The Birth Of Decay
Read The Birth Of Decay Online
Authors: John E Kelley Jr
By
John E Kelley Jr
The Birth Of Decay
Copyright 2013 John E Kelley Jr
All rights reserved, including the rights to reproduce this work, in whole or in part, in any form. This is the work of fiction. All characters, events, locations, organizations and products depicted herein are either a product of the author’s imagination, or used fictitiously.
My friend Ricky.
e
A
scientist by the name of Gerald Day had created a computer chip that could cleanse your body and manipulate your health by boosting your metabolism and white blood cell count. The government had decided to release this technology to the public, it would become an overnight success, and after only one month; they had implanted over 30,000,000 units. The procedure was called ‘Health Purge’ and was now being recommended by both hospitals and doctors. The chips were also connected to satellite; the hospitals would know if you were having a heart attack, stroke or had any other illness. After a few months of the Health Purge‘s release, a group of hackers connected into its satellite system and uploaded a virus. During the time of this upgrade there were over 875,000,000 units installed around the world. The unit’s were soon be dubbed System Decay.
I
parked my car in front of Ricky’s house and waited. He ran out with his backpack and jumped in the car. I smiled and looked at him. “Are you ready to buy the best game ever?” I asked. Ricky laughed and we took off to the game store. After a few minutes driving around the crowded parking lot, I managed to find a spot near the store. We jumped out, started skipping like a fool, and Ricky punched my arm. “What the hell man.” He laughed. I rubbed my arm and ran in the store. I heard the heavy metal music blasting throughout the store and crowds of people were grabbing different games and reading the backs of the cases. I pushed passed and took the new shooting game from the shelf. “Here it is Dick!” Ricky shook his head and punched me in the arm again. “It’s Rick, not Dick.” He proclaimed.
I laughed and turned around for the checkout counter. I heard a sudden loud hum through the speakers on the ceilings and covered my ears. The buzzing sound grew more intense and Ricky and I looked around the room. Everyone suddenly dropped onto the ground and lay lifeless. The buzzing sound stopped playing through the speakers and I uncovered my ears. “What the hell is going on?” I yelled.
I heard a loud crash outside and sudden bright flashes of light. “Shit!” Ricky yelled. We walked up to the store window and looked out; we noticed several cars flying off the highway and crashing into parked cars. Many people lay lifeless in the parking lot; a few people ran around in confusion.
Ricky and I ran out of the store and heard several people scream loudly as they ran in different directions. We jumped in my car. “What is going on?” I yelled in fear. I fumbled with the keys for a moment and started the car. I pulled out and headed for my house. I drove around the wrecked cars and avoided the few people that ran in the street. My car started to vibrate and we heard a loud piercing sound above us; I threw the car in park and jumped out. Ricky and I looked up in horror and noticed a massive airplane flying low above the town. It was getting lower and lower to the ground, when it suddenly hit a few houses and exploded on impact. “Holy shit!” I yelled in a panic.
We jumped back in the car and continued too avoid crashed cars. We finally made it to my house and parked in my garage. I closed the door and ran into the house. “What the hell was that shit?” I yelled.
…
Bang
…
Crash
…
Bang…
My body jerked from the sudden loud sounds coming from outside and I noticed Ricky peeking out of my front door. “What is it?” I asked loudly. He did not answer; he just turned his head and motioned for me to join. I left the kitchen and noticed he had the curtain pulled back for me to see. I walked up closer and peered out of the opening, I could not believe what I was seeing. There was a multi-car pile up just outside my house and it appeared to be four or five cars. An older woman came crawling out of one of the car windows and dropped onto the ground. “We got to help them!” Ricky said bravely. I kept my eyes on the wreck, reached down, and grabbed the doorknob. The woman suddenly ran too a man lying on his back in the middle of the street and started kicking him in the head. The man yelled violently, grabbed the woman’s leg, and caused her to fall onto her back. He stood up, ran up to her side, and started stomping his boot onto her head. I started to gag as I watched her skull crack open and brains filled the surrounding concrete.
I noticed a heavy man run over to the person stomping on the woman’s now disfigured head and violently smash a baseball bat onto his head. The bat smashed into the man’s head and blood and skull pieces flew in every direction. He fell to the ground with a heavy thud and his leg was still doing the stomping motion as his arms frayed about. The man suddenly looked over at my house and noticed he was being watched. He raised the bat into the air and ran up to the door. I reached down and locked the door handle and quickly reached up and turned the deadbolt. I backed up and Ricky started to do the same as the man suddenly started hitting the door violently with the bat. “What the hell is going on man?” Ricky yelled. I looked at Ricky and grabbed his shoulder; trying to break his panic. “We have to get out of here. We can take my car.” He said as I shook his shoulder. Ricky jerked his head away and ran out of the room and into the kitchen. “Wait! I am going to get my backpack.” I yelled.
I could hear the man continue to beat the door with the bat as I ran up the stairs and into my room. I opened my closet and grabbed my backpack. I ran back down the stairs and into the kitchen, I noticed Ricky was looking out of the window and had a knife in his hand. I tossed my backpack on the ground and Ricky turned around. “Start putting food items in there, stuff that won’t go bad.” He held the knife tightly in his hand, ran up to the cabinets, and started to grab random food items. I had watched movies like this and the first thing I remembered was grab supplies.
I opened the door into the garage and cautiously walked around. I grabbed my small toolbox off the workbench and reached into my pocket, I felt my keys and pulled them out. I walked to the back hatch of my small sports car and pulled it open; I tossed in the toolbox and quickly looked around the garage. We needed a better weapon than Ricky’s knife, but I was panicking and everything in the garage seemed blurry. Ricky walked into the garage, walked to the back of my car, and tossed in my backpack. I continued to look around and took in a deep breath. Ricky walked over to me and grabbed my shoulder. “Let’s go man.” He demanded. He walked away and locked the door. I swallowed hard and felt my heart-beating heavy against my chest. “We need a few weapons; those people were killing like it was nothing!” I said with emotion. Ricky looked around and joined me on my search.
After a few moments, he called out from the other side of the car. “I found a metal baseball bat.” He said as I continued to look around. I took a few more steps and then it hit me, I knew what to grab. I ran over to a large wooden box and opened it. I smiled brightly as knelt down and looked at my knife collection. “Ricky! Come over here and grab a few of these.” Ricky ran over and stood next to me. His eyes widen and he looked passed me. “Damn that’s a lot of blades.” He said excitedly. I reached down and picked up a machete sheathed in a waist belt and quickly put it on. I was glad I was a dork and loved to collect blades from those magazines and websites, it is paying off now. I found a large hunting knife and handed it to Ricky; he quickly placed the blade underneath his belt. I moved a few of the items around and found my babies; two black katana swords. I quickly grabbed them and there holsters and tossed them into the back of my car. Ricky grabbed a Swiss army knife, jumped into the passenger seat, and closed the door.
Someone suddenly attacked my kitchen door and trying to get through. I jumped in my car and shut the door. I turned on the ignition and peered back at the large garage door. Ricky reached up, grabbed the garage door remote from my visor, and looked at me. “Are you ready?” He asked. I took in a breath and kept my eyes on the large metal door. I have no idea what was going on, so being ready was a trick question. “Open it!” I yelled with adrenaline pumping through my veins.
The door to my kitchen suddenly broke open and the man with the baseball bat was standing on the other side. Ricky pushed the garage door opener and the large motor started to hum as the door slowly lifted. I waited for the right moment and hit the reverse, we went flying out onto the street, and I quickly hit the breaks. I turned around to face the windshield when a few blood-covered people started limping to my car. “Go!” Ricky yelled. I put the car into drive, drove passed the freaks and ended up a few blocks away from my house, and I stopped at a stop sign. I noticed a few cars on fire and random people crawling out from them. My eyes widen as one of the woman who was crawling on the street suddenly crawled onto another woman’s back and started biting at the back of her neck. The woman screamed as chunks of her neck tore away from the muscle and bone. I hit the gas, drove away from town, and ended up on County Road J. I hit cruise control and started crying.
W
e had been driving for more than an hour when Ricky suddenly broke the silence. “Maybe the radio will let us know what is going on.” He said, trying to keep his voice calm and steady. I nodded and he switched on the radio. He flipped through a couple of stations and they were all static, so he quickly changed it over to AM. He stopped and heard a man’s voice and rested his hands on his baseball bat. I listened carefully to the voice as my speakers vibrated with each word he spoke.
…Yes, it is linked to the Health Purge. A few members of Congress addressed a warning to all citizens to stay home and lock their doors until further notice. Reports have been coming in from all around the world of a similar problem. Congress says they have a team of scientists that are looking to resolve the issue….More news to come.
I reached over and turned down the volume. Ricky punched the dashboard and looked at me. “Damn John, my parents have that damn chip in there heads and I was going to get one soon! What the hell are we supposed to do now?” He cried angrily. I held the steering wheel tightly in my hands and glanced over at my now crying friend. “We will be alright. Remember we are
the headshot masters
.” I said with confidence. Ricky wiped his eyes and looked down at the bat on his lap. “I thought video games were fun, but I didn’t realize when your in one…it sucks.” He said.
I noticed a gas station quickly approaching on the left and I slowed the car down. I pulled up to the pump and looked around. I heard the voice on the radio start talking again and I turned the radio back up.
…and that is why you want to stay in doors. It is reported that hundreds, maybe even thousands of people are attacking violently and without any visible remorse. They appear to be mindless and their only goal is to kill anyone standing in their way. The US Military has captured a few of these killers and are evaluating them now….more news to come.
Ricky and I looked out the window and stared at the small country gas station. I noticed an old black truck parked next to the building and knew someone was inside, I just hope they were not one of those mindless killers. I looked at Ricky. “You pump the gas and I will stand guard.” He said with a sudden wave of bravery. Ricky nodded and we both got out of the car. I reached down, popped the hatch, and walked to the back of the car. I took out the katana swords and put the holsters around my waist and back forming an x. Each of the swords handles were on both side of my shoulders and easy to access. I closed the hatch and Ricky started to fill the gas tank.
I walked around the car, stopped just in front of the shop, and stared at the large blind covered windows. “As soon as this car is full, let’s get the hell out of here!” Ricky yelled from the gas tank. I turned back and shushed him with a gesture. He looked at the gas station for a moment and then back to me, he shook his head no. I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to face the store. I took in a deep breath and slowly walked up to the screen door and peered in through the mesh, all I could see was a few shelves and a cash register. I reached out and slowly pulled the screen door open. “What are you doing?” Ricky whispered loudly. I ignored him and stepped into the shop.
I quickly ran behind the counter and looked below the cash register; there is what I was looking for. A shiny chrome gun caught my eye and I picked it up and held it tightly in my hand. I grabbed the box of bullets that were sitting next to it and placed them into one of the side pockets on my black cargo pants. I walked over to one of the shelves, grabbed one of the first aid kits for sell, and ran out of the shop. Ricky was walking towards the shop and he put his hands up. “What the hell was that?” He asked. Before I could say anything, I heard the screen door behind me swing open. I turned around and nearly stumbled onto the ground and noticed an old bald person standing in the doorway. He starred at us and did not move an inch. Ricky and I back up slowly and the man still did not move. He ran his hand through his hair and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket as he narrowed his eyes at us. “I see you took my gun.” He said. I noticed he took out a lighter and lit the cigarette hanging from the side of his lip. “Then you must be aware of what’s going on.” He said in a gravely voice.
I looked at Ricky and motioned for him to get in the car. I pointed the gun at the man and slowly walked to the driver side. The old man coughed and I noticed he now had a smile on his face. “Good luck!” He said. I kept the gun pointed as he disappeared back into the shop and slam the heavy wooden door. I opened my car door and jumped it. “You got a gun?” Ricky said. I turned on the car, adjusted the swords on my back, and shifted my body around until comfortable. “We will need it.” I said. I knew he was still upset about his parents, so I made the gun seem like no big deal. We got back on the rode and headed for whatever town was to come.
I reached over and turned the volume up on the radio and all that I could hear was static. I turned it off, put the car in cruse, and reached into my side pocket to pull out the gun. “Sweet!” Ricky said with some excitement. I put the gun back into my pocket and leaned back in the seat. I noticed a car stopped in the distance and I slowed down to a stop. Ricky leaned foreword and looked at the car. “I can’t tell if anyone is in there.” He said. I narrowed my eyes and fought against the brightness of the late evening sun. “I can’t tell either.”
I pushed the car horn a few times and waited. After a few seconds a woman got out of the car and walked towards us, I noticed she walked as if she was drunk and was coughing up blood. “Oh shit!” I yelled. I quickly put the car into reverse, backed up a few feet, put it back into drive, and drove around the car and woman. I looked up in the rear-view mirror and watched her fade in the distance for a few seconds; I then looked back at the road and kept driving.
It was now fully dark and I switched on the headlights; making everything a lot creepier. I started to think about the situation. If I had known all of this was to come; I would have collected machine guns and grenades. I was glad that I did not get that damn chip put in my head, my parents wanted me to but I kept refusing.
Ricky turned up the radio and broke my current thought.
…I repeat; this is an emergency! You are to seek shelter and wait for your local authority to try to resolve the current situation. There are an estimated 2000 deaths today and the Government is still trying to search for a solution…
I reached over and turned the volume back down. “We need to sleep soon. I will pull over at the first opportunity.” I said.
I noticed an old motel a few miles down the road and pulled into a parking spot. I looked around and seen only one car parked next to the office. I picked up the gun and looked at Ricky. “Are you ready?” I asked. He nodded in agreement and we got out of the car. I kept it running and my door open; just in case we needed to get the hell out of here. I walked up to the door and peered in through the blinds; an old woman was standing behind the counter and her head was down. Ricky looked in and shook his head. “Is she normal?” He asked.
I held the gun tightly and jerked open the door; I pointed the gun at the woman. “Are you one of those people with a chip in their head?” I yelled. I noticed she continued to just stand there and stare at the wall blankly. We moved a few inches closer and I noticed she suddenly locked her eyes on my own. She screamed violently and started to crawl over the counter and reach out for us. “Back off lady… I don’t want to shoot you!” I yelled out of fear.
Ricky ran out of the door and I soon followed. I ran over to the car and the woman suddenly busted through the door and ran towards us. I looked down and noticed she had a large metal pipe in her hand and I pointed the gun at her chest. The woman started screaming loudly as she got just a few feet away from me and I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger. The gun jerked violently in my hand and I took a few steps back. I opened my eyes and noticed the woman was face first on the ground and not moving. Ricky came around from the other side of the car and stood next to me. “You had no choice…did you?” He asked in a shaky voice.
I lowered my arm and stared blankly at the old woman. She started to move her arms and I heard a high-pitched beeping sound. Ricky shook his head and I could tell he was starting to panic. “I forgot man; those damn chips can restart your heart!” He said fearfully. The woman suddenly moaned loudly and started to stand up. She couched up blood, looked over to her pipe, and leaned down to grab it. I raised my gun and pointed it at her head. “Don’t do it!” I yelled. The woman picked up the pipe and lunged at Ricky; swinging the pipe at his head. I pulled the trigger and the top of her head exploded as she dropped the pipe onto the gravel. She laid there for a moment with her hands to her side and Ricky and I backed away. I started to feel surreal and felt an unnatural calmness. Everything seemed like a bad movie.
I looked at Ricky and put my arms back down. “We should search this place.” I said calmly. Ricky nodded and I reached into the car and took out the keys. I shut the car door and we cautiously headed back for the office.
I grabbed the door handle and heard the woman moan loudly from behind us. Ricky and I quickly turned around and noticed the woman was limping at us. I looked at Ricky in a sudden panic. “Why didn’t she die? I shot her in the head!” I cried. Ricky looked at the ground and I could tell he was thinking about the situation. He suddenly looked at me and pointed to his nose. “The Doctor told me that the chip is placed in the brain, just behind the nose.” He said quickly.
I held my gun out, looked back at the now closer woman, and aimed at her nose. She coughed up blood and started hissing at me; her eyes were dilated and shifting around in in her head. I pulled the trigger, the bullet suddenly ripped her nose apart, and blood covered her face. She flew back and landed on the gravel. I was shaking and my adrenaline was pumping through my body. I put the gun into my pocket, pulled one of my swords out from my back, and walked over to the old woman. I stood at her side and raised the blade into the air. “Die already!” I yelled. I brought the blade down and it cut through her neck; her head detached from her body and I quickly stepped back. I dropped the sword onto the ground and looked at Ricky. He walked over to me and picked up the sword. “Come on.” He said.
I followed him into the office and walked behind the desk as he headed to the back of the room. I grabbed the receiver off the phone and looked over at Ricky. “Be careful man, stay close…just in case.” I said with concern; I did not want anything to happen to my friend. I looked down at the numbered buttons on the phone and started thinking about my parents; they had the chips in their heads. I didn’t want this to be confirmed and I slammed the phone down. I started looking in the drawers and shelves below the cash register.
Ricky suddenly came out of the back room. “Check it out dude!” He said with excitement. I peered over the counter and noticed he was holding a 12-gauge shotgun in his hand. “Now that is a gun!” I said. He held out my sword. “Here you go man, I wiped it off.” He said with a smile. I took the sword and placed it back behind my shoulder. “Thanks Dick.” I laughed. He shook his head. “I’m not a Dick.”
I noticed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and put them in my pocket. I walked out from behind the counter and took a closer look at the shotgun. “Did you find any bullets?” I asked. He went back into the room and came back out a moment later with two boxes of shells in his hand. “This is all I could find.” He said. I reached out, took a pair of keys off the wall, and noticed the number seven written on it. “I guess we are in room seven.”
I pointed my handgun out the door and we walked back outside; Ricky had his shotgun pointed and ready to fire. We walked around the dead woman and went to my car. I opened the back hatch and we started grabbing what we needed and locked everything up. We found room seven and went into our first rest stop on this journey. It was not anything special but I couldn’t be picky at a time like this. I locked the door and we put the dresser and chair in front of it; we were extra paranoid.
After we each took turns taking a shower I sat on one of the twin beds and lit a cigarette. I looked over at Ricky lying on the other twin bed. “You want a cig man?” I asked. He reached out, took one from the pack, and grabbed a book of matches that were sitting on the small coffee table. I put my gun next to me and noticed Ricky had his shotgun next to him. I started thinking about the woman outside and kept replaying myself shooting her in the face. I could not hold it back anymore and started to cry. I figured Ricky would make fun of me but he did not; he started crying too. It had dawned on us both; life would never be the same.