The dead walked. The world ended. My life changed. I became a shell of my old self. Relying on instinct and bullets.
I walked the earth lonely. Days blurred into each other until I lost track of time. When I found the man that wasn't as dead as he should've been, my life changed, again.
As I walked through the hospital clutching my sawed off shotgun in my hands, I started to sweat. Being closed in made me nervous.
How could I know if walkers came in each exit, how could I know if I had a guaranteed way out. I didn't know that.
When I found the pharmacy, I kicked in the door and pointed my gun in front of me. After I saw that it was empty I bolted in and closed the door, locking it swiftly.
There were antibiotics, antiseptic, pain killers, and numbing agents.
"Just what I need." I whispered and took the bottles from the shelf.
I took an antibiotic, and a pain killer. I pulled my pants down to expose the cut on my leg. Fucking barbwire. I fell onto it trying to run through a farm.
The wound looked worse now, I cleaned it with the antiseptic and covered it for a second with gauze. I took the vile of lidocaine and stuck the needle into the top.
For a minute I tried to remember if it was 2mms or 3. After a few seconds I just guessed. I chose 3mms. I injected the skin next to my wound and waited a minute.
As I tapped the sides of the tore flesh, it felt numb. I grabbed the suturing equipment off of the desk above my head. I focused long enough to thread the needle correctly.
Then I started to sew my leg up. When I got halfway through I started to feel the effects of the pain killers. Dizziness, blurred vision.
"Shit." I spat trying to keep the needle steady. I finished the sewing as quickly as I could and fell on the floor.
When I woke up I was not sure what time it was, or how long I'd been out. I just grabbed my things and walked out of the room.
The hospital was mostly silent, but there was a thumping noise. As soon as I became aware of it I stopped and raised my gun. It was coming from inside a door.
The door had been blocked off by two stretchers. I moved them and inched closer to the door.
Maybe I should shoot through the door. No, what if it's not a walker. But, it has to be a walker. I braced myself and opened the door, and swiftly moved out of the way.
A man fell on his face. His skin was pale and he was very skinny. He didn't smell like a walker, or look like a walker.
"Hey, you?" I asked him, he groaned. Still unsure if he was a walker, I turned him over onto his back.
To my surprise and relief, he wasn't a walker.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked him. He groaned once more.
There were shuffling footsteps, hisses, and growls coming our way. I looked behind me. There were about seven walkers making their way to us.
I slid my shotgun into the room and took the man's hands. I dragged him quickly into the room and closed the door. I locked it and knelt to the man.
"Tell me your name." I whispered lightly touching his face. I grabbed a bottle of water out of my bag. When I turned back to him I tilted it to his lips.
"Drink this." I cooed. The man sputtered under the water at first, but then he started to drink it. As soon as he opened his eyes fully I took the bottle away.
After a few minutes he spoke.
"Where? Where am I?" He asked.
"In the hospital." I answered putting the cap on the bottle and placing it in my bag.
He closed his eyes again. I took the pillow off of the hospital bed and placed it under his head.
He was in his early thirties, he was handsome, and pale, and his eyes had dark circles around them.
"I got s-shot." He said dryly.
"Okay, well, we need to get out of here." I said as I walked around the room.
The window overlooked the parking lot, we were on the second floor.
"Why?" He sounded as if he was regaining his sense.
"Because, there is about seven walkers outside that door. When I open it, they will be coming. It won't be pretty and you can't be lying there." I muttered while I looked through the cabinets.
There was nothing in there. I took my nine millimeter out of my bag and loaded it. I sat the 9mm and the shotgun on the bed.
"What's your name?" I asked him.
"Rick." He sighed.
"I'm Scarlett." I said quietly as I went over to him.
"Rick, you need to get up." I held my hand out for him. After a few seconds he took it. I helped him up. His gown was open, I could see the bandages on his stomach.
When I had everything ready I put my ear against the door. There were no sounds, they must've walked on.
"Alright, Rick, we're going to need to move fast." I told him. He seemed so in his head that he hardly paid any attention at all. But he nodded.
"Here." I handed him the 9mm before I opened the door.
The walkers had went on indeed. The hall was empty.
Rick and I walked slowly down the hallway. There was another barred off door. Banging came from the other side of it as we passed. It said: Do Not Open Dead Inside
I found an exit and held the door for Rick. He stumbled down the stairs behind me.
"What the hell is going on?" He asked.
"The world ended." I spat as I reached the door to the outside. Rick's eyes were wide and his mouth was set in a frown. We walked to the back of the hospital.
There were bodies wrapped in sheets, laid out in perfect lines.
It had been the first time I had seen it. The rest of the bodies had been piled, their rotting flesh exposed.
But, with the sheets I found it more difficult to see. It meant, they were actually alive once.
Tears threatened my eyes. Rick stood speechless a few feet away. I took a breath and shook myself.
Stay alive, Scarlett.
"Rick." I called, he didn't move, he just looked from one line of bodies to the next.
"They're all dead." He breathed with a shocked expression.
I ran up to him and put my hands on his shoulders.
"Rick, we have to get out of here, okay?" I asked him, he looked at me and nodded. We walked down the road.
"I have to get to my house." Rick said, he started to sound normal.
"Where is it?" I asked him.
"Down the next road." He pointed to the next right turn. I would go wherever he'd go, I had been alone from the start of this thing, and I couldn't stand it. Plus, it was apparent that he needed my help.