E52

by Shawna Stewart Lowther

  Confusion overwhelms me.

  “There is something over there!” I hear someone scream.”

  I crouch down behind a small barrel and peek through a crack.

  Two men carrying guns walk by.

  “They said she is nine months pregnant,” One man conveys to the other.” She won’t be able to get to far.”

  “I think they should just release the others and let them find her,” The other states. “She killed some of us and wounded another, let the “Creetions” take care of her.”

  They laugh as they continue walking.

  Knowing that David had killed the other men I feel confident that my husband is not one of the dead and that we will soon be reunited.

  I smile, and try to rest a moment.

  My relaxation does not last long as soon after the men are out of site the street becomes overcome with army vehicles and men walking with guns aimed and ready to shoot. I know am I not safe here, but with the army of men around me I realize that my only option is to sit here and pray that I am not seen.

  “Don’t move,” I think to myself.

  Two by two groups of men walk beside the vehicles, all shining lights onto various parts of the few darkened areas around me; my area remains darkened.

  Hours pass by and slowly it appears as if the search is ending. There are fewer vehicles now and I have not seen someone walk by in quite a while.

  “Just a bit longer,” I think to myself. “I am sure they are going to give up soon.”

  My legs become cramped and my stomach begin to hurt. I have been putting to much pressure on both trying to stay in a crouched position.

  My leg slips, hitting the side of the barrel. The sound of my legs hitting the barrel echoes around my immediate area. If someone is near they have heard me. I take in a deep breath and hold it in.

  “Did you hear that?” I hear someone ask from somewhere in the distance..

  “Yes it came from over here.” A man answers.

  I peek through the crack and see two men walking alone down the street.

  The two men stop and slowly walk back to the area of where I am hiding.

  “I will look over here, you look over there.” They discuss.

  Prepared to be caught, I lower my head and wait for the man to discover me. My heart beats erratically.

  “Do you see anything?” one of the men ask from across the way.

  “Not yet ,” the man answers.

  I can tell by the sound of the voice that the man is standing above me. I glance up and see that it is someone I have seen before. His eyes are kind and his expression is that of concern. It is Bill.

  He has his fingers pressed against his lips, indicating to me that I should remain silent.

  I sit as still as I can, all the while staring in to his eyes.

  “Go to the A035 building and hide in there,” He whispers, pointing to the right. “I will come for you later and help you get to your husband.”

  I am confused. I know he was kind to me before and had once told me that he wanted to help me. But how did he know about my husband coming to save me?

  I tilt my head and look at him, indicating my confusion.

  “I know who you are and what your husband David had planned,” He explains. “Wait for about another hour, they will stop the search. Look for the numbers on the building and meet me at A035. Find the kitchen and look for the food pantry. No one will be in there until tomorrow so hide in there. I will make sure you make it safely to your husband.”

  He kicks the barrel next to me, turns and walks away.

  “Yeah it was just a mouse,” He laughs, meeting up with the other man in the middle of the street.

  “Man I hate those things,” The other man chuckles. “I am always afraid that they will somehow become infected by the “dead heads” and become zombie mice.”

  “I doubt that,” Bill laughs; as they continue down the road.

  I take in a deep breath, relaxing my frantic breathing.

  “Should I trust him?” I ask myself.

  My mind is screaming not to trust anyone and to stay away from the area he has suggested. Whereas my heart is telling me that Bill wants to help me.

  After arguing with myself for a while I decide that if he was going to turn me in he would have done it then; there is no reason to wait.

  Time goes by slow so I find it difficult to figure out how long I have been sitting here. I know Bill had said wait about an hour, but just how long has it been?

  After waiting a bit longer I feel that it is safe to leave. I have not seen anyone in quiet a while, so it appears that Bill had spoke the truth and they have given up their search for now.

  “How far is A035?” I question in my mind.

  Most the areas around me are bright and will not offer me any kind of safe passage. I decide to take my time and slowly make my way through the shadows.

  “Here we go,” I state in a whisper, rubbing my stomach.

  The entire time I am standing I glance in every direction. If someone is coming I want to see them before they see me.

  Slowly I walk to the edge of the building and glance around. I am in the light now so I must keep this quick and rush to the next shaded area. I do not see anyone so sprint to the next dark passageway.

  Glancing at the two building I am hiding between I notice that there are five foot letter on the sides. One is A012 the other A014. If this is the case and all the buildings are number in such sequence I am a long way from my destination.

  I sigh.

  “There is no way I am going to make it,” I say aloud. “Someone is going to see me. I just know it.”

  My doubts consume me like a plague. I shake my head and begin to cry, but stop. I have to be strong. I can do this. I have to do this for my son, husband and unborn child. The strength and confidence to get through this is all I need.

  I wipe the tears from my face. Instantly my eyes become irritated. Trying to relieve the irritation I wipe them again; the burning sensation intensifies. Something is on my hands that is causing my eyes to sere. I grab a piece of my gown and bring it up to my eyes. I must wipe off the foreign substance that is causing me such agony. As a light reflects onto the material I sharply intake my breath. My gown is drenched with blood.

  “Why did I not see this before?” I question in my head.

  In a panic I lift my gown and look down at my legs. I need to know if something has happened and I am losing the baby. My legs too have blood on them but the blood is dry and crusted. I look at my hands. They are the same.

  “Where is the blood coming from?” I ask studying my entire body .

  The only indication of a wound is the bandage on my arm and although it does have blood on the gauze there is not enough to indicate that it came from there. I touch the area; it does not hurt.

  Every since I have been at this godforsaken compound my mind has been jumbled and I always have had problems remembering past events. Concentrating on only that memory I think back to when my husband freed me.

  The memory of seeing him for the first time and touching his face reminds me that at that time I had blood on my hands. I think further into the memory and remember the men on the floor. Three of then looked barely harmed but there were two that appeared to had been torn up by a wild animal. Was I that wild animal?

  I can remember the man's face as if he is standing in front of me now. His face had been chewed leaving his identity only known by the badge he was wearing.

  “All I remember is David and him shooting them!” I scream in my head. “But, I must have hurt him somehow.”

  With the amount of blood that is on me, there is no other explanation. I had to be the one that so viciously mangled him.

  David had told me much information, most of which I am having a hard time remembering, except, that I scratched some of the men, which infected them. The infection killed the men but then they came back as the “Undead”; and that he has to save our unborn child from the same fat
e.

  “If I scratched someone and infected them like David said, what does that make me?” I ask myself.

  I pinch myself. I can feel the pain. I pluck a hair from my head. I can feel it.

  “Undead,“ I think to myself. “I have heard that expression on television when they refer to zombies. They don’t really exists and if they did and I was one of them I would be dead and I am not dead.”

  “Hmm,” I think in my head. “David did mention the word “Creetion”. Is a “Creetion” like a zombie?”

  Frantically I shake my head trying to snap out of the trance I am in, but my mind refuses me serenity. More than ever I have a horrible feeling that me and my unborn child are in grave danger of possibly no longer being human. I need answers and more than anything I need the medicine that David is bringing me.

  My mind feeding on the thought of being such a creature, I peek around the next corner and run until I have ran half way down the street. I stop and take safety in the darkness.

  I look up. I am at A025.

  “Where is everyone?” I wonder to myself, baffled.

  The awkward silence is a bit disturbing but I am grateful for it.

  I take in a few appeasing breaths and then walk to the edge of the next building. I quickly lean back as I spot a truck with a bright light in the distance. I am in the light I need to find somewhere dark. I glance around. The passageway I am in now is well lit, offering me no safe haven. I have no place to hide!

  “Run!” My mind screams.

  It will be but a matter of minutes before I am seen. I peek around the corner again. They have stopped and are shining the light down the passageway between the two buildings to the left to me.

  “Do it now!” My mind insists.

  Not thinking clearly, I dash across the street to where I see a large trash container. The area is not dark but if I can crawl into the trash bin I will be hidden.

  Without thinking twice of what could possible is in the trash bin I open the lid and climb up. The trash bin is plagued with an aroma of death, but I must remain inside. I plug my nose, pull the lid shut and hunker down. Praying that I had not been seen I bury my head in my arms and wait.

  I have never been a very religious person but at the moment a prayer is what I need. I clasp my hands together and in silence ask God to watch over my son and I and ask that he may help me through this time of trouble.

  “Amen,” I whisper.

  The silence is broken only by the sounds of my own pounding heart.

  My ears and heart beat in synchronization making it difficult to hear the truck creeping down the street. Slowly I breathe in and out in hopes that I can slow my quickened heartbeat but all I manage to do is sicken my stomach from the pungent smell.

  My stomach gurgles and vomit rises to my throat. I want to vomit but I know any noise will cause the men to stop and investigate. My throat burns as the acid from my stomach rises. I swallow in hopes that the saliva will give me some relief. My efforts are useless. Cuffing my hands I place them to my mouth and allow the contents of my stomach to spew out. The disgusting mixture of food and bile seep through my fingers and drench my gown. The smell is horrific causing my stomach to sicken more.

  Violently my stomach contents continue to escape. I plug my nose and press my other hand against my mouth. I must silence the sounds and the only way to do that is to get my vomiting under control. I swallow the last chunks of vomit that rise from my stomach, refusing to let my body expel any more food out. My stomach continues to contract but with persistence I am able to seize the vomiting.

  “You need to keep your cool,” I think to myself, wiping my mouth.

  The tires from the truck make a loud crackling sound as the truck travels over the gravel road. The search party is merely feet away from me. Light shines through the cracks of the trash bin, illuminating a small hole. Quietly I make my way over to the hole and peek out. It is as I feared, they are near and they have stopped merely a few feet from where I am hiding. Frightened that the very breath that I take will further give away my position, I inhale and exhale shallow breaths silencing my breathing.

  “You can do this,” I think to myself leaning away from the hole. “They will go away."

  Footsteps are becoming more apparent now as the men come closer to the container. By listening to their voices I am able to decipher that there are at least two of them and they are standing next to my place of safety. One is asking the other if they heard what sounded like someone coughing.

  “Like I told you over there,” The man answers. “I think you are hearing things.”

  “No way,” The other man argues. “It sounded like it came from this container.”

  He kicks the side of the trash bin.

  “If you honestly think you heard something then lift up the lid and find out if anyone is in there,” He chuckles.

  “Oh hell no,” The man answers. “That is where they have been throwing away the leftover body parts. It smells bad enough standing here could you imagine the smell if you lift the lid?”

  My heart skips a beat as the feeling of fever consumes my body and then is overtaken by chills. Sweat gathers on my forehead. My fear is at an all time high, I am seconds away from a panic attack.

  “It can’t be true,” My mind insists. “I am not sitting in a pile of decaying body parts.”

  The men continue speaking of the dismembered bodies and how they had been used to feed the “The Creetions” that they have already created. They argue among one another. One insisting that the Government will be successful in making an army of indestructible means to rid the world of the undesirables, the other insisting that their plan will fail and that in the end we will all be like the “undead” and the destruction of the human species will come.

  I can not believe what I am hearing. According to these men, they are creating an army of the dead to kill and plague other countries.

  “Well I am not going to look in there, so unless you are then there is no reason for us to stay here,” One states. “So let's keep looking.”

  The sound of their footsteps fading into the distance is welcoming to my ears.

  As soon as I hear the truck drive away I relax. My senses are nowhere close to being use to the smell but I feel safe in here. I lean against the back of the trash can and let me arms relax against my side. Instantly my fingers come in contact with something that feels like a hand. I slowly move my fingers around feeling the object. It does not take long to figure out that what I am touching is in fact a hand.

  In one single movement I leap up, slamming my head against the trash bin door. Pain shoots through my head. I fall back to a sitting position as bright starry lights overcome my vision.

  I am now panicked more than ever. Has the men that who were here moments before heard the ruckus?

  “Over hear!” Someone shouts.

  I had been wrong, the men had not left!

  “Hide!” My mind screams.

  Digging my way to the bottom of the trash can I silently cover myself with body parts until I feel that not a part of my body will be seen. I cover my head as best as I can, ensuring that I can still breathe The door opens.

  “I heard it come from in here,” The man states. “It sounded like someone banged on the lid.”

  “Oh my god that smells,” One conveys. “There is no way someone could be in there.”

  The man gags.

  “I swear Tom, it sounded like this,” the man continues, hitting the top of the door with his fist.”

  “Dude, if you really think a pregnant woman is hiding in there then get your ass in there and look” Tom snarls. “If not I am closing this door and getting the hell away from this smell.”

  The entire time that the two men are arguing I become agitated wishing that they would leave. Lying here I can feel what appears to be an arm across my face and what feels like a torso on my legs, I am sickened at the thought and want out of here.

  “Well are you going in or not?” Tom
asks.

  Suddenly I feel pressure on one of my feet as the man jumps in. He is standing at the far end of the trash bin and is slowly walking around. The body parts shift and most of my face is uncovered. I slowly open my eyes.

  “What the hell?’ The man screams leaping back.

  “What?” Tom asks peeking in the trash bin.

  “Look,” The man states, pointing towards me.

  It is obvious that the man has seen me open my eyes. I can not blink, the two men are staring straight at me.

  “Okay,” Tom states, “I see a head. There is a lot of them in here, look around.”

  The other man leans closer to my face.

  “I could have sworn that I saw this one open her eyes.”

  Tom leans in.

  “Dude, I think you have been working to much and are getting delirious. She looks no different than the others in here.” Tom insists. “Watch.”

  Tom walks over to the other side of the bin and leans over the metal.

  “I bet I can slap her and she won’t move,” Tom states.

  My eyes are burning but I know I must not blink and no matter what they do to me I can not move. I mentally prepare myself.

  “See,” Tom states, slapping me numerous times on the face. “She is dead.”

  As much as it hurts, I never move, never blink.

  “Fine, I guess you're right,” The man agrees.

  “Now can we get out of here, John?” Tom asks. “This is a bit disgusting, besides I don’t know why everyone is worried about finding her anyway. More than likely her and the baby are dead by now. That little monster she is carrying probably ripped through her and killed her and without the last injection the baby probably died shortly after.”

  “What?” I cry to myself. “This baby could rip through me? And without the last injection he will die anyway?”

  John leaps out of the trash bin. “I agree with you.” John states.

  The two men chuckle aloud.

  “I think you need to head straight for the showers,” Tom teases John. “You smell like shit.”

  The conversation of the two men continues to plagues my thoughts. It is impossible to concentrate on anything else but the possibility that my baby could rip through me and kill me. I truly am housing a monster inside me! I need to find my husband before the baby does me harm!