ILLNESS (Zombie Apocalypse)

Chapter 11

Davis cb'd Carter to pull over when they were far out of town. "What the hell is wrong with you boy, do you have a death wish?" Davis yelled stepping out of his car, "You could have killed us all."
"We got out didn't we" Carter said harshly.
"You just called every zombie within twenty dam miles" added Tyrone.
Carter's face turned red. "I SAVED OUR ASSES!" Carter screamed. Davis turned away rubbing his chin. "Your to cocky. That's going to get us killed. You are going to have to control yourself. Were a team now, when you risk your life your also risking ours. We could have found a different way" Davis spat. "We were surrounded in case you didn't notice" Carter said sarcastically.
Davis turned away. He couldn't deal with this kid right now or anger would make him do something he would regret. "Lets find a place to lay low. Its gonna be dark in about thirty minutes or so and we don't want to be out here. We can talk about this tomorrow" Davis tried to say calmly. "Fine" Carter said walking to his jeep. They drove far outta town. There were only a few houses far and few in between in these parts. Picking one that looked to have been undisturbed. Thankfully nothing was lurking inside. They ate and Davis volunteered to take first watch.

Billy decided to sleep in the car in the garage. 'Fucking stupid' he thought to himself. He locked the car doors, put his pistol in his lap and lay his head back on the headrest. 'If they wanna die its there funeral."

Courtney sat next to Travis in a chair. He hadn't woken since falling asleep. She wiped the sweat off his brow and checked his wound. It was getting even worse. She checked his temperature again at three in the morning, it was 103. Settling in a chair Courtney drifted off to sleep. A hand squeezing her shoulder jolted her awake.
"It's ok honey, it's just me" Tina spoke lightly. "You go on to bed and i'll sit with Travis." Courtney started to protest, to only have her mother firmly tell her to go. Being to tired to argue further, she obliged.
Tina wasn't able to sleep. Thoughts ran through her head of what might happened to her daughter if Travis turned. It was now four thirty in the morning. Tina moved the chair over to her daughters radio, her back turned to Travis. Not wanting to disturb Travis she hooked in earphones. Turning the dials until she found a station. Travis was starting to shake uncontrollably. His body stiffened up. His eyes fluttered and rolled back in his head.
Tina was listening to the same broadcast that was on earlier to see if there was anything new. Then three long tones interrupted. "This is not a test. I repeat this is not a test. Stay tuned for an announcement from the emergency broadcast station."
"This is an announcement of the emergency broadcast station. This epidemic has spread throughout the United States, Canada, and foreign countries. Results show the contaminated are considered dead by medical authority. Although they still move, there vitals show no sign of life. Such as a heartbeat is non existent. The blood is coagulated in the veins. This shows signs of rigor mortis. Which only occurs after death. Only a small part of the brain functions, that tell us to eat. It seems they have no problems with seeing, hearing, and smelling. The illness is transmitted from bites, scratches, and some form of ingestion of bodily fluids, which are all fatal. If you do come into contact its advised to quarantine yourself immediately. The illness can stay in the body between one to eight hours before you become one of the contaminated. Depending on the severity of the contaminate you come in contact with. The pre-contaminate symptoms are a high fever, weakness, vomiting, festering around a wound, deep sleep and seizures. Any means of travel are considered unsafe and prohibited. Borders, airlines, railways, and ships have all been closed. Avoid all major cities at any cost. The contaminated are extremely hostile and violent. They will not respond. The beings are unrelenting, they don't seem to tire and also there adapting to there surroundings and evolving. Military units have been advised to contain the contaminated. Any inactive military personnel are required to report for duty. Martial law is in effect as of now. The military has taken command over three undisclosed islands to redeem safe. An evacuation will begin when all things are set up for non-ill inhabitants. We will notify you when and where when the information is released. Scientists, doctors, and CDC personnel are at the undisclosed locations to find out what this is, where it came from, and a cure. Use extreme caution, stay where you are and be safe. We want as many survivors as possible. We will continue to broadcast on all channels and update when we receive new information." There were three loud tones then the original broadcast came back on the air. Tina had zoned out not really listening to the original report. She was fatigued and stressed. Rest couldn't hurt. She thought of tying Travis to the bed but that seemed inhumane and cruel. He was still alive after all. She looked at her watch, five thirty. Maybe when Courtney and Billy woke she could sleep for awhile.
Tina suddenly felt a pain to the back of her head. Turning she saw Travis chewing on a piece of flesh with hair. She could feel warmth running down the back of her neck and spine. Tina let out a blood curdling scream. Travis lunged, splintering the chair she had been setting in, landing on top of her. "NO TRAVIS" she screamed.
Courtney awoke to terrible screaming in her nightmare. Then she realized she wasn't sleeping anymore. "Mom" she said to herself. Running as hard as she could, she froze in her bedroom doorway. Unable to move. Her mother was fighting a losing battle with Travis on the floor. Blood was smeared under her mothers head and shoulders. Travis was growling and she could hear his teeth chomping together.
She heard thumping coming through the house downstairs but shock had her frozen to the spot. Billy materialized at her side suddenly, scaring her she screamed. Travis turned to the noise and swayed in there direction. Billy raised his pistol, firing a shot dead center between Travis's eyes.
Courtney ran to her mother, crying hysterically.

Carter couldn't sleep. He lay on the floor tossing and turning. Nightmares of his parents plagued him. He received a text on his phone. Checking it, it was from Kaitlin. She asked if he was ok. That Haley, Courtney, and she were fine. Just a little scared. What about Travis, he text back.
She texted: IDK but Haley said she saw him. He looked pale and his clothes were ripped and dirty. There was something matted in his hair.
We're r u, he texted back.
Home she replied.
I'm gonna come and see what happened to Travis, he text back
Ok, she text back, TTYL
Later, he replied.
Tyrone also slept fitfully. Even in his sleep he was aware of his surroundings. He wasn't on a roof anymore where he couldn't be reached. He also worried that Carter would get him killed.
Mattie and Anthony were glad for a meal. They lay down sleeping peacefully.
Davis paced around on the roof of the house. Looking and listening for anything. 'Where to go from here and what to do about Carter' he wondered.

Billy laid Tina on the bed with a towel behind her head. Tina felt drained and tired but wanted to give as much information as possible. She relayed the message she heard on the radio but wouldn't mention what happened with Travis. Courtney lay beside her mother crying. She knew that this could happen but had prayed her worse fears wouldn't become a reality. Now it hit her like a head on collision with an eighteen wheeler. Her world had crumbled. Billy gave her a knowing look but said nothing. Instead he walked out of the room leaving Courtney and Tina to have some time alone.
"Please don't cry baby" Tina pleaded, "I'm not scared of dying. It's the unknown after I die that scares me. You have to be strong for me now. I want you to overcome this and live on. Don't give up. Come on now give me a smile." Courtney tried to put on a smile but broke down sobbing harder. Tina felt extremely tired and knew she couldn't stay awake for long. She could feel the illness creeping inside her. She was sure she had lost lots of blood also. "Do something for me baby" she said weakly. Courtney looked at her. "When I go into the deep sleep, tie my hands and feet to the bed."
"Mom no, you can fight this."
"Baby please, I don't have the strength. I don't want to end up harming you."
"You won't mom you won't. You'll be ok."
"Ok baby ok. Don't cry. Could you ask Billy to come in. I want to speak to him."
Courtney got a look of horror on her face.
"Don't worry baby. I just need to speak with him. Go, while I can still talk. Then you can come back in."
Courtney haltingly walked out the door.
Tina told Billy to promise her he would take care of things. She didn't want her daughter to have to do it. And to promise to look after Courtney. There was no one else to ask. He promised and went back downstairs.
"I.." he started. Courtney glared at him with hatred. The look on his face was worth a thousand words. "I don't need your sympathy" she hissed, "mom will fight this."
Billy nodded, "I'm gonna go check the gate."
Courtney ran back up the stairs to lay with her mother.
Billy walked out to the garage. Dawn had turned the sky from black to a light grey. Just enough light that he could see pretty well. At the gate the beings were there in huge numbers. The gate was bent slightly from the pressure. What could he do he thought. Billy drove around the neighborhood checking for outlets just in case they may need one. He didn't want to go back to that house. He knew what was coming. He saw where Travis had left Courtney's purple car. The contaminated had Cherry Hill surrounded on all sides. Going back to the garage he found more bottles and gas. He had to make a way out before the gates gave way to pandemonium.

Tina was asleep when Courtney returned upstairs. The bleeding hadn't stopped so Courtney changed the soaked towel under her head. Her skin was cool to the touch. 'She doesn't have a fever so that's a good sign' she thought. She then lay down next to her mother and eventually cried herself to sleep.
Billy came back to the house around six forty five. He didn't hear anything upstairs but went to check anyway. Lightly he opened the door and gasped. Tina was on top of Courtney with her fingernails digging into her neck cutting off her air supply. Courtney had her hands under Tina's chin pushing her head upward. Billy grabbed a hold of Tina throwing her across the room. She got up, moaned loudly and came at him. Billy sidestepped and Tina missed him by inches. He turned quickly drawing his weapon and fired. He hit her in the chest but it never fazed her. Stepping back he aimed and fired again, ending her torment.
Courtney was sobbing on the floor.

Carter and the group except for Mattie and Anthony were awake at six. Dim light shined through the windows. The night had been uneventful. "Well we need to figure out where to go from here" Davis said. "I'm going to help my friends" Carter said adamantly. "Your friends are probably zom bait" Tyrone mumbled to himself.
Carter snared his nose and stepped so close to Tyrone he could smell his breath. "I texted them last night asshole," Carter hissed. "You better back off me son. You don't scare me," Tyrone said standing his ground. "Cut it out you two. The stress is hard on us all. But we need to stick together. Save the hostility for the zombies," Davis said. "Lets get some breakfast. Ill wake the kids." Carter and Tyrone glared at each other then walked off. "Arrogant little bastard" Tyrone mumbled under his breath.

The group sat in the living room floor eating. Mattie and Anthony must have been extremely hungry from the way they ate.
"So Mattie, whats your story girl," Tyrone asked. She looked around nervously. "Well me, Anthony, and mom were visiting my grandma in the hospital. She was in ICU. We left to go get something to eat. Mom took us to the church afterward to pray for grandma. There were a few other people there who looked sick. Mom went to the alter to pray. We were there for what seemed like forever. Me and Anthony went to sleep on the benches. Mom woke us dragging us to the cellar door. She had blood all over her shirt. She pushed us through the cellar door before two men dragged her back. She was screaming for me to close the door. I closed it. Its all my fault. I should have helped her" Mattie was sobbing so hard she was having a hard time catching her breath. "No no now. Look at me" Tyrone wrapped an arm around her and nudged her chin up to look at him. "You done the right thing. Your mama was protecting ya. She wouldn't want ya to come out. Ok" he urged. Mattie nodded squeezing her brother to her. Carter could feel the hurt sinking in, thinking of his own parents. Davis looked around. 'He looks like he's in a trance. His eyes are open but not seeing' Davis thought, looking at Carter. "Son you all right" he asked. "Peachy" Carter said turning away. "And don't call me son".
"How old are you and your brother?" Davis asked Mattie. "I'm seventeen, Anthony's six" she replied. "We will go when it lightens up some more" Davis said. He walked up stairs and checked the rooms. Luckily the people here had had children. Not wanting to think about what happened to them he dug out a backpack and threw some clothes in that might fit Anthony. Searching the master bedroom he threw in some clothing that may fit Mattie. He walked back downstairs and handed towels to Mattie. "Here's some clothes that may fit" he said handing her the backpack. "Go upstairs, you and Anthony can take showers." When the two went upstairs the rest of the group searched for food or anything else that may be helpful. Mattie followed by Anthony looked refreshed. They both had the same features. Blonde hair, green eyes and fair skin. After they all took there showers they loaded the vehicles.
"Where to" Davis asked Carter. "Cherry Hill" he responded. "Well lets go" Davis said.

Billy walked over bending over Courtney. 'Why did I ever come here' he thought. Pushing her hands away he said "let me take a look." "Get away from me" she snapped between sobs.
"I just wanna help. Come on let's see." He picked her up carrying her to the master bedroom. He tried again to see how bad the wound was by trying to pry her hands away. She fought and kicked at him. He stood frustrated. 'I ought to leave your ass here' he thought. He blew out a frustrated breath. Angrily he gripped her shoulders shaking her. "Stop it" he shouted, "let me see". He saw he got through to her by the look of fear on her face. She moved her arms down and raised her chin to let him see.
"Looks like she clawed you pretty good. The skin is ripped from her nails."
"Why do you care. Why not just shoot me" she sobbed. Billy ignored her comment. He retrieved some wet washcloths and alcohol then walked back to her bedside. He wiped away the blood on her neck then applied the alcohol. "The bleeding has stopped. You should rest" he said softly. He walked to the door then turned around. "I'm sorry about.." he started. "Yeah" she cut him off.

Carter stopped at a distance from the Cherry Hill gate. "What's up" Davis said through the radio. "Well we know now why we ain't seen no zoms. There here at the gate." Tyrone responded. Davis got out and walked up beside the jeep. The gate looked to be bent inward. "If those things get through. Those people in there won't have a chance." Davis said. He looked at Carter. "Don't get no ideas. There are to many of them. We need to find another way."
"They like noise" Carter said. "Yeah" Davis said slowly, narrowing his eyes, "whatcha thinkin."
"Across the road" he said pointing. "There's what you would call a small forest. I'm going to go in there, climb a tree, then throw a grenade. Bring them to me. Then kill the mother fuckers. The ones that don't come for me, use your arrows." Carter looked at Davis. "That don't sound like a plan. It sounds like suicide. There's hundreds of them things down there." Carter smiled and ran off down the other side of the road before anything else could be said. He kept out of sight until he got to the mouth of the road across from Cherry Hill. He stood straight up and let a shot rang out through the air. "What the fuck is he doing" Davis asked to himself. Some of the zombies sniffed the air when they turned around. At first they just looked at Carter. "Well dinners ready" he yelled. Then the moaning and chasing began. Davis and Tyrone stayed ducked down not wanting to be seen. Carter turned and ran out of sight. Most of the zombies followed. A few in the back sniffed the air turning in circles like trying to find a scent. But Davis and Tyrone were upwind. Losing interest the zombie followed the horde after Carter. "Did you notice some of them zoms are faster then others" Tyrone said. Davis nodded. Ten minutes later Carter yelled a war cry then an explosion sounded.
Davis got his bow killing as many as he could get. The gate group were down to fifteen. "Think we can take those" Davis asked Tyrone. "Dam straight" Tyrone said pulling out his knife. "Go look in the jeep. There should be bigger weapons" Davis said. Tyrone looked down at his knife then stuck it back in its sheath. He went to the car and came back with a machete in one hand and a .357 magnum pistol outfitted with a silencer in the other. "Good thinking" Davis said eyeing the gun, "I don't know why I didn't think of it myself." Tyrone smiled proudly. Davis went to his car and told Mattie to drive the car down to them when the zombies were eradicated. With a plan in place, Davis and Tyrone jumped in the jeep and went to take care of the gate. Gunshots could be heard from Carters direction.
These zombies were slow and easily taken care of. Davis retrieved his arrows from the zombies skulls.

Mattie drove the car down then stood at the gate. "How do we get in" she asked. Tyrone and Davis turned to look at the gate. It was mechanical and could only be opened from the inside. No one was at the guards post to let them in and nobody was lurking around to call upon.

Billy kept checking in on Courtney. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He closed the door to Courtney's room so he didn't have to see the bodies. He turned the television on but only one channel seemed to be on the air. It was the local station with the helicopter. Still urging survivors to call in but nothing new. The emergency broadcast station broke in telling the same facts that Tina had told him she heard. Thinking of Tina his guilt gnawed at him. If he wouldn't have slept in the car then maybe she would still be alive. He should have at least restrained Travis before he turned. Now Tina was dead and her daughter was going to die to. The burden of zombies were starting to overwhelm him. He regretfully promised Tina he would take care of Courtney. He was a man of his word who kept his promises. Tina had turned really fast. He could still keep his promise and take care of the girl when the time comes. Then he would get out of here. A loud boom brought him from his thoughts. "What the" he said jumping up.
He ran out on the porch. Neighbors were out looking also. "What was that" he yelled over. A neighbor man threw up his hands. "Sounded like a bomb but I cannot see any smoke" the man said. "Where did it come from" Billy yelled. "That way" an elderly lady pointed toward where his post was. Billy ran in the garage finding some rope. He went up to Courtney, tying her feet and wrists together. She hadn't put up a fight. "No surprises this time" he whispered, tying a two foot rope from the headboard to the rope around her hands. She hadn't even made a sound. She seemed to be in a coma. Her face was unnaturally pale. He felt her forehead, no fever. 'Not yet anyway' he thought. He ran back outside telling everyone to get inside and lock there doors. He would go see what was going on. He locked the front door not wanting anyone to stumble in on a zombie Courtney. Taking Tina's car he sped off.
He stopped the car behind a arch in the road. Kneeling down where he could see the gate but zombies wouldn't see him. He was surprised at what he saw. Zombies littered the ground. There were two vehicles and what looked like three people eying the gate. He jumped back in his car and drove to get a closer look.
"Oh please let us in" a girl said as he walked near the gate. She was gripping the bars so tight her knuckles turned white. "Yo man open the gate" one of the men said. "Who are you" Billy asked. "I'm Sheriff Shane Davis. This is Tyrone, Mattie, and the boy in the car is Anthony" the man said pointing at each of the others. "You know this place is surrounded by zombies on all sides" Billy said. Mattie turned pale and fear washed across her face. She looked around. "Get down" Billy yelled drawing his weapon. He took aim on the figure running across the street toward them. "Billy" the figure yelled. "Open the dam gate." Stunned Billy eyed the figure until it got close. "Do I know you?" Billy asked. "I've just been here a million times with Courtney McDaniels, Kaitlin Matthews and Haley Davidson. Kaitlin knows I'm coming so open up." Billy went to the guards post.
"We thought for sure you were a goner with that little stunt you pulled" Tyrone said. "Worked didn't it" Carter replied. Davis kept looking back to where Carter had come from. "There dead. The bomb took most of em' and I shot the rest. At least if others come they'll be turned that way instead of this way" Carter said.
The gates began to swing open. "Lets go" Carter said running to his jeep. They drove through the gates. Billy closed the gates and got a log chain from Tina's trunk. He wrapped it around the bars of the gate and put a lock on it. 'Maybe that'll buy some time and hold out zombies' he thought as he got back in the car, driving back to check on Courtney.