Ch. 2

'Pilot Ep. Pt. Two'

[The next morning]

How long had it been?... Did they get inside?... Was her brother still alive?! Summer's eyes snapped open. She fell asleep?! Summer sat up in the bathtub wiping her tear stained cheeks. "Blake!" Summer croaked her voice hoarse from lack of use and crying.

"Blake?" Summer called again clearing her throat stepping out of the tub.

She walked to the door setting her hand on the knob remembering what Blake had told her, but she needed to make sure he was ok with this in mind she slowly opened the door and immediately saw Blake laying up against the door which looked like it was in bad shape.

"Blake?" Summer called in a whisper with no response inching closer she put a hand on his shoulder. "Blake." She said when she touched his shoulder Blake jolted awake grabbing her wrist roughly before registering that it was his sister.

"I'm.. Sorry. I'm sorry." Blake said obvious tiredness in his voice.

"I can't believe the door held up.." Summer said gesturing at the door.

"It almost didn't..." Blake said pulling himself to his feet using the board.

"Did you ever see them?" Summer asked seeing the top of the door was nearly gone.

"I never got a look at them.." Blake said looking at the door as well. "But man... whoever they were... they were fucking scary sounding.." Blake said walking towards the window.

"When did they leave?" Summer asked hoping that it had been awhile.

"Well.. Maybe a few hours.. There was shooting outside again.. Alot more." Blake said with a tired sigh as he sat on the bed.

"So the police saved us?" Summer asked hoping that meant that the authorities had caught those people.

"I don't know... maybe." Blake said not sounding convinced.

Summer looked away from the door to see her brother laying on the bed. "So... what do we do?" Summer asked walking over to the side of the bed.

"Wait for the cops?" Blake said amidst a yawn. "Maybe sleep?... eat. I don't know." Blake finished.

"Eat. Good idea." Summer said now energized by the new objective now rummaging around in the bag provided by the officer producing some cup noodles.

After a few minutes in a microwave the siblings ate their breakfast, after finishing their meal they decided to see where the police had gone and whether the crazy people still lingered.

Blake creeped up to the door removing the board from the door Summer noticed the board was the only thing that had held the attackers at bay since she could see the latch had been broken.

Creeping out of the room the siblings didn't notice anyone in sight.

"Where do you think the cops went?" Summer asked Blake in a whisper.

"I don't know.." Blake admitted looking down the hall then towards the front door. "Oohh shit!" Blake exclaimed seeing blood covering the glass of the door.

"What" Summer asked looking over Blake's shoulder. "Oh! My! Go--!" Summer started to say in a panic before her brother pulled out of view of the door.

"Stay calm!" Blake whispered locking eyes with his sister she could see in his eyes he was just as shaken.

"We-- we need to find mom and dad!" Summer whispered fear evident in her voice.

"I know. Let's just catch our breath first ok?" Blake said trying to figure out where to start their search.

"Do you think they had a list of people that are in here?" Summer asked.

"Did they even ask for any type of ID?" Blake answered a question with a question.

"I guess you're right.." Summer said calming down a bit. "Do you think they're in the suite?" Summer asked.

"No idea. But we can start there I guess." Blake said thinking his father would put himself in the nicest room.

The duo made their way to the elevator pressing the button for the top floor.

"What makes you think they're in the suite?" Blake asked breaking the silence of the elevator ride.

"Dad always bragged about it when they started building it." Summer informed her older brother.

"Of course he did." Blake said under his breath.

Summer gave him a look but didn't say anything after a minute they felt a lurch and sudden stop.

"Damn." Blake said looking up to the maintenance door. "I could be wrong but I think we're climbing out." Blake announced.

"What makes you think that?" Summer asked.

"Well with how much shooting I heard last night there must be a lot of them." Blake answered honestly. "That and the fact that we haven't seen any cops around makes me think they might've abandoned us." Blake finished trying to push up on the maintenance door.

Summer took what he said into account finding it plausible.

"Here... I'll boost you up." Blake says getting into position.

Wordlessly Summer was boosted up the maintenance door.

"Here I'll pull you up." Summer said offering a hand to her brother.

"Uh.. Before we try that can you see the closest doors to us?" Blake asked.

Summer pulled her hand back up and stood up holding the cable for support. "There're doors right here! Could we open the doors down there and crawl out?"

"Ya! We probably can." Blake answered pressing the button to open the doors.

Summer carefully dropped back into the elevator just in time to see Blake pull the doors open enough for a person to exit.

"Alright hurry up!" Blake said grunting with with effort.

"Why didn't you push the button?" Summer asked walking towards the newfound exit.

"I did!... it didn't work.." Blake explained getting tired of holding the doors. "Careful climbing up there. Those guys might be up there so be careful." Blake said as she started to climb up and out of the elevator.

"Need a hand first?" Summer asked offering a hand out.

"First... go find something to hold this open.." Blake said straining.

"Right." Summer said standing up and turning around to survey her environment finding nothing of use. "There's nothing here." Summer announces to her brother as she hears the elevator doors shut behind her. "Blake!" Summer yells out running back to the elevator trying to open herself.

"I'm fine! ... just.. See if you can find anyone. So they can help." Blake yelled from inside the elevator.

Summer let go of the door. "Ok!" Summer obeyed turning to go find someone.

Summer walked through the hallway as quickly and quietly as possible the room doors here looked pristine unlike the one she left earlier this morning.

While she had been trying to avoid this fearing the people might return Summer decided to knock on one if the doors hoping to find a friendly stranger.

Summer knocked on a door around the corner from where the elevator was. "Hello?" Summer called out.

"Who.. Is it? A woman's voice asked timidly.

"Please! I need help!" Summer rapidly asked.

"The police said I shouldn't open the door for anyone except them. And only after they identify themselves." The woman replied unsure of what to do.

"I think the police left us! Please my brother is stuck in the elevator and I can't get him out myself please!" Summer pleaded and after waiting a few moments she heard the lock being undone making Summer step back from the door.

A short blonde woman with a slightly heavy build answered the door.

"Thank you. Thank you!" Summer praised the woman.

"I couldn't just leave you out here on your own." The woman said seeming genuinely good-natured.

"Thank you so much he's over here." Summer announced walking back to where her brother waited. "He's in here." Summer said placing a hand on the doors.

"Ok.." the woman answered.

"Glad you're back I was getting bored by myself." Blake said sarcastically.

"We're gonna get you out!" Summer shouted.

"You ready?" The woman asked crouching and placing her hands in between the doors. "Ya.." Summer said mimicking the woman.

"Alright pull when I say ok?!" Blake yelled through the doors.

"Ya!" The girls replied in unison.

With that Blake put his hands in between the doors again and heaved them open. "Ok.." Blake said under his breath. "Alright pull!" Blake shouted.

The women successfully pulled the doors fully open. "Jeez... nice job guys." Blake said climbing up and out of the elevator.

"Thank you.." Blake said gratefully to the woman.

"Of course.. I'm glad I could help. Do either of you know what's happening?" The woman asked looking between the two.

"We don't." Blake answered simply.

"We're looking for our parents." Summer added quickly. "We're pretty sure the cops left like I said." Summer added on.

"I don't understand... why would law enforcement leave civilians in a makeshift quarantine.. Unguarded." The woman pondered.

"Beats me." Blake said quickly. Look.. If you're alone you could come with us... at least til we figure out whatever this is." Blake offered.

"Safety in numbers and all that." Summer chimed in.

"I suppose if what you say is true I'll have to leave sooner or later ... might as well leave with others." The woman said.

"I'm Summer." The teen girl introduced herself.

"I'm Melissa." The woman said to the siblings before her.

"Blake." The young man said with a handshake.

Returning the handshake. "So do you know where your parents are?" Melissa asked.

"We assume in the suite.." Blake replied.

"Right." Melissa said following the duo.

Making their way up the staircase Summer led the group to the suite upon arrival they heard a scuffle coming from inside the room.

"Stay back guys." Blake said taking the lead.

The young man put his ear to the door no longer hearing anything else from the other side.

"Hello?" Blake called out hoping to hear his parents.

"Who... who is it?" Blake heard his father ask.

"It's Blake! You ok in there?" Blake asked leaning against the door frame. "Let us in Harold!" Blake yelled tired of this whole ordeal.

The door opened moments later. "Who are you?" Harold asked eyeing Melissa.

"She's my girlfriend." Blake said sarcastically walking into the room seeing the glass wall and his mother in a chair bleeding from her face. "Mom!" Blake exclaimed running to his mothers aid. "What happened?!" Blake asked attempting to be calm.

"The manager went crazy!" Harold angrily explained.

"Mom!" Summer exclaimed running past her father to her mother's side.

"Where are the police!? They have someone to arrest!" Harold bellowed with anger.

"They left." Blake said over his shoulder.

"What do you mean they left?" Harold questioned.

"Meaning they left.." Blake said over his shoulder again.

"I'm a doctor.. If you don't mind me having a look at it." Melissa said stepping forward.

"Well yes please then." Blake said stepping aside gesturing Melissa toward his injured mother.

Melissa examined it for only a few moments. "Someone bit you?" Melissa asked in disbelief.

"The manager..." The injured woman said pointing a finger at the bathroom door furniture thrown everywhere as if a struggle had taken place.

Blake started over to the door with intent to do damage.

"Be careful." Summer said hoping he would hear her.

Blake opened the door to see the culprit of his mother's injury. "Hey! Why the fuck did ya hurt my mom!?" Blake yelled at the woman wearing a manager's attire, yet she looked off somewhat pale and her eyes seemed faded.

The manager turned to the source of the noise seeing Blake and shuffling towards him starting to growl. "Well... answer me!..." Blake Yelled again losing confidence.

The manager reached out to grab him finding purchase on his shoulders attempting to pull Blake closer.

"Hey! What the... fuck!" Blake said wrestling out of her grasp. "I don't wanna hit a lady.." Blake shouted holding a hand out in front of him trying to ward off the attacker.

Blake only noticed now that everyone except his mother had retreated to the other side of the room. "Really you guys?" Blake exclaimed in disbelief.

The manager lunged once again but Blake caught her and pushed her to the ground. "Listen! You look really sick. We have a doctor with us she can help if you just calm down!" Blake explained helping his mother out of the chair and taking her to the other side of the room once over there Blake looked to his father."

"Is she on something?" Blake half whispered to his father.

"She'd taken pills and laid down said a sick kid bit her yesterday." Harold informed Blake.

"The police said something about 'bites' when they forced us in here last night." Summer remembered aloud.

"I didn't catch that." Blake said honestly. "Good job." Blake added looking back at the woman. "What's her name?" Blake asked.

"Brenda." Harold answered.

"Brenda!" Blake said attempting to be upbeat. "You're sick! We just wanna help!" Blake said with the same emphasis.

The woman got up and shuffled towards her prey with a renewed speed snarling with her teeth bared.

"Blake!" Summer alerted her brother holding on to her mother.

Blake readied for the oncoming attack yet was met instead with gunfire filling the room bullets ripping through the manager's body.

"Holy shit." Blake muttered as the woman turned towards the gunfire and rushed towards the officer firing a M4A1 assault rifle.

Before the Bullet ridden woman could attack the officer a bullet buried itself in her head killing the woman.

"Who are you?" Harold asked not trusting the man's badge.

"Jaime Ruiz." The officer replied.

"You killed her.." Blake lamented looking at Brenda's mangled body.

"She was already dead.." Jaime said a tired tone in his voice.

"She was sick! You didn't give her a chance!" Blake shouted angered this man just mowed down an ill woman.

"Stand down sir!" Jaime ordered.

"Hell no!" Blake yelled.

"Blake.." Summer said placing a hand on his arm. "Please." Summer pleaded softly.

Blake saw the fear in her eyes then turned back to Jaime. "What'd you mean? 'She was dead already.' Huh?" Blake asked trying to stay calm.

"Well. We've been dealing with an outbreak of some kind.. Those who are dead within the last week are coming back to life... just ... not the same. Anyone who comes back.. Are extremely hostile and cannibalistic. Any bitten turn and become one. Unless you destroy the brain." Jaime briefed.

Blake looked at his mother knowing what that must mean his family coming to the same conclusion Blake locked eyes with his mother's tears threatening to fall Blake had only one word for the thought of life without his mother.

"No..."

okay this alot to write with more to come! I really hope you like it!