Z: In The Heart of the Queen City

Chapter 16

I stopped breathing for a moment. Then I felt Martin's hand over my shoulder, I looked over to him, Jaycee and Karen. They were searching for answers but I couldn't bring myself to talk anymore.

"Elise,just..." I tried to search for the right words. "Just get to the bridge okay?" I smiled hoping she could feel encouraged but I was really just trying to stay as calm as possible because truth was that I was freaking out like crazy. "No Emma! You have to come too! I'll wait for you! I won't leave you!" Elise cried. Human as I was, I began to cry too. I was feeling really tired as if having to fend off the undead was enough now I had to get to the bridge while fending off the undead. Jesus Christ, when will it end?

"Don't wait for me but I'll come okay? I'll be right behind you." I assured her. Not quite sure if it meant that I'd be behind her as human or part of the dead. "Promise me, if someone gets you to safety. Go with them okay? Don't wait for me, you did good, your still doing good. God knows that if you have survived for this long in this whole fucking nightmare your going to be okay. Keep fighting Elise okay?" I asked her. Then I wiped a tear that fell from my eye, "Promise me?" I asked not knowing if I was ever going to see my sister again. Elise began to cry, "Yes, okay. But try to make it too. Please just try."

I told her yes. Then the line cut off abruptly I struggled through my shaking fingers to dial back but still got a busy signal.

"Emma?" Karen asked me as I put the device down. "They're going to blow up the city in 12 hours." I said without looking at her. I heard them all gasp in shock. "What? But how about us? How does she know that for sure?" Martin asked. "Remember Officer Lauron? he tried to warn us. To get to the bridge before something this is that fucking something!" Jaycee said panicking. "We're dead! We're already dead! Zombie or not zombie! We're GOING TO FUCKING DIE!" He said holding his injured leg. Oh Lord, this was a problem too! Jaycee was limping so if we were to plot an escape we would have to consider how we could get from place to place with an injured party member. That and the fact we had to get out really quick. This was frustrating, I wanted to throw my hands in the air, there must be a way to get out, sure steal a car and make a run for it was always the last part (not to mention the hardest) but how were we going to get out of this fucking floor without getting shot to death for crying out loud? THINK EMMA THINK! Jump out the windows? No we weren't suicidal and that kind of shit only came to life in movies.

Then we all turned as another bang came from outside, the same loud sound I had heard from earlier.

We jumped and ran to the window but saw nothing from where we were. There was a few faint screams but we couldn't quite make out what caused them. Was it coming from inside this fortress or from the streets beyond the gate? We looked at each other feeling a bit nervous. "Where do you think that came from?" Karen asked. "I'm not sure. It's definitely from close by." Martin answered then he began to look from behind him. There were loud footsteps in the hallway from where we were detained, it sounded like they were in a hurry. Without saying a word, I ran to the glass door, sure enough the guards were running but no sign of Sam anywhere. I saw that they had chained the doors so I banged on it. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" I yelled but no one paid attention they seemed to be in a state of panic themselves. I watched as the Chinese lady who had slapped Karen a while back fearfully speak to a tall skinny guy. I couldn't make out the words she was saying but they began to run downstairs holding their weapons close.

"Em, step away." Martin said and he smashed the glass door with a table. 

We all paused, we needed to plan this out we had one injured and all of us were weapon less. I reached out for anything available, getting a police baton in the process. I handed Karen a hammer from a toolbox unfortunately it was either that or a screw. Martin was opening drawers and cabinets but he came out empty handed. I took the round garbage can lid and handed it to him. "Gee, thanks." He said. "It's either that or a fucking screw." I said, "Besides, you'll be last in line supporting Jayce." Martin gave me a look that reminded me of little spoiled brats who didn't get the right Christmas gift. "No fucking..." Then he paused. "No offense dude, I don't mind it really but I hate the idea of having this little twerp go first." Jaycee began to limp to the door. "I can handle it! No need to help me!" Then he fell. Martin helped him up but not without rolling his eyes. We made our way towards the hall, so far so good, it was empty. Jaycee had his arm around Martin and Karen was right behind me. The silence was unsettling and it just made everything a lot more...scary. It reminded me of the office, like a zombie could just pop out any minute and I had just managed to spend a whole day without those fucking critters. I paused at the emergency exit and stared down the staircase. No way we were going all the way down on foot who knew what waited for us in the stairs there wasn't enough space to make a run for it not with Jaycee injured and all. Oh and we were totally sixteen floors above only a psycho would think of taking the stairs.

So that left the, I gulped, the elevator.

Karen pressed the down button then we stepped back with our weapons ready as the doors began to open. I put a hand on my chest and made a sigh of relief as it revealed that it was empty. We assembled ourselves in the same position, me and Karen upfront while Martin and Jaycee were huddled in the back. Then I closed my eyes as it began to move to the ground floor. 14, 13, 12... The elevator kept going down and my heart was just doing somersaults with it. When we finally reached our destination I looked over to my friends. "If anything happens to anyone of us, keep running." I said. The doors opened and I stared at the abyss and heard a sound.

Sounds of bells resonated in the air. It was coming from the nearby buildings, whatever happened had resulted to someone hitting the bells. Like a sign of distress.

Or a warning.

Then for a second, I realized that the building was empty. We were the only ones left here, there was no signs of movement even as I stepped out to the clearing. I motioned to the group and they joined me in the receiving hall. The screams from outside were louder now, without even seeing it I knew what was going on.

There was breach, zombies have taken over.

I spotted the empty vehicles outside, no not this again but we had no choice. We had to get out. "Martin, Jayce stay here. Karen you help me find a car, if we're lucky it hasn't spread near here yet." I said. "No! I'm coming with you. I know what your thinking, grab a vehicle then find an exit but there are freaking..." Martin paused as several growls began to fill the air. "They're here Emma, I won't let you out there alone." Karen grabbed my arm, "Emma, I'll stay behind you. I can't stay here too." she said. "Holy crap why don't we all go together? We'll be in the safety of a car in no time we need to act now." Jaycee suggested, we all agreed and made our way out.

There was fire in the Central Command building, I watched as the flames angrily danced in the windows and for one fleeting moment I wondered if the Marked One was still alive. Then shots came from nowhere, I ended up rolling to the ground as I turned my head up to see where it came from, it was Sam. We managed to take shelter behind some pots but Sam along with some guards were still shooting at us. I looked over to Martin who was huddled on my left.

"Martin, promise me. Promise me if something happens you won't let me die a zombie."