Thirty Two

Angie and Park ran to the corner and stopped. Smoke was building up. The screeching alarm drowned out the sounds of corpses eating Kristen far behind them. The lights flickered.

Park looked around. "Fuck. Wonder how long we have until the power goes out completely?"

"There's a back-up generator," said Angie. "It should kick in about a minute after the power goes out."

Park nodded.

Angie braced herself and peeked around the corner. A few corpses were wandering just up ahead, their backs to Angie.

She ducked back. "Got a few up ahead. How many bullets you got left?"

"Not nearly enough."

Angie nodded, then gasped as one of the corpses grabbed her throat from around the corner.

"Shit!" yelled Park. He pointed the rifle right next to her ear and fired.

There was an explosion of sound, then silence. Then a ringing. A high-pitched whine. She felt Park grab her and pull her away from the corner. As she spun, she saw the corpse that had grabbed her. Part of its head was exploded away. It was sliding down the wall, still. The other corpses were coming around the corner.

She heard Park yelling something, his voice muffled and buried under the ringing. Then she could hear muffled moans and the sound of the fire alarm.

Park jerked her backward and she fell into the visitor bathroom. Park shut the door. She could hear the door click and Park cursing, less muffled than before.

She stood and shook her head.

"Dammit!" she said, her own voice echoing in her head. It sounded like her ears were full of cotton. "Be careful!"

"You were damned near fucked," said Park, leaning back against the door. "Plus, you made me waste a bullet."

She looked at him and he smirked at her.

She smirked back and rubbed her ear. Her hearing was returning.

"Okay," she said. "We'll need another weapon."

Moaning and scratching came from behind the door.

"Fast, too," said Park, reloading his rifle with the few bullets he had left. He tossed the empty ammo box in the trash. "Or it'll just be a question of deciding if the fire or those fucks outside kill us."

Wisps of smoke came under the door.

"Fire..." said Angie, then looked around. She ran over to the toilet and snatched up the plunger.

Park snorted. "You gonna plunge their brains out with that?"

"Not quite." She twisted the rubber end off the plunger, leaving only the wooden handle. She stepped over to sink and opened the cabinet underneath. She started rooting around in the cabinet.

"I've been thinking," Park said, checking the rifle over.

"Yeah?" said Angie, still looking in the cabinet.

"About why I haven't offed myself yet. You talking about your kids got me to thinking about my girls. They'd be about fourteen by now. When we get out of here, I'm gonna find them. See how they are."

"And how their mother is?"

"Can't say I give a fuck about that. But I guess I'll have to see one to see the other."

Angie found what she was looking for, pulling out a white hospital-issue hand towel. She straightened and wrapped the towel tight around the top of the plunger handle.

"The hell...?" said Park.

Angie took out Park's lighter. She put the plunger handle under her arm and used both hands to snap the plastic casing of the lighter open.

"Hey!" said Park.

"I'll buy you another one," she said. She took the plunger handle from under her arm and poured the lighter fluid over the towel wrapped around its top. "Now, open the door and clear me a path."

Park raised his eyebrows and pushed himself away from the door. "I think I know what you got in mind. You sure about this?"

"Have to be," she said.

"Okay, then."

Park opened the bathroom door and stepped back. A corpse was waiting just behind the door. Park leveled his rifle at the corpse's head and fired. The corpse's head exploded and it fell to the floor. Angie leapt over the falling corpse and ran out into the hallway, heading to the left. Toward the fire.

She felt relief that no corpses were waiting for her. She heard them groan from behind and she heard Park firing, keeping them at bay. How many bullets did he have left?

The smoke stung her nose and eyes as she ran closer to the flames. She hoped no corpses had managed to keep ahead of the fire. She hoped she wouldn't meet a corpse before she found the outer edge of the flames.

To her relief, she met the fire first.

The heat was overwhelming. She saw still corpses, their brains cooked from the heat, lying about ten feet in front of her. Kristen's torn body was among them.

She ignored that as best she could and shoved the plunger handle, towel-end first, into the fire. The towel burst into flame. Angie turned and ran back up the hall, her makeshift torch flashing as she pumped her arms.

Park was aiming for another corpse when she arrived back at the bathroom door.

"Don't waste the bullet!" she yelled, swinging the torch at the nearest corpse. The corpse caught fire. It and the others backed off, back down the hall.

"Well, fuck me!" said Park, lowering the rifle and wiping his forehead. "I half-expected you to burn to death."

"Not yet," she said. "We got kids to get to. Let's move."

* * *

"There it is!" said Maylee, pointing through the trees. The hospital parking lot was lit up just down the hill and across the road. The other side of the hill was free of trees, cleared long ago by road construction. It was a clear run.

Dalton let go of Maylee's hand and started running down the hill. "Come on!"

Maylee gripped her bat and followed.

Her legs pumped under her as she ran through the tall grass of the hill. Dalton was just a few feet ahead. The way was clear. They would be there any minute now and Mom would...

Dalton cried out and fell to the ground.

Maylee didn't have enough time to stop. She tripped over Dalton and sprawled out onto the grass in front of him.

She rolled over and saw Dalton struggling with a fallen corpse in the grass. It was a man in a ruined business suit. Bones protruded from his limp legs. He had one good arm, clutching at Dalton.

Maylee leapt back to her feet and swung golf-style at the man's head. It snapped to one side and he let go of Dalton.

Dalton stood and looked at her. "You're getting scary with that bat."

"Saved your ass," she said, then ran, motioning for him to follow.

Within minutes they were across the street and into the parking lot.

* * *

Angie turned the corner first, holding the torch in front of her. Park stepped out behind her. He had his rifle at the ready, sweeping right and left, looking. Lights flickered. The alarm blared. The smoke was getting thicker around them.

A corpse came for them. Angie slammed her torch into the corpse's head. The corpse caught fire and fell to one side, struggling to get away from both Angie and the flame on its face. A second corpse came for Angie before she could bring the torch around for another blow. Park fired over her shoulder. The corpse's head crumpled inward and it fell.

They walked a few more feet unmolested. A corpse lumbered up to them. A large, muscular man who looked imposing even dead.

Angie blinked at him. "Ed?"

* * *

Maylee hit the parking lot first and kept running, heading for the entrance.

"Hey!" said Dalton, turning to run to the left.

Maylee stopped and cursed. "Dalton! What the fuck? We're here!"

She looked and saw Dalton running to a police car. A door was open. The light bar was still flashing. "A cop, Maylee!" said Dalton, almost to the car. "He can help!"

Maylee sucked in her breath and ran after him. "Dalton, no!"

Dalton reached the police car first. Maylee could see a cop, slumped over in his seat. "Officer?" Dalton said just as Maylee reached him.

The cop looked up and opened his fogged eyes. He hissed at Dalton and reached for him.

Dalton screamed and jumped back. "He's one of them!"

"What a surprise," said Maylee, pushing Dalton back and raising her bat.

The cop leaned forward, still reaching. His torso separated from his legs and fell forward into the parking lot. Blood and ropes of intestines fell out after him.

Maylee and Dalton jumped back in disgust. Maylee whacked him on the head and his jaw slammed into the pavement. She heard a "crack" and the cop was still.

She turned to Dalton, about to speak, then stopped. Moans came from behind where Dalton stood. Dalton heard it and moved to Maylee's side.

"Shit," said Maylee. She leaned into the cop car, doing her best to ignore the bottom half of the cop, and turned on the headlights. They flooded over an approaching group of corpses.

"Oh crap, Maylee, we gotta go," said Dalton, tugging at her hand.

"Not yet. We can't lead these things to Mom." Maylee grabbed the keys in the ignition and started the car.

She straightened back up and pulled her hand free of Dalton.

"What are you doing?" said Dalton.

"This," said Maylee. She grabbed the cop's torso and carried it back to the car. She leaned into the front seat and shoved the torso onto the gas pedal. The engine roared. She pulled the gearshift into drive and jumped back.

The car lurched forward, ramming into the approaching corpses. Groaning and crunching came from in front of and underneath the car.

Maylee turned back to Dalton. "Now we can go."

* * *

Angie stepped back as the corpse of Ed lumbered forward. The smoke around them was getting thicker. The alarm blared. The lights flickered.

"Ed?" said Park. "From the diner?"

Ed groaned and blinked clouded eyes at them. He had a horrible bite wound on his right forearm. The center of the wound was black and thick fluid oozed from it.

"Yeah," said Angie.

Park pointed his rifle at him. "Shall I?"

"I got this one," said Angie. She swung the torch at Ed. Ed groaned and stepped back, swinging his arms at the torch. The torch hit Ed on the wounded arm. The fluid from Ed's wound ran over the flame. The flame sputtered and went out.

"Shit," said Angie.

Ed bit at her, raising a hand to grab.

Park fired. The bullet slammed through Ed's hand and into his skull. Ed let out a long hiss and fell over.

"Shit," Angie repeated, looking ruefully at her ruined torch.

"How much further?" Park asked.

Angie squinted through the gathering smoke. She could make out the edge of the doorway to the emergency room.

"Just up ahead."

* * *

Maylee ran across the parking lot, heading for the door.

She skidded to a halt when she saw the large hole where the ambulance entrance had been.

"Damn," said Dalton, pulling up next to her.

"There," Maylee said. "I bet that's where Mom's headed for. Easiest way out. Come on."

Maylee took a step forward just as a cold hand closed on her arm.

She screamed and spun around to face the corpse. It was a balding man in a doctor's coat. His intestines spilled out of his front, going between his legs and trailing behind him.

"Doctor Gordon?" said Maylee, recognizing him from the few times she had been with Mom at work.

Doctor Gordon groaned and black blood spilled from his mouth. He reached for Maylee.

Maylee screamed and slammed the bat against his head. Dr. Gordon stumbled to the side and fell. Maylee stepped over and slammed his head again. And again. And again. Dr. Gordon was still. Maylee kept slamming down on his head.

Maylee screamed as she brought the bat down. "I am so fucking sick of these fucking things!"

"Maylee..." said Dalton.

Maylee kept slamming down. The bat rang against the pavement. Dr. Gordon's skull was all but completely gone.

"Maylee.."

"What?" Maylee hissed at Dalton, turning to him and panting. Then she looked around. Corpses were coming out of the hole in the side of the hospital. Toward them.

* * *

Angie and Park crept to the entrance to the emergency room. They both cast quick glances around the edge.

Corpses filled the room, wandering around and groaning at nothing. Angie recognized a few patients and a few aides among them. All dead and all hungry.

Angie and Park pulled back.

"Shit," said Park.

"It's still crammed full of those things," said Angie. "How many bullets you got left?"

Park checked, then looked at her. "Fuck."

"What?" said Angie.

"One."

The lights flickered and went out.

* * *

"Shit," said Maylee, backing away from the corpses pouring out of the hole. "Let's take the main door after all."

She and Dalton turned to head that way. More corpses came from that direction, hissing and moaning.

"Crap!" said Dalton.

"Here," said Maylee, lifting Dalton up on the hood of the nearest car. "This will buy us some time to think." She climbed up after him.

Dalton clambered to the roof of the car and looked around at the corpses. "Think of what?"

Maylee joined him on the roof and looked around. "I don't know."

The parking lot lights flickered and went out.

* * *

Angie and Park crouched in the darkened hallway. The alarm had stopped when the lights went. Angie could hear groaning and could smell smoke. All was dark.

She fished out Freeda's cell phone and flipped it open. The pale blue light from the display lit up Park and the immediate hallway. The display showed her last received call. Brooke's cell phone.

"How long until the back-up generator kicks in?" said Park.

"Not long. Less than a minute. But what the hell do we do when it does?"

Park rubbed his stubble, looked at his rifle, then back at her. "I got an idea."

* * *

All around Maylee and Dalton was dark. The moon was gone. Maylee could hear corpses surrounding the car. She could smell them. They groaned and scraped at the metal of the car.

Dalton clung to Maylee. "What are we going to do?"

She blinked away tears. "I don't know."

* * *

"Are you insane?" said Angie.

Park shook his head in the pale blue light from the cell phone. "Listen, I do two things. Three if you count jacking off. Cars and guns."

"The ambulance isn't a car, Parker," said Angie.

"Close enough," said Park.

The lights came back, dimmer than before. The fire alarm started blaring again.

"And there's the generator," said Park, grinning and standing. "Come on."

Angie stood. The smoke was thick. The corpses groaned from the emergency room. They were running out of time. "We're both going to die, Park. You know that, right?"

"I know no such thing," said Park. "Make some noise!"

Park ducked around the corner and entered the emergency room.

Angie sighed and ran in after him.

Corpses groaned and turned to Park. Angie started screaming and waving her hands.

"Hey!" she yelled. "Fuckers! Over here!"

Some of the corpses groaned and came for her.

"Hurry!" she yelled and the corpses closed in around her. She was cornered.

* * *

Park looked around the emergency room as he entered. Angie started screaming and waving her arms, drawing some of the corpses away.

He looked at the ambulance. He was facing the front of it. He could see the crushed head of the dispatcher under the front wheel. He was looking for something. Which side would it be on?

He took his best guess and ran for the remains of the dispatch desk. Several corpses reached for him but he knocked them aside. He leapt up onto the smashed desk and looked at the ambulance.

Fuck yeah, he thought. Gonna see my girls yet.

He leveled the rifle at the side of the ambulance.

Or more specifically, at the gas tank.

He pulled the trigger.

* * *

The force of the ambulance exploding threw Angie against the wall. The corpses surrounding her were knocked forward, falling into her. The fireball flooded their backs and set the corpses alight. The corpses groaned and scattered.

It looked like the whole world was on fire. Thick smoke choked her as she stumbled forward, looking around. Corpses were still groaning and scattering, all of them more concerned with the fire than with her.

“Park?” she yelled.

The fire grew around her. The fire alarm shrieked. Smoke and the smell of burning flesh surrounded her.

“Park?”

Nothing.

* * *

Maylee and Dalton clutched each other in the darkness. Dalton was crying. Maylee was too, but she was fighting to hide it. The corpses were close now. She could hear them groaning and scratching at the car.

She looked up at the sky. It had gone from black to just a hint of dark blue. The sun was coming up.

Great, she thought. Just in time for us to see the things eat us.

Then the front of the hospital exploded. Flame shot out into the parking lot, dousing most of the corpses. The corpses groaned and scattered. Away from the fire, each other, and the car.

Maylee let go of Dalton and stood. “What the hell?”

“Who cares?” said Dalton. “Let’s go!”

Dalton climbed off the car and ran for the hospital.

Maylee hopped down and followed.