“It’s clear,” Henry spoke, letting out a sigh. He flopped down on the couch and stretched his arms above his head.
“What do you mean?” Raven asked, still wary. “We haven’t checked the rest of the rooms.”
“If there was a zombie in here it would’ve shambled this way by now with all the noise we’ve been making.” He waved vaguely into the air without looking at her.
“I’m still going to look around,” Raven said. “Come on Rocky,” she said, patting her thigh.
“Suit yourself,” Henry said, gesticulating again. He reached for the remote and turned on the television, switching through channels.
Raven scoffed and walked through the nearest door, being careful not to stand directly in front of it. It led into a small kitchen, complete with wood stove and refrigerator, sink and a large metal trashcan. There was a light on the ceiling with a pull chain and Raven turned it on. The room looked a little strange without a window but it was painted a bright, sunny yellow with grey trim and the floor was clean white linoleum.
“No one here,” she spoke to Rocky. She still kept the axe in her hand just in case. The dog padded to the trashcan and gave a hopeful sniff.
“We’ll eat when we clear the rest of the rooms,” Raven said, simultaneously irked with her brother for his nonchalant attitude and amused all the same. She knew if he thought there was any danger, he wouldn’t let her search the rooms alone, but she had to check for herself.
“Come on, dude,” she said to Rocky. “Let’s keep looking.”
Henry was right; there was no one else here. The only other room on the ground floor was a bathroom, painted sea green with stencils of fish along the trim, and it was empty. Upstairs she’d found two bedrooms decorated in different themes of blue and orange. It was a little odd, everything from the paint on the walls, to the bedding was done in different shades of matching color.
“I don’t want the blue room,” Raven spoke to Rocky as they walked back downstairs. “The comforter looks like toilet bowl cleanser.”
She flopped down on the couch next to her brother. “I get the orange room,” she said.
Rocky lay down at her feet and let out a sigh.
“Look at this,” Henry said, pointing to the TV. It was tuned to channel seven and a somber newscaster was talking.
“This is Bob Hencheck reporting from U C Memorial Hospital,” he said, projecting his voice.
The scene at the hospital was chaotic. People ran back and forth in the background, wearing a mix of scrubs and street clothes. An Indian man in a white coat pushed a child in a wheel chair. His face was downcast and he moved quickly out of the frame.
“The situation here is grim,” Hencheck continued, gesturing to the hospital.
The camera did a panoramic view, showing the hospital’s main entrance. It was besieged with people, some rushing out in a panic and others trudging dourly in, looking sick and wane.
It swung back to the reporter. He wore a dark suit and an ugly green tie. His visage was red and covered in sweat, big nose glistening. He coughed suddenly and a worried look washed across his features.
“Things have gotten very bad here in Atlas City,” he continued, rallying. “The unknown virus rages unabated through the streets.” Someone screamed behind him and he glanced furtively around. “Um,” he stammered, pulling at his tie. “Healthy residents are advised to stay in their homes and not to let anyone in.”
“The dead walk the streets!” a woman yelled, stumbling into the shot. She wore an expensive looking pantsuit and sensible heels. Her hair sizzled around her face in unruly curls and her skin glistened. She looked fevered and sick.
Hencheck looked startled. “Ma’am,” he said, pulling it together. “What do you mean by that?” He stepped closer to her and held out his microphone.
“One of them bit me,” she said, pulling back her sleeve and shoving the festering flesh toward Hencheck.
He recoiled visibly. “That’s unfortunate, ma’am,” he said, clearly unsure what to do now.
“Too bad for her,” Henry said. “She’s a goner.”
Raven frowned. “None of them look healthy,” she said, worried about this talk of viruses.
The woman’s eyes rolled back in her head and she fell to her knees. Hencheck, clearly concerned, bent over her, reaching for her neck to take her pulse.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Henry said.
“This isn’t going to end well,” Raven agreed, propping her feet up on the table. She was amused despite herself. It was like watching a train wreck, awful but you just couldn’t look away.
The woman began to seize, flopping about on the ground like an electric eel. Hencheck held her shoulders, trying vainly to keep her still.
“Help me, Susan,” he exclaimed, voice strained.
The camera perspective changed and the camera woman walked into the shot. She’d set her camera down to help. Raven could see her from the waist down, jeans and boots and asphalt visible in the frame. Then she moved further from the camera and the rest of her came into view.
“Goddamn,” Henry spoke.
Raven’s mouth quirked into a smile.
The camerawoman was striking. She had flowing red hair and pale skin. Her t-shirt strained over her breasts, nipples protruding in the chilly air.
“Those are some big ass tits,” Henry said, laughing.
“Sure are,” Raven agreed, petting
