Planet Dead (Book 1): Bloodthirsty

by Sylvester Barzey

  Catherine looked over at the Doctor, who was running her fingers down the glass door. “You’re girl over there doesn’t seem to care about leaving,” Catherine said.

  Peter started walking towards Doctor Brooks, “Y’all chill,” he said. He stood behind her and looked at the glass before softly saying, “This where you left him?” Brooks turned her head to look at Peter giving him a slight nod before looking back at the glass.

  “But something setoff the security protocol. The whole building is in lockdown,” Brooks said. She took her glasses off and screamed tossing her head back, “Fuck!” Peter put his hand on her shoulder and she quickly slapped it away, “You don’t get it! This was our only way out. If we don’t have him then there’s no hope of anyone coming to get us.”

  Peter shook his head, “We got Jordan, you said the little man is like the second coming of Zombie cures right?”

  Doctor Brooks looked over at the little boy and nodded, but then shook her head, “Yes, Jordan’s blood has all the markers to my work but Patient Zero-”

  “Jordan has all the what?” Catherine’s voice pushed through the bickering.

  Tennessee slowly stepped from around the corner to reunite with the group, she folded her arms over her chest staring at the survivors. A small smile creeped up onto her face, then her eyes lowered and she could see Jordan staring at her. Tennessee blew the little boy a kiss before he turned back around.

  “What the hell, does my son have to do with all this?” Catherine asked.

  Doctor Brooks ran her fingers through her hair tossing the brown waves into a shaggy mess as she let out a loud sigh, “This infection is highly contagious, and extremely volatile.” She pushed her hands into her dirty lab coat as she started to walk into the center of the group, “People like you and me, if an infected individual's blood or any bodily fluid for that matter, gets into our system, then we have one of two paths. We slowly die as our core temperature heats up and we cook from the inside out or we internally cook just long enough to fry most of our brain cells and become-”

  “A zombie,” Sue said.

  Brooks shook her head, “I wouldn’t really call them zombies, there’s no such thing,” she said.

  Tennessee laughed and pointed over her shoulders “You gonna go outside and tell them that?”

  Doctor Brooks looked at Peter, “We went over this, these are not reanimated corpses. Their infected human beings with a high amount of-”

  Catherine placed two fingers to her lips and let out a loud whistle, she looked around at all the eyes on her, “Get the fuck back on track, who cares what y’all wanna call them,” she said.

  Doctor Brooks nodded and pushed her glasses up with her finger as she said, “While we fall victim to the infection there seem to be people who are immune to it all together. At first we thought Patient Zero might have been the only case, but after my forced cooperation with the military we came across your family and Jordan, who seems to have the same markers of being immune to the infection.”

  Robert rubbed his hand on Jordan’s head, “She thinks she can make a vaccine out of the little man’s blood and save the world.” Robert’s words made Tennesse laugh.

  Tennessee rolled her eyes before being elbowed by Sue, “What? I don’t give two shits about saving the world. That’s not what I’m here for.”

  Catherine’s eyes fell onto Tennessee, she wanted to scream, ‘What the fuck are you here for then?’ The thought of dragging Tennessee down the hall by her hair and beating some answers out of her, crossed Catherine’s mind. But as her eyes came back to Jordan’s shaggy mess of hair, she remembered why she was here. “And this Patient Zero is locked up in there?” she asked.

  Doctor Brooks nodded and started walking back towards the glass door, “The system went into lockdown, something must have set it off.” Brooks looked over her shoulder at Catherine, “We came here to get Zero and rondavue with the chopper on the roof in...” She looked down at the watch on her hand her closed her eyes, “Forty minutes.”

  Catherine looked over at Sue and Tennessee, and then her eyes made it over to the Briggs boys before saying, “And this chopper can hold how many?” Brooks looked back at the glass and Catherine snapped her fingers, “I asked you a question Doctor!” There was an awkward silence that took over the hall. The doctor’s eyes dropped to the floor and finally Catherine knew just what the big bloody elephant in the room was. Catherine looked at Robert and stared into his brown eyes as as his hand ran down his bread, tugging at it as he let out a sigh.

  “The Manifest is for five including Zero. It’s not gonna hold all of us,” Robert answered.

  Peter’s head turned towards his brother as he shouted, “Us? What you talking about Us? We talking about ‘Us’ as in us or ‘Us’ as in them?”

  Sue raised and eyebrow and said, “Real nice Pete! You just gonna leave us here to die?”

  Peter looked over at Robert and then over at Doctor Brooks before he started to laugh “Nah, I was just making sure we weren’t leaving y’all behind. One team, one fight,” Peter said with a smile.

  Catherine rolled her eyes before taking a step forward, she grabbed the Doctor and spun her around before softly saying, “You seem like a nice girl, and I’m sorry about that whole mess back there earlier.” Brooks scoffed and Catherine closed her eyes “But we all came a long way and if all of us aren’t leaving,” Catherine’s eyes popped open and she whispered, “None of us are.” Brooks could feel Catherine’s fingers digging into her arms through the lab coat. Catherine’s hazel eyes were locked on the doctor for a moment, before releasing her slowly. “Now,” Catherine clapped her hands together and looked at her little ragtag group “The Doctor here is gonna figure out how to get us all the hell out of here-”

  Brooks shook her head, “You people aren’t listening, this escape was only happening if we had Patient Zero.”

  Catherine rolled her head slowly over towards the Doctor’s direction as she mockingly said “Oh really? Is it not happening without him?”

  Sue laughed for a moment, before her hand shot to her side trying to fight the pain.

  “We’ll get your little lab rat out of his cage. Just make sure you get us all a ride out of here,” Catherine said

  Catherine walked up to Jordan and gave the boy a kiss on the cheek. “No,” Jordan said.

  Catherine smiled, “I haven’t even said anything yet,” she said.

  Jordan shook his head closing his eyes, “No. I’m coming with you.”

  Catherine smiled and shook her head, “No you’re not. You’re gonna stay here and watch after Sue, she’s in bad shape,” Catherine stared at Jordan and then put her arm around the little boy, she pressed his head into her midsection and took a deep sigh as she said, “You know how much I missed you?” Jordan nodded slowly and then Catherine stepped back to look at her son “I did some crazy stuff to get to you.”

  Jordan softly said, “I know Ma.”

  “And I’m not gonna lose you again,” she kissed the shaggy headed boy right in the middle of his black mess of hair.

  Sue waved her hands and started walking over before coming to a stop and leaning on a nearby wall. Catherine walked over to her and she ran her finger through the girl’s hair, “We’re all going,” Sue said.

  Catherine shook her head before leaning in and whispering, “I don’t trust her.”

  Sue looked over at Doctor Brooks and then whispered, “The Doctor?”

  Catherine leaned back and shouted , “Tennessee! You and I are gonna go figure out how to get this door open.”

  Tennessee looked around for a moment and then looked back at Catherine as her finger came up and pointed at herself, “We’re gonna what?”

  Catherine walked over to her, “We’re gonna get the door open,” she said.

  Tennessee laughed, “I’m not sure I’m the best choice,” she said.

  Catherine stood in front of Tennessee, she stared at the young woman’s dark black hair and soft pale skin before
she smiled and said, “Sweetie, you’re the only choice.”

  “I’m going with you,” Catherine’s eyes slowly pulled away from Tennessee to land on her husband and his shaggy beard. He stood to the side of the two women with his M4 held tightly in his hand. She went to shake her head, but he placed his hand on the side of her neck and rubbed his fingers along the soft part where her neck and jawline met. He pulled her in for a deep kiss.

  Catherine had forgotten how amazing it felt, how earth shattering it was just to feel the lips of another against her own. She held her eyes closed, as if this was a dream she never wanted to end. Yet when Robert’s lips broke away from hers he said, “I’m coming with you and that’s the end of that.”

  Catherine nodded slowly in her love sick daze. Peter unslung his weapon and held it out to Tennessee, “Here take this,” he said.

  Catherine watched as the weapon left Peter’s fingers and rested in Tennessee light pale hands. Tennessee smiled and Catherine looked over at Peter, “You guys might need it,” she said and Peter lifted his shirt to show two handguns pushed between his belt and his abs

  “Nah, we good. Y’all be safe, because if what Maxine is saying is right then-”

  Robert nodded and looked over at Catherine who pulled back the charging handle on her weapon letting a bullet jump into the chamber.

  “Then what?” Sue asked and Catherine’s head turned towards the young girl as she said,

  “We’re not alone.”

  CHAPTER 13

  “Sooo,” Robert’s voice broke through the dark silence as their footsteps echoed throughout the halls of the CDC. The sun was starting to set now, but Catherine had no way of knowing that, because she was in the heart of the building now. There were no windows, just dark corner after dark corner as the red emergency lights on the walls flashed constantly. Catherine held her flashlight tightly along the barrel of the M4 and lead the way into the darkness.

  “So, what?” Catherine asked.

  “So, how did you and Sue end up together?” Robert asked softly.

  Tennessee laughed, causing the light to swing around blinding her, “What the fuck you laughing at?” Catherine shouted.

  Tennessee put her hand up trying to block out the light, “Take it easy, Killer. I was just making a gay joke in my head.”

  Robert laughed looking over at Catherine as he said, “That’s funny.”

  Catherine turned the light around and continued walking as she softly said, “No it’s not.”

  A few moments of silence past till out of the darkness came “We found each other. Then we found Tennessee and-”

  “And then She found out Sue knew where you guys were the whole time.” Tennessee said. Faith’s blood was still fresh on her hands and Tennessee knew Faith was still running through Catherine’s mind. So the best thing for the both of them was to keep Faith dead and buried until they could have their talk.

  Catherine came to a stop and looked around the hallway, “We need to get to the basement.” She said.

  Tennessee rolled her shoulders as she let the heavy rifle hang around her body, “Why?” She asked.

  Catherine pointed the light down another hallway, “Because from the basement we can cut the power to the building.” She replied.

  Robert nodded, “Yeah, then we can kick the power back on and hopefully negate the security system.” He said.

  “And that’s gonna work?” Tennessee asked.

  Catherine shrugged her shoulders as she started down the hallway, “Maybe, it works with the copy machine at work.”

  “Okay, I mean just as long as you two know what you’re doing.” Tennessee looked around for a moment before saying, “On an unrelated note. If I wanted out of this shit show, which way would be the exit?”

  “Shut the hell up,” Catherine said.

  “I looked for you” Robert said softly.

  Catherine looked over her shoulder as she said, “You shut the hell up too,” and continued to walk down the dark hallway.

  “I did, We traced your cellphone. We found your car in the river.” Catherine came to a stop when she heard those words. The light was shining down the white hallway as Robert continued, “I jumped in. I don’t know what I thought I was gonna find.” Robert stopped and ran his hand over his face, “I kept telling myself I was just seconds behind you. I was sure I’d pull you from the water. I was sure I’d save you.”

  “Stop,” Catherine’s soft voice echoed down the hallway and the pain in her words shook through the walls.

  Robert’s hand went up to Catherine’s shoulder, then his hand slowly ran along her skin making it’s way to a spot on the back of her neck. His finger traced it and a chill ran down Catherine’s back.

  “I went deeper and deeper. I saw those things, all fighting to get at me. Every few seconds I would hope to see your eyes, but all I saw was the dead,” he said. Robert took a step forward and as his bread brushed against Catherine’s ear, she smiled. His lips parted and he whispered “I would have looked through those waters forever, I would have looked for you forever, but Jordan-”

  When she heard Jordan’s name Catherine’s smile faded. She wanted to tell Robert it was okay. That she understood, that she would have done the same thing. Catherine wanted to say so many things, but she heard a deafening shriek break through the darkness of the halls. Catherine’s rifle came up and the beam of light scanned the dead halls that surrounded them. The sound grew louder and Catherine’s rifle fell from her fingers and hit the floor. She covered her ears dropping the flashlight to the ground. As the flashlight spun along the floor Catherine Robert and Tennessee, covering their ears as well. Tennessee was on her knees screaming through the pain and Robert was just moments away from doing the same.

  Catherine pressed on her ears as tight as she could, her eyes was shut as a throbbing sensation filled her skull. She dropped to her knees screaming alongside Tennessee. Their cries of torment were nothing compared to the howls that were echoing through the halls of the CDC, but just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

  Robert’s hands slowly came down from his ears to reveal little droplets of blood in his palms. His hands quickly went back to his ears, his fingers snapped loudly by both ears. Robert’s head slowly came up with a smile, “I think I’m okay!” Robert’s words echoed along the hall as Catherine started to get back to her feet.

  “What the fuck is that!” Tennessee’s finger shot out as a figure sped past the beam of the flashlight.

  Catherine’s body spun around quickly, she stared down the hallway “I don’t see-” From the darkness emerged a small figure that took slow footsteps down the long hallway. Catherine shot forward grabbing her rifle and the flashlight. She watched as the small thing in a medical robe slowly made it’s way towards them.

  “It’s a little girl?” Tennessee said puzzled.

  “Honey, you alright?” Catherine called out to the child. Catherine started to take a step forward but felt a large hand pull her back by her arm. She looked back and Robert was shaking his head.

  The flashlight pointed at the girl and Catherine’s eyes got a good look at what was standing before them. The girl’s skin was pale and as the light shined on her Catherine swore she could see every vein running through the girl’s body. It was like she was translucent with only grayish red tint of color to her. There was also no hair on the child’s body, nothing on her arms, her legs, or her head. Her skin was drawn in tightly around her farm showing every pointy bone that poked through the blood stained robe. Dark red veins ran along her face and hidden among her shadow was a trail of blood that followed behind her.

  “She’s infected.” Robert whispered as he started raising his rifle.

  Catherine took a step back as she tossed the flashlight behind her to Tennessee, “Here take this.” Catherine raised the barrel of her rifle alongside Robert’s.

  “And what if she’s not?” Tennessee asked.

  Catherine’s cheek found it’s way to the black metal and she p
inned the buttstock in her soldier pocket as she said “You see all that fucking blood?” Her eye focused as it rested by the scoop and she could see the red triangle rest above the little girl’s head like a party hat “The kid’s dead.”

  Tennessee smiled and nodded “Shoot first ask questions later right? I mean it’s not like we’re all covered in blood or anything.”

  Catherine looked over at Robert and then back at Tennessee. She bit her lip and shouted, “Honey!” Catherine’s eyes went back towards the girl as she raised her rifle up to her cheek and took aim, “You alright!”

  The shuffling of her bare feet along the white tile came to an eerie stop. Tennessee stood there with the flash light pinned on the girl who was breathing heavily. The only sound that could be heard was the inhale and exhale from her tiny body. Until the metal click of Robert’s bullet being chambered into his barrel filled the air.

  The girl’s head jerked back and surrounded by a river of reddish gray skin was a pair of dark black eyes. The girl’s mouth grew wide revealing blood stained jagged teeth as another high pitch wail was heard. The sound was haunting and painful. It felt as if there were hundreds of them doing it due to it echoing through the halls.

  The light quickly came off the girl as Tennessee covered her ears.

  Catherine took aim at the girl once again, her finger started to tighten and she pulled back on the trigger. The blast did it’s best to battle against the scream. The bullet flew through the air and connected with the middle of the girl’s skull, sending her body flying down the hall. As the body fell limp among the blood trail in the hall, Catherine’s rifle lowered.

  “That’s new,” Robert said. Another shriek was heard from down the hall, followed by another and another.

  “We need to go!” Tennessee shouted.

  “We need to get to the basement!” Catherine said as a cluster of sprinting footsteps echoed through the halls. Catherine raised her rifle again and Tennessee watched as Robert and Catherine started making their way deeper into the darkness of the hallway.

  Tennessee shook her head, “Fuck!” She said. Moving slowly behind Mr. and Mrs. Briggs. The darkness in the center of the hall was cast out by the flashlight as they turned the corner. Then they saw it, in bright green letters just hanging in the air. “It’s the exit!” Tennessee rushed forward but quickly came to a halt as Robert’s hand blocked her escape. The stairwell was only a few feet away. Yet, they were frozen in place by the sight of gray faces and black eyes racing towards them. Blood coated their mouths and the shrieks grew louder.