Zombie Exodus: Aftermath - Chapter 4

Continued from chapter 3 

The group sails for several hours along the stream in quiet comfort. A stiff breeze keeps you moving at a constant pace. With the sewing kit, Jesse creates a fishing line with tackle and somehow catches a small bass. She keeps it dragging through the water, so it stays fresh until you can reach the shore to cook it. The small amount of food you have goes quickly, but you make considerable progress on your trip to the farming community. Even Portland's ankle looks better since she's been able to rest it for the afternoon.

"Do you all think we should stop and set up camp?" Cameron asks. "Right over there is a house. It looks abandoned. We can stay there overnight."

Jesse sits up in the boat and looks at him with an annoyed frown. "Why do we need to get off this boat? We can sleep here and travel all through the night."

"Because it's going to be incredibly uncomfortable to sleep like this all night. Plus, there's a house right there. It's perfect for us," Cameron says.

Portland stands in the boat and moves towards the front of it for a better view of the stream ahead. "How about we compromise? We travel until it gets dark and then find somewhere to stop. We also have to be careful about sailing in the darkness. What if the waters get rough or we encounter other survivors? We won't be able to see anything."

"I don't know. I just want to get to that community. Violet, what do you think?"

While all three choices make sense, you also get the feeling your three companions want you to choose between their plans. "Let's sail while it's still light out, and then we can find a place to camp. There are so many abandoned places; I'm sure we will find at least one."

Everyone agrees and settles back into the boat. The wind persists for several more hours, keeping you steady along the stream, which widens and flows into a river. On the shores, you can see signs of infected wandering about, sometimes spotting your vessel and following until they run out of land. A group of beavers follows your boat for at least a mile until they veer off. Jesse tries to find a way to lure one into the ship to kill it for meat, but Cameron blocks every attempt. It becomes more of a game than an argument. At least something helps pass the time.

As darkness settles in and the sun appears just over the horizon, the river draws into a vast lake. On one side sits a series of cabins next to a central dock. Wooden pallets make tall walls, and a workbench sits outside one of the cabins. A sheet of cobwebs stretches from one of the pallets to the shore and gives the appearance of a long bridal veil. A broken raft sits atop the dock. No lights shine from the cabins, nor do you see anyone outside.

"This looks like the best place for us to find shelter for the night," you say.

Portland steers towards the dock, and you and Cameron step onto the platform and pull the boat as far as it can go. He finds a length of rope to secure the vessel.

Jesse steps onto shore and finds a piece of twisted wood in the shape of a baseball bat. She swings it through the air several times and then uses it to point at the first cabin. No words need to be spoken; you are all veterans of the Apocalypse. Cameron lifts a softball-sized rock from the ground while Portland, who now shows no signs of an injured ankle, takes a wooden shard off a pallet to use as a spear. Having no weapon of your own, you pick up a slender rod that must have split off a tree that you can use as a bo staff. 

Jesse lifts her fingers and counts down silently from three. When her hand turns to a fist, she yanks open the door. You run beside the opening and look inside to an empty room. It's a one-room shack with nothing more than a pair of bunk beds, a tall shelf that stretches from floor to ceiling, and an old trunk.

"One down, two to go," Portland says, and the four of you move to the next cabin. No zombies again, so you move on to the last. Before you even open the door, you hear the low groan of a zombie inside. It must know you're out there as you listen to it shuffling towards the door, its feet dragging across the wooden planks. Your companions all hear it as well. You have no idea the type of zombie you are facing. If it is one from an earlier strain, it will lack the energy to fight you. Those infected by later strains will prove more challenging.

"Portland, why don't you cause a distraction on the far side of the cabin to draw the zombie over to you? The three of us can then open the door, sneak in, and take it out." You point to the back outside wall.

She nods and picks up a large rock from the ground. "Ready?"

You, Cameron, and Jesse step to the door and prepare to fight. When you flash a thumb's up to Portland, she repeatedly slams the rock onto the back of the cabin. A long howl interrupts from inside the small room, and footsteps pound the ground away from you. The back wall slams and Portland keeps hammering to keep its attention. 

As you reach for the doorknob, Cameron grabs it and swings the door inward. It opens with a high-pitched creek. You see a poorly lit narrow room with bunk beds on the right and a writing table on the left. Across the room stands a figure in the shadows, which claws at the back wall, leaving dark blood stains behind each assault.

"We're trying to sneak in," Jesse says in a whisper, slapping Cameron's arm.

He slips inside. "Let's get this done fast while he's turned away."

"We can barely see him," you say. "He could be a higher variant. Cameron, dude!"

He bursts across the floor on the front of his feet and raises the rock overhead. Jesse curses under her breath and moves in behind him, and you take the rear. As soon as Cameron reaches the infected, he swings his weapon. It slams against the side of the zombie's head, opening a gash. The zombie recoils from the sudden hit and turns towards Cameron with its mouth wide. Long rows of teeth flash in a stream of moonlight through the broken roof. Red saliva dribbles out and smacks the ground with hisses. Dark green lesions freckle his face and inch-long striations of bone push through the skin.

"Run!" Jesse shouts and turns towards the exit. She fails to see you, and the two of you collide, tumbling into the bottom bunk bed. An elbow hits your ribs as you tumble.

The zombie lunges at Cameron, who backpedals into the writing desk and swings his rock. It collides with the side of the zombie's head, but he grabs Cameron by the wrist and pulls him into his waiting mouth. Cameron shoves the rock between the zombie's teeth, driving deep into the jaws. As the zombie bites down, Cameron flinches and yanks his hand away. The zombie shakes its head violently as the rock stays lodged between its teeth, and he chases Cameron towards the open door of the shack.

Jesse pushes herself off of you, raises the twisted piece of wood, and slams it onto the back of the creature's head. Combined with the hit, its forward momentum sends it tumbling forward. You follow them and get out of Jesse's way as she slashes at the zombie's legs. It trips and drops face first to the dirt. Leaping to Jesse's left, you raise your staff and slam the point into the base of the zombie's skull. The shaft pokes through the weaker area of flesh, and the creature goes still. Blood sprays onto your boots which hiss as the leather burns. You grab a ruined shirt from the cabin floor and wipe it off.

Portland runs from the other side of the cabin, her eyes wide in fear. "Is everyone okay?"

Jesse takes a few deep breaths and turns towards Cameron. "What the hell are you doing? We had a plan."

Cameron stares at his hand. His extended index finger shows a cut along the inside with a coat of fresh blood. "Guys, his teeth cut me."

Portland gasps. Jesse tightens her grip on the twisted piece of wood. You stare in horror at the cut. "Dammit. What the hell?"

"I'm sorry. I thought I could kill it fast. What do I do?" Cameron asks, tears running down his face.

Jesse runs behind him and lifts her weapon. "I'm sorry, Cameron."

Portland moves up and raises her hands. "We just can't kill him!"

"It was a variant. Those kinds of zombies spread the infection faster than normal. He's going to change and kill all of us," Jesse says. "We don't have a choice."

"Cut off his hand. It was only a little nick," Portland says, her voice hopeful.

Cameron sits on the ground. "Maybe I'm not infected. Maybe the virus didn't get inside. Just go. Get on that boat and go. I'm not your concern anymore. Maybe I can survive, but if I change, you need to get far away from me."

You stare at Cameron for a moment and realize you must take charge. You're not just going to leave him, and you're not going to let him die to this infection.

"Cameron, lie down. Let's get something we can use to tie around his upper arm and stop the blood flow."

Cameron flashes a look of horror. "What? What are you doing?"

"If we move fast and take off your hand, we can stop the infection from spreading."

"We don't have time for this," Jesse shouts. "We should get on that boat and go. I love Cameron like a brother, but he's going to turn."

You grab Cameron and force him on his back. He resists at first but quickly surrenders and lies flat with his injured arm extended. You can already see the tiny cut turning black.

"We have that sewing kit. Maybe we can tie his arm off with thread?" Portland asks. Her large eyes showing fear as much as Cameron's.

"This is insane. We ain't even got a hatchet. What are we going to do? Saw his hand off with a rock?" Jesse says, pacing around the group in a circle.

You reach for her backpack and find the sewing kit. Using one of the spools of thread, you wrap it around his elbow and keep circling it until the skin turns red. Cameron winces from the pain, and you can see him squeezing a fist over and over as the hand goes numb. You take out some gauze from your first-aid kit and put a thick piece of plastic in his mouth. "This is going to hurt—a lot. Bite down on this and try to stay still. We're going to save you."

Tears are coming from Cameron's eyes in the realization of what's unfolding. He turns his head to the side to stare into the forest. When you glance back at Portland, she is shaking.

"Get over here and kneel on his arm," you say to her, and she immediately moves to where you point. Her petite body balances on one knee, holding Cameron's arm down.

You take out the largest blade from your multi-tool and extend his hand as far as it will go. Long striations of green have slithered up his palm, symptoms of the multiplying virus. Maybe it's already too late. Perhaps he's infected, and you're mutilating him for no reason. Maybe he's changing, and this is just wasting time and energy. You don't know the answers, so you have to take a chance.

Just as you're ready to make the first cut, Jesse storms out of the cabin. She holds a kitchen knife in hand and kneels beside you. She places her hand over Cameron's and hands the blade to you. "Do it. Just tell me if you need help."

You raise the knife just over his wrist and lower it down. It's a bloody affair as you slice through the skin, tendon, and muscle. Between you and Jesse, you saw through it all, never taking a break, never looking away. After the first few cuts, Cameron stops thrashing. Somehow the three of you keep his arm immobile. When you reach bone, you struggle to break through. Cameron finally passes out. Jesse picks up a rock and slams it down on the blade lying across the bone of his wrist. It takes numerous strikes until the hand separates.

As soon as you finish, you wrap the stump in gauze and build a fire in the corner of the clearing. You heat the metal blade of the kitchen knife and cauterize the stump as best you can. Luckily, Cameron remains unconscious through the whole ordeal. When you finish everything, the three of you collapse in the dirt, tired, exhausted, and demoralized.

Continue to chapter 5 

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