New chapter is up!! As usual I don't own Left 4 Dead though I do now have a copy of the game! :D
The first thing I heard when I awoke was…nothing. Still drifting half in and out of consciousness I blinked trying to bring the room into focus. I could see metal trolleys, a sink, someone's arm... JESUS CHRIST! I pushed myself backwards as fast as I could, suddenly wide awake, and nearly rolled straight off my hospital bed. Breathing heavily I tried to regain my composure but I couldn't stop staring at the severed extremity.
Gradually my breathing decelerated as I realised that it posed me no immediate threat. Heart still beating slightly faster than normal, I tore my eyes away from the disfigured limb and took in my surroundings once again. I appeared to be in a side room off of the main operating theatre. I could see double doors behind me, the round windows in each lending a view of the room beyond. The scene reminded me why I was there in the first place and I gingerly pulled up the hospital gown I was wearing. Four inch-long scars dotted my lower abdomen, each neatly sewn together. I wondered why they'd not bothered to dress it. Pulling the gown back down I propped myself up on my elbows.
"Hello?!" I shouted the word then stopped to listen.
Still there was complete silence. No beeping of machines, no trolleys being wheeled down the corridor, no chatter of nearby nurses. It occurred to me that this probably wasn't quite normal. Still slightly disorientated I pushed myself up into a sitting position and swung my legs down towards the floor; on the opposite to that of the arm. My bare toes met the cold linoleum as I tested the strength in my legs, not wishing to end up in a heap on the floor. The short sleeves of my gown caused me to shiver and I wrapped my arms around myself as I headed for the exit. Putting my shoulder against the door, I glanced back once more at the bloodied arm, and pushed.
After ten minutes I was willing to concede that the floor I was on was empty. Part of me was seriously concerned by this but the other part, which I was trying very hard to ignore, was telling me that surely a body with only one arm couldn't have gone very far. Having decided the floor was empty I headed to the elevators with the aim of returning to my ward and formulating a plan from there. Arriving in front of the metal doors I pushed the 'up' arrow and waited. It was then that I heard it; the first sound other than my own footsteps since I had awoken earlier.
A shuffling of feet, something dragging along the ground, and a low rasping breath. I was about to call out when I checked myself. I remembered the arm. I remembered the complete lack of anybody on the entire floor, patients or staff, living or dead. I was suddenly struck by an unexplained fear, that whoever, or whatever was approaching, I didn't want them to know I was here.
I spun around frenetically searching for somewhere to hide. The wall behind me was blank. The breathing was getting louder. I jabbed at the button a couple more times willing the elevator to hurry up; the panel at the top telling me it was only on the floor above. Glancing over my shoulder I pushed the button for a fourth time as someone rounded the corner. I froze.
The elevator pinged and the doors slid open, the noise attracting the attention of the being at the end of the corridor. Their head snapped up, bloodshot eyes meeting mine. They let out a guttural moan and charged. I darted into the elevator and repeatedly pushed the panel of buttons, not even caring if I was sending the elevator to the correct floor. The sound of pounding feet increased, making me exceedingly glad the corridor was so long. But not long enough. As the door started to slide closed I pushed myself against the farthest wall just as a lone arm sailed into view closely followed by a battered body in ripped and blood-stained clothing. I couldn't help it, I screamed. Although the doors were almost fully closed the thing kept coming at me, nose inches from the doors as they finally clicked shut.
Leaning against the back wall I caught my breath and waited for the fear to subside. I wondered again why the arm had been there when I had awoken. Why hadn't I been attacked while I was asleep and vulnerable? It occurred to me that these things might have passed me by, assuming I was already dead. Or one of them, whatever they were. I'd have to come up with a better name. I absently rubbed the back of my hand which was still stinging. I'd pulled the cannula out about five minutes ago, only noticing it after I smacked it off of a doorframe.
Brought to my senses at the slowing of the lift I looked up as the doors opened and was stopped in my tracks yet again. In my haste to escape before, I had pushed any number of random buttons on the control panel; incidentally the elevator had taken me all the way to the ground floor and the scene before me was not the familiar accident and emergency department I was used to. I stepped cautiously out of the lift.
The adjacent elevator had its doors dented inwards and I could see what looked like a body beyond. There were several wheelchairs scattered haphazardly in the middle of the corridor, what looked like an overturned hospital trolley and, most jaw-dropping of all, several long, bright red blood streaks crisscrossing the once immaculate tiles. The sound of sliding metal made me turn, just in time to see the lift doors closing behind me. Cursing under my breath I pushed the button hurriedly, not wishing to be stuck down here for any length of time. However, from the look of it the lift was rising. Swallowing another curse I decided to peer around the next corner to ascertain just how far the damage extended.
Walking as softly as I could I reached the end of the corridor, leaned out around the corner and scrutinized the hallways beyond. Empty once again. Starting to feel seriously freaked out now I ventured to my left, through a heavy metal door that looked somewhat out of place and glanced into the reception area of Mercy Hospital. If I thought I had been shocked at any previous point today it was nothing to what I felt now.
The main doors were thrown wide open and I could see over a large desk into the ambulance bay at the front of building. But the most unexpected discovery of all was the presence of no fewer than a dozen of the beings I had seen upstairs. Some were wandering around aimlessly, swaying and staggering as they went. Yet more were slumped against the walls, both sitting and standing. My desire to explore evaporated and I headed back to the bank of elevators just as mine returned to the ground floor.
Although I suppose it shouldn't have been a surprise, I was still shocked when I arrived back on my ward and found it in complete disarray. Visitor chairs had been kicked over, several curtains were hanging loosely from their railings and a drugs trolley was on its side, the boxes of pharmaceuticals spilling out over the floor. The place appeared to be deserted.
Knowing it would only be a matter of time before something came for me I grabbed my bag from the locker beside my old bed and threw it into one of the side rooms. The previous resident of the room had evidently vacated it in a hurry; the sheets were twisted and hung half off of the bed and a half eaten sandwich had been discarded amongst the blankets. Water from a knocked over cup had pooled on the table and was slowly dripping onto the floor.
Realising that I wouldn't be able to last very long with no supplies of any kind I ventured down the corridor to the staff kitchen area and slowly opened the door. It was extremely cramped but mercifully empty. Spotting a fridge in the far corner I opened the door and rummaged through, finding numerous sandwiches but not much else. By sheer good fortune someone had placed their personal stores in a plastic bag so I emptied that out and refilled it with ploughman's, egg and chicken mayonnaise. My next big concern was water. I already had a large bottle of lucozade that Sasha had—
Sasha. My hand froze on the handle of one of the cupboards. I hoped that wherever she was she was safe. After gathering supplies and devising a plan of action my primary aim had to be to try and find her. Whatever my chances of success were.
I reluctantly (and rather guiltily) pushed thoughts of her to the back of my mind and opened the cupboard door. I'd been looking for some two-litre bottles I could fill with water but could only find a much smaller five hundred millilitre one. It would have to do for now. I emptied the fruity purple liquid down the sink and swilled the bottle out before refilling it right to the top. It still smelled slightly like blackcurrant.
With my supplies satisfactory for now my next stop was the drugs trolley. I entered the bay next to mine which had been reserved for women only and stopped in my tracks. The ward was not quite as deserted as I had first thought. The body of a doctor was lay spread-eagled face down across the nearest bed, previously obscured by a partially ripped curtain. The bed was soaked through with his blood. I thought, with an equal mix of gratitude and regret, that I was glad I was reasonably accustomed to seeing such sights. It was an occupational hazard.
As I moved forward to reach the upended trolley, I spotted several more bodies heaped in the far corner, as well as the body of the nurse that had been caring for me lying broken on the hard floor between the beds. I decided to make this trip as quick as possible. Reaching the trolley, I crouched and began sifting through the boxes. It took me less than a minute to locate what I was searching for. Adding the boxes of Co-amoxiclav, Mandanol and Diclofenac to my plastic bag I stood up with the thought of getting to my room, satisfying my hunger and figuring out what the hell I was going to do next.
As I turned to leave the ward I was stopped in my tracks. The nurse that I had assumed was dead didn't appear to be so lifeless anymore. She stood, no more than 6 feet away from me, swaying slightly on the spot. A terror greater than any I have ever known overcame me in waves, rooting me to the spot. However, I didn't have long to explore my newfound emotion. With amazing speed the nurse lunged at me, hands outstretched, eyes wild. I had less than a second to react.
Dropping the plastic bag I dived to my right, the nurse's fingertips brushing my hospital gown. As she turned towards me for a second time, struggling to regain her balance I glanced madly around for anything I could use as a weapon. My eyes alighted on the clipboard tucked into a receptacle at the end of the nearest bed. It wasn't anywhere near perfect but it would have to do. I grabbed it with both hands and swung it with all my might at the nurse's head. It collided with more force than I had anticipated and actually knocked her sideways into the bedside table.
Using her disadvantage to mine, I raced around the bed still frantically searching for a more substantial weapon. There was nothing that I could see. This was a hospital goddammit! Where were all the sharp implements when you needed them?! Footsteps behind me made me turn. The nurse had recovered herself and was charging at me yet again. The desk to my left at the entrance to the bay was exceedingly cluttered; paper, pens, a computer, a blood glucose monitor and a half finished cup of coffee. Grabbing what was to hand I threw the coffee cup wildly at the nurse closely followed by the BM machine. Unsurprisingly they didn't do much to hinder her progress.
Guessing that paper and pens weren't going to do much good I grabbed the keyboard and aimed for her head again. The wire connecting it to the processer went taut then pulled free, tailing behind the keyboard as it sailed through the air. It connected with the nurses head with a crack and sent her sprawling to the floor. This time I didn't stop. I bought the keyboard down again and again until she no longer twitched.
Panting I leaned against the desk and stared at the body of the definitely deceased nurse. My respite was almost immediately interrupted by the sound of a low growl. I had absolutely no idea what it was but I wasn't going to wait around to find out. Keyboard still in hand I ran for my side room further down the ward. Once inside I slammed the door, pushed the bed up against it and secured the window. It was only then that I realised I had left my plastic bag in the women's bay.
A/N: Thanks for reading...hope you enjoyed :)