Funny how old people always seem to dress nice. The thought came unbidden to Dan’s mind.
The old man had been shot. Dan saw several horrific wounds that could only have been caused by bullets. The left side of his torso was riddled, and his shoulder hung at a crazy angle, almost folded under his chin. His lower arm ended in a couple of splintered bones. He also had facial damage. Most of his left cheek was gone, and so was his ear. It must have messed up his equilibrium, or he was simply too unbalanced now. He would step forward and stagger sideways for a couple of steps before falling again.
Dan watching him go down again, taking another individual out with him.
Most of the zombies were still quite mobile though. Dan watched the group lurch to one direction for ten feet or so.
Some of those dead fuckers are probably faster than me.
Dan froze. He looked to the right and saw another zombie. It had been a large woman in life. The thing that freaked out Dan, was that it had straightened its head and seemed to be looking right at him. The hairs on Dan’s neck rose. It looked in his direction for no more than two seconds, but to Dan it felt like an eternity. Then the whole group of zombies lurched to another spot, this time further away from Dan’s position. He watched the group move and noted with some relief that the zombie that was looking at him had moved on as well.
Dan exhaled sharply. He had subconsciously forgotten to breathe.
He rubbed his gut and self-consciously looked around the room. Nobody was really looking at him, except for that news anchor; Tammy ... something or other. She looked away when he looked back at her. Dan kept looking.
He appreciated beautiful women.
Wow, she is a fine specimen. Those deep, dark blue eyes, that you would expect on maybe some blonde – but with that dark hair ... wow.
He couldn’t help himself and looked her up and down. The t-shirt she wore was stretched at the chest. Dan caught himself when he tried looking too hard for the bump of a nipple.
Fuck! Don’t be such a lecherous bastard! He forced himself to look back out the little window.
What he saw next nearly broke his spirit.
It wasn’t gross or anything. In fact, Dan had hardened himself against any gore. He had already seen enough horrible things over the last week to be truly shocked by anything.
But the young woman, with the remnants of a noose hanging around her neck... Dan instantly started thinking about what her story would be.
This woman probably had seen what the syndrome led to and tried to end her own life. Except she didn’t tie the noose correctly. It didn’t kill her but kept her hanging for ... what? Minutes? Hours? Until she finally did succumb to the syndrome. Her reanimated corpse must have struggled until that hook at the end of the rope came loose.
Is that your future, Dan? You got the syndrome. You know it.
Dan pressed his eyes shut and put his forehead against the little window. Oh man... I don’t want to end up like that.
“Hey. Danny Boy. What’s going on? Are you alright?” Mike had approached, his expression full of concern.
“Oh! Hey Mike. Yeah, it’s ok. I was just watching those things out there.”
Mike frowned. He was suspicious.
Damn. He sees right through me! “Ok.” Dan forestalled any comment from Mike.
Dan looked down for a second. When he looked up and met the eyes of his leader and friend, tears had started to form.
“I got it, Mike. ... The syndrome.” It felt like a switch had been thrown for Dan. He had said it. He had vocalized that he was going to die.
“Are you sure?” Mike asked even though he knew the answer. His eyes had also misted up.
Dan nodded and dropped his head. Mike put his hand around the back of Dan’s neck.
“I’m sorry, Dan.”
Dan kept his head down as he spoke. “I just – I just don’t get it. You guys are all fine...”
“Yeah, I don’t get that either. I figured all of us would be in the same boat.”
Dan looked up at Mike again. “I’m glad. You guys are awesome! You were so good to me. I just ... Thank you, Mike. I wish I had joined your crew earlier.”
Mike smiled and shook his head. “Hey kid, we were happy to have you.” His smile faded when Dan doubled over in pain.
Dan straightened up again once he recovered. He looked at his leader with fear in his eyes. “Hey Mike. I don’t want to turn into one of those things.”
“I know.” He grasped the young man’s hand in his. “I’ll take care of it, if you need me to.”
Dan cracked a smile. “Can you get BB to do it. You’re a terrible shot!” Both men laughed.
“Hey what’s going on?” Abi had approach with an expression halfway between concern and curiosity.
On the other side of the room, Tammy, Breanne and Steve had been sitting in relative silence. They were waiting in dread for the first sounds of zombies outside the door. So far, they had heard nothing. Maybe the zombies would stay away...
The threesome could clearly see that there was still something wrong though. Dan had been quite agitated since they had shut themselves in, and just now Mike and Dan appeared to be arguing in low voices. Too low to overhear, even in the small confines of the communications office.
“What?!” Tammy could hear that. Abi had walked over to the two men and exclaimed her surprise.
Tammy finally let her curiosity get the better of her, and she approached Mike, Abi and Dan.
“Hey guys. What’s wrong?”
Abi was quick to answer. “Oh man, I can’t believe– “
“Abi.” Mike interrupted. “Let’s not create a panic in here, shall we?” Mike spoke calmly. It had an instant effect on Abi, whose mouth clamped shut.
Tammy frowned. “What do you mean?
