The Azrael: Surviving the Outbreak

by Jesse Gagnon

  “No, he was, uh, using and trying to build up the nerve to get your daughter the inhaler.” Giselle said laying him down on the ground and Doris placed a pillow under his head. “His intentions were good, just not the brightest.” She laid his gun next to him. “He had no bullets in his gun. He was carrying a useless black paperweight.”

  “He’s so brave, my hero, my stupid dumb ass hero.” Kelly said rubbing her fingers through his hair. She found blood on his forehead and his nose started to bleed again. “What did this to him?” Kelly asked.

  “I did that to him. He blew that shit in my face so I hit him. Then he went off the deep end so I had to assist him in taking a nap. I’m out of bullets, but I have a plan. I’m heading to the National Guard building up the road to find some more. Had to waste the six bullets I had left on a small herd that attacked us before we made it to Snyders.” Giselle said casting a disappointed look at Brian.

  “Like I said, one tough bitch.” Steven said giving Giselle the thumbs up. She smiled and returned the favor.

  “Well, the good news is that you both are okay, although you both smell like burnt plastic.” Doris said holding her nose closed and turning away to find a clean cloth she can use to clean up Brian.

  “Got anything to eat?” Giselle asked looking towards the kitchen. She’s been extremely hungry the past few days. Since, she was bit. These gifts come with a cost it seems.

  “Sure Dear. I have more oatmeal on the table. Kelly didn’t have much of an appetite. Don’t much blame her, poor child.” Doris said watching Chloe sleep peacefully on the couch in the recreational room near the kitchen.

  “I’ll get the inhaler. I promise.” Giselle said heading for the kitchen.

  “Don’t do that.” Doris said.

  “Don’t do what?” Giselle asked.

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. I know how bad it is at Snyders. I’ve accepted that Chloe may not make it by the end of the week. Kelly is living on hope now. You just keep giving that to her. She needs that now. It’s something she hasn’t had in a long time. Just don’t get yourself killed.” Doris said.

  “But I won’t…” Giselle is interrupted.

  “When you realize that it’s impossible, come back safe and sound. We need you to get us out of here safely. I still have a daughter to take care of.” Doris smiled, walked away and checked on Kelly. She was lying next to Chloe singing her a lullaby as she slept.

  Giselle watched them exchange glances and Doris kissed her granddaughter on the forehead. Steven handed Giselle a spoon.

  “Make sure you eat before you go. You’re not nice when you’re hungry.” Steven said.

  “I’m not nice when I’m fed. What’s your point?” Giselle said pulling her glasses down to the tip of her nose.

  “Those eyes are creepy. They look like…” Steven is interrupted.

  “I know. It’s why I need to see a doctor, but after I get that damned inhaler.” Giselle said pulling her glasses back up to where they belong.

  “Did you get bit Miss Giselle?” Steven asked looking for a bite wound.

  “You won’t find it. It healed the moment after it happened. Something’s different about me Steven. I don’t know what it is but I’m immune to the virus, but I have the virus.” She said.

  “If you bite me could you infect me?” Steven asked looking at her teeth.

  “I actually don’t know? We have really smart doctors and scientists back in Chicago. We’ll let them figure that out.” Giselle smiled and walked out of the building. First thing’s first, Giselle needed some fucking bullets.

  CHAPTER 18

  LSD IN DOUGLAS PARK

  Mario led the group down Kedzie unfamiliar with the layout of the City. However, his survival instincts kept the group protected and guided them in safe directions. The dog kept quiet and followed Taliah closely keeping John between him and Taliah.

  “We turn up here at Ogden, just a suggestion.” John said pointing at the sign for W Ogden Avenue up ahead.

  “Got it.” Mario said noticing the sign. The road widened and revealed an eight lane road with a car graveyard littering the asphalt. Many cars were rusted and graffiti decorated what wasn’t worn down. “Keep down.” The breeze began to work against them as it blew away at their chests as they walked down Ogden. The aroma of decayed flesh traveled along the gust that fluttered their clothes.

  “Ah, Windy City at its best.” Savanna said smiling and enjoyed the brisk breeze but changed her mind as the foul odor of rotten meat entered her nose. “Crap, where’s that coming from?”

  “I don’t know. The wind is strong. It could be from miles away or from a block up the road. Hard to tell. It’s starting to get dark. We should find somewhere to camp out for the night. It’s not safe travelling at night. They hunt in the dark just as good as during the day.” Mario said searching the area for a suitable building to sleep in.

  “There’s a park up ahead. Maybe that’s where that godawful smell is coming from.” John said pointing up ahead and wincing.

  “Maybe we should find somewhere to sleep before we get in there. I don’t want to sleep outside.” Savanna said searching for a building that may provide a good night’s sleep.

  “Right there, look there are lights on over there. What’s that place?” Mario said pointing towards a large building that looked like an apartment building.

  “A facility for the mentally insane, not sure we want to sleep there. It’s a home for those crazy fucks.” John said reading his map.

  “We can always check it out or we can camp out in the park. I like camping. I can set traps around us. Maybe we can catch something to eat out there.” Mario said squinting to see further into the park as the night began to darken the landscape.

  “Let’s check out the crazy house. I don’t like being out in the open, gives me the creeps.” Savanna said.

  “With Mario and Samson, I don’t fear anything out here.” Taliah said petting Samson by rubbing him behind his ears and ruffling his fur behind his collar. The dog enjoyed the attention and wagged his tail with approval.

  A loud groan exited the building followed by a raspy wail. Five more followed with different pitches.

  “Are they calling out to each other?” Savanna asked.

  “Not sure, but we’re not sleeping in there.” Mario said turning away from the building.

  “Of course we’re not. Why would we want to sleep in a building tonight?” Savanna said with sarcasm.

  As they entered the park the odor of rotten meat carried in the wind and seemed more concentrated. The shadows of the trees were slowly growing as the terrain gradually faded to a midnight blue.

  “I don’t know where that’s coming from, but it don’t smell right.” John said to Mario.

  “I agree. We’ll set up camp in these trees to our left. I can set up a few traps to keep anything from sneaking up on us. My tent can sleep 6 with 4 comfortably. I’ll take first watch.” Mario said as he led them into a thick grouping of trees.

  “I don’t like this.” Savanna said with disapproval. Mario set up the tent in less than five minutes and layered the floor of the tent with two sleeping bags opened up and a few blankets that were in John and Savanna’s packs. He surveyed the land and placed several traps surrounding the area as he stood his watch. John had next watch so he was first to get some sleep. The dog slept next to Taliah nuzzling his snout into her side as he slumbered. After thirty minutes Mario was the only one awake. For being so upset about the choice of quarters for tonight they sure did fall asleep quickly, Mario thought.

  As he roved around the campsite he noticed that the smell was worse to the northeast of their current position. As the night progressed the moon finally broke through the clouds illuminating some portions of the landscape. A red color on a tree near the camp drew Mario’s attention. He slowly approached and noticed that it was red and black graffiti that decorated the wide tree trunk. Upon further investigation he noticed something vaguely familiar. ‘LSD�
�� was spray painted on the tree. It was a gang tag that identified turf.

  “Latin Street Disciples, shit.” Mario remembered the gang from Manhattan, New York where he was raised before the military. He actually left for basic to avoid being caught up in the gang. Half of his friends were already members and they were pushing hard to get Mario to join. His mother was afraid that they would get him killed if he joined so she suggested the army. His grades were not impressive so college wasn’t an option. It was his only way out of the projects. After four years into the army his mom was robbed and killed by some punk who claimed he was LSD. Since his mother was respected by Mario’s childhood friends who were in fact Latin Street Disciples, the imposter was found quickly and dealt with. His past had caught up with him it seemed.

  As his watch slowly came to an end around two in the morning he heard noises moving beyond the trees towards the smell. He strapped his crossbow on his back and climbed a tree to give him a better vantage point and to hide his presence on the ground. He listened closely to the sounds in the distance, however another sound coming from the south moved quicker than the one that treaded carefully to the northeast. The camp was the meeting point for the two. The sounds of screaming alerted the group sleeping in the tent. Someone set off one of Mario’s traps. All of the traps about thirty yards beyond the main perimeter of the camp were designed to immobilize not kill. However, the traps to the northeast were designed to kill. The tent zipped open and the group poked their heads out looking for Mario.

  “Mario, what’s going on out there?” Savanna whispered while craning her neck to the left and right.

  “Shhh, I’m up here. We’ve got visitors to the south and to the northeast.” Mario said in a whisper pointing towards the two directions with his knife.

  “Where? I don’t see you.” Savanna struggled to find Mario.

  “Shut up woman, you’re going to get us killed. We’re bait. Let Mario hunt.” John said in a whisper trying to close the zipper. Taliah continued to sleep through the noises, she was exhausted. Samson kept his snout under her but his eyes were open and his ears were sitting up listening.

  The footsteps of the person that moved towards them from the northeast stopped. Several footsteps from the south converged on the man who was crying from several sharp sticks stuck in his leg.

  “Shut the fuck up Scoop. You’re gonna get yourself killed.” A man’s voice from the group whispered but it wasn’t that quiet. “What the hell? What’s this trap esé?” The man inspected the twine and nature of the trap.

  “I don’t fucking care dude. Get this thing off of me.” Scoop wept as every movement put him in agonizing pain.

  “Dude, his leg is busted. José is gonna be pissed.” Another man said to the first man on the scene.

  “Damn it esé, if José wasn’t your brother I’d leave your dumb ass out here for those fucking things to eat you.” The man said trying to remove the trap.

  “Aarghhh, ow, ow, ow, it fucking hurts man. Do it quick, stop fucking around. Shit!” Scoop screamed.

  A faint sense of movement from the north changed direction and headed east very quietly. It reminded Mario of the last time he was perched in a tree. Shit, they are hunting. The last hunting herd he encountered in the woods was quiet all the way until they attacked that other lone Azrael. The man is going to die if he doesn’t do something. Mario felt a bit of guilt being that it was his trap too.

  “Fuck.” Mario said out loud in a whisper and started to climb down the tree.

  “Why the hell were you running out here at night anyway Scoop?” The man asked the guy stuck in the trap.

  “Nothing.” Scoop said.

  “So you just decided to go sprinting out in the woods at night? Seriously, why are you out here?” The man asked.

  “Alecia, she wanted me to bring back this. It was from her house.” Scoop said showing him some cocaine and a pound of marijuana.

  “Where the fuck did you get that?” The man asked smelling the drugs and then handed it back.

  “It was at her apartment. If I brought it back during the day, José would have taken it.” Scoop said shaking his head.

  “Stop listening to that stupid culona esé. She’s gonna get your ass killed. Didn’t José tell you to stay away from that bitch anyway?” He asked.

  “I fucking love her, she’s my life. What would you know about that shit Clip?” Scoop said.

  “What the fuck do I know? Dude, are you shitting me right now? I did nine years for Jenny, nine fucking years. Got out and the bitch was already banging some Cartel Angel. What the fuck do I know? Get the hell out of here with that shit dude.” Clip said ripping the trap off of Scoop’s leg

  “Ay que la chingada!” Scoop screamed. It tore his jeans and they pulled off with the trap. His boxers pulled down a bit, and he pulled them back up quickly.

  “Clip, I don’t feel right about this esé. Who put this fucking trap here? Everything’s so quiet. It’s never this quiet.” The other man said spooked for good reason.

  “I don’t know. We’ll deal with that shit in the morning. Help me get this fool up.” Clip said pulling Scoop up.

  “Shit, dude, I think it’s broke.” Scoop said as he stood up applying pressure on it.

  “We’ll get Doc to check it out. Don’t worry, he’ll saw that shit off and put one of those plastic legs on you.” Clip said laughing at Scoop.

  “Yeah, you’re slowly turning into a real Ken doll, small ass dick and a plastic leg. “ The other man said laughing.

  “Fuck you esé. It’s fucking cold out here. You’re a faggot looking at my dick Chico.” Scoop said hobbling away being assisted by Chico and Clip. He was holding his jeans in his hands, hoping to stitch them up.

  As they progressed roughly fifteen feet away, quick footsteps were heard behind them.

  “Ah la chingada! Azrael. Shit.” Chico said turning around and dropped Scoop to the ground.

  The Azrael slowed and staggered eight feet from them and finally dropped. A crossbow bolt was sticking out of its skull. Two more ran in towards the men and staggered roughly ten feet further than the first Azrael. They fell with their faces in the leaves. It was too dark to see what happened to them.

  “Fuck esé? Where did those things come from? I didn’t hear them until now.” Chico said with his machete out. He was a large Mexican man, roughly 6 foot three and looked like he ate pretty well. Clip had his pistol out aiming it towards the dark shadows towards the north. Five more moved in from the east sprinting. Three were maimed by traps and the other two pushed past them.

  “Shit Clip. Shoot those fuckers.” Scoop screamed as he tried to drag himself away towards Chico.

  Three more ran in from the west as one got entangled in a trap but the other two pushed forwards.

  “They’re everywhere dude.” Clip said as a bolt whizzed past his head and slammed into one of the two approaching from the east. The Azrael fell pulling at the bolt in its skull until it hit the ground.

  “Whoa, what the hell was that?” Chico said with a wide eyed gaze.

  “Who fucking cares, he’s killing these fucking things. I like him already.” Clip said and shot the second one with his pistol in its skull. It dropped a few feet away from Scoop’s feet.

  “It’s gonna bite me dude.” Scoop screamed.

  The other two that came from the west were met by Chico’s machete. He cleaved into the first one that arrived from its throat down into its chest on its left side. He kicked the Azrael pulling it from the blade and it knocked into the second one. It staggered but charged in and Chico reached in and grabbed its throat. The Azrael was a woman, but it was strong and it pushed hard enough to cause his arm to bend inwards. It grabbed his arm and dug its nails into it. Chico growled and squeezed his grip on its neck hard and with his right arm swung across the Azrael’s waist cutting her in half. It continued its grasp on his arm and wailed a raspy scream. He tossed the torso half eight feet away and it landed like a fucking cat and started to crawl to
wards him. Mario dropped out of a tree nearby and landed on the Azrael’s back and dropped his machete across the back of its neck removing its head.

  “Cut the head off Chico.” Mario said, turned around and removed the head from the other Azrael that was still dazed from its injury that already started to scab up.

  “So this is our motherfucking hero.” Clip said pointing his pistol at Mario’s head.

  Mario ignored the threat and started to gather his crossbow bolts. He wiped the blood off of his machete with an Azrael’s shirt and sheathed it.

  “The alpha is still out there, hunting your friend.” Mario said nodding at Scoop and listened.

  “What the hell are you talking about? Who the fuck are you? Why the hell are you out here?” Clip continued to maintain his aggressive nature towards Mario.

  “The alpha is with two others, as old as he is. They are strong and smart.” Mario said listening and put his crossbow back around his neck and on his back.

  “They’re fucking zombies dude. I’ve killed hundreds of these fucking putas. They’re all the same. But, yes you cut their bitch ass heads off. Stop tryin’ to big boy em’ Chico. You know better than that esé.” Clip said shaking his head at Chico.

  “I had that shit until Rambo dropped out of the tree and claimed my kills, just disrespectful dude.” Chico said kicking the female’s body. Mario continued to move killing the other Azrael that were immobilized within his traps.

  “I knew those were your traps. You fucking maimed Scoop. What the hell did he do to you? Huh?” Clip said pointing at Scoop’s leg.

  “It was for my protection. My camp isn’t far from here. I’ll…” Mario is interrupted.

  “Your camp? You’ve got a camp in these woods? Don’t you know whose woods these are?” Scoop said trying to sound intimidating.

  “Latin Street Disciples.” Mario said and continued to observe his surroundings.

  “What the fuck is this dude? A Hispanic Sherlock Holmes, where’s Watson at?” Clip said and the others laughed.