Dead On Arrival: Episode 5

Transferring this from tumblr to here on blogspot is annoying. lol Sorry I'm late posting it here.

Episode 5: Quarantined

It had been two weeks since Nathan hurt his ankle at the clinic. It a was mission rooted in good intentions, but more problematic than it was worth. The idiot could have died and all for what? Some strangers? I promised her I would keep him safe. I promised myself I would keep him safe.

“Welcome back, stranger.”

Nathan sat in a recliner with his leg propped up in the apartment we shared now. The place was a piece of shit, but it was secured and not burnt out like the others.

“You didn’t happen to find a bag of ice on your travels did you?”

I rolled my eyes. “Do I look like a supermarket to you? What makes you think I would find a bag of ice in a burnt out city with no electricity anyway? You lucky to get a bag of water in these conditions.”

“Whoa watch the attitude Mr. Grumpy. Just asking.”

“Well Mr. Lazyass I’m tired. I’m doing a two man job now. Speaking of that how’s your ankle?”

“A little swollen, but I’m alive ain’t I?”

“Mr. Matthew is that you.” I heard a smaller voice echoed from the bathroom and the small frame of a boy appeared. It was Nick.

“Oh for fuck sakes. Why is he here?” I said frowning. The boy had been visiting off and on for two weeks now. He had grown quite fond of Nate to my dismay.

“Chess. Want to play Mr. Matthew?”

“No, but you look….nice. How’s your sister?”

He looked down at his feet. “She’s fine…for now.”

Nathan looked over at him with a sad expression and then turned to me smirking breaking the mood. “His hair does look nice. You could use a comb, Matt. You look like a walker or something that rolled out from under one.”

“I didn’t know this was a beauty contest. Next time I’ll remember to pick up some styling gel with your imaginary bag of ice.” I sarcastically remarked. “On that note I’m going to bed. Call me if you need anything. Anything important anyway.”

“Well sweet dreams sleeping beauty.”

“Yeah. Whatever dumbass…,” I snapped closing the bedroom door.

I jumped into bed. I could hear his laughter. I pulled out an old photo staring at it intently. It was taken at the wedding. Right before it all happen. My sister smiling face lurked in the background. I closed my eyes envisioning that moment. Our voices, our smiles, the sight and sounds of that day played back in my head. It felt like it was million years ago. I nodded off feeling oddly calm and sentimental.

Then all hell broke loose. I heard him scream my name and the boy cries. I jumped up flying into the living room. Men with guns had hold of my brother and the boy. I grabbed my handgun from my back pocket. They shouted at me telling me to put it down. I shouted back, but everything blurred and appeared to be happening in slow motion. Before I could make sense of the situation the butt of a gun made contact with my skull and I was out.

I woke up in a truck, but not completely conscious. I was in and out for most the ride. When they grabbed my brother out the truck I screamed reaching out for him. They grabbed me shortly afterwards following. The world spinning around me the whole time. When we reached the hallway. I watched them turn a corner with their grasp firmly on him. “Where are you taking him?” I heard myself yell finding my voice.

They didn’t answer. They instead threw me into a room and shut the door. I pounded at the door thinking of nothing else, but him and my escape. “Let me out. You can’t do this!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. 

“Would you shut the hell up already?!” A woman voice yelled. I looked around to see I wasn’t alone. Five other people were in the room with me.

“Yeah you dumbass. You wasting your time. Been there. Done that.” the woman spoke again leaning beside me. I slid down feeling defeated and looked into her face. She look to be about my age. Short brown hair, slender frame, and a beautiful complexion. She looked down at me concerned frowning slightly.

“What’s your name?” she said softly. 

“They took him. They took my brother.” I said feeling stunned and afraid.

“Well that’s not a name, but I guess it’s better than nothing. What’s your brother’s name?”

“Nate…Nathan,” I said breathlessly. “Nathan!!! I rushed to the door again screaming. Please let me see him!”

“I told you your wasting your time,” she sighed. “They probably took him to the infirmary. Is he hurt? Was he….. bit?”

“Hurt. His ankle. Not bit.”

“Sounds like a retard to me,” a male voice intervene. It came from a shady looking guy standing in the corner with of mop of dusty brown hair. He chewed on a toothpick staring at me.

The woman shot him a dirty look and continued. “Your brother should be fine. You should be fine. Just calm down already. Worrying about it isn’t going get you out any faster,” she said patting me on my back. “Now what’s your name? My name’s Madison. ”

“Matthew,“ I said focusing now on the other faces that were staring at me. "Where are we?”

She smiled. “We’re in quarantine. Seems the army set up here.” She looked around the room. “Let’s lighten things up and introduce ourselves."

They were two women other than Madison and three other men. A nicely dressed Asian woman spoke first. She introduced herself as Lin. "I have a dad in the infirmary. Then there’s my kid brother. Who knows where he’s at, so I know how you feel”, she said sounding calm and serious.

Next was an African American gentlemen wearing a bright pattern shirt. He greeted me smiling. He introduced himself as Omar. Then there was Wade.

“It’s Wade, fucktard. I wouldn’t bet on that brother of yours. Probably sliced him open by now.” he said snickering to himself.

Suddenly I found myself lunging at him and grabbing him by the neck. The toothpick fell from his mouth. He squirmed pleading with me. His eyes full of fear. “Woah. Hey buddy. I was just kidding. Let go of me.”

“He’s not worth it, Matthew,“ Madison cooed behind me.

I ignored her. “I wish I had a knife right now. Maybe I can use that toothpick and put it straight through your eye.”

“Matthew that’s enough!” She grabbed me.

“Stop it! Please stop it!!!” Everyone looked over at the corner of the room. A thin blonde women quivered in the corner. She and a burly looking man beside her was the only one who hadn’t introduced themselves. She began crying while the guy beside her appeared to be unconscious.

Madison seem to read my mind. “Don’t worry about her. That’s just Sara. She’s been like that since she got here. The man is…well her fiance, Gary. He doesn’t appear to be doing too well.”

“She won’t let anyone get near him. She starts freaking out.” Omar chimed in shaking his head.

“He’s going die. We need to put him down.” Wade added. “We should do it now.”

“They took our weapons. We going have to do some serious improvising if we do.” Omar said looking around the room.

“No one is killing anyone,” Madison snapped. “He’s a human being."

"Is he? Is he even breathing?” Omar quickly shot back.

“It’s just his heart. He has heart problems. The stress is just getting to him! He’s not one of those things!!!” Sarah screamed, but it all fell on deaf ear as they continued to discuss his fate. Only I looked at her. She was cradling him sobbing.

She looked up at me through her straggly blonde hair. “Please don’t hurt us,” she quietly begged. As she whispered I could hear her husband wheezing and see his eye lids flickering. I looked down at my belt. They hadn’t taken it. I searched around for something sharp.

“We can’t kill an innocent man,” I heard Madison scream in frustration.

Should I kill him or should I wait and see?

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