September 21, 2013
We're off on our journey today, Me, Jeanette, Alvin and Brittany. I argued when Jeanette volunteered for the mission. I don't want her to get hurt or die… or worse, but no matter how many times I try to convince her out of it, she refuses to listen, saying that she needs to and that she wants to help in any way she can. I'd loved to have told her that she can help me by staying behind, but I know she has her heart set on going. Nothing will convince her otherwise of this expedition; I've never seen her so determined.
I said it, if you recall my last entry, you know that I said I couldn't keep us here for more than a couple of days. The truth has set in, though. Theodore is getting ever closer to death, and if he dies, then I would be responsible for not letting anyone retrieve his medicine. We leave in only a few moments now and I can already feel my heart pumping adrenaline through my veins rather than blood. We'd originally planned to eat before we set off because who knew how long we could be gone for, but no one had the stomach to swallow a single bite. I think that if I swallow anything, drink a glass of water, nibble on a cheese-ball, anything and I'll probably lose it within a few minutes. Fear was overwhelming us all, and I question the success of this mission.
We have a strategy, but I don't know how well it will work; nothing can really prepare us for the horrors of the outside world, the monsters that lurk, waiting for living beings like us to risk our lives. Our plan sounds simple, but whether it's going to be at all effective depends on how lucky we are. If we get overrun our plan is pointless. Our plan: given our small stature, we should be able to sneak past most or any of the… corpses, but just in case we should get noticed, Alvin will be carrying the Swiss army knife that Dave gave to him and I'll be holding onto a tiny hammer that I'd managed to scavenge from Dave's tool box. Once we reach the vet's office, we are to find Theo's medicine, as well as anything else that may be useful, and bring it back here, home, our only safe haven. Sounds like a good plan, right? It should be, as soon as I convinced the others not to go, they started planning. I don't know if it was some form of peer pressure, but I joined them, some protector I was. I didn't think I'd give in so quickly, but I did, and our mission date was set. Now here it is.
"Are you ready?" I asked everyone who barely nodded. Their nods aren't very convincing, hardly moving a millimeter with no confidence whatsoever. Ultimately, if we don't believe we'll make it back then we likely won't. That's how it works in this world, our little hope is our only strength. If that dies, we'll soon follow. I pray that if we do fail, we won't turn into one of those monsters. Personally I'd rather die then come back as something so horrible. They eat anything and it's all caused by an infection. Man-kind, munk-kind, has been fighting diseases, infections, whatever, for a long time. They fought, but have they actually ever won any of these fights? People still get influenza, people still get sick, people still get cancer. People, or us, may turn to a corpse. Does it affect animals? Cancer does, why wouldn't this?
"You all better come back safe." Eleanor babied, cradling each of us in what had to be a ten minute hug.
"We could never leave you forever." Alvin said. That, I suppose, was his way of lighting the mood, because he was able to muster a grin afterward. Suffice to say it isn't working, but nice effort.
"I love you." Eleanor hugged her sisters tightly, sniffling at the thought of losing them.
"Take care of Theo while we're gone." Brittany hushed, and I knew she struggled to find the strength to let go of her baby sister. I don't blame her, lately I wonder if it's smart for both me and Alvin to go on this trip. Can we really risk leaving Theo in this world brother-less? I can't argue with the facts though, not now. It's time to go.
We climbed through the mail slot, one at a time, and the first thing I notice a difference in is the smell. It's no longer the musk of autumn, but death. The smell of something rotting fills my nose and I can't shake it away. It's as if this plague wants us to know it's here, well believe me, we know. We rushed to the nearest hedge, camouflaging ourselves with it's contents. Peeking out, I can see corpses all around, either dead or moving. Still there is nowhere near the amount as there was before, but enough for them to be a major threat to our plan.
"Okay," Alvin whispered, cautiously looking around in case something were to attack us, "the vet's office is three blocks away. There's only four of us so we should be able to move at a fairly quick pace. Girls, stick by either Simon, or me and if you're too far away, call and we'll throw you our weapon. Remember, we're doing this for Theo." Another peek out of the hedge; three corpses nearby, but otherwise I see nothing of a threat, but still as we take our first steps out of the hedge, my body got taken over by fear and I stood paralyzed, "Come on, Si, you can do it." Alvin encouraged me fiercely like a coach would and I was able to break free of my mental prison.
We actually reached the road, a quicker route to the office for us, but as we did I noticed another corpse sitting at the house we were only meters away from, leaning against the door, staring at us. It was unblinking with it's white, dead eyes, and it didn't move a muscle. It just stared, it's like it's following our every movement without doing anything, but it also looks like it will jump up at any moment. It could be dead, it could be "alive" I really can't tell.
"M-Moving on." My brother stammered and we carefully hurried past one of the moving corpses. A groan sounded from him, or her, I don't know, and we instinctively dove into the grass. Pounding footsteps faded and we continued onward. I must admit, I'm surprised we made it past our street without causing any actual harm or fuss. This is probably the easiest it gets, and on a lucky day too.
Block two of our journey, and we're stuck out here in plain sight. Right now I can see at least seven corpses with two headed over our way. Judging by the pattern that they're moving in, we've been spotted and they knew we were alive. I don't know if they can think, but maybe they can just sense life. That could mean the difference between us living through this, or getting eaten. They aren't very fast, but their size, the size of a human and the amount of ground they can cover in one step compared to us is their advantage. One crawled on it's knees, reaching out for us and we jumped back. Desperate for flesh, it sprung itself forward as if it got shot out of a cannon, clutching Brittany in it's clawed hands.
"Ah, no no no!" She squeaked, forced to watch it's mouth hectically lunge closer for a bite. Swiftly, and likely just in time, Alvin jumped up, the knife open in his hands. He spun, slashing the creature over it's forehead. It must have been deep enough, blood flowed out of the corpse, spilling over it's head with some dripping on Alvin. The corpse fell to the ground, dropping Brittany who cowered to her savior and held him tight.
"That was so horrifying." She cried into his red hoodie. I wrapped my arms around Jeanette, watching as the second corpse made it's way over to us. Covering Jeanette with one arm, I used the other to throw the mini hammer. I'm not exactly strong, but still I pulled my chipette back as the corpse fell. It isn't dead, I can still hear it groan and growl. With Jeanette clutching my arm, I picked up the hammer and beat the head of the corpse. The corpse's skull must weak in the process of turning into this… thing, and it only took a few swings to crush the cap.
"Let's go before another one notices us," I ordered, "We've made enough noise already." Block three is little to no trouble. It's a long, straight road, but to the sides are houses lined with bushes and hedges, and even the ones the were dead and stripped of their leaves offered us some protection. Finally, we easily made it in front of the vet's office. Easily… Ha! That's a laugh…
"How do we get in?" Jeanette questioned, for all I know, there's a set alarm.
"W-We can always try the door." Brittany suggested, "Maybe they were open when the virus hit." I looked around to the sides and something shone, reflected the sunlight into my eye. A shard of glass!
"Wait," I uttered, "look." I point to the side of the medical building and I can see a smashed window, "Through there." Like a secret agency spy team, we conducted our way inside accurately, careful not to get caught on any glass shards.
"Scatter," Alvin whispered once all of us were inside and up to the back shelves where the medicine was, "If one of us finds it, whistle." Another nod of agreement. I realize now how important sign language is, and even as I look through these shelves lined with flea removal and rash ointment, I kick myself for not bothering to learn it. I hopped to the third layer in my assigned row of shelves when something different caught the corner of my eye. Something unique, something different than the other useless medicine on these shelves. A bottle, one that doesn't look like the others, it's more like a capsule, orange container, white top. I picked it up, even to a chipmunk it's small and basically weightless, and I read the label. It isn't Theo's medicine, but it's still useful. Inside, filled about three quarters of the way, are antibiotics, pain pills!
I hear a tinkle, a crumple like someone crushed glass, and I swung back, quickly shoving the pills in my pocket.
"You guys hear that?" I whispered. No answer. "Hello?"
"Simon?" My brother whispered back, "You heard that too?" Another crumple, glass tinkering.
"Jeanette? Brittany?" I quietly called out, wishing that they're safe and sound.
"That wasn't us." Jeanette said from behind another row of shelves. Tick tick tick, the clock counted the beats of my heart. Glass immediately shattered and I stood alarmed, earning a perfect view of the front door. A wave. A wave of what had to be ten corpses flooded through the glass, scraping past the remains and pushing down shelves.
"God, no." I breathed and then raised my voice, "Guys, find a safe shelter!"
"Whistle, whistle!" Brittany screamed, "I found it! Theo's medicine!"
"Can you carry it?" Alvin grunted and as I moved, I caught sight of him in his row, slashing one of the corpses.
"Yes!"
"Grab it and run!" Alvin looked around, searching for Brittany… He didn't notice all of his surroundings, including the corpse behind him. It was a worst fear come to life moment and all sound ceased from my ears.
"Alvin, watch out!" I shouted, but as he turned, the corpse dug a claw-like nail into his arm. Alvin howled in pain, dropping the knife and without a care for myself or anything that can kill me in the world I jumped by my brother's side and bashed the corpse's head with the hammer, forcing it to crumple to the ground. "Where are Brittany and Jeanette?" I circled around endlessly searching for them.
"Guys, up here!" Jeanette shouted and, looking up, I see her and her sister hiding in the ceiling. Brilliant!
"Come on, bro." I said, supporting Alvin as we jumped from shelf to shelf up to the same ceiling tile as the chipettes. One final bounce and here we are, safe. Sorta…
"Ah!" Alvin flinched back when I tried to help him. "It hurts!"
"O-Oh no," Brittany shuddered, "He's bleeding."
"Alvin!" I kneeled by him after I caught my breath, "Alvin, is it deep?"
"I-I don't know." He keeps his hand over his wound, pulling it up a smidgen before slamming it down. "No, I can't." Tears stream down his cheeks.
"Lay down." I said and he followed my words. I pulled out the bottle of pain pills and opened it, pouring out one of the pills and feeding it to my brother. We're trapped here, eight corpses below us while we hang here like a pinata. We're stuck, and not only that, but I think it's dark out. There's no way we're returning to Theodore and Eleanor tonight, no way we're getting home, if we return at all. With an injured munk, we're just pigs for the slaughter now.