[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
“Chronicles of The Eclipses”

“What do we have to fear but fear itself?” –Former president Theodore Roosevelt

**~An Outbreak Source~**

He could hear the distant moaning behind him as the five men clamber up the stairs, fear seizing their souls. He could hear Nick running up the stairs as a zombie decrypted in flesh grabs the fair headed man’s ankle sending him sprawling forward to land on the stairs in front of him.

“Oof.” Nick moans out, struggling to kick away the grip the zombie had on him. A.J. finds a small chipped tile off the base of the stairwell and quickly thrusts it into the zombie’s back, watching it howl and moan as it collapses on the ground. A.J. stands in horror as the oozing dark almost black blood begins spilling from the zombie’s wound, reaching the tips of his white sneakers.

“EGH!” He backs away horrified, hearing the shuffles of the approaching zombies. “We need to get out of here!!!” He shouts out shivering, gulping down the terror that lurked in his spine.

Brian sighs out, “He’s working on it. He’s gotta remember the code.”

“Well remember it now!” Nick groans out, struggling to stand up as Howie offers a hand and lifts the man back on his feet. “Thanks.”

“No problem. So Kevin…you said that room will lead back to the leader’s place right?” Howie dusts his jeans off as Kevin sighs, nodding his head.

“Yeah. This normally wouldn’t be a problem in remembering the code but today is too distracting. I can’t recall it.”

“This is wonderful! Thanks a lot man!” A.J. hisses out, seeing a trail of zombies meters from reaching them on the stairwell.

“What about guns? Kevin do you have any weapons we can defend ourselves with? Maybe we can shoot some zombie brains in turn of saving our lives.” Howie props his weary legs on the railing of the stairs, exhaling.

“Hey Michael’s right. We need weapons if those things are out there to get us.” Brian whispers, gulping as the trail of the slowly hungry undead crawl and walk towards them.

“When we get out of here, I’ll go see about getting all of you something to defend yourself with.” Kevin tries to desperately concentrate on what the four numbers of the code could be. He gazes at the taunting key pad, its white ivory square number buttons glimmer gently in the faint light given off in the hallway. He tried a code, pushing four different numbers but received a computer generated female voice:

“Sorry that is incorrect. Please try again. Push zero before beginning and dial the four digit access code followed by the pound enter symbol.”

A.J. grumbles: obviously shaken up by the entire outbreak of events slowly dwelling in his mind. Gulping, he watches a zombie sneak up behind Brian, ready to take a bite of him as A.J. kicks the zombie’s head, his foot caving in. In complete horror and shock, all watch as A.J. pulls his foot out of the zombie’s head, the entire white sneaker drenched in now a colored crimson red.

Howie turns around in shock and smiles to see A.J. gasping out in disgust.

“You’re really saving our butts A.J. Thanks man.” Brian graciously responds.

A.J. simply nods, “No problem.”

Howie faces Kevin who was beyond aggravated with the coding system. “Can’t remember it, can you?”

Kevin gulps, eying the others keeping guard at the ever slowly marching soldier of zombies. “No…I don’t get it. I’ve been pushing the same code that was placed for that room and nothing. I just don’t get it… Maybe…” He continues playing around with the buttons as the herd of zombies reach the first step, sending the other three men to race up to the top of the stairs.

Howie gulps: watching a shivering Nick and shaking Brian cry out to hurry up. A.J. remained silent, the shock wearing thin on him as he closes his eyes and begins rocking himself for comfort with crossed arms.

“Think they’ll follow us upstairs?” Howie murmurs watching Kevin scratch his head, a mixed expression crossing his face.

Kevin shrugs his shoulders and closes his eyes, recalling the four digit access code to enter the reanimation room as it was called lying behind the lofty iron door. Quickly pressing his fingers on the key pad, he hears the slight buzzing as a green dim light blinks on for entrance, sitting above the door. He sighs out a sigh of relief when the door begins sliding open. The other men charge up the stairs as the zombies seem to keep pace behind them moaning and eager to grab some flesh.

The door begins to slide open as Kevin squeezes through the opening slot of the threshold. He could hear laughing from the others as they all scramble to race towards the door, all entering a rather technological quarter. The door slides shut centimeters away from the approaching zombies as they bash into the door, groaning and yelling something incoherent, pounding on the door to be let in. A rather harsh white fluorescent light lit up the room to reveal vacant metal shelves and cabinets up against the walls of the room. About six medical tables were scattered throughout the room all empty except one that seemed to have a body under a sheet.

Kevin gulps, backing away from the door as the others do the same: all too terrified to say anything at the moment.

“What…what did you say this room was called?” Howie whispers out, the pounding of the zombies on the other side of the door causes him to jolt in surprise.

“Reanimation room.” Kevin slowly speaks out, watching the others speculate the title.

“Can I ask why that name?” Brian steps forward, the echoes of the metal tiles vibrate in the vacant room.

“Normally this is the place where those things are brought in.” Kevin whispers, pointing to the iron door, the sounds of the dead groaning out.

Nick gulps, “Brought in?”

Kevin nods: “Yeah…to try to reprogram them. Cause in case you didn’t know, they’re all useless right now only wanting to satisfy their hunger. But here, one can control those zombies.”

“Wait…you mean it’s possible to take those freaks…those corpses and fully control them?” Brian asks nervously, not liking any of the ideas thrown at him. He only wanted to be with his family, now he feared he may never see them again.

“Dear God…hence the reanimation room huh? This is splendid.” A.J. exhales, leaning on a clothed medical table where a body was hidden beneath.

Kevin nods, “Yeah to a point before instincts take over and they have to be wasted. Either way, it doesn’t matter.”

“So this is the secret then? This is why all of this stuff was kept under wraps…” Howie whispers out, jumping at the sound of the pounding of the zombies behind the iron door.

Kevin smirks: “Yeah…it’s a hell of a ride to be honest with you.”

“I can tell.” Howie whispers out, watching A.J. back into the clothed medical table. “Watch out A.J.”

But A.J. didn’t heed his warning in time as he tumbles over the table, the white starch sheet tangled on his legs as he rolls over the table, landing on his knees. Slowly standing up, he was quickly introduced with the foul stench of decaying flesh. “OHHHH… GOD…” He yells out, backing away from the dead corpse, its head scalped open to see the furnished remained of the grey matter that once was the brain.

The others gasp and quickly cover their noses as Kevin strides over to the table, throwing the thrown sheet over the body. “Guess this body was getting worked on.”

“Why? Why would anyone do this?!” Brian cries out.

“I don’t know.” Kevin whispers, “Figured if something too dangerous came up the best would be to rely on victims that can be controlled. Maybe like the whole brain-washed thing, where you can solely rely on the slave to do what is given.”

“That’s a sick mentality then.” Howie whispers, shivering at the thought of the corpse hidden beneath the sheet.

“Can we get out of here now?” Nick chokes out, shaking from the recent events that plague him.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Kevin begins leading the group down the hallway of the room when a loud moaning echoed from behind them.

Gulping, Nick shivers, turning around: “Oh no…no, no. That can’t be one of them.”

A.J. peers down the hallway behind them, watching the room the way they left it. Nothing was wrong with it until Howie pointed it out.

“Where’s the body on the table?”

Brian wraps his arms around himself, shivering: “Please tell me you’re joking on that. That can’t be possible. We were just in there.”

Howie gazes at Kevin intently, before clearing his throat: “You don’t think it woke up now do you?” He whispers out in fright, digging through his jeans pocket to find nothing to defend himself with.

“There’s only one way to find out.” Kevin quietly states, taking a step back towards the room. Howie in curiosity, follows behind him stepping back into the room. He scans the perimeter of the room noting nothing out of the ordinary until he sees Kevin lower down, a shock look crossing his face.

Howie follows the man’s gaze to see the body that was on the table was now capable of standing and staring menacingly back at him. The naked zombie stares at them with empty eye sockets, its stringy dark hair lied matted down its shoulders as it clearly shown it was once male, the remains of the genitalia showing. Howie shivers, tugging on Kevin’s shirt: “Let’s just go. It won’t hurt us if we move now. We can outrun it.”

Kevin nods, standing up straight as he sees the zombie hiss out and leaps towards them, almost flying in the air towards their direction. Howie looks around and sees a dingy wooden table in the corner of the dimly lit room, racing towards it to break off a piece of the furniture leg. He watches the zombie land on Kevin, straddling him as its green and grey fleshy hands grip his throat. Kevin struggles to move, kicking helplessly as the zombie strength seemed almost supernatural, too strong for even him to move. Moving in a flash, Howie grips the wooden leg and jabs it through the zombie’s back, penetrating through it slowly ripping: leaking flesh and bodily fluids flood out as Kevin cries out in utter disgust, sliding out of the creature’s way. Kevin takes Howie’s hand, standing up as the corpse collapses dead on the ground, no longer moving in vain.

Kevin eyes Howie, whispering out “a thanks” before slowly heading back to join the others.

“Your welcome.” He responds back, hoping he could break the wall that Kevin had built since his arrival in the gang.

Kevin walks back down the hallway, evacuating the room immediately with Howie closely following behind.

Brian smiles at Howie: “Thanks for helping him out.”

“Hey that’s ok. No problem.” Howie smiles nervously as A.J. snorts: rolling his eyes.

“Trying to take my glory away I see Howie. Go ahead, in fact you have the next zombie as well. Maybe that time you won’t be so lucky and will me need to help you out.” A.J. scoffs out, leaning against the wall as Howie simply brushes off the rude comment.

Nick narrows his eyes, “A.J. leave him alone. He was just helping out. Why you so pissed off with the guy anyway?”

“I don’t want to talk about it here Nick. I’ll tell you later man.” A.J. disgustingly scans Howie as he begins to walk down the hallway to explore along with Brian and Kevin.

Nick frowns: “I’m sure he didn’t mean that dude.” He gazes over to Howie who just nods.

“Thanks. It’s ok. Guess he has a thing out for me?”

“Probably. Who cares though right, watch him needing your help and he’ll change his attitude.” Nick smirks, following the group along with the others.

Howie sighs, running a hand threw his hair, shaking his head, knowing it has been a rough day for him and highly doubt it could get anymore worse than it is now.
~*~

The SUV parks at the corner as the evening sun begins to settle down: a cold breeze filters down the street of the exchange place as the guard gazes at the women. “You’re both to enter that ramshackle hut at the corner. People start arriving in about a half and hour so you gotta get your stuff together. Remember you are being watched at all times and if anything goes wrong, you’re left here alone to deal with it.”

“Why thanks. I feel encouraged now.” Coral responds out nastily, getting a giggle out of Arianna.

The guard shrugs his shoulders, leaning across Coral to open the passenger side door: “Get out, both of you. I’ll come back in about an hour from now. Time now is six thirty two, be out here at seven thirty two no later and we can head back. If you deal well with this task, the boss will reward you heavily with a payment.”

“Payment as in money?” Arianna leans forward from the back seat.

“Depends on what the boss is feeling.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Coral growls out.

“What it’s intended for. Now get out or I’ll push you out.” The guard grumbles out, pushing the passenger seat door open and before Coral could see what he was doing, she was shoved out of her seat as she trips and lands on her knees out of the vehicle.

Arianna growls, ready to swing at him when he pulls out a revolver and cocks it at her head. “Touch me and I’ll kill you right now. I’m not afraid of women and I won’t hesitate to hit one if she pisses me off.”

“Wow, a real ladies man I see.” Arianna spits out, sliding out of the back side door to see Coral cursing and flipping the guard off. The moment she steps out of the vehicle the SUV speeds off, leaving them alone.

“Can you believe that bastard?! He pushed me off the seat like trash!” Coral begins ranting as Arianna gently calms the woman down.

“Shhh…” Arianna whispers out, cocking her Beretta with a smile: “He’ll pay for that later.”

“Good.” Coral smirks as they head their way towards the poorly constructed hut located in the corner of the sidewalk.

“So people come here for the drugs…” Coral whispers out, reaching the open threshold of the arc doorway.

“Looks like it. I have some of the stuff on me. You?” Arianna whispers out.

“Yeah, in my pockets, safe and sound.”

“K.” Arianna smiles, gazing around the small tranquil room, it was only one small area covered in antique wood of all kinds, from the walls, ceiling and even to the floor they’re on. A counter spreads out in the back of them while small round tables aligned both sides of the hut, leaving the center free and capable for people to move about.

Sighing, Coral realized they were the only two people in there and it was beginning to bother her. “You would think someone owns this place right? Why isn’t anyone here besides us?”

Arianna shrugs her shoulders, holding the gun in her left hand as she scans the rest of the room. “Maybe they set it up this way. I mean this is still a test for us. Maybe the owner of the place is out for the time being and the gang uses this at their advantage.”

“Maybe…but still. Nothing is adding up with this place.”

“Oh hush you. Must you assume something bad will come from this? I say with this successful task on our hands, we’ll be like honey to the bees there and you know the queen always has the say, hehe.” Arianna grins, getting a laugh out of Coral.

“Loving that idea.” Coral smiles: gazing around the small area. Suddenly she stands up startled at a strange sound erupting from the inner room. “Did…did you hear that?”

Arianna nods, standing still to hear more closely: “What is making that noise?”

A haunting heavy groaning vibrates the room as a walking corpse appears out of the windows, climbing in towards them. Arianna gasps, firing at the corpse as it drops dead to the ground before her.

Coral turns around towards the entrance in time to see a pair of zombies each decaying and hideous in their way as they moan and reach out towards them. Gulping the urge to regurgitate at the moment from the foul stench, she nervously steps back, pulling out her revolver and shooting a zombie straight in the head. The zombie drops to the ground dead as the other one approaches them.

Arianna shoots this one in between the eyes, watching the bullet slam into the grey flesh sending pieces of flesh and blood to splatter before them. The zombie crashes to the ground as the room echoes loudly, the windows of the hut breaking open as more zombies begin to file in. The entrance of the hut was suddenly filled with a crowd of decaying dead.

“We’re surrounded!” Coral squeaks out, shaking in fright as Arianna gulps.

“This was a set up! That bastard Vincent! He wanted us to die! Sent us here thinking it’s a drug exchange only to kill us off!” Arianna growls out: firing at the oncoming zombies.

The two women continue shooting off the zombies until Arianna gulps, eyeing her partner. “We’re in trouble now.”

“Huh?” Coral whispers, firing her last round of bullets into a few zombies inches away from her.

“We’re out of bullets.”
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**