Containment (Story I of Zombie Series)

Chapter IV: St. Petersburg Hospital

It's been almost forty minutes since Anna was bitten by a freak. That's what we decided to call them now. We've been walking for just about the same amount of time.

It's sunny and super warm. I took off my jacket and tied it around my waist. The sun was beating down on us. The streets were completely silent. You couldn't hear anything. The birds weren't chirping, and people weren't talking on their phones like usual. The sirens weren't blaring. Cars weren't driving. And last, but not least, there were no sounds of people honking their horns.

You know what I miss most about civilization? I miss the normal things that went on when people roamed free in Milwaukee. I miss hearing the sounds of cars zooming by and the horns honking. That's what I miss most about my past life.

Yes, you're absolutely right. It's only been one day, but that disease has killed most of the city. Who knows; it could have spread throughout the country overnight. What if we're the only ones left on Earth? I guess we'll just have to wait and find out. Last night while everyone else was asleep, I pulled out my walkie talkie and began listening to the Emergency Broadcasting System.

"This is not a drill. I repeat this is not a drill. We have been overthrown by the inevitable--zombies. If anyone is out there, you're urged to contact the C.D.C. We're here to help. Again, if anyone is out there we urge you to contact the C.D.C as soon as possible. If possible we have set up an safe haven located in St. Louis, Missouri. Go there if you can. Be safe and try not to get bitten. We highly recommend you keep your distance from the zombies because they're aggressive. The last known victim to be killed was the President himself. The U.S Government is trying their best to contain the zombies and kill as many as possible. If you are listening please respond. We're always listening and hoping for someone to respond. Please be safe and may god be with you all," the person broadcasting the emergency message said.

And it kept repeating itself over and over again. Luckily I was listening because if it weren't for that message, I wouldn't have found out about the safe haven in St. Louis. That's where we are going to go once we save Anna.

As we were walking, I saw something in the distance. It looked as if it were another horde of zombies. But I was extremely tired. Maybe I was hallucinating. But they started walking towards us. I got in front of everyone and stopped. Frank, Jason, and Will all looked at me like I was crazy. With Anna on my back, growing weaker and weaker by the second, there was no time to spare. We were about five miles from a very well known hospital called St. Petersburg Hospital.

"What if it's another horde of zombies? We don't have the ammunition to kill all of them. We'll end up running out before we even kill half the horde. We need to be on high alert," I stated as everyone looked at me like I was crazy, but I wasn't. I was being serious. What if it were another horde? What would we do? I'm not going to risk my family and kill them all. That's wrong.

"Hey! It's okay. We aren't zombies. We swear," a woman shouted to us as the group walked closer and closer.

Everybody scoped out the group. Soon enough, their group approached us. It was two girls and a guy. Their clothes were full of blood. The two girls had a sword at their waists and the guy had a Dragunov rifle. I walked up to the girl. I felt like I knew her from somewhere. I gently lied Anna down on the ground and walked over to them and introduced myself.

"Hello. My names Mack." I then turned around and introduced my family. "This is Frank, Jason, and my close friend William," I introduced.

Then they introduced themselves and I reached my hand out to shake their hands. Then the girl walked forward and introduced herself. She seemed to recognize me.

"Mack? Mack from Duluth Elementary School? First grade math class? I sat right next to you. I remember when you used to be so bored and would spin your pencils around on your desk. Remember me? Sasha Brooks?" Sasha said as she slowly approached me and gave me a huge hug.

"Yes I do remember now. How was life treating you? Fairly well I presume?" I asked excitedly.

She looked at me and smiled. Her family I guess tried to protect their home. Sasha I guess escaped and left her family behind. It's kind of shitty, I know. But what else was she suppose to do? Stay there to die? Her family's home was surrounded by a massive horde of zombies.

She then noticed Anna lying on the ground. She immediately ran over to her and sat down next to her. She examined her arm and her hair.

"She was bitten huh?" Sasha asked as she combed Anna's hair. "How did she get bitten? You know there's a hospital not too far from here. We could make it there in about an hour or so," Sasha stated as she continued to examine Anna's bite mark on her wrist.

"I know the hospital has some medicine that'll slow the infection. It could give us time to get to the safe haven in St. Louis. My friends Gary and Carson here have a truck that could get us to the hospital faster. It'd be quicker by vehicle than it would be by foot. Agree?" Sasha continued.

I stood there looking at Anna. My gut was telling me she didn't have much time left. My gut was also telling me not to trust Gary and Carson. They just seemed suspicious. I looked back at Frank, Jason, and William.

"Well? What are we waiting for. We can't just let Anna die. I made her a promise and I intend to fulfill that promise. Let's get moving. It'll be dark out in a couple of hours and we don't have time to spare," I stated to my group as Gary walked over to Anna and picked her up to carry her to the truck.

"Everything will be alright honey. We're going to get you help," Gary said trying to calm Anna down. Anna wasn't feeling to great. She was crying. Her arm was completely rotted away. She had no feeling once so ever in her arm.

"She doesn't have much time left. We have to hurry," I said as we all walked with Sasha, Gary and Carson to their truck.