Immediate Survivors

by Cenz Barone

  All who had torches checked them, flicking them on and off, again no words said. Nancy now spoke once the group had checked the torches, and said “The university remember, is massive and all of those rooms inside did hold people we rescued. I don’t know what the situation is like in there but just follow me. I know exactly where we are going. We will be there in no time whatsoever. Everyone ready” some nods were given, many were just breathing deeply and scared beyond belief, shakes had been experienced by some. Nancy placed her hand onto the front door and lowered her head, she took a deep breath. Kenny remained in the middle of the group due to him still recovering from waking up after he sustained those injuries, Kenny held his pistol tightly, and he knew this would be important. Laura and Cherie were on either side of Kenny. Grant and Baxter were at the wings and the rest were in a circle, Gage was tasked with being at the front to provide extra eyes to Nancy.

  Nancy in the short space of time she had, had drilled into them in how to approach and move with her, she just wanted them to follow her, she knew how to lead the tactical operation but in terms of what was inside, she had no idea what to expect. Nancy turned once more and said “Hold those shields in tightly, always aim for their heads. It is time”. The tension was thick, the nerves electric and the sweat dripping off everyone because what they were about to do was risky. They knew the moment the doors to this police station opened they would be stepping out of a relatively safe place to enter the unpredictability and instability of the outside. Everyone was under no illusion that no authority was coming to liberate them and they were now more or less alone, they also knew if a move to leave this enclosed compound was not taken now then there was a further risk that those dead things might congregate outside and surround them so that they would not be able to move at all. The panting was heavy, the consequence of failure ripe, and so they watched as Nancy with her hand on the door handle, took one last long breath and said a prayer to herself. She now pulled back the door as everyone watched the door slowly open and immediately the smell of rotting corpses stunk up the air alongside with a gust of wind, and they went out into the night, all preferring a nightly operation to a day operation.

  The dead things were all over the place and seemed to be in groups, they all instinctively turned to them and began to walk. The fire left the guns smashing into the bodies, as they moved across the courtyard. Clearly the group were too trigger happy and unloaded as soon as they saw them, despite what Nancy had warned them, but Nancy had no time to scold or say anything, she had to run towards the front entrance of the university, and Gage split from the group and was firing at the creatures, his shots taking them down. He split his machine gun butt into one of the person’s skull who got close and brought his metallic weapon crashing down onto the next. He next turned and fired.

  Nancy opened the door at the front entrance and the group had moved very fast, some screams were heard from Melissa and Elise but the group moved towards Nancy who was using her hands for them to move inside to enter. Inside they fluttered into the university foyer at the front. All were out of breath and exhausted and they waited for a moment, as the dead things outside hit at the doors which had glass which was thick and glazed, their fists smashing but to no avail as the doors were sturdy and solid which is one of the reasons the university was chosen as a rescue station.

  The riot shields all were dropped onto the floor as well as the batons once inside the university foyer, as the banging from the dead things outside went on, but luckily the darkness outside meant they could not be seen as clear as they otherwise would have been had it been daylight. The sound was enough though. Nancy now made her way in the front of the group as the group asked each other if they were fine, everyone was okay it seemed. The group put on their torches as Nancy and Gage used their weapons to scope around the foyer but it was eerily silent, their torch light providing visibility across the furniture. Kenny was panting looking around, and Baxter who held his machine gun nervously stared around using his flashlight to give him visibility, his glasses he had to adjust firmly to see what was going on.

  All of them were silent and none dared make a sound as the banging from outside of the dead things continued. Nancy now stood up “Move” she said and they made their way down the hall behind her. They were staggering slowly over the corpses who had been head shot previously when the dead things had broken inside. The lights in the university by being off meant the pitch blackness offered a double entendre of comfort and fear, comfort they were not seen by others in the darkness but fear they could not see what lurked in the shadows where their flashlights were not shone. At this point Grant fell on the floor as he was jumped from the side by one of the dead things, who came out of nowhere, the group disparaged around him and Elise took hold of Grant and pulled him away as he screamed kicking violently at the monster, the thoughts reigning on him were not to be bitten. Then Nancy took her pistol and placed it behind the skull of the attacker and pulled the trigger, it went through his skull and exploded the forehead of the person. Nancy then unloaded two more bullets into the dead thing.

  The dead thing did not move and Gage kicked him to see a response, the dead thing moved slightly which made everyone with their weapons draw fire, it was unnecessarily over the top but none had training to be cautious with their firing load, except Nancy. Once the gunfire stopped, Grant was luckily not injured but he was shaken up. Nancy now stated “Keep together and move”. Nancy knew they had to go faster, the amount of gunfire and noise already made would likely bring more of the dead things to them. After almost one minute they reached the café area and poured inside. Their torches told him via the sight provided it was a cafe with the numerous tables and chairs, and all over the tables and on the floor was food and plates, but no sign of any life, either living or dead. It was obvious those within had reacted and fled when it became clear the university was under attack. As they moved across the cafe area they heard a noise from a stage area which overlooked the cafe dining hall, all their flashlights went towards it and they saw a man standing there who was waving, they all focused to see an older man as he said “Don’t shoot. Please, don’t shoot”.

  Nancy told them all “Don’t fire, keep calm”, she then watched as the man climbed off the stage and Nancy approached him with her gun drawn. The man wore a white shirt, with are red tie and black trousers and brown shoes, his hair was brownish and medium length, he had a lean physique. Nancy asked him “Is anyone else with you?” the man looked at her and said out of breath “I heard your gunfire. I cannot believe help has come”. Nancy demanded of him by saying “Is anyone else with you?” the man quickly answered her “Somewhere in here maybe, the group I was with days ago voted to go outside. I chose to stay, I don’t know how far they got but I am glad I stayed around here now. Are you here to help, to rescue me?”.

  Nancy could see the hope in the man’s eyes as she honestly told him “No, I am afraid not. We are looking to get out of here ourselves. We are making our way to the North wing to the underground car park. Have you seen any police or military around here?” the man was now very much losing his hope as he shook his head and Nancy could see it on his face, the disappointment. The man said “The police and soldiers, you are asking me about” he then angrily added “Only those police who were trying to attack me to eat me and if they were not trying eat me they were trying to shoot at me like the soldiers. They are all the same! I don’t know who to trust. Those fucking monsters are everywhere, but then everyone started shooting at us it is so confusing, this was days ago though, since then I come across people here but those things to, I have a radio look. I use it to keep informed”.

  The man brought up a radio showing it off as he commentated “I have been listening in on it, it’s a fucking nightmare”. Nancy knew they could not stay still any longer so she told him “Tag along with us! We are trying to get out of here, we will take you”. The man shook his head and replied “I don’t think so, I have survived hiding out around here and I am
not going until proper help comes, it is your suicide not mine”, the man now looked at the other people behind Nancy who he noticed did not wear any formal attire of police or military personnel, they looked like civilians he thought, just like him. He then said “You go marching around here like a band, firing your guns off at the slightest sight of those things, you will attract them. The only way to survive is to keep low and quiet. Not march around like a clan, I better go” the man ran from them to the indistinct door to the side. All were dumbfounded as Nancy turned to the group “At least we know there are some more people in here, alive at least”. “And those dead things too” said a frightened Baxter. “Let’s go” Nancy commanded no longer wishing to waste time in the cafe.

  They all followed her lead as she led them out of the cafe area and moved through the maze of corridors, all they could do was try and be as quiet as possible and trust in Nancy’s direction. None spoke, none wanted to do so much as breathe too loud. Finally they came to a door. The torches showed there was blood was all over the door. Nancy opened it and when they entered the lights were on inside but were flickering multiple times a second. The group filtered inside and Nancy closed the door behind them. She had purposely brought them to this room, she knew from her own movements in the university when she was first sent here to begin setting up the rescue station the overall makeup of the inside.

  “How far is this place” Laura asked tiredly as she sat down. “Not long, we just need to take a breather” Nancy replied, Nancy then began to say “When we...” but Nancy was stopped mid-sentence when she like the others heard a loud scream of a woman who stood up near the desks, she ran out and cried with joy, she was screaming “Help has arrived, oh God, I prayed and I prayed and you’re here” she threw her arms around Baxter who panicked and had the woman kissing him over and over on his face. Baxter was overcome by this woman kissing him. Nancy stepped in and took hold of the woman and shook her, Nancy stated “We are trapped here! We are heading to the North section to find a vehicle”.

  The woman kept smiling overjoyed as she said “You are here to save us” as Nancy said “Yes, if you come with us we can leave” Nancy whispering as the woman was talking loudly. The woman looked around at the group with Nancy and said “Where are the rest of you, the help on offer and the soldiers, the...” it seemed obvious to the woman, who was crazed from lack of sleep and lack of food this was not what she thought. Baxter told her “No I am sorry we are trying to escape” said Baxter with her arms still around him still as she had fought off Nancy who tried to hold her, the woman then asked Baxter “You have to help us!” and then Baxter asked her curiously “Who is us?” Baxter noticed the woman mentioned us instead of herself and the woman pointed to the door behind her as she called out “Those people with me. They are in there, about 8 of them”.

  Grant approached the door and asked her did Grant “Why are they in there”. Grant was about to open it as the woman said “They were bitten”. Grant stopped his approach, and turned around to face her, as if he misunderstood what she said to him. So Grant asking for clarification said “Did you say they have been bitten?” the woman nodded and stepped in front of the door where Grant was heading towards, she said “Yes, my daughter is in there too, come on look, she is with others who are sick. I have been waiting to let them out, they are all tied up don’t worry”.

  Everyone was horrified at the crazed ecstatic woman’s words. She went to the door so quickly that nobody could tell her to stop and then the woman disappeared inside. Gage stated “We should go Nancy”. Nancy was watching the open door, none dared ventured inside as she heard a moaning sound and everyone no longer was sitting down, they were all standing up and on alert. The woman quickly came outside and held a young girl maybe of 8 years old, who had been tied up with rope and had tape around her mouth, the little girl was reeling and obviously insane, she was one of the dead things.

  “Oh my God” exclaimed Elise who added “She is one of them”. The woman then said cradling the little girl “Yes she is ill like the other people inside, but the soldiers tied them up days ago, little Maggie here, she fell sick afterwards, I managed to secure Maggie and make her stable. She will be healed like the rest when the disease is cured but we just need the doctors to come and fix her”. The woman then playfully teased the little girl in her arms by rubbing her nose against hers “Do not worry Maggie. These people are here to help and will get you to hospital”.

  The woman was out of her mind, she then looked at the group and said “So where are the doctors?” it was like the woman had forgotten what she had just been told by them concerning who they were. Cherie told the woman, her voice shaky “Your daughter is not your daughter anymore, you have to put her back in there” but the woman looked at Cherie, nothing which Cherie said registered with her as she said to her “Why put her back in there. She can come with us, only the other people are sick, luckily they were tied up before they turned nasty. I had to tie up Maggie before she became sick. The other ones though are sick but nasty. Maggie is not nasty. Maggie is a sweet girl”.

  “Nasty, is that what you call it?” asked Grant nervously as the woman looked at Grant and still holding her daughter stated angrily “Of course, Maggie is never nasty, she is sweet. Why are you calling her nasty”. Grant was unsure what to say but he blurted out “I mean she is sick, she is...” but then Gage came near Grant and whispered to him “Don’t engage her”. Gage was worried about the woman’s manner and Nancy was about to step in when they heard loud noises outside the room they had just entered. There was distant shouting and noises, everyone inside the group became alert because it was obvious this noise was coming out in the corridors. The woman holding her daughter moved back towards the wall, she heard the commotion and was actually trying to reason with the child in her arms. In the corridor outside a man ran in a panic stricken urgency. The man being chased by people behind him, as flashlights were on and he was shouting at them to leave him alone.

  Then the door the group had arrived in burst open and the man in the corridor fell inside, as he closed the door behind him, he was out of breath and Nancy and her group all pointed their guns at him. The man did not expect to see others with weapons pointing at him, he then said desperately “Please don’t hurt me, please just help me. They are chasing me, they think I am one of them but I am not” the man was whispering which made the rest of the group conscious they should keep their voices down. “Who is chasing you” asked Nancy and then in burst four army men and two civilians holding machine guns “There you are, you little shit prick” said one of the soldiers who kicked him in the stomach and then they noticed Nancy and her group. The soldier demanded “Who the fucking hell are you people” asked one of the soldiers.

  “I am a police woman” replied Nancy, all their flashlights were on each other, the groups going back and forth and nerves were had on both sides. The soldier replied being able to see Nancy was wearing police attire as he said “No shit, dead giveaway with your uniform, but I mean who are you really? What the fuck are you doing in here” he responded with malice as he kicked the man on the floor. Nancy said “We are trying to get to a safe place”. The soldier ignored her and smashed his foot into the man on the floor who was pleading for help, the soldier kicked the man several times and then said to Nancy’s group “This little scum bag has been fucking up. He was stealing our food and has been bitten”. The man on the floor replied angrily “I have done no such thing you fucking asshole” and for his protests he was kicked two more times in the stomach as the soldier shouted at him, by going near him on the floor and saying aggressively “Don’t call me a liar you little cunt” and then the soldier kicked him again, only for the man to clamour for help.

  The soldiers held their guns at their side and Nancy asked them what their business was with him and asked to check him but the soldier protested saying “I don’t need to check him when I know he was bitten” the man stood up and pulled up his sleeves and said “I am not bitten you
fuck” the soldier punched him in the face which knocked the man back, Nancy was conscious of their weapons as she said “Can you just stop hitting him”. The soldier then complained to Nancy “Stop hitting him, why? He deserves it, besides I don’t know you” the soldier cockily turned to his fellow soldiers and the two civilians and said “Do you know her” and they were all looking at Nancy and the group she was with suspiciously, and those in Nancy’s group felt threatened. Gage then said to the soldiers “Look guys, we just want to move on, whatever deal you have with this guy is none of our business” as the lead soldier smiled and said “Yeah, that is the attitude, a man who knows his place” but Nancy unable to shake off her instincts in being a police officer said “No, this man says he was not bitten do you think it is right to do this to him, he is scared”.

  Kenny was shocked Nancy was challenging these soldiers as was Cherie and Laura who were all noticing the rest of the people in their group had the same worrisome look, why was Nancy challenging these soldiers. As the argument continued, it became obvious that only Nancy’s group was whispering and trying to keep their voices down but the soldier’s group was uncaring and heated in their voices, despite the noises outside.