Dead On Arrival: Episode 1- SOS *Part 2*

Episode 1- SOS *Part 2*

“Save Our Souls”

Were they human anymore? Was there some semblance of humanity or soul trapped inside their rotten bodies? I wondered as found myself staring at one of the dead. I had knew this person. She was patient of mine. A nice old lady. Had she died only to be reincarnated into mindless flesh eating vessel? Had anybody tried to save her? 

"Hey…HEY!“ Matthew whispered putting his hand on my shoulder. "At less you’re looking to get a kiss from grandma here, I suggest we keep it moving! It’s bad enough you talk me into coming. I can’t believe you’re willing to risk your life and mines for some strangers." 

I had somehow convinced him to come with me. “Medical supplies” being the key words that sealed the deal. We got lucky these last 2 months only getting a few scratches and bruises, but it would only be matter of time we would need some medical treatment that couldn’t be fix with band-aids or aspirin. 

“Poor old timers. Can’t even die of old age now adays.” Matthew snorted burying his ax into a walker’s head. “So where to Doctor Parker?”

I sighed pointing towards a dark hallway on the left. He went first holding his bloody ax he had used many times on the dead or what he called them, “walkers”. A mask hid his expression, but he his eyes were cold and steely. Was this the polish man I had grew up with? It didn’t seem like it, but everything seemed to be the opposite of what I had knew. The bright sterile place I had worked so many years was now a covered in a fine dust with little to no light and wires hanging about. Every step we took seemed perilous as the floors creaked under our feet and the shuffling of walkers could be heard in the distance. 

“Here. Maty, it’s here.” I said finally standing in front of a locked door with“employees only” written across it.

“Good. Now we can get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.” he mumbled grabbing a crowbar from his jacket. He pried open the lock after a few grunts and the door slowly swung open. We peered in shinning light into the room. Nothing seemed to stir inside as we stepped in. I immediately grabbed everything that I could and put it in our duffel bag. From antibiotics to cough drops. It seemed valuable in a time like this. I just needed a key to gain access to the rest of the stuff.

I went over to a desk at the back of the office. It had keys to everything. I remembered it all too well. I reached around the desk to gain access to the draw, but my hand met something else. Hair? A hand? My mouth open up in a scream as it cold slimy fingers gripped onto mine, but Matthew ax came flying down cutting the thing hand clean off and I flew backwards onto the floor.

“You know him?” he said as a walker in scrubs came crawling out with a bloody stump.

“Yeah, but he was always a dick to me.” I shirked trying to hide my disgust.

“Good, because he’s as good as dead.” he said raising his ax again. 

We left the room closing the door behind us. Matthew’s ax dripping blood as he walked ahead of me. 

“Hey. I just wanted thank you for helping me,” I said breaking the silence. “I would be dead if you weren’t here.”

“No. You wouldn’t.” he said pulling down his mask. “You’re smart. Smarter than you give yourself credit.” 

“Wow was that a compliment, Matthew?” I scoffed. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, he said as I watch a smirk cross his face. Then without warning the floor gave out under me and I began to fall. 

Matthew screamed my name in a way I never heard before. Over and over again I heard my name, but only when I saw walkers falling on top of me when I became alert and pulled out of my knife. As they clawed at me I cut into them spilling guts all over me. I stabbed and stabbed till my knife made contact with head after head. I watched in horror as more fell over the edge and my brother up top became surrounded by them. 

“NATHAN!!!” he screamed.

“Take the bag! Leave me!” I yelled back looking at the bag. It sat up top untouched by the chaos. 

“No. Are you insane?” He made it over to the hole looking down at me bewildered. 

“Go! There’s no time! I can make it out myself!” I yelled back. “You said I was smart. That I wouldn’t die. I need you to trust me now.” 

For the first time in months he looked emotional and fearful. He hesitated looking back as a new heard came towards him. Then he pulled his mask up and ran towards them with the bag in his hand leaving out of sight.

I almost regretted my decision, but I pulled the walkers off of me and got out the way as more fell down in the spot. I adjusted my senses to darkness and musty smell that welcomed me. I was in the basement. My ankle throbbed as I limped. Then I saw them. More of the dead. More walkers. Thousands of them. They shuffled towards me groaning and I stood there frozen in fear. “I’m going die,” I thought. Then I closed my eyes and felt them walk pass me as if I was invisible. I stood there confused as none of them seemed bothered by my presence. 

“The blood? It is the blood?”

I don’t know how I made it through, but I walked among them as if I was one of them. Seeing face after face I recognized. Was these people left to die? I felt for my back pocket and pulled out a flare. Matches followed. Then I lit it throwing it in the crowd causing some of them to go up in flames. “If they were still souls left in these gruesome figures maybe now they could be free.” I thought.

I made my escape and made it back by some miracle. I walked into the room as Matthew and Nick sat next to the girl. Matt looked like he was praying almost the way he was looking down at the floor. Then he looked up at me. His eyes grew wide and his lip quivered. He grabbed his gun pointing it at me.

“Woah. Woah. I’m alive!” I yelled. He looked puzzled. “This blood is not mine.”

I paused. “Is she ok?” I said finally. “The little girl?”

“Yeah she’s fine.” he said putting the gun down. “She’s fine.”

No poll this weekend. I don’t want to overdo it. Vince’s chapter is next. Then Audrey. :P

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