Chapter 78- The shot heard round the block

I felt foolish, swinging my hammers idly in the air, unable to land a solid blow.  Pulling on my wrists, I twisted downward, trying to break the monster's hold.  His fat fingers wrapped around my forearms like vicious tentacles, and I felt my skin tear under his clammy grip.  This wasnt the first time one of these things had made me bleed, but I was determined to make it my last.  I pulled one arm toward me as hard as I could, and waited for it to pull against me.  As soon as it it did I used its momentum sent an elbow crashing into its nose.  I heard a satisfying crack and thick gelatinous blood dripped from its large nostrils onto my jacket.  I pulled again, hoping this thing was dumb enough not to realize I was trying to repeat the process.  Without access to its higher reasoning I repeated my powerful blow.  A split formed across its nose, opening a horizontal gash that connected the holes of its yellow-encrusted eyes.   Blood dripped down its bulbous nose and joined the stream emanating from its nostrils.  It shook its head as though confused, and renewed its attempt to bite me.  I repeated the steps several times, first pulling away then forcefully slamming it with my elbow, each time making a larger mess of its face.  Its nose was practically unrecognizable now, and blood poured out of the gaping hole.  It ran down into its mouth, making a choking, gurgling sound as it snapped at me. 

I read World War Z by Max Brooks when I was in college.   I was fascinated by the author's description of huge hordes of zombies they found wandering in the oceans.  Millions of infected, devoid of oxygen, grouping like a deadly school of undead fish surfaced on an opposite continent months later.  I remember wondering how the human body survived and functioned without oxygen.  I was no doctor and certainly not a scientist, but I knew the brain needed oxygen to function.  The infected human on top of me was obviously still using its lungs, at least on a limited scale, becuase the thick tar it had for blood would spout and bubble rhythmically as it "breathed." It was clearly on a limited scale, and took breaths only a few times per minute.  Perhaps it didnt need as much oxygen because it only used a portion of its brain.  I wondered if this almost catatonic state also applied to its heart and how this thick blood was being moved throughout its body.  Zombies in Hollywood could only be killed by destroying the brain, a myth I had assumed was the case here.  

If this was true, it could be killed with more than head trauma, destroying its heart could stop it, or at least slow it down, right?  Unfortunately in my current situation I was not in a position to test my theories, and found myself increasingly uncomfortable as my slow but determined attacker bled all over me while continuing to make attempts to bite me.  It was an impass.  We could both injure the other, but neither could gain an advantage.  Sooner or later my strength would give out, and then his relentless attacking would swing things in his favor.  I was determined not to let that happen.  

I looked around desperately, hoping that something would give me an idea or provide something that could help improve my situation, but the empty street held nothing but the corpses of dead walkers, those I had hit with the van during my joyride the previous day.  The van itself was only a few feet away, but with this massive behemoth on top of me it might as well have been a mile away. I thought of my handgun sitting peacefully on the dashboard. Why had I convinced myself not to bring it?  The risk of attracting the mega horde was certainly a very real possibility, but when compared to a slow death being eaten alive, I'd take my chances with the horde. Unfortunately I didn't even have that option at this point. 

"Lou!" I called out as loud as I dared. "Lou! Can you hear me?"  I waited but there was no response. The infected blob on top of me snapped his teeth idly, as though he was indifferent as to whether or not he actually bit me. Was he beginning to tire?  I assumed these monsters would move indefinitely, but perhaps that was a fiction placed in my head my motion pictures and TV shows. If he really could tire than I could gain an advantage, assuming he would tire before I did. At the moment my elbows were locked out, and my hands, one still gripping a hammer, were plunged deep into his thick hide.  With my elbows locked I could relieve the strain on my muscles, and I as though I was resting after bench pressing a gigantic bag full of gelatin. His hands stayed clamped onto my forearms, and I moved my head to the right to avoid the last few drops of blacked blood dripping from the cavern in his face that used to be his nose.  

A shot rang out in the air, echoing off the buildings and ringing in the silence. A wave a panic chilled my spine. A shot like that could have been heard for blocks. I imagined thousands of walkers standing idly around that abandoned gas station, now looking up into the sky, then moving slowly in our direction. A second shot rang out, followed by inaudible yelling. He sounded bullish and angry, but I couldn't understand his words, not that I really could before.  

A third shot rang out followed by a tortured scream.  The monster pinning me to the ground looked up, momentarily distracted by the sound, and I put aside my fears for my elderly companion and used the distraction to make an attempt to free myself.  I dropped my left arm and pushed hard with my right, and he rolled to the side onto his back.  I leapt to my feet, pulling upward in an attempt to free myself from his grip. He snapped at my knuckles but would not release me, and I spun around rapidly, gaining a solid footing on either side of his huge form. With all my might I jumped up, plunging my feet downward onto his face. His chin flipped to the left and his grip instantly slackened. I pulled my arms free and used my hammer to end this writhing horror. 

Chapter 77- Between a rock and a soft place

I stared at the circle in the center of the steering wheel. It had a small icon shaped like a bugle, and I resisted the urge to push on it hard. The noise would only bring the walking dead running to my side, an event I'd prefer to avoid.  I look around, searching for Lou, wondering if something happened to him, something preventing him from opening the gate.  Through the passenger side window I could see two walkers round the corner.  They were the same ones that I had seen on the opposite side of the block, finally catching up to me.  Were there more behind them?  I looked again at the gate, trying to gauge how much time I had. This delay was putting a wrench in the entire plan.  The gate was slow, and even if Lou opened it right now I couldn't make it inside and close it securely behind me before they arrived, and even if I couldI certainly didn't want them rattling the chain link, attracting entire horde to our door.  I needed to draw them away from the gate or dispatch them quietly.  

I looked down at my pistol, the only weapon I really trusted, tucked safely in my belt.  Using it meant making a noise that could be heard for miles, a noise that would attract the mega-horde I'd seen a few blocks away.  A group like that could wash over any facility, any vehicle, and strip it dry.  It was like a wave of human piranhas, ferocious and unyielding. No matter the cost, I could not lead them to us.  I pulled it from my belt and placed it on the dash, removing the temptation entirely.  

I stepped out of the van out onto the black asphalt. The morning air was cool but clear, and the way the wind shifted I couldn't smell the burning fires throughout the city. I grabbed my hammer from the loop on my belt and moved around the van toward the pair.  The one in front wore a baseball shirt and had long, thick hair.  A stain of matted blood ran down its forehead onto its shirt, as though it had lived through some form of head trauma.  It's eyes were caked with the usual yellow-white film, a crusted layer of puss and infection that indicated the virus's hold on an individual. They staggered to the left and then corrected to the right before lunging toward me.  I deftly moved to the right, ducking under a sweeping arm and caught the walker behind the ear with the head of my hammer. It took another step and then crumpled to the ground, lifeless at last.  

I turned to face the second, a stout man wearing a white ribbed tank top.  He was closer than I expected and before I could react he leapt with cat-like grace onto my chest, pushing me to the ground.  I swung my hammer toward his skull but only succeeded in landing a few glancing blows, each one tearing a strip of his delicate flesh from the side of his skull.  White bone gleamed underneath the grey skin and amidst the tumult I found myself memorized by the lack of blood emanating from the wound.  It was as though his blood flow had stopped altogether, congealing in the body wherever it happened to be.  Perhaps that was why they moved so much slower, their ability to lift their limbs was hampered by the gelatinous fluid between their sinews.  

He grabbed my wrists and pushed down onto me forcefully, his yellow eyes frantic and menacing.  His teeth snapped instinctively, as though it were a reflex reaction to being so close to human flesh.  His body was large enough that I couldn't lift him off, and I pushed with all my might just to keep his grisly teeth away from my nose.  His breat stank of dead animal and his skin was dry and coarse.  I could see cracks forming in his joints where sun had burned him and the lack of moisture caused the skin to buckle.  His wide fingers were covered in blood but still too thick to pierce my arms, though he seemed to be stronger than a man in his physical shape should be.  

I didn't feel panic, but couldn't resolve my predicament.  Sooner or later my strength would give out and those teeth would come crashing down onto my face, but I seemed to be doing a decent job of holding him at bay.  If only Lou would show up and dispatch him for me.  I looked up toward the fence, hoping Lou would arrive and see my sprawled on my back.  Still no sign of him.  Do I dare call out to him?  I could handle this one at the moment, but noise would attract others, something I was not eager to face, especially in my current position.  I tried again to hit him with my hammer, but his grip on my forearms prevented my from swinging with any real force.  I tried twisting my arms out of his pudgy hands but could feel my skin searing as though it was more likely to tear off my own bones before slip under his pale dry grip.  

I pulled to the left and then again to the right, hoping to find a way to use his weight against him, flip him onto his back and give me the advantage, but he seemed solid and unmoving.  Perhaps I shouldn't have left my handgun on the dash after all.  I rolled from left to right, over and over, hoping to create momentum that would allow me to force him onto one side. As I moved he seemed to flatten himself like a toad, covering me even more completely. 

My arms began to buckle, my strength waning against his massive form. "This is it" I thought.  "After all I've survived, all I've been through, I'm going to be slowly eaten by the fattest zombie in the city." I closed my eyes and whispered a silent prayer. 

Chapter 76- Frenetic Preparation

It must have been almost midnight when I stacked the last case of bottled water on top of the others. "Only five." I said as I mopped my brow and surveyed my handiwork. "Hope that cabin has a clean source of water." I had successfully managed to organize our remaining supplies from the contents of my storage units and the few around the area.  Unable to contain my excitement over Tracy's note, I was not able to sleep at all, and worked feverishly to gather all the supplies I could in preparation for our departure.  Lou tossed a stack of blankets into a pile next to a stack of boxes. "Thas the las' of it." He said, pulling a string a beef jerky from his pocket and gnawing on it like a dog chews a bone.

I was almost vibrating with excitement, suppressing an urge to jump or scream or call out with enthusiasm I looked for something else to do.  I couldn't believe she was alive!  I guess I always suspected and I had certainly hoped, but now I had actual proof and a location as my goal.  It took every ounce of logic I had not to just jump the fence with a gas can and head up the highway to find her.  No, if I wanted to get there safely, I needed to be prepared, besides, in a few hours it would be light outside, and it was much easier to travel during the day.  

I had rummaged through almost every storage unit in the facility.  Almost everything was junk, but occasionally I found a box of shotgun shells or a case of canned goods.  There were lots of camping supplies, and I had picked out the best stuff I could and stacked it near the entrance.  It amazed me the garbage people seemed to save inside these units.  Couches that were so old and covered in mildew that I wouldn't dare sit on them, countless taxidermied animals, deer heads, squirrels, even some old lady's dog.  "She was a crazy ol' coot" Lou said when I saw it. "But she always paid her bill an she brawt me sum cookies wun tahm."  In one unit I had found an off road vehicle similar to a Jeep, but smaller.  Unfortunately it ran on propane and I only had gasoline, so I opted to leave it behind.  

Lou's car was an old bet up sedan and wouldn't have had the space to load all pair supplies in it, so we opted to leave it here.  Our best bet was the van outside the fence, but it needed fuel.  I looked over at the stack of bright red gasoline cans.  About 20 gallons total, more than enough to get us up there, but unless Tracy had other fuel there we would be stuck there indefinitely.  I stared up at the hazy sky, the first lights of the day brightening the horizon.  Trails of smoke in the far distance became visible and there wasn't a single light on in any of the windows.  I never realized until now, but it is very unsettling see lights.  You expect it when you a out camping or hiking, but in the city it is bleak and rather terrifying.  Looking at a wall of skyscrapers I found myself feeling cold, despite the warm air of the evening, as I stared at all the empty windows.  Every one represented a life, perhaps a whole family of lives, now changed by the virus and destroyed for ever.  Each of them have either been consumed or are now out hunting for the few of us there are left.  I grabbed a plastic can and steeled myself for the next task.  I needed to get out of here, for good, and I'm not sure I'd ever want to come back.  

"Time to get that van refueled." I looked over at the aged man nibbling on his dried meat.  "You ready?" He nodded and pulled the strap of his rifle further onto his shoulder.  I grabbed one gas can and followed him back to the ladder.  He climbed up and stood on the top, reaching down to take the gas cane from me.  Once I reached the top I took it back, crouching down low and staying as silent as I could.  

Lou walked to the edge, looking down at the teeming hands below.  As though anticipating his arrival they began to swarm, buzzing ferociously at the sight of food so close to them.  From my low angle I could not see their faces, but I could see their hands reaching up, desperately trying to grab him from his perch of safety.  He stood confidently, pointing the rifle down at one's head.  He looked back at me and smiled, his missing teeth shining in the fading light.  I shook my head violently, hoping he wouldn't fire a shot that could draw that mega horde a few blocks away. He took a step to his left, and I watched as the hands shifted with him.  Another step and they moved again.  Perhaps this would actually work!  

After a dozen or so steps he was far enough down that I dared peek my head up above the crest of the roof.  The van was sitting silently where I left it, and I didn't see a single walker nearby. I looked over at the group and saw Lou leading them further and further away.  As he reached the corner the group moved out of sight and I immediately jumped off the edge and ran toward the van.  

I glanced into the back to make sure there wasnt a surprise visitor inside, and confident it was empty,,I moved to the left and unscrewed the gas cap.  Emptying the contents of my plastic can into the tank I replaced the cap and tossed the can into the back of the van.  I closed the doors quickly and looked around, making sure I wasn't being snuck up on.  

I moved to the drivers side door and pulled the handle, opening it up and sliding quickly onto the vinyl seat.  Closing the door as quietly as I could, I turned the ingiition.  The van sputtered a couple times and then roared to life.  I shifted the van into gear, pushed acelarator, and turned the wheel to point me in the opposite direction.  Even though Lou was still around the corner, I saw a couple of the walking dead round the corner and head toward me rapidly.  They clearly heard the van starting and decided that I might be a more obtainable meal.  I pushed on the gas and moved rapidly, leaving them behind me without another thought.  

The van moved steadily down the road and I felt a feeling of triumph surging in my chest.  A wide smile spread rapidly across my face and I tapped my fingers happily on the steering wheel.  Looking ahead of me I saw the street was empty.  If Lou was doing everything according to plan, he would have ditched the horde back where he found them and descended the ladder, making his way to the gate controls.  I turned the last corner and saw the gates ahead. I pulled in front and sat patiently, hunching down to look at the window on the second floor of the building ahead of me.  "Come on Lou...  Where are you?" My happy tapping turned to nervous drumming and I checked my mirrors.  Everything seemed safe for the moment, but that could change in an instant.  

Chapter 75- Survivor

"Tracy is here?" I leapt out of my seat, looking around frantically as though she'd been here the whole time and I just hadn't noticed her.  Lou shook his head and nodded toward the front gate.  "No, she's gone now, but she lef' ya this." He held out a folded piece of brown paper with torn edges. It was folded in four and had my name on the top. I instantly recognized the curvy handwriting and a flood of emotions filled me all at once. I felt my eyes fill with tears and I choked them back as best I could.  

I turned away from Lou so I could open it in privacy.  I was fairly certain he had already read it, but I needed a moment without his grisly visage staring at me. 

I opened it slowly, unsure of what to expect.  On the paper was a simple letter with a handrawn map below it. I began to read: 

"Glad you're safe, but I knew you would be.  Something told me when you went down that hole that we would see each other again. Below are directions to my parents cabin. I took most of the supplies with me, so bring the rest and meet me here. It's a different world, but I'm still looking forward to sharing it with you.  -Tracy" 

I read it through again, wanting to savor every word. I never imagined I could feel so happy in this wretched apocalyptic world. The map was simple enough.  It was half a day's drive away, but only a few turns, so the likelihood of getting lost was slim. 

I looked around at the supplies stacked around me. To take the rest of this stuff I would need something large, much larger than the van with the empty gas tank outside the fence. "Lou," I asked, looking over at the old man waiting expectantly at me. "You don't have a car do you?"