Infestation Chicago: A Zombie Survival Series (Volume 2) (5 page)

“This way.” Sam said
, panting heavily while pointing to the far right of them. “There is a highway, more cover, easier to hide.” She continued as her breathing grew louder and faster.

“Hang on Sam,” David said hobbling the way she said to. “We will take a look at your ribs soon.” He reassured her. “You were a doctor right?” He asked trying to keep her talking.

“Yes.” She said as the gunshots slightly faded in the distance. David was concerned for Destiny but knew she could handle herself well. He had to keep Sam awake and breathing. He didn’t know how bad her injury could be.

“Well, how bad could the damage actually be?” He asked. Sam smirked before answering.

“After a complete break in one of the first three ribs at the top of my rib cage, the sharp end of a broken rib could rupture my aorta or another major blood vessel…doubt that because I would already be dead. But the jagged end of a broken middle rib can puncture a lung and cause it to collapse at any time. While the bottom two ribs rarely fracture because they have more flexibility than the upper and middle ribs, which are anchored to the breastbone. But if you break a lower rib, the broken ends can cause serious damage to your spleen, liver or kidneys. Want me to go on?”

“No,” David was amazed at how much detail she actually gave, “So I don’t have to keep you focused or awake or something?” he asked.

“What? No.” Sam said surprised he didn’t know better. “But if I do fall asleep you would have to carry me.” She smiled while breathing louder than before. “So let’s try to reach the highway fast K?” David nodded in agreement while continuing in the direction Sam had pointed to earlier.

Chapter 5 – Separated

Holiday and Destiny

              Destiny, realizing everyone else was in the forest, began to rush toward it. The Corporal stepped out briefly from the Humvee and fired his revolver until it was empty. The bullets hit the ground near Destiny making a slight ricochet sound.

“Holiday!”  Destiny screamed. She weaved through trees and kicked through piles of leaves on the ground as she ran. “David! Sam!” She continued screaming. “Where are
you?”

Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her as she passed a large tree. They pulled her to the side as someone held her from behind. She brought her elbows back hard hitting whoever had grabbed her in the stomach. She turned pointing her rifle ready to fire. It was Holiday.
He was bent over gasping for air with his hands now resting on his knees.

“Shhh.” Holiday attempted to make Destiny quiet by shushing her. He was barely able to bring his one hand away from his knee long enough to bring his finger in front of his mouth. The sack of their weapons sat on his feet.

“Holiday, I am so sor-” she began to apologize but was cut off.

“Where are you ya fucking little bitch!” Corporal shouted. He had come into the forest after her and he was angry.

“Over there.” Holiday managed to say as he pointed to the side of a house near the edge of the small forest. “Go.” He said pushing her slightly. Without hesitation Destiny rushed toward the building. The second she hit the building her eyes searched for a way inside. She noticed there were more houses beside it. She walked around the corner still searching for a way in. She finally found a small door that was wide open.

“Here.” She said quietly. She turned around expecting to see Holiday behind her but he wasn’t there. She walked back to the corner cautiously. “Holiday.” She whispered. He was not that far behind her, and should have been there by now.

Suddenly Holiday emerged from around the corner bumping into her and nearly dropped the sack of empty guns. Startled she screamed slightly.

“There you are!” The Corporal screamed as he spotted them from inside the forest.

“Go.” Holiday said pushing her once more. As they entered the building Holiday looked around outside. The house was part of a small subdivision located just on the outskirts of Chicago. When they got inside he shut the door and crouched to not be seen by the top half of the window.

Holiday and Destiny were in a kitchen. All the cupboards were empty and left wide open. The tile floor was cracked in several spots and dried blood stained parts of it. A shadow walked by the door
. Holiday froze solid. Outside the Corporal was walking by - Holiday could hear him clicking his revolver as he reloaded it. The door handle on the door Holiday was against turned slowly. He pressed his weight against it as the Corporal tried to push it open quietly. It wouldn’t budge; Holiday was making sure it wouldn’t. All the Corporal had to do was kick it to know Holiday was blocking it. Holiday assumed he wouldn’t because this part of the city looked pretty destroyed and was likely not ‘claimed’ by the Corporal and his followers yet.

After a few seconds the Corporal’s shadow slowly moved away to Holiday’s relief. Destiny was already in the next room
; a hallway leading upstairs attached to the front door. It reminded Holiday of David’s home back in Lone Tree. He slowly crawled on his hands and knees into the next room. Destiny crouched beside a small window near a table, watching outside.

“He is across the street now.” She whispered to Holiday as he crawled up beside her. “Did you see David outside anywhere?” she asked. Holiday shook his head no. “We will find him.” Destiny continued. “I have to.”

Outside the Corporal looked for any signs of where the group had gone to. A zombie appeared around the corner of one of the buildings and immediately jogged toward him. The Corporal raised his revolver and fired without any sign of fear. If he showed any emotion at all when he saw a zombie it was boredom that it was over so fast. Destiny and Holiday watched from inside and he stood in the middle of the small city street looking all around him.

“He is going to continue to be a problem.” Holiday said.

“Why did Sam want to go back? Then she didn’t?” Destiny asked confused.

“Who knows,” Holiday said shrugging. Behind him a zombie silently crawled along the floor toward him. “She is probably just some nut.”

“Well that nut was last seen with my boyfriend.” Destiny said with worry. “He better be O.K.” she finished. Slowly behind them, the zombie grew closer and closer, unable to make any moans or snarls as its neck was nearly gone; only a small piece of skin covered the little muscle that remained around its windpipe.

“We will find him girl. Don’t worry.” Holiday attempted to reassure her.

“Like you care,” she said angrily.

“Oh I care girly don’t you-” Holiday was cut short as the zombie reached up and grabbed the top
of his pants. It pulled him back on the ground and attempted to bite his neck. Holiday held its head as Destiny raised her gun to fire. Holiday raised his hand off the zombies head for a second to stop her, “No.” He said trying to remain quiet. He placed his hand back on the zombies head. Its arms were too weak to dig into him so all he had to worry about was its bite.

“Too loud.”
he finished pushing at the zombie attempting to get away.

“The bag!”
she said in a louder than normal voice.

“Shhh.” Holiday again attempted to shush her. “Corporal.”
he said quietly.

Destiny nodded her head and looked around the ground for the sack.

“Kitchen.” Holiday continued. “Near the door.” He still couldn’t get the zombie any further away from his neck. He knew he could hold it there for a long time, unless it moved into a better position. The zombie’s body was barely functioning and was mostly just bones.

Destiny rushed into the kitchen and found the bag in front of the door they had entered. She searched inside and brought out her combat knife. She kissed it quickly on the handle and rushed back into the other room.

The zombie’s head moved around wildly. Despite Holiday holding it in place, Destiny tried to line up her knife so she wouldn’t hit Holiday. She raised it in the air but before she could bring it down into the zombie’s head, Holiday spoke harshly.

“Wait.”
he said sharply. Destiny paused slightly.

“What?” She said impatiently.

“Make sure you don’t miss again.” Holiday said with a worried look on his face.

She nodded and raised her knife once more.

“Wait.” Holiday said again.

“Oh my god now is not the time.” Destiny whispered.

“We have time, please take it.” Holiday said, his voice trembling. “Just nice and steady, you don’t even have to do it that hard.” Destiny stared blankly at Holiday while he closed his eyes. Without any more hesitation (and without looking at the knife or the zombie) Destiny raised her knife up and plunged it into the zombie’s head. It went limp as Holiday opened his eyes. He pushed it away and sat up. “Knew you could do it.” He said smiling. They both crouched beside the window once again.

“Where is Corporal Kelly?” Destiny said shocked as they peeked out the window. “He was right there in the street before.”

“Got him.” Holiday said pointing to the house directly across the street. “In the window.” He continued.

Inside the front doorway of the house across the street the Corporal was punching a zombie repeatedly in the face. He then threw him out of the door onto the front lawn. Destiny noticed he was talking on a two way radio at the same time. She examined the
window she was crouched at for a way to open it. Slowly she slid it up leaving a small one inch gap on the bottom so she could hear outside.

“What are you doing?” Holiday asked.

“I want to hear what he is saying; now you shush.” She replied placing her finger up to her mouth before staring outside to watch the Corporal.

“Don’t you shush me!” Holiday said raising his voice.

“He will hear you.” She loudly whispered back, repeating the gesture of placing her finger in front of her mouth.

“Fine
!” Holiday grunted. “I am going to check upstairs.” He crouch walked to the steps leading up to the second floor and slowly climbed them. Destiny shook her head slightly annoyed with Holiday. She listened carefully to what the Corporal was saying.

“I don’t give a shit!”
the Corporal yelled into the radio. “Get someone out here now!” He walked up to the dead zombie and continued bashing it, only this time with his foot.

“Sir, that area isn’t clear.”
a voice on the other end of the radio echoed out of it.

“No? Really?” Corporal replied. “Well I guess you should just leave the only one keeping this goddamn place safe, stuck in the middle of fucking nowhere!” The Corporal was very angry that Sam had eluded him.

“Sorry sir but-” the voice was cut off as the Corporal continued his rant.

“Fine soldier, but when I get back, we will have to have a talk about following orders”
the Corporal said calmly smiling.

A single zombie could be seen walking slowly down the street
toward him. He was completely unaffected by its presence. Destiny was surprised that with all of his shouting, more zombies had not   shown up.

“Very well sir, I will dispatch a vehicle to rendezvous with you in a few minutes.” The voice on the other end of the radio sounded very afraid.

“Take your time soldier. Just get it done.” The Corporal finished speaking and laughed loudly. He rushed toward the zombie and jumped on top of it, pinning it to the ground. He laughed menacingly as he grabbed its head and pulled harder and harder as if he was trying to rip its head off. To Destiny’s surprise, it eventually did come off with a sickening pop. The Corporal threw the head down the street before saying one final thing into the radio. “Don’t forget to stay away from highway eight soldier; got reports that big motherfucker is still hanging around there.”

David and Sam

              “Where is this highway Sam?” David asked after walking for what felt like miles.

             
“Highway eight, just up ahead.” Sam gasped.

             
“You have said that a few times now.” David replied as he was becoming frustrated more and more. Destiny was nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t believe he left her behind. 

             
“There it is.” Sam said, pointing to a small group of cars on a road. “Hurry.” she continued. David increased speed still holding Sam up by her one arm.

They emerged from the trees and rested beside a burned out car. All that was left was a blackened metal frame. “Over there.” Sam moaned pointing to a car in less bad
shape. David helped her move over to the next car. It was fairly large; enough room to lay her in the back and he could crouch in the front. The seats were inexplicably removed; the windows were rolled down and power controlled so they couldn’t be put up but other than that the rest was in great condition physically.

             
David helped Sam into the back then crawled inside after her. They were below the window level and knew they wouldn’t be seen if they stayed low enough. That was easier for Sam. She sprawled out on her back lifting her shirt to see her stomach.

             
“Help me get this shirt off.” Sam grunted. David helped her removed her dirty white doctor coat, and proceeded to help her remove a white tank top from underneath. She failed to mention she didn’t have a bra on. David was stunned for a moment but did his best to ignore her bare breasts.

“Right here,” she said “feels cracked,” she grabbed David’s hand and pressed it against her rib just below her right breast.

              “If you say so, you’re the Doc.” David smiled but it quickly faded. He hadn’t had time to think about Doc, his friend in Lone Tree. David quickly removed his hand from her chest blushing. Sam let out a short laugh.

             
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone you felt me up or something.” She said smiling.

             
“So,” David replied trying to think of something to say. “Will you be O.K.?”

             
“Well I should wrap it, but that isn’t exactly a priority. I will be fine, just let it breathe for a while.” She spoke while smiling. She was enjoying David’s subtle glances toward her with amusement. He tried not to look but found himself unable to help it. 

             
“When you feel up to it we should look for Destiny.” David said softly. “I can’t believe I left her behind.”

             
“You two an item?” Sam asked sitting up slightly.

             
“Yeah.” David replied with a wide grin on his face which quickly turned to a worried frown. “I can’t believe I left her behind like that.”

             
“Don’t blame yourself. Things happen in crazy situations.” Sam reassured him while lying back down flat.

             
Suddenly a zombie flung its body to the side of the car. Its arms reached inside the open window right beside David. It grabbed David’s ear and pulled hard, losing its grip. Sam sat up with a slight shriek as David stared in shock at the zombies attempt to harm him. No zombie had ever directly attacked David - his immunity made him nearly invisible to them.