Now It Begins

by Gary M. Chesla

  Behind the counter on the floor was the fourth of the zombie cheerleaders.

  One of her legs was broken and the creature was frantically trying to stand up to come after Dave.

  Dave swore this girl was lying motionless in front of the donut display after Adam had clubbed her with his shovel.

  Another question for the Myth Busters: Could zombies be knocked unconscious or was it that they were just so good at playing dead they only appeared to be unconscious?

  Dave didn’t have time to solve this mystery or even to waste any more time thinking about it.

  The zombie finally gave up trying to stand and began to crawl around the side of the counter, pulling its body along on the floor.

  Its eyes focused on Dave as it began to moan.

  “You obviously aren’t going to run me down like that,” Dave thought as he glanced around to find his shovel.

  Then he remembered his shovel was out on the sidewalk.

  He decided it would be too dangerous to try and kill the creature with a two liter bottle of Coke, the only sizable object he could see in the store.

  “We can deal with her next time,” Dave thought as he grabbed two plastic bags off the counter.

  Dave ran over to the shopping carts near the front door. He quickly filled one bag with Twinkies. He filled the other bag with soups, a loaf of stale bread, a package of beef jerky and a few more Twinkies.

  Dave took a quick look at the zombie that had now made it half way across the floor, said a few curse words, then ran out the door.

  Dave ran out to the top step. He first looked down Gulf Drive towards the south end of the island.

  The large group of creatures that he saw coming up Gulf Drive before going into the store, was now just starting to reach the sidewalk in front of the Circle K.

  Dave turned and started to run down the steps, ready to give Adam the signal to get the Land Rover moving. He looked in the parking lot where Adam was to be waiting with the car.

  Dave stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the Land Rover surrounded by zombies pounding against the sides and windows of the car.

  Dave could see between the staggering creatures surrounding the car that Adam was frantically looking towards the Circle K.

  Dave raised his free arm into the air and started waving to get Adam’s attention.

  He began to get nervous as the zombies coming off of Gulf Drive crept closer to the stairway.

  Dave began to feel more optimistic about his predicament when he heard the engine of the Land Rover rev up.

  “Come on Adam, move it,” Dave shouted.

  He doubted Adam could hear him over the groaning and the sound of the creatures pounding against the car, but hopefully Adam could at least see that the situation required him to get the car moving.

  Dave watched nervously, keeping an eye on the zombie’s progress as they staggered towards the store from Gulf Drive.

  The Land Rover lunged forward into the zombies crowded around the car. It moved about three feet before the tires started to spin, losing traction on the bloody broken bodies that it had just run over.

  Adam threw the car in reverse, hoping to back up to where he could find bare pavement again and get enough traction to push through the mob of creatures.

  Again the Land Rover was only able to back up about six feet before once again losing traction.

  Adam threw the car in drive and hit the gas once again.

  He could hear the tires spinning as the engine roared, blood and body parts began to fly out from under the fenders, pelting the sides of the car and all the creatures around it.

  The Land Rover began to slide sideways, being pushed by the creatures pressing in against the car.

  Adam pushed the gas pedal to the floor, he shifted from drive to reverse, but nothing he did made any difference.

  The car kept sliding sideways over the slimy pavement until the driver’s side of the car banged into the fence.

  The sound of the engine revving and the flying body parts now had the zombies in a wild frenzy.

  The sound of the pounding against the car intensified. The windows were now so covered in blood and decayed flesh, Adam could no longer see out of the car.

  The only thing he could see was the fence on the driver’s side, pressed up against his door.

  Adam didn’t know what the hell to do.

  He thought of just trying to sit quietly and hope they would all eventually go away.

  Maybe Dave would go back into the Circle K. They would both be trapped and scared as hell, but safe.

  It could be worse.

  That idea literally went out the window when the glass started to crack on the windshield and on both of the passenger’s side windows.

  When a boney gray arm thrust in through the rear window, Adam knew his only chance was to get out of the car and make a run for it before the zombies started to climb in through the windows.

  He hit the button for his window and waited until it opened.

  Then he quickly squeezed out the window and pulled himself over the top of the six foot high wooden privacy fence the owners of the cottage behind the Circle K had erected.

  Dave had been watching helplessly from the deck on the Circle K. He couldn’t think of anything he could do.

  Even if he could have retrieved his shovel from the corner of the parking lot, one against hundreds would be suicide.

  Dave didn’t want to go back into the store. After watching the creatures breaking through the Rang Rover’s windows, he knew the large plate glass windows of the store wouldn’t hold out for long.

  The creatures were now starting to crowd around the bottom of the steps.

  It was obvious that zombies had problems with steps as they stumbled and fell onto the steps and sidewalk.

  However they had no problem crawling over the fallen bodies of the others on the steps.

  The swarm slowly began to move up the steps like the waves flowing up over the sand on the beach.

  Dave took one last glance towards the Land Rover and saw Adam pull himself out of the car and over the top of the fence, disappearing down into the yard on the other side.

  Dave ran towards the end of the deck and jumped down the seven foot drop to the ground in the space between the Circle K and the Beach Bistro.

  He quickly scurried to his feet and ran between the buildings.

  When he came out from between the buildings, Dave cut left through the Bridge Walk Resort parking lot.

  He began to run across the parking lot, trying to get to First Street on the other end of the parking lot.

  Halfway across Dave met up with Adam.

  “I thought you would have gone back in the store,” Adam panted.

  “Not after I saw how they broke the windows in the Land Rover,” Dave answered. “I can’t believe they could do that.”

  “Tell me you were able to get some of the supplies out of the store,” Adam asked as they neared the end of the parking lot.

  “I got a few things,” Dave replied as they ran across First Street and into the Pelican Post parking lot.

  “Did you get the Twinkies?” Adam asked as he started up the steps to the cottage.

  “Oh yea,” Dave laughed.

  Dave and Adam ran into the cottage and closed the door.

  “I didn’t hear you pull into the parking lot.” Nicole said.

  “We didn’t,” Adam replied.

  “Where is the car?” Maggie asked.

  “With our shovels,” Dave replied.

  “At least you made it back,” Maggie said sounding concerned. “Are you OK?”

  “Barely,” Dave replied, “but we need to come up with some better ideas.”

  Chapter 14

  Dave sat on his chair and continued to look out the window.

  Another large mob of zombies staggered through the Pelican Post.

  Many more bodies staggered through the parking lot than were in the last group that had come through earlier.


  Dave could hear the sound of things being knocked over in the office below the cottage.

  What they didn’t smash, Dave was sure was covered in blood and bits of rotting flesh.

  Dave remembered joking with Adam earlier that Nicole was going to have her hands full cleaning up the motel if things ever got back to normal.

  But he doubted that they would want to try and clean up anything that wasn’t out right destroyed. The smell and the blood that Dave imagined now covered everything would make that job too disgusting.

  Besides, it was impossible to ever imagine things returning to normal on the island any time soon.

  “Where the hell are they all coming from,” Dave asked. “It’s getting worse around here, not better. Where are the soldiers? Why aren’t they cleaning up this mess?”

  “Like we talked before,” Adam replied. “They are either still getting across the channel or the people on the island have finally changed and are coming out to roam around with all the other zombies.”

  Dave sat in silence for a few minutes.

  “If something doesn’t change soon, I don’t know how we are going to survive,” Dave said. “We can’t even go three hundred feet from the motel without almost getting ourselves killed.”

  “I was scared to death when I was trapped in the Land Rover but I thought I was out of reach from those things,” Adam sighed, “Man was I wrong.”

  “I agree,” Dave added. “Maggie, your zombie movies have some things right, but they also got a whole lot wrong too. The movies show the zombies as being slow and easy to kill. They aren’t that easy to kill.”

  “They also didn’t look all that fragile when they were breaking into the Land Rover,” Adam added. “It would be different if we only had to deal with three or four at a time. We’re being outnumbered by a hundred to one.”

  “Do your books have any more ideas?” Dave asked, “Because I’m running out of ideas real fast. I’m starting to think we would be better off if we got off the island. The island is only about a quarter mile wide. We are running out of room. Maybe the mainland would give us more options. Maybe there would be more places for us to get away from these things. It couldn’t be any worse on the mainland.”

  “You might be right,” Maggie replied, “We can’t hide or go somewhere safe if there isn’t anywhere to go. But if the army can secure the island it would be the best place for us. Maybe we should give the army some more time?”

  “What are we going to do for food until then?” Dave asked. “Besides, I haven’t heard much shooting coming from up at the bridge the last two days. Maybe there aren’t many soldiers left.”

  “The Cortez Bridge is only three blocks away,” Nicole said, “Do you think we could go up to the bridge and see if the army is still there? Maybe they could tell us how long it would be before the island would be safe enough for us to move around. If it is only going to be a few more days, maybe if we just stayed here at the cottage instead of risking our lives running around, it would all be over in a few days.”

  “We could probably work our way up to the bridge by going down near the marina,” Adam added. “It might be safer to go that way and stay off of Gulf Drive.”

  “Dave, I think we should go talk with the army before doing anything rash,” Maggie said. “Besides, remember what happened to the boat you saw trying to cross the inter-costal waterway.”

  “I haven’t seen any patrol boats around the island since that night,” Dave replied. “Honestly, I almost think I would rather take my chances out on the water over what is wandering around out on the streets.”

  “Nicole and I don’t want to leave the Pelican Post if we don’t have to,” Adam replied. “I vote for trying to contact the army and see what we can learn.”

  “OK,” Dave said, “But when we go by the marina, I am going to look over the boats docked there. If I don’t like what the army has to say, I’m for taking my chances on the mainland. Maggie, what do you think?”

  “Joey and I aren’t going to stay if you leave,” Maggie replied.

  “I’d never leave without you,” Dave answered sounding hurt that Maggie would actually think he would go without her. “I’m just giving my opinion about what I think we should do.”

  “I know,” Maggie smiled and reached over and squeezed Dave’s hand. “I was just making a joke.”

  “Sorry. I guess I’m getting to the point where it’s hard to find any humor in this anymore,” Dave answered. “At first it was hard to take anything seriously. Now it’s starting to get scary.”

  “If after we talk to the army and you still want to leave,” Maggie smiled, “I’ll do whatever you think is best.”

  Dave studied Maggie’s face.

  “Are you sure?” Dave asked. “After all, you’re our zombie expert. Maybe you have a better idea?”

  “Some zombie expert,” Maggie smiled, “the only thing I’ve had right is that zombies can’t climb.”

  “That’s not quite right,” Dave smiled. “Today I saw the zombies trying to get up the steps at the Circle K. They couldn’t climb up the steps but they were still able to get up the steps.”

  “How?” Maggie asked looking worried.

  “They crawled up over the other zombies that fell on the steps,” Dave replied. “It was taking them a lot longer but given enough time and enough zombies, they would have made it to the top of the steps.”

  “Do you think they can get up to the cottage?” Nicole asked.

  “I think we are OK up here. This stairway is long and narrow,” Dave smiled, “Besides if there are enough zombies to get up these steps, we’re already screwed any way you look at it.”

  “Maggie, in your zombie books, did anyone ever live to the end of the book?” Nicole asked nervously.

  “A few,” Maggie replied.

  “How did they make it?” Adam asked.

  “Usually by going up into the mountains where there wasn’t as many zombies,” Maggie responded.

  “We’re screwed there,” Adam smiled, ‘Florida doesn’t have any mountains. In fact the biggest hill in Florida is First Street. We climbed it today when we went back to the Circle K. If you park your car on First Street and forget to put on your parking brake, it will actually roll backwards a few feet.”

  “Oh!” Maggie said.

  “Think about it tonight,” Dave said. “Maybe something else will come to mind by morning. We can talk more after we find out about what the army is doing, but I’m leaning towards taking our chances on the mainland.”

  Maggie heated up two cans of chicken noodle soup that was in the bag Dave brought back from the Circle K.

  Joey and Everly ate most of the soup. The adults ate Twinkies and beef jerky.

  After eating the meager meal, they all looked at the remaining box of Twinkies and the one can of beans.

  They all realized that having enough food was soon going to become a serious problem.

  Maybe Dave has the right idea,” Maggie thought. “If things on the island don’t get better soon, we’re not going to make it. Maybe we would stand a better chance over on the mainland.”

  She was feeling a whole lot different now than she did when reading her books. She could always close her books and take a break when things became too intense.

  There was no getting away from how she felt now.

  When the zombies killed the living in her books, she always could just brush it off, knowing it was only fiction.

  But there was no brushing off what surrounded them now.

  This wasn’t fiction, this was real.

  Chapter 15

  Dave got up and walked out to the window where Adam was keeping watch.

  Adam had relieved Dave sometime in the middle of the night.

  When Adam relieved him, the zombies were still going through the area. Dave couldn’t see the creatures, it had been completely dark outside, but he could hear them.

  For some reason the creatures spent a lot of time exploring the office b
elow the cottage. Dave could only imagine the condition the office was in now.

  At least none of the creatures had any interest in trying to climb the steps to the cottage.

  Myth Busters could probably skip trying to prove whether zombies could see in the dark. With all the noise around the Pelican Post last night, Dave was pretty sure trying to determine if the things had night vision wasn’t necessary.

  But on the other hand, all the noise coming from below in the office and around the motel from the zombies walking into things, maybe an episode looking into their ability to see at night would be worthwhile.

  Then again the awkward creatures seemed to run into everything around them in the daylight too.

  Dave looked at the light coming into the cottage from around the edges of the curtains.

  “What’s it like out there this morning?” Dave asked.

  “Most of the zombies seem to have moved on,” Adam answered, stifling a yawn.

  “I wonder where they went?” Dave asked.

  “If you’re up to it, we can follow the next group that comes through,” Adam grinned.

  “That sounds like fun,” Dave chuckled. “Considering how small the island is, at least it shouldn’t take us very long.”

  “Glad to see your sense of humor is back,” Adam said, “You were starting to worry me last night. It appears you needed a good night’s sleep.”

  “I don’t know how much sleep I got with those things out there all night,” Dave replied, “but it helped a little.”

  “Are you still good with the idea of us going up to contact the soldiers?” Adam asked.

  “Yes, I think that is a good idea,” Dave replied. “It’s our only way to find out what our chances are on this island.”

  “Nicole and I talked things over last night,” Adam said, “we think we want to give the army more time.”