by A. R. Wise
"Our buddy that ran into you in the bay, Trev, called and told us you might be headed this way," said the little one. "Said you had a nice big boat that we could take to go meet up with them. Whatcha got there?" He pointed the gun at the bag in my hand and started to walk toward me.
I dropped my arms and put the bag behind my back. "Medicine."
"Give it to me," he said as he pointed the pistol with his right hand and held out his left.
"No."
"You hear that, Ron?" asked the little one of his partner. "She said no."
"I don't know why you're here, or what you want, but my daughter needs this. I need to get this to her. She needs this." My mind drifted in and out of our conversation as if I'd spent the day downing tequila shots. I felt like I was moving back and forth as I stood rigid behind the counter.
"I'll beat the living fuck out of you, bitch," said the little guy. "Give me the fucking bag."
"I'm a zombie," I said with drugged glee. "I'll bite ya."
"I'll just shoot your ass and take the bag."
"Blood mist vapor and stuff gets in your face and…" I tried to repeat my late husband's witty remark from the day before, but my mind had given in to either the Oxycontin or the infection. I shrugged and said the first insult that came to mind, "Suck a dick."
Ron came around the counter and shouted something at me as he advanced, but I didn't understand any of it. The butt of his gun slammed against my head and I tumbled to the ground. The strike brought the world back into focus a little and I tried to fight with him as he ripped the bag of antibiotic powder out of my hand. I couldn't stop him. I couldn't do anything but lay back and cry. I begged them to leave me alone. I begged them to give the medicine to Annie.
Ron looked at the bag and a scowl deepened the lines on his face. "How'd you know about this?"
"What?"
He bent down and slapped me across the face as he shook the bag at me. "Doripenem. Who told you about this?"
"It works then?" I asked. It was a relief to hear that it might save Annie, but I still didn't know how I would get it to her.
"Yeah, it works." He shoved the bag into his pocket and then pulled out a small glass vial of liquid that he shook at me. "We've got plenty. All mixed up, ready to go. Just sitting here, ready to save your life." He laughed and put the bottle back in his pocket. "Shame you had to be such a twat."
"Why aren't you helping people?" I asked. "If you know there's a cure, why aren't you helping people? You're cops. You're supposed to be the good guys."
Ron laughed at me. "We're not cops, you dumbass."
"Who are you then?"
"None of your fucking business. Dave, find the rest of this." He shook the bag of Doripenem. "Can't hurt to have more. I'll head down to the dock to find their boat. I bet her kids are there."
"Please help Annie. You can take the boat. I don't care. Just help my baby, please give her some of the medicine."
Ron looked as if he considered my request and then laughed. "Nah, I don't think so. Maybe I'll tie your kids together so that when the infected one turns she'll eat the other one. How's that sound?"
"Want me to finish this bitch off?" Dave pointed the gun at me.
"Not with a bullet, dumbass," said Ron. "You already told every zombie within a mile we're here with the first shot. Shoot again and you'll send them into a frenzy after you. Just leave her here. She's good as dead anyway. Look at her. She's a fucking mess. I'm going to head to the dock to see if Chuck made it down already."
"All right," said Dave. "I'll see ya in a few."
"Grab some condoms," said Ron as he peered out the door of the pharmacy to see if the street was clear. "Trev said the chick they got from that boat is pretty hot. She'll be a nice treat when we get to the island."
"Nice," said Dave as Ron left. He started to search through the shelves for the rest of the antibiotic.
"You don't deserve that name," I said.
"What the fuck are you saying over there?" He continued to search through the aisles.
"David. That was my husband's name. He was ten times the man you are."
"You'd do best to shut up, honey," said David.
I spoke louder to muffle the sound of the wrapper coming off the needle in my right hand. "He was strong, and handsome, and so smart. You're just a stupid little piece of shit. You're the kind of guy my husband would've crushed between his fingers. You're so fucking stupid." The painkillers garbled my speech and muddled my thoughts, but I spoke as loud as my lungs would allow.
"Yeah, sure thing." He tried to be dismissive, but I could tell he was annoyed as he tossed bags of powder and bottles around in search of the antibiotic. "If I'm so dumb then how come I just helped put together the biggest terrorist attack the world's ever seen? Huh? You stupid bitch. Shut your fucking mouth."
I yelled over him as I stuck the needle into my right thigh and drew back the plunger. "You're just one of those little, weak, stupid fucks that get picked on all their lives by men like my husband. Men that matter. Men that can make their women happy. Men that don't make their mothers cry in fucking shame. You pathetic, puny, piece of shit." I screamed loud enough to attract the attention of every zombie in the area.
"I tried to be nice," said David as he stomped through the bags and bottles to confront me. "But you had to go be a fucking cunt." He holstered his pistol and cracked his knuckles in anticipation of the beating he would give me. "I won't lie, I'm gonna enjoy every second of this."
"I bet you will."
He struck me across my left cheek and my head bounced off the side of the counter to my right. Stars lit my vision and I wanted to make my move, but he wasn't close enough yet. He still stood over me and the gun was out of reach. I needed to get him closer.
"Did your pussy just fart on me or is that what you call a punch?"
"You've got a fucking mouth on you, don't you? All right, fine. You want some more?"
"Yep." I spit a tooth at him.
He grabbed my shirt with his left hand and got down on his knees. He pulled me away from the wall and drew his right hand back to hit me with as much force as he could manage.
"Take your best shot!" I said and jammed the needle into his left thigh. He squealed in shock and I grabbed his gun with my other hand. He jumped away in panic and the gun slipped out of his holster. When he realized what happened he tried to grab the pistol, but I pulled the trigger too fast.
The bullet tore through his right hand and left his middle finger dangling by a flap of skin as a stream of his blood painted my face and the wall behind me. He grabbed his hand and fell against the shelf, which then tumbled backward. Bottles clattered to the floor and he rolled around on them in agony.
"You fucking bitch!" he screamed again and again. "You crazy bitch." The needle bobbled from his waist.
I stood up and callously pointed the gun at his knee. He was moving too much to get a clean shot. "Hold still!"
Miraculously, he did as told. I shot out his left knee.
"Stop it," he wailed. "What the fuck's wrong with you?"
"Hold still." It was worth another shot.
He crawled away from me and I grabbed onto his right foot. I pulled him back and he tried to kick at me, so I shot the back of his leg. I wanted to take out his other knee, but the little guy just wouldn't stop moving. I wasn't sure the wound would immobilize him, so I shot him again.
"Stop," he said. "Please stop. Don't kill me. Don't kill me, please."
"I don't want to kill you. I just don't want you to get away."
"What? Why?"
"I'm going to go kill your friend. Then I'll be back, and we'll talk about you being a part of this terrorism shit. Do you think I should shoot you again? Or are you going to stay put like a good little boy?"
"Go fuck yourself."
"Another shot then?" I aimed the gun at his bloody leg.
"No. No, stop. I'll stay here."
The bell above the front door chimed. We had company.
The zombie sniffed the air as it came through the door. It was a tall, lanky man in a business suit with a receding hairline and beady eyes that darted around until he saw us. It roared and rushed forward.
I aimed and tried to shoot the creature in the head, but the bullet missed and blew through the window instead. I shot again, but missed, and then it leapt over the counter and on top of me. Its left arm caught my shirt and he pulled me down with him into the mess of blood and bottles at my feet. The creature landed beside Dave and reached out to grab him with its right arm while keeping a grip on me with its left.
"Shoot it," said Dave as he tried to crawl away.
I placed the barrel of the gun against the zombie's head and pulled the trigger. Rancid brain matter splattered across David's face and the creature fell silent. I took several deep breaths as my heart thundered in my chest.
There was a clamor of feet outside, not far from us. It sounded like a crowd of people running our way.
"They're coming for us," said David.
I pulled a painkiller out of my pocket and chewed it as I pushed myself off the floor. I couldn't afford to let any of the pain that should've incapacitated me take hold. My arms wobbled beneath me, they were sapped of strength, but I had to push on. I had to win this.
"Stay down," said David as the sound of the approaching horde got louder. "You can't outrun them. Let's just hope they pass." He gave his whisper as much intensity as possible. "You can't beat them."
There was a car parked on the street outside of the pharmacy that I could see through the shop window. It was a Toyota Corolla, similar to the one I had at home, and a plan took shape in my drug-ravaged head. I grabbed a pen off the counter and put it in my pocket along with the rest of the needles I'd stolen. Then I staggered through the store to the front door. My left foot dragged behind me and the swelling over the left side of my face from David's punch started to force my eye shut. Every one of my senses was stunted by the overdose of painkillers and the extreme loss of blood. The possibility of saving my children was miserable at best, but I was far too deep into this misery to care about odds.
"You're going to get yourself killed," said David.
"Yep."
The door chime rang over my head as I walked out onto the sidewalk. The horde of zombies had massed up the hill and turned their attention to me as I staggered out of the building, but they ignored me. I was indistinguishable from a zombie to them as I limped to the car.
I thought about walking back down to the dock, but no amount of determination could help me live long enough to make it. If I didn't lose consciousness from blood loss, the painkillers would certainly claim me soon.
"Please God, let the door be unlocked." I tried the handle of the passenger side. It was locked. I looked through the window and saw that the driver's side was locked as well.
A few members of the horde stared at me with renewed interest. They were less than ten yards away, and I knew they would be upon me in seconds as soon as they realized I wasn't already dead. I pressed the left side of my body against the car and put my hand on the glass. Then I raised the gun and set the tip against the window beside my left hand.
"I'm coming, girls."
I shot the window and the glass burst into a flower of cracks. It didn't shatter, but instead just left a hole surrounded by splintering shards. I forced my left arm through the hole and searched for the lock below.
The horde bellowed and headed my way. Their cries echoed through the dead city as I desperately tried to get the door open. When I found the lock I screamed out in relief, but the first mob was already at my back.
I flailed at them and took a few wild shots as I opened the door and leapt inside. One of them grabbed my foot. I spun around and took a shot that found its mark just above the creature's nose. Its head jerked back and he fell lifeless to the pavement as I pulled the door shut. The horde swarmed over the Toyota and pounded on the window. They crashed against the rear window as they crawled over the car.
I pulled out the pen I'd taken from the pharmacy and my hands shook as I took the cap off and searched for the shift release. This was a newer model of Corolla than mine, but I was relieved to find the same release key beside the shifter. I learned this trick from a tow truck driver that helped us out of a parking lot after I lost my keys a few years back. I jammed the pen into the small slit on the plastic cap and pulled it free. Then I used the pen to move the tiny lever beneath to release the shifter so I could put the car into neutral.
The Toyota lurched forward as the creatures pounded against the back. I dragged myself into the driver's seat as the car started to roll downhill and I put my left foot on the break as I did my best to steer. The zombies chased me for as long as they could, but soon the horde faded in my rearview. I started to laugh hysterically as I pulled off my escape.
I raced down hill and back into the salvage yard. I hit the brakes slowly to keep from skidding the tires and approached the dead end as quiet as I could. I didn't want Ron to hear me coming.
I parked the car and slid out of the seat. I didn’t close the door and used the side of the car for support as I timidly walked around it. The door to the dock house was open and there were splintered pieces of wood on the ground around it. It looked like Ron had shot or kicked his way in.
"Get down from there," said Ron as I staggered through the door. He faced away from me and looked into the rafters at Kim, who sat above, just out of reach. She kicked at his hands as he reached for her. Then she saw me.
I pressed my finger to my lips to keep her quiet. I raised the pistol and aimed for the back of the fake cop's head.
"I'll shoot you if I have to," said Ron as he raised his shotgun.
I pulled the trigger.
It clicked uselessly.
Horror gripped me as I tried again with the same result. The gun was out of bullets.
"What the fuck?" asked Ron as he turned. "Holy mother of God." He staggered back at the sight of me. "Where's Dave?"
"Probably dead by now."
"I've gotta hand it to ya," he said and shook his head in admiration. "You're one tough bitch."
"Put down the gun and come find out just how tough I am."
He started to laugh. "Honey, you're a stubbed toe away from falling down dead. Do you have any idea what you look like? I can't believe you're still standing."
"Then come and try to knock me down."
He thought about it and then raised his shotgun. "Nah, I think I'll just shoot you and get it over with. Then I'll tie your kids up and let them eat each other like I promised. How's that sound?"
My taunts failed and he raised the shotgun until I could see straight down the double barrels. I was too far away to grab the gun before he could shoot, but my daughter was about to save me.
Kim screamed out as she jumped down from the rafter and collided with Ron's head. He reeled back and took a shot, but the blast missed me and struck the ceiling. Kim fell to the floor with a loud thud and I lunged forward to grab Ron's arm. My assault knocked him off balance and he stepped onto Kim's back. She cried out in agony as the big man tripped over her braced back and fell to the ground. I fell with him as I kept a tight grip on his arm.
"Get the fuck off me." He kicked and punched me. I bit into his arm and clawed at his face as we rolled around on the ground. I tried to dig my thumbs into his eyes. During this, Kim scurried away to the workbench where she frantically searched for a weapon.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Jesus Christ." He continued to punch me and pull away, but I was relentless. He would've been the second person I ate to death today if he didn't fight back so hard.
We rolled over again and his back was on the floor as he tried to push me away. Then a fishing knife slid over his throat. He froze and looked up at my daughter as she pressed the razor sharp blade against his skin.
"Drop the gun," she said as the blade started to cut into him.
"Okay, fine." His gun hit the floor. I grabbed it and pressed the barrel against his crotch to help leverage me as I stood up. He groaned in pain as I crushed his balls, but he stayed put beneath Kim's knife.
I stood over him and cocked the shotgun. "Looks like you fucked with the wrong girls, Ronnie-boy."
"Fine, fine," he said. "Let's just be calm here. Think about this. I can help you save yourself. I've got the cure. Remember?"
"Give it to me," I said. "Give me the vial."
"Let me live. Let me leave and I'll give it to you."
Kim came to stand beside me and I laughed at him as he squirmed below us. "We're not bargaining, Ron. Give me the vial or I'll blow your nuts off."
He pulled the vial out of his pocket and tossed it at us. It rolled around the floor behind me, but I stood steady with the gun aimed at him as Kim scurried to collect the medicine.
He motioned at the vial as if hoping I would turn away to run after it, but I kept the gun aimed at him. "There," he said. "You got what you wanted. Now just let me walk out of here and we'll call it a day. You win."
"You don't actually think you're going to live through this, do you?" I asked.
He started to stammer. "Come on, Laura, be serious. You're not going to kill me. You're no killer. That's not what you want."
"I'm jacked up on pain killers, I chewed the head off a zombie, and I just started my period. Seems like the perfect time to kill a mother fucker."
He squirmed away and leaned against the wall. There was no escape. I'd watched him threaten to kill my children, and my intent burned through my one good eye. There was nothing left of the humble, kind, timid woman that I'd been that morning. I'd become something else entirely. I hadn't turned into a zombie, but I was a monster none-the-less.
"You wouldn't kill me. Not with your daughter watching." He started to stand up and clenched his hands into fists.