing the folks who should begin arriving today.”
Carey looked stunned, “What are you going to do?”
Jack chuckled grimly, “We’re going to ride motorcycles to Riverview and walk in looking like geared-up bikers. By this time the two victims they’re holding are fully turned or close to it. If there is a period where they seem dead the hospital may stick them in the morgue or something. If possible, I want to be there when they turn and keep them from biting anyone. We’ll handcuff them to a bed or something.”
“But I thought you said this thing is inevitable,” Laura interjected.
“Oh, the world is going to experience a pandemic, but some areas are going to accept the truth and prepare for what’s coming better than others. The longer we can keep the virus out of this area the more people will ultimately survive the chaos and madness that’s going to occur when the infected show up around here.”
Everyone in the room quietly accepted Jack’s explanation, and further discussion was interrupted by the sound of the dogs barking like mad and running toward the gate. They all followed Carter as he went to the front door and turned off the alarm triggered by Jack’s sister, Sarah, standing outside the gate with three other cars behind her. Jack and Carey headed off to prepare for their mission in the city while the others went down to begin what would be a long day of settling in the new arrivals.
CHAPTER 6
Two hours later Jack and Carey entered Riverview Hospital in full biker gear, maces, and silenced .22 pistols loaded with subsonic, 60 grain sniper rounds hidden under their jackets. They didn’t need to ask where to go, following the trail of news crews and reporters to the intensive care section. Jack shoved through the crowd and slammed the IC door open as if he owned the place. When a harried looking nurse asked if she could help him he growled, “My brother’s one of the people you have in here from D.C.!”
“Sir, there is no way you can see him now; that entire hall is on lockdown.” She looked about nervously for backup, but the security guards had been on break for over half an hour and the only other employees she saw were moving quickly toward the staff elevators. In the absence of her voice, Jack could hear muffled shouting and banging from behind the doors blocking the hallway to the right. Without a word he pushed past the nurse and barged through the doors, heading toward the sounds of trouble.
Almost immediately they passed a red-haired doctor hunched over and gripping his forearm, muttering, “Damn, damn, damn,” to himself and a young nurse who helped him along as blood dripped through his fingers to the tiled floor.
Twenty steps later they could hear moaning and scratching behind a closed door. Jack pulled on his helmet, tightened it down, and told a terrified Carey, “Stay out here and watch my back.”
As soon as his brother nodded his understanding, Jack pushed open the door and stepped into a room holding two zombies, one pawing at the window while the other worked to escape the straps holding her in the bed. The male at the window quickly turned at the sound of the door opening, letting out a low moan as it shuffled toward the human whose flesh he craved. In the clear light of the room Jack finally got a good look at the creatures that had haunted his dreams for ten years. These zombies weren’t burnt and dirty like the ones he’d last seen in Afghanistan, and except for the bandages on their arms, they seemed to be physically fine. But they didn’t breathe, and their eyes were all black pupils.
Jack didn’t wait for the creature to reach him, choosing instead to step forward and bring it down with a strong leg sweep. When the zombie rolled over and tried to push itself up Jack stepped on the back of its neck and pulled a bag of thick zip-ties from his pocket. He bent down and pulled the creature’s arms behind its back, cuffing the wrists together with one of the ties. Once the hands were secured Jack dragged the writhing creature toward one of the beds where he tied it to the frame by its legs and forearms. He then ripped a long piece of cloth from one of the scattered sheets and gagged the monster as tightly as possible. Satisfied that the male couldn’t hurt anyone, he moved to the female on the bed and secured her in a similar manner.
Removing his helmet and stepping back into the hallway, he found Carey trying to explain his presence to an angry young doctor. Jack took over the conversation and demanded, “Have these two attacked anyone else?”
The doctor looked at him with a puzzled expression, “Who are you talking about?”
Jack grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him into the room, pointing at the two zombies moaning and thrashing against their bonds.
“Oh my God!” the doctor exclaimed. “Where did these two come from?”
Now Jack looked puzzled as he stated, “These are the two people from D.C. that were reported on the news.”
The doctor shook his head, “No, those two are being guarded in a locked room down the hall. These nurses must be the ones who were bitten yesterday morning while trying to help the D.C. victims!”
Jack’s blood turned cold as he realized the virus had turned these two hapless souls in just over twenty-four hours. Then he remembered the bleeding doctor he had watched being led down the hall when he’d entered the corridor. He shook the stunned physician and asked, “Did the pair from D.C. attack anyone else?”
“No, one of them tried to bite their doctor so these nurses came in to help and were badly bitten. We kept them overnight for observation.”
Jack shook his head, “I don’t suppose you know about the doctor I saw dripping blood from his arm on my way down the hall?”
The shocked doctor exclaimed, “Jenkins? Was he short with red hair?”
Carey interjected, “Yeah, that was him, and he had a pretty, young nurse with him too.”
The doctor slumped against the wall and asked, “So this thing is being spread by bites?”
Jack answered, “Probably any exposure of an open wound to bodily fluid from one of the infected. But yeah, they bite people because they’re trying to eat them.”
“So the stories out of D.C. and Afghanistan are true?”
“Yeah, doc, they’re true. Anybody else been infected since the pair from D.C. arrived?”
The doctor looked up with a horrified expression, “One of the nurses was bitten on the finger the night after they were brought in. Seemed like an accident and the wound wasn’t deep. We cleaned her up and sent her home for a few days.”
Jack quickly did the math, “That was thirty-six hours ago?”
“Yeah, that’s about right.”
Jack let out a long, defeated sigh, “And these two were bitten after the first nurse was injured?”
The doctor buried his face in his hands and cried out, “Oh my God!”
Jack grabbed the physician by both shoulders and shouted, “Snap out of it!”
The doctor finally met his gaze as Jack continued, “I was an Army Ranger and fought these things in Afghanistan after some USAMRIID experiment went south. They though
t they had contained the virus but obviously they were wrong. Now, you have to get people over to that nurse’s house and make sure she hasn’t infected anyone else. And find Doctor Jenkins and get him contained. Are you hearing me?”
Jack continued after the doctor nodded his understanding, “Listen, there is no cure. Everyone who’s been bitten is going to turn into one of these creatures after a day or two. They eat people. They can only be stopped by destroying the brain. Do you believe what I’m telling you?”
The doctor stammered, “Uh, yeah . . . I believe you. But what the hell do you expect me to do? I need to take you to my boss and you need to convince him.”
Jack growled, “There isn’t time for that.”
The doctor shrank back from Jack’s fury and he tried one more time. “Listen, doc, you secure Jenkins and send security to that nurse. Keep the D.C. couple and the two in this room contained. I’m not talking to your boss. I’m walking out of here and heading back to my retreat, surrounded by my friends and family. We’re all about to experience a zombie apocalypse. Yeah, I did just say that, and you better do what I told you to do. If we can slow the spread of the virus around here more people will have time to accept the truth and prepare for the struggle that’s coming.”
The doctor still looked like a deer caught in the headlights as Jack continued, “Look, give me the nurse’s address and just worry about Jenkins. I’ll check on the nurse.”
The young physician finally seemed to be coming back to his senses, which only led him to declare, “There’s no way in hell I can do that, mister! Look, just get out of this ward and I’ll check all of this out, but I just can’t take some biker’s word. Do you realize you just told me that a zombie apocalypse is on the way?”