Read Online LZR-1143: Infection by Bryan James - Free Book Online
Authors: Bryan James
Tags: Zombies
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panel, streaks evidencing that the occupant had been pulled from the window. Several creatures bent over a shapeless mass on the pavement not far from the car, heads moving up to watch as we moved past, moaning but not moving from their meal. One of them, an older woman with graying hair and a turtleneck sweater, continued to watch us as we drove away, blood and other matter hanging from her open mouth, moan a gruesome accompaniment to a hideous sight.
When I look back on what happened next, I realize that our mistake was not fully comprehending the nature of people in crisis, without civility’s check on human behavior: both our own selfish nature, and the base desire of others. I think we all suspect that others are really animals at heart, harboring those most primal of instincts that are only curbed by the mantle of society, mostly because we know what we find when we look inside ourselves.
Ten long minutes after our detour for the young woman, we were met by a police car rolling toward us with lights revolving slowly atop the cab. Having not met, or for that matter seen, any authorities but for the occasional passing helicopter, we elected to slow the car to ask for instructions and information. I was a little wary, but couldn’t exactly speak up and reveal my unrest. Instead, I slid slowly down in my seat, mentally willing myself to be invisible.
For the moment, we could see none of the undead. We had made our way into a deserted access road serving several big box stores, including a Target and a linens store. However, the buildings obscured much of our visibility, and the path to the rear of us had born witness to several packs, less than a quarter mile behind, so we didn’t have much time. Our car came to a rolling stop at the crossroads of two roads. Ahead was an avenue leading forward, but the streetlights had yet to flicker on, and the path was obscured by the night and the imagined hordes of creatures that prowled the darkness. Trees slowly moved in the wind behind each of the stores, shifting the glare of the full moon with each breeze.
The police cruiser slowed to a stop, windows remaining up, lights revolving slowly, casting a bright red and blue beacon which was a boisterously out of place glow on the pavement and the hood of our car.
Kate rolled down her window, gesturing to the cop to do the same; No-Name leaned forward to peer to his left, apparently interested in the bright lights and the new arrival. Fred had his face pressed against the glass of his window, eagerly waiting to see what came of this encounter.
The driver’s window on the cruiser inched down slowly, revealing the crew cut, squared-off jaw of a state trooper, and black eyes staring hard at everyone in the car. Not a happy face, I thought.
“Where you headed, miss?” he asked, baritone voice staying even and slow, shifting his glare from No-Name, then to Fred, carefully observing the standard issue hospital scrubs on both. Despite my best efforts and total concentration on the task at hand, my cloak of invisibility failed me, and his last glance went to me, noting the janitorial garb. His eyes trailed off my clothing, past my face-that was key-and to the blood covering the back seat where Erica had expired.
“Where should we go?” Kate asked, her voice crackling with the competing emotions of tension and relief.
“We had heard the expressway was safe, thought we’d make for the maritime academy. Maybe some sort of shelter there? We were left behind at the hospital, and already lost one of our number to those things back on campus.”
He chuckled, eyes hard and unblinking. The smile didn’t touch his eyes. “Expressway’s no good,” he allowed, as his radio crackled. He slowly reached to his shoulder and depressed a key, silencing the intrusion.
He glanced back to the back seat, again passing his gaze over my face. The vestige of his smile slowly melted from his face.
Like a snake rising silently to strike from
When I look back on what happened next, I realize that our mistake was not fully comprehending the nature of people in crisis, without civility’s check on human behavior: both our own selfish nature, and the base desire of others. I think we all suspect that others are really animals at heart, harboring those most primal of instincts that are only curbed by the mantle of society, mostly because we know what we find when we look inside ourselves.
Ten long minutes after our detour for the young woman, we were met by a police car rolling toward us with lights revolving slowly atop the cab. Having not met, or for that matter seen, any authorities but for the occasional passing helicopter, we elected to slow the car to ask for instructions and information. I was a little wary, but couldn’t exactly speak up and reveal my unrest. Instead, I slid slowly down in my seat, mentally willing myself to be invisible.
For the moment, we could see none of the undead. We had made our way into a deserted access road serving several big box stores, including a Target and a linens store. However, the buildings obscured much of our visibility, and the path to the rear of us had born witness to several packs, less than a quarter mile behind, so we didn’t have much time. Our car came to a rolling stop at the crossroads of two roads. Ahead was an avenue leading forward, but the streetlights had yet to flicker on, and the path was obscured by the night and the imagined hordes of creatures that prowled the darkness. Trees slowly moved in the wind behind each of the stores, shifting the glare of the full moon with each breeze.
The police cruiser slowed to a stop, windows remaining up, lights revolving slowly, casting a bright red and blue beacon which was a boisterously out of place glow on the pavement and the hood of our car.
Kate rolled down her window, gesturing to the cop to do the same; No-Name leaned forward to peer to his left, apparently interested in the bright lights and the new arrival. Fred had his face pressed against the glass of his window, eagerly waiting to see what came of this encounter.
The driver’s window on the cruiser inched down slowly, revealing the crew cut, squared-off jaw of a state trooper, and black eyes staring hard at everyone in the car. Not a happy face, I thought.
“Where you headed, miss?” he asked, baritone voice staying even and slow, shifting his glare from No-Name, then to Fred, carefully observing the standard issue hospital scrubs on both. Despite my best efforts and total concentration on the task at hand, my cloak of invisibility failed me, and his last glance went to me, noting the janitorial garb. His eyes trailed off my clothing, past my face-that was key-and to the blood covering the back seat where Erica had expired.
“Where should we go?” Kate asked, her voice crackling with the competing emotions of tension and relief.
“We had heard the expressway was safe, thought we’d make for the maritime academy. Maybe some sort of shelter there? We were left behind at the hospital, and already lost one of our number to those things back on campus.”
He chuckled, eyes hard and unblinking. The smile didn’t touch his eyes. “Expressway’s no good,” he allowed, as his radio crackled. He slowly reached to his shoulder and depressed a key, silencing the intrusion.
He glanced back to the back seat, again passing his gaze over my face. The vestige of his smile slowly melted from his face.
Like a snake rising silently to strike from
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