Chapter IV

Tongues, And Red Dresses

The large doors of the police station slammed shut heavily behind Amie and her mother. Both were leaning against the door drawing breath at great rate. The streets outside of the police station was crawling with zombies and they had found themselves having to weave in and out of them, trying not follow the same fate as Mr Harris. The thought of her father again, and the image of his death made her eyes start watering. She brushed her hair from her eyes and took a deep breath. She remembered what he had last said.

"Just look after your mother!" That was what he wanted. His death allowed them to get this far, and Amie wasn't about to let the infestation destroy what she had going for her. She knew that this city was just one option, but she had to get out and enjoy life, along with her mother. She took one last deep breath and stood straight, turning to her mother.

"Let's go. We have to find someone who can help us escape, or at least find some other way of getting out of the city." Her mother nodded and gave her daughter a hug. Deep inside, she knew that things may not last the way they are. This could be (though she didn't like the thought) the last time they would be this close. The reality of the situation made it seem impossible that they would survive, but for her daughter she would do anything to keep her spirits up.

"This station is pretty big." Mrs Harris was admiring the great hall and it's decor. "We could get lost in here. Let's see if we can get a map of this place."

"There should be one on the computers upstairs. Let's go check it out."

Amie led the way, closely followed by her mother. The strength that her daughter was displaying made her smile, so much that it became obvious she was smiling. Embarrassment came over her, but she passed it off quickly before Amie could say anything about it.

They came to the main reception desk of the police station. A computer was switched on. It showed a screen that told Amie that all the electronic doors in the building were unlocked. Someone must have already used this console, and pretty recently too it seemed. The logs definitely confirmed that. The last use of the computer was just over 10 minutes ago, meaning that there was someone still alive in this building. Amie read through the computer a little more, whilst her mother sat against the desk. She found a map of the building and sent it to print. Checking once more on the computer, they found the door in front of her was unlocked. Perhaps they could start there.

Amie took a pen and marked on the map which doors were open. She had made up her mind. Starting at this door would be better. It led around passed a room which looked like a briefing room, or a sort of academy section of the station, which brought them back to the hall. Amie formed the plan once again in her mind. The only problem she could see was that it's possible for other doors to be locked, especially if the force are trying to keep the monsters out, or in if the station is full of them. Though Amie disliked that idea, she didn't want any surprises. If she knew that things could be worse than she hoped, it would be easier to take in. Theoretically, anyway.

"We'll start with this door," Amie told her mother, using the map as reference. She nodded, and together they approached the door. It was open. They stepped inside, and closed the door behind them. They scanned the room and found nothing hostile looking. Listening, they could hear the voice of someone in pain. Quickly turning the corner, they found a black man with his back against the lockers. A police officer, who needed immediate medical attention. Amie sat beside him, and he looked straight at her.

"Wh...what...are you doing here? It's...not safe." The man was trying to talk, but his pains were causing him great agony.

"Don't try to speak," Amie told him, calmly. "Just relax yourself. I'll go and find something to help you with. Mum, you stay here with him." Mrs Harris nodded, seeing the man in desperate need of help. Amie looked on the map to see if there was any place to find medical equipment. The man raised an arm, slowly, and pointed onto the map.

"This...room...here..." He stopped talking, and shut his eyes. Amie checked him for a pulse, and found one. He was unconcious from his injuries, but he was getting much weaker. Amie marked on the map, and turned to her mother. "Stay here with him. Lock the door behind me, and I'll knock three times when I get back."

Mrs Harris didn't like the idea of letting her daughter explore this building alone, but seeing her desperation to save the man, she reluctantly agreed. "Alright. Just be careful."

"I will. Don't worry. I'll only be gone for a few minutes."

They both headed for the door together, but only Amie passed through. The door clicked behind her. The door she needed was at the bottom. The man had pointed to a small room, within another. She noted how to get there, before setting off. Trying to be quick, she began running down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Amie carefully opened the door, taking a look through before taking it. It looked clear, so she made her way slowly through the door. There was a door in front of her now, the one she needed. Applying the same tactics, she found herself in an office.

There was paper scattered everywhere, like something had happened here, but nothing could be seen to have caused it. She found what she was looking for. A smaller office, that was probably used by the head of this small division, that was supposed to have contained the medicine needed to save the man. She ran straight for hte room, and began looking around for things. She couldn't see much, other than a safe. Checking it, she found it to be locked. Damn. She didn't know the code, and had no idea where to even begin to find it. Taking the first place she could think of, she began routing through the drawers in search of a log book or something which had the code. She was busy searching that she failed to notice the thing which had just crawled passed the window of this small office.

Amie continued to search the desk, until she heard the sound of something hitting the floor. Something which sounded like a lot of folders or paper. Jumping up, she cautiously approached the door to the office. "H...Hello? Is anyone there?" She looked outside, her head moving slowly out of the room to get a good look. She could see nothing, but she swore she'd heard a noise. Looking again, she saw that her thoughts were right. On the floor across the room was lots of paper scattered all over the floor. There was something else with it too. A key, small and glinting from the light cast from the lamp upon the table. Amie went to investigate, picking up the key and taking a look. It looked like a key for a small desk somewhere. Thinking little of it, she put it in her pocket. Her reason, as she told herself, was that 'the code could be in a locked desk somewhere.' She had remembered such things happening in games that she had played before. Even though this wasn't a game, it seemed far too unrealistic to be reality, that it felt much like a game.

She examined the notes on the floor, mainly out of curiosity. She didn't notice, yet again, that something was sitting above her. A large drop of drool landed on her head and, slowly, she touched it with her hand. It was sticky, and warm. Another drop landed upon her hand, and instinctively she looked up slowly. She had to cover her mouth to stop her from screaming. Above her was a fleshy, red creature, stuck onto the ceiling, dripping saliva from it's long, extended tongue. The tongue was flicking slowly in different directions. It was like it was tasting the air to get a picture of what was in front of it, much like a snake. She started to crawl backwards, and her back hit against the wall. The creature watched silently, waiting for the chance to strike. It dropped from the ceiling, turning around in mid-air like a gymnast, and landed on its clawed hands and feet. It began crawling towards her slowly, like a stalker hunting it's prey, until she screamed out loud. It's tongue flew out of it's mouth, but missed it's target as Amie ducked holding her head between her legs. She screamed a second time, thinking that this was her time to die. She risked another look and saw it begin a pounce towards her. Screaming yet again, she returned to her previous position and waited for the fatal strike.

But it didn't come. Instead, she heard what sounded like several shots from a gun. The shots had hit the creature, which Amie saw was lying against the wall, a large amount of blood pouring out of it's wounds. Amie moved quickly away from it, and got back onto her feet. Across the room she could see a woman, dressed in red. She began to turn away, but Amie called out to her.

"WAIT!"

The woman stopped and turned, her gun beside her. The two women approached each other, the one in red more reluctantly, like she had better things to do.

"Thankyou...for saving me." Amie was nervous, but not as much as before.

"I heard you screaming from the other room. I thought you might have been her." The woman stood, one hand on her hip, the other hanging by her side holding a gun.

"Her? Are you looking for someone?"

"A little girl. Have you seen her?"

"No. I've only just got here. I'm trying to find some medical equipment for someone. It's supposed to be in that room, but the safe is locked." Amie pointed to the room. The red woman turned, thinking.

She routed through a pocket and brought a piece of paper. It had a 4 digit number written upon it. "Try this. I found it and made a note of it. It could be for that safe."

Amie took the note and tried the code on the safe. The mechinism clicked, and the door opened. Inside was a box which was indeed a medical box. She took it out, and also found another key. The woman in red came up behind her, and looked at the key.

"Do you mind if I take the key? I think I know which door it unlocks."

Amie, thinking only of getting back to her mother and the black man, handed over the key to her. The woman thanked her, and left the office. Amie followed her, shouting for her to wait.

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Me?" She hesitated for a second, but sensing no danger she replied. "My name is Ada. Ada Wong. And you are?"

"Amie Harris."

"Amie...right." Ada looked at Amie, and saw that she wasn't holding any weapons. "Do you have a gun?"

"No." Amie shooked her head.

Ada walked towards her, holding out her gun. "Here, take this. I'll be alright with this." She took out a knife and held it. "Don't worry. It's alright," she said, seeing the look on Amie's face. "I know where there is another one. Not the same as this one, but it'll do."

"Thankyou. It may be useful incase any more of those things come." She said looking towards the dead creature still rotting in the corner of the room, the patch of blood starting to dry in the air.

The woman in red nodded to her. "Take care." She left with those words, leaving Amie alone in the room. Amie's only priority now was getting to her mother again. She only hoped that she hadn't met one of these creatures, and that the man was still alive. Amie held onto the box in one hand, and the gun in the other. She would have liked to have her bag with her right now, but she had left that back home. She took one last look at the fleshy monster, and shuddered wondering how anything so horrifying could exist. It was then that she thought to herself. Something was going on here, that wasn't explainable. At least not to her. She shook the problem from her mind for the time being, leaving the office for the other room with her mother.