Test Tube Zombies.

Chapter Six: Cliche

Kale's POV

Fatigue began grasping tightly on to me, I may be in a physically fit condition, but carrying a 130-pound girl on my back over long distances does take its toll. Was she really 130 pounds? She looked fairly healthy so it's a fair guess. I dare not ask for confirmation either, you know how girls are so touchy about their weight.

"So what are we going to do once we get to the eastern wing? I'm sure there will be crawling with more of the infected." Sasha asked, breaking the silence.

I shot back a skeptical grin, "the infected? You already coined a name for them?"

"Well, calling them 'them' got old really fast, and well they are infected by the gas, so the name makes sense." She rattled off. "That's beside the point, stop dodging the question, what are we going to do when we get there?"

"Well we have a few minutes to think up something, though more importantly, I'm more worried that we are yet to me anyone else yet...doesn't that seem a tad bit odd?" I paused for a moment, "the only logical conclusion that can be made is that the gas  has either spread and affected not only the one's present in the room but those outside too? No that makes no sense, given the time constraints, the gas would have dissipated via diffusion long before it could have infected anyone else as gases have very little inter-molecular force of attraction between them so they easily move away from each other. Furthermore, I would have been infected then also, which I'm not."

"Unless the contagious property of the gas manifests itself in its host, then enables the host to spread, then it all makes sense. The infected are capable of infecting others." Sasha quickly interjected.

That realization brought a whole new meaning to ignorance is bliss.

As we continued through the deserted halls, a maintenance door came up on the left. After searching the interior inside, a small utility box was discovered. Inside held the usual junk that came in these boxes, as much as I could probably find a use for most, would be impractical to carry that much weight while carrying Sasha for the most part. And it was really becoming tiring, I kidded to myself. While I continued searching the contexts of the box, something struck my eyes' attention. A flare gun?

I quickly packed a small duffel bag, while placing a few flat headed screw drives in my pockets, I thought it was a bad idea to also put a loaded flare gun into my bag pocket, so let Sasha hold that instead. Imagine what would happen if it accidentally went off while being in my pocket? I winced at the thought.

"Okay Sasha, I haven't really put much thought into this, but the basis of the plan is that we get to the cafeteria, where there are fire emergency supplies stationed effectively in case of a fire. We need the axe." I looked at her to see if she had understood what I was implying, "We need the axe if we are to get out of here alive, and possibly not infected, assuming your hypothesis is correct. Also on the premise that you are right, the infection is likely to be spread by bodily fluids; you know, blood, saliva...semen? Though I don't think we have to worry about the last one too much" I kid. I really need to stop with these attempts at light humor, I admonished myself.

"Hmm, I don't have to worry about that last one, but I did have some pretty attractive colleagues...it's you I'm worried about, and i remember hearing them say they wouldn't mind having a go at you", she replied with a giggle. Here we are, joking about our sick, infected, mentally dead associates, perhaps we are the insane ones.

As we arrived at the cafeteria, we saw a group of infected scrabbling for what looked like the remains of a corpse, while other mindless limped around, obviously in search of something. The only thing more obvious that their actions, was what they were actually looking for. 

Food

Meat

 Human meat.

 I could feel the bile climbing within my oesophagus, as the scene unfolded. Quickly withdrawing from the ghastly display, I cautiously went to retrieve that axe at the door entrance, while ensuring to look out for pools of blood anywhere, I couldn't have a totally clichéd slip and fall here. I got the axe incident free, then quickly returned to the waiting Sasha.

"Sasha, while getting the axe, I saw the entrance to the above air duct, if we get into the crawlspace-"

"No! I'm claustrophobic! ", she cut me off.

"But Sasha, by doing this we can get to the other side, to our goal, to the elevator to our freedom"

With the constant wooing of my euphonious words, she finally obliged. I gave her a boost up into the crawlspace, but only after she complained about having to go first and I having 'ulterior motives', which I blew off. She reminds me too much of Kali to have those kinds of motives.

It was smooth sailing as we slowly moved through the crawlspace, since we were on all four, there was exponentially less pressure placed on Sasha's injured leg, though her movements we a bit sluggish. This was going well, even easy...too easy, then suddenly the vent creaked under our accumulated weight, I froze instantly prompting her to continue forward, and when she got to the end, I began my crawl once.

After a flurry of movements, the vent groaned yet again, this time much louder than before, I mimicked my early actions once more, and came to a full stop. The sound of the metal bending ceased, as I began to move, the flooring suddenly gave out. Thus left me free falling 15 feet, though the fall wasn't of my prime concern, it was the waiting infected that had be worried.

The last thought the crossed my mind before I hit the floor.

This is so clichéd.

Share

Vote

Comment

Follow

-Jey