The Undead Chronicles (completed)

Chapter 7

He turned to Butch and said, 'The Wilsons might be infected too now, why didn't we realize that?' Renner slapped a hand to his forehead and paced the room nervously, while Butch made some calls. 'I have informed the traffic patrol to look out for the Jeremy boy, quick, we have to check the Wilsons again.'

They ran out quickly and got into the police car. They took the long route to the Wilson's house as Butch had to announce to everybody about the situation and warn them to get inside their homes and bar the doors. It was all surreal. Raven felt as if she was a part of a book or a comic book.

Butch spoke through the megaphone inside his squad car and they could see the anxious looking town people running inside their homes, as if this was a drill they had done many times in the past. 

'There have been many incidents of a cougar attack here, so the locals are used to this.' Renner explained, as if reading her mind. 

Raven nodded, though in her mind she knew this was far more serious and dangerous than a cougar attack.  

They reached the Wilson's house and quickly went inside. Butch paused at the back entrance and took out his gun, they went inside quietly. Raven relived the memories of the past half hour and felt bile rising in her throat again. 

When they reached the living room, Butch indicated them to stand back. The expression on Butch's face told them what they had feared. 

The Wilsons had disappeared.

********

 Butch was speaking on his car phone. Renner was standing with his arms crossed around his chest, his expression grave. 

Butch finished the conversation and turned towards them. ÔThe boy was spottedÕ Raven stood up eagerly, but stopped when she looked at Butch's expression. 'He was seen going inside the elementary school.' 

Raven looked at Renner and knew that her eyes mirrored his.  

'I have reported it and two officers have already been dispatched to the school, we have to get back to the station, I have to get more ammo. If its anything like what happened with Lucas and Cooper that day, then we need a lot of guns.' 

Renner said that he wanted a gun too and after a moments hesitation he agreed. Raven knew how to shoot as her father was an ex Marine. 

She too asked for a gun and after a moment's hesitation, Butch agreed. 

They drove towards the station and quickly grabbed the guns. Butch tried contacting the officers who had gone to the school, but couldn't get through to them. ' There is one thing that I don't understand' Raven said, 'Cooper took almost a week to turn, Jeremy took a couple of days, then how did the Wilsons turn in less than an hour?' Renner's expression became grave. 

'This means that the virus is getting stronger. Acceleration in the incubation period is a bad sign, a very bad sign.' Renner finished ominously. 

They all were filled with dread by the time they reached the school. The streets of the town were empty and every shop was closed and the bars were shut. 

The school grounds were suspiciously quiet and they didn't take it to be a good sign. 

They entered the school and Butch and Renner called out names, to no response. 

They decided against splitting and the three of them made their way to the ground floor classrooms. The rooms were empty and they didn't know whether to take it as a good sign or bad. They made their way up the stairs and found the corridor dark and empty, they slowly walked ahead but stopped in their steps when they heard light footsteps coming towards them. 

'Hello, Who's there?'Butch called out and took out a flashlight from his bag. 

Raven had one in her hand already and she shone it towards the source of the noise, and froze. 

A little girl was dragging her feet towards them, holding a doll in her hands. Her eyes were the same grey as Jeremy and Cooper and her neck and leg was bitten. 

Raven looked at Butch who was staring at the little girl shocked. Renner spoke up in a quiet voice, 'that's Darla, she is the daughter of the local dentist.' Butch was still standing with his gun arm outstretched and a pained expression on his face. 

'Isn't there anything we can do, it's just a kid.' Butch said, choking on his words. Renner put his hands on his shoulders and then took out his gun and aimed for the kid's head and shot. 

The girl slumped to the ground and Raven let out an involuntary sob. Her world had been turned upside down, just yesterday she was just a journalist, frustrated with her job and today she was witness to the murder of an undead little girl. 

Butch and Renner were already making their way forward; not looking at the girl's body and Raven followed them.