Rise

Chapter 7

We've been walking for several hours losing the herd at the store. We somehow have managed to dodge the few zombies we'd noticed in the distance, they seemed distracted by something else. The fields here are mostly quiet with not much activity. Out here is all grass and trees, and some animals who have managed to survive. Horses neigh in the distance sounding distressed. Derek picks up the pace as a farm comes into our view. It's a cute little white farm house with a huge detached garage. The only tractor I see is one that's crashed into the side of one of the barns.

"That's the house. I'm not sure if they are still here or even alive, but doesn't hurt to try."

The farm is still about a mile away, and my legs start to ache. You would think living in the city I'd be used to walking, but this is tiring me out more than a thirty block walk through Manhattan.

Derek stops at the edge of the property and looks around. The house looks abandoned, but you never know. I can hear the horse again in the distance, and can only hope that it's not sending us a warning that those zombies are headed this way. Derek walks to the garage and tugs on the door trying to open it. There are locks on all three doors and he sighs when none of them open. I walk around the other side to see if there is any other way in, but I notice nothing. Derek meets me as I wrap around the other side, he shakes his head signaling he had no luck.

"Maybe there's a key inside, "I say.

"Let's check," he tells me.

Derek has been very quiet since the incident at the store. He still hasn't thanked me for killing the zombie that almost got him. The only words he's spoken were to tell me which direction we'd be heading. I have so many questions running through my head that if I don't ask them soon I might burst.

We walk towards the house, and I'm not sure if I want these people to be home or not. I mean Derek knows them so that would be wonderful, but what if they never made it through and there's a family of zombie's in there. I'm not worried that we can't take them, we did pretty good back at the store. I'm not sure if my body can handle anymore today though, I'm beyond exhausted and my heart is doing weird summersaults again. Another fear rages through me, what if someone looking for shelter took over the house? With the world gone to shit laws and rules don't matter, and that worries me. People were evil before the apocalypse there's no telling what they are like now. Either scenario makes me nauseous. I'm praying that I don't puke, but I may have to.

The door is cracked open the slightest bit, so I'm thinking no one is here. These people had to have been a victim of this plague that's taken over our world. The door squeaks as Derek pushes it in. We listen for a moment waiting to hear voices or grunts. When we hear neither Derek makes his way inside.

The house looks like it's been raided. Their cabinets are torn open some food spilled on the floor. Chairs at a small wooden table are knocked on the floor. Blood splattered in droplets on the ugly blue tile. I'm trying to hold myself together, but the events of the past twenty four hours are wearing me down.

The floor above us makes a moaning sound and that's when I know we're not alone. My heart jumps into over drive, but I try not to panic. I know I can handle this, although it's not a matter of knowing, it's a matter of having to. In order to survive this new world I can't show any weakness, and I've already failed miserably at that.

Derek hurries me along waving his hand for us to take the stairs. Slowly with the guns tight in our grips we make our way up the stairs. The old wooden steps moan under our heavy feet. As we reach the top of the stairs I hear the noise of someone in one of the rooms. It sounds now like a thumping noise.

I head to the left and Derek goes to the right. Carefully we push open the closed doors. I've gone through two doors and have found nothing. As I creep down the hallway an awful scent hits my nose and all my work trying to keep my stomach at bay has come undone. I swallow so hard that it hurts. I can hear them, they are grunting. With my left hand I push the door handle down and lightly tap the door to make it open.

Bile rises in my throat as I keep both hands on my gun. The sight I see right now cannot be undone. There are two zombies eating away at three bodies on the huge queen sized bed. Two look adult sized, but one of the bodies are small and tiny. My stomach turns. I notice guns on the floor, rifles I think I'm not sure. I'm trying to keep myself from throwing up, but them smell is making it impossible. The zombies turn and grunt at me. One of them starts heading over as the other one continues to chew at whatever flesh is left.

I bit my lip hard. I don't want to use a bullet, but the pocket knife is actually in my pocket. Derek comes barreling into the room and starts to stab the zombie, one hand wielding the knife the other has the gun. The one closest to me starts reaching out to grab me, and before I can pull the trigger on my gun Derek comes up from behind it and stabs it in the head. With both zombie's down the three bodies on the bed are clear as day, one is definitely a young child.

"Oh fuck," I say, but it comes out garbled.

I choke and drop the gun on the floor. My knees give out and I fall to the floor dry heaving. It hurts as nothing comes up, but my body is trying so hard to purge the chips I ate hours ago. I feel so out of it I don't even notice when Derek comes over. He puts his hands under my arms and pulls me up. The dry heaving has stopped, but now I feel something actually coming up. He drags me out into the hallway and into one of the rooms he checked. Taking me into the bathroom he lifts the seat just as a clear liquid comes shooting out of my mouth.

I sit with my back against the wall, and my body shivering uncontrollably. I'm tired, hungry, and feel like I might pass out again. I'm not even sure what time it is, but the sun is starting to set, which means we'll most likely stay here. Derek went back out a little while ago to find the key to the garage so we can check for a car. I hear the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. He comes walking in with a sleeve of saltines and some warm ginger ale.

"Dinner," he says handing me the bag.

"Chips for breakfast and crackers for dinner "adulting" at it's finest," I say.

"If we were really adulating we would have had pizza for breakfast and ice cream for dinner," he says, a slight hint of humor behind his voice.

"Don't tease me, don't think we'll ever taste the goodness that's ice cream ever again," I say half smiling.

I grab a cracker out of the sleeve and start to eat some.

"So how far is that hospital your dad wants us to go to?" I question.

"Just a few miles up the road, might have to wait till morning," he says.

"Why?"

"It's almost dark already and I'd rather not attempt this at night," he says.

"Did you find the car?" I ask.

"Yeah, it runs. We just can't leave any room for error. It's best if we leave in the morning," he says.

"Okay," I say taking another bite of the cracker.

"You cold?" he questions noticing me shivering.

"A little," I say.

"I got a fire going in the fire place downstairs if you want to get warm," he says.

"What were you a boy scout or something?" I question.

"Or something," he answers holding out his hand for me.

"How do you know so much about these zombies, and surviving in a post-apocalyptic world, and don't tell me from zombie movies," I say.

"I'll tell you in the morning," he says helping me up off the floor.

Without another word he leads me downstairs to get warm by the fire.