Mark Clodi (6 page)

“No-no, I should go, I have a bat, it would be easy enough to whack someone if they are shambling along, right? Almost no danger at all.”

“Yeah like the bathroom?”

“Hey! I didn’t know what I was up against then! Plus I had dropped my bat!”

“Fine, fine if you think you can handle it go ahead and go…”

“Hello!?” a man’s voice called from the top floor landing, “Is someone down there?”

“Oh sure, see! You let it know we are here!” whispered Steve angrily.

“What are talking about, the guy is alive, he is calling for us. Why are we still whispering?”

They all heard someone coming down the stairs, “I can see you there. Why won’t you answer me?”

Sure enough the trio saw a face peering down at them through the railings, the face stopped coming down the stairs, waiting for an answer.

“Sure we are here.” said Stewart, “Who are you? I am Police Officer Stewart.”

“A police officer! Friggin-a! You gotta come up here, old man Sawyer went insane and killed Rhonda Pulcher and attacked me! I locked him in the break room, he does not seem to be thinking too well and can’t get out. Come on!”

“No, you come here, where we can see you. Sawyer will have to wait we are trying to get to somewhere else. We have to do one thing at a time right now, that’s it, come on down here. What is your name?”

The figure coming down the stairs was a young male, maybe twenty two, he had brown hair and a straight, lanky build. He had an id card and name badge, but it was still too far away to be read. He came forward slowly, but steadily and seemed to be favoring one arm. His pant leg on one side was coated with blood.

“I’m Tom. Tom Eby. I work in ITC, networking. Who are these guys?”

“I am Max, this is Steve, we work for George Gains down in Licensing, I think you reset my password for me about two months ago when I locked myself out, you work nights right? What happened to your arm and leg?”

“Gains, yeah, I keep the batch processes going and help out any of the early birds who have problems in the morning. Sawyer friggin’ grabbed my leg and tried to bite me. Bite me! Couldn’t believe what I saw, I saw him munching down on Rhonda in the break room, I went to back out and slipped on all the blood, none of it is mine, but it made a mess. Anyway I punched Sawyer in the face, musta broke his nose, cause he backed right off and let me go. I crawled out the door and slammed it behind me. You know that file cabinet by the break room? No? Yeah you probably don’t get up to the fourth floor too much. Anyway Joe and Frank blocked me in the break room one night as a joke by moving that cabinet in front of the door. I just heaved it over, I got it about halfway over the door and Sawyer couldn't get out. I think I sprained my shoulder.”

“You were alone in ITC? Where were Joe and, uh, Frank?” asked Max, struggling to remember the people who manned the help desk during the day.

“They called in sick last night, leaving me and Sawyer to hold down the fort, it was kinda busy too, with only two of us. Anyway Sawyer took off about six for a break and never came back, no big deal the last batch jobs ended around five thirty so we were in the dead phase of the shift until the early people got in, even then it is pretty slow this time of day. I was supposed to be off by now and I wanted to go home, but no one came in, no one called in either. I hated leaving the TC, uh, Tech Center, empty, but I had to go, I am, was, tired. That is when I found Sawyer and Rhonda. I went back to the TC and could not get a line out, all busy. I texted one of my local buddies and told her to call the cops for me, ‘cause I could not get through to them by voice, she said she did.” To Stewart he said, “I thought you were them. I guess it really doesn’t matter, you’re here now.”

Max quickly went through what the rest of them had been through and explained that they were trying to get to Kirkpatrick’s office. Tom had no weapons with him. After a brief debate they decided to continue to Kirkpatrick’s office and see if they could figure out how to operate the PA system.

Chapter 11

Like Fred, Nancy had the same ability to “see” energy. All of the undead did. It was not like some sort of x-ray vision, nor was it purely thermal vision. Like the living, the newly undead could not see though walls or other obstacles. Nancy could still use her normal vision since her eyes had yet to decompose. She found that she could switch from normal vision to her new ability as easy as, well, a blink of the eye.

All the world around her generated some sort of energy from the hot glowing red to cool uninteresting black. There were several ghost-like black figures in the MAC Co. parking lot. That’s what the dead looked like. Shadowy black figures containing no energy what so ever. The dead were the only things that were completely black, even stone and other inanimate objects generated some sort of dull energy. The living, now, they were a different story altogether. Their energy patterns were a striking rainbow colored non-pattern that simply looked edible and beckoned to be savored. Slowly. 'Taste the rainbow' Nancy thought, 'Ironic.'

Bob’s energy wasn't enough; it had been like a drug and she wanted more. Nancy forced her stiff muscles into action and she started walking. She moved as though it was the day after she had just completed a marathon. She felt no pain but the muscles throughout her entire body were so stiff and tight that she was forced to hobble along like an old lady. When Nancy reached DTC Boulevard she stopped and hid behind a dumpster so that she could survey the area. The air was full of sounds, ambulance sirens, distant gun shots, explosions, screams. Nancy could see a handful of black shapes staggering in the streets. The dead were still greatly out numbered by the living. However, the chaos was starting, Nancy could see it. Those who fled the buildings first tried to escape using their cars. One accident led to another and as the streets became clogged they had no option but to abandon their vehicles and try their luck on foot. This made it easier for a zombie to find a meal.

When she looked up into the windows of the tall office buildings that surrounded her Nancy could see bright patches of energy standing there, watching the spectacle unfold below.

Nancy joined them and watched the action for several hours until her burning hunger finally forced her out of hiding. By this time, the number of dead walking the streets had significantly increased and she decided it was time for her to join them.

Every where she looked abandoned cars littered the street. She switched over to her special vision. Two blocks away she could see several black figures surrounding two cars that had crashed head on. As the black figures moved around the cars Nancy could see flashes of bright red and orange energy trapped in one of the cars.

“Yummy” she whispered.

On her way to the fresh meal Nancy caught her reflection in the back window of a sports utility vehicle. She paused, taking in the sight. Her brown hair was still neatly pulled back into a pony tail and her face looked pale but not too unnatural. She had a few blue veins below her eyes but nothing too extreme. Surprisingly the only aspect of her face that sickened her was how Bob’s blood around her mouth and nose contrasted against her pale skin. Nancy knew what she had done to Bob and yet the sight of his blood on her face caused her to feel nauseous. Perhaps there was still something left living inside of her, some small bit of humanity.

Her hunger shook Nancy away from any philosophical thoughts she might have hand and took her back to reality. Hunger was stronger than guilt. Nancy looked past her reflection and inside the SUV she saw a tire iron. She opened the back tailgate and grabbed the weapon. Using the back of her sleeve she wiped as much of the drying blood from her face as she could. Nancy even released a few hairs from the pony tail and let them drape about her face the way she had done when she was one of the living.

With her focus returned Nancy moved toward the two cars. There were three black figures slowly pawing at the windows of the Volkswagen Bug. The zombies, intent on the prize trapped in side, did not notice Nancy’s approach. She strode up behind one of the figures and raised the heavy metal bar. With one quick downward motion she collapsed the zombie’s skull and it fell motionless to the pavement. The other two zombies noticed their fallen comrade and looked at Nancy. They saw her blackness, confused they returned their attention to the person in vehicle. Nancy easily disposed of the other two figures the same way she had the first. Their skulls crumpling under the blows from the tire iron.

“Thank you!” said a voice from inside the Volkswagen.

Nancy could see a young woman. She was wearing jeans and a black tank top. On the seat next to her was a pink purse the shape and size of a small bowling bag and the familiar green apron that employees of a local coffee shop wore. The girl had apparently been on her way to work when her world collapsed around her. Nancy wondered how long the girl had been trapped inside the car.

“Hurry, we’ve got to get out of here before more of those things show up.” Nancy instructed the girl. Her voice sounded sluggish to her as spoke. Would the girl be suspicious?

For a moment the young woman studied Nancy, she didn’t look like the things that had attack her and yet she didn’t look completely normal either. Her instincts yelled at her not to trust Nancy.

Looking over the top of the bug Nancy told the girl, “Come on, I see some more coming, we’ve got to get out of here now!”

Nancy’s words apparently convinced the girl because she opened the door.

“Thanks again, you saved my life.” she said starting to step out of the bug.

“Yeah, I suppose I did…so I guess it belongs to me now.”

Nancy violently pushed the girl back into the vehicle and pinned her face down on the front seat. With her hands on the girl's back and oblivious to the girls screams for mercy, Nancy paused for a second wondering if she would feel the same guilt for what she was about to do to as she had for Bob. But her hunger was stronger than any guilt she would ever have and she sunk her teeth into young woman’s neck and began feeding on her beautiful flesh. As she ate Nancy felt her body fill with energy.

When she had taken all that she could eat Nancy fell backwards out of the car and onto the road next to it. She lay there letting the girl’s energy rip through her body like the most incredible orgasm she had ever felt.

Nancy had taken the black and white photos that decorated her loft. She had been an amateur photographer. She remembered now. It was a loft too, not an apartment or house. Nancy thought it was located in downtown Denver not too far from the Coors Field baseball stadium but she couldn’t be sure.

From her vantage point Nancy could see a few of the living still standing at the office windows surrounding the intersection. Nancy laughed and imagined that they had watched the whole event unfold like some sick reality television show. How long had they watched the trapped girl only to see Nancy devour her? Where they exchanging money right now? The ones who bet she would be rescued paying off those who took the odds that she would die?

Nancy ran her hands up and down her body. It felt good. Her muscles still felt lethargic but they were getting firmer and stronger. Her thoughts were almost normal now, the molasses she had been thinking through before was almost gone. After a few moments of enjoying her new good feelings Nancy’s enjoyment was interrupted. Standing above her was a black figure, the coffee girl she had just consumed.

Nancy studied the girl for awhile. The once bright red and orange energy that flowed through the girl was now completely gone. Nancy didn’t know how but she felt a connection with the young woman.

“Help me up.” she instructed the girl and stretched out her arm. The young woman did as she was told and pulled Nancy to her feet.

“What is your name?” she asked the girl. The young woman just stood there blankly staring back at her.

“Can’t speak, eh, coffee girl? Just as well.” Somehow understanding, the coffee girl slowly nodded exposing the terrible wound Nancy had inflicted.

“Come with me, we’ve got to do something about that.”

Chapter 12

Steve pushed the door open and stepped down the hallway towards Kirkpatrick’s office, with Max, Stewart and Tom trailing him closely. Once everyone was in the hallway Steve stopped and pointed to the floor down near the end of the hall, there was blood on it.

“Stewart, looks like you get to earn your pay now, ma'am.”

Officer Stewart scowled at Steve and stepped in front of him, while her back was turned a high pitched scream came from behind her. To her credit Stewart just turned, dropped into a lower profile and ducked to the right. Max did just the opposite. He jumped six inches into the air, pivoted to the left and almost dropped his trusty bat. It was all he could do not to become a babbling idiot. Steve, started in on the “Wha-wha-what”, but quickly recovered and scowled at Max.

Stewart immediately started a smooth glide towards the screaming, almost jogging, but checking every opening she went by with the coolness of a professional. Max followed as close as he could, but lacked her precision, he only hoped she found and took care of any ‘problems’ before he got there.

'So much for my macho image.' he thought to himself, 'Long live the woman's rights movement!'

The screaming started getting louder and more persistent, Stewart's pace increased to a quick jog. Max was the one who saw the woman dart out of a side passage on an intercept course. Without even thinking Max rushed the older blond haired woman getting ready to pounce on Stewart from behind. He let out a battle cry and threw himself forward swinging the bat as he went. He missed. Completely woofed. STE-rike one! However his momentum carried him into the woman and as he tripped and went down he landed on the back of her legs, which brought her down on top of Stewart's legs.