ILLNESS (Zombie Apocalypse)

Chapter 2

Lunchtime at school is Courtney's favorite time. It means the school day is half way through and she can relax and talk to her friends. She's sitting with them and Travis. There talking about the dance and Carter Murphy brings his tray over and sits down. "You got here late this morning," Haley says taking a bite of food. "Yeah you won't believe what kind of morning I had," he says. "Your mom caught you with your blow up doll," says Travis laughing. "Haha funny," Carter retorts punching him in the arm. Carter tells his friends the details of his morning. " I had to wash my car inside and out. There was blood everywhere"

"Let me get this straight," says Courtney unbelievably and holding up her hands. "He was taking a guy to the morgue but the guy wasn't dead. And he bites him?" "Yeah," Carter says shaking his head yes. "OMG, people are such freaks" says Haley. "The guy bled all over my car." Carter said. "I will never get that smell out!" "Shouldn't pick up hitch hikers," said Kaitlin smirking.

At the hospital Ricky was in the intensive care unit. The doctor in charge Henry Weiss couldn't get Ricky's fever to come down. His wound had been cleaned and bandaged. The bleeding had been stopped. But now he lay unresponsive. His heart rhythm was irregular. His skin a sickly pale. "Just keep an eye on him and notify me if anything changes," Henry told the head nurse. "Yes sir" she said.

The sheriff and his deputy arrive at the hospital to get a statement but Ricky was unconscious. Dr. Weiss told them what he could and what injuries his patient came in with. "Who brought him in?" Sheriff Davis asked. "I don't know. He came in alone," said Dr. Weiss.

With nothing more they could do here the officers went in search of the coroners vehicle. "What kind of man bites somebody?" asked Sheriff Davis with a sigh. "The worlds gone crazy," answered his deputy Officer George Moroni. Shane and George had been friends since high school. Anytime a call came in, they went together. Locating the hurst on highway 170 they pull up behind it. "Keep on alert," Davis told his partner. Cautiously with there hands on there weapons they walk around the vehicle but find nothing but lots of blood and the empty body bag. Davis calls it in through the mic on his shoulder.

Mr. Hughes class always bored Travis to sleep. He kept thinking about the dance tonight. He had dated lots of girls but Courtney was different. She stood out from the rest. Not only beautiful but easy to be with. The first time he laid eyes on her he just felt drawn in. She would never agree to go out with him until last year. they've been inseparable ever since. Other girls didn't have a chance now that he was with her. Falling in love with her had came so easy.

"Travis!"

"Huh, what?" he asked coming out of his daze. "Answer the question" said Mr. Hughes annoyed.

"Um I don't know" Travis said throwing his hands up and laughing. The bell rang meaning the end of the class. "Mr. Brooks if you want to pass my class your gonna have to do better and try harder," scolded Mr. Hughes looking over the rim of his glasses at him. Travis gets his book and leaves the room before the teacher can lecture him further. "He's gonna fail you Travis," said Courtney as Travis comes out putting his arm around her.

Carter had been inattentive since coming to school today. "You OK," Kaitlin asked. She had had a crush on him since freshman year but never had the guts to tell him. She hadn't told her best friends either because she knew they would make a big deal out of it and most likely embarrass her. Carter was more mature then most boys his age. His shaggy brown hairstyle seemed to set off his green eyes and strong facial features. Carter wasn't an athlete but was built right in all the right places. "Yeah I'm fine," he mumbled more to himself than to her. Kaitlin looked away before he realized she was staring at him. "If you need to talk" "No" he cut her off a little harshly before she could go on. Not wanting to push him she let it go. "I will see ya in class then," Kaitlin said walking away feeling a little hurt. Carter wasn't in the mood to talk. He just kept replaying in his mind the mornings events. That guy acted like he had rabies or something.

Ricky had went into cardiac arrest followed by a seizure. Henry and the nurses rushed in. All there effort was fruitless. Ricky Meadows had died. The nurses disconnected everything and cleaned him up. Henry writes in his chart time of death. Getting the room ready for the next patient, Ricky is covered up lying on a gurney waiting in the hallway to be took to the morgue in the basement.

Ralph wasn't next to the road anymore. The cars were to fast for him. He made his way into the woods next to the highway. It was as if he had blacked out and woke up with no memories, thoughts, or emotions. Any part of the man he used to be is gone. He doesn't get tired anymore or hot and sweaty. All he can think of is food. Nothing else matters. He's just a sad creature that's cursed to walk the earth. A few miles through the woods he comes out into a large field. His eyesight is sharp as a hawk and his hearing just as good. Far behind him is the highway but he can still faintly hear the vehicles in the distance. On the other side of the field is a large building, he stumbles through the field toward it.

Ricky had been left in the hallway for at least an hour. His eyes flutter open and the sheet covering him begins to move. Rigor mortis has taken its effects. He's stiff and its hard to move. But his hunger pains are calling out to him to eat. Slowly he sits up and the sheet slides down. His joints pop and grind as he turns his head checking out his surroundings. Turning his body around he manages to slide his legs over the edge and stands. His stiff muscles make it hard for Ricky to move but he stumbles and sways down the hallway. Noises, he hears talking. Sniffing the air he gets the scent of something tantalizing.

Two rooms down he walks through the open door. A nurse standing over a patient talking to him with her back to the door. Neither of them notice Ricky as he staggers in the room. The nurse is surprised when she hears a loud moan behind her. Before she can turn Ricky wraps his arms around hers sinking his teeth in the back of her neck. The taste of her warm flesh and blood entice him, he wants more. The nurse screams and struggles but can't get out of Ricky's overpowering grip. They both fall to the floor and Ricky gets a better hold biting deep into her jugular vein. Silencing her screams and fighting. More food he wants, no needs more. Turning his head he sees the whimpering patient the nurse was talking to. The casts on his legs refrain him from running. He's pushing the call button by his bed frantically in hopes someone, anyone to will come to his aide from this madman. Breathing hard his screams for help catching in his throat. Ricky is up on his feet and sinks his teeth into the mans arm. He screams out in pain and using his other arm he tries to beat Ricky off him. It's no good, Ricky doesn't have feeling anymore. Ricky rips out another chunk of flesh, tendons, veins and ligaments. Chewing with delight. The patient goes into shock and he's losing a lot of blood.

A nurse is answering the patients call button when she the man standing over him and the bloody nurse on the floor. A bloodcurdling scream erupts from her throat drawing Ricky's attention, another meal. He stumbles after her as she turns to run. The nurse on the floor has revived and climbs to her feet. She now finishes the patient that just a few minutes ago she was there to help. The other nurse ran to the nurses station at the end of the hall and hid behind it. There were other patient rooms to draw Ricky's attention while she quietly ducked the phone behind with her and called the police.

Finally the last class of the day is almost over with. Travis and Carter are staring at the clock. "Look at that guy outside," whispers Kaitlin. Courtney, Haley, Carter, and Travis look out the window There's a naked guy walking fast toward the window. There's dried blood on his face, chin, and running down his chest. Carter immediately pales and begins to shake nervously. He stands and jumps back scooting his desk. "Oh fuck" he whimpers loudly. "Mr. Murphy!" the Mrs. Abrams scolds. "To the principals office. I won't have you disrupting my class." Ignoring her Carter tells his friends that that's the man from this morning. The one that bit the guy he took to the hospital. The rest of the class hearing this and seeing the scared look on Carter's face all turn to look out the window. No longer paying attention to the teachers yelling they stare wide eyed at the guy.

The more Ralph walks the easier it gets for him. He's getting limber and can move faster. He's not swaying side to side anymore. He sees through the windows the moving figures inside. Now that he's close he can smell the delicious scent and his stomach is painfully hungry. Moaning he sprints toward the windows. Slamming up against them with a loud thump the food inside all jump back. Ralph smacks the window with both fists wanting to get in. He needs to get in, the hunger pains don't hurt while he's eating. The screams from behind the glass just make Ralph more determined to get in.