Thank you for stopping by to read my newest Bethyl FanFiction, The Man On The Mountain. I hope you enjoy this canon divergent, zombie apocalypse story.
Chapter One: The Virus
Beth practically begged her supervisor for a day off, but her boss barked back, "No way Beth, we can't spare you. Look around, there are almost no staff left and the patients are dropping like flies. We need everyone who's still able to work, working."
Beth understood the need but she was ready to drop herself. She went for a compromise, "Okay, let me just get some sleep, have a decent meal, run a couple of errands and I'll be back."
Beth wasn't alone in feeling the fatigue, frustration and fear. Everyone was feeling the strain. Secretly, just among themselves, the nurses had been calling whatever this new illness is, Plague 2.0.
It all began just over three weeks ago. A man and his wife showed up in the small ER suffering with what appeared to be the flu, but it wasn't just the flu. It was much scarier than that.
In less than 24 hours their fevers had gotten so high that heat seemed to radiate off of them. It was hard to even get near the couple, and no amount or type of medication seemed to quiet them or bring them any comfort. Beth had never seen anything like it. No one had. Frankly, whatever the heck was wrong with these two people was so strange and scary that the staff of the small rural hospital were all trying to avoid being the one assigned to care for the very ill couple.
No one wanted to get whatever it was they had, and suddenly the entire hospital staff had begun wearing their masks, gowns and gloves at all times.
The husband died first. The doctor happened to be in the patient's room when he succumbed. He'd been speaking with the couple's adult daughter, asking if, when the inevitable happened, she'd allow the county to perform an autopsy. "We've never seen an illness present quite like this, and what we learn from examining your father may help us to understand what happened. It could give us some insight on how to treat any future cases."
The words were no sooner out of his mouth than it happened. Not that Beth had actually seen it, but she'd heard plenty about it. It was all anyone talked about for two days.
The rumor was that within a few minutes after he died, the man suddenly came back to life, but not as himself. He was some kind of monster version of himself. He was growling and thrashing about, and trying to bite at his own daughter and the doctor, and his eyes were glassed over.
While his daughter was begging, "Please, Daddy, Daddy, please..." he attacked her, clawing at her and it was shocking and frightening when he bit her arm, tearing off her flesh and eating it.
One of the hospital orderlies, Dwight, happened to be walking down the corridor and heard the commotion. He hurried in the room and did what he could, but he wasn't having any luck getting control of the patient. He caught the doctor's eye and saw the fear, and in that instant Dwight made a decision. What does it matter at this point? The guy has already been declared dead, and Dwight reached in his boot and pulled out a switchblade knife.
The doctor didn't protest. Whatever it took to control this…this thing had to be done.
At first it didn't seem to make any difference, Dwight stabbed and stabbed but the wounds didn't even slow the man down, then, as the man lunged at him, the orderly stabbed the patient between the eyes, sinking the knife deep into his brain. That did it, the man was dead for the second time.
The doctors and administrative staff quickly held a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation, and almost immediately a plan was in place.
The wife was put in an isolation room, as was the horrifically wounded daughter, and the doors to their rooms were kept locked and secured, from the outside. Not even the staff were allowed to enter those rooms unless accompanied by Dwight or one of the other orderlies, all of whom had been called into a private meeting with the hospital's chief of staff.
The next day the nurse's lounge was positively on fire with rumors and theories about some new epidemic, maybe even a pandemic. Beth didn't want to overreact, after all, it was just one incident and everything being said was just speculation, but still Beth found herself stopping at the grocery store on her way home from work that night.
She never had more than a couple days supply of food at home, and no cabinets full of staples. She lived alone and didn't prepare big meals, but for some reason she found herself going completely overboard. Maybe she came by it naturally, growing up on a remote farm she saw how her Mother always kept a full pantry, enough to get the family by for at least a couple of months if, for whatever reason, they couldn't get into town. Beth wasn't sure why, but it felt like she should prepare in case this disease spread. Food shortages were a real possibility, and there was comfort in a person knowing they had plenty to get them by. Shoot, food is comfort.
She stocked up on canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, canned tuna, and staples like flour, sugar and even some yeast. She could bake her own bread if she had to. She bought some of every kind of granola bar they had, health bars, energy bars, even ramen. Geez, she hadn't eaten one of those packages of ramen since her college days. She picked up several grocery items she'd never purchased before, like fruit snacks and instant oatmeal, anything that would keep for a couple of months. Finally, she put two cases of water in her cart and checked out. The clerk eyed her like she was a weirdo, but Beth just swiped her card and she was on her way.
As Beth got in her car she thought of something else she might want to have a little extra stash of. She pulled into Target, went inside and bought lots of over-the-counter medicines, including gauze and other medical supplies, then she thought, "I don't want to run out of that" and bought a big 24 pack of toilet paper, a 12 pack of Kleenex, toothpaste, hand soap, bath soap, a giant bottle of shampoo, one of conditioner, and Tampons.
If things got really bad she'd be able to survive at home for several weeks. If she was overreacting, well, then she'd be eating peanut butter and ramen for several weeks. She smiled to herself, at least she wouldn't have to shop or cook again for a long time.
As Beth hauled all of those purchases in the house she started giving herself a hard time, "Beth, you're crazy. What do you think you're going to do with all this stuff?" Maybe she'd watched too many apocalyptic movies and read too many end of the world books. Then again, the feeling came over her, maybe that poor man and his wife were just the beginning of something really terrible.
The duplex she was renting had a small second bedroom. She'd thought about making it into a cute den, or a music and art room. For now it sat empty, but was about to become her new storage room.
It was just two days after Beth's shopping spree when all hell really started to break loose, and she thought, "Maybe I'm not crazy after all." The reality was, she would have greatly preferred to have been wrong and have to eat fruit snacks and breakfast bars for a few weeks.
Sadly, her intuition was correct. Something terrible was happening.
The small hospital had quickly become overrun with patients who had the same flu-like illness as the original couple. Now there were dozens of patients and the doctors who were left had ordered the "flu" patients be put in "secure" rooms, and the staff had to cram as many beds as they could into those "secure" rooms.
Other patients with different maladies were either released prematurely, or they were in beds in the hallways, and so many of them had then begun to succumb to the new flu.
Staff members were not immune, Beth had seen many of her fellow nurses simply disappear, and doctors were in short supply too.
Beth found herself working twelve to fourteen hour days, seldom with a break. It didn't leave much time for anything but rushing home for a fast shower and a little sleep, then starting all over again. She was barely eating, and her already slim figure was showing the signs.
The TV in the nurse's lounge was always on these days, people were desperate for information. What the hell was happening?! The stories coming from Atlanta and other big cities had the whole staff in a panic. Whatever this new disease was, people were dying from it all over the country, and in other parts of the world too. Lots of people.
At the same time, everything surrounding the disease was so secretive. Beth was no conspiracy theorist, but it sure felt like the government was keeping information from the people, even from the medical community. How were doctors and nurses supposed to adequately care for the sick if they weren't given full access to information?
As she'd feared just three short weeks ago, the supply chain was totally disrupted, and due to panic buying grocery stores, big box stores and even convenience markets had very little stock left on their shelves. Gas was disappearing just as quickly, and Beth was glad she had almost a full tank and only a two-mile commute to work. If shortages got worse, she could ride her bike.
There were stories about how in the cities dead people were now roaming the streets in herds, and rising up to eat live people. They were even eating the animals. Household pets for God sake. In the meantime, the live people were fighting each other to the death for food, water, gasoline. It was enough to make anyone panic and be extra cautious.
Then came the rumors that essential services would be the next to go, water, gas, electricity, and then, oh my God, she heard the military had intervened. There were terrible stories about the army actually dropping bombs on American cities that were said to be decimated by the disease. The excuse was that it was the only way to try and contain the virus, and they swore that no living people were killed. She tried to believe they were being honest, but it was hard to.
Like everyone else, Beth was feeling more and more scared and desperate.
It no longer mattered to her if she lost her job because her health and her sanity were more important than that. She needed some time to think, and oh my Dear God the reality hit, she needed a survival plan.
She remembered a college classmate of hers, the young woman and her husband were serious preppers. It's why the woman was going to nursing school, so she could learn to care for her family herself. At the time Beth thought they were being ridiculous. Now she was starting to think they were the smartest people she'd ever met.
She got home from work that night, and although locking the garage was something she had never bothered to do, now it seemed important. She'd seen several of those not so dead dead people roaming the streets, flailing and snarling and she knew they'd attack if they got the chance. She locked the garage, she locked herself in her house, and took the time to check that every window was locked. She pulled down all the shades, closed all the curtains, and filled the tub with the hottest water she could stand, and plenty of bubble bath. She lit a couple of candles, got out the iPod she still had from high school, set it in the player and tuned to her playlist that she liked to call, "When all else fails," and slipped into the bubbles. Beth tried her best to be calm and not think for a half hour or so. It didn't work completely, but things were better, she felt a little more relaxed.
She dressed in her comfiest pajamas and fuzzy slippers, went to the kitchen and fixed herself something to eat. It wasn't exactly a gourmet meal, but it would fill her up. She opened a can of chicken noodle soup, got a sleeve of saltines and sat at the small kitchen table.
It dawned on her as she munched a crispy cracker that yes, of course, it would be the perfect way to clear her head. She made a simple plan. As soon as she was done eating she carried a kitchen chair to the coat closet by the front door, climbed on it and reached up on the shelf for the backpack she'd used all through college. She smiled; the black leather pack still looked almost new.
For now Beth filled it with a couple of energy bars, two bottles of water and a candy bar. Someone once told her if a person is going hiking they should always take a candy bar. It made sense, lots of calories and quick energy.
In the morning she made a peanut butter sandwich to take too, and then she laughed. When she was stocking up on supplies she'd grabbed a 24 pack box of lunch sized bags of chips. How funny, she always tried to stay away from things like chips. Now though, she was looking forward to the Fritos she'd take on this hike, oh, and better take an apple too. Quite the balanced diet.
This little hike was going to be fun, and more importantly, she was going to have the peace and quiet to really think and decide what she should do next.
Whatever decision she ended up making, for now it seemed smart to conserve her tank of gas. Instead of driving she'd ride her bike to the trailhead. She felt compelled to look around before rolling up the garage door. What was it about this medical crisis, and all the surrounding crisis' it seemed to spawn, that made her distrust everyone?
She'd never been this way before, but everything was different now.
She hurried to roll the bike out of the small garage, quickly closed the door, secured the lock, and slipped the backpack on, then she started riding. Much faster than usual. The trailhead was just three miles south of where she lived.
Eight Months Earlier
After working for two years as a nurse at a busy Atlanta hospital Beth's dream job finally came through. Well, it wasn't the job that would be different, she'd still be nursing. She loved her profession so that part was just fine with her. It was the location of her new job that had her absolutely delighted. It was truly her dream come true, she'd be working in a the small regional hospital at the base of the Rosewood Mountains in Rosewood, Georgia.
It was amazing how everything just seemed to fall into place. She drove to Rosewood ahead of the move to find a place to live, and lucked into the perfect rental. It had just become available that day. The listing agent told her the two bedroom duplex would be thoroughly cleaned and painted in the coming week, and would be ready for occupancy in ten days. Perfect timing. Gosh, and it was twice the size of her apartment in Atlanta for half the money.
A dear friend, a nurse she worked with in Atlanta, Aaron, helped her so much with the move. She couldn't have done it without him. She rented a U-Haul trailer and Aaron pulled it behind his F-150, while Beth followed in her car that she'd stuffed full of her clothes and personal items.
The pair arrived at her new place in Rosewood and she and Aaron got everything unloaded and put away, then had a nice dinner out. After dinner they sat in her new living room, drank wine and stayed up late just talking. In the morning they went to a local diner called Maude's Place and stuffed themselves full of pancakes with blueberry syrup.
There may have been a tear or two shed as they shared a goodbye hug, but the friends promised weekly calls and regular visits.
Present Day
She loved the close community feel of her job. Everyone was welcoming and friendly and she felt accepted from the start. However, work friends didn't always translate into deeper "off-duty" friendships, and Beth often found herself feeling lonely.
She'd dated a couple of guys, but both of those relationships ended before they ever really got started. The chemistry just wasn't there.
Beth loved Rosewood, she loved her job, and she loved hiking the mountain trails every chance she got, but she longed for closer human ties. A real friendship. She hadn't given up hope, she'd find it, she was sure of that. She just had to give it time.
On her short bike ride to the trailhead she encountered several of the "dead" people who seemed to have come back to life. She hadn't expected to see so many. She managed to avoid them by peddling faster and swerving as needed, thank God they didn't seem able to move too fast, but this was getting way too scary.
She was relieved when she finally reached the trailhead, locked her bike and began her hike up the mountain. Although it was getting late in the fall, the weather was pleasant, and her light jacket was more than enough to keep the chill at bay.
She didn't expect to encounter anyone and she didn't. She was relieved those dead people hadn't wandered up this way. Beth just kept walking, grateful for the quiet as she breathed in the cool, crisp mountain air, with her mind wandering as she did.
She decided that once this illness had been cured and life got back to normal, she would join some kind of group. Maybe the local theater group, or an outdoor group, even a book club. Those would all be great ways to meet people and make friends. What if there was a music club? The thought made her smile.
Then she got a little glum as her mind drifted to thoughts of Aaron, and Beth got teary. They'd kept their promise and called each other every week. Talking to him was the highlight of her Saturdays, but the last time they talked was more than two weeks ago. The phone service was all messed up and her calls and texts didn't go through, and she didn't hear from him either. Or anyone else.
As hard as she tried not to, she'd been fearing the worst.
A bunny appeared out of nowhere and that got her back to smiling as she attempted following him. He let her for quite a while, then seemed to get bored with their game, scurried away, and she lost track of him in the tall brush.
This excursion was providing the most peace and freedom from fear that she'd experienced in almost a month. It was wonderful, and she walked and walked before sitting down on a flat topped boulder. It was a perfect spot under the shade of a big tree. She'd just started eating her peanut butter sandwich when a chubby little squirrel ran down the tree trunk and settled himself in front of her. Beth smiled at the little guy and tore off a bite of her sandwich, tossing it to him. She smiled even bigger when he picked it up in his small "hands" and began munching away. She couldn't resist and ended up giving him the rest of her meal. She had lots of peanut butter in her stash at home.
When the squirrel knew he wasn't getting any more food he ran off, and Beth opened a bottle of water, got up and started walking again. She realized then that she'd gone a long way further up the mountain than she'd ever been before. Maybe she should turn back, but then she saw something shimmering up ahead and thought it must be a lake. Yes, sun shining on the water must be what was causing that glimmer. How awesome. She started walking toward it, this was going to be so cool.
Beth had been walking a long time and was starting to feel tired and sore, and the glimmer never seemed to get any closer. She looked at her watch and saw it was already four in the afternoon, it would begin getting dark any minute. She had to hurry back down the mountain and get home.
She quickened her pace, but hadn't gone more than fifty feet when she felt the most excruciating pain and instantly fell to the ground. The tears began rolling as she realized, oh my gawd, she'd stepped in some rusty old animal trap. She tried and tried to open the thing, but there was no way she had the strength required.
Maybe she could have made it somewhere to get help, trap and all, just dragging it behind her, except the trap was on a chain that was staked in the ground with an equally rusty spike. She tried to pull the stake out, but all she did was tire herself.
Her only hope seemed to be if someone came along and found her. What a ridiculous idea. The odds against that must be a zillion to one. Who, besides her, would even be up here? But she wasn't the type to lose faith or give up hope. She would do her best to survive as long as she could. She devised a plan to ration the food and water she had left, but darn it, when she fell, she'd spilled most of the water in her first bottle. She just had the one other.
Sometime after dark she allowed herself a good swallow of water and half a granola bar. She thought if she could sleep it would at least pass the time and maybe she wouldn't notice how hungry she was, but the pain was getting worse and worse and sleep wasn't coming.
Finally, at some point, she drifted off.
She awoke at daybreak to see a pair of raccoons running off with what was left of her granola bars, and there lay the empty Frito bag, candy wrapper and the apple's core a couple of yards away. They'd cleaned her out.
She had no food and was down to three quarters of a bottle of water.
The day was long and cold and she found herself drifting in and out of consciousness. The night was worse, she imagined it wouldn't be long until coyotes or even a bear showed up to get her. She was easy prey.
By day three she was out of it, the water was gone and she was praying to God to forgive her any sins she may have and just take her now. Quickly, please. She thought that if she had a gun she could, and would, shoot herself.
It was the morning of day four when she was stirred to consciousness by the sensation of hot breath in her face and a big, rough tongue licking her cheek. She managed to open her eyes and saw the culprit, a dog. It was a dog! Then she heard a man gruffly yell, "Jack, dammit Jack, get away from that."
The dog stopped and looked to it's left, and then a man appeared and asked her, "You alive?"
Beth was sure she was hallucinating, and even if she wasn't, she was too weak to answer the mountain man. Her eyes drifted shut again and she was out.
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Hmm...That's our start. I hope you enjoyed it and I would appreciate if you'd leave a comment. The chapter photo is on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please check it out. I'll be back next week with Chapter Two of The Man on The Mountain, I hope you'll be here too. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee