Journal of the Undead (Book 1): Littleville Uprising (17 page)

“Are you okay, Evan?”

“Why should you care?”

Matt, who had been ignoring his sister since Saturday night, was scanning the halls for Jake. He didn’t see the need for Evan to take another beating because of Emma.

“Emma, haven’t you done enough damage already or are you trying to get Evan killed this time?”

Crestfallen, Emma walked away without another word.

“Hey, Evan. Just so you know, Emma had no idea Jake jumped you.”

Startled, Evan turned and found Christy standing right behind him. She’d suspected Emma would seek Evan out after Tiffany’s news.

“Emma was at my house Friday night. Neither of us heard anything about it until just a few minutes ago. If you’d have seen the look on her face, I doubt even
you
could have been so mean. Why can’t you just leave her alone?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Like you don’t know!” Christy shot back, rolling her eyes, “Haven’t you ever heard the expression if you can’t say something nice then don’t say anything at all?” Christy walked away leaving Evan dumbfounded. Rolling his eyes, Matt told Evan to ignore her.

***

Two ambulances packed with injured patients raced to Littleville Memorial Hospital. Understaffed due to the recent flu epidemic, the EMTs were forced to exceed the recommended allowances for patients just to get them to the hospital before they bled-out completely.

“Yo, Doug! Are we almost there? I haven’t got enough room back here to work on anyone.”

“Just a few more minutes.”

His walkie-talkie crackled but Randy Kent could hear Doug’s words clear enough to know their patients were at risk despite the few more minutes. He applied more bandages and tried to wrap them tight since he didn’t have enough hands to manually add pressure to everyone’s gaping wounds.
It looks like something chewed these people up and spit ‘em back out again,
he observed.

“We’re almost there now so just hang on everyone.”

Randy hoped his words brought the wounded some comfort. A young woman with savage lacerations to her face sat up.

“Miss, just lie back and relax, okay? We’re almost there.”

The girl’s blood-soaked hands reached out toward him. Attempting to offer her comfort, he took her hand. Like a bear trap, her hands clamped down on his and pulled him closer. She sank her teeth deep into the flesh of his face and ripped chunks from it, gulping them down. His screams reverberated inside the cramped ambulance until they finally reached the hospital and Doug opened the door.

***

Emma’s patience was wearing thin and she longed to escape from the trivial life she had created. The Friday pep rally was yet another reminder of the misery she had created for herself. Her mind worked feverishly trying to find a way out of it.

As she walked through her front door, she was immediately greeted by a thick cloud of smoke. Her father was pulling a charred tray from the oven when Emma entered the kitchen.

“Dad, what are you doing?” Laughing, Emma opened the window and clicked on the exhaust fan.

“I was
trying
to make dinner. Jillian is upstairs resting. You’d think a man with a doctorate would be able to cook for his children without burning down the house.”

“What’s wrong with Jillian?” Emma asked, genuinely concerned.

“She was mugged today. I already told Matt and now I’m telling you, I want you both to keep the noise down to a dull roar. Jillian’s pretty shaken up and she needs peace and quiet.”

After expressing her dismay, Emma promised her dad she

wouldn’t make a peep as long as he promised not to try cooking ever again. Agreeing, he found a takeout menu and placed an order.

October’s End

The Friday morning classes flew by and the entire student body made their way to the gymnasium for the pep rally. In the girl’s locker room, Tiffany was rallying the spirit of her squad.
A pep rally for the pep rally
, Emma thought.
How redundant
.

“Okay team, it’s time. Let’s give it our best. Ready?”

***

Most of the students were on their feet applauding when the first routine came to an end. Evan and Whitney were the obvious exceptions. By the end of their second dance routine, Emma was relieved to have a moment to catch her breath. Coach Rollins had taken the microphone and was offering a quick accolade to his team. The coach’s stirring speech was interrupted by an earsplitting crash and the sound of shattering glass. A late model pickup truck had barreled full-force through the main entrance doors, screeched through the lobby, and wedged into the trophy case. Most of the glass entryway had been destroyed. All that remained of the once beautiful plate-glass wall was a mangled frame and shards of glass that had been ground into the linoleum.

With trembling hands, Principal Daniels took the microphone.

“Settle down, everyone! Stay calm and remain in your seats. Your teachers will be directing you back to your fifth period classes while we address the issue in the lobby.”

He ducked out of the gymnasium while issuing orders to his subordinates. In the lobby, he used his personal cell phone to call 911 before checking on the driver. The man behind the wheel appeared to be fatally injured, with blood flowing freely from the many gashes in his head and neck. Within minutes, the teachers were directing their students back to class and the maintenance crew had assembled to clean up the broken glass.

The halls were filled with nervous whispers and panicky drama queens. Rolling her eyes at her foolish classmates, Emma headed to class.

“Ugh, it had to be biology, didn’t it?” Emma’s gripe was met with an approving nod by her new lab partner. She had just reached her seat when Mr. Cortez, the Spanish teacher from across the hall, entered the room and demanded silence.

“I want everyone in their seats, now! As you may know, Mr. Raybach is not here today. Since a substitute wasn’t called in, I’ll be keeping an eye on your class as well as my own. I expect everyone to be on their best behavior and to study silently. If I have to keep running over here, you’ll be sorry.”

When he left the room, everyone could hear Mr. Cortez in the hallway complaining to another teacher that Mr. Raybach hadn’t even bothered to call in sick. Mrs. Ambrose, the geometry teacher, commented that Ms. Collins was a no call/no show also. The revelation caused snickers and lewd comments from the biology class students.

“Maybe they’re still gettin’ it on in the storage room.”

Evan looked around the room, trying to determine which of his classmates had so rudely remarked. The rowdier kids laughed while daring each other to go check. A thud from inside the storage room silenced the entire class as they paused for a moment to listen.

“You’re, like, so immature,” Jessica scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Convinced it was their imaginations running wild, conversations resumed. On a triple-dog-dare, Derek Blandish snuck to the door of the storage room. Just as he reached out his hand to turn the knob, Emma jumped up from her seat.

“Hey! Stay out of there, Derek.”

“Who died and made you boss?”

“If Mr. Cortez catches you in there, we’ll all get in trouble.”

Ignoring Emma’s command, Derek opened the door. Again the room went silent, waiting for something to happen. Derek turned to face the class again, triumphantly pumping his fists in the air.

“See, no big deal.”

“Mr. Raybach?” Emma questioned as she peered at the door behind Derek.

“Haha, yeah right. Nice try, cheerleader.”

A guttural moan from behind the door startled Derek, and he spun around just in time to see Mr. Raybach shuffling out of the tiny room. His ordinarily pasty skin had a greenish tinge and drooping lids half-covered his clouded, unfocused eyes. Mr. Raybach’s collared shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a threadbare undershirt splattered with congealed blood. Pale, scrawny legs poked out from his boxer shorts.

Expecting to be reprimanded, Derek was rapid-firing excuses. He hadn’t noticed his teacher wasn’t wearing pants. Mr. Raybach’s hand clamped onto Derek’s shoulder pulling him closer as his teeth sank deep into his neck. An oozing chunk of flesh and muscle rolled around in the teacher’s mouth and blood spouted from Derek’s neck like a geyser, splattering Emma’s head and body. Shrieks of terror erupted through the room but Emma could only hear Evan’s voice.

“Emma! Get away from there!”

Emma’s legs were firmly rooted in place and refused to budge. She watched in horror as vice-like hands tore Derek’s head from his neck and shoveled mounds of blood-soaked tissue into the gaping mouth of what had once been their biology teacher.

Mr. Raybach’s vacant eyes rolled back into his head and a moan gurgled out through the bloody bubbles in his gaping maw. Derek’s lifeless body dropped to the linoleum with a thud. Mr. Raybach’s biology room filled with ear-piercing shrieks, retching, and the sound of vomit splattering on the desks.

Still frozen, Emma watched as Ms. Collins emerged from the storage room clad only in a bra and a plaid skirt which was forced high up on her bulging thighs. Her panties were tangled around one shoe and dragging behind her. Just then, it struck Emma that the Raybach/Collins rumors had been true. She chuckled mainly as a coping method for the gruesome scene before her.

Ms. Collins latched onto Whitney’s long hair and reeled her in like a sport fish. In desperation, Whitney tried to shove Ms. Collins away. Instead, three fingers from her hand snapped like dried twigs between Ms. Collins’ powerful jaws. Still crunching through the bones and joints, Ms Collins dug her nails into Whitney’s shoulder while Mr. Raybach gouged out fistfuls of flesh from her opposite arm. With a pop, Whitney’s shoulder dislocated as the teachers sank their teeth deep into her body, tearing away oozing shreds. As she shrieked, the undead faculty tore her body limb from limb. Mercifully, she lost consciousness before the zombie pair plunged their claws into her abdomen, snarling over the entrails.

Realizing that Emma could be next, Evan sprang into action. He jumped on top of the lab table, avoiding his scrambling classmates, secured his backpack over his shoulders, and hopped from table to table to reach the opposite side of the room.

“Emma! Run!”

Mr. Raybach’s head turned, drawn by Evan’s shout. A section of intestines dangled from his mouth. Ms. Collins pulled out Whitney’s gallbladder and ferociously plunged her teeth in, sending a spray of thick yellowish bile down Mr. Raybach’s arm.

Leaping down from the table, Evan knocked Emma out of Mr. Raybach’s reach and she slid across the blood-soaked linoleum. Doused from yet another blood geyser jetting from a limbless classmate, Emma was completely covered in gore. Hoisting Emma to her feet, Evan clutched her hand and pulled her toward the door.

“We have to find Matt and get out of here!”

Emma stared at him with wide, terror-stricken eyes; then, mainly out of habit, she grabbed her bag and tossed it over her shoulder. The pair tried to weave through the other students to the hallway but their classmates were either frozen in fear, bawling, or vomiting from the carnage. Face to face with Christy, Emma saw fear turn to sheer horror as Ms. Collins lumbered toward them. Christy shuddered then voided her bladder in a flowing stream across the floor. Still firmly gripping Emma’s hand, Evan pulled her into the hallway only to run directly into Mr. Cortez.

“What part of silent did you kids not understand?” Mr. Cortez bellowed as Evan plowed into him. “And just where do you think you’re going? Get back in there!”

But his tirade was cut short when he caught sight of Emma.

“Wh-Wh-What happened?” Mr. Cortez stammered.

Looking past Emma, the hellish scene in the classroom left him speechless. Seizing the chance, Evan pulled Emma with him and started jogging down the hall. At the door to the stairwell, Evan paused to check on her. Trembling with fear, Emma looked up at him with eyes brimming with unshed tears. He pulled her into an embrace, stroked her hair, and tried to speak in a calm soothing voice.

“We’re okay now, Emma. Our first objective is to find Matt. Then all three of us are getting out of here safely. I promise. Deal?”

Emma nodded and croaked a barely audible, “Yeah.”

By then, several of their classmates had followed Evan’s lead and poured into the hallway screaming. In a flash, Tyler had reached Emma’s side and pulled her out of Evan’s arms.

“Emma, are you hurt? God, you’re covered in blood.”

“She’s not hurt and it’s not her blood so shut up. Quit scaring her!” Evan fumed.

“She’s coming with me so take off, Evan.”

“Like hell she is! Don’t you ever get tired of being Jake’s flunkey?”

“I couldn’t care less about Jake, or you for that matter. I care about Emma and neither one of you is good enough for her.”

He grabbed Emma’s arm and jerked her away from Evan.

“Really? If she had been depending on you to get her out of there, she’d be dead by now!”

“I wanna go home,” Emma whimpered.

The boys looked at each other and, with a nod, silently agreed to a truce. Each taking a hand, they escorted Emma through the door and onto the staircase. At the first landing, Emma froze, staring out the window. She pointed past the well-manicured lawn to a hill speckled with a cluster of people shambling toward the school.

“I don’t … What? Why?” Emma stammered, unable to find words to express the questions spinning in her mind.

“They’re zombies, Emma,” Evan answered.

“Yeah, okay,” Tyler snorted. “Zombies. Like in the movies, huh?”

“I’m serious.” Evan pulled his copy of
Journal of the Undead: A Survivor’s Guide
from the front pocket of his backpack. Tyler looked at the book, raised his eyes to scrutinize the walking corpses, then back down to the book again.

“My uncle wrote this book. It’s for real. He witnessed an uprising firsthand when he was stationed overseas. Critics tried to pretend that he was using zombies metaphorically to represent everything wrong in America. Eventually, Army officials came out saying the book was a scam. Personally, I think it’s just a conspiracy to keep the public uninformed.”

Emma stared at him in bewilderment. She had silently mocked both Evan and Matt for reading that book. Now she wished she had taken the time to read it too.

“C’mon, we need to get going and find Matt.”

“Coach had some of the guys stay behind to help clear the mess downstairs. I think Matt was one of them,” Tyler offered.

From the lower level, terrified screams reverberated off the walls. The boys, each holding one of Emma’s hands, rapidly descended the stairs. Suddenly, Evan skid to a halt. A logjam of students fighting to either go up or down the stairs left them impassable.

“Here’s what were going to do,” Evan whispered to Emma and Tyler. “I’m going to jump over the railing, then Tyler, you lower Emma down to me.”

Tyler did not look pleased but since he had no plan of his own, he agreed. Nimbly, Evan hopped over the railing, dangled for a moment then dropped softly to his feet.

“Okay, now gently lower Emma over the side,” Evan called up to Tyler.

Tyler scooped Emma up in his arms and cradled her for a second against his chest. Brushing a kiss across the only clean spot on Emma’s forehead, Tyler leaned over the rail. He dangled Emma down to Evan’s waiting grasp. Evan tried to respectfully avert his eyes rather than stare straight up Emma’s very short skirt. Once he had a firm grip around her legs, Evan called for Tyler to let go. Emma’s body slid like an unfurling ribbon down the length of Evan’s torso as her feet landed safely on the floor. Tyler heaved his bulky frame over the rail and landed with a thump next to the others.

Evan pulled them into an alcove under the stairwell to plan their next move. He retrieved a carefully concealed crowbar from the underside of the riser. Shielding Emma, Evan cracked the glass on an old firebox that was mounted to the wall. The old box had an ax encased in glass with a sign that read, ‘In case of fire, break glass.’

“Who would leave an ax on a school wall?” Emma wondered aloud. “That can’t be safe.”

“I’m pretty sure no one remembered it was still here. Once the sprinkler systems and automated smoke detectors were installed there really wasn’t a need to keep it, but we’re lucky it’s here.”

“You hid that crowbar there, didn’t you? What the hell for?” Tyler asked.

“Anyone with a brain can see the warning signs of a zombie uprising. I borrowed it from the maintenance closet weeks ago.”

Evan turned to Emma and put the ax in her hands.

“Now Emma, listen, the only way to stop a zombie is to destroy the brain. If one comes near you, you need to hit it hard enough to crack open the skull and get into the brain. Understand?”