Christa laughed, “I thought you might little D.”
“He keeps calling himself Little D I might throw him out before we get to the parking lot,” Gerard said intently with a hint of sarcasm.
The hotel was a five story high rise building with balconies. There were undead around the building but not enough to deter them from scouting out the rest of it.
“Let’s park right at the entrance,” said Gerard.
“No, let’s park in the parking garage that is adjoined with the building. That way we can have easy access to any floor we want and no one will be able to tell that we’re here. Let’s not forget that we have to worry about others as well as the undead,” Damion refuted.
“We can go with that option but I still think pulling up to the front is the best way, but I could be wrong. I just don’t think so.”
Damion turns to Christa, “Stay in the vehicle-“
“Ah, ah ahh. I told you I wasn’t always going to stay in the vehicle Damion. I’m not going to sit here while you are in danger. I can’t always do that. Hell just even doing it a little bit is hard enough.”
“Please baby, for me? I would worry more about you than concentrate on my own safety.”
Christa sighs, “Fine, but stop doing that to me. Stop saying the right words to get me to stay in the truck.”
Damion gave a grin and a wink as he shuts the door and walks off. Christa watches him as he walks over to Darren and Gerard. He takes out an undead on the way over, decapitating it and stomping on its head repeatedly. Her nerves were frayed every time he walked up to an undead to take it down. She didn’t know if it was her overall concern for him or the fact that her emotions were running high due to her pregnancy. All she knew is that she didn’t like it one bit.
Darren, Gerard and Damion were walking up to the sparse gathering of undead and taking them out one by one. It is a scene that she has witnessed time and time again but for some reason this time had an ominous feel to it and she didn’t like it one bit. As they were taking out the walking corpses one by one Christa was scanning the scenery for any signs of something peculiar but she saw nothing. After they were done Damion came to collect Christa and Anna from the truck.
They walked cautiously over to the door that lead inside to the hotel. Damion and Gerard took up the front while Darren stayed in the back behind Christa and Anna.
“They can’t really open doors so we don’t really need to check each one of these rooms. That could take a while and I don’t think it’s a necessity,” Gerard suggested.
“I rather make sure that every one of these rooms on this floor is free from undead. It would just make me feel better and eliminate the constant intense fear of opening the door. It also won’t enable the possibility that somehow there can be an accumulation somewhere. Sure they can’t open doors but what if one of them knock something over and that in turn does damage to the structure and a domino effect occurs. Sure it might be far-fetched but I plan on the unthinkable because as we’ve found out in the past the unthinkable can and does happen,” Damion stated adamantly.
“True,” Darren agreed, “but if we don’t have to take unnecessary risks then why bother? I can see both points but I’m leaning towards the let’s just leave it alone.”
Damion didn’t agree but he decided to go along with the idea. “Ok, I just hope nothing happens. I hope you’re right.”
As he spoke those words it sent a chill up Christa’s spine. Was this what was giving her the ominous feel? She had hoped not. She tightened her grip on Anna’s hand. She couldn’t help but voice her concerns, “I really hope this is a good idea but I can’t help but feel that it’s not.”
Damion takes Christa’s hand, “If you don’t feel ok with this we can sleep in the truck.”
“It’s fine. It will be really nice and a change of pace to sleep in an actual bed. As long as we clear out the two rooms then I’m sure it’ll be ok. Maybe it’s just my nerves overreacting.” Christa said it almost as if she were trying to convince herself, which she did a poor job of.
As they walked down the hallway the floor was relatively quiet which should have been comforting but it was oddly eerie. As they got further down the hallway they could hear a slight, constant banging coming from a room off to the right and as they looked at one another they walked past it. No one knew for sure what was behind the door but the general speculation was the same.
“Are we going to be okay Christa,” Anna asked in her little voice.
Christa stroked her hair, “Yes sweetie, we’ll be fine. None of us would ever let anything happen to you. I promise.” Those reassuring words cut her like a knife. If only she had the opportunity to make those words real for Bree. Christa wondered when the intense guilt and pain would lessen or if it would ever lessen. She always knew that pain would never truly go away but the intense twinges of pain that occurred so frequently were debilitating at times and she couldn’t afford that.
“Here is as good as any. I really don’t want to be too far away from the vehicles. Gerard and I will go in first and clear the room. Darren you stay out here with the girls to keep them safe just incase anything happens, ok.” Darren nodded.
Damion stood next to Gerard as he prepared to open the door. Gerard held the doorknob and turned it slightly and held it. He looked at Damion and Damion gave him a nod. Gerard pushed open the door and held his weapon at the ready as they both stormed in the room. The room was empty besides the tattered shades and curtains. Gerard went towards the bathroom door and hesitated a moment before opening the door to find blood splattered all over the mirror and bathtub.
“Oh my God.”
“What?” Damion entered the bathroom and was awestruck at the gruesome sight. “This will have to be cleaned up before Anna uses this bathroom.” Damion stepped back out into the bedroom just as an undead was coming out of the closet which was directly behind him. The undead latched onto Damion’s back and prepared to sink its teeth into his neck. Damion quickly moved crouched down and rolled forward as Gerard came out from the bathroom and stuck his knife through the top of its head. Damion laid there on the floor heavily breathing as he looked at Gerard. “Thanks man.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“I probably won’t.”
Damion got up from the floor and went back to the door leading to the hallway. “This room is clear now but don’t go in the bathroom yet. It’s a mess.” Gerard grabbed the arm of the undead that he just killed and started to drag it out of the room. As he pulled the arm just gave way under the force and detached from the corpse.
“Ew, gross. Hey Damion, help me with this.” Damion went over to Gerard and they both picked up the corpse and took it out as they walked past Christa, Anna, and Darren. “We can just dump it in another room or in a specific spot in the hallway, but right here is good for now.” They tossed the corpse in the corner of the hallway.
“There are two beds in there. How about we all just stay in the same room. I would feel safer that way,” Christa suggested.
“Yeah, me too,” added Anna.
Damion shrugs, “I don’t see a problem with it. It’s fine with me. Gerard?”
“Sure. It’s fine with me as well.”
They all went into the bedroom as Christa cleaned up the bed enough for Anna to lay down for the evening. Gerard went into the bathroom to clean up the blood spatter.
Christa went over and laid down beside Anna. Anna looked up and over Christa at Gerard. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Huh?”
“Clean. You don’t have to clean. It won’t freak me out as much as you think. It’ll be ok.”
Gerard froze in place as Anna spoke those words. It was a sad truth. It was at truth he wished he never heard. The reality was that the world had become so brutal that even a child such as Anna had become use to seeing this kind of dreadfulness, as if almost desensitized in a way.
“It’s ok Anna. I’m going to do it regardless. Get some rest.” Anna gave
Gerard a smile as she laid back down beside Christa. Christa turned to Gerard and gave a sympathizing look as if the same realization had crossed both their minds at the same time.
“Go to sleep. I’ll take the first watch,” Darren announced.
Christa laid back and closed her eyes as she held Anna. Damion laid behind her with his arms around her. She felt safe in his arms. It was the only place she found any peace. A warm calm came over her and she drifted off to sleep. Damion laid there a while longer with thoughts swirling in his head as he felt Christa’s heart beat like a metronome. Listening to that caused him to slowly fall asleep as well, with Gerard following soon after.
Darren sat there in the dead of night listening to the sound of everyone sleeping. He did a great job of staying awake but as the hours went on he soon drifted off to sleep before waking anyone else.
The sun hit Christa’s eyes as it filtered in through the tattered blinds. She started to flitter open her eyes as she heard a faint noise. It sounded like screaming but from far away. She furrowed her brow in curiosity as her heart stopped and immediately sunk. “Damion!! Damion!! Dear God not again!!” Damion woke up in a fevered rush and looked at Christa.
“What is it?!”
“It’s Anna! She’s gone! And I can hear someone faintly screaming! Damnit Damion we need to find her! I can’t let this happen again!! I can’t!!”
Gerard and Darren both got up immediately and realized what was going on.
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry! I fell asleep! I fell asleep Christa! I’m so sorry!!” Christa didn’t care at this point. She just wanted to find Anna and as soon as possible.
Christa went for the door swiftly before Damion called out to her,” Christa wait! Don’t Christa! Wait for me!” Christa opened the door and went out into the hallway regardless and started calling for Anna while walking in a certain direction.
“Christa help me!!”
“Anna!! Where are you?!”
“Over here!”
“Keep calling for me so I can follow your voice!”
“Christa! Christa help!”
Christa opened a bedroom door and was immediately met by an undead that came straight for her aggressively, pinning her against the hallway wall. She held a hand to its neck, holding it a few inches from her face. Damion came seconds later and pierced it through the side of its head and threw it off of Christa. He put his arms around her and took her face in his hands. “Christa don’t do that again! You need to wait for me. You could’ve died. Don’t forget that you’re pregnant now as well. If something were to happen to you I’d be beyond devastated. Please Christa.” The compassion and desperation in his eyes was almost too much for her to bare.
“I’m sorry Damion. I promise I won’t leave you again. Promise.”
Damion stood in front of her and made his way through the room to find Anna in the corner pinned against the wall with nothing but a chair as a barrier between her and the zombie that was trying to get her. “Help me Damion please!”
“I’m coming Anna! Stay right there!” Damion came up behind the zombie and pushed the knife through the back of its head. He pulled the corpse off of the chair and moved the chair to collect Anna in his arms. Christa came in to join them.
Christa brushed Anna’s hair away from her face and put it behind her ears. “Why did you run Anna? I told you to never leave by yourself.”
“I’m sorry Christa. I heard noises so I went to look. I thought maybe it was my mommy and she found me. So I opened the door and went inside but there was two of them and I couldn’t get out Christa. I couldn’t! And I was so frightened! All I could think to do was hide behind the chair. I called for you for a while but I got too tired so I just did it ever so often. I’m so sorry Christa! I’m sorry,” Anna exclaimed through sobs and sniffles.
Christa took Anna in her arms and just held her, “It’s ok sweetie, it’s ok. Promise me you’ll never do anything like that ever again. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“Well on that note let’s head to the trucks and get out of here. I think I’ve had enough excitement in the hotel of horrors,” proclaimed Gerard.
They all walked down the hallway towards the door that led to the parking garage. Gerard opened the door and quickly shut it again.
Christa gave Gerard a puzzled look, “What?”
“Ok, new plan.”
“What do you mean new plan? What did you see Gerard?” Christa walked over to the door herself and motioned Gerard out of the way as she opened the door and then shut it. “Ok, new plan.”
“What the hell. What is it?!” Damion asked.
“There are undead out there.”
“And?”
“And we won’t just be casually strolling out to the trucks,” Gerard stated. “There are at least twenty of them in a gathering and that gathering is between us and the trucks.”
“I got an idea. It’s a risky idea but an idea nonetheless. If we call over a few of them at a time we can filter only so many through the door so we don’t have to be bum rushed but instead we can kill gradually.”
“That sounds like a good idea on paper,” Darren interjected, “but whether that will work or not who knows. It does sound dangerous but it also sounds risky enough that it just might work. I’m up for finding out.”
Everyone gave a nod. “Ok Gerard, open the door.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are the closest one standing near it. So by proxy you get that privilege.”
“Wonderful. Fine. You ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Gerard opened the door and they started heading for them. Gerard moved back and stood with Damion and Darren. All three of them were ready to take down all of them as they filtered through the doorway. The first few came through and Damion took his knife and stabbed one in the eye while Gerard speared the other in the temple. Darren pinned one against the wall as he pierced its skull. Christa and Anna watched the carnage as they dispatched each one carefully.
After they were done there was a mound of corpses in which they all stepped over. They made it to the trucks and climbed inside.
“You lead, I’ll follow,” indicated Gerard over the walkie talkie.
Damion took off and headed out of the garage. He finally made it to the bottom and headed out back onto the road. “Let’s find where this military base is. The sooner the better.”
“Okay, let’s roll,” Gerard said over the walkie.
Chapter 15
As they headed through the gates it looked anything but promising. Wrecked vehicles and decaying bodies were literally everywhere as they drove down the streets trying to find a place that had potential.
The further in they got they saw scattered undead here and there, but nothing like the herd at the college. That would have definitely been a deal breaker. Damion noticed a fenced in area with a lot of armored vehicles and drove towards it.
“This looks like it may have potential. Hopefully I’m right.”
As they kept driving further in there was another set of fences but these they couldn’t get past. They parked their trucks and got out to assess the situation and see if there was any way of getting past the fence.
“Well if it stops us then that’s a good sign right,” Gerard joked.
“I don’t’ know about you guys but I’m already getting the warm and fuzzies about this place. I think we found a keeper. If only we could get inside though,” Darren added.
“Hmm, I wonder what is on the other side. It has to be good right? At least that’s what I’m betting on,” said Christa optimistically.
Damion had a troublesome look on his face. He looked at the length of the fencing and looked at his surroundings.
Christa couldn’t help but inquire, “What’s wrong Damion?”
He was quiet for a few moments more before he spoke. “I don’t have a good feeling about this Christa. You see all these undead out here laying?”
“Wh
at undead?”
“Exactly. You saw all that carnage we drove through and we get inside the first fence barrier easily and then there is one we cannot access and it just so turns out that between the two there is no carnage, no debris? I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right.”
Christa goes over to Damion and puts her arm around him rubbing his back. “Baby, you’ve been under a lot of stress lately. We all have. Plus not to mention we’re having a baby amidst all of this which is enough to stress anyone out. Maybe you are just overreacting a little.”
“I don’t think so Christa. Remember last time someone told me I was overreacting? Anna and you almost lost your life. So I think I’m past the point of not believing my gut feeling. This isn’t right for some reason and I can feel it.”
Christa kept holding on to Damion but she turned and stared at the fencing as well. Maybe he’s right. It was true the last time he didn’t follow his gut feeling it turned out bad. Perhaps this is the same situation. Perhaps they should listen to him. Christa was starting to feel uneasy herself.
“Let’s find out if we can get through this fence,” Gerard insisted. He walked over to the gate and tried to pull on it. It wouldn’t budge. “I’d really hate to have to knock it down because then it would defeat the purpose. I like that it’s intact and I’d like to keep it that way.” Gerard kept his eye on the top of the fence line. “Hmm, I think I can climb up there though and make it to the other side. Maybe I can open the gates from that side.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Damion said.
“Aww, that’s touching Damion. I didn’t know you cared.”
“I don’t really but that’s my two cents on that.”
“Well I appreciate your two cents but that two cents isn’t going to get us on the other side of this fence.”
“Do we even want on that side of the fence?”
Gerard walked over to Damion before latching onto the fence, “Well one thing is for sure. I don’t wanna be on this side of the fence.” On that note, Gerard started climbing up the fence. He made it to the top where it got tricky due to the barbed wire that was encircling the top rung of the fence. “Son of a …man this stuff hurts!”
Day Beyond the Dead (Book 1) Page 15