The Undead

Chapter 41: Flip The Switch

--Kaleb's Point of View--

The hinges creak. I feel the fire escape slowly descending. "Hey! Little help!" I shout out. No use. They cant hear me. I swing my body to the left towards a window. I gain the momentum and let go. I grab the ledge just as the escape breaks off. I watch it fall as I pull into the room. Nothing there to hurt me.

Britni screams again and I run into the hall. She falls onto the floor down the hall from me. "Britni!" I shout as I take off towards her. I watch a walker step out and I jump through the air placing all my weight into my right fist as it collides with the walkers jaw.

The walkers jaw flies completely off. I help Britni up. She gives me a nod and we go into the room. Three walkers and one beast. "Holy fuck...how'd he get in here?" "I dont know...but we can't handle this....where'd the shots come from?" "I dont know that either" 

"They came from me"

We turn and face Antonio. His face covered in blood. "You good?" "Does it look like I'm good? Where are the others?" He shouts.

"C'mon" I say running in the halls, I run up the stairs and go the opposite way. "Where ya going?" Britni asks me. "Fire escape gave up...we have to use this one now" "Damn...alright" I was just upset as her, this one is a ladder and isnt good for speedy escapes. Which we're pulling.

I let the others hop on the ladder first, starting with Britni. Antonio goes to get on the ladder and I notice his back is bloody.

I dont think about it as much because of the situation.

--Phillip's Point of View--

I turn around with Andrew as the fire escape falls. "Kaleb?" I ask. Andrew jumps up and we rush to the edge, the fire escape hits the ground with a terrible sound. I see Kaleb pull himself through a window and I know he's safe. "My gosh...Thought we lost him" Andrew says. "Same....glad we didnt"

We sit around the fire for a little bit....I dont here any noise and I can tell its not only me its bothering. Neither one of us say anything about it though, I do know its on our mind. I stand up breaking the silence, "This isn't usual for Kaleb...he handles things quickly......where is he?" 

"Right behind me" Britni says. I turn around and Andrew and Britni smack together and he lifts her up. I see Antonio's bloodied face and stained clothes, I give him a brief hug before watching Kaleb rise up and shoot me a look. I know that look doesn't mean anything good is about to come out of his mouth.

I walk with him into an isolated corner. He places his hands on my shoulders. "Dude...Antonio...I think hes infected...his back has some blood on it" "So does his face....go ask him" "I'm gonna wait...see if he acts different" "You sure thats a good idea?" "He has a pistol...I dont want to anger him" "Good point"

We walk and join the others who're all awake now. "Glad to see your smiling faces! Antonio and Stevie have made it here over night....good morning!" Kaleb says to them. I just smile and nod before claming a seat next to Andrew. I give him the look. He looks at Kaleb and Kaleb returns the look also.

Its great that we have a silence system to let the other two know whats going on. Kaleb takes Andrew over to the old fire escape and lets him in. When they return Antonio walks over and sits next to me. Part of his shirt lifts up and I see it. I scratch mark (gib) and a bite mark, covered in dried up blood.

"Hey man" Antonio says to me. Kaleb takes a seat next to him and Antonio says hi to him before returning to me "What's up?" I ask him. "Nothing...just surviving you know...haha" He chuckles. I know he's trying to hide something, the good thing is I already know what it is.

Kaleb lifts his shirt and Antonio throws an elbow into his face. "What're you doing!?" He scolds "Checking your wounds...Stevie might be able to fix'em up" "I can handle myself"

Now everyone is suspicious of Antonio. I think Kaleb senses this because he asks Antonio to take his shirt off. "Why?" He objects. "Why not? You hiding something?" "No!" Antonio snaps quickly "then take it off, so Stevie can fix ya up" "I'll be fine" He says quietly.

I start to get angry at his lies. "Are you trying to put everyone in danger? We have a child here who none of us can afford to lose. We have a group which cannot afford to lose another member, we've already been slashed in half since the truck incident. Now you lying....this is shit!" I shout. I yank him onto his feet and lift his shirt despite his thrashing. Everyone sees the bite and gib marks. 

I feel something cold inside me, then something warm on my shirt. Everyone gasps, I look down to see a knife handle sticking out of my stomach. I then feel myself spin around and the cold barrel of a revovler against my head followed by the words "Dont move or I shoot"

--Kaleb's Point of View--

When Antonio stabbed Phillip, a little bit of me let out that all too familiar feeling. Rage.

I haven't felt this in a while, and its a feeling I know all too well. The gun presses to Phillips head and I question why he is making a big deal about this. "Antonio...you're going to turn...theres no point in taking another life" Melanie says. "Shut up bitch! I wont let you guys kill me.....I left safety for this, and then this happens. You guys make a fire to attract us, then I get bit by that beast. I blame this on you!"

Now I feel even more rage building. Did he just call her a bitch? I reach for my knife, but it isnt there....I must've dropped it. Antonio backs up and notices my hand movement. He lifts the pistol from Phillips head and aims it at me. "What are you reaching for?" He asks. "Nothing...just put the gun down" "No" Ryan takes a step and he trains the gun on him. I feel mroe rage, then I lose my nerve.

I jump and run, Antonio isnt quick enough and I land my fist into his jaw. He lets Phillip loose and he drops. Stevie and Britni already on top of him working on his wound. I take my knee into Antonio's face as he falls down. He aims the pistol at me and pulls the hammer back, I kick it out of his hand and it slides by Ryan.

I feel his fist connect with me and I fall onto my back. I twist over, just doging his stomp. I kick his groin and he doubles over giving me time to get onto my feet. I look him in the eye, he grabs a piece of wood and slaps it against my face. I feel the blood trickle down my forehead. I jump and spin with a kick into his hip but he catches my foot, he pulls making me land on my back, but I catch myself with me hands. I spin around with my leg still in his hands. I shove my foot onto his chest catching him offguard. He lets go and I run towards the ledge and spring off it. I backflip through the air landing behind him. I take my arms and tackle him down. 

He squirms making me lose grip on him before I take him down. I step back but his foot still hits my in the side. I spit out blood after he hits me in the mouth twice. I fire an uppercut but he barely flinches.

His eyes are grey now. He takes a knee and his veins pop out. Then they pop, blood flowing under his skin making it look bruised. Then it turns brownish and his teeth sharpen themselves.

"This isnt normal for an infected...." I whisper to myself. I stop waiting for him to transform into whatever. His fingernails become claws. I kick his forehead and he lifts me up. Then tosses me. I hit a wall and drop down. I look up to Antonio, he starts to hunch over. Then I hear the gunshot. I turn to see Ryan holding the revolver, the barrel still smoking.

Antonio's head is missing part of itself, he steps back. Then he trips up over the edge and falls to his death. 

I turn back to Ryan. He drops the gun.