Before going they packed a backpack full of food and another one full of
supplies - a couple lighters, a powerful flashlight, two blankets, two
extra t-shirts, a rope, and more Beretta ammo. Brian had found another two
magazines so now they had eight all together.
"You ready?" Samantha called from the door.
"Yeah, just tying my shoes. Lets go."
They slowly walked down the hall together; Samantha had the Beretta in hand. Brian seemed weak, and he said he felt tired but he was strong enough to carry one of the backpacks. As they came to the other door they exchanged glances. "Should we?"
"Might as well, we could use all the company we can get. But I don't know who lives here."
Samantha nodded and knocked on the door. Typically, no one answered, so she pushed the door open. "Oh. God." She cried.
The body of a middle-aged man was slumped up against the wall a gun in his mouth. The back of his head was gone. The wall behind him was splattered in blood. And in his hands was a baby no more than twelve months old, dead. The tears swelled up in Samantha's eyes again and she turned away. "Oh, Brian."
"Don't look anymore. I'll. check inside."
Samantha only nodded. Brian put down the backpack and slowly stepped inside. There were two other rooms that branched off from the dining and kitchen room that was adjoined. Brian took the left door and slowly opened it, peeking inside first. "Hello?" he called out, his voice shaky.
It was a bedroom, and the sheets were also covered in blood. Brian went inside and walked around the bed and then he tripped, falling to the floor. He scrambled away on his hands and knees, his eyes darting around wildly. And then he saw it.
A leg was sticking out from underneath the bed. Brian lied down on his stomach and looked under the bed. A woman was under there, possibly the man's wife. She looked fine except for a bite wound on her left shoulder. Brian started to get up but he heard it.
"Uhhhhnnnnnnn." A low moan sounded from under the bed.
"Are you alive?" he whispered, scared stiff.
The body got out from underneath the bed and slowly stood up, her legs wobbling. She took a step forward, stretching out her arms. And then he realized she was one of them now, it was too late for her. "Samantha!"
"What? Brian?"
"Help." Brian backed up against the wall, scared again. He remembered Mrs. Olson, looking so, so dead. He whimpered and looked around for a possibly weapon. Where was Samantha? Then a scream. "Stay back!" Samantha shouted. "I'll shoot."
Brian sidestepped around the bed and then crawled over it. The woman slowly changed directions. God, she's so slow, he thought. Brian grabbed the lamp off of the counter and ripped the plug out. He threw it at the woman and she stumbled backwards, her arms flailing. Brian ran out of the room, looking for Samantha. He found her fighting off a man, a living one as they struggled for the gun. "Brian! Get him off of me!"
Brian grabbed the guy's arm and pulled him to his feet. They looked at each other briefly and Brian could see the fear in the man eyes. The man swung at him but missed so Brian counterattacked and landed a punch square on his temple. The guy collapsed to the floor. Samantha got back up and aimed the Beretta at the man on the floor. "Who are you?"
"I should be asking you same thing. I just come up here because I heard people moving around and you aim the Goddamn gun at me. What was I supposed to do? I thought you were gonna shoot me or something. Jesus."
"What? You practically jumped at me at the sight of the gun. And it was in my pocket the whole time."
"She's lying, I swear. I haven't seen a living person in so long. why would I want to kill the first person I meet?"
"Whatever, I don't trust you."
Brian looked at Samantha; this wasn't the girl he thought he knew. He looked from man, to her and back. He didn't really know whom to believe. But then again, he never really had.
"Brian? You believe me, don't you?"
"Yeah. sure."
"I'm risking my ass to get you that vaccine and you don't believe me. Great. Whatever."
"No, no I do, it's just weird. I mean he has a point."
"Listen if you-"
"Look out!" the man cried.
Brian whirled around but he was too late. The woman launched at him, snapping her jaws shut on his neck. "Samantha!" he screamed. "Help me!"
"Why should I if you don't believe me?"
Brian fell to the ground as the woman over powered him. He pushed her off of him and rolled away, stopping at Samantha's feet. "What the hell is wrong with you? She could've killed me!" But Brian didn't have much time to relax, the woman launched at him again. He kicked at her and she fell backwards. Brian got up. Samantha had a smile on her face, an evil one. "Are you crazy?" the man called.
Her smile faded and she turned to him, aiming the gun at his head. "That's it."
"Jesus, Samantha, put that away. What's going on? What's wrong?"
"Brian, Brian, Brian. I didn't want to help you; I just needed you for backup. If I ever got surrounded by zombies all I would have to do is sacrifice you."
"You're sick. You bitch. I trusted-"
The gun was aimed at him now. He looked at the man in the corner of his eye but the man was looking across the room, horrified. The zombie, Brian thought. Samantha screamed as it wrapped its cold, dead hands around her neck. "No!"
Brian acted. He grabbed the gun from her grip and pushed her to the floor. The zombie slowly stumbled towards Samantha. "Kill her, you idiot! She's gonna eat me!"
Brian lowered the gun and hesitated for a moment. Then he aimed it at the zombie's head and fired. Blood splashed at Samantha as a chunk of the zombie's head exploded. The woman stood for a moment and then fell to the floor, finally able to rest.
Brian looked at Samantha's horrified face. "Thank you so much. I thought, I thought---" "Enough with the charades. I can't trust you."
"No, Brian. You don't understand. I did aim the gun at him, but I thought he was a zombie. And when you believed him I thought you were going to team up on me, I got scared so I acted tough. I thought if I looked tough maybe you wouldn't team up on me. I'm sorry; everything I said was a lie. Please forgive me."
Brian hesitated a moment and then sighed, "All right."
"You believe her?" the man asked, looking nervous.
"Well. yeah," Brian said, not too sure himself.
"Whatever, man, I'm out of here. I'm not staying with that crazy bitch."
Brian sighed. He could've been a useful companion. Brian went to say something but a shot rang out. And then. thump. Thump. Thump-thump-thump. thump. Brian and Samantha exchanged glances. "What the hell was that?"
They picked up their backpacks and headed to find out. They met the end of the hall and found a staircase covered in blood. At the bottom of the staircase lie the man that had run off. His clothes were also covered in blood. "Jesus." Samantha gasped. They started to walk down the stairs when another shot rang out and another scream. There was a lot of banging around, like a struggle. Brian hurried down the stairs with the Beretta. Samantha cursed under her breath. "They're here."
Behind the staircase there were two more rooms, one was the manager's. The door to the manager's room was open and as Brian ran down the hall there was a second shot and then a scream, but this time it was a scream of death. He aimed the gun and advanced toward the door. Before he opened it he heard a door slam behind him. He spun around and saw Samantha running outside. "Samantha! Wait!" he cried and ran after her.
Brian slammed through the doors thinking she was gone but she still stood there, looking scared. "Get down!" she cried.
He didn't hesitate. Brian dropped to the ground at the bottom of the stairs, giving him some cover. Suddenly his ears starting ringing as the sound of glass shattering and an assault rifle filled the air. He instinctively covered his head as pieces of glass flew through the air. The shots seemed to last forever but then, as quickly as they had started they ended. "Move! Move! Move!" he heard a man cry, sounding like a drill instructor.
Wherever they were going, it was in the other direction. Brian got to his feet and looked around for Samantha. He spotted a blood trail leading off behind a dumpster. "No."
He followed the blood that ended at a big puddle. Samantha wasn't there, though. And there wasn't any other sign of her. "Samantha?" he shouted. She was long gone.
"You ready?" Samantha called from the door.
"Yeah, just tying my shoes. Lets go."
They slowly walked down the hall together; Samantha had the Beretta in hand. Brian seemed weak, and he said he felt tired but he was strong enough to carry one of the backpacks. As they came to the other door they exchanged glances. "Should we?"
"Might as well, we could use all the company we can get. But I don't know who lives here."
Samantha nodded and knocked on the door. Typically, no one answered, so she pushed the door open. "Oh. God." She cried.
The body of a middle-aged man was slumped up against the wall a gun in his mouth. The back of his head was gone. The wall behind him was splattered in blood. And in his hands was a baby no more than twelve months old, dead. The tears swelled up in Samantha's eyes again and she turned away. "Oh, Brian."
"Don't look anymore. I'll. check inside."
Samantha only nodded. Brian put down the backpack and slowly stepped inside. There were two other rooms that branched off from the dining and kitchen room that was adjoined. Brian took the left door and slowly opened it, peeking inside first. "Hello?" he called out, his voice shaky.
It was a bedroom, and the sheets were also covered in blood. Brian went inside and walked around the bed and then he tripped, falling to the floor. He scrambled away on his hands and knees, his eyes darting around wildly. And then he saw it.
A leg was sticking out from underneath the bed. Brian lied down on his stomach and looked under the bed. A woman was under there, possibly the man's wife. She looked fine except for a bite wound on her left shoulder. Brian started to get up but he heard it.
"Uhhhhnnnnnnn." A low moan sounded from under the bed.
"Are you alive?" he whispered, scared stiff.
The body got out from underneath the bed and slowly stood up, her legs wobbling. She took a step forward, stretching out her arms. And then he realized she was one of them now, it was too late for her. "Samantha!"
"What? Brian?"
"Help." Brian backed up against the wall, scared again. He remembered Mrs. Olson, looking so, so dead. He whimpered and looked around for a possibly weapon. Where was Samantha? Then a scream. "Stay back!" Samantha shouted. "I'll shoot."
Brian sidestepped around the bed and then crawled over it. The woman slowly changed directions. God, she's so slow, he thought. Brian grabbed the lamp off of the counter and ripped the plug out. He threw it at the woman and she stumbled backwards, her arms flailing. Brian ran out of the room, looking for Samantha. He found her fighting off a man, a living one as they struggled for the gun. "Brian! Get him off of me!"
Brian grabbed the guy's arm and pulled him to his feet. They looked at each other briefly and Brian could see the fear in the man eyes. The man swung at him but missed so Brian counterattacked and landed a punch square on his temple. The guy collapsed to the floor. Samantha got back up and aimed the Beretta at the man on the floor. "Who are you?"
"I should be asking you same thing. I just come up here because I heard people moving around and you aim the Goddamn gun at me. What was I supposed to do? I thought you were gonna shoot me or something. Jesus."
"What? You practically jumped at me at the sight of the gun. And it was in my pocket the whole time."
"She's lying, I swear. I haven't seen a living person in so long. why would I want to kill the first person I meet?"
"Whatever, I don't trust you."
Brian looked at Samantha; this wasn't the girl he thought he knew. He looked from man, to her and back. He didn't really know whom to believe. But then again, he never really had.
"Brian? You believe me, don't you?"
"Yeah. sure."
"I'm risking my ass to get you that vaccine and you don't believe me. Great. Whatever."
"No, no I do, it's just weird. I mean he has a point."
"Listen if you-"
"Look out!" the man cried.
Brian whirled around but he was too late. The woman launched at him, snapping her jaws shut on his neck. "Samantha!" he screamed. "Help me!"
"Why should I if you don't believe me?"
Brian fell to the ground as the woman over powered him. He pushed her off of him and rolled away, stopping at Samantha's feet. "What the hell is wrong with you? She could've killed me!" But Brian didn't have much time to relax, the woman launched at him again. He kicked at her and she fell backwards. Brian got up. Samantha had a smile on her face, an evil one. "Are you crazy?" the man called.
Her smile faded and she turned to him, aiming the gun at his head. "That's it."
"Jesus, Samantha, put that away. What's going on? What's wrong?"
"Brian, Brian, Brian. I didn't want to help you; I just needed you for backup. If I ever got surrounded by zombies all I would have to do is sacrifice you."
"You're sick. You bitch. I trusted-"
The gun was aimed at him now. He looked at the man in the corner of his eye but the man was looking across the room, horrified. The zombie, Brian thought. Samantha screamed as it wrapped its cold, dead hands around her neck. "No!"
Brian acted. He grabbed the gun from her grip and pushed her to the floor. The zombie slowly stumbled towards Samantha. "Kill her, you idiot! She's gonna eat me!"
Brian lowered the gun and hesitated for a moment. Then he aimed it at the zombie's head and fired. Blood splashed at Samantha as a chunk of the zombie's head exploded. The woman stood for a moment and then fell to the floor, finally able to rest.
Brian looked at Samantha's horrified face. "Thank you so much. I thought, I thought---" "Enough with the charades. I can't trust you."
"No, Brian. You don't understand. I did aim the gun at him, but I thought he was a zombie. And when you believed him I thought you were going to team up on me, I got scared so I acted tough. I thought if I looked tough maybe you wouldn't team up on me. I'm sorry; everything I said was a lie. Please forgive me."
Brian hesitated a moment and then sighed, "All right."
"You believe her?" the man asked, looking nervous.
"Well. yeah," Brian said, not too sure himself.
"Whatever, man, I'm out of here. I'm not staying with that crazy bitch."
Brian sighed. He could've been a useful companion. Brian went to say something but a shot rang out. And then. thump. Thump. Thump-thump-thump. thump. Brian and Samantha exchanged glances. "What the hell was that?"
They picked up their backpacks and headed to find out. They met the end of the hall and found a staircase covered in blood. At the bottom of the staircase lie the man that had run off. His clothes were also covered in blood. "Jesus." Samantha gasped. They started to walk down the stairs when another shot rang out and another scream. There was a lot of banging around, like a struggle. Brian hurried down the stairs with the Beretta. Samantha cursed under her breath. "They're here."
Behind the staircase there were two more rooms, one was the manager's. The door to the manager's room was open and as Brian ran down the hall there was a second shot and then a scream, but this time it was a scream of death. He aimed the gun and advanced toward the door. Before he opened it he heard a door slam behind him. He spun around and saw Samantha running outside. "Samantha! Wait!" he cried and ran after her.
Brian slammed through the doors thinking she was gone but she still stood there, looking scared. "Get down!" she cried.
He didn't hesitate. Brian dropped to the ground at the bottom of the stairs, giving him some cover. Suddenly his ears starting ringing as the sound of glass shattering and an assault rifle filled the air. He instinctively covered his head as pieces of glass flew through the air. The shots seemed to last forever but then, as quickly as they had started they ended. "Move! Move! Move!" he heard a man cry, sounding like a drill instructor.
Wherever they were going, it was in the other direction. Brian got to his feet and looked around for Samantha. He spotted a blood trail leading off behind a dumpster. "No."
He followed the blood that ended at a big puddle. Samantha wasn't there, though. And there wasn't any other sign of her. "Samantha?" he shouted. She was long gone.