Grunting moan noise. Click...click, knock...thud.
[In whispers]
REGGIE: What the fuck is that?!
ME: I donno! Sounds like an infected. Just one from the sound of it.
TIM: But what the fuck is it doing?
REGGIE: I don't like this. Let's split.
[Thud]
[Tapping. Knocking]
ME: it's coming from the skating rink. That's the wood....I'd know it anywhere from the years we spent here.
TIM: Definitely.
REGGIE: Can't you see anything from the little window on the door?
ME: No, it's pitch black in there.
REGGIE: Man, fuck THIS!
ME: Shhhhh!
[Grunting. Knocking]
BEN: It's just one. We can handle one. It's messing with something in there. Let's sneak up on it.
ME: We can't see....our lights will alert it. We have to be ready....what if it's a Bolter?
REGGIE: Yeah, what if it is? Can we fuckin' go now?
TIM: If it is, it's still only one....dangerous as hell, but not a pack.
[Thud]
REGGIE: I thought if something didn't feel right, we split? Ain't that a fuckin' rule?
ME: I don't have that feeling. Not like the one I had at the store.
REGGIE: I fucking do!
ME: I'm opening the door. Just be ready for whatever it is. We're together. Four to one on this bastard. We got this. Lights on, hold them down until we step inside.
TIM: Let's get this done and over with.
[Thud]
I opened the door and stepped as silently as I could inside, allowing room for the other to follow. I had the crowbar readied, they had their weapons. I raised my light toward the skate floor and the other beams of light instantly followed mine.
At first I wasn't quite sure was I was looking at. An infected....but what was it doing. It was as if it was disabled and couldn't stand up right...but it was trying. Then with quick speed it's legs gave way and it crashed into the wooden floor, thudding hard.
It began to pick itself up again...clicking and knocking at it's feet, then I saw with bemusement it had skates on. It almost had itself upright until both legs flew forward and it hit the ground again, giving out a grunt. It almost sounded frustrated. I held back the urge to start laughing....partly out of relief and partly from the sight of it.
Again I was confronted with the same question I'd had in the hallway of the doctors office....what was the story behind this?
It had once been a young man. Maybe seventeen, give or take. He had on a light green shirt and black pants. There was a visible bite on his left forearm.
I motioned for Ben, who was last in our line, to shut the second door behind him. Reggie was just staring at the creature and smiling...he hadn't uttered a word thus far. He was greatly elated, however.
Ben had his hand over his mouth, his face turning red from holding back a bout of laughter.
Tim kinda just stared like Reggie. He had a smile on his face...first time he's smiled in a week. It didn't last though. Nor did mine. As I watched the creature....slowly the amusement started to fade away. Suddenly it was over taken by remembering the sobering fact that this kid was alive once.
He came here to have a good time and skate around no different than Tim and I had a million times. He was someones kid. Maybe someones brother. A friend to others. Yeah....he came here enjoying life and some creature cut that short from him. Now, for the last month and a half, his corpse did this depressing routine of trying to stand and failing each and every time.
The amusement turned into a harsh sadness.
***
It took awhile for those sobering facts to hit Reggie. But I know eventually it did. Once he stopped laughing he never laughed again at the sight of the thing. Seriousness swept back over us all. Ben stayed overall amused...but he was still a kid himself. Besides, the levity was good for him.
I imagined how this would have played out had Kelly been with us. I know she'd had never once laughed. She'd had been saddened from the start, and she'd had lashed out at us for being cruel. Glad she hadn't seen it.
I walked between the counter on my left and the small round sitting tables where people sat to put on their skates.
The creature smelled bad. It shambled due to the skates but had it not been on skates....it would have shambled anyway. Another few weeks or more and it would have been a Stagnant. This thing hadn't eaten since day one of getting infected.
Finally, it noticed us. It's eyes were glossy and had a cold predatory glare. Then it let out a loud Dead Call. I jumped back. Reggie began to panic and do his shuffle. I told him to relax....this place had thick doors and thick walls. Nothing could hear him. I looked at Reggie.
As Recorded:
What?
This one's yours, Reggie.
Say what, now?
This one's yours. You haven't had to put one down...you need to do this and be able to do it.
......
It's defenseless. This one's an easy one to put down. Just do it.
...OK....I will....you're right.
You got this. I know it's a shitty thing.
Real shitty thing.
Just do it quick...
Well I sure as fuck wouldn't do it slow!
End of Recording.
He walked up slowly to the thing as it climbed to its feet. For a moment it had balance and tried to lunge at Reggie, but quickly fell to the floor. It let out another Dead Call.
I watched Reggie take a few deep breaths and raise the bat over his head. The creature was starting to push itself up from the floor. After a moments hesitation Reggie brought the bat down hard, smacking the thing in the back of the head, sending a horrid knocking sound through the rink.
The creature went face first into the wood floor with a resounding crack. It twitched a little as Reggie brought the bat down one more time onto its head. Another crack and a think black fluid began to seep onto the floor. Reggie backed away from the thing and when his legs touch a little table he sat abruptly and let the bat fall to the floor.
I expected him to rush someone to vomit like Jim and I had back in Akron. But he didn't. He sat there in silence; his face in his hands. I realized he was silently weeping.
Bens head hung low, staring at his feet. Tim looked around as if he hadn't noticed....feeling uncomfortable. He'd always done that.
I called out to Reggie to ask if he was alright. He nodded his head but remained silent. He wiped the tears from his eyes and cheeks. He then got up and walked over to where people retrieved and turned in skates. He shined his light on the multiple arcades. Reggie was such a lovable, carefree man. He liked to joke and get along. He loved life. I felt now that a piece of that had just died within him. I felt extremely horrible for having him put it down....but it was...it was just the way things had to be now. It was just crushing to see something special in him dim away.
***
Tim and I undertook the grotesque task of disposing of the body. He took it by the arms, I by the feet. Ben held both doors open and we carefully moved outside, trying to be mindful of our surroundings while keeping a grip.
We went around the building until we found a dumpster and lifted him into it. It felt wrong and crude....it was wrong. But it felt more wrong to leave him just lying on the gravel to be picked away at by scavengers. At least he was covered and away.....no disrespect was intended.
Again I thought of Kelly's outrage. Livid would be an understatement. But like I had explained after Stan....we couldn't bury everyone. She damn well knew that. She was going to have to face all of this too, eventually. She was going to have to put one down too. Jim would have to be the one to get through to her on that one though. I'm on thin ass ice with her right now.
Now it was time to get this place set up and secure.
***
The nostalgia washed over me in a sullen wave....it was bitter sweet. Memories swirled in my mind. Though I stood
in the dark, I could remember and see it all. The place lit up...kids young and old rambling about the place. Music blaring on the rink as people whipped past...some not so fast.
You could rent the place out for birthday parties...I had a few myself. You could bring in a CD for your own skating soundtrack, food, etc.
I walked with my light to the counter. I peered in the glass to look at all the little prizes earned from tickets. Little rings, necklaces, plush animals and other odds and ends. I moved past the counter and turned to my left to look down the hall where the snack bar was in the back. Tables with booths lined on the right. Many nights Tim and I had nachos and cheese back there. I turned and wandered back to the little round seats and glanced at the games. I didn't hear Tim talking to me for a moment, then I realized he was asking if I was okay.
I explained the melancholy I was experiencing and he wholeheartedly agreed. I knew the same exact thoughts flooded his head as well.
This place would never be home to laughter again. Another painfully sobering thought. So many more would come through the dark days ahead.
We brought small containers and bottles of water, along with a couple boxes of canned food and dried food. We places the items carefully up inside the ceiling tiles. The odds of anyone looking there would be slim to none. The odds of anyone even coming in here were mostly slim to none...what's to really loot of need? I don't think anyone wants to skate around infested streets.
I searched around behind the counter and stumbled on a set of keys. My fingers were crossed that they were for all the doors. I tested it on the first exit door; it worked. We'd lock the place up and check on it here and there. We'd obviously know if anyone had gotten inside.
It was time to go. It would be dusk soon and Jim and Kelly would be getting anxious by now. We headed out....I opened the second door and came to a halt, Reggie bumping into me. I knew he had been about to say something but stopped short after peering past me over my shoulder.
Further down in the parking lot was a Bolter...it's back was facing us. It had on bloodied work clothes and it was tall. It was husky and balding. It was my Uncle. My gut clenched and my heart sank.
He began to sniff at the air....I quickly, and quietly, shut the door. Then I put my head against the cool steel and fought back all my emotions.
TIM: What is it? Are we trapped?
BEN: How many?
ME: Just one.
TIM: What kind? Or stage? Whatever...
ME: Bolter.
BEN: You sure there's just one? Does that happen?
REGGIE: Yeah, it can. Lone Bolters yet to find others.
TIM: So what's the plan?
ME: Tim....
TIM: What?
REGGIE: [Sigh]
TIM: Fuckin' what?
ME: It's your Dad, man....I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry.
He began to break down but thankfully he knew he had to sob in silence. Reggie and Ben were standing aside, heads down, as I passed them, making my way to Tim. I grabbed him and hugged him and he clutched to me. He cried into my chest to muffle himself.
Some time passed....minutes but felt like hours. What to do, what to do? Tim said he had to do it....it was his father and he insisted after I offered. I understood. The second door into the Hutt we propped open with a skate. It was the only plan we could decide on with such little notice. I handed Tim my crowbar...he stood inside in front of the gaming area. He had a clear view. We would open the main door and prop it in the same manner and retreat back inside. The remaining sunlight would light the area where Tim now stood. Once Ken got our scent, we'd know it. And he'd make a bee line directly at Tim. I only hoped he wouldn't freeze when we opened that door and he saw Ken standing there as an infected. I had the frightening image in my head of him being rushed and unable to swing, his undead father tearing into him and pulling him apart. We'd never be fast enough to stop it.
After that thought, I stood and motioned for Reggie's bat....that he very reluctantly handed me. He decided to stand behind the counter at that point with Ben. I knew with complete certainty that had anything gone wrong, if Tim and I were to be slaughtered...Reggie would huddle down behind there with Ben and hope for the best.
I asked for Tim's assurance that he was ready. I asked multiple times. I creeped to the main door and pulled it open slowly. He stood there completely still, facing away from us toward a car lot across the way.
I propped the door and crept backwards back inside. I stood and waiting next to the counter. Once it charged I would be ready....if I saw for a single second that Tim was freezing and couldn't do this, then I would swing as it was passing me at the counter.
It caught our scent. I heard it turn on the gravel. I looked at Tim...he was standing ready, adjusting his grip on the crow bar and slightly swaying in preparation. He was pale and sweaty.
It growled. I fixed my grip and stance as well.
It began to spring headlong at the doors. My eyes had flicked between Tim and the doorway so fast I was quickly getting lightheaded. I heard it step through the first doorway, clearing the span in a second, and saw it emerge through the second, mere feet now from Tim. I raised the bat ready and saw Tim raise the bar....I held my breathe and hoped against hope he'd swing.
He did.
The bar cracked Ken at the top of the forehead as Tim sidestepped to his left and against the wall. Ken fell forward and skidded against the carpeted floor. Tim dropped the bar and started to sink down against the wall; oblivious that he hadn't killed him.
Ken began to sit up quickly...now Tim noticed and whatever color he had left in his face was now totally absent. He looked at me with pleading panic.
Ken got to his feet and set his sights on Tim, but I yelled. It's head snapped toward me now, nothing but savage rage. Void of all thought, reason and emotion. Zero recognition. It was blood chilling to see him that way. He sprung at me. I side stepped him and cracked the bat against his head and quickly to the back of its skull, sending it into the counter and shattering the display glass.
Reggie let out a short and small shrill scream from behind the counter, Ben had his head between his legs.
Ken hit the floor. For a moment he was still....then he slowly started to move around. I took one final swing and cracked my Uncles head....it split in the side. I saw broken skull and a little brain matter covered in black tar like blood. I felt immediately ill.
Tim was sitting on the floor leaned against an arcade sobbing again. I closed the door and drown out some of the now red light as the sun began to sink away. Reggie stood, followed by Ben. I handed Reggie his bat; covered on black blood. He looked disgusted but took it. I retrieved the crowbar and sat down beside Tim until he was able to collect himself. Reggie and Ben made their way over and sat down opposite of us. We all sat in bleak silence for awhile.
***
Out a back door was a fenced in area with crates and plastic containers. By pure, sheer luck Reggie found a tarp. It was a little worse for wear, but it'd have to do.
With as much care as we could, we wrapped Ken's body inside and secured it with tied together laces from various roller skates. Reggie and I carried him to the SUV where Ben stood, lifting up the back door. Tim sat in the passenger seat; his head against the dash.
We eased the body inside and posed him in a slight fetal position so he'd fit. I closed the door softly and made my way back to the Hutt door. I locked it and took another look around to make sure no one and nothing was around us. It was dusk now. Mosquitos were starting to emerge heavily thanks to the earlier rains. Somewhere a coyote howled in the distance. For just fleeting moment, it felt like a normal summer night in the past world. Annoyance of insects and the normal sounds of nature. The moment only lasted a few seconds. The coyote howl was followed by a few far-off Dead Calls.
We made our way home.
***
Tim had gone directly into the house, passing Jim and Kelly on the porch without a word. Both of whom looked in our direction dumbfounded.
They made there way across the drive and I told them we had Ken's body in the back. They basically had no words. Kelly had turned to look back at the house with obvious natural concern for Tim. Despite the danger it had been to put Ken down, Kelly understood and didn't even appear that she had wanted to protest the choice we made to handle it. She turned and headed back to the house. Jim made sure the rest of us were okay and double checked on Ben. After he was satisfied he said he would go in and find something to make us all for dinner.
The Dead Lands Diary (Book 1) Page 10