Zombie Theorem (Book 1): The Culling, page 11
Maggie had come out of one of the stalls and was standing next to me stripped to her bra and doing the same as I. “Hope you don’t mind, but I am not letting you guys out of my sight anymore. So look if you have to but deal with it.” She continued to splash water on her face and neck and moving to the soap.
I laughed hard and looked over to Brian. “Hey Brian do you have a problem with this?”
He stopped what he was doing looked over at me and shook his head. “Hmm. Let me think. A beautiful woman is shirtless in nothing but a flimsy lacey red bra. Yah I am offended please stop.” He retorted sarcastically then started laughing so hard that he had to bend over to catch his breath. “I’ve already seen Dan naked so yeah feel free to do what you need to do girl.”
Maggie looked at us both and shook her head in confusion. “You two have been friends a long time I guess?”
“Nope he used to work for me, and we never really spoke much. I guess all this has pushed us together. Now I can’t get him to stop following me around.” I said with a smile. Brian groaned and just continued washing up. Maggie and I laughed at Brian’s expense.
We all finished and got our gear together. Maggie dropped her suit jacket on the counter and took her high heels off. “I don’t need the jacket and those shoes are gonna kill me on the stairs. I wish I had some tennis shoes right about now.”
“I know Sherry has tennis shoes on but do you really want to wear a dead person’s shoes?” I caught her eye when I spoke.
“No thanks I’m good, I’d rather walk on broken glass infected with Ebola.” She said seriously.
We gathered at the stairway door and Brian explained how we were gonna stack up the same again and move slow and pay attention. He gave Maggie some batteries and she replaced them in the flashlight. She still had her spike and seemed ready to go. I untied the hose and prepared to open the door. Brian stepped up getting his bat ready. I yanked the door open and stepped back, Maggie quickly moved back and Brian advanced into the stairway.
He raised his hand to show we were clear. Maggie moved quickly behind Brian took his shoulder and positioned her light. I stepped behind her and took her right shoulder. We took the first flight down and ran into what I imagined hell to look like. The stairs and walls were coated in dried and in some places sticky blood. Twelve bodies were lying on the ground, bodies almost entirely stripped of skin and muscle. We walked around and took in the next flight of stairs. I detached from Maggie, climbed back up the stairs, took my spike and started destroying brains of the people I thought were my co-workers. I could feel tears falling down my cheeks and running down my neck, coating my shirt.
Brian waited till I was finished and we continued downward toward the door of the 41st floor. Brian stepped aside and took the other side of the door and motioned Maggie to open the door. She reached out and took the handle, it was slick with blood. Maggie though proved to not be squeamish one bit. She unlatched the door and opened it quickly and stepped back to allow Brian and I to enter. I stepped to the right, Brian to his left, Maggie stepped in behind me and shut the door.
“Movement left, stay with Maggie and secure that door.” Maggie grabbed the fire hose and handed it off to me. I tied it around the door and went back to the wheel and tied it off there. Maggie watched the entire time, I could tell she was taking in everything and learning. I moved down the hallway toward were Brian had gone. I stopped and waited, I had no idea if he went into the bathroom or somewhere else. I put my hand out and Maggie stopped and put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
Brian popped out from a cubicle area and gave us the hold sign. He jogged back down the hallway. “I took three out in the cube farm. We need to clear the bathrooms and the conference room next door.”
We took our positions at the door of the women’s bathroom. Maggie reached out and opened the door wide. Brian and I stepped in and took turns checking under stalls. The bathroom was clear so we moved on and repeated the process with the men’s restroom. The last stall I saw a pair of feet, I checked the ground around it and didn’t witness any blood or movement. I signaled to Brian and he raised his bat. I kicked at the side of the door about where the latch was, the door burst open and I stepped back quickly. Brian stepped forward and waited, the body never moved. Using his bat, Brian poked the body in the chest but again nothing. Brian then tapped it on the head with the bat, this time the head moved slightly.
“I’m not sure what’s going on here. Could they just be sick?” Brian walked backwards toward me.
I squeezed past Brian and by using my bat held the chest in place. I reached out to the neck and Brian’s bat appeared pushing the head back and holding it in place. I put my fingers to the neck searching for a pulse. I thought I found one but it was very faint, I also noticed the heat radiating off it.
I stepped back to Brian. “I think this one has the fever and is not long for this life. I’m not sure what the right move is.”
Brian took his spike out and looked at me. I took it and moved in close, Brian reached out with the bat and tipped the head back again. I got my fear in place set the spike closer and just I was to push in the body began to shake. “Hurry it’s happening.”
The spike disappeared out of my hand and a big meaty hand grabbed my shoulder and pushed me back hard. I could hear the crunch and squishing sound as Brian did what was necessary. I moved past him and made a bee line for the sinks. I turned on the cold water and started splashing my face. I tried to control my breathing but the room started moving on me. I ran and made it to one of the stalls just in time to see the precious amount of food that was in my stomach pouring into the toilet. I collapsed to my knees and worked hard at catching my breath. I sat there for what seemed an eternity, dry heaving, shoulders hitching.
I felt a hand on my back, and could tell it was not Brian’s. A paper towel was handed over my shoulder. I grabbed it and pressed it to my face. “You’re gonna be fine, come on let’s go clean you up.” She put her hands under my shoulders and helped me keep my balance. I washed my face and gargled some water trying to clean out my mouth. I opened my eyes and felt a ton better.
I turned off the water turned around and leaned against the sink. I looked around and noticed Maggie and I were alone. “Where’s Brian?”
“He told me to take care of you and went to clear the floor. How are you feeling hun?” She had concern etched on her face.
“That person still had a heart beat and I’ve never killed a living person. Something inside me just wouldn’t let me do it.”.
“I’m glad you still have that reaction. Brian killed people while in the Marines but you have never had to so this proves you have not become jaded.” She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a reassuring hug. This was not a sexual hug but a hug to help me calm down. She stepped back and looked me in the eyes. “Feeling better?” she asked.
“A lot, thank you for being here for me.” I said blushing, a little embarrassed. “By the way when did you find out Brian was a Marine?”
“He told me during our little conversation, while you were getting me some water.”
I walked toward the door and noticed Brian had used our handy rubber stopper to keep the door open. I picked it up and secured it in my pocket. I shouldered my bat and moved out into the hallway with Maggie hot on my heels. We headed toward the Lobby and Brian came around the corner. We stopped and waited for him. He came up and put his hand on my shoulder. “You ok Boss?” Concern etched on his face.
I gave a weak smile. “Yeah I’m good to go, sorry about that.”
Brian gave me a frown and hugged my shoulders with his giant python like arm. “No need to apologize. I told you I always have your back. This floor is clear but found no supplies. We still have sun light so let’s move on.” I nodded and we moved on to the door. Maggie opened the door and fell back as always and this time I took lead on the landing. It was clear, Brian came up on me looked around and shook his head. “Should we try and go all the way down or skip a couple of floors and go to 35 while we have a chance?”
“Let’s skip some floors and go to 35, we’ve been locked in this building way too long and I want out faster.” I answered and Maggie agreed.
We took our positions and slowly made our way down the stairs. As we came upon bodies we pulped their brains to give us security. Maggie made a point that she needed to help more and took a couple herself. On her first one Brian stood guard as I walked her through the process.
She was reluctant at first but sucked up the will and shoved home the spike. I told her to push harder, and she leaned into it till she felt something give way. She stirred her weapon and then pulled it out and wiped it on the remaining clothes of the dead body. I noticed she didn’t show any emotion but this had to have eaten a little part of her soul. I know because my soul seemed a little bruised from the things I had to do. I patted her shoulder and gave her a thumbs up.
She gave a little smile and we moved on. We ignored most floors and continued to move on. We had yet to run into anything alive or a zombie trying to attack us. Once we got to the 35th floor we stacked up and prepared to enter.
Maggie walked up and took the latch but it would not open. Brian then reached out and gave it a shot. “Locked up tight, let’s move on.”
Floors 34, 33, and 32 were also locked up tight. I checked my watch and noticed it was late and the dark would be encroaching soon, making it difficult to clear floors.
“It’s getting late we may need to move on faster. Floor clearing is about to become hard with just a flashlight.” Brian grunted his agreement and we picked up the speed to the 31st floor. Brian reached out and the door latch moved.
He opened the door quickly and moved in. We were lucky this floor was also under construction. We piled in and secured the door quickly and cleared the space. Which was not hard since it had just been demolished and only one wall was left standing. There was a man’s urinal only with no concealment.
“Well a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. Why don’t you fellas go first.” Brian and I took care of business and walked away to give Maggie some privacy.
We found a stack of sheetrock on the floor and a couple of bags of insulation. We moved them around to make our new little haven just that much more comfortable. Maggie came back looking a little sheepish. She sat down on our new little nest and gave us a smile. “So what do you think we should do next?”
I opened my bag and handed out some food to everyone. Brian disappeared and came back with a case of bottled water. “Found this when we first came in. Union rules for construction says water has to be present on job sites.”
Maggie grabbed one and drained half of it quickly. We all sat down and rested our weapons in a pile nearby. Brian put the gun down and I was shocked, I had forgot we had it. “You guys have a gun? Why aren’t you using it? It’s gotta be easier than using these spikes and bats.” Maggie enquired.
Brian smiled at her. “A gun is very loud and would be like a zombie dinner bell. Plus, we only have 21 bullets so we don’t have much.”
Maggie blushed. “Yeah ok, I got it. Sorry I’m not really into guns.”
I burst out laughing and punched her lightly in the shoulder. “Maggie after what you have done, I would not call you a little girl. You got that Linda Hamilton from the Terminator kinda thing going on.” I gave her a compliment and she took it as what it was.
She raised her arms and showed off her biceps. “I do work out, and am blonde.”
Brian laughed and shook his head at us. It was getting dark fast and, as soon as we finished our meal, we found a place in our nest to bed down. We turned the flashlight off to save the batteries. I used my back pack as a lumpy crappy pillow and soon was sound asleep.
This time I didn’t dream, I was very grateful to say the least. When I woke up Brian and Maggie where both fast asleep. I rose and found my way to the urinal. I relieved myself and walked over to a window near our nest. I placed my head against the window and watched the city below. From our floor I could see more of the street finally. It was covered in rescue and police vehicles. Hope blossomed in my chest.
I ran back over and tapped Brian’s foot. He came awake instantly. He looked over at me, questions in his eyes. I motioned for him to follow me. He did and we made our way to the windows. I pointed down. His eyes widened and the biggest smile I have ever seen lightened his face.
“Holy fuck, that is what I was hoping to see. Should we wake Maggie and show her?”
A voice made us both jump slightly. “Show me what?” A sweet melodious voice came out of the dark.
I walked over and took her hand and led her to the windows. I pointed down and she cupped her hands on the window looking to the direction I indicated. “Oh god finally!” She jumped up and down doing a little happy dance.
“We’re not saved yet. We have no idea how long the responders have been here already, or how long it will take them to get to us.” Brian informed her. No matter what he said Maggie kept hanging onto her joy and hope. I on the other hand agreed with Brian. Why haven’t they made contact? What kind of roadblocks are they facing? Too many questions not enough answers.
“Let’s go sit down and have something to eat and drink. Maybe we can keep going down until we run into help.” I suggested and hurried everyone over to the nest we had built.
We all ate breakfast and enjoyed some water. We stayed quiet and in our own heads until Brian spoke up. “So what does the group want to do? Stay put and hope we get rescued soon or get our shit together and rescue ourselves?”
The sun had just broken the horizon and its rays started shining onto the floor.
Chapter 19
Reynolds stopped me at that point of my story. “You keep talking about this person Maggie, but I have nothing in my files or reports about her. What happened to her?”
I stayed quiet for a bit staring at the table, unshed tears coming to my eyes. “That is in my story, I’m getting to it. Can you tell me though what’s the status of Brian?”
Reynolds picked up his cellphone and made another call. “What’s your ETA with Mr. Leeder?” Reynolds listened for a while and got a thoughtful look on his face. “Understood swing west then north and get here, run the sirens.” He turned off the cell and placed it on the table. “Another 20 minutes or so. The streets are becoming hard to drive on. Seems this riot on Folsom may be growing and spilling out on to other streets. This is sounding eerily like one of your dreams. Let’s just hope it doesn’t end the same way.” He looked at me over his glasses.
“I am afraid all of this is going to get worse and worse.” I looked Reynolds in the eye and asked the question that was on my mind. “If this does happen, the way I’m sure it’s going to happen, do you have any plans to get us out of here? Or do Brian and I need to find our own way out of this city as it falls down around our ears?”
Reynolds did what he always did when I confronted him. He put all of his stuff on the table, took off his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “Dan, I don’t have an answer for you right now. But if things go down I will do what I can to help.”
“Like weapons?” I pushed.
“I’m not supposed to give out weapons to civilians but if things get as bad as you say, we will look into it then.” Reynolds stared at me for a while making me uncomfortable.
Chapter 20
“My choice is to keep making our way to rescue. If they have been here for a while, and still haven’t gotten to us I suggest we keep going.” I drank some water and looked over our little party.
“I’m new to this group so I will follow you guys, but it seems safe here on this floor and we could just hang tough.” She said and hid her look behind her water bottle.
We both looked over to Brian. “You know how I feel. The sun is up let’s stop being lazy little rotten crotch Susie’s and get a move on.” He stood and geared up.
While I geared up, Maggie took off to the urinal to take care of business. I stretched out my back and shoulders and met Brian’s eyes. He said a lot with that look. I read fear, something I hadn’t seen before. “What’s bugging you big man?” I asked.
“The more we go down the more we are going to run into zombies and maybe other people. That means something can go wrong. Just keep a sharp eye out and let’s move slowly.” He answered before Maggie came back.
She walked up and I whistled out loud smiling. She had wet and brushed her hair out using her fingers and a piece of string, she found, to put it in a ponytail. She was also wearing a pair of old work boots she must’ve found, which looked silly since she was wearing a blue skirt that rested just above her knee.
“Thank you Dan, I’ll take that as a compliment. Oh and someone here has small feet like mine so I have new boots.” She kissed my cheek and giggled.
I shook my head and started toward the door. Maggie caught up to me and showed me her new weapon to add to her spike. It was a big iron claw hammer.
“Now I can go all smashie on these things too.” She winked and stepped back. I shook my head and rolled my eyes at her.
We lined up and I opened the door and Brian shot past me into the stairway. A zombie male had been standing right there and was about to take a bite out of me before I could react. Brian booted it in its chest so hard it flew back and landed on the stairs going up. Brian moved quickly and bashed its head in easily using his handy bat.
I stepped out and guarded the down stairs access and waited for Brian to come over so we could form up. Maggie snapped on her light and Brian took my position as I stepped back. Maggie moved in front of me and we took our assigned shoulders. We moved down the stairs a little faster than I thought was smart. We walked through another killing ground and we all took our time taking out the 15 dead bodies. Maggie even took a couple out by herself.
We reformed and worked our way down the stairs. We stopped in front of the door on the next floor. Brian put his back to the wall and brought us in so we could talk quietly. “I say we keep going as fast and as far as we can, 30 more floors. I say we stop on the 20th and see if we can take a break there.”
