III - First Bump in the Road
The sun lingered in the sky. Its descent was barely noticeable as the four vehicles rode through Royal Woods.
"Here's another one," said Lori, holding a cassette tape. "This one is called 'PARTNER' and it was recorded on... April 21st, 1990. Here goes…"
As Tim's voice spoke from the tape and into the walkie-talkie for everyone in the group to hear, some of the dispirited passengers looked out of the windows in Vanzilla. Tim's voice was the only noise breaking the dead silence that filled the depressing atmosphere.
Benny looked out the window, seeing walking corpses wandering around Ketcham Park, which was burnt to the brim. Some were walking out of the entrance gate, walking in the direction of the vehicles, though their slow movements made it impossible for them to catch up. Luan snuck a few glances at him as she sat in a different passenger row, finding it extremely awkward to sit next to him.
Leni looked out the window, seeing the collapsed gas station at Flip's Food 'n Fuel and the looted store. Inside the store, she saw rotters, appearing to be munching at something. As the vehicles got closer, the rotters turned around, blood painted across their lips, their hands holding pieces of flesh. She gasped softly before she slowly turned away from the sight of the rotters. Lucy noticed Leni's sorrowful expression and turned her head towards the store, seeing the rotters stepping out of the store. Her expression remained unchanged.
Lola looked out the back windows as the vehicles passed by the 'Welcome to Royal Woods' sign. She tapped on Lana's shoulder, grabbing her attention and motioning her to look at the passing sign. As Lana looked back, the sign grew smaller and smaller, though they were now encountering a horrific sight. Bodies upon bodies lay around the road and by the houses. The wreckage of police cars were all situated around the barricaded homes, and bullet holes littered the windows of the cars that were parked nearby. A rotter in a police officer uniform had its legs bent and was crawling towards Vanzilla. Lola shrieked and ducked back into the cover of her seats, but Lana continued to stare at the rotter, feeling sorry for the poor creature.
Lynn tried to look away from all the gory scenes that passed by them and sought solace by looking at the serene leaves in the trees. However, the image of Clyde's dead fathers was burnt into her brain- no matter how hard she tried- she could not stop seeing the graphic image.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the RV was a bit more lively compared to that of Vanzilla. Richard and Missy were discussing theories about Tim Crowley as they continued to listen in to the walkie-talkie while the children were having an intriguing conversation with each other.
"...that's the thing about vegans," said Liam. "I got a love-hate relationship with them herbivores. I get why they love animals- heck, I love 'em myself. But it's bad for business! I mean, the eggs ain't even alive! I'm okay with sellin' em, so they oughta' be okay with nommin' on 'em!"
Lincoln looked out the back window, twiddling his fingers as he tried to look inside Vanzilla. However, the only people he could see were Lori and Bobby, with Lori giving him an annoyed look. He sighed and turned around, putting his focus back into his friends' conversation. He looked at Clyde's smiling face. He tried to smile along, but the traumatizing sight of Howard's guts spilled across the floor prevented him from having any sense of enjoyment.
A few hours passed, and the sun's descent became more noticeable, though the group still had a couple hours of daylight left. The roads were extremely difficult to get through, but after much maneuvering, the vehicles have done it. The city of Ann Arbor was now within sight.
The RV crossed the Huron River, where an electronic sign stood blank on the side of the road. Next to the electronic sign was a car that was stuck in a ditch with a piece of metal piercing through the driver's chest. David took a close look at the driver, seeing the glowing golden eyes on its face. He then turned back towards the road and continued to drive forward.
"Oh man. I'm so tired, bro," huffed Chaz as he stretched out his arms one by one.
"I can help you out," said Carol. "Time to stop driving and start riding."
"Oh, umm... I already have a girlfriend, so..."
"What? No, I could just take over-"
"Think we're gonna get there soon?"
"Actually... I think we're here."
"Mmm. You don't sound too sure. That's all right. Can you ask Lori for me?"
"Why me?" asked Carol, her voice showing slight fear.
"I need to keep both hands on the wheel. Because you know... road safety and stuff."
"Who's gonna stop you? No one's around to pull you over."
"I don't know, bro. Something in me thinks that as long as we keep following the law and rules and stuff, we won't go all mad crazy like... like a crazy man. The rules are like glue, right? Or something like that?"
"Fine, I see your point," sighed Carol as she grabbed the walkie-talkie. "Umm... Lori?"
"What do you want, Carol?"
"We're in Ann Arbor, right?"
"Yeah, didn't you read the sign we just passed? Stop fooling around and pay attention."
Carol turned red with embarrassment as she covered her face. She placed the walkie-talkie back into the cupholder and inhaled deeply.
"Damn," said Chaz. "My bad, C. I was just too lazy to talk and drive at the same time. Had nothing to do with the law and stuff."
"Come on, Chaz..."
"Any way I could make it up to you?"
"I-"
"Nothing naughty."
"Dude, no! It's okay, just... you don't have to do anything. I'm okay."
"Alright, bro," replied Chaz.
After a few seconds of silence, Chaz broke it.
"Can you get my water bottle?"
"Damn it, Chaz!"
Lori looked to her left, seeing bodies stacked upon each other in front of the gates that stood outside a large hospital building. Bobby looked to his right, seeing the cars that were parked by the sidewalk littered with bullet holes. They both then turned their sight back towards the road, with Lori grabbing the walkie-talkie.
"Wow, you know how many golf courses we passed by?" she remarked.
"Golf courses?" Richard asked.
"Yeah, I had to stop myself from parking this car and swinging eighteen."
"You... golf?"
"Oh yeah. You're talking to a girl who was the youngest varsity golfer in all of Royal Woods. Even Carol couldn't do that."
Carol rolled her eyes as she heard Lori's voice from the walkie-talkie.
"Ah, that explains the golf clubs," said David.
"Yeah. Hey, I recognize this place. I went here once, on my trip to the University of Michigan a year ago. I could've gone again... though I don't know how I would've made it back home. Gosh, I hope my friends are safe."
"College trip?" asked Bobby.
"Yup. Dana, Becky, Tad- I think. Whitney too...? No, she didn't go... Oh, wait!"
Lori picked up the walkie-talkie.
"We should stop and rest in this field. It's not too far from the center of the city, but it's not too close either. It's just... right."
"You sure?" asked David hesitantly.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Plus, we're pretty close to a medical center. Medicine is something we are kind of low in."
"Got it. We are heading into… Palmer Field."
"Oh, thank goodness," said Chaz.
David turned his steering wheel and drove his RV through the right side of the field, allowing the wheels to rotate across the grass. Vanzilla, Chunk's van, and Chaz's car followed soon after.
Lori saw David park the RV near the tennis courts at the south side of the field where it blocked the view of the streets. She then parked behind the RV before the other vehicles parked by tennis courts, creating an L-shape with their vehicles at the southeast corner of the field.
"Finally!" exclaimed Lola. "Felt like we were in there for a whole day!"
"My portable time-keeping device states that it is currently 3:33 P.M.," said Lisa. "Quite hardly a sixth of a day, much less a whole day."
"Yeah, well tell that to my sore butt."
"It's kinda freaky how quiet it is around here," said Clyde.
"And I thought Royal Woods was quiet," said Tabby.
"So, David, what's the plan?" asked Richard.
"Not sure," said David. "Sounds like Lori's got something to say."
"All I wanted to ask is that we remember where to look, right?" questioned Lori.
"Yeah, umm..." stammered Richard. "Shit, I have it in the tip of my tongue."
"Somewhere near the college golf course and some stadium, right?" answered Missy.
"Yeah, the University of Michigan Golf Course and the Michigan Stadium. I was thinking we wait around the golf course. For reasons."
"You don't have some kinda detailed plan?" asked Richard. "If you don't, then that ain't no worry. We could make things up as we go along. Though, disorganization usually pisses off David."
"Not— no, it's to not work well in teams. That... irritates me. A little bit like the mess that happened this morning in the park. We need a plan, and we gotta stick with it. Everyone's gotta do their part. So, Lori... if you don't have a plan..."
"Wait, since when was it my job to make a plan for us?" asked Lori.
"You wanted us at Ann Arbor. We're here. Now, either you make a plan, or I do, and when I do, you gotta really stick to it."
"Hey, I think they get it," said Missy.
"Yeah, I know, I'm just tryna' be clear."
"Sounds like you're blaming me for what happened last night," said Lori.
"Nah."
"Yeah, I thought so. I mean, we all know your job was to take away General Black's life— not his depth perception."
David forced a chuckle.
"Got a plan?"
"Lincoln does."
"I do?" gasped Lincoln. "Oh, right. I do. According to the map, the golf course is about two miles southwest. From the look of it... I'd say there's no way anyone could drive there. The roads looked clogged with dead traffic—"
"Good one," said Luan.
"—no pun intended. So, I'd say a small group should jog through the campus on foot. A light group of people with a lot of stamina. I got a group in mind."
"Think we all do," said Lynn.
"That small group will consist of David, Lori, Bobby, Lynn—"
"Obviously."
"—and Francisco."
"Yeah, put some respect on my name!" boasted Francisco.
"I suggest hanging around the golf course and to not stray too far into the city. As we all know, more people means more rotters, so it's best to keep ourselves in a wide, open space. If this girl— Vonda— is out there... then she knows this as well, and she'd stay away from the once-busy parts of the city. Keep an eye out for her. If everything goes right... we're bound to find her."
"Suppose we don't find her— then what?" asked Francisco.
"When the sun starts to get close to the horizon, you all come back. We rest and we try again the next day."
"What if we never find her?" asked Lynn.
"Then, we leave," said David. "Time matters here... to our family and to our friends."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Lynn ran ahead past the tennis court and out the field, running across the clogged streets. Francisco chased after her, prompting Bobby and David to follow them. Lori grabbed the map from Lincoln's hands.
"We'll be back soon," she mouthed before jogging after her small group.
"Don't stray too far from each other!" shouted Lincoln.
"She's quite an impatient girl, isn't she?" remarked Missy.
"Yeah. Lynn's like that. She's just very... reckless."
Richard grabbed a backpack and began to walk in the northern direction, opposite of where Lori's group went.
"Hey, where the heck are you going?" asked Lincoln.
"Medical Center," replied Richard. "We're low on medicine, right? Somebody's gotta get 'em."
"Ah, reckless people, am I right?" sighed Missy.
"Yeah. You're going with him?"
"I kinda have to now."
"I think you should take Lisa with you. She'll know what kind of medicine to get."
"Sure thing. I'll make sure this little girl genius is safe."
"Awesome."
"Can I come too?" asked Carol.
"Umm..." stammered Missy.
"I volunteered at a hospital. I want to become a doctor... at least I hope I can still become one."
"Eh, why not?" shrugged Lincoln. "An extra person to carry around medicine. Sure, that'd be good."
"Thank you, Lincoln."
"No problem, Carol. Might wanna go now. Richard's already leaving the field."
"Oh, right."
Carol joined Missy and Lisa as they jogged across the field, leaving the group with nothing left to do.
"I'm gonna siphon some gas from the cars over there," said Lana.
"I'm gonna make sure she's safe," said Benny.
"Alright. Stay safe," said Lincoln.
Benny and Lana walked off the field and into the road with the abandoned cars. Luna and Sam were leaning against the open back doors of Chunk's van, plucking a guitar slowly. Luan sighed and sat on a small table next to Lola as she pulled out two teacups and placed them into the table. Darcy approached the two of them with her stuffed giraffe, Rafe. Leni watched Lily crawl around in the grass while Chaz was complimenting her motherly skills. Sergei and Chunk were smoking while sitting next to each other on a bench. Ronnie Anne simply stood by Vanzilla, watching the clouds move along the sky.
"Say, Lincoln, this road trip is kinda boring the heck outta me," said Rusty.
"I'll say. Reckon we can find ourselves a candy shop and loot ourselves some jawbreakers?" suggested Liam.
"Nah, let's not be stupid and get ourselves bitten by a deadie," said Tabby.
"We can find something else to do," said Clyde.
"But what else is there to do?" groaned Zach.
Lincoln looked at the tennis courts. An idea then sprung up inside his head.
"How about... we play some good ol' fashioned tennis?" suggested Lincoln.
"Hey, that doesn't sound so bad," said Rusty.
"Says you," said Zach. "Tennis and I just don't work out so well together."
"You and I could play badminton," said Clyde. "It's more relaxing and safer."
"Now, I like the sound of that."
Clyde and Zach walked towards the tennis courts where the tennis rackets, badminton rackets, tennis balls, and birdies sat on the side.
"Teams of two?" suggested Tabby.
"Yeah," said Lincoln. "You and Liam in one team. Rusty and I in the other."
"Sure! Let's go, Liam! Let's kick some ass!"
Liam smiled as Lincoln gave him a wink.
"My man," chuckled Liam.
Lincoln and Rusty grabbed their tennis rackets and ran to the other side of the court as Tabby grabbed a ball and bounced it up and down. She then tossed it into the air and struck it with her racket. Ronnie Anne stayed back near Vanzilla, watching from the distance while crossing her arms. She sighed out of boredom and grew annoyed at the heat of the sun. She turned around in search of some shade, but caught a sight in the corner of her eye and looked through the windows of Vanzilla, finding Lucy and Rocky crossing a street many meters away from the field. When she walked to the rear end of Vanzilla to get a clearer sight, she could not find them anymore. Her eyes grew out of curiosity and she began to walk out of the field to follow the two.
David, Lori, Bobby, Lynn, and Francisco jogged through the abandoned campus, carrying water in their backpacks and melee weapons at hand. Only David, Lori, and Bobby carried guns.
Broken bottles, burnt cars, crumbled newspapers, trampled signs, and dry blood littered the outer streets. Yellow tapes, barbed wires, and mesh fences were lined up around the campus, though they seemed to be mostly toppled and torn apart. Upon arriving at a particular police car with bullet holes on them, Lynn slowed to a stop before turning around. As the group approached her, they saw bodies scattered around in the sidewalks, roads, buildings. Unmoving, cold bodies.
"Map says we don't gotta keep going forward, right?" asked Lynn.
"No, in fact, we should've turned left a block ago," said Lori.
"Well, is it the fastest way?"
"It's the safest way. We're supposed to keep out of the busy streets. Where you were headed— that's downtown."
"Damn, look at all those bodies..." said Francisco. "What the hell happened here?"
"Looks like there was a protest here," said David, seeing a rotter wandering around in the distance. "Didn't pan out too well for our protestors here."
"We can walk through them," said Lynn. "We'll get to the golf course faster."
"You sure?" asked Bobby. "Seems kinda risky."
Lori looked at the side of a dormitory building. She saw a message spray-painted to the wall with what seemed to be white aerosol paint.
AWAY WITH HOMELAND SECURITY!
END MARTIAL LAW!
AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
WEAR A MASK PEOPLE!
Lori stared at the message until Bobby tapped her elbow, prompting her to face him.
"Are we really following her?" asked Bobby in a bewildered voice.
Lori shook her head.
"We're gonna make a turn here," she said.
"You sure you know where you're going?" asked Lynn.
"Trust me. I got the map."
Lori jogged to the left, moving away from downtown and towards the wide campus square surrounded by a tall and long library building, along with other dormitories and laboratories. The group followed her, running past a burnt U.S. flag that failed to wave under the hot sun.
A lonely rotter growled as it chomped its teeth slowly, walking to the direction of the moving feet that passed it. The skin in its face was smooth and soft, though pale and rotten. Its golden eyes glowed softly as it observed Richard jogging to the medical center. However, when the rotter tried to move closer, it bumped into an abandoned car. It tried to move around the car, but all it did was encounter another car that crashed into the one in front of it, making it difficult for the rotter to get through the traffic maze.
Richard turned around and looked out into the traffic jam, finding numerous rotters trapped inside their cars. He then turned back and ran to the mesh fences outside the medical center. Missy, Carol, and Lisa joined him as they all looked at the sign on the mesh fences, which said 'Testing Site A2'.
"Didn't know the schoolgirl was coming," quipped Richard.
"Well, this schoolgirl wants to become a doctor," said Carol.
"Alright. Can't complain about an extra backpack."
Richard gave one of the fences a slight shove, causing it to open, allowing the group to enter the parking lot. Inside the parking lot were FEMA tents that covered the sides of the building. Abandoned cars were scattered around, some having their doors wide open. They walked across the parking lot, checking inside of each tent, though all the tents seemed to be completely abandoned and deprived of medical supplies. An uneasy feeling grew inside of them that intensified as they got closer to the entrance door.
"So, do we just go in?" asked Carol.
"Yup," said Richard as he opened the door.
The building was dim inside, with only the sunlight from the window giving light to the lobby. The group walked slowly inside with the exception of Richard, who impulsively walked around the lobby with his revolver and knife out. Missy pulled out her suppressed AR-15 and aimed to her left onto the wide corridor while Lisa stood behind her.
"Behind you, Schoolgirl!" gasped Richard.
Carol turned around and yelped as she saw a rotter dressed as a nurse walking towards her.
"Duck!" urged Missy.
Carol ducked before stumbling onto the slippery floor. She placed her hands on the ground and watched as Missy aimed her rifle at the rotter. Missy squeezed the trigger once, firing a single bullet into the rotter's head, causing it to drop back.
"Hey, you alright?" asked Missy.
"Y-Yeah," gulped Carol.
"Incoming," warned Richard.
Lisa turned around and saw three rotters who appeared to be former nurses. Carol remained on the ground frozen in fear as she watched Richard swinging his knife to the side of a rotter's skull, killing it quickly. He then moved towards another rotter and jammed the knife in between its eyes. He pulled out the knife and let the rotter drop to the ground, causing the rotter behind it to trip and fall. Before the rotter could stand back up, Richard slammed his boot against the rotter's head, crushing it.
"Where the hell do we go, Calculator?" asked Richard.
Lisa looked at the wide corridor, seeing dark shadowy figures moving slowly in the distance. More rotters slowly came out of nearer hallways. The only object that was lit up at the end of the corridor was a flickering exit sign.
"End of the corridor," said Lisa. "Exit sign indicates the presence of stairways or exit doors. Both being ideal locations."
"Alright," said Richard. "Get up, Schoolgirl. We're gonna run through this hallway."
Carol stood up as Richard raised his Colt Python revolver and fired a shot.
The water inside Lynn's water bottle sloshed around as she jogged along the street perpendicular to one that had a track and football field. Francisco was right behind her before a moving corpse made itself visible to the group in the upcoming intersection.
"Rotter!" shouted Francisco.
"I got it," said Lynn as she grabbed her baseball bat.
Lori and Bobby wiped the sweat off their faces as they each took deep breaths. David walked behind them, keeping an eye out for any rotters that may lurk in alleys or behind cars. Lynn spun her baseball bat around as she walked close to the rotter in the intersection.
"Hey, you dirty freak!" quipped Lynn. "Heads up."
As Lynn stepped into the intersection, ready to smash the rotter's head open, she turned to her right and saw about two dozen rotters lurking around the street, stumbling along burned shops, restaurants, convenience stores. She gulped and backed away from the rotter.
"Holy-" gasped Lynn.
"What is it?" asked Francisco.
Lynn continued to back up, allowing the lone rotter to follow her. However, after a few seconds, a pair of rotters walked into the intersection. Then another pair. Then a group of them.
"They saw me," whispered Lynn.
"Damn!" exclaimed Francisco as he lifted his golf club upwards. "Hey, Lynn, we need to run the other way!"
Lynn swung her bat down and smashed the rotter's skull open, killing it as it dropped down. Lynn and Francisco then ran towards Lori, Bobby, and David.
"Left! Left!" shouted Lynn.
"You mean right!" exclaimed Bobby.
"Just go this way!" shouted Francisco.
The group turned towards the street with the track and football field. They ran along the street, hoping to outrun the rotter's line of sight. However, just as they passed the field and got close to the end of the street, where a hill stood behind a train track that ran along the end of the three-way intersection, the rotters arrived at the street, catching the group with their sight. The rotters turned and began to follow the group as they arrived at the end of the street, finding themselves in the three-way intersection. Lori looked to her left, finding more than a dozen rotters swarming the area across the intersection. She then turned to her right, finding just three rotters.
"This way!" exclaimed Lori, now turning to her right.
However, more rotters started to walk into the right street, joining the three rotters. A group of rotters was forming fast. She turned around and found the other group of rotters cutting off the intersection as they were now joined by yet another group of rotters.
"Oh my god..." murmured Lori.
"Up there!" ordered David as he pointed towards the hill.
Lori looked to her left and right as she crossed the train track. Then, she started jogging up the hill, which was not too steep. But it was steep enough to slow down the rotters. The rotters stumbled across the train track, but the real obstacle for them was climbing the hill.
After making it to the top of the hill, the group found themselves in a large parking lot, finding a few abandoned cars and multiple ambulance vehicles scattered around. One of the ambulance cars was toppled to the side, crushing a rotter's lower limbs. The rotter, wearing an EMT jacket, was unable to free itself. Inside the vehicle was a rotter strapped into a stretcher, waving its bullet-torn hands around.
Across the parking lot was the Michigan Stadium. Lynn and Francisco were now running at top speed towards the stadium while David tried to catch up and Lori and Bobby struggled to keep up. A large line of cars, cones, and wooden barricades kept the rotters in the parking lot from being able to get out. Now, they had their sights set on Lori's small group.
Richard slammed a rotter's head against the wall with his knife and fired off another shot with the revolver in his other hand. Carol clutched her own backpack as she and Lisa kept themselves in between Richard and Missy.
"There are too many!" exclaimed Missy.
"Hey, Schoolgirl," said Richard. "Think you can make it to the stairway?"
"I-I don't know," gasped Carol as she looked at the dark end of the hallway.
"You're gonna have to. Run!"
Richard ran back to help Missy out as the rotters began to appear at an alarming rate. Carol took one last glance at them before running to the stairway while holding Lisa's hand.
"Go, honey, I got this!"
"We need to go," emphasized Missy.
Richard smacked a rotter with his revolver as Missy crushed another rotter's head with the stock end of her rifle. They both backed up as about a dozen rotters continued to advance forward.
Carol ran towards the exit sign, finding herself tapping her hands against the wall. She then pressed the buttons to the elevator rapidly, though they seemed to do nothing.
"Power's out, Carol," said Lisa.
Carol then saw the small hint of a doorknob and moved towards it. However, she also saw the glow of two circular objects below the doorknob. She backed up before she felt a pair of cold hands grab her ankles. She shrieked as she pressed her hands against the wall and struggled to kick the rotter on the ground away. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat as the echo of a gunshot blasted against her ears, followed by a splatter sound.
Richard held out a flashlight and pointed it down at the rotter he shot. The rotter had its arms stretched out and was strapped into a wheelchair. Missy grabbed the wheelchair and the rotter and flung them away from the stairway. She then opened the door that led to the stairway and allowed Carol and Lisa to enter first.
"C'mon!" exclaimed Missy. "Get in!"
Richard fired one more shot at the rotters in the hallway before hearing a click in his revolver. He then ran into the stairwell before Missy closed the door and locked it.
"That was close," panted Carol.
"Where now?" asked Richard.
"We go downstairs," said Missy. "That's where the medicine is being kept, right, Lisa?"
"Correct. We must move now as this door will not keep the infected out permanently."
The small group made their way downstairs to the first subfloor where they saw a metallic table next to a large steel door, which had a card reader below a latch. A small humming noise can be heard coming from further below.
"How is this door still shut?" exclaimed Missy. "There isn't electricity anywhere!"
"It is probable that the medical center comes equipped with a generator," explained Lisa. "However, the generator prioritizes certain power sources, which does not include the lights and the elevator. That being said, the conclusion we can draw from the steel door being magnetically locked shut points toward the card reader still functioning. We need to swipe a card from one of the infected. A rotter as you would call them— which I should really construct a new name for. We should then be able to gain access to the basement. So, anyone, please, dispose of one of the living dead and pilfer its card."
"Couldn't have just said, 'Generator powers the door. Please, steal a card and open the door?'" commented Richard.
"Concise but omits quite a numerous amount of details."
"I'll get a card," said Missy.
"Honey, are you sure?" asked Richard, his voice filled with worry.
"I'll be okay. Just... stay back."
Missy walked up the stairs and approached the door to the lobby. She went into the corner of the stairwell and slowly unlocked the door. She then suddenly opened the door, allowing a rotter to stumble forward before she closed the door again, locking it. The rotter stumbled down the stairs, which caused its bones to crack and break. Missy walked back down the stairs until she stood above the rotter. She crouched and looked for a card on the former doctor's coat before finding one attached to a lanyard hanging around the neck of the rotter. She tried pulling the lanyard off the neck of the rotter, but it wouldn't rip out. With an idea in her head, she stood up, took the AR-15 out of her back, held it high in the air and swung it downwards, crushing the rotter's neck. She crouched once again and pulled the lanyard out of the neck.
"Richard-honey, you can stop pointing that flashlight at me," said Missy. "I need to see where I can swipe this card."
"Oh, sorry, honey. Here you go."
Missy approached the steel door and swiped the card on the card reader which caused the electric strike to unlock the latch. Missy pushed the door and entered inside. The bright lights in the ceiling went on to reveal many prescription bottles, chemicals, medical devices like defibrillators, and much more.
"We have four empty backpacks," Richard said. "Let's start lootin'."
"Not so fast," said Lisa. "You will take as many towels, bandages, adhesive tapes, and gauze pads as you are able to reasonably carry. Missy, you will grab tongs, gloves, scissors, forceps, any tools you can get your hands on, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Carol, you're coming with me."
Missy and Richard began stuffing their bags with the pieces of equipment, tools, and supplies that Lisa asked for. Meanwhile, Carol followed Lisa to the shelves containing all sorts of medicine.
"Are you aware of what oxycodone is and how it appears?" Lisa asked.
"Umm… yeah, I think," said Carol, grabbing a bottle of painkillers. "Is it this one?"
"Affirmative. I need as many antibiotics and painkillers as you can feasibly handle. However, the top priority would be moxifloxacin, prednisolone, oxycodone, and any anesthetics. Got it?"
"Yeah. I do," she responded.
"Marvelous. Missy, how much ammunition does your rifle currently possess?"
"Oh, I think I got ten bullets left," said Missy, her voice shaking slightly. "It's not going to be enough to help us escape this medical center."
"Very well. I'm calling for backup, with the walkie-talkie. Missy, Richard, Carol, tell me when you guys are finished. I'll attempt to contact our group at the base."
Lynn ran towards the stadium, passing by the concession stands. Surrounding the concessions were crates of ammunition, equipment, and food supplies. Lynn ignored the crates and ran towards one of the corridors that led up to the seats. However, she saw that they were locked. She ran out of the concessions and waved at the group.
"They're all locked!" she shouted. "We can't lose 'em through here!"
"Damn," groaned David. "Looks like we're gonna have to run around the stadium.
"Can't we just hop over the traffic and the barricades?" asked Bobby.
"And have to worry about the rotters crossing over it? Nah. We gotta lose 'em first. Or..."
David turned around and raised his M9 pistol. He fired at one of the rotters, killing it quickly. He then turned to another rotter and shot it dead. Lori raised her AK-47 rifle and fired at another rotter. Bobby joined them and began to fire his Luger pistol at the group of rotters. However, their ammo was going to deplete by the time they killed half of the group. Lynn raised her baseball bat and prepared to fight the rotters, when Francisco grabbed her shoulders and stopped her.
"I have to go help!" exclaimed Lynn.
"I know. But I got an idea," said Francisco as he reached into a crate, grabbing a lone grenade.
"Great! Throw it at the group!"
"It's the only grenade left here. We're gonna have to play this smart. Here's the game plan..."
Lori removed her magazine and placed it into her pocket as she grabbed another one. However, it was empty. David reached for a loaded magazine in his belt, but he could not find one. Bobby continued to fire at the rotters as Lynn and Francisco began to hop over the cars.
"Over here!" yelled Lynn.
"Forget the mission," said David. "We need to get out of this alive."
Lori and Bobby nodded as they ran towards the road jammed by traffic. They leaped over the barricades and slid over the car bumpers, making their way to the golf course. The rotters all followed them, though they were stopped by the wooden barricades. However, they began to push against it, causing the barricades to crack.
"Great, they're distracted," said David. "We need to run across this golf course and then make a huge turn-around and return to the field."
"Uh-uh, don't call off this mission just yet," said Francisco, holding a grenade.
"Kid, watch out with that thing!"
"Don't worry, I'll be careful. Just keep calm. You ready, Lynn?"
"I am," said Lynn, holding the bat in a batting position.
"Woah, what the hell are you two doing?" gasped David.
Francisco pulled the pin off the grenade.
"Fuck no! Kid, toss-!"
Francisco pitched the grenade forward before Lynn batted it at an incredible speed across the parking lot. David felt his heart skip as he watched the grenade spinning across the air. Then, the grenade landed on an ambulance car. Lori and Bobby stared at the ambulance car with curiosity. All of a sudden, the ambulance exploded, creating a large fireball that sent dust flying towards the rotters, who were now beginning to turn around. They noticed the fireball and began to follow it, walking away from the barricaded traffic jam.
"Oh my goodness!" yelled Francisco. "I can't believe that worked!"
"Home-motherfuckin'-run," cackled Lynn.
"Lynn!" gasped Lori.
"Hey, you cuss."
"No, not that! What the hell were you thinking?"
"Hey, it worked. I got the ugly things off our back."
"What if it didn't work? David, how much range does a grenade have?"
"Hey, hey, I know. It was a very risky plan. But I got the skills, man. You guys just need to have more confidence in me."
Lori growled before Bobby placed his hands on her shoulder.
"Hey, hey, relax," said Bobby. "We're here now. Our mission is still on. We can look for Vonda now."
"You're right. Let's just... wait here... and wait," said Lori.
Lori, Bobby, David, Lynn, and Francisco walked away from the traffic jam, moving themselves into the cover of the trees.
"So... I noticed I got a golf club," said Francisco as he looked at Lori, "and you got a golf club."
Lori rolled her eyes before smiling.
"Oh, I can't stay mad at you when you bring up golfing like that," said Lori. "You're on. Eighteen holes."
"Only one problem. We don't have a golf ball."
"That's no problem," said Lynn.
She ran over to a nearby pond and leaped into it, diving to the bottom as Lori watched with concern in her face. Then, Lynn swam up to the top, holding two golf balls as she squirted water out of her mouth.
"Ah, that feels cool."
Bobby and Francisco chuckled as Lynn smiled, tossing the golf balls out of the pond. Lori and David looked at each other and couldn't help but smile. Lynn swam out of the pond and shook her body like a puppy.
Lori walked over to a golf cart and began to drive it around. She then drove it over to the group.
"Ready for four hours of losing?" asked Lori.
"No, but it seems you are," smirked Francisco. "Onwards to hole one!"
Francisco, Bobby, Lynn, and David stepped into the golf cart. Lori drove it all the way to the first course, which was close by. She quickly parked the cart and stepped out with Francisco, both of them carrying their clubs. Lori then placed her golf club onto the tee at the start of the course and got into position. She eyed the hole in the distance and swung her club, striking the golf club with great force. The ball flew over the course and landed near the hole, rolling past it. Lori's smile faded as her walkie-talkie began to make noise.
"Greetings. This is Lisa speaking. Anyone within range?"
"Sup. This is Chaz."
"We are in dire need of assistance. We are confined in the first subfloor of the medical center and we require some assistance clearing out the lobby of the building."
Lori grabbed her walkie-talkie.
"Wait, what are you guys doing in the medical center?"
"We're acquiring medicine."
"Ugh. Luna, Sam, and Chunk. Can you guys help out Lisa and her group?"
"Sure thing, dude," said Luna through Chunk's walkie-talkie. "How's the search going?"
"It's..."
Lori watched as Francisco struck the golf ball close to the hole. She gasped in terror before sighing a breath of relief.
"...going well."
Luna shrugged her shoulders and lightly tossed the walkie-talkie at Chunk, who was jogging with her and Sam out of the field and onto the road towards the medical center. Luna was holding her crowbar. Sam was carrying an ice pickaxe. Chunk carried a switchblade.
"All right, I don't think my backpack can fit anything else," said Missy.
"Same," said Carol. "It's kinda heavy too."
"Must mean we're done," said Richard. "Now, where the hell are the others?"
Lisa pressed a button on the walkie-talkie and spoke into it.
"Luna. Give us an update on your status."
"Umm, we just got here," responded Luna. "We're right outside."
"Parking lot? Testing site A2?"
"Uhh... yeah. Do we just... walk in?"
"Open the doors and get them to pay attention to you. Draw them outside and then began to dispose of them."
"You got it, Lis."
"What do we do?" asked Carol.
Lisa turned around as Richard walked past her. Missy followed him as they walked up the stairwell.
"I guess we're gonna kill the ones that they can't draw out," said Missy.
Lisa sighed. She looked at Carol and motioned her to follow her before she walked up the stairs. Carol nodded and took one last glance at the storage room. She walked past a freezer containing packs of blood and grabbed a bottle of oxycodone, stuffing it into her pocket before she jogged out of the storage room, closing the steel door behind it. She tossed the card into the metallic table and followed Lisa up the stairs.
"Sam, Chunk, are you dudes ready?"
"Yeah!" exclaimed Sam.
"Hells yeah," chuckled Chunk.
Luna slowly opened the door before stepping inside. She saw a lot of moving figures in the darkness under the flickering exit sign. Looking around the lobby, she began to feel pressure weighing on her as she heard rotters clawing at the stairwell door. Then, she found a stapler on the main desk. She grabbed it and ran towards the dark corridor before tossing the stapler to the end of the corridor, catching the rotters' attention. They turned around, revealing their glowing eyes one by one. Luna gulped and waved her arms around.
"Yeah... come follow me... suckers," said Luna, her voice growing shaky.
Sam subconsciously moved inside the lobby, ready to grab Luna as she stared at the rotters in fear. Then, Luna turned around and jogged towards the entrance doors. Sam followed her out of the building as they both raised their weapons. The rotters were now beginning to walk towards the sunlight and out of the dark, cool lobby. Richard leaned his ears against the door as he could no longer hear the rotters clawing at the stairwell door. He just heard footsteps getting fainter and fainter.
Luna shouted as she swung down her crowbar, cracking a rotter's skull, incapacitating it. Sam swung her ice pickaxe, piercing a rotter's brain and killing it for good. Chunk placed his hand on one of the rotter's shoulders and jammed his switchblade into the rotter's eye before pulling it out, allowing the rotter to fall. They went on and on as more rotters flooded out of the building. They moved back before continuing to take out the rotters one by one.
Richard opened the stairwell door as he brandished his knife. He stepped out of the stairwell as Missy walked out, aiming her AR-15 at one of the rotters in the lobby. She fired at the rotter and quickly moved to another, firing in rapid succession until her gun ran out of ammo. Then, she and Richard ran forward, using their knives to take out the other rotters as they turned around and began to pay attention to them.
Lisa and Carol walked out of the stairwell and quickly made their way through the corridor and into the lobby. Richard yelled as he jammed his knife into a rotter's skull before twisting it, sending a gush of dark blood into his vest. Missy moved out of the way as a rotter fell to the ground, sending pieces of its flesh flying towards her legs. Then, she joined Richard as they each grabbed a rotter from the entrance door and stabbed the back of their skull.
Luna slammed her crowbar into the face of the last rotter before panting heavily, seeing Richard and Missy standing at the entrance door, their clothes stained by the blood from the rotters. They walked out of the medical center with Lisa and Carol behind them. Lisa stared ahead with a slightly annoyed expression on her face while Carol looked around in pure disgust.
"Thanks for the assist, Rocker Girl and friends," said Richard.
"No problem," panted Luna. "Oh my god, it smells terrible here."
"Let's return to Palmer Field before Carol Pingrey regurgitates her bile into the ground," said Lisa.
Carol gagged before vomiting into the ground. Luna and Sam groaned out of disgust while Chunk blinked his eyes away from the sight. Carol groaned as she wiped her lips.
"Too late," said Richard.
The scraping sound of a shovel picking up dirt could be heard as a worm squiggled around a tombstone. Flies buzzed around an unmoving corpse lying next to a tree. Lucy and Rocky were standing next to a six-feet-deep hole among many six-feet-deep holes that were present at the cemetery. Lucy and Rocky grabbed the corpse with their gloves and dragged it away from the tree and into the hole. Lucy then picked up the dirt pile with her shovel and began to bury the body while Rocky was carving out a name and date on a flat piece of marble.
"Just out of curiosity, why did you choose to lay these souls to rest with me?" asked Lucy.
"Same reason as you," replied Rocky as he held up an open wallet. "Give these souls the rest they deserve. We don't need the spiritual plane to be more chaotic than it already is."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Sure."
"Sorry if this sounds blunt, but I don't believe you."
Rocky placed the marble tombstone in front of the hole and pushed it down with his hands. Lucy continued to put dirt into the hole as Rocky mustered to strength to give out a different reason.
"I really... like you a lot. I know this is dangerous and probably stupid, but I know anything I say won't stop you from doing this. You enjoy doing this but you shouldn't risk this alone. I want to be around so that you don't have to do what you enjoy alone."
Lucy smiled while blushing softly. Rocky pulled out a stack of bills out of the wallet before tossing it into the hole. He then placed the money into his pocket.
"Really?" said Lucy, amused by Rocky's actions. "You clearly got the message that the world ended, so you know money is worthless. Now, I'm curious- why the money?"
"I want to see how much money I can get before we get to Houlton. I'm hoping to become a millionaire by the time I get there."
"Why?"
"It's fun. Just a little something to look forward to. It's not considered graverobbing, right?"
"I don't think the spirits would mind what you do with their paycheck from two weeks ago," smiled Lucy as she patted the dirt on the covered hole.
Rocky chuckled as he walked to the next hole when, suddenly, he found a rotter walking around inside a hole. He knelt down and looked at it as Lucy stood next to the hole, watching the rotter turn its head upwards.
"Watch your head," said Lucy.
Rocky moved out of the way before Lucy thrusted her shovel downwards, piercing through the top of the rotter's skull, damaging its brain and killing it. He sat down on the edge of the hole and leaped down, landing on top of the body.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting her wallet," said Rocky.
"That's what you guys are doing?" exclaimed a female voice, causing Rocky to flinch.
"No, we're burying bodies," answered Lucy in a deadpan voice.
"Who's that?" asked Rocky.
Ronnie Anne revealed herself as she looked into the hole, seeing Rocky standing on top of the rotter's body. She slapped her forehead and groaned while shaking her head.
"Do I even want to know what you're doing down there?"
"Umm... Lucy told you. Burying bodies. It's to-"
"I don't wanna know. You two need to come back to the field."
"Why? It's so boring in there!"
"But it's safe."
"This is safe too. This cemetery is very open. We'll know when a rotter is coming!"
"You didn't know I was coming."
"I did," said Lucy. "You didn't make me flinch."
"That's true," said Ronnie Anne. "Why are you guys burying bodies out here anyways?"
"The spiritual world needs help putting these souls to rest," said Lucy.
"Uh huh."
"The best thing you can hope for is for you to find your mom alive, right?" said Rocky. "But what if you never do? What if she's out there... walking as one of the dead? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want that for her. I would want her to be buried so that she could rest in peace."
Rocky's voice grew more serene.
"My mom has been gone for a while. Before all this. I'd like to think that because she was buried, she is at peace. But if some of the old zombie films are... accurate... then my mom's is probably clawing her way out of a coffin right now. Unless she gets out of that coffin, she's never gonna be at rest. I don't want the same to happen for others. And I know our group doesn't bury the rotters we put down... but that's gonna change. We have to make sure these people get a proper burial. It's what their families would want."
Ronnie Anne looked down at Rocky with sympathetic eyes.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Would your mom be okay with this?" she asked.
"She would. It's relaxing for me. It helps me not think about the horrors of the world. Ironic, I know. But I know she wouldn't want me to not do something I enjoy doing."
"Yeah. Mine either. I've been standing around doing nothing because I thought it was unfair to have fun while my mom and my family were out there... along with other families... suffering. I don't know. I guess I was going about it all wrong."
"Remember. Any day could be your last. Don't want to spend it miserable and alone."
"I guess not. Sorry about blowing up on you guys. You two don't seem to be bothering anyone. But when are you two coming back?"
"I got Chaz's walkie-talkie," said Rocky. "We'll come back in time for dinner. But Lucy and I would really appreciate being alone in the meantime. So, don't tell anyone where we are for now."
"Yeah, no problem. I don't snitch."
"Thank you, Ronnie Anne."
Ronnie Anne nodded as she turned around and walked away. She placed her hands in her pocket and began to think about Lincoln and her mother while Lucy reached her hands into the hole to grab Rocky, assisting him in getting out of the hole. She had a lot to think about.
The sun was setting down as Ronnie Anne looked at Lincoln tossing a water bottle up into the air and trying to land it on its base. She looked as he handed the bottle over to Liam and noticed a smile on him that she hasn't seen in a long time. She smiled too before Rusty walked up to her, causing her to flinch.
"Hey, Ronnie Anne, have you seen my lil' bro?" asked Rusty.
"I think he's just playing hide-and-seek with Lucy," said Ronnie Anne.
"Oh, okay, that makes sense. He's really good at that. I wouldn't want to interrupt his fun. You, on the other hand, seem to be bored as heck. Why don't you come join us?"
"Sure."
As Ronnie Anne walked towards the tennis courts with Rusty, a survivor standing on top of the Tower Plaza- a building so high that anyone standing on it can oversee all of Ann Arbor- zoomed out of her binoculars. Her red hair blew with the wind along with her one-strap backpack. She then turned towards the direction of the Michigan Stadium and zoomed into the golf course.
Francisco took a light putt, which sent his ball inside the 18th hole.
"Did I just win?" gasped Francisco. "I won!"
"Actually, according to the number of strokes that we each hit in each hole, you won only this hole," said Lori. "I beat you in the last seventeen holes. I literally went easy on you for this one. So, really, I won."
"Even I can't beat her, and sports are my passion," said Lynn before patting Francisco in the back. "Better luck next time."
"Anyone want to challenge me tomorrow?" asked Lori. "David...?"
"Let Lynn go first," said David. "Then, I'll go after Bobby."
"We might find Vonda before then."
"That's the idea."
Lori rolled her eyes as she looked at the sunset.
"Well, seems like we did enough for today," said Lori. "Everyone ready to go back?"
"I sure am, babe," said Bobby, leaning against a seat in the golf cart.
"Lazy," chuckled Lynn.
The redheaded girl watched as Lynn, Francisco, and David got on the golf cart. But she didn't care about them. She mostly watched Lori. And with every gleeful kiss that she and Bobby shared, the girl would smile.
"It's nice to see you, Lori," whispered the redhead girl to herself. "What brought you here to Ann Arbor?"