A Zombie Survival Series (Book 1): Infestation Iowa (11 page)

“So who was he?” she continued.

“What?” David asked perplexed.

“You said you think you knew the guy. So who was he?” Destiny took a sip out of her can of soda making a sour face.

“I don’t know.” He stared intently at the I.D. card. “But he looks familiar…like I have seen him before a long time ago.” He rubbed his finger across the card wiping off a smudge he saw on it. ”It’s like seeing a childhood friend years later but still recognizing him. You know what I mean?”

“No.” Destiny said shaking her head and taking one more drink of soda. “B.T.W. This shit rocks when it’s warm.”

“Oh you’re one of those?” David replied smirking at her.

“One of what?’ She asked looking at him inquisitively “A warm pop drinker?” she shook her head confused.

“No someone who says B.T.W. instead of By The Way.” David smiled widely as Destiny shrugged.

“True.” She took another gulp of her drink and continued as she shook the empty can, “Still, rocks when it’s warm.”

“To each their own I guess.” David said with a disgusted face and set his nearly full can of soda onto the ground.

“More for me!” Destiny said, happily chucking her empty can across the field and swiping David’s full one from the ground with her hand. She took a drink from the can as she spun around and started walking toward the house.

Once again, David found himself intoxicated by her. Even after everything that had happened, she still found a way to be happy. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad thing but he loved that about her.

Since The Beast had attacked and then left, everyone had taken time and fortified the place as best they could. The front door was still missing and a huge hole still sat there but the rest of the house was boarded up extremely well. They never found the hatchet David mentioned but the massive table helped with the hole in the wall in the Kitchen. The bathroom window was boarded up by some shelves from his father’s study. Everyone was a little hopeful; they had seen only one or two slow zombies since The Beast had left. Rescue was on its way and everything seemed to be getting better.

David watched Destiny as she went inside and was amazed by how much he had in common with a big city person like her. Earlier, in what David considered another moment with a spark, she mentioned being from New York. She explained about her ex and how she left it all behind ‘Just in time for the end of the world’ she had said. David’s thoughts were once again interrupted by a sound (as usual), but this time it wasn’t a bad sound.

Helicopter blades chopped in the wind as a massive brown helicopter flew close over the field near David. He went to yell at the others but they were already outside by the time he opened his mouth.

“Woo! Fuck ya!” Eric yelled loudly as he dropped Destiny’s gun and threw his arm up in the air. Destiny bent over and picked up her gun. She smiled happy to have both guns back. She holstered it in her skirt along with the other one. The helicopter grew closer and closer bringing more and more hope as it neared them. Finally, it was right in front of the tree David stood at. It lowered closer to the ground and was about to land when something seemed wrong all of a sudden. The helicopter turned sharply and lifted back into the air away from the group. A stinging chirping sound erupted from all around them. Hundreds of winged creatures rushed out of the tree David leaned against and bolted toward the Helicopter. His once lush tree was nearly see-through as the final horror launched toward the helicopter.

The winged creatures where very small and it was nearly impossible to see what they truly looked like. A ball of black fur with wings on either side of them was all the group could see.

“Those things were in the tree the whole time?” Destiny said. She ran over to David, dropping her can of soda and using her good arm she wrapped around his arm. “We have to get inside!” She yelled in complete disbelief. “We will just never come out; we will just stay inside forever!” She yelled with a sob. The helicopter didn’t make it very far; the swarm of monsters smashed into it. Within seconds the helicopter erupted in flames and plummeted to the ground.

“I’m done …” Eric said softly walking inside the house and into the living room. Holiday followed him as Destiny dragged David across the yard. David continued staring at the helicopter with his mouth open. After everything that had happened so far, he couldn’t believe there was more they had to deal with. The winged creatures flew around the fire of the helicopter two times after it crashed still making the incredible chirping sound. They looked like a massive swarm of insects to David. Then they suddenly rushed toward him. He turned and instead of being dragged was now pushing Destiny into the house. The winged creatures closed in as the group rushed into the house and turned the corner into the living room. The stinging chirping noise grew louder and louder. Every time the group had a small victory they were hit down by a massive defeat.

David slumped into one of his chairs and destiny sat in front of him on the ground. He looked toward Holiday with sadness on his face. Holiday sat on the couch and looked at David. He could tell what David’s face was asking. He had known him his entire life. He shook his head ‘no’ and leaned back on the couch. He had told David what he already knew; they weren’t going to make it. Destiny squeezed David’s hands tightly. He lowered his head and closed his eyes hoping the last feeling he felt was her smooth hands around his. The chirping became a steady beeping inside David’s head as his heart pounded harder and harder knowing the end was coming.

Then the chirping stopped abruptly. David’s eyes opened quickly; he believed for a moment he was dead. Once again, they had made it. He pulled his hands free from Destiny who cried immensely on the ground in front of the chair. Her cries slowed and she grew silent as she realized they were O.K. Holiday leaned forward confused and looked around at all of them. Holiday noticed Eric was no longer in the room but said nothing. David walked to the hole in front of his house, and looked outside. The winged creatures were gone. He stood very still searching the sky for any sign they were still there. Then he noticed it. His tree was no longer see-through. The winged creatures had returned to the tree.

“Why aren’t they attacking us?” He said loudly.

“Shhhh!” Destiny hushed him still in front of the chair.

“No I am sick of not knowing what the hell is going on!” He yelled. “We were right under them talking and yelling, we even banged around in the house all day!” He looked at the tree waiting for anything to happen. “They did nothing earlier and now they are back in the tree doing nothing.” He pointed at the tree looking back into the living room at Holiday and Destiny. “Where is Eric?” He asked walking back into the room.

“I was going to ask the same thing.” Holiday said standing up. Destiny rose to her feet,

“Basement door is open,” she said. “Must have gone down there to hide.” The three of them walked to the basement door hollering for Eric. Nobody responded.

“Probably in shock.” Holiday said as he started walking down the stairs. David and Destiny followed closely behind him.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Holiday stopped. Destiny leaned around to see in front of him and saw Eric lying on the ground dead. She let out a slight scream and turned away planting her face into David’s chest. Tears rolled down her cheek.

When she first arrived in Lone Tree, Eric was very nice to her. The first man who had ever been nice to her before now. David rubbed her back and held the back of her head against his chest. Eric had thrust a hatchet into his own head.

“Can’t blame him.” Holiday said as he crouched down grabbing the hatchet. He pulled it out of Eric’s head with a few hard yanks. The hatchet made some loud squishing and splatting sounds as he pulled it out. Destiny pushed out of David’s arms, ran up the stairs and into the bathroom puking into the toilet.

“Didn’t want to come back,” Holiday continued.

“He wasn’t bit.” David said

“Probably thought it didn’t matter. Gotta be in the head.” Holiday replied as he stood up wiping the brain bits and skull fragments off the hatchet with the leg of his pants. “Gotta be sure.” He continued as he stood up and brushed by David heading up the stairs. David sighed loudly and went to follow him. Just then he heard static.

“Hello?” A woman’s voice along with the static filled the basement. It came from Eric’s body. David walked to Eric and carefully listened. “Fourteen are you there?” the voice said again.

The woman who David talked to earlier in the park was speaking from the two-way radio in Eric’s back pocket.

“You kept it just in case?” David said quietly to Eric’s corpse with a smile. He carefully picked the radio out of Eric’s back pocket and held it to his mouth. He pressed the button, “Hello.” He said quietly

“David? Is that you?” she asked. The static died down and her voice became clear.

“Ya, it’s me.” He said again softly.

“We have a helicopter coming! I figured I would try this radio again. Just in ca-“

“It didn’t make it.” David interrupted.

“What was that?”

“The helicopter … it crashed in front of my house.”

“I see.” She said. David could tell she was thinking about what to say next.

“Some sort of birds are hiding in my tree. They don’t seem to care about us but …” He paused as he started getting choked up. He took a deep breath and continued. “They crashed the helicopter.”

“Did anyone make it?” She asked with a hopeful voice.

“No … it was pretty bad.” David put the back of his hand that held the radio, against his lips as he stared at Eric’s body. His eyes filled with tears as he sniffled.

“O.K. David, it’s time we talk about what’s going on.” As she spoke, David chuckled slightly and wiped his eyes with his other hand.

“Ya,” he licked his lips and chuckled again for a moment, “I know what’s going on.” He said angrily. “I have watched everyone I know die! My friend from grade school is lying in front of me dead by his own hand!” He screamed into the radio. As he screamed the words, he also spit out of his mouth and on to the radio. He sniffled once more. “We have killed zombie after zombie and all of them look like my friends.”

He hopped a little to steady himself as he crouched there. “Because they were. Before a few days ago.” He stared at the radio in anger waiting for a response. Then he spoke again as the woman started to say something. “We have fought off some big red ugly beast three times now, crossed the city by going from shops to parks to houses. We lost Doc, and Vivian, and Jane.” He continued to ramble but the radio beeped loudly interrupting him. The radio was silent for a few seconds. “He-Hello?” David said worried.

“I’m still here David,” the voice said as he sighed loudly. “I know a lot has happened and I know how bad it has been. Trust me I do.” David shook his head in agreement sarcastically. “But we have to talk about what we are going to do next and about what you are dealing with out there!” She said in a stern tone.

“What do you mean what I am dealing with out here?” He said being very snappy.

“The different kinds of infection are all classed. We have seen the different mutations and we have helpful information for you.” David swallowed loudly and took another deep breath.

“Sorry … uh … doctor?” David said into the radio slowly.

“I’m Ellen.” She said easing his tension.

“O.K. Ellen what should I know?” he sat down on the floor beside Eric’s body and listened intently. Ellen told David about the classifications. Stage one was the slow zombies, easy to handle alone but in groups they are almost impossible. Stage two was the fast zombies, after a slow zombie eats, it usually mutates into this faster and stronger version. Stage three was The Beast, with virtually no memory and pure instinct, it hunts off of sound alone but it only remembers the last few seconds at any one time. Stage four, were the flying horrors, they only attack large electrical energy sources and that is all they feed on. They can hide almost anywhere and are only noticeable when they start chirping. As she continued to explain the stages, David interrupted her. “So the birds – I mean flying horrors, they won’t go after us?” He asked into the radio

“Unless you are a car, helicopter or something else that uses a lot of electricity you should be fine. Finally Stage five is the most-“

“So all we have to do is get rid of the flying horrors by my house and you can send another helicopter right?” David interrupted her again, his eyes wide with hope once again.

“Yes but –“

“I will be back on this radio once they are dealt with.” David dropped the radio on the ground and bolted up the stairs. He moved so fast, Ellen didn’t have any time to tell him more.

“David wait! I need to tell you about Stage five it’s the most important one …. David?” She said over the radio to a now empty room

Chapter 10 – It Sings No More

David flew out of the basement and ran around the corner into the kitchen. “Destiny!” He yelled. She walked out of the bathroom wiping her mouth. “Destiny!” David yelled again.

“Ya?’ She replied walking across the living room. She leaned around the corner watching David in the kitchen. “What do ya need?” she asked as David searched the ground. David opened what remained of his Kitchen cabinets. He flipped over some wood looking on the ground and started moving around the room with intense speed searching for something. He squished through some puddles and headed toward the boarded up hole leading outside that the Beast had entered through earlier. He pulled on the table and pried it away from the hole. He threw it to the side and walked through the massive hole, his eyes still searching the ground. Destiny spoke again. “David?” She followed him through the hole, “What are you looking for?” David raised his eyes from the ground for only a moment and looked at Destiny.