The Madness That Rose

Two

Chapter 16

Alia

Two years... Two years have passed since my thirteenth birthday... Since Abella and I last spoke to each other. So much have happened over the two years that had passed, but yet, Abella is nowhere to be found. Again, I'm celebrating my birthday alone...

I held my old walkie talkie that still manage to work after changing the batteries at least three times. It's old and rickety, but I still hear static. Everyday I turn it on at twelve noon. I talk to the walkie for an hour or more, but I had just quit. I just sat and listened.

Out of all the thirteen people that came here at the hospital in the first place, which is us, there was only one fatality which was Bernie. Let me just say that things changed around here...

After a few months of us settling in the hospital, we've gained enemies since our base was so fortified. We became stronger and braver, but we still have that fear of being bitten. One day, a group of lost survivors found their way into here. They've stayed with us ever since. There was at least 14 people that have came in. Six have already died from either a bite or suicide. Down in this dim and dirty hospital isn't pretty at all. Depression surrounds us all the time but not me. I have managed to stay strong and not give up.

Kenji and Tilly had given up on the search for Abella since we weren't allowed to leave the hospital... Enemies had planted mines around us. Occasionally, one would go off every few months. Of course, our gate of fallen and the infected had surrounded the hospital. We blocked the windows and doors all the way, but in the entrance we went through in the beginning, there was a small hole that I peek through. I see so many infected. That's when I knew why people had committed suicide. They knew there was no going out. We had no car, no guns, no ammo, and our food supply is running low. The RV was parked out at the very front. The last time I've been in there was more than a year ago. The keys are with... Bernie's body, but no one had opened that middle door. It was no use fighting without weapons.

But there was one thing that had changed our group. We had a leader, Desmond, and he changed. He changed into a different man than what I knew before. He became mad. By that, I mean he had lost his mental state. He had begun whispering to himself at first, then he begun having panic attacks over the food supply and the infected. He slowly went to that state where he was literally insane. He began talking to himself loudly. He would hurt himself. He had begun stabbing his hands whenever he looks at the pantry. He won't talk to anyone. He just sits alone in one room all day and all night. Doc and Ruth would take care of him by feeding him until Desmond threw a fit and punched Ruth. She stopped helping Desmond. Instead, Ruth began helping the others in need. She helped by cooking and cleaning mostly. She also helped sick and injured people.

Now Dane is a different story. He is always mad now. He's angry at the littlest things. Dane takes all his anger out by drinking and shouting. He actually found a bunch of booze in a cabinet. He just drank his last bottle today. It's going to turn ugly.

Doc thinks he can help Desmond, but he and I know he can't. He keeps on trying because them two are good friends. Doc would often play cards, poker, or some sort of game to lighten the mood.

Tilly began trying to clear out the left hallway. She thinks she may be able to find something. During that process, she lost her left eye. I don't know what happened, but she covers it with a brown leather eye patch she found in the emergency rooms. Tilly releases her stress and anger by killing the infected.

Kenji began thinking of ways to get through all the infected without using weapons. Every attempt failed. Thankfully, he came out safe after each attempt. Kenji to this day plans out on how we will be able to find more food.