Dead On Arrival: Episode 6

Episode 6: The Infirmary

“It’s Nathan. Nathan Parker.” I addressed the nurse before me. I laid comfortably on a hospital bed. One hand handcuffed to its railing. “Is this legal?“

"Were you scratched or bit? How long have you been exposed?” she continued ignoring my question as she scribbled on a clipboard.

“I’m not bit, scratched, or exposed. I fell and hurt my ankle. That’s it. Its just a little swollen!”

She sighed, “Sir. I need you to cooperate. Now…. can you tell me when the last time you were exposed to the infected?”

“What kind of question is that? The infected are everywhere!” I shouted feeling a rush of anger. My mind solely on the welfare of my brother and poor little Nick.


“Please calm down, sir…..”

“I’ll calm down when I get to see my brother and the boy that came in with us. Where are they?”

“I’m not authorized to disclose that information. How long has your ankle been like that?”

“Well how about my brother? You can’t tell me where he is or if he’s OK? My own brother!?”

“I know how frustrating this must be, but we need to know if there was any chance of you being infected. Are you feverish?”

“Do you see any puncture wounds? Do I look feverish to you? I told you how I got hurt! I fell getting supplies!

She remained expressionless as she looked up from her clipboard. "I must exam you. Is that OK?” she asked.

I nodded yes frowning and sighing all the while. She got up putting latex gloves on and a mask. She felt my head and examined my ankle. I winced a little as she pressed on it. Then she step back, discarded her gloves, and wrote more down.

“Hey. Just give me some pain meds or some antibiotics and let me go,” I huffed. “My brother name is Matthew….”

“Mr. Parker please rest for now and take these.” she said handing me three pills and a small cup of water. “I will be back to check on you.”

“When can I leave?!” I shouted at her as she hurried off.

I laid back cursing to myself. I was stuck in a huge hospital room. Patients all around me in identical hospital gowns. Indiscernible chatter, coughing, and beeping equipment filling my ears. If I had no knowledge of what was going on outside I would think the world was still normal.

“Oh hello,” a timid voice said from the right of me. I looked over to see a middle aged women with a dark complexion smiling warmly at me. She had been sleep the whole time from the looks of it.

“What happen to Mr. Conwell?"

"I don’t know,” I found myself saying still feeling frustrated.

“He must have joined the dead. He was gravely ill. Poor thing.” she sighed shaking her head.

“What’s your name?” I asked trying to sound upbeat. “My name’s Nathan.

“Pardon my manners. I’m Grace. Grace Wallace. Nice to meet you, Nathan. May I ask what you doing?”

I had taken two of the pills she handed me, but I had stashed the third one and was searching around the little cabinet that sat beside me. I looked in her direction.

“I’m just looking for something for these handcuffs, but….one of those pills they gave me is a sedative. I recognize it. Going to sleep is the last thing I want to do right now mam.”

“I don’t think there’s anyway out of here and its not so bad here, dear. Relax.”

“Relax” was the last thing I needed to hear. I was on pins and needles. Confused, afraid, and frustrated. I pulled at my handcuffs, but nothing budge. Mrs. Wallace seemed to be in the same circumstances as the glimmer of her cuffs caught my attention. It seemed odd she would be handcuffed anywhere.

“I haven’t seen my husband, Omar since early this morning. I know he’s chomping at the bit.”

I thought about Matthew. No matter how many months without seeing each other he was always protective of me. I can imagine him practically climbing up the walls and screaming bloody murder till his voice gave out. Hopefully they told him something to calm his nerves. I wasn’t even sure how many hours had it been since we were forced out of our makeshift home by gunpoint.

“Ohhhh…oh my. Mr. Grant? Are you alright?” Mrs. Wallace gasped.

I looked over at her and then my eyes followed hers. The man she called Mr. Grant groaned from a wheelchair across the room. His eyes vacant and glossed over. Blood trickled down from his mouth and eyes. He had joined the dead so to speak. Now the handcuffs made sense as he walked freely now barely keeping his balance. He walked over to Mrs. Wallace who seemed quite aware of the danger she was in. She began screaming and the walker reached down towards her.

“Nooooo. Please no!” I yelled tugging at my handcuffs and trying my hardest to come to her aid. Then I grabbed my empty plastic cup and threw it at him. Next was a tissue box as she fought him off.

“Come here. Its me you want!” I yelled throwing my pillow at him. Finally I seemed to get his attention. He turned around and came towards me.

“Now what?” I thought as I found myself fighting him off.

He was stronger than I imagined. He pushed me against the bed biting at me and dripping blood on my face. I screamed calling for help. Mrs. Wallace joined me. I was in a shitload of trouble. No weapon. No way of escape. I looked at the chair the nurse once sat in. It was too far away now and too heavy. Death crossed my mind as the situation seemed hopeless, but something animistic awaken in me. I pressed my thumbs into his eyes. The gooey texture gave way spraying blood. I grunt pushing the thing upward and we fell to the floor.

I sat on top of it with my thumbs still lodged into its slimy eye sockets. I eyed the cabinet and I freed one hand quickly. I yanked at one of the cabinets drawers as hard I could. When it came loose I freed my other hand as the walker squirmed and raised the drawer high before me. Then brought it down upon its head over and over again. Blood soaked my face and gown, but I didn’t stop. Only when I saw there nothing left did I drop the drawer in my hands. I turned around to see the nurse from before staring at me horrified holding her hand over her mouth. A doctor beside her surveyed me covering his mouth as well. Blood dripped from my hands as they shook.

“Dr. Pinto….should we?” I heard the nurse say struggling to keep her composure.

“No. I’ll check him over later myself. Get this man cleaned up and released. The woman too.”

No poll this week as I need to catch up and post the outcome of the other decisions. Ch4 poll is closed, but you can still vote for Ch5 decision.

P.S. I made almost every pose seen here.😩