Dead On Arrival: Episode 19: Heroes in Arms

Episode 19: Heroes in Arms

“Audrey! What are on you doing? Let’s get out of here!”

“I’m looking for something!”

I had already made quick work of scanning the area. I was kneeling down checking corpses when Vince had yelled out. I knew all too well he would disprove if I said what my search was exactly for. I just kept my head down checking corpse after corpse for weapons. My mind fully focus on the task as David watched while screaming his head off. Had I put too much thought into it I’m sure I would let my bitterness win leaving David to his demise, but I was better than that and he had done almost as much for me.

My search had seemed to be turning up nothing, but then I spotted him propped up against a tree motionless. A corpse dressed in fatigues. He wore a helmet and tactical gear. Gear that held weapons.

Without thinking I kneeled down and reached for his vest hoping to find an army knife or maybe even a gun. As I reached for it the creature came to life instantly grabbing me by the arm! I screamed and grabbed my katana striking it clumsily with my blade. It became lodged into its helmet. I panicked struggling as the world seemed to spin around me. I stood up trying to loosen its grip pulling the zombie up with me. He crawled and snarled at me with blood dripping from his mouth. I shrieked pulling with all my might making no progress as the blade was stuck firmly.

Before I knew it I lost my footing and was tumbling down the hill towards David and the zombie horde. As I fell I could hear Vince calling out to me and intense pain as the pants leg of my jeans snagged on a sharp twig slicing open my calf. I tumbled all the way down to the bottom with the tactical gear zombie following. He landed on top of me biting the air inches away from my face. I squirmed as the weight of his decomposing body pinned me down. Then I noticed my sword was still sticking out his helmet. I grabbed the hilt of it and used it to push him off me. Then I put my foot on him and used all my strength to pull the blade out. I sliced opened his chest immediately after I did away with him and covered myself in its blood as the horde once focused on David surrounded me.

Like magic, the blood left me invisible to them, but gunfire from up above rung out like an alarm bell and David had climbed down from his perch to my surprise to save me.

“Over here, motherfuckers. That’s right! Over here,” he shouted. He took out a match and lit a stray tree branch on fire. Like a beacon, they turned towards him heading for the light.

“No, wait!” I cried. I stumbled towards him wincing in pain. I could feel a rush of blood gushing down my leg. He looked up as he waved a firey tree branch at the zombies and smiled.

“No. Get out of here! Go! I got this!,” he said as I came closer.

Suddenly I felt two arms grab me and I was being swept up into them being carried away. I looked back at David who was surrounded by the horde now. Flames danced at his feet illuminating him as the darkness of the monsters loomed in. He didn’t run or even flinch as he became enveloped by them. Instead, I saw what was once a fearful weak man become something brave right before my eyes.

“Vince. No. “He defenseless…I…I promised,” I stammered as I looked up into Vince’s face now as he held onto me tight.

“Shut the hell up! I told you not to help him looking for some fucking weapon!”

“But…”

“He’ll be OK. I took out quite a few and gave him one of the rifles. Now just lay back and relax. Mark said it’s a building up ahead.”

It knew it would be no use with arguing with Vince anymore, so I did what I was told. I only knew the guy for some days, but I knew when his mind was made up. I closed my eyes trying not to think about my throbbing leg or any of the world around us. Instead, I thought about my dad. About my family. About chores and minuscule things. Had I known what I was in store for me and the world I would have cherished everything and everyone. Maybe I would have even given David a chance if I had got to know him better.

“Audrey. We’re almost here. It’s right up ahead. Just hold on.”

I wondered if Vince had seen the tears well up in my eyes. If he did he would think it was due to physical pain, but it was all mental. I did everything I could not to outright sob in his arms. The more I thought about the man we left behind the more I felt guilty. I hadn’t thought things through at all lately. A man was probably being eaten alive by now because of my stupidity and recklessness. I felt stupid. My father had been right about me needing to grow up. I felt useless, but luckily for me, Vince had seen some value in me. He had saved me again and was dragging me off to safety.

By some miracle, we made it to the building he had spoken about. He shouted orders to Mark once inside and laid my body on top of a table gently. I smiled at him weakly trying to ensure him I was fine, but his eyes found the source of my physical discomfort. His eyes then met mine and I nodded letting him know it was OK for him to examine the wound on my leg.

 "Oh, Audrey. Oh God,” he gasped looking suddenly solemn as he looked it over. “Were you..were you bit?”

“No,” I whispered feeling weaker by the minute, but neither man heard me and I felt myself fading.

“She bit!  Look at her. She’s covered in blood!” I heard Mark raved from the back of the room. Then I heard the cock of a gun.

Aghhhh! So much editing. Sorry for the delay. Hope you like the zombie horde effects. Anywayyyy, no poll again. Next chapter it will be one.