Survival

by Rhonda Hopkins

  "Yeah. But she's a lot nicer than me." She winked and then became serious again. "Okay. If we're not out in an hour . . . God I hope it doesn't take that long . . . then go on to the courthouse and we'll meet you there." She checked her Glock once more; made sure she had an extra magazine in the holster and picked up the machete.

  "I'm not leaving you here."

  "Only if we're not back in an hour. Look, we could get held up for some reason and I don't want them finding you here. If we have to, we can make it there on our own." Sarah didn't say what they both were thinking: That she and Dana might not make it out. Inside the console she dug around until she found two small flashlights. "I'm putting this one right here on top in case you need it. It's small but it puts out a lot of light, so only use it if you have to. You don't want to give away your position." She tucked the other into the front pocket of her jeans.

  She reached over and gave Meredith a one-arm hug, turned off the interior lights, and opened her door. "See ya soon." And she slipped out into the night.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Crossing the damp grass at a sprint, Sarah wished rain was still falling to help mask the squishy sounds of her approach. She reached the side of the building and leaned against it catching her breath before sliding toward the window.

  She took a couple of deep breaths trying to ease her rapid heart rate. The blood still galloped through her veins, pulse pounding. She looked back at the SUV. Everything seemed fine there.

  Holding her breath, she peeked around the window's frame. Nothing moved. No sound carried outside. Deftly she pulled the flashlight from her pocket and shined it around the interior. The basement stood empty. Sarah turned off the light and pocketed it again. Her shirt had been removed from the sill, but most of the glass was missing too. It would be easier getting inside than it had been getting out. She sat on the wet ground and shimmied to the window feet first. She grabbed the top pane, arched her back, and eased herself down onto the floor. She cringed as glass crunched beneath her sneakers.

  She ran to the stairs and hid under them, waiting to see if anyone had heard and would come to investigate. There was no sound until her sister's scream filled the air. She bolted from her hiding place and up the stairs, managing to stop herself before bursting through the door and losing the advantage of surprise.

  Dana's heartrending scream mocked the silence again and Sarah knew she had to act. She opened the door, peering out into the dark hallway. At least there was some ambient light from windows letting her see shadows. After a few seconds, she entered the hallway allowing the door to click softly closed behind her.

  Doorways filled the corridor. Some open. Some closed. She found some locked and walked past those. The others she stopped beside to listen briefly before moving on. The building had housed medical offices, but had closed recently. Although abandoned it was still in decent condition. Only a layer of dust, some debris, and a slight musty odor gave away its current disposition.

  "Bitch! You bit me!" one of the men roared from ahead. A slap echoed in the hallway.

  Sarah hurried to the door. A lump lodged in her throat when she saw the sick bastard on top of Dana. Her sister's hands were pulled above her head and cuffed to the leg of a sofa, the only furniture in the room. Her shirt had been ripped open and her lip bled down her chin.

  Sarah didn't even think. Didn't even know she had moved until she found herself beside the man. The machete's blade cut cleanly through his side and he fell to the dirty carpet, trying to cover the gushing wound with both hands. He gurgled, blood flowing from his mouth and then he was silent, his eyes glazed and staring.

  A new sound and Sarah jerked around to see the man she had escaped from earlier struggling to get off the couch with his broken leg. His arm came up and Sarah found herself face to face with the barrel of a gun. She flung herself to the side while sweeping the machete at his arm. He reared back, but only enough to spare his limb. The metal of the blade clanged against the firearm and it flew across the room. He fell back moaning against the cushion, sweat pouring down his face, his body racked with fever from the break.

  "Stay down." Sarah breathed slowly, trying not to hyperventilate.

  "Go to hell." The man spat in her direction.

  She jammed the edge of the blade against his throat and spoke softly, "Listen to me carefully. I've had a really bad day, today. So stay back and you might live."

  He held eye contact for a few seconds before dropping his gaze. Something he saw must have made him believe she had reached her threshold for crazy.

  Squatting next to the dead man, she turned out his pockets. Thinking about taking a life, no matter how wicked, caused her gag reflex to engage, but she slammed it down. There'd be time for personal accountability later. The handcuff key tumbled out amongst the coins from his jeans' pocket. She snatched it up and dropped beside her twin.

  Her fingers brushed the hair out of Dana's eyes and the tears from her cheeks. "Are you okay?"

  Dana gulped in air, staunching the flow of tears. "Yeah. Yeah, just get these off me." She jerked the cuffs.

  Sarah unlocked the handcuffs and rubbed her sister's wrists and hands before Dana threw her arms around her. "I knew you'd come back. I'm so glad you're okay." She shivered, chill bumps racing across her skin.

  Sarah pulled back and looked from Dana's open shirt to her own gore covered one. "Hey, you. Take your shirt off." Sarah motioned to the man on the couch.

  An evil grin lit up his face. "You want some of this don't you?"

  "Idiot! Just take off your shirt."

  "Bitch, you broke my leg. I ain't givin' you shit."

  "Have it your way." Sarah moved toward him, but in the end, she didn't even have to threaten him again. He pulled the shirt over his head and threw it at her, grunting at the pain in his leg when he shifted. She straightened it out and handed it to Dana.

  "I don't mean to be ungrateful, sis, but I really don't want to wear anything that's touched any of them." She tried to hand it back.

  "You're freezing, your shirt won't stay closed, and we have a long walk. It's either this or mine decorated with zombie brain. Your choice." Dana looked from the shirt in her hand to Sarah's.

  "Fine. Although, I'm not sure I'm not getting the short end here." She huffed, yanking it over her head covering the ripped shirt.

  While Dana dressed, Sarah unlocked her own cuff finally free of the metal chaffing her wrist. She checked the corridor again to make sure they were still alone.

  Sarah stood over the man again. "Where's your friend?"

  "You just killed him," he said, pointing to the prone figure on the floor.

  She picked up the gun she had relieved him of and checked it. "Not him . . . the other one. Ron." She handed the weapon to Dana. "It's loaded and ready to shoot. You just have to pull the trigger." Dana nodded and took the gun. Sarah turned back to the couch. "So? Where is he?"

  "He left to go get some food."

  "Both cars were here when I got back. He has to be here, so you'd better keep talking if you want to keep breathing." She waved the machete in his face.

  "I don't know. That's what he said. He was going to get food. If he's back, I don't know where he is." His eyes widened and she thought he might be telling the truth.

  She nodded. "I'm real sorry to have to do this, but . . ."

  Sarah raised the knife over his heart and plunged downward.

  "Sarah!" Dana grabbed her arm, halting the blade's decent. "What are you doing? You just can't kill him. He's got a broken leg and he's unarmed."

  Sarah pulled her sister to the other side of the room and whispered, "Dana. It's hell out there already. We have got to get out of here and get somewhere safe. You know psychos like this. What if he tries to come after us because we got away? Because I broke his leg and killed his friend?"

  "But . . ." She gulped.

  A thump made them both jump around. The man was no longer on the sofa, but crawling toward the door, groaning each time he had to m
ove his broken leg. His breathing was labored. He probably wouldn't make it with that leg. Not without medical intervention anyway.

  "It's a new world out there, Dana. New rules. Only those who are willing to do the hard things are going to survive."

  Tears formed in her eyes and she brushed them away. She had spent her whole adult life so far helping people. Trying to make the right choices. Now she had killed one man. Sure, he had been about to rape her sister, but he was still dead because of her. Could she kill someone unarmed and unable to defend himself?

  "Who am I kidding? I don't think I can kill him like he is."

  Sarah pulled her shoulders back and faced the man again. "Because of my sister, you're getting a reprieve. I'm not sure you'll make it with a break like that and no help, but if you do — do yourself a favor and stay away from us. If I see you again, I'll assume you're a threat and I will kill you."

  She grabbed Dana's hand and pulled her to the door. Easing her head around the doorframe, she found the corridor clear. To the left, a glass door led to the outside. Sarah ran ahead and tried the door. It opened. She held it for her sister and motioned her forward.

  They both took deep breaths when they emerged into the night air and moved to the side of the building. As Sarah passed the corner, a hand reached out and grabbed her, pulling her against a hard chest, a knife at her throat. He knocked the knife from her shaking hand and took the guns from her holsters.

  "Sarah!" Dana pulled the gun and held it out in front of her with both hands. Sarah knew she had not practiced shooting in years, so she was a little surprised when her sister fell into a proper stance without hesitation. An engine roared in the distance.

  "Drop the gun or I'll open up her pretty little throat." Dana hesitated and the man yelled, "Drop it now!" The sharp blade sliced upward, cutting a line across Sarah's right cheek. She could not hold back the scream that tore from her throat. The blood felt warm as it flowed down her face and neck. Even worse, she saw Dana relaxing her arm, about to drop the gun.

  "Dana! Don't . . . think about Brian. You know he'd want you to survive. You know exactly what Brian would want you to do."

  Her eyes met identical ones across the distance. They stared at each other, communicating without words. Dana straightened up, aimed the gun and pulled the trigger just as Sarah let her legs go limp and dropped as far as she could.

  Blood spattered across Sarah. Ron pulled her backward on top of him when he fell to the grass. But it was only a reflex. His eyes were closed and his arm slowly fell to the side. Dana tugged her up and used the bottom of her shirt to wipe the blood from her sister's face. Sarah winced at the contact.

  "Ouch! Careful there."

  Headlights lit them up as the Expedition barreled toward them. Dana spun around, lifting the gun in front of her where Sarah knocked it down just as quickly.

  "No! She's with me."

  Meredith opened her door, weakly pulling herself out on the running board to look over the top. "Are y'all okay?"

  Nodding, Sarah pushed Dana toward the passenger seat. "Yeah. Thanks for coming for us. Dana, this is Meredith. Meredith, Dana."

  While Dana got inside the Expedition, Sarah retrieved her weapons and walked vigilantly over to Ron's still form. A monster on the inside, she marveled at how normal he looked. How they all looked. She knew from years working within the courts that looks could definitely be deceiving. She had always thought those capable of such atrocities should at least have a warning mark of some kind tattooed across their forehead to give the rest of humanity a fighting chance. They definitely should not be attractive.

  The shot had torn a hole through his chest, but he still chugged in breath. She tried to force herself to end him once and for all, but regardless of what she had told her sister about doing the hard things, she just couldn't do it. She reasoned that he probably wouldn't survive such a severe wound anyway as she walked back to the other women.

  "Do you want to drive?" Back in her seat, Meredith clutched the door handle.

  "If you think you feel up to it, then I'll just ride back here." Sarah opened the back door and waited. She was exhausted and just wanted to rest a moment.

  Meredith looked her over and nodded. "I'll be fine. We don't have that far to go."

  Pulling herself into the back seat, she found the towel she had used earlier and held it to her cheek to stop the blood flow.

  Dana turned around to face her. "I don't think it's too deep, but we need to get it disinfected soon."

  "I have a first aid kit in my bag. We can take care of it when we get to the courthouse." Meredith eased the SUV onto the drive and toward Lancaster Avenue.

  Exhaustion flooded Sarah as the adrenaline she had been running on fled her body. With her sister safe and them hopefully on their way to a secure location, she let herself relax against the back seat. Her wet clothing clung to her skin, the heavy thickness of blood on her shirt reminding her of the day's horrors. It felt as if her body had turned to ice. Her teeth chattered and she shook uncontrollably. "H-h-heat." She could barely get the word out.

  Dana turned to face her, took in the situation and turned back to adjust the temperature and to make sure the back vents were on. "You're freezing. Here, put one of these blankets around you." She leaned over the console to the back to hand one to Sarah, but Sarah stopped her.

  "N-no. I'll be f-fine in a m-m-minute." She hugged herself. "We'll n-need those, and I'm all n-n-nasty with zombie guts."

  "We'll find more. Go ahead and use it." Dana tried once again to hand the blanket to Sarah.

  "No. I'm really better already. Just needed the h-heat. Th-thanks though."

  "Your sister's stubborn." Meredith chimed in; her total focus still on the road in front of her.

  Dana laughed. "Don't I know it? Thank goodness though. I wouldn't have made it without her today."

  Meredith nodded. "Me neither."

  The women sat not speaking. The only sounds came from outside, where the dead attacked the living. Car horns blared and screams filled the night. Try as they might, they couldn't help but stare at the horror surrounding them. People fled cars stalled in traffic, trying to get in others, or into nearby buildings. Some outdistancing the zombies. Some not. A woman's body hit the side of their truck. Blood and gore spattered against Dana's window and the Expedition rocked. Two of the dead had her held there while their teeth chewed their way into her flesh.

  "Oh God. We have to do something." Dana moved to open her door but found herself shoved back against the seat.

  Sarah held her there. "No . . . we can't. There's nothing we can do. It's too late."

  They watched helplessly as the woman slid to the ground and other zombies came to feed upon her.

  "Screw this." Meredith backed up the vehicle, getting just enough room to go up and over a trio of zombies on the ground next to the front tire and across the median to the other side where traffic was less dense. Dodging what she could, she made better progress.

  Meredith's reflection in the rearview mirror showed she was fading fast. "Mere, if you'll stop when you can, I'll drive the r—"

  A shrill scream eclipsed all the other noise. Sarah's head jerked around to her window.

  Dana gasped. "That sounded like a kid."

  All three searched the surrounding area. "There! Next to that building." Meredith pointed to her left.

  "Stop the car." Sarah moved to the other side of the vehicle, and grabbed the door handle.

  Dana looked over her shoulder. "I thought you said—"

  "I know what I said. Just stop the car, Mere! It's a kid for Christ's sake." Sarah opened the door before the Expedition came to a full stop and ran toward the girl.

  When she saw Sarah coming at her with the machete, she screamed again, but froze in terror.

  Sarah dropped the knife next to her as she knelt beside the child. She looked her over and figured her to be about four or five. Blood covered her pink shirt and pants, but she didn't see any injuries. "Are you o
kay? Where's your mom?" She had to repeat the question twice before the girl pointed. Sarah saw a man crouched over a woman, hugging her to him half a block away.

  "Is that your dad?"

  The girl nodded as she whispered, "She tried to bite me." Tears flowed down her face and she gulped for air. "She bit daddy and he . . ." The child sobbed unable to finish.

  Sarah rose, picked up her machete, and pulled the girl into her arms. The child's face nestled against her shoulder, her sobs quieter, but they still racked her small body. Sarah motioned for Meredith to follow as she moved cautiously toward the man and obviously dead woman. She kept the girl's face pressed against her chest, so she wouldn't see the bashed in face which used to belong to her mother.

  A flap of skin hung from what was left of the woman's mouth, her teeth and face covered in gore. A brick lay near her head stained with her blood and brain matter. The man clutched her to him, whispering over and over how sorry he was. He had a huge chunk of flesh missing from his arm and another from his chest. His head turned and his eyes met Sarah's.

  "Maggie? Oh, my God, Maggie. Are you okay?" He reached for her, noted how her head pressed against Sarah, and then looked down at his wife. He laid his wife down and tried to stand, but could not. He had lost too much blood. Instead, he scooted backwards a few feet and held out his hands.

  Sarah leaned down to place the girl in his arms just as a blast came beside her. She whipped around to find Dana standing there, gun in hand. A zombie staggered toward them, unaffected by the large bullet hole in his stomach.

  "Aim for the head!" Sarah turned a full circle. Others had heard the gunshot and were now on their way.

  She shook the man's shoulder. "We have to go now. More are coming." She tried to get him to stand, but he looked at her then back at his injuries.

  He held his daughter against him, covering her ears as best he could. "I'm not going to make it and I don't want to put her at risk. Please take care of her. Please." He stroked the child's back and begged Sarah with his eyes. Sarah stifled a sob and nodded. "That's Janine." His chin pointed at the woman he had left to hold his daughter one last time. And I'm Paul. Campisi. Please help her to remember us." Tears fell quietly down his face. Sarah nodded again and he brushed the tears aside.