Omega Virus (Book 2): Revisited (16 page)

              He pulls his hand away from her and massages his wrist before he walks off into the building mumbling under his breath.

              “You didn’t have to do that you know,” Brad says rubbing the back of his neck.

              “And you don’t have to take that kind of shit from people like him,” Amanda smiles back.

              “It’s because of him I even have this place so I try not to let those kinds of things bother me,” Brad says, “besides have you seen his arms? It’s like getting smacked by a toothpick.”

              “Still, isn’t it even remotely devastating to your self-esteem?” Amanda tries to coax out of him.

              “Nah. Any frustrations I have with either of them I take out on the Zombies,” Brad says with a twinkle in his eye.

              “This is all very touching,” The Major says pushing his way between the two of them, “but if it’s all the same to you, Fanny is getting a little heavy here in my arms.”

              “Oh, right,” Brad says blushing and holding the door open, waving the Major through, “you can lay her down on the first free cot you find. The rest of you can make yourselves at home. I have to head up to the roof and take care of a few things. But I’ll be down as soon as possible.”

              Amanda grabs his shoulder as he turns away, “would you like some company?”

              “Sure you’re not just going to leave me behind again?” Brad nags jokingly.

              “I’m sorry,” Amanda apologizes, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I guess over the years I just forgot how to joke and get alone with others. How do you do it? How do you remain so free and happy all the time?”

              “Hey sometimes you just have to put that smile on your face and be determined,” Brad replies, “plus it helps to kill emotionless things. Really helps let the hate and aggression out.”

              “Guess I never looked at it that way,” Amanda admits.

              “Most people don’t,” Brad says closing the door and gesturing for Amanda to follow him. “I’ve been at this for a while and I’ve met a lot of people just trying to survive. Many of them were just like your edgy friend. They always focused on the survival aspect of life, but each of them have forgotten that there are other things that help make life seem not as dreary as this.”

              “You do realize that many of those people have lost everyone and everything that made them who they are,” Amanda says stunned after listening to Brad’s words.

              “The only thing that makes people is how they handle adversity,” Brad says before stopping at the side of the building, his eyes looking upward.

              He glances at the ladder just above his head and jumps up grabbing the bottom most rung and sliding the ladder down as he lands on the ground his ankle giving out causing him to fall backwards onto the ground grunting in pain. Amanda stands over him and holds out her hand helping him back to his feet.

              “Are you alright?” Amanda asks as she helps brush him off.

              “Yeah, the ankle is still just a little tender,” Brad groans in pain.

              “Are you sure you can make it up that ladder?” Amanda asks.

              “Yeah, it just might take me a while,” Brad says gripping the ladder and pulling himself up slowly.

              Amanda waits, watching as Brad’s muscles flex each time he pulls himself up to the next rung. She lets out a short exasperated gasp of breath before she clings onto the ladder and follows him to the roof. He waits for his new companion to join him on the rooftop before he slides the ladder back up securing that they would remain alone on the rooftop. Amanda turns and sees a small garden flourishing, the leaves of many of the fruits and vegetables glistening in the moonlight.

              “This is amazing,” Amanda gushes, “did you do all this?”

              “ME?” Brad asks pointing at himself and chuckling, “Nah I don’t have this kind of skill. This was actually Justin’s idea, that guy you met downstairs. He just uses me to check on them and bring down whatever’s ripe.”

              “Why do you listen to him?” Amanda questions, “I mean you could probably rip him in half.”

              “Yeah, but then I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the free time I have up here,” Brad says gesturing to the view.

              Amanda looks around unimpressed until she turns and sees the back lot. Beyond the old stone wall is a small hill, the road leading to the highway on the right, but on the other side there is a small running stream a small sapling growing not far from the shore.

              “Wow,” Amanda murmurs.

              “Yeah,” Brad says, “plus the roof is a great place for target practice.”

              “Wait, what?”

              “Yeah, sometimes when I come up here I scan the area and shoot anything that looks dead. I kind of make a game out of it. Keeps me sharp, ya know? That’s how I saw you guys. I was up here having some fun re-killing stuff.”

              “Well, all I know is I’m thankful you were there to rescue us,” Amanda says giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

              “See things always work out when you stop thinking about it and just act,” Brad smirks.

              “Yeah, something like that,” Amanda laughs. “But we should probably hurry up so I can check on my friends.”

              “Oh, ok, just give me a few minutes to check on the garden,” Brad says rapidly shaking his head and rushing over to the closest sprout.

              They hurry down and Brad gives the same knock he gave last time, the same man opens the door as before. He gives Brad a disapproving look before glancing over at Amanda beside him. The pair walk in; the solid gray door closing tight behind them. The small man gestures for Brad to slide a solid block of wood across the door which he does without argument. Amanda glances across the whole building, the inside has been gutted leaving the inside wide open, only a few manual machines stand lined up across the front. There are a dozen cots placed randomly throughout, providing a fair amount of personal space between them. Against the back wall Amanda can see Fanny laying still, Hope standing over her, her arms crossed with her index finger placed inside her mouth a look of defeat and regret on her face. Mika and The Major are standing on the other side of the gym talking angrily to each other, The Major’s hands are flailing wildly with each word. Justin walks slowly away from the door his right hand brushing through the little hair he has on the sides of his head. He is greeted by a short stout woman. The woman’s face is wrinkled almost to the point of making her look like a mole. Her hair is stringy and gray with a pink bow sticking out of the left side of her head. She is wearing an oversized pink sweatshirt with multiple cuts and rips throughout. She flashes her yellow stained teeth as she gives a rat like smile to Amanda.

              “Who’s that?” Amanda asks whispering to Brad.

              “That’s Cynthia,” Brad responds. “She’s Justin’s mother and really irritable. Just try to avoid her if you can.”

              “Has anyone seen my glasses,” Cynthia asks in a shrill voice.

              “Ugh,” Justin groans gripping his fists tightly before he puts on a fake smile and turns toward his mother.

He reaches into the pocket of her sweatshirt and pulls her thin, wire glasses out and lays them on her face before rolling his eyes and walking away angrily. Amanda shakes her head disgusted. Brad walks off to the corner, unlocking a set of black steel doors with the words “Authorized Personal Only” hand written in a dull red paint each of the letters dripping sloppily. Curiosity peaks her interest causing her to try to take a peek inside only to have Hope notice her and gesture for Amanda to come and join her. Her interest in the closet returns when she hears the doors close shut. She lets out an upset grunt before shuffling over to Hope, her feet dragging underneath her.

“Hey,” Hope says with a weary smile.

“Hey,” Amanda replies, “how’s Fanny doing?”

“Good,” Hope says nodding her head unintentionally, “I think she’ll be awake soon. I saw her eye lids flutter a little while ago so, yeah, I think she’ll be up and ready soon.”

“That’s good,” Amanda says her eyes more focused on the door then her friends.

“Amanda?” Hope calls out trying to regain her focus, “AMANDA?!” she calls again this time louder and more forceful finally snapping her out of her delusion. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, sorry I just got lost in my own world,” Amanda says with a nervous chuckle.

“Yeah I get that,” Hope says stroking Fanny’s hand, “part of that’s our fault. If we never came here, if we never came into your bunker…”

“…Then something else would have forced us out of that god forsaken bunker,” Amanda says cutting her off. “We lived in a fantasy world thinking that we’d be safe down there forever. The truth is I think the bunker was doing more harm and damage to us than those Zombies ever could.”

“I know what you mean. I grew up on an island, secluded from the rest of the world,” Hope sighs, “from the day I was born all I could ever remember was everyone on the island praised me, calling me some sort of messiah. I never asked for that, I never asked to be treated like the survival of the human race rested on my shoulders.” Her face is red, her cheeks almost glowing.

“I’m sorry,” Amanda says, her voice in almost a whisper. She stands still beside her, unsure of what to do next.

“Don’t be,” Hope says blowing away the anger, her cheeks finally returning to her normal color. “That’s actually the reason I volunteered to come out here. I wanted to figure out who I am and where I belong.”

“What have you figured out so far?”

“Honestly?” Hope asks, “Nothing. All I know for sure is I want to live. But the new question I have to ask myself is what am I living for?”

Fanny groans in her sleep, her eyes are forced closed with a look of pain on her face. She cries out again in a high pitched whine that drops Hope to her knees gripping her friend’s hand trying her best to comfort her until she stops writhing in pain.

“This,” Amanda says resting her hand on her shoulder, “this is what you have to live for. For friends and others who depend on you. That’s why any of us live.”

“Yeah. I guess I just never really thought of it like that,” Hope says with a smile.

Fanny wriggles again groaning repeatedly until her eyes open wide, gasping as she jolts upward into a seating position.

“Where am I?” Fanny asks in a panic, her head turning from side to side her eyes wide as she searches for something, “that thing, that monster.” Her hands shake violently as she struggles to catch her breath.

“Fanny, Fanny relax,” Hope says holding her close her free hand stroking the back of her hair, “there is nothing to worry about anymore. Brad took care of that thing out there.”

“Where are we?” Fanny asks pushing herself away, revealing her red puffy eyes.

“This is the safe house Brad was telling us about,” Amanda says, “turns out it is just a boarded up gym.”

“Are we safe?” Fanny asks.

“Yeah, it seems like it’s pretty well protected,” Amanda nods.

“Is there anything we can get for you?” Hope asks sitting beside her.

“Water, please,” Fanny says, clearing her throat. “I feel like I haven’t had anything to drink in years.”

“HEY GUYS,” Hope yells grabbing the attention of the rest of the gym, “FANNY’S AWAKE AND SHE NEEDS WATER. Please, we need water!”

Chapter 13

              Fanny chugs the whole bottle of water, gasping and panting as sips run down the side of her mouth. She pulls the bottle away and wipes her mouth off with her hand. She looks around, a slight feeling of claustrophobia as she notices everyone around her.

              “What?” she asks after a moment of silent stares.

              “How are you feeling?” Mika ask wiping off some dry blood that was resting just below her hairline.

              “I’m fine,” She replies swatting his hand away and getting to her feet, wobbling a bit as she does.

              “Are you sure your fine?” Hope asks, “You can barely stand up without almost falling over.”

              “I’ve survived worse,” Fanny whimpers wiping extra blood away.

              “Please you have to relax,” Hope begs, “and we have to take care of those cuts and bruises.”