I pull myself together. Raise my handgun and pull the trigger. My bullet kills her instantly. I feel a sense of relief that she is in a better place right now.
I look at the girl and whisper to myself, “I’m sorry you had to go through all this but it’s over now.”
I exit the bathroom and see that Phil is holding something. Phil checked the zombie nurse that he shot and found a key to the medication cabinet. I smile and we both walk out of the room. Lauren is waiting by the door with her gun raised.
“Lower the gun sweetie,” I say to Lauren as I walk towards her.
Phil goes over to the medication cabinet and opens it. Lauren bring the medication bag over. They start filling the bag with all the supplies and medications they can fit. I walk down the hallway as they are filling the bag up and see that I’m at the front of the hospital. I can see through a doorway of a patient room into the parking lot.
I enter the room and shoot a zombie in the head that was standing in the corner.
I look out the window and say, "Ok, I got an idea. We can go out this window, onto the front entrance cover, and down to the car."
Lauren comes into the room and says, "Are you crazy? That is way too high. How are we going to get down from the front entrance overhang to the ground? It's too high, you can't jump down. You'll break your legs."
I reply, "It's our only way out of here, all the stairwells are blocked. We can lower you down with sheets or something."
Crash!
The sound of broken window glass is heard.
A desk goes flying through a window on to the overhang of the hospital entrance. Phil jumps down from the second floor onto the emergency entrance overhang roof, followed by Lauren, and lastly by myself. I gathered a bunch of sheets and tied them together to make a rope.
As I am tying the last sheets together, I say, "We will tie this sheet around you and lower you to the ground."
"You better not drop me," says Lauren.
I reply, "We will lower you to the ground, you get the car and bring it right here. I will lower Phil down and then I will go down. It should work out great."
I tie one end of the sheets to a thick steel water valve pipe, and the other end will be made into a make shift rope around Lauren's waist. I give the sheets a secure tug and then we start to slowly lower Lauren.
Phil says, "Nice and slow now."
As we lower Lauren to the ground. A couple of zombies come out from the hospital entrance. Lauren screams as she makes it to the ground. Lauren takes out her gun and shoots the approaching zombies.
I shout, "Hurry up Lauren! Get to the car and park right where we placed you down."
I pull up the sheets and put Phil in the sheets to be lowered down next. I see Lauren make it to the SUV with the medication bag. She starts the car and drives to the spot where I will lower Phil. As I lower Phil down, more zombies are coming out of the hospital. The zombies try to bite him, but they can't seem to penetrate the body armor. He shoots several zombies in the head with his handgun. Phil gets out of the sheets and tells me to pull it up. I pull the sheets up and tie them around my waist.
I try to use the side of the hospital entrance overhang to repel down. I take a couple of steps down the side of the hospital entrance overhang. I can see the SUV parked right below me as I’m walking down the side of the hospital entrance overhang. As I’m walking down the side of the overhang, I feel the sheets start to loosen. The sheets start to give less and less support. I try to move quickly down the overhand to the SUV. The sheets start become lose from the water pipe now.
The SUV is starting to become surrounded by zombies. I can hear Lauren scream in fear from inside the SUV. The zombies seemed to have been attracted to the SUV from the previous gunshots that Lauren and Phil fired. As the sheets start to loosen, it feels like I am being lowered down to meet my death. I feel the zombies reaching for me but I’m slightly out of their reach. The sheets are holding me but I’m dangling above the SUV and can’t move. I’m lucky to be stuck out of reach from the zombies that are ready to reach up and rip me apart from head to toe.
The SUV is now surrounded by zombies. I try to move, but can't. I thrust with my body to help my current situation of dangling helplessly in the hospital sheets. I try one more maneuver with my body to help loosen the sheet from the water pipe fully. Nothing happens for a second and then I feel the sheet untie from the water valve pipe. The sheet unties and I feel unsupported as I fall towards the ground. It feels like forever as I’m falling but it’s probably only a second or two. You think about a lot of things when you are nearing your death. I fall directly on top of the SUV. Luckily, I landed square in the center of the SUV roof on my back.
Phil hears that I landed on the roof and shouts to Lauren, “Drive.”
Lauren hits the gas pedal, runs over 4 zombies that were standing in front of the SUV. She drives away from the hospital. We all made it out of the hospital alive and unharmed. As Lauren drives away from the hospital, I can’t help but smile. I’m just happy to be alive and for a second there, as I was dangling above the zombies and SUV, I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it out alive or not. Lauren is driving the SUV quickly down the road. Lauren must be driving about 100 miles per hour down the street. I have to hold on to roof of the SUV a couple times to avoid falling off.
I shout, "Pullover Lauren and stop the car."
Lauren listens and slams on the breaks. I am not ready for the sudden stopping motion and slide from the roof to the hood of the SUV. I land on my right shoulder and ribs.
"I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" asks Lauren as she exits the SUV and runs over to me.
I reply, "My ribs are hurting and my shoulder is banged up, but I will live. How fast were you going?"
I cough and try to gather my breath. I can take a breath without pain so I don’t think my ribs are broken.
I say, "Let's go back home. I need a drink and to relax for a second."
Lauren and I get in the back seat and Phil takes over as driver. Phil drives the police SUV back home. The streets are getting more and more congested with abandoned cars and dead bodies that have been crushed by vehicles. Most of the abandoned cars seem to be off to the side of road, but more and more streets have cars left in the middle of the road. As Phil drives homes, he gets a text message from Matt.
The text reads:
Made it back home to Raleigh. We are safe for now. Hope you guys are ok as well. Please don't forget to check on Nicole and Derrick.
Phil tries to reply to the text, but his phone service is only working sporadically now. At least we know that Matt and Shaun are safe and they made it home. I am relieved to know that they are safe. Matt is capable but I feel that Shaun and Matt will be safe as Shaun seems to be ready for an end of the world zombie apocalypse.
As Phil pulls into our neighborhood, I see that select homes have lights and power but more homes are without power. The power looks to be out in the neighborhood now. Some people have generators in the neighborhood and they must be running them to power their homes. A lot of people have gas generators since we can lose power easily during hurricane season in Florida.
"The power must be out," says Phil.
I reply, “Yeah it looks to be, it was only a matter of time until we lost power.”
"Do you have a generator Ryan?" asks Phil.
I reply, "No, but I believe Ray has one. Let's stop by his house, before going home."
I hope Ray has a generator as I never bought one. I never felt the need to get a generator as we haven’t had a hurricane or lost power since I have owned my house. We have a lot of food in the refrigerator and freezer that will go bad unless we get the fridge turned back on. Also, how can we run the electric stove and fans? I really hope I am right about Ray having a generator.
CHAPTER 5
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
Phil drives the police SUV into Ray's driveway. It’s weird knowing that Ray and Stephanie are dead now. I feel that Ray is going to meet us in the
driveway as we park the vehicle. I’m not sure if I will ever fully accept this new world and losing people.
Phil and I get out of the SUV and start to look for the generator. We look around the garage, but don't see one. If the generator is the garage, we should find it easily. Lauren exits the vehicle and walks over to me.
“I’m going home and going to clean myself up a little bit,” says Lauren.
I reply, “Okay sweetie. Phil and I should be right over with the generator.”
Phil and I continue looking for the generator in the garage. Ray’s garage is a nice clean and semi cluttered two car garage. I can’t help but feel weird that we are in Ray’s garage without Ray. It feels like we are stealing from him. Ray was a good guy and I feel bad that he won’t be around anymore. He would have been a good person to have on our side in this new crazy world. I’m not sure why the universe didn’t want him alive anymore, but I guess everything happens for a reason.
As I’m looking in the garage, I say to Phil, "It's probably in the shed in the backyard."
"I'll go check it out," says Phil.
As Phil goes through the fence into the backyard, he hears people talking in the distance. It's the neighbors that live right behind Ray's house. The neighbors are separated by a privacy fence, so Phil isn't seen, but can hear what the neighbors are saying.
“I can't believe what is going on. The world is falling apart. What are we supposed to do now? I think we get on our boat and sail to Mexico.”
“That little boat wouldn't make it to Fort Myers.”
“Then we steal a boat and get to Mexico. We are going to need gas, supplies, food, and water. Let's rob the neighbors and then go from there. Let's start with Kyle's house and then move around to the other houses.”
“I don't like that idea at all Steve.”
“It's what we have to do now to survive Kim.”
Phil hears the whole conversation and goes back to the garage to get me.
"Your neighbors are planning to rob houses in the neighborhood," says Phil.
I reply, “Let’s get the generator home first. We will deal with our neighbors if they come our way.”
My main concern is getting the generator back to my house. Phil and I go to shed and get the generator. We open shed and see the generator.
While in the shed, I see a couple of other useful items. I see a machete, shovel, and an axe. Phil grabs the useful items and I wheel the generator out of the shed.
As we exit the shed I say, "Let's get back to my house and plan what is next for us."
"Sounds like a plan," replies Phil.
I wheel the generator into my garage. Phil puts the machete, shovel, and axe into the trunk of the SUV. The generator looks to be newer and in good shape.
"Glad Ray had this, as we wouldn't have any power without it," says Phil.
I reply, "This won't last forever, so we have to conserve it."
We power up the generator and everything in the house turns on.
I say to Phil and Lauren, "Unplug unnecessary objects and turn everything off that would draw power."
We go through the house and unplug lamps, televisions, cable boxes, and other unnecessary appliances. Lauren gets out all the candles we have and uses them to illuminate the house.
"Is this home base now?" asks Phil as we are unplugging the TV and cable box from the wall.
I reply, "For now it is. Let's keep the blinds shut, and try not to attract any attention. We don't want any trouble, but if trouble finds us then we will handle it."
Lauren keeps looking out the front window. She keeps looking out to make sure the neighborhood is safe and secure. The neighborhood is usually quiet, but it has a feeling that something is wrong and shouldn’t be this quiet.
"No one has power on our street. Luckily, it's a cooler day and not in the middle of summer. That is the worst, when you lose power and have no air conditioning. I can't stand to be hot," says Lauren.
As Lauren is looking out the window, she sees a man and woman knock at the front door of the neighbor’s house across the street. The owner opens the door and is struck by the man and woman who were knocking.
"Oh my god, those two people just beat up Kyle from across the street," says Lauren.
I go to the window to see for myself. I see our neighbor Kyle bleeding from his head and face while he lays on the ground by the front door. Kyle isn’t moving and might have just died.
"I bet it was those two people I overheard behind Ray's house talking about robbing the neighborhood," says Phil.
Phil grabs his body armor and shotgun.
I shout, "Wait, don't just go running around being a hero Phil. Be smart about it. Let's watch them and see what they are up to first."
The man Kyle, who was lying on the ground after being struck by the robbers, has now stood up. He gets to his feet slowly and lethargically. The two robbers killed him, but did not kill his brain. He stumbles into the house through the front door.
A woman screams, "Ahhhhh."
One of the robbers runs out of the house.
"Is that Kim?" asks Lauren.
"Yeah it is," I reply.
Kim is sitting on the front lawn across the street from my house. She is crying and checking her arms for any bite marks. As she sits on the lawn, her husband Steve comes out from the house. He is covered in blood and is grabbing his neck. He falls towards Kim on the front lawn. Kim tries to help him up, but Steve has passed out and can't move. Kim stands up and looks at her husband dying in the grass. As she stares at her husband, the house owner Kyle, who is now a zombie is about to bite Kim.
Boom!
A rifle shot from Phil saves her life. Kim is in shock. Phil grabs her and walks her back over to my house. Lauren opens the door. Phil and Kim come inside the house.
"Are you ok? Have you been bitten?" asks Lauren.
Kim can hear the questions, but she is frozen with fear still. She seems to be unable to talk or communicate. Kim is in shock to what just happened to her and her husband.
Lauren asks, "Kim, are you ok?"
Still no response as Kim still can't shake what she just witnessed. Phil and I aren't sure what to do with Kim.
I yell, "She killed a neighbor. Why help her?"
"She didn't want to do it. When I overheard her and her husband talking when we were at Ray’s house, she said that she didn't like the idea that Steve came up with to rob the neighbors. She only went along with it, because her husband made her," says Phil.
I grab a glass of water from the kitchen and splash some water in Kim’s face. As I splash the water in Kim’s face I ask, "Are you ok Kim?"
Kim snaps out of it and replies, “Yeah I'm ok. I wasn't bitten or anything.”
Kim immediately starts to cry. She is upset about what just happened and what she was a part of. I have known Kim for a couple years now and always thought she was a decent person.
I ask Kim, "Why did you kill Kyle?"
"We didn't, we didn't mean to. I didn't want to rob anyone, but Steve insisted and said that is what we had to do now. We planned on getting a boat and sailing away. It must be safer on water right. Those things can't get you, if you are in a boat," says Kim.
Lauren gets a towel and cleans the water and blood off Kim's face. Kim gets up from the floor and looks out the window.
"We can't just leave him in the grass. It's not right, the birds or animals will eat him or something," says Kim as she is crying while looking at her dead husband lying in the grass across the street.
Phil and I get a sheet and go outside to take care of Steve and move the body. As we come up to the body, we see that Steve is now a zombie. He tries to reach for Phil but misses.
Phil says, “Karma is a bitch my man,” and then he stabs Steve in the head with a knife.
Phil and I put Steve's body in a bed sheet and carry him across the street and into my backyard.
I ask Phil, "What are we going to do with this lady now? We can't keep someone like that aro
und. You never know what she will do."
"Let's talk to her and see if she has anyone else around here or family or anything. Maybe we can drop her off with a family member or something," says Phil.
Phil and I drop Steve's body in the backyard and go back inside the house. We find Kim and Lauren talking in the living room.
"I have family in Lakeland that I'm trying to get a hold of. My parents and my brothers live there," says Kim.
I say to Kim, "You have family in Lakeland, that's great. We plan on getting over to the Orlando area sometime soon, and we can drop you by there."
"Orlando? What are we going to Orlando for?" asks Lauren.
I tell Lauren, "I'll talk to you later about it, but it’s a plan Phil and I talked about with Matt and Shaun, before we left Tennessee."
I say to Kim, "Lakeland is right on the way to Orlando on I-4. We can just drop Kim off with her family and keep rolling to O-town."
"Can I stay the night here? I don't want to go back to my house alone, and I feel safer here," says Kim.
"Sure Kim, no problem I'll get the air mattress for the living room," says Lauren.
"Thank you so much," responds Kim.
Lauren and I walk into the kitchen. Lauren clearly wants to know what the plan is and why it is to go to Orlando. Phil enters the kitchen and grabs a bottle of water.
I tell Lauren, "We have to go to Orlando to check on Matt's sister. The plan was for us to come back home and eventually we'd check on Matt's sister and her husband. Matt and Shaun would check out our families and their loved ones while we come home and check on Matt's sister. Matt's sister is pregnant. I owe it to Matt."
"We have to check on Nicole, and see if she is ok. Then we can come back here. She could be perfectly fine and have a good situation already going on in Orlando. She does have her husband and hopefully they are safe and sound," says Phil.
Lauren is pacing back and forth, she knows that we should check on Nicole. She hates the idea of doing anything dangerous or risky right now.
Fight 4 Us (Book 1): The Beginning Page 7