Anubis

Chapter nine - The Lab

I hold my sleeve up and Henry injects the second dose of the vaccine into my arm, a smile plastering onto his face as he puts a bandaid on the pebbling blood. Luckily, Henry had some left over vaccines when he was found in a lab a few hours away. He said we should have them now in case something happens to him before he can make more doses.

"Thank you," I whisper, pulling my sleeve back down. He smiles and closes his briefcase which now contains two more doses. Gale pulls out onto the road once he fills up the tank and makes his way towards Mississipi. 

-

It's been a few hours and we have arrived at the lab. We've been driving for hours on end, no sign of life along the highways we've trailed. Now we all stand outside of the car, stretching and taking in the view of the run down lab. 

"Wow this place was hit hard," William mutters, pulling his arm across his chest with a sigh. I nod and squint up at it, the sun beating down on us warningly. The once white building is grey with water and dirt stains scarring the sides and base. The windows are boarded up with flaking planks of wood while words in red spraypaint are scattered randomly along the glass doors and bricks. I inhale sharply. 

"Do you think there's survivors?" I question, reaching for Kit's bicep. He follows my gaze and furrows his eyebrows, the cogs in his mind churning. 

"Let's hope they're not infected if there are any," he murmurs lightly, turning to face Gale when he reloads his gun. Sweat beads on his forehead which has wrinkled with age, a receding hairline being masked with his baldness. His grey eyes are matched with light crowsfeet which seem to bring out his 5'oclock shadow. 

On the way over here, we had a lot of time to get to know eachother. Turns out Gale is a Lieutenant from the American Navy, one of the last of his crew. After I found that out, I felt a lot safer knowing he would protect us on our way to New York. 

"Okay, everyone follow behind me," he orders, his standing stance turning into a steady jog as he approaches the door. He slams his back on the brick beside the damaged doors, holding his gun at his waist as he peers in through the planks of wood. We all follow suite, our boots crunching along the dry grass before quietening down on the dirty cement. 

"If anyone sees anything suspicious, report to me," he instructs quietly, pointing his hand in a gun style towards the bulding. I nod swiftly before trailing after him once he pulls the plank off the fragile door, throwing it onto the grass. 

Our shoes squeak along the tiles of the lab as we make our way towards what I'm guessing is the main wing. The stench of death fills our senses as our path deepens into the building, causing us all to hold our shirts over our noses in disgust. I hear Sarah whimper behind me and I slow down to check up on her. 

"Sarah what's wrong?" I whisper, halting the whole group suddenly. Before she has time to answer, Gale is beside me, a soft look in his eyes as he takes in Sarah's shaking figure. 

"Sarah, I know you're scared, we all are, as soon as we grab the supplies for the cure we will be on our way to New York. Humanity will start again." By now he has a calloused hand on her shoulder, his head stern as he makes sure she's okay. She sniffles and wipes her nose before nodding, looking at him as her face is turned towards the floor. He smiles and quickly gets back on track. After a few minutes of running we make it to the Central Wing which was home to the drugs needed for the cure. 

"Okay don't take too long Doctor, we aren't totally in the clear yet," Cameron mutters over his shoulder as he stands guard with Gale. Kit waits patiently beside the rest of us, sliding his hand into mine comfortingly. I throw a smile in his direction just as the doctor turns around with a swollen satchel of ingredients. He slings the bag over his shoulder with a grunt before thanking us all for our bravery. 

"Lets get out of here," Sarah sighs, brushing her hair out of her eyes with the shake of her head. I agree and follow after Cameron and Gale as they lead the way towards the entrance. Our squeaks accompany a faint shuffle. 

"Guys?" I hear William call out worriedly, causing us to turn around quickly bearing our weapons. My hands tighten on the bat Gale gave me from his car earlier, bringing it up to my face like a batter in a game of softball. 

"Who are you?" Cameron calls out confidently from behind us. A middle aged woman stands at the end of the corridor wearing a hospital gown while an IV drip is attached to her hand, standing proudly behind her. Before anyone can get a response, her long blue-grey hair begins trembing. 

"We should go," I whisper to Kit worriedly, my heart beat beginning to pick up as her shaking intensifies. A low growl submerges from the base of her chest like an animal before her head snaps towards us, exposing her true form. 

The front of her gown is drenched with blood, chunks of it slipping off and landing on the floor in a pile. 

"What the-" before William can finish she launches herself towards us, the IV drip tearing from her hand and face planting after her. 

"Run!" Sarah screams, shoving herself through us to get closer towards the door. I chase after her with the Doctor, William and Kit hot on my trail. Gale stands his ground, crouching down slightly before aiming and firing at her. She's sent back towards her IV drip instantly, slowly getting up after a few milliseconds. We all watch in horror as she comes towards us again, her mouth frothing while her milky white eyes bore at her next meal.

"At her head!" Cameron yells frustratedly, holding his mashette above his head as the beast nears closer and closer. Gale looks at her over his scope, his eyes sad as he watches her claw for them. Without any more doubt, he shoots a single bullet between her eyes, silencing her. 

"How did you know that would work?" Sarah stutters, holding her arm shyly due to the guilt she felt for trying to save herself. He scratches his chin sheepishly, shrugging before answering. 

"It's how all zombies die." I roll my eyes playfully, shaking my head at him but also feeling a wave of relief washing over me. Now we have the upper hand - destroy the brain. 

A loud screech comes from behind us, followed by a yell. We all turn around swiftly, instantly rushing to help Kit who's fighting a zombie off with nothing but a knife. He swings his arm towards the zombie, piercing the knife through its arm just as it lunges on top of him. I scream loudly and raise my bat, dropping it violently onto the zombies skull. After a few hits it begins to bleed and incave then after a few more it falls limp, allowing Kit to push it off of him. 

My breaths are heavily and hoarse as Kit lays there with a pacing chest, his eyes closed tightly as the zombie's bloody saliva oozes from his nose to his ear. 

"Kit," someone says but I don't listen. My eyes are fixated on the expanding red patch on Kits shoulder. He winces in pain as he tries to sit up. 

"What happened?" My voice comes out small as I continue to stare. He breathes out of his nose before answering. 

"It bit me."