Before The Cure (Book 1): Before The Cure

by Gould, Deirdre

  “Only the five of us, man. I’m sure whatever they have down there will be enough until we leave. Not staying long, remember?”

  Cody clicked his tongue. “No, not toilet paper. Floor cleaner. Lot of blood today in the hallway. Lot of blood. Mop’s not going to get all that. Got to use the machine. Buff it out.”

  The statement sent a chill through Neil. He’s lost it, no matter what Debbie says. Does he even know where he is? What’s happened? Is this shock or the disease? “Don’t think you’ll have to worry about cleaning the floor for a while, buddy,” he said gently.

  “Night shift hates when iss not done. Can’t leave it for ‘em.”

  “The night shift’s not coming, Cody. The hospital’s all shut down. Nobody in or out, remember? You went to the ER with Debbie earlier, right?”

  Cody finally turned his face toward him. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “Thass right. With Mark. Went— bad.”

  “I know. I know it did. Keeps going bad. For me too, on the other side of the hospital. That’s why we have to go. We’ll worry about the floors another day, right? When all this is over, I’ll come to help you clean up, I promise. But right now, we have to get to the cafeteria.”

  “The cafe, yeah. Just down the hall. Where’s Debbie?” He seemed to get some kind of clarity and grabbed the keys from the door, leading Neil back toward the entrance of the lab. He tripped, caught himself against the counter.

  “Here,” said Neil, “Let me take the other bag.”

  “I’m fine,” Cody snapped.

  “I know,” Neil lied. “But you know Debbie better. She’s going to have another bag. She shouldn’t carry it, her arm’s no good. I don’t think she’ll let me take it, but you…”

  Cody hesitated, then pulled the second bag off. “Yeah, okay, probably right.”

  It was as heavy as Neil had expected. He hoped Debbie’s bag was lighter. It’d be a disaster if Cody tripped and sent the supplies scattering. The noise it would cause could make the crazy people come running. And then trying to regather what they needed… Cody’s sudden irritation made Neil uneasy. Keep him calm, he reminded himself.

  “What did you find for a weapon?” Neil asked as they rounded the corner.

  “Shit,” breathed Cody. “Knew I forgot something.”

  “We’ll just run,” said Debbie, overhearing them. The weight of the bags made Neil a little doubtful. He wasn’t exactly in the best shape of his life. It’s only a few hundred yards, he told himself.

  “I guess. Didn’t see anyone except for— except for the body just outside. But that was almost an hour ago. Anyone could have wandered back that way by now.”

  “These bags are heavy enough that one swing would probably throw anyone who ran at us off balance. Besides— the best thing for us all—” she tilted her head toward Cody, “is to stay as calm as possible. Getting into a fight seems like a bad idea.”

  Neil glanced at Cody. “You’re right. We’ll just have to hope we get lucky.” He squeezed Cody’s shoulder. “You ready, man? My friends have the key to the cafeteria, they’re watching for me. Should be fast, but I promised not to lead any of the crazies back. If we get followed, you get into the cafeteria, and I’ll draw them away until I’m able to lose them.”

  “This is insane,” muttered Debbie, but she opened the door to the lab waiting room and peered out. The clock clicked sterile little seconds off and the overhead lights hummed. The body Neil had left by the door was as stiff and still as the coffee table beside it. She stepped carefully past it and hesitated at the outer door.

  Not a bodyguard, Neil thought to himself as she stared at the door. Don’t say it. Don’t say it, stupid. Don’t—

  “I’ll go firsht,” offered Cody from just behind Neil. He pushed past and Debbie stepped out of the way, offering no argument.

  “You sure?” asked Neil, despite his own reluctance.

  “Yeah. You got the heaviest load. And Debbie’s hurt. I’ll go firsht. Besides, know all the… all the… hiding spots on the way.” He frowned down at his feet swaying unsteadily, catching himself on the wall before he could trip over the corpse’s hand. His sway reminded Neil of Dante whenever they got a little too tipsy, and he had a desperate wish to see Dante right then, sick or not.

  Hope you’re okay. Hope you’re hiding somewhere until all this blows over. Or you got released. Maybe you tried to call me after my phone was dead. Hope so.

  “Okay, let’s get moving then,” whispered Debbie. “The longer we stand here, the more likely that someone’s in the way.”

  Neil had a flash of intense dislike for the terse doctor. She’s just scared, he told himself, trying to forgive her lack of concern for Cody. Cody seemed undisturbed by the immediate acceptance of his offer and opened the door slowly, then closed it again, wincing as the latch clicked.

  “There’ss a person out there,” he whispered.

  “Sick or healthy?” asked Debbie.

  “Dunno.”

  Neil pushed past her to join Cody. “Can we push them in here?” he asked. “Can you lock the door? That’s what we did at the gift shop.”

  Cody shook his head. “Won’ lock him in, only us out.”

  “Shit.”

  “Maybe he’s okay,” said Debbie.

  “Maybe. Better have a plan though, if not.”

  Debbie awkwardly fumbled in her pocket, trying to wrestle something out with her good hand. She managed to pull out a card. “If I grab the sedatives, I can set off an alarm—”

  “Thought we agreed not to risk it,” hissed Neil.

  “Don’t care about the sedatives. The alarm will draw anyone in the area. Healthy people will hopefully steer clear when they see a mob of sick people—”

  “And what? We just leave the sick people to tear each other apart?”

  “Better than tearing us apart. And if we do manage to grab the sedatives—”

  “There’ss no other way outta here,” interrupted Cody. “Not with the quarantine. Fire exit’s bolted shut, ‘member? We tried it.”

  “Crash cart then. We’ll roll it down the hall, set off the alarm and use the distraction to get away.”

  “Why would anyone fall for that? They’ve got eyes,” protested Neil. “There’s one guy out there. We run past him, and that’s it, we’re safe. You set off an alarm, there’ll be lots more. From all over the place. And I doubt anyone’s going to fall for chasing a cart down the hallway.”

  “Look, if he’s sick, the guy’s going to chase us back to the cafeteria. He’s not going to stop. We have to do something to lose him,” said Debbie.

  “So we trick him into another place. Cody, you said this room can’t be locked to keep him in, but there’s got to be another room that can be, right?”

  Cody thought for what felt to Neil like a very long time. “Bathrooms near the lobby,” he said at last. “Those lock both ways.”

  “He’d have water. In case it takes longer than we think,” said Debbie. “Better than the gift shop, anyway.”

  “It’s not going to— forget it. We’ll argue about it later. We have a plan, Cody, you have the key?” asked Neil.

  Cody sorted through his keys and held up a little gold one.

  “Good, keep a tight hold of it. Everyone ready?” He glanced at Debbie, who nodded. How did I start making the decisions? he wondered. Worry about it later. “Open the door, Cody.” He shifted the heavy vinyl bags, trying to grip them more securely without aggravating the searing ache in his injured hand. Cody eased the door open again and slid out. Debbie followed, leaving Neil to take the rear.

  They kept close to the wall as if it provided some shelter or camouflage, but the man standing outside of the lab noticed them immediately from across the hall. He took a slow step toward them, staring at Cody. His foot squelched as it sank into the old blood where the corpse had been lying before Neil had moved it. The man was disheveled. His clothes had been tugged out of shape and hung askew on him and his hair was a wild range of dark spikes, but t
here were no visible wounds.

  “You okay, man?” whispered Neil as the other two scrambled back at the movement. The man’s face swiveled toward him. The man didn’t answer, just stood there. His eyes never seemed to fully focus on any of them, shifting constantly, though he was obviously looking in their general direction.

  “He ssick?” asked Cody.

  “Or in shock.” Debbie hesitated, then turned slightly back toward the man. “He might need—”

  “No,” said Neil. “You go. You and Cody. Keep everyone— calm. Not going to be helping anyone if he attacks you.”

  She nodded. “You coming?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I just want to make su—” he stopped as a low, rippling growl erupted from the man across the hall.

  “Go!” cried Debbie, “go, go!” She shoved Cody’s shoulder and sprinted down the hall. Cody ran after her. Shit, don’t forget the bathroom, flashed through Neil’s head. The man hunched, half crouched to spring forward and Neil’s feet felt stuck. As if he’d been paralyzed by an electric shock. The growl rolled on and the man lunged, his arms jabbing forward. Neil heard a frantic yelp. It wouldn’t occur to him until later that it had come from his own mouth. The man dashed toward him, his fingers brushing Neil’s arm before the paralysis shattered and Neil twisted, trying to evade the man’s grasp. One of the bags slung around with the motion and knocked the man slightly sideways and he went skidding through the drying puddle of blood beside the door.

  Neil didn’t waste the opportunity, launching himself after Debbie and Cody. Erratic footsteps rang in the hallway behind him, quickly lost in the loud rasp of his own breath. The orange line on the corridor floor seemed to stretch impossibly long. He hoped Debbie and Cody were around the corner ahead, and that they’d remembered the bathroom door. Run past, he told himself, run past and lose this guy in the stairwell or— shit, what am I going to do? The bag on his right arm yanked suddenly backward and he half-spun with the momentum. The man clung on and Neil found himself inches from the man’s face. His mouth gaped open and his teeth glimmered under the harsh hospital light. His teeth are in better shape than mine, flickered through Neil’s head, even as he shoved his injured hand up, catching the man’s chin and pressing backward to keep him back. A sharp sizzle of pain in his hand made him swear. Hope that wasn’t another stitch. It stopped the man from biting down. At least for a second. He let go of Neil’s bag and grabbed flesh instead. His fingers pressed into Neil’s arm, trying to claw. The man’s fingernails were short and didn’t do much. Neil grappled with him, trying to push him away or throw him off balance, but the bags were too awkward and Neil ended up losing his, instead. They toppled.

  The man hovered over him, deep red with rage and screaming. Just a loud, unarticulated roar. He shook with the effort of it. Neil’s sleeve tore as the man yanked on it, the small ripping noise beneath the man’s cry was almost a relief, almost normal. Neil struggled to keep the man’s face as far from his as possible. The man’s head twisted and ducked, and Neil’s hand slipped. Moist heat enveloped his wrist an instant before the man clamped down. The side of his hand went cold and numb for a flash and then exploded in a searing crunch. The gauze did little to stop the man’s teeth and his molars ground into it, pulling the fragile skin around Neil’s older wound. Neil gasped and instinctively released the man to grab at his own hand. The man slumped further forward, his weight settling fully over Neil’s chest and legs. His hand was free, only for the man to surge forward and bite down on Neil’s neck. Neil shrieked. His world narrowed to the electric jolt of pain traveling through his throat and the feeling that he couldn’t get enough breath. He panicked, kicking out but not connecting with anything. The man growled around his mouthful, throaty and wet. A thick thump jarred Neil and the man rolled off. Someone hauled Neil up, dragging him to his feet and clapped a hand over the bleeding bite wound in his neck.

  “Hit him again, he’s still conscious,” said a voice.

  “You’ll kill him! He’s just sick.”

  “Better than him killing us.” A meaty thunk and the growling stopped.

  “Is he dead?”

  Neil tried to orient himself in the sudden quiet. He was draped over Cody. Maisy stood beside them, watching Debbie check the man’s pulse. Shay stood over him, an iron skillet sagging in her grip. She was still bloody. Course she is, Neil thought, I was supposed to bring help.

  “Just unconscious. Move quick, he’s not going to stay that way,” barked Debbie. She grabbed his arms and started tugging.

  “I can walk,” rasped Neil, trying to steady himself.

  “Sure? Your neck—”

  “Got it.” He didn’t, not really. The wet heat under his fingers made him dizzy and unsteady, but he wasn’t going to say it. Cody released him and moved to help Debbie. They dragged the man further down the hall. His eyes were already opening. Maisy grabbed the bags Neil had dropped and dashed after them.

  “Let’s not hang around,” said Shay. “Never know when there’s more of them. And— you don’t look so hot. But you’re still able to talk. Maybe that’s good. I hope that’s good.”

  “Shit that hurt,” was all Neil said, forcing himself to start moving.

  “You’re telling me,” said Shay tugging his arm to make him go faster. “Told you not to go to the lab.”

  “Yeah. Needed stuff. And them,” he said as Debbie and Cody slid the man into the open bathroom and jumped away. Cody slammed the door before the man could get up and jabbed the key into the lock. A series of bangs erupted from behind it only a second after.

  “We need to get back to the cafeteria,” said Maisy. “Before the sound brings more of them.”

  Neil stumbled and caught Debbie’s eye. “It’s not—” he started.

  “Just get to the cafeteria, before you bleed out and we need to make another trip to the ER,” she snapped.

  “It isn’t—” he tried to call after her, but she and Maisy were already running for the lobby. He glanced behind him, looking to see if he’d tripped over something in particular, but Shay grabbed his wrist again and he followed Shay and Cody down the remaining hallway. The lobby was still silent and empty and Maisy swung the door to the cafeteria open, throwing bags inside. By the time he reached it, Debbie was scattering supplies over the Formica tables in the half-dark. Cody reached to flip on the lights.

  “Don’t!” whispered Shay. “Don’t do anything to attract them. You need light, the kitchen and the bathrooms are blocked off, we use them.”

  “Ssorry,” he muttered. Maisy locked the door behind them.

  “Yeah,” said Debbie. “Yeah, the kitchen. Get him into the kitchen so I can see.”

  “Who?” asked Neil. Blood from his neck trickled over his fingers. His other hand throbbed with a nauseating heat.

  “You. Got to get that cleaned and closed.”

  “I went to get help for Shay,” he protested. “She’s been bleeding longer. And if this thing spreads from an infected bite—”

  “Then she’s already screwed, but you might not be. Besides, I don’t know how bad that wound is. You don’t get it closed and you might not be worrying about infection for anyone. And the faster I treat you, the faster I can treat Shay. And anyone else.”

  Cody grasped Neil in a half-hug, bodily dragging him toward the kitchen. He stumbled more than once and they both teetered before recovering. “Let her do it, man. You’re not looking good.”

  The kitchen was glaringly bright after the dark cafe. Well-used and spotless, except for the blackened spots of carbon on ancient industrial pots stacked on a corner of the line.

  “That dish area,” said Debbie. “Cleaned last night?”

  “Of course,” Shay said. “And sanitized. Every day.”

  “Put him on it.”

  Cody tried to lift him. “No,” protested Neil, “Do it myself. Don’t need to slice something else open on the edges.” Cody let him go and Neil stepped cautiously onto an overturned milk crate and then climbed awkwardly onto th
e smooth drainboard. “This violates like twelve health code regulations, you know.”

  “I don’t think we need to worry about that just now,” said Debbie.

  “You don’t.”

  “We’ll clean it later,” said Shay. “I’ll even let you apologize to the dishwasher once this is over if you really want to.”

  “What if— we don’t know how this spreads. What if everyone you serve—”

  “Dishwasher assembly is overdue for replacement anyway,” said Shay. “Relax and let Dr. Barnes fix you. Worry about this later.”

  Debbie eased a glove over her bandaged wrist. “Lie down,” she ordered.

  “But—”

  “Please,” said Shay, “I’m really hurting here. The faster you’re bandaged, the faster I can get some relief, too.”

  That convinced him. He arranged himself on the drainboard, stretching as flat as he could on the chilly steel. His legs hung over the edge.

  14

  “Someone keep watch at that door,” said Debbie. “We need to know if there are people out there. Well or sick. Or any of the police that were supposed to be sweeping the place.”

  Cody headed for the front, banging his shoulder against a heat lamp on his way and knocking over a stack of dish covers with a loud clatter. Maisy hurried to help him clean them up.

  “How long did you say this stage lasts?” asked Neil, keeping his voice low.

  Debbie shook her head and pulled his hand away from his neck, swiping at the bite with some gauze. “I don’t know. Most patients were well past this point. Mark took at least a day, but he might have been sick before that. As I said, the symptoms seem mild at first. He might not have even known or just thought it was a cold. For Cody’s sake, I hope he was already sick. For everyone else— well, the quarantine’s not going to do much if he was. Our security guards interact with a lot of people in short amounts of time. Not just patients, but family members and ambulance staff and police officers— lots of people come through our ER every day. All the people he interacted with could have been carrying it outside the whole time.” She shook her head. “Don’t even know if they’ve found patient zero yet. This whole thing might be like cleaning the sink while your house is on fire.” She turned to grab something from the bag beside her.