First Steps | A Zombie Apocalypse Story (Completed)

Day 15.4

Jerry

My ankle throbs in pain, feeling hot and swollen. The sky remains blue, but it still feels like I'm seeing red after taking those walkers down. The putrid smell of the dead begins to fade from my nostrils with the jacket off. The scent remains faint around me.

Who knew the smell of the living dead could be so strong when you're drenched in their flesh and blood? The smell quickly becomes suffocating, but the cold blood of those monsters turns into the warm blood of my compatriots. 

Quiet.

Ringing.

Is it sulfur? No, is it smokey?  Rust. But I'm not sure if it's their blood or my own. Everything happened so fast. This scent can be compared to nothing better. It's raw, powerful. I continue to linger on the smell instead of what's around me. My sense of smell is so keen, but my ears are ringing with the sound of artillery firing. They're only echoes, but this odd sensation of silence leaves me uncomfortable, helpless. 

What do you do when all of the best men you knew lie dead beside you because you couldn't take the right step to protect them? I suppose the move I made saved me, but at what cost? My wife may see her husband again one day, but none of these men will get the chance. Some of them have children. Babies, wives. And I just robbed those women and children of their husbands and fathers. 

I turn to my side, trying to hide away from my thoughts.

Just breathe in the sulfur, breathe in the rust. And all the world's problems can melt away.

"Jerry," my name buzzes low. A hand firmly presses against my chest. No, no. 

"Jerry!"

"No. I need to save them," I cry out, fighting against the pressure on my chest and pointing my knife at the person's temple. My breath comes out shaky and heavy as my hand holding the knife trembles. When I come to my senses and realize who it is, I drop the knife with a clank to the pavement below.

"I am so sorry, Clare. Oh my God." I scoot away from her, my eyes watering.

"I almost-" 

"What matters is that you didn't," she replies, pressing her hands against her thighs. 

"What happened?" Bobby intercedes, taking a step closer. 

"I- I don't know," I reply, half lying. Them flashbacks really get you sometimes. Clarissa reaches her hand out for me to grab, but I instead use the ground below me as support. We walk toward the hospital, but my steps are slow as I limp. My ankle is only getting worst as I walk over it more. If it was that bad just in a traffic stop in front of the mall, I don't wanna know how much worse it'll be at the hospital. Truthfully, I don't think we'll be getting into the hospital, but at least it gives us some direction.

The sun passes the middle of the sky, showing that we are growing closer to dark. The nearby parking lots of all the stores in the area look empty compared to the mall. Makes sense. I mean, what are you gonna loot at a Sherwin-Williams store? Paint swatches? My eyes stay busy as I survey the area, looking out for anything dangerous. We make it into a wide parking lot for a Staples and a PetSmart. 

"Hey, do you think there might be useful supplies at the PetSmart? Sometimes my mom would pick up medicine for our old cat before she died," Bobby mentions. Clarissa gives an unbelieving look, the look of a teacher listening to the excuse for why her student didn't do their homework.