At the end of the day Rose was so tired she almost didn't see the man dressed in military clothing. It was nearing ten pm when she saw him walking the halls and looking into patient rooms.
"Excuse me, can I help you?" she asked as she approached him.
"No ma'am. I'm just looking." He replied.
"Well I must explain that looking in patients rooms is against the rules. We have privacy laws here and you are violating them. Who are you exactly? And why would you be here so late looking at my patients?"
"I am Sargent Lloyd. I'm sure I don't need to explain that bad things are happening outside these walls. I am here to make sure that none of these patients are carriers of the virus that is spreading."
He didn't need to explain. It was all that was on the news on every channel today. Every time Rose would glance at it she would only see people talking about terrible things. But no one was clarifying exactly what it was.
"Well, if you're not a doctor then how will you know if they are or not?"
"Good point. That's where you come in. You get to walk me around the patients and tell me why they are here and I will decide if they are a danger to exposing others."
"And what exactly will you do if YOU think they are?" Rose asked getting slightly suspicious. She did not like where this was going.
"I will do as I am ordered to do by my commander." He answered in a matter of fact tone.
"Which is?"
"That knowledge is on a need to know basis, and you do not need to know."
"You either tell me or I get security to escort you out of the building."
"Look you are making this extremely hard." He replied as he rubbed his eyes looking exhausted. "I hate this part of my job. This is not what I signed up for when I joined the military. I wanted to go out and save my country. Instead I am sent to a hospital to examine the patients and if I suspect that they are a danger to us then I have to put a bullet in their head."
"What!?" Rose exclaimed. "Why on Earth would the government want to kill sick people?"
"There has been an outbreak. A virus. And it's spreading. I don't know where it started but it's scary. The dead are walking. I was sent here to kill anyone I suspect of carrying the disease."
"That's murder."
"I know. And I really don't want to but," Sargent Lloyd started.
"Then don't." Rose said cutting him off.
"It's my job." He explained. "Let's put it this way. You're a doctor. It's your job to heal people to the best of your ability, right?"
"Well yes, but I don't see how this is comparing to killing innocent people."
"Say a convict came in. Someone who was guilty of a huge crime. Something that you are completely against. If you didn't heal them they would die. Would you fix them?"
"Of course. That's my job."
"Exactly." He stated. "That is all I am doing right now. My job."
"But it is my job to protect my patients. To keep them alive, how am I supposed to do my job when you are doing yours?"
"Look, if I don't do this now then the whole army is going to invade the hospital and kill everyone in it. Even the staff."
"Then let them. At least then you can keep a clear conscience."
"Would you listen to me if I told you to stay away from work tomorrow?" He begged.
"No, most likely not." She replied.
"Then, when it starts, hide. Somewhere you think is safe, somewhere you think no one will look. At least my conscience will be clear knowing I helped save you." With that he walked away and out the doors.
Knowing what she just learned from Sargent Lloyd, Rose didn't feel safe enough to stay home. But she also didn't know how long she would be hiding in the hospital according to him. She drove home long enough to grab a few sets of clothes and other necessities. When she returned to the hospital she sat in the sheriffs room just thinking.
What was going on? Were the dead really walking just like in her dreams? What was she going to do? She had no idea how to protect herself. If the army found her then they would kill her.
She finally staggered to bed in an on call room around one am. And as always, as soon as she drifted to sleep the images came back. Only instead of flashes of the walking dead, she was running from them. They were chasing her and she had no idea how to kill them, seeing as they were already dead. She tripped and fell on the cold ground. When she flipped around and looked up on of them was right above her. It knelt down, reached one hand towards her stomach, and lowered its grotesque mouth down, getting ready to eat a gourmet meal of live flesh and blood. Just before it could sink its teeth into her flesh, she jolted awake.
There was a ton of noise outside her room. She jumped out of bed and walked quietly to the door. She put her ear up to it to try to hear what was going on. She heard muffled shouts and gun shots.
She creaked the door open a tiny bit to get a look. No one was occupying this hallway. If what Sargent Lloyd said was right then the army was eliminating any threats. She silently slipped out of the room hoping the way to her safe spot was clear.
As soon as she stepped out someone from behind put their arm around her and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream. She struggled but to no avail. She looked at the hand and noticed it was covered in combat gloves.
Oh no, she thought. This is it. I'm going to die.
"I knew you wouldn't stay home today. Why on Earth can you not listen?" Sargent Lloyd whispered in her ear. "If I take my hand away do you promise not to scream?"
She nodded. He took his hand away and she immediately stepped away and looked at him. "What is going on?" She whispered.
"Exactly what I told you would happen." He said like it was obvious. "The army is eliminating anyone sick and anyone who has had contact with the sick people. We don't have much time. You need to hide."
"I need to get to the coma patients room. I should be safe there."
They walked silently down the halls. At each corner Sargent Lloyd would stop her and peak around to make sure no one was there. When they reached the sheriffs room Lloyd peeked in.
"There is someone in there messing with him. It's not one of mine though. Looks like a civilian." He whispered to Rose.
"It must be his friend Shane. Let's go in." She said, and before he could reply she walked into the room.
She was met by a startled Shane. He looked like he was trying to get the sheriff out of the room.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked him.
"I'm trying to save my friends life." He responded.
"You took him off of life support. He could be dead."
"I know. I don't hear a heartbeat." He said sounding heartbroken.
"Look we need to get out of here." Lloyd said.
"I can't leave without Rick." Shane argued.
"Shane, I'm staying. You get out of here and I'll look after Rick." Rose suggested. "I'm a doctor. I can fix him, hopefully." She said looking down at the sheriff.
"You sure you will be safe in this room?" Lloyd asked.
"I'm not leaving my patients. Besides, this is all I know. I would die out there." She heard the shots and screams getting closer. "You two need to get out of here. GO!" She yelled when they didn't move.
They reluctantly exited the room quietly. When the door was shut she looked at the sheriff. Shane took him off life support. There was really no way she could bring him back. She walked over to him and checked his pulse. It was there! It was extremely faint, but it was there. He wasn't dead. He was the luckiest man ever. She did her best to make him comfortable then sat down behind his bed, hoping and praying that no one would enter this room.
