Death Has Fallen: Freedom Rock Chronicles: Book 1 (3 page)

I was struggling as he was on top of me, I could smell the rotten breath and feel his immense power.  He was far too strong I was about to die.  He kept attempting to bite me and with each attempt pushing a little bit closer.  My strength was waning, I could feel his teeth scrape the skin on my face.  I was able to grab his shoulders and I pushed with everything I had giving me a couple more seconds.  I heard a loud thud and the vibrant rage filled face was turned into a shock.  Blood began dripping from the back of his head down his face landing on my own.  After a couple moments I saw Caz’s face appear from behind this massive beast.  He was holding a sledgehammer which was now covered in the blood of this undead. A smirk crossed his face as he helped push the beast off me. 

“God that was close,” I muttered out of breath.

“I suppose you owe me your life now huh?” Once again smiling.

“Whatever I had him.” A look of amused doubt crossed my face.

“We need to get that door secure somehow.”

Looking around we found some leftover plywood used to board the windows.  There were still some footsteps on the outside of the Café.  Amanda came in from out of the back, seeing the newly placed body lying in the doorway she asked “Did I miss anything?”  Without a beat Caz muttered “Just me saving Jake.”  As we walked the plywood outside I told Jake to watch my back and smash anything as we worked on rebuilding a door. It took a few hours to finish, but we felt it secure enough to finally rest.  We had boarded both the outside and inside of the doorway.  The windows within the Café were already well done.  After such a long day all we wanted was a bit of rest and some food.  I walked back to the kitchen and do my disappointment the food had been picked through leaving some rotting meat, raw vegetables which were starting to go bad, and a couple cans of tomato sauce. 

Each of us picked through what looked the most appetizing and attempted to eat. The food did not taste fantastic, but we all felt better once we had eaten.  The night was coming upon us and we sat out in the dining room thinking of what we should do next.  The consensus reached, was to steal a car and keep heading north.  The dead seemed to be much more active during the night.  Every hour or so there would be a thud on the plywood blocking a window.  They seemed to know we were in here and be looking for anyway in.  I closed my eyes intently listening at the number of dead outside.  It was hard to tell, but there were at least four hanging around.

As I looked around Caz had found a cushioned booth which actually looked much more comfortable than my tablecloth bed on the red and white tile floor. Amanda had made her bed on the counter, and was using rolled up towels as a pillow.  Even with the dead hanging around I felt safe enough to sleep.  As my eyes closed the world around me was transferred to an earlier time.  I dreamt of the times playing videos games with friends.  One night stuck out to me.  Five of my closest friends were at my house and we were playing Days of Daggers.  It was a game we got from an independent developer.  The game itself was quite terrible, the draw came from doing what most would never have the chance to do.  All night we stayed awake playing, laughing, and talking.  I was fifteen at the time and even to this day I do not have a time that I have enjoyed more.

              The mourning came and the dream world faded.  Everything that was once enjoyable was turned into this around me. Pain and suffering seemed to be the new common life characteristic everyone shared.  The thought of the death of our world brought a deep sadness and my tears began to swell.  Before I completely broke down I awoke Amanda then Caz.  They both awoke and when looking around I witnessed the sadness I myself experienced when waking.

Chapter 4

              Once we got past the sadness of our situation we began pulling the pieces of the plywood off the windows so we could see out.  The numbers had grown since last night and their interest in our location was apparent.  They may not have the intelligence of a normal human, but they were not completely ignorant to their surroundings. The more movement and noise we made inside the café, the more commotion there was outside.  Their sense of hearing seemed to be unaffected by the transformation.

              We noticed that the majority of the dead were in the front out towards the street.  We thought it would be safest if we quietly left the back entrance. The back door was a large metal door with a dead bolt and boards nailed in for security. The boards were ripped off easily enough, it was time to exit.  We were all very skeptical about leaving the security which we found, but knew this simple Café could not hold the hordes off for long.  Slowly going first I exited the building.  At the end of the alley I saw a young man around the age of 15.  He was staring at the building in front of him seeming to be lost.  Luckily he had not heard us exiting the Café and I signaled for the other two to watch in the direction.  We moved slowly down the alleyway away from the undead.  My board was at the ready and Caz had his sledgehammer.  The last to exit was Amanda and as she did I noticed she had found a large cleaver.  Looking at the other two I thought it would be very useful if we obtained some firearms.

              Not remembering any specific gun shops on the way through town I whispered to the other two telling them to keep their eyes open for a gun store or pawn shop.  As we slowly made our way down the alley avoiding anything that may be loud, the sun fell behind clouds giving us a break from the heat.  The darkness made it more difficult to see danger, but made us more difficult to see as well.

              As we moved along the footsteps seemed to be all around us.  Making each of us terrified at the smallest sound.  We knew if one heard us and began coming our way the majority would follow.  Step by step we came closer to the end of the alley.  As we reached the end undetected there was a pawn shop across the street.  A few dead stood walking aimlessly close by.  I motioned my companions to stay close.  We turned from the alley onto the sidewalk keeping close to the buildings.  Moving slowly down the street directly towards the two dead men. 

              We came closer to the pawn shop and began crossing the street.  Half way across I heard someone trip behind me.  Looking back Amanda was lying face down with the cleaver a couple feet in front of her.  Caz had already turned around and was helping her up.  She reached down grabbing her cleaver.  When she looked up all that came out was “Oh Shit”. Caz and I turned to see the two men running.  They were fifty feet down the road.  We ran towards the pawn shop and attempted to open the door, but it was locked and reinforced.  The dead had caught up to us.  I laid into one with my board, but missed his head and sunk the nails deeply into his shoulder.  Unaffected he pushed me back against the Pawn shop doors. Caz had connected with his hammer and began beating the lifeless body into a pulp.

              I saw a bright flash of sun off the cleaver.  It came down fiercely sinking deep into the back of the zombie’s neck.  The head flew forward cracking its skull into mine.  She had decapitated him and blood began pumping out of his neck.  I quickly pushed the infectious body away and took a breath of relief.

              We began analyzing the door figuring out the best way to get in.  Caz told me to stand back and swung the hammer into the door.  The door shook at the blow, but it was not enough.  Amanda was keeping watch looking up and down the road. Caz swung the hammer a couple more times each pushing the door in just a little further.  The wood around the dark stained framed began giving way.  The noise brought forth all the dead who waited outside the café.  They came slowly at first, but as soon as they saw us the horde began rushing.  Twenty of them a block away came barreling down the street. 

              The fear increased our adrenaline and I turned my board sideways using it has a ram to help Caz break in the door.  Amanda was terrified begging us to hurry and screaming “They are coming!”.  The door continued giving still slowly.  Finally after the sledge hit the frame just right the door broke free falling into the pawn shop allowing us entrance. We noticed a freezer had been pushed up against the door which was giving it reinforcement.

              Jumping over the door and freezer we pushed the door back into place and the freezer back up to reinforce.  The broken door left little protection.  I ran to the gun section and immediately busted the glass securing the pistols.  I grabbed a .357 revolver and began loading it with bullets found behind the case.  Dumping the rest of the shells in my pocket I ran up to the front.  They had pulled the door back into the street and Caz and Amanda were swinging madly attempting to push the horde back.  I came up on the side and fired a shot through an old man’s head.  The other two were stunned turning and looking at me.  I signaled them to the gun case where I found my gun. 

              They turned quickly and ran to the back.  I was left alone attempting to push back all these monsters.  Thinking to myself “five more shots better make them count” I slowed my breathing and took aim.  The second shot went through the face of a young woman who looked as though she would have been quite beautiful if she had not been dead. An oaf of a man came next.  He came in with enough force to single handedly push the freezer into me.  As he did my aim was jumbled and the bullet shot past his head into the next one standing behind mine.

              Before the beast could reach me a deafening shot rang from the back of the store.  The shot pierced the head of this barbarian taking his face with it.  When I came to my senses I noticed Caz standing in the back of the store taking aim with a 300 Weatherby.  Amanda opened fire with a smaller yet effective 9 millimeter.  They were successful at pushing the horde back.  Any whom dared enter took a bullet to the head.  I found it fascinating that they stopped attempting to come in.  We could hear them outside and they sounded afraid.  They seemed to be learning and understanding what actions would mean their immediate death.

              We were able to push some furniture and scrap wood to block the door.  Listening intently the footsteps surrounded the store.  They were the predators waiting for a perfect time to attack their pray.  Even Amanda took notice when she asked “What are they waiting for?” None of us had an answer for her.  It was apparent we had no idea what this virus does.  These beings were not simply death walking.  These could learn and adapt in order to pursue their target.  They would not run to their deaths, but rather hunt as predators.

              Picking up my gun I headed to the back and began filling my bag with guns and ammo.  Amanda and Caz both found packs in the store and did the same.  Worried about the zombie’s ability to learn we decided waiting for night would not be a good plan.  We would need to leave while it was still day.  After an hour of scavenging we began pulling all the items from the front door.  Thick snarls swam through the doorway chilling us deep inside.  Hesitantly we moved the last large piece of plywood from the door.  This pack of dead kept in sight, but hidden at a distance.  They lurked as if studying us.  Perhaps the disease inside was driving their new life sustaining behavior or perhaps it was a part of humanity left behind.  In either case the chances of us surviving dropped as their intellect increased.

              Slowly we moved down the street trying to keep our backs towards the buildings making it difficult for a surprise attack.    Anticipating an attack was maddening.  All three of us grew extremely anxious as the beasts followed and watched in the distance.  We were pushing past a simple clothing store not paying attention to the windows.  As we walked past the display window, blurred movement caused us to turn our heads.  Out of the window came a woman snarling and landing on Caz.  Before any of us had a chance to react the woman sank her teeth in to the defensive forearm Caz threw up.  The sound of flesh ripping seared into my mind.

              With my gun drawn I aimed down trying to shoot the zombie and not my new friend.  The bullet passed through her head spraying blood, brains, and skull fragments. Caz threw the body off him disgusted then looked terrified at the bite.  The zombies that were once keeping their distance now felt it the time to begin pushing once again.  The dead we left on the pawn shop floor had been replaced by stragglers interested in the noise.  More and more came out looking around trying to find what had made the noise.  Helping Caz to his feet we continued walking down the street this time a little further from the buildings. 

              We checked every car we passed in search of one which wasn’t demolished and had the keys.  As the dead grew in numbers their patience seemed to wane as well.  The meal began to be split more and more as others joined.  Realizing their chances grew with numbers one strange looking man in a suit began the charge.  The hunt was on.  We sprinted down the road as the horde began closing the distance.  I turned putting a couple shots into the crowd dropping one of the fifty that had now joined the horde. 

              Amanda jumped in a car a little down the road.  The car was one of the only that we saw which wasn’t wrecked.  The car was started before Caz and I arrived.  We jumped in with the horde a few feet from our heels.  As I attempted to get in I felt the hand of one grab my shirt.  My right foot was in the car I screamed “GO”. Amanda hit the gas while I was still hanging partly out of the car with one of the dead holding my shirt.

              Flying through the air I felt the dead dragging along the pavement refusing to give up. With my free hand I reached towards the back of my shirt attempting to gain release from the things grasp.  My fingers grabbed its wrist.  The arm was ice cold and the skin felt gritty.  The skin was peeling with the force I applied, but its strength was overwhelming.  Finally as Amanda swerved to miss a pile of trash the force of the turn and mine together was enough to rip the hand away.  Looking back the sight of the woman tossing freely against the pavement then standing quickly to begin the chase surprised me. I have never seen anything in my lifetime so bound on their goal.  That being would have chased me through the depths of hell if allowed to its own devices.  Luckily it was not a match with the car Amanda had found.