“Look, man, I’m sure whatever it is, the doctors have it under control.”
William shakes his head firmly. “There are already two dead. I’ve seen them. Get out of here, man. I’m serious.” He darts one last urgent look at Janus, then he lets go and walks on briskly towards the exit. He’s still wearing work clothes, but the thought of going up to the changing room hasn’t even crossed his mind; he’s got his phone, car keys and cigarettes. That’s all he needs.
The revolving doors let him out into the sunshine. He looks around the parking lot. Everything seems normal.
So far.
He jogs to his car, unlocks it and gets in. He finds his phone and checks it again. Still no alarming news. Maybe the media does know about the threat, but has been ordered by the government not to say anything, so as to not spread a panic.
William just sits there for a moment and thinks. Now that he’s outside the hospital, he feels a little less trapped and slightly more calm. He considers who else to warn. He has a few friends in town, but no girlfriend. His only family is his mother, who lives in the Netherlands. And then there’s his uncle Holger, of course.
The thought of his mom in Amsterdam gives him an unpleasant idea. What if this thing didn’t begin here in Denmark, but someplace else? Perhaps most of Europe is right now under attack from the undead …
William calls up his mom.
“Well, hello, sweetie,” his mom answers in a bright tone of voice. “To what do I owe the honor this early in the day?”
“Uhm, hey, Mom. I just wanted to make sure everything was fine.”
“Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?”
William doesn’t really know what to tell her. He can hear voices in the background. His mom is probably at work.
“Did they say anything on the radio?” he asks.
“About what exactly?”
“I don’t know … something about a virus, maybe?”
“No, I didn’t hear anything like that. Is there a virus going around?”
“Yeah, uh … it’s just some sort of flu, I think.”
“And you got worried about your poor old mom?” She laughs heartedly. “You’re such a sweet boy. Don’t you worry, I’m just fine.”
William feels a bit more relieved. He chats briefly with his mom, then ends the conversation by saying his break is over.
He takes out the packet of cigarettes and shakes out a Kings, lights it up and inhales deeply. He rolls down the window and spends a minute or so brooding.
What does this mean? Why isn’t there any panic? Maybe it didn’t really start yet. Maybe it can even still be stopped …?
He looks towards the building and drags thoughtfully on his smoke. What if the two zombies in the basement are the only ones so far? What if there’s still time to—
His thoughts are interrupted by the sudden blaring of a siren close by. William turns his head to see the gate of the A&E open, and an ambulance comes out, lights blinking and sirens blaring. Then another one. And another one. And another one.
William feels the goose bumps appear at the base of his neck and then slowly spread out over his entire body. The sight of the ambulances erases the last of his doubt. The catastrophe is real. It has begun.
He puts out the cigarette and calls up Holger. It only rings once before his uncle picks up.
“Well, good morning, Will.”
“Hey, Holger,” William says. “Listen, I need your help.”
“Sure thing! What can I do you for?”
“Do you still have your place?”
Complete silence on the other end.
“Hello, Holger? You still there?”
“Uh-huh,” Holger says, but with a completely new tone of voice. “I still have it, all right. But I don’t use it anymore. How come you ask?”
William shuts his eyes. “I think it’s best if I meet you there. Now. Right away.”
He can hear Holger hold his breath for a long moment. “Okay,” he finally says, as William opens his eyes again. “But why—”
A movement to the side. A figure comes rushing at the car. William screams.
FOUR
“Mille! Wait up!” Krista grabs her by the arm and forces her to stop. “Look! Someone got out …”
Mille really doesn’t want to look back, but she does so anyway. They’ve run for what feels like half an hour, yet they’ve only managed to put a couple hundred yards between them and the bus. It gives Mille the sense of being in one of those bad dreams where you run and run and never move.
The bus seems to be alive in the wavy rays of heat coming off the road. At first, she can’t see what Krista sees. Then, she notices the figure coming towards them. It could be Mads. Mille doesn’t like the way he walks, uncertain and wobbly. Either Mads is badly hurt, or—
Or he’s already dead.
“Isn’t it Mads?” Krista asks, squinting her eyes. “I think he’s seen us, Mille. He’s coming this way.”
“Come on,” Mille mutters, pulling at her friend. “We’ve got to go.”
But Krista pulls back. “We can’t just leave him!”
“The ambulance is on its way. I already called—”
“Look, he’s waving!”
Mille sees Mads lifting one arm and moving it from side to side.
He’s still alive.
Krista starts running back. Mille follows her hesitantly. Mads meets them halfway, holding his left arm tightly against his body. His T-shirt is stained with blood all the way down one side.
“You … you all right?” Krista asks, even though the answer is obvious.
Mads stops to catch his breath, swaying, and Krista grabs hold of him.
“It … it bit me …” Mads whispers, and Mille can’t help but see the gaping hole in his T-shirt. “It bit everyone … what the … hell … happened?” Mads seems confused, his eyes glazed and distant.
“I think you should sit down,” Krista says as she starts to sniffle. “The ambulance will be here in a minute. Mille already called it.”
“Mille?” Mads repeats dreamily as Krista clumsily helps him sit down by the side
