3

Claire was faced with a vast, empty lobby. The building was beautiful, but it certainly didn't look like your average "run-of-the-mill" police station. Her brother Chris had told her it was a former art museum, and her eyes were drawn to the great goddess statue and the proud lion, sitting not far behind it.

But one thing was missing from the vast space.

People.

She sighed and walked up to what she assumed was a reception desk, noticing a small monitor flickering.

Perhaps there are people hiding here… maybe Chris? If I can access the building's CCTV system?

"Come on, Chris, where are you?"

Claire noticed the link onscreen, hovered the mouse, and clicked. The feed flickered slightly, and the image of a man appeared. He was shooting at an approaching zombie, and then he turned towards the camera.

"Shit...They're inside too..."

David! Marvin! You there!? I found a way out.

The man waved something small towards the camera.

It's in here! Send reinforcements! East hallway.

Claire clicked again, and a small map appeared on the screen, highlighting the man's location.

"I should help this guy," Claire said to herself, and she turned towards a doorway, whose shutter was closed.

Claire flicked the switch, and the shutter began to rise, but suddenly got stuck several inches from the floor. Claire took a moment to consider her options. The gap beneath the shutter should be large enough for her to squeeze through...but it looked awfully dark in there.

Claire looked back towards the lobby, her eyes quickly taking in the few, useful items scattered across the desk. She ran back, grabbed a flashlight then began to crawl beneath the shutter.

Halfway through, she clicked on the light, and directed its beam down through the pitch-black of the corridor. Nothing stirred, but the smell was almost overpowering. Claire quickly got onto her feet, trying to cover her nose.

"Great...where are you...?"

Claire made her way slowly through the menacing darkness, until she came upon an area that was clearly the source of the sickening stench. There were bodies everywhere, cop and civilian alike, and the floor was a pool of crimson.

"Ugh, oh my god..."

A sudden, wild banging and a man's voice made Claire start, breaking her from her trance, and reminding her of why she was there.

"OPEN UP! HURRY!" The desperate voice cried "OPEN UP! OPEN THIS GODDAMN DOOR!"

Claire quickly ran into the opposite room.

"I'm here!" She called back with her eyes darting over the metal shutter.

"OPEN THE DOOR! HURRY UP, OPEN IT!"

Claire forced her fingers under the small gap and pulled with all her strength, only managing to create a small opening before the thing jammed. Claire dropped to a knee, as the desperate man tried to pull himself through.

"Here, give me your hand!" Claire cried.

The police officer slapped his hand into hers, still crying desperately for help.

"Hold on" Claire cried "Give me your other hand"

She was ready to pull him through the rest of the way when the officer suddenly began to scream wildly. Horror-stricken, she noticed pools of crimson forming quickly beneath the trapped man's body.

"It's okay! I got you!" Claire cried, and with one last heave she pulled him through, but then her eyes fell on where his legs should have been.

They were gone.

Everything below his waist was gone, replaced with chunks of red and pink organs

"Oh my god."

Claire's eyes were drawn away from the horror, as the officer forced out a few gurgled words.

"Tell...Marvin..."

And then Claire heard the final breath as it passed the man's lips.

"I'm so sorry" she said gently.

Her eyes fell onto his opened hand that had been clutching a small notebook.

Huh?

Claire remembered the footage she had watched earlier. This was the item the poor soul had been waving in front of the camera -a way out- he had said.

Claire took the notebook and flipped through it quickly, but nothing within it seemed to make any sense to her.

Perhaps this Marvin will know...

Claire then turned back towards the lobby, fully determined to escape the nightmare she had found herself trapped in. Unfortunately, it seemed like the commotion and noise caused by the dying officer -and her attempt at helping him- had roused every undead in the immediate area.

A zombie suddenly smashed its way through the opposite window, with more coming behind it. Claire ran, but as she made her way back, it felt like she was about to be overwhelmed by the undead. Where had they all come from? The noise of her bullets certainly wasn't helping her situation either...

As Claire reached the shutter she had originally entered through, she dropped onto her belly and as she emerged into the light, she felt relief. Until she felt a strong, cold hand grip onto her lower calf; sudden visions of the officer she had tried to help flashed through her mind. That was going to happen to her!

These creature were going to tear her apart!

"Get off!...Help! HELP!"

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand grip her arm, and she felt herself pulled through the gap.

"Watch out!" She cried, as she rolled onto her side.

"I'm on it" the voice replied.

The stranger gripped the shutter, and slammed it down with his foot, crushing the zombie's skull into pieces. Claire realized, after seeing his uniform, that the man was another police officer.

He turned to her, holding the side of his shirt that had turned from pale blue, to a dark red.

"You alright?" he asked

"Yeah" Claire answered, a little out of breath.

"you're safe...for now" the man said, as he leaned a little against the wall. "Marvin Branagh"

Claire nodded back, as she readied to get onto her feet.

"Thanks" was all she said in return.

Marvin grinned "obviously someone taught you well"

"Yeah" Claire replied "I know how to take care of myself"

"Come on" Marvin offered his hand

Claire took it, finally getting back onto her feet.