“Okay,” Amy murmured as she allowed Tara to lead her away.
“So you see, you’re perfectly safe. Isn’t she, Dr. Patel?” Tara asked.
“One hundred percent, young lady,” Dr. Patel answered. “I wouldn’t have allowed you in here if I didn’t think it was safe.”
“Yes, thank you, Dr. Patel. It was nice of you to do the authorization; otherwise, she’d have spent the entire day in the lobby.” Tara led Amy back to an empty table and chair. “Can you keep yourself amused for a while? I need to run some blood samples.”
“Of course,” Amy replied, though, in truth, she was bored to death. Going to the lab with Tara had not turned out to be as much fun as she’d thought it would. She didn’t even have a book or magazine, and none of the computers had any games on them. Besides staring at the zombies, there wasn’t much to do in the place.
Amy sat down in the chair and twirled in a circle until her eyes fell on a nearby window. She walked over and stared out at the grounds. The sky was grey and dreary with the sun in permanent hiding. Thick clouds hung low above the ground, and the treetops whipped back and forth in the strong wind.
She glanced at her watch — half-past four. The storm wasn’t far off. Very soon, Alex and the others would come for them. I wonder what they’re doing now? Did they find that guy that tried to kill Dylan? I hope so.
With a sigh, she turned away from the window and wandered down the hall. The smell of bleach hung thick in the air. Strong enough to give her a headache. All around, she could see evidence of the zombie outbreak. Bullet holes marred the walls, and numerous glass walls gaped open and empty. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine all the blood and guts.
Suddenly, a man shoved past her in the hall, almost sending her flying. “What the — Watch where you’re going, mister!”
He glanced at her over his shoulder, his spectacles perched on the end of his nose. Without a word of apology, he stormed off, leaving her stunned and bewildered. With a shrug, she turned away. “What an asshole.”
Without noticing it, her feet carried her back to the containment room. Once again, she stared at the zombie woman with fascinated curiosity. The woman reminded her of her mother in a strange way. Or, of what her mother might have become if she hadn’t ended her own life.
For a moment, Amy allowed her memories of the past to surface. It was a place she rarely went to, for it never failed to make her cry. This time, she couldn’t fight it.
***
“Listen to me, sweetheart. You have to do what I say,” Amy’s mom said, steering her away from the main bedroom. “Your father’s gone.”
“No, that’s not true. It can’t be,” Amy cried, unwilling to believe that her father, the strongest man she knew, was dead. Or even worse. A zombie.
Amy’s mom shook her by the shoulders. “You have to accept the facts, Amy. He’s not coming back. If he could’ve, he would’ve been here.”
“No,” Amy said, fighting against the knowledge that welled up inside. Her mother was right, she knew it, but she wasn’t ready to accept it. Not yet.
“Come now.” Amy’s mom tugged on her arm again, pulling her toward the stairs. “You have to focus.”
“Why?” Amy asked though she knew the answer to the question already. It was written in her mom’s waxen skin, the sweat that beaded on her forehead, the blood that stained the bandage on her arm. She was infected, doomed to become a zombie — a flesh-seeking cannibal.
“Because very soon, you’ll be on your own. At least until your brother gets here,” Amy’s mom replied. “He’s on his way. He said so, but until then, you have to look after yourself.”
“Mom, please,” Amy begged, yanking her arm back. “I can’t do this alone. I need you.”
“Yes, you can. You’re sixteen, not a child anymore.” Her mom paused, staring at her with sad eyes. “I can’t protect you any longer. It’s up to you now. This is the moment when you decide whether you want to live or die. I can’t make that decision for you.”
***
Suddenly, a red light flashed above the cage, and a shrill alarm went off. Yanked out of her thoughts, Amy backpedaled until she hit the wall behind her. A soft hiss drew her eyes to the locking mechanism on the door, and she gasped when she saw the steel bar disengage. The cage was open, and not only the one — all three.
Adrenalin jolted through her veins, and Amy found herself running back to her desk and chair. She spotted Dr. Patel first and screamed. “The zombies are out. Run!”
The woman stared at her with disbelieving eyes. “What?”
“Just run!”
Amy didn’t stop to help the women. There was no time for that. Spurred on by the vicious howls that rose behind her, she pushed her legs to go faster. She reached her desk and fumbled with her parka that lay on top. Hidden within its folds was her shotgun, the one she’d smuggled into the lab for protection. “Tara, where are you? The zombies are out!”
She gripped the gun and whirled around as a shrill scream cut through the air like a knife. The infected had found Dr. Patel and were ripping her apart. Amy aimed the gun at the nearest infected. It was only a few feet away, the perfect distance for the shotgun. Three shots. That was all she had. Three shots for three zombies. Breathing out, she steadied her hands and
