Fourteen

Park pushed open the door to the roof and cursed under his breath. Moe had looked bad. Real bad. He paused on the ladder, smelling the night air and listening. He heard groaning and smelled rot, but nothing that seemed close by. That was good. If the corpses could climb up onto roofs, Park and the others would be extra fucked.

"See anything?" said Sam from behind him on the ladder.

"The sky," said Park, then climbed the rest of the way up onto the roof.

Up here, Park could smell the rotting corpses and hear their groaning even more. It sounded like the fuckers were everywhere.

He stepped away from the opening and Sam climbed up after him.

"Damn," he said, rubbing his arms in the cold air. "Fucking stinks up here."

"Aren't you just full of useful information?" said Park. He turned around, scanning all corners of the roof, trying to get his bearings. Finally he stopped and pointed. "The most light seems to be coming from that way, so I'm betting that's the parking lot."

Park strode that direction, not bothering to check if Sam was following him.

Damn it, Moe had looked bad.

They reached the edge of the roof and looked down. It was indeed the parking lot. A few corpses were wandering around, but it looked like most of them had already crowded their way into the hospital.

"Damn," said Sam as he looked down. "Seems high from up here. Doesn't this place only have the one floor?"

"Yeah," said Park. "There's probably ductwork and crap between the ceiling and the roof, too, though. Adds several feet. Plus, you're a pussy."

"Fuck you."

Park looked to his left and saw the rounded top of a metal ladder bolted into the roof. "That would be the ladder," he said.

He went to the ladder and looked over the side. The ladder ran straight down to the pavement of the parking lot. He looked around and saw his truck, parked over by the emergency room. Even with the ladder depositing them right onto the parking lot, it would still be quite a run. The few corpses wandering around would have plenty of time to notice and come after them.

Moe had barely been able to talk. His voice had sounded like he was choking.

"Okay," said Park, pointing. "There's the truck. We'll have to move fast."

"Fuck," said Sam, looking from the bottom of the ladder to the truck. "You would have to park so far away."

"Yeah, I should have considered having to climb down from the roof to avoid walking corpses. Now shut the fuck up and let's go."

Park climbed onto the ladder first, swinging around to face Sam and putting his feet on the topmost rung.

"Okay," he started, then stopped when the lights on the roof and in the parking lot flickered.

"Shit," said Sam, looking around. "Be all we'd need to have the fucking power go out."

Park grunted and nodded.

And down they went. Slowly, hand over hand, Park descended the ladder. Sam was several rungs above him. Park could smell rotting flesh and blood, but the moans were still relatively far away. So far, so good. As long as the light held...

And then the lights went out. All around Park went black. Seriously black. No nearby lights worked and the sky was overcast, obscuring moon and stars.

"Shit!" said Sam from above. "Can't see a fucking thing!"

"Damn it!" Park said, stopping his climbing. "Just stop up there. Hopefully it'll come back."

"How far did we get?"

"Not sure. Close, I think."

"Shit. Maybe we should jump for it."

Park's hands were slippery with sweat. "Don't be a fucking idiot. If you sprain your ankle or some shit, I ain't stopping for you."

"Let's go back up."

"Dammit, just stay where you are... wait, do you smell that?"

"What?" said Sam. "Just the same stink of those rotting fuckers."

"Yeah, but it's stronger..."

The lights flickered back on just as Park was looking down. A corpse closed its hand on Park's foot and pulled him off the ladder.

Park hit the pavement stomach first. It hurt and the air rushed from his lungs, but there was no time to worry about it. The corpse was behind him, moaning and squeezing his leg. Soon it would be biting.

Park rolled over as best he could and kicked at the corpse. It was a man, bloated and slimy. He wore a blue button-up shirt that was torn and rotted. Fresh dirt clung to his body and clothes in thick clumps. This one's been buried a while, Park thought.

He took a quick glance up and saw Sam still clinging to the ladder, looking down with wide eyes. Useless. Park kicked at the bloated man with his free leg. The bloated man's head whipped back with a cracking noise and he let go. Park pulled his leg away and stood. The bloated man squirmed on the pavement, his head lolling around loosely. Park kicked again, hard. The man's skull caved on one side and he was still.

Sam was climbing down the ladder behind him. "Thanks for all the help," said Park, turning to look at him.

Sam blinked and turned red. "You know damned good and well that happened too fast to do anything..."

"Whatever," said Park. "Just don't shoot yourself from shaking so bad when you get a gun."

Park turned and headed for his truck. Why was he even bothering? He'd been planning on killing himself earlier today, why hadn't he just let the bloated thing do it?

Damn it, Moe had looked bad.

"You know what?" said Sam from behind him. "I'm getting really sick of your bullshit."

Park stopped and turned. Sam stopped and looked at him. "You really want to do this now?" said Park. "You want to have this discussion right fucking now?"

And a corpse came out from behind a car and grabbed Sam from behind. It was a young girl in a cheerleader outfit. One of the two Park had seen earlier.

"Shit!" yelled Sam. The cheerleader moved her mouth to Sam's neck. Park stepped over and punched the girl in the forehead. She stopped, blinked and hissed at him

Sam pulled away and stepped back. "Damn it! I can't take this disgusting shit."

"Goddammit, get something heavy!" yelled Park.

Sam glared at him, then rushed off. From the corner of his eye, Park could see Sam rooting around in the back of a nearby pickup. Park watched the girl. She moaned and reached for him, but slowly enough that Park could keep clear of her. Finally, Sam rushed back over with a crowbar.

"Here," Sam said, handing it to Park.

Park glanced over at Sam. "Really? You're giving it to me? She's right there. You could do it."

"I can't handle this disgusting shit!"

"You gotta be fucking kidding me," said Park. He took the crowbar and slammed it down on the cheerleader's head. She shook from the force. Her arms twitched. Then she collapsed to the ground, still.

"Go team," said Park.

He turned to look at Sam. The big man was adjusting his glasses and staring at the collapsed cheerleader. "Here," said Park, handing him the crowbar. "This is for cheerleaders. Now let's go."

They walked the rest of the way to Park's truck in silence. It sat where Park had left it, crooked in a handicapped spot in front of the emergency room doors.

"Nice parking," said Sam from behind him. Park fished out his keys and unlocked the door. The door creaked as he pulled it open. Park reached inside and found the two hunting rifles he and Moe had been using.

Moe had barely been able to speak when Park had last seen him, lying on the hospital bed in that empty room.

Moe's lips had been dry and his voice hoarse. "I'm not going to make it, Park."

"Sure you will," Park had said, knowing full well it was bullshit but not knowing what else to say. Not knowing what else to think.

"You know better than that," Moe had said. "Listen, Park. If you get a chance to get out of here, take it. Don't die because of me. Just go."

In the parking lot, Park turned and handed Sam a gun. "Here. You can use this on cheerleaders too." He set the other gun down in the passenger seat, then leaned over to open the glove compartment. He pulled out a box of ammo and straightened back up.

He turned and handed the box to Sam. Sam slung the rifle over one shoulder and took the box.

"You might want to put the ammo in your pocket," said Park.

"Why?"

"So you don't drop it."

"Why would I drop it?

"Because I'm about to punch you in the face." And Park did. As hard as he could.

Sam staggered back, surprised. Park took the moment to climb into the truck and shut the door. Just go.

"What the fuck?" Sam sputtered from outside.

"Best of luck," said Park, starting the engine. He'd take a short drive home, then off himself on his own terms. He was done. He'd been done all day, he'd just been delayed.

Park put the truck in reverse and backed out of the spot. Surprised I didn't get a ticket, he thought, smirking to himself. He pulled away, driving for the road.

In the rearview mirror, Sam was screaming something at him. Park watched Sam's face turn red. Finally Sam gave up and ran back for the ladder.

"Best of luck," Park repeated to the empty truck.

Park reached the road and stopped out of habit, looking for oncoming traffic before he turned. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw Sam reach the ladder. He was climbing. Two corpses had followed him and were grabbing at his legs. A third was approaching. Sam was struggling.

Park sighed at the mirror. "Dumb ass." Then he looked at the road again. It was clear. He could turn.

But he didn't. He looked at the mirror instead. The corpses were still grabbing at Sam. Sam was still on the ladder but probably wouldn't be for long.

Park looked back at the road.

Then at the mirror.

"Shit goddammit hell," said Park, and threw the truck in reverse.

He spun around in the parking lot and sped for the ladder. The truck groaned and clattered as it hit bumps and potholes, but Park didn't slow down. Sam saw the truck coming and started climbing as fast as he could. Park chuckled, sounding and feeling a little crazy. Not really knowing why, he reached down and fastened his seat belt.

"Gotta buckle up," he said to himself.

Then he slammed the truck into the bottom of the ladder. The corpses went splat underneath him. One flew off to one side, groaning as its legs came free from its torso.

The seat belt dug into Park's shoulder as the force of the crash flung him forward. The engine sputtered and hissed. Park eased himself back and shut off the ignition.

"You goddamn crazy fucking trailer trash idiot!" came Sam's screams from above him, up on the ladder. "What in the holy name of fuck is wrong with you?"

"Just saving your ass," said Park, unhooking the seat belt and reaching for the rifle next to him. "Fuck knows why, but that's what I'm doing."

Corpses were already closing in on the truck. They must be coming from inside, Park thought. All this noise must be bringing them out.

The ladder creaked above him. "Dammit!" yelled Sam. "You knocked the ladder loose!"

Park looked out the windows to each side. Two or three corpses were clawing at the glass. I could shoot them, he thought as he opened the glove compartment and pulled out a second box of ammo. He stuck the ammo in his pocket. But no point in wasting ammo.

He slid down in the seat and kicked at the windshield. With a few kicks the glass splintered and came free.

The ladder creaked again. "Shit!" said Sam.

"Just hurry and get up the fucking thing!" yelled Park. He climbed out the window and onto the hood. Corpses reached for him but the hood was too wide.

"Where the fuck were you going?" yelled Sam above him, climbing.

"A party," said Park. "With ice cream and a fucking clown. Just get the fuck up there!" He walked across the hood to the ladder and took hold. It gave a little too much. It was loose.

He looked up. Sam was halfway back to the roof. Park slung the rifle over his shoulder and started climbing.

From below him, Park heard his engine hiss and sputter, even though he'd turned it off. He doubted it'd be running again any time soon. Corpses groaned down there, too. Park didn't look.

The ladder swayed as he climbed. He got several rungs up before realizing Sam had stopped.

"What the hell are you doing?" said Park.

"We're gonna have to slow down," said Sam. "This thing's gonna give any second."

"Fuck it is. Fucker's made of steel or some shit. Just go!"

Sam grumbled and resumed climbing.

Park swore under his breath and followed.

The ladder gave a loud groan and separated from the roof.

"Shit!" yelled Sam as the ladder leaned backward. The corpses down below moaned as if waiting for the meals to drop.

Park swung around on the ladder, grabbing hold of the back. He leaned back toward the building as hard as he could. The ladder stopped, suspending them both in midair. "Do what I'm doing, dickless!" he yelled.

Sam did, climbing to the back of the ladder and leaning toward the wall. The ladder creaked and fell back the other way. Park's back slammed into the hospital wall.

"Ow!" yelled Sam.

The corpses below moaned.

"Now go!" said Park. "I'll hold it!"

Sam squirmed out from behind the ladder and climbed back onto the front. He climbed up as fast as he could until he reached the roof. Park saw him jump onto the roof, then turn to grab hold of the ladder's rounded top.

"Come on!" yelled Sam.

"I'm touched, Shuab," said Park to himself as he spun to the other side of the ladder and climbed. He made it to the top and hopped off next to Sam.

Sam let go and the ladder fell away from the building. With a loud creaking groan, the ladder dropped onto Park's truck. "Damn it, you broke the fucking ladder."

"Don't need the ladder anymore," said Park, smirking. "We have these." He patted the rifle on his shoulder.