Rock and a Hard Place 12 The Wall Seven

The Wall Seven

            “They’re pretty shaken up but no one has been bitten or scratched. Josh says a teacher put them up here when walkers were on the streets but she never came back to get them. That was not long ago.” Marla relayed the conversation she had with the five children hiding in the attic. Josh is the oldest at 17 and has taken charge.

            “Did he say how the walkers came to be on the streets? What the hell happened here?” Hank asked her.

            “No, all he can tell me is they were about to eat dinner when the teacher came in from the streets ordering the kids upstairs. Some of the teens ran outside….he didn’t know your daughter and couldn’t say whether she was here or not. I’m sorry.” Marla put a comforting hand on Hank’s shoulder.

            “I’m fine, Marla. She was here and I’m sure she made it out…just where?” Hank asked himself. He didn’t even want to think about what could have happened, he just needs to focus on what is happening. Right now, they were trapped in a house full of walkers in a district overrun by walkers with five kids to take care of.

            “So what’s the plan?” Marla obviously was having the same thoughts.

            “The window here...” Hank brought Marla over to look out of the fifth story window, “we can get out onto the roof and make it to the next building. From here, it looks like most of the walkers in the immediate area are attracted to this house. We make some noise to get more to come here then we make it to the next building and quietly work our way down.” Hank knew it could be done but from the look on Marla’s face, she needed more convincing.

            “Are you crazed? We’re five stories up with children.” Marla spoke.

            “Marla, we can’t stay here. The walkers will just keep coming…” Marla interrupted him.

            “We can wait for help to come. The NCD should be…”

            “Did you see them on the streets? Were they stopping people from walking into a Zeek feast? I don’t know where the NCD is and frankly I don’t give a damn, we’re here now and we need to get these kids out. We can only depend on ourselves; that’s how you stay alive.” Hank had a point. There were no NCD soldiers anywhere; they couldn’t wait for them.

            “I want you to tell the kids the plan, they need to know how important it is to stay quiet once we start for the next building. I found this board that I’ll place on the ledge to the next roof. Josh, can you help me please?” Hank took Josh to make their escape route.

            “Alright kids, we’re going to get out of here. It may be scary but we need to go to the next roof to get out.” Marla kneeled down to tell the kids.

            “We’re gonna fall.” Amy spoke softly clutching a tattered teddy bear; she’s the youngest and looked at Marla with scared brown eyes.

            “No sweetie, we’re not going to fall if we do this right and be careful.” Marla soothed them.

            Once the group was ready to move, Hank had the children jump up and down making as much noise as they could to attract more walkers inside the home and keep them busy. Marla went first to test the board; with only a foot and a half of width the board was rickety and unsteady. Being this high off the ground was nauseating but she made it across.

            Josh crossed with no problems followed by Jennifer, Taco, and Brian. Amy was being more difficult as Marla tried to coax her over.

            “We don’t have time, I’ll just carry her.” Hank put the girl over his back and proceeded to crawl carefully. Amy gripped his neck tightly with her bear hanging precariously in front.

            The creak of the board and his fast breathing were the only sounds Hank heard as he inched his way across the gulf. He was just about to reach the other side; Marla extended her hand and was able to grip Amy just as the wood board gave way. The bottom of Hank’s stomach fell out as he grabbed for anything and caught the brick ledge.

            “Hank….Hank?” Marla let out a harsh whisper not wanting to draw attention.

            “I’m fine.” He let out a sigh of relief as he pulled himself onto the roof. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he lay on his back facing the stars.

            “You scared the shit out of me. Don’t do that again, okay?” Marla scolded him with a smile of relief.

            “Yes, ma’am. Let’s move.” With adrenaline still pumping through his veins, Hank led the group into the building through a roof access. The maintenance hallway was dark and silent. It looks to be an apartment complex which just means many more dark corners to avoid.

            Hank retrieved a small flashlight from his pocket attached by a chain to a pocket knife. He led the way followed by Josh with Marla taking up the rear. They had to be quiet but move quickly, there wasn’t time for Hank to clear the way; they just had to go for it. Coming up on a dark corner that must lead to the staircase, a small warm hand wrapped around Hank’s wrist.

            He looked down to see Amy’s wide eyes staring up at him. “Amy?” Hank asked.

            “She can hear them. Zeeks, Amy can hear them somehow.” Josh tried to explain to Hank’s puzzled look.

            “Get inside.” Hank whispered and Marla led the kids into a small utility closet. Hank moved forward with his flashlight down; he moved to the corner and peeked around; he counted four walkers milling around in the hall. They moved slowly and with no discernable destination. There was no other way around; the staircase was beyond the walkers with a black Exit sign above it. Moving close to the wall Hank pulled his pocket knife out. The blade is small and wouldn’t inflict much damage but hitting the right spot can get the job done.

            Hank slipped to the first walker and quickly thrust the knife upward in the base of the head. The blow caused a small jerk then the walker went limp, Hank caught him and gently put him on the ground; his eyes trained on the other three who didn’t seem alerted.

            On to the second with the same blow and the same result only this time the walker’s foot caught a small rolling cart in the middle of the hall sending a glass bottle to the floor. The insignificant sound of breaking glass was deafening in the silent hallway and a dinner bell to the remaining walkers.

            They advanced; Hank front kicked the closest one, a man, but the hard kick did nothing but knock Hank to the ground. His leg ached as if he kicked a brick wall.

            “What the hell?” Hank spoke aloud. He dodge a lunge and grabbed a metal chair to use as a shield. The female walker came forward and Hank knocked her down easily. He plunged the knife into the eye socket causing her flailing arms to still.

            Hank got up ready to face the stronger male walker that looked somewhat familiar to him. The walker lunged again and Hank spun him around with a knock from the chair. Seeing his opening Hank aimed the knife for the back of the head but to his amazement, the walker’s hand caught his wrist tightly, stopping the attack.

            Hank was stunned as the walker turned its head a full 180 degrees to face him. Hank was able to get a better look at him and was shocked to realize that he was the man in front of him at the screener’s station on the day he arrived in the city. The one who was scanned and found to be infected. Now he is a walker but something much worse, a walker that can think.

            A yell escaped Hank’s lips as the walker’s vice like grip got tighter and made him drop the chair. He dropped the knife from his captured hand and swiftly caught it with his free hand; Hank tried to strike at the walker’s head but his hand was seized again by the walker.

            “My God.” Hank whispered to himself so sure that this walker who can think and deflect his attacks was going to kill him. The walker pushed Hank into the wall with such force it knocked the wind out of him leaving him dazed. As Hank slid to the ground, he watched the walker right itself by leaving its eyes trained on Hank but turning its body around to meet the head. He had never seen a walker do anything like this. They were mindless creatures motivated by basic instinct. They shouldn’t be capable of thought and strategy. They shouldn’t be able to fight back at all.

            Hank saw Marla come in from behind and before he could warn her she smashed the blunt end of a fire extinguisher into the walker’s head. It merely dented the skull slightly but not enough to kill it.

            “Marla run!” Hank yelled as the walker turned to attack her. With its back turned Hank use the wall to throw himself onto the walker and knocked it into an open door. He slammed the door closed as the walker started to beat on the wood.

            “What the hell?” Marla tried to ask.

            “Let’s go, now!” Hank waited as the kids filed out of the storage room Marla leading them down the stairs to the exit. Hank ran after them but an unbelievable sound stop him at the landing. The pounding on the wood door had ceased and was replaced by the familiar sound of a door knob twisting.

            Hank turned to see the gold knob smoothly turn as the walker pulled the door open. Absolute fear kept Hank watching as the walker peeked out with a smile on his dead face. The smirk was enough to send Hank running down the stairs and out into the night. How was he going to fight a walker that can think?

            Hank faced many killers in his time in the military and more after the world changed. Until now, he never thought a walker could be made more dangerous as this one was. There was pleasure in that smile, satisfaction, and menace.

            “Are you okay?” Marla asked him noticing the furrowed brows and look of concern.

            “No, not really.” Hank was out of breath more from terror than physical exertion. Hank was unsure of what happened here in Columbus Square but he was sure of one thing; that walker is a killer and it’s loose on the streets of New Charleston.

To Continue….

Rock and a Hard Place 12 The Wall Six

The Wall Six

            Councilman Troy Hudson walked into Head Council Grimes’ office without knocking since the situation was so urgent. He noticed that Judith Grimes sat with her father speaking in low tones when he interrupted.

            “Council Grimes, I have some distressing news to inform you of. It’s rather important.” He tried to be cordial.

            “Can’t it wait, I’m talking with my daughter.” Rick spoke softly.

            “I’m afraid not, there’s another ongoing attack in the south eastern providence; Columbus Square. At this time the NCD have been unable to retake control and has fallen back to containment until reinforcements can arrive.” Troy spoke urgently.

            “I’ll come back tomorrow morning, dad, you have….business.” Judith could barely hide the resentment in her voice. She never liked Councilman Hudson. He’s a little older than she but with a harsh ambition that Judith classified as ladder climber. He’s the kind of person that would sell his soul for fame and fortune.

            Judith stood and kissed her father on the cheek a bit dishearten that no one seems to see him the way she did. He’s been through so much since the start of the infection that the deep lines etched on his face betrayed his real age of only 63. He lost his friends, his wife; a mother Judith never knew.

She left the two to talk and leaned against the closed office door thinking she had to contact Carl and tell him about another attack in the city. It was already past curfew and even being the Head Council’s daughter wouldn’t protect her completely if she’s caught out on the streets. But she had to get to Carl and the Dead Heads right away.

On the other side of the city another citizen was dodging the screeners out past curfew as well. Hank and Marla walked the nearly empty streets of New Charleston in search for Hank’s daughter Jen.

“Where the hell would she go? We don’t know anyone here yet?” Hank said in a harsh whisper.

            “There are plenty of children Jen’s age here alone. They lost their parents or group before arriving which is why we’re checking the group homes in the area. Teens tend to hang around outside them.” Marla explained. “There are two big homes in Columbus Square.”

            Hank was beside himself with worry. For a second he thought facing down hordes of undead outside the Wall would be preferable than losing Jen in this densely populated city of survivors. Why didn’t they just stay in the settlements?

            The pair turned a corner onto a narrow, sparsely lit street in Columbus Square. Unlike the streets they passed where a few people mingled outside, this square was completely empty and still.

            “Wait. This…..this doesn’t seem right.” Marla stopped in her tracks. The city is usually still alive after curfew with sounds of residents inside their homes but it was dead silent. A loud crash sounded in the direction they had come. Behind them a door burst opened and the dead piled out of a two story brownstone.

            “Walkers!” Hank yelled and gripped Marla’s wrist, the two began to run further into the square.

            “Walkers? What the hell are so many walkers doing in the city?” Marla couldn’t believe it. The walker attack days prior was unbelievable but now she counted at least a dozen Zeeks making their way up the street. This is impossible.

            “Come on, we gotta get off the street!” Hank was stunned. He didn’t think after a few days of living in the only human city left on the East coast that he’d be running from a horde or walkers and his daughter would be missing. His heart ached knowing she was alone in a city starting to fill with the dead.

            The pair rounded a corner and was greeted with a horrifying sight. There, in the square’s park was a resting herd of walkers. There were too many to count and many of the wounds were fresh. Fresh bites and scratches which leads one to believe these were the now infected residents of Columbus Square.

            “My God! Where the hell is the NCD?” Marla asked in a panicked whisper.

            “Looks like we’re on our own. Where is that group home?” Hank spoke low; still a few mingling walkers closer to them started to react and soon the whole herd will be down their throats.

            “We can’t keep looking….”Hank cut Marla off with the fire in his eyes.

            “I am going to find my daughter, now where is the home?” Hank spoke a little louder than he intended. Marla knew not to argue and pointed to a four story building on the other side of the park. The pair started off for the home keeping low and quiet.

            Just leaving the inner Wall, Judith exited the transport on the first stop. She would walk the rest of the way taking back alleys through the providences in case she was being followed. She could at least get a look at the damage from the latest sham attack as her route would take her through Columbus Square.

            The inside of the group home was quiet and dark as if the residents either fled or turned. Hank told Marla to stay quiet as he went meticulously from room to room, clearing them. After so many years living on their own, the skill to avoid walkers came second nature. The first floor was free of dangers and Hank moved on to the second while Marla stay in the main living room to sound an alarm should walkers get in from the street. So far, they remained quiet as to not draw any attention.

Marla walked into the big kitchen to see bowls of food still steaming on a set dining table. They were just about to eat when this happened. But why isn’t the NCD here? Why is there no containment and more importantly, why is there no help?

            Hank came down after checking all the floors and he had a small jean jacket in his hand.

            “Jen was wearing this….there’s blood on it.” Hank’s voice cracked. He can’t believe his little girl is gone. She’s strong, a survivor; he wasn’t writing her off yet.

            “I’m sure she made it out. From the little I’ve seen of her I can see she’s stubborn and that’s a good thing.” Marla smiled a little hoping Jen was okay. The sound of glass breaking caught their attention as walkers tried to get in the front door. The back door was there in the kitchen and Marla grabbed the knob to open it when Hank caught her hand.

            “Wait!” There beyond the glass were several gray faces pressed against it. The door began to bow under the stress. “We’re surrounded.”

            “How do we get out?” Marla felt the panic in the pit of her stomach threatening to make her lose her dinner.

            “We go up.” Hank ran to the staircase stopping at the bottom, he motioned for Marla to go ahead of his just as the front door burst open and a flood of walkers streamed through the opening. “Go, go, go!” Hank yelled.

            Not stopping, they ran past the second and third floors to the fourth. The stairs will slow the walkers down as they attempt to navigate them but only for a few moments.

            “Where? Where do we go? My God, we’re trapped here.” Marla held her elbows, she didn’t want to die like this.

            “Here.” Hank reached up and pulled a cord hanging from the ceiling. An attic space above the fourth floor opened up with a ladder sliding down. The moans were getting closer as Marla gripped the steps and hurried up. Hank was right behind her and slammed the ladder closed just was the walkers reached the fourth floor landing.

            The attic was dim and smelled of mildew. They still needed to find a way out of the attic unable to live there indefinitely. Hank heard the sound of shuffling feet from a dark corner.

            “Shit.” He whispered. How could a walker get up here? He had to take care of it and grabbed the nearest blunt object, the base of a lamp with its cord dangling as Hank held it like a bat. He lifted it high above his head.

            “Stop! It’s not a walker.” Marla yelled just as Hank was about to swing. There in the corner was a group of children ranging in age from about 8 to maybe 16, five children in total. “It’s kids.” Marla spoke softly. The children huddled in the corner with scared wide eyes.

            Judith walked the narrow streets of Columbus Square unsure as to where everyone was. The square was quiet and almost empty. This was odd with a district further away from the inner Wall. There should be groups of people at the local bar, a few milling around trading goods and services, but there was no one. She also didn’t see any sign of attack or the NCD. Perhaps Councilman Hudson got the report wrong. Judith continued to walk further into the square her steps echoing in the empty street unaware of the looming horde of undead just beyond the park.

To Continue….