Government Z (Book 1): The Beginning (4 page)

Bev and Christ’s group arrived at the hospital around two in the afternoon.  Ok so here is the plan Christi said.  We will break into groups of three and search for everything we can get and bring it back to the truck.  Since Mrs. Babcock can’t move to well that group will stay with her and protect the truck.  Alright grab all the bandages, medicines, surgery tools, syringes, braces, and cast equipment Christi said.  Take caution and keep an eye out for any survivors find what you can and we’ll meet back here after you clear your area, then we can head for the camp we have set up Bev added.  If you find any dead shoot them in the head or there is the change they will rise up as a zombie Bev said. What do you mean zombies Mrs. Babcock gasped?  We have seen what can happen to the dead and if your bitten you will become one as well Christi said.  We have witnessed someone die at the diseased hands and come back to life infected Bev explained. George you take Sean and Stephanie, start in the ER.  Jason you take Chris and Janelle and go start in the East Wing. Blake here’s a colt anaconda, take your brothers and start in the West Wing.  Bev you take Chad and Kathy and start in the doctor’s office area.  Steve, here take this rifle and stay with Janet and Mrs. Babcock.  Mike you take this Colt Anaconda and go with Jennifer and Jon start in the Main Lobby, and then check the gift shop and waiting room.  I will take Ben and Brianna, Christi said.  We will go check out the operating and x-ray rooms. 

George and Blake took their groups to the ER entrance and slowly entered the hospital.  Everyone else headed for the Main entrance to begin the search.  Upon entering the hospital the groups saw blood spread everywhere. On the walls, desks, chairs, and spread across the floor like someone getting dragged away.  Everyone proceed with extreme caution and do not be trigger happy we don’t want anyone getting hurt Bev said.  The main entrance was clear so Mike took his family to investigate the waiting room first which was also empty.  The others headed for the double doors that lead to the hospitals procedure rooms.   Let’s check out the gift shop then wait for the other to return so we can protect the exit Mike said.  The gift shop had minimal food so they packed all of it into bags and waited by the front door for the others to return.

As they entered through the double doors Christi took her group to the ultra sound room first.  Everyone else made their way to their designated areas.  There wasn’t much electrical equipment in the ultrasound room so Christi said let’s head to the x-ray room I’m sure we will have the same luck there.  They started searching the x-ray room next.  Grab that gurney we can use it to hold the supplies we find.  They found crutches, braces, and a wheel chair they put on the gurney and started for the operating room when they heard a sneeze.  Christi drew the 9mm and slowly entered the x-ray office.  She checked under the desk but didn’t see anything.  The only place left to check was a small closet in the corner.  Christi pointed the gun at the closet while Ben and Brianna each grabbed a handle.  Ok on three open the doors. One, two, three! Christi yelled.  The doors swung open to reveal two women holding each other crying in fear.  Please don’t shoot one of them screamed.  Are you ok Ben asked?  Yes we hid in here when we heard all the screaming throughout the hospital.  What are your names Christi asked?    My name is Jessica I am a nurse in the ER and this is Samantha she is my intern in training.  Well ladies I am Christi and this is Ben and Brianna, we are here to help come with us.  Have either of you been bitten Brianna asked?  No we haven’t what’s going on Jessica asked?  We will explain after we leave here first we got to check the operating rooms for more supplies first then we will head for our truck outside Christi said.  The group of five now made their way to the operating room.  Once they reached the doors to the operating rooms Christi glanced through the windows and saw someone on the operating table.  They opened the door slowly. Christi had the 9mm drawn and aimed at the center table.  When they got closer they found a zombie eating the insides of a patient that was left on the table during surgery.  Christi took aim with the 9mm and shouted smile you son of a bitch.  The zombie turned toward them and as soon as it did it was met with a 9mm shot threw the left eye.  Christi walked up the table and pulled the eye lids of the victim left on the table and saw the eyes were turning white, so she took one step back and unloaded another round into the dead patients head.  Grab all the surgeon tools, syringes, and vials of medicine you can find Christi said.  They cleared out the entire operating room which had most of the tools and medicines located there.  They started pushing the gurney back to the main entrance where they saw Mike and his family watching the front entrance waiting for everyone.

Jason and George’s teams entered the ER to see the same horror that everyone else saw in the main entrance.  They decided they would search there areas together since the ER was very open and would be done quicker.  They found a small medicine room behind the nurse’s station which they broke into and cleaned out.  They found a few bodies, two nurses, three patients, and one EMT.  Jason and George went through and shot all of them in the head per the orders of Bev.  Janelle went over and searched the EMT’s pockets.  I found the keys to the ambulance outside Janelle said.  Maybe we can load everything in the back and the people in Bev and Christi’s truck Janelle suggested.  Great idea why don’t Janelle and I make sure the ambulance is clear and I’ll have her drive it around by the truck and then I’ll rejoin you before we move on to the east wing George said.  Janelle carried all the supplies they found in the ER out to load them in the ambulance.  The ambulance was clear so Janelle loaded the supplies found and drove around next to the truck and talked with Steve and Janet about what they saw and what was happening so far.  George rejoined the group and they made their way the east wing.  The east wing was not much success for anything, so the group exited to the main entrance since the vehicles were parked in front of the hospital.  When they entered the main entrance they were greeted by the two groups waiting there. 

Once exiting the main lobby and heading into the heart of the hospital Blake and his brothers headed for the west wing.  There are eight rooms and sixteen beds to investigate.  Let’s start at the far end and work our way back to the main hallways Bart suggested.  They slowly walked past the closed doors and started on the left side first.  The first three rooms were clear and really had no supplies worth taking.  When they entered the fourth room Brent entered first, as Blake was followed him in all of a sudden the door slammed into Blake’s face breaking his nose.  A small Chinese man in a white lab coat jumped on Brent’s back and tried to stab him with a scalpel.  Blake had dropped the gun which Bart picked up and kicked the door open again.  Bart ran over and hit the Chinese man in the back of the head with the butt of the gun.  The small man fell to the floor hard moaning in pain.  Are you two alright Bart asked?  Brent gasping for air said I’m ok. Is he dead Brent asked?  Not sure Bart answered.  How are you Blake, Brent asked?  That asshole broke my fucking nose, how the hell do you think I am Blake said sarcastically.  Brent grabbed the scalpel off the floor.  Bart and Brent sat the small man up asking why he attacked them and who he was.  He said I’m sorry I thought you were those things.  My name is Dr. Chen Wong; I am the head physician for the hospital’s west wing.  I am sorry about your nose if you will I can reset it for you Dr. Wong said.  Blake said it’s understandable go ahead and set it.  Dr Chen put his two thumbs on each side of Blake’s nose and with a hard jerk Blake’s nose popped back into place. Bart told the doctor we have a truck out front and a group of survivors that were rescued by their leaders Christi and Bev.  Would you join us Brent asked?  Dr Wong gladly accepted the offer.  We need to search the rest of the rooms for any supplies and then get back to the main lobby.  They searched the last four rooms and found three brand new hospital beds still wrapped in plastic.  Let’s get two of these out to the main lobby and loaded into the truck then come back for the third.  They wheeled the two beds out to the lobby to find most of the other groups waiting there.  There is one more bed in the west wing in the first room on the right if someone can grab it we will load these.  George and Jason ran to get the third bed.  Everyone head out and load the truck up and then come back for the third bed Christi said.  I’ll keep Jason and George with me and wait for Bev, Christi added. 

Once they entered the main hallway outside the lobby Bev and her team made their way to search the offices.  When they made it to the offices they saw there were five total.  They headed for the three joint offices first.  They entered the south office first. It was unoccupied so they took the joint door that connected to the middle office.  They slowly opened the door. It was a typical office with a desk, computer, and medical books.  They searched the desk and only found a set of keys.   Bev went to open the next door to the north office but it was locked.  Try the keys you just found Chad said.  Bev tried one of the four keys on the key ring.  It unlocked the door, as they entered they realized they were in a records room.  There is nothing but file cabinets and medical records in here Kathy said with disappointment.  Let’s hope the others have had better luck then us so far Chad said.  They headed to the first big office on the north side.  The sign on the door said “Dr. Chen Wong Head of the West Wing and Dr. Li Wong Head of the East Wing”.  They entered the office and started searching around.  They found a medical bag full of normal doctor tools that would be needed perform a physical.  They rummaged through the rest of the office but came up empty handed.  They took the medical bag and headed for the other large office.  The sign on this door said “Director of Nursing Anne Harris and Dr. Jacob Holiday Head of ER”.  They turned the handle but the door was locked.  Bev tried the keys they had found but none of them worked.  Chad took a few steps back and charged the door throwing his shoulder into it.  The door broke off the hinges and there were screams coming from the room. Bev and Kathy ran in after Chad to find two women cowering in the corner.  Don’t hurt us they screamed.  We are not here to hurt you we are here to save you Kathy told them.  Who are you Bev asked?  I am Anne Harris and this is Dr. Li Wong.  We have a truck outside get ready to leave he have shelter and food.  Chad and Kathy helped the ladies up and headed back to the main lobby.  As they were leaving Bev noticed some documents on one of the desk that caught her attention.  She grabbed the files and stuffed them in the medical bag and followed to the lobby.  Christi, Jason, and George were waiting for them and headed out to the truck.  Load your supplies into the ambulance Janelle found Jason said.  Everyone got loaded into the truck except for Jason and George who rode in the ambulance with Janelle.  Follow us to camp Bev told Janelle.  They headed for camp shortly after three in the afternoon.

Meanwhile while Christi and Bev were searching the hospital, Rus and I were busy at the first hardware store.  Let’s check the docks and see if we have a truck to load.  We headed for the docks and found another fifty three foot trailer.  This one’s empty Rus said.  There are two forklifts so we can start loading the heavy supplies for the walls we talked about.    Rus headed to the outdoor section and started getting pallets full of cinder blocks and loaded them onto the truck.  I went and grabbed three pallets of cement mix and loaded them as well.  Once the truck was loaded with all the pallets we could find we started grabbing the tools we thought we needed.  Mallets, shovels, cement mixers, and trowels.  I think we should head to the other two hardware stores and take all the cinder blocks they have too I suggested.  I agree Rus said.   We hit up the other two stores and cleared the supplies we needed there. Rus jumped in the newly acquired semi and I drove the other truck. We headed for the camp right at four in the afternoon.  Rus got on the CB and contacted the camp.  Bruce, Abby, come in Rus called.  Were here Abby called back.  Have the others returned I asked.  Yes they have been here for an hour. We have eaten and are ready work Bruce said.  We also explained what we know about what’s going on Abby added.  Ok, we are leaving now and will be there in half an hour Rus said. Over and out Abby said. 

Chapter 5

Bryan and Rus arrived back at camp shortly after four thirty. They parked the trucks, were introduced to all the survivors, and grabbed a bite to eat.  It was now five o’clock and Rus gathered everyone together and explained the plan we had come up with.  Since we have made this our outpost we need to build a protective wall to secure us from the infected Rus stated.  Mike since you are in construction I will have you lead this project Rus said.  That semi there is loaded with cinder blocks, cement, and tools needed to get this project started all the guys let’s get the truck unloaded and start at the tree line.  Bryan is going to unlock the house and he will take all the women to set up a command center in the house and pole barn.  Mike started the guys digging a three foot wide four feet deep ravine all the way down the tree line which took almost three days.  Rus take Jason and George and continue along the field on the back of the house just beyond the heavy weeds Mike said.  We will start on the wall and get as much done as we can tonight.  Mike and his crew started near the road building the wall, they had to start a little section of the wall going along the front so it would be able to be started later.  Mike had the trench dug so deep and wide cause the wall need to be secure in the ground so it wouldn’t collapse it was also built six cinder blocks wide for stability and ultimate protection.  

Bryan went with all the ladies though the garage and unlocked the house.  Let me show you around real fast Bryan said.  Laundry is on the left bathroom on the right.  A couple of steps forward I took and this is the family room up a couple of steps and here is the kitchen and through there is the living room.  Up the stairs are two small bedrooms, a bathroom, and the master bedroom. We need to clear everything out of the house and load it into the trailer we brought from the hardware stores.  Then we can start unloading the trucks and organize each room.  Christi, Janelle and I will go get started on clearing out the pole barn.  The ladies did an incredible job clearing out the house.  They had the house completely emptied in about five hours except for the big appliances since we would get generators to keep them running the next trip to town.  It was easier since nothing had to be packed up and could just be thrown and loaded into the trailer.   Now that the house is emptied let’s start unloading the other trailer and get everything organized Bev said.  They started unloading the truck and the first section of the truck was full of non perishable food.  Load all the cabinets and pantry with the food and keep it organized Mrs. Babcock said.  Jennifer and Janet grabbed some tools and shelving units, then they headed for the bedrooms to set up the shelving.  The ladies built some storage shelves in the living room and started storing all the flashlights, radios, walkie talkies, and batteries.  The shelves are ready Janet called down.  All the cookware can go to the kitchen use the bottom cabinets and counters if you run out of room Mrs. Babcock said.  All the medical supplies, athletic tap, and braces go to the pole barn.  Bev said I’ll start unloading the auto supplies and garage tools into the garage and that will be a repair shop.  Brianna and Jessica will you put an equal amount of the healthcare supplies in the three bathrooms and once they are packed put everything else in the laundry room.  Bev told the other ladies not to worry about the tools, weapons’, fishing gear, or grills. We have other plans for those items.  Out in the pole barn Christi, Janelle, and I cleaned out everything in the pole barn just as fast as the ladies did in the house.  I found my dad’s ladders and scaffold I took out to Mike and said here you go Mike this should help with the construction of the wall.  Janelle backed the ambulance into the pole barn.  Christi figured we would keep the ambulance in the pole barn and turn it into a clinic for the sick or injured.  We loaded the three hospital beds under the loft my dad had built in the back of the pole barn and saw we could make mini rooms for each bed if we tore out the loft.  My dad had also built a steel work bench that was at least sixteen feet in length.  Christi said let’s use that work bench for all the medicines and braces we found.  We can use all the tool boxes to separate all the supplies like the med carts I used at my work.  I went to the house and asked Dr. Li and Anne to help the girls organize the medicines since they would know more about that then I would.  The ladies finished unloading and organizing what was being put away and reorganized the trailer with what wasn’t being unloaded yet.  Bryan went over to see if he could help with the wall and get a list of supplies that we would have to go get to finish everything that was planned for the outpost.  I went out and to my surprise the entire west wall base was almost complete and just had to harden over night.  That is awesome work for four days I said.  Did we run out of cinder block I asked?  Mike said not yet we are running out of daylight we can continue at first light.  Thanks again for finding the scaffold otherwise it will be extremely hard to make the fifteen foot height you want.   Let’s set up the tents around the house and we need four volunteers to stand guard tonight and scout at the four corners of the property I said.  Blake, Brent, and Bart said they would stand guard tonight and Christi said she would too. 

Rus and I woke up first around five forty five just before the sun came up over the horizon.  We made coffee and took it out to the four who stood watch.  After that we started making breakfast for everyone.  Now that there were a lot more of us we started to notice the food supply was slowly depleting.  Everyone was up by six thirty, ate breakfast then after breakfast we sent the scouts to bed and put Jason and George on patrol while everyone went to work.  Mike took everyone and started working on the wall again.  The base that was finished the night before was almost completely set and extremely solid.  Rus, Bruce, Bev and I got into the semi and made our way forty miles south to hit up more hardware supply stores to complete the wall and other project we had in mind.  The supplies we had at the compound were enough to complete the wall on the west and north side as well as start the turn onto the east side of the property.  Mike had all the women work on digging the trench while all the men started building the wall upward on the southwest end of the property.  With everyone working together the wall building moved quickly.  Rus, Bruce, Bev, and I arrived at the hardware stores around nine in the morning.  We were in a much larger city then we had dealt with yet, so the danger was much higher than normal.  We passed several hordes of zombies on our way to the hardware store but since they were several miles from the store there was no point in attracting more attention than needed.  We arrived at the store and hooked up to a trailer in the dock and noticed a second rig hooked up in the next bay.  The keys are still in it Rus said.  Let’s get inside and load these trailers to the max then Bev and I will drive them back to camp Rus said.  We entered the front doors and broke into two teams.  Bruce and I will get the wood and supplies to build the other shacks we talked about and Rus you take Bev and get the supplies to finish the wall and build foundations. 

Bruce and I headed over to the lumber yard within the store and the storage areas.  Bruce, jump on that forklift and start with all this plywood and bundles of two by fours I said.  I’ll take this pallet and pallet jack and go grab building supplies and wrap the whole pallet so it will be easier to load.  I headed to the hardware section first with a large container.  I loaded it with hammers and screw drivers.  I noticed several large air compressor and industrial size generator that would power the store we were in.  I loaded the air compressors on the pallet with the tools and put them in the lumber aisle so Bruce could load it.  I also pulled the generator over to the aisle.  I grabbed a fresh pallet and headed back to the floor.  I loaded all the nails and screws they had in stock and then I headed over to the power tools and grabbed drills, drill bits, nail guns, saws, screw guns with extra battery packs and all the boxes of nails for each gun.  Once I wrapped that pallet I went and pulled all the shingle pallets available to the lumber aisle after five pallets I was finally on the last one when I looked up as I pulled the pallet and thought I saw someone walking at the other end of the store.  I got to the lumber aisle and waited for Bruce, when he got back I told him it was my last load.  Good I’ll have to stack this pallet on top of the last wood load I put in we are packed Bruce said.  I followed him to the trailer and locked it shut after he loaded the pallet in.  Suddenly we heard several gunshots coming from the other end of the store where Rus and Bev had headed.

Rus and Bev headed to get all the cinder blocks and bags of cement the store had to offer.  Rus grabbed a forklift and started loading every pallet of cinder blocks he could find.  Bev went and looked for storage and shelving units for the supplies back at camp.  After Rus loaded all the cinder block pallets and cement mix pallet he could find he went and searched for Bev.  They loaded up a flat bed full of storage units and shelving to help store and sort all the items back at camp.  They loaded all the storage items into the truck when Rus had a great idea.  Let’s go grab all the freezers they have and a few refrigerators so we can empty the refrigerator truck and expand the kitchen for our growing community Rus said.  They loaded up the refrigerators and freezers into the truck. Maybe we should go and get cabinets and counters and complete the kitchen after the wall is built Bev suggested.  Rus and Bev made their way over to the kitchen department.  To their shock while were searching cabinets they were approached by twenty zombies completely surrounding the area they were in.  They pulled out their guns and started shooting at the zombies before they got close enough.  Rus emptied his shotgun taking out four of the zombies and then reached for the two glocks strapped to his hips.  Bev shot all six rounds of the .44 magnum only hitting two of the zombies.  Rus handed Bev one of the glocks and they continued shooting. They only managed to kill two more zombies before they were out of bullets.  Rus pulled Bev behind him and drew his machetes from his back and prepared to hack and slash till the end if this was it he was going down swinging.  Suddenly they heard more gun fire and saw Bruce unloading his AK-47.  Killing five more zombies and Bryan was swinging his battle axes.  Bryan swung both battle axes down into the neck of a zombie with the blades forming a V right at the collarbone decapitating the first zombie he came across.  Rus started stabbing away at another zombie that was close to him leaving Bev unprotected.  A zombie was headed right for Bev when I turned my battle axe around and threw it end over end burying the spear point into the temple of the zombie before it reached Bev.  Rus then over hand swung his machete splitting the next zombies head right down the middle to the chin.  Bev pulled the axe out of the zombies head and got another zombie that was approaching her.  Bruce yelled out as a zombie grabbed him from behind.  Rus who had his back to Bruce grabbed the knife attached to left bicep, threw it without looking and it flew past my face traveling like a dart and went right through the zombies left eye.  The zombie dropped to the floor dead. Then Rus grabbed the .357 magnum he forgot about attached to his ankle and loaded two shots into the last zombies head.  Let’s finish up and get the hell out of here Rus said.  We finished grabbing and loading cabinets and counter tops into the truck and jumped into the rigs, Rus got into one, Bev and Bruce into the other, and I took our original transport. Before we left Rus loaded up the zombies we killed into the back of the trailer.  We headed back to camp ignoring any zombies on the road since we were out of bullets for now. 

We returned back to camp around four and to our surprise saw the entire wall trench along the north dug and ready to go, plus the west wall was half completed at its fifteen foot height.  Mike and the guys got right to work when we pulled in the driveway.  They unloaded and stacked the supplies where they needed them so they could continue in the morning.  As Mike and the crew started stacking supplies by the wall; Rus, Bruce, and I started on the lumber truck.  We need to build a door that will allow us to still have access to the road.  Since the wall was fifteen feet tall we need a solid door that can be easily opened and closed Rus said.  I think we will need two doors and have a way for it to open into the compound like in the medieval days Rus added.  Maybe there are wooden rails for the old train station we pasted on our way home Bruce suggested.  Well let’s empty the lumber and head out there now and see what they have maybe we won’t have to cut anything and just support them together Rus added.  It took us three hours to fully unload and keep the lumber organized.  Bruce, Rus, and I jumped back in the rig after reloading our weapons and packing additional ammo as well and headed off to the train yard.  The train yard was only a fifteen minute drive up the main road.  There was a dinging sound when we pulled off the dirt road onto the main street.  What was that? I asked.  The gas light Rus said.  We can break into that gas station across from the train station and activate the pumps and fill the semi back up Bruce said.  We got to the gas station just as the rig stalled out.  Empty, let’s get this filled up and get over to the train yard Rus said.  Bruce and I broke the window out of the gas station and unlocked the doors.  As we entered the smell of dead bodies gave the gas station a terrible odor.  I’d rather get sprayed in the face by a skunk then have to smell this all day Bruce said.  I’ll activate the pumps and we can get back outside I said.  Hurry up you two we have company Rus shouted.  We looked outside to see three zombies headed for the gas station.  Bruce head outside first and as I was about to exit I heard a rumbling from the garage area.  I figured Bruce and Rus had the front covered so I went to investigate the noise I heard.  I entered the small two car garage and after making half way across the garage between the tools and cars I saw six zombies headed toward me.  I heard three shots from outside and knew that the outside was clear again.  I slowly started backing up and headed for the way I came in but was greeted by two more zombies blocking my way.  Shit I thought to myself only one way to go.  I ran for the front pitcher window and jumped threw it.  Rus and Bruce turned to the noise of the shattering glass and saw me rolling on the ground.  They ran over and asked what I was doing?  I said more company then we thought.  I got up and we all opened fire on the broken out window where all the zombies were trying to escape from now.  After we took out all the zombies we filled the semi back up with gas and headed for the train yard.  We arrived and parked the truck in one of the abandoned docks at one of the warehouse.  We got out and entered the warehouse.  Hey look guys finally a little luck for once.  We had docked at the wooden ties warehouse.  There were pallets and pallets tied and ready for shipping.  We loaded the truck with six pallets and headed back for camp.  We need to wait till the wall settles before we try hinging the doors to the wall Mike said.  So we decided to take the rest of the night off and relax for once.  Rus and I went to the trailer and unloaded the zombies into the pole barn.  The ladies started to prepare supper while Rus and I dissected the zombie bodies for another trip to town to feed the kids.  Let’s see how two lookouts work tonight Rus suggested.   Bruce and I will take the watch tonight Abby said.  Everyone ate supper and turned in.  In the morning we will see if we can finish the west and north walls by sundown tomorrow with everyone working on it Mike said.