First Steps | A Zombie Apocalypse Story (Completed)

Day 9

Aeoto Lee

"Come on," I mutter under my breath, holding my hand against the wound firmly, blood transferring to my hands. People were beginning to flood into the small doctors' office I work at, along with other local offices. The major hospitals became overrun first. Now people were going anywhere they could, desperate for treatment and safety. A small run clinic isn't fit for the current situation. People were becoming infected left and right. I begin to clean the wound, slowing the spread of the virus. The thing that is more likely to kill you is the blood loss, not the bite. I pat either side of my hips. reminding myself of my 9mms in their holsters. It feels wrong to take my guns into work, but I feel that I have no choice with how dangerous it has become, especially with being in a place at high risk. 

The man was knocked out from shock. I had set up an IV with pain medication, but the oxycontin was only just beginning to kick in. The only light streaming through is from the window, the power continuously flickering off and on. I dress the wound with fresh bandages, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a white towel afterward. He has a very severe fever. I check the restraints, making sure they would hold in case something happened while I was in the other room. 

I remove my surgical gloves, disposing of them properly and washing my hands. We didn't have the clothing that the hospitals have for treating people since my office was mainly for giving shots and doing checkups, the occasional more intense procedure. I exit the room.

"Myles, can you keep watch in room three? I have to do some filing," I say, glancing up from my clipboard. 

"Yeah, no problem," he replies, patting me on the shoulder before heading that way. I make my way to the counter, taking a seat as soon as I reach the chair. I pull my glasses from my coat pocket, placing them on the bridge of my nose. They were a bit chunky, the frames thin, but the lens big. 

"He's seizing in room three!" Myles yells. I put my pen down and run into the room. 

"Is he on his side?" I yell through the hall, the nurses joining me as we travel to room three. 

"Yeah!" he yells back. I make it into the room. 

"There's nothing we can do but let him work through it," I add, still a little winded from running. "Get my notebook, please," I demand, watching for his vitals. Yvette exits the room. I sigh in relief when the seizing ends. I begin to check him again which is short-lived when his vitals begin to go haywire. In only a short moment, the machine flatlines. I curse as Myles begins to perform CPR. We don't have any defibrillators, so chest compressions would have to work. I run my fingers through my short black hair stressfully. Nancy takes Myles' place, continuing them. Yvette enters, handing me my notebook and a pen. I tuck the notebook and pen in my pocket; it was pocket-sized. I look up, seeing one of the patients from earlier, brought back to life.

"Look out!" I scream, pointing behind Yvette. She turns, not reacting until it is too late. She falls into the hallway. "No!" And just like that, she was getting attacked by one of our patients. 

"Close the door! I said close the Goddamn door!" Myles closes the door right before the patient makes her way into the examination room. My eyes pool up with tears, using every bit of strength I can muster to prevent myself from choking up. Our patient sits up at an alarming speed, grabbing Nancy. "It's okay, sir," I say calmly, my sight blurry from the tears in my eyes. I hear Nancy scream, causing me to blink to restore my sight. Myles stood still in his place paralyzed. I pull my 9mm from my hip, aiming it for Nancy. She turned almost instantly. My hand shakes as I fail to pull the trigger, resulting in Myles getting bitten too. Tears flow down my face as I watch silently, unable to peep a single sound. I just watched in terror as Myles called out for me, telling me to go.