Chapter XI

                                    

                                          
Thirty Minutes Earlier...
   I floored the Monte Carlo out of the garage, taking off down the street. The dead followed the best they could. 
   They clawed at the car as I slowed down, making sure they stayed close enough. 
   The sound of the engine kept them occupied, even over sounds of gunfire in the distance. 
   I crept down a few blocks, taking the C4 from the passenger seat. I placed a block under the dashboard, sticking a primer into the clay like material before grabbing the detonator. 
   I threw the rest of the C4 into a backpack and grabbed Brock's M4, leaving the car in drive as I quickly stepped out, making a beeline for the closest building. 
   The dead still followed the noisy car, a few breaking off to follow me. 
   I squeezed off a couple shots, dropping the stragglers before pulling the detonator from my pocket. I hid behind the side of the building, watching the car, before pressing the button. 
   The car exploded in a deafening boom, sending debris and body parts my way. 
   I ducked behind the building, my ears ringing. Shit, that was loud. 
   As the smoke cleared, I noticed another horde making its way down the street. 
   I took a few shots at them before kicking the door in on the building and running inside, the horde slowly closing in. 
   The building seemed to be empty, so I made my way through, M4 trained in front of me. 
   Then, a small group turned a corner in front of me. 
   I opened fire, dropping as many of them as I could, making my way back towards the door. 
   That's when I ran into the first horde. I was quickly becoming overrun, to many to count, to many to shoot. Well, this is getting depressing. 
   I launched my foot into the closest one, sending her crashing back into the group as I reloaded my gun, sending off a few more shots. 
   I could feel the hands grabbing at me from every direction, their hungry moans filling my ears. Alright, time to go. 
   Just as I spotted a staircase on the opposing wall, I felt a painful bite sink into my forearm. 
   "Ah, you motherfucker!" I yelled, blasting it in the face before charging through the crowd. 
   I was able to make it past them, running as fast as I could up the stairs, blood leaking down my arm. 
   I emerged on the second floor, sprinting down the hallway, quickly realizing the building was completely overrun and I was running out of ammo.
   I squeezed off the last few shots from the M4 before dropping it, pulling my pistol. 
    I could hear the screams, smell the rotting flesh, feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. 
   The hallways were dark, the sounds unbearable, every door was locked. I had nowhere to hide, begging for a door to open, to offer me some semblance of safety...
   Finally, a door gave way, a wave of relief washing over me. 
   I ran inside and slammed the door behind me, pushing a nearby shelf in front of it. 
   The banging on the door pierced my ears, they wanted me and they would do anything to get to me. 
   I looked down at the pistol in my hand, then over the detonator in the other. 
   The door in front of me started to splinter, bloody teeth baring at me, decomposed hands reaching for me. 
   I set the pistol down, slowly pulling the walkie talkie. "Doc... You there, Doc..?"
   "I'm here, Iris... Are you ok?" Came her static filled response. 
   I looked down at the bite mark on my arm, my body feeling weak, my breathing heavy. "Just swell..." 
   "Where are you, Iris..?" She asked. 
   I looked up at the door, dead hands clawing their way through. It was only a matter of time before that door gave way. 
   "I, uh... I don't think I'm gonna make it, Doc..." 
   I could here her sniffle. "Iris, please..." 
   I felt a couple tears roll down my cheek. "Just... Get the kid to safety... You're our only hope now..." 
   "Iris..." 
   The door finally gave way, dozens of them squeezing their way through. 
   My hand tightened around the detonator, my eyes fluttering closed. "I gotta go, Doc... See you later..." 
   I took in one last breath... Pressing the button on the detonator...
—————
   Another loud explosion rang out from off in the distance. I dropped the walkie talkie, tears filling my eyes. 
   I clutched the dog tags hanging from my neck. "Iris..." 
   Laila pulled me into a tight hug. 
   I gently ran my hand through her hair. "It's up to us now..." 
   "Then, we should get a move-" James started, before his legs suddenly broke through the floor, dead hands reaching up to grab at him. "Shit! Go! Get outta here!" He yelled. 
   I grabbed Laila's hand before sprinting further down the hallway, Arthur close behind, James' gunfire fading as we turned the first corner.
   "We're so fucked... We're so fucked..." Arthur said, repeating the phrase over and over. 
   Then, he stopped, the entire building suddenly drenched with silence. 
   We stopped walking, looking in every direction. 
   "I don't like this..." Arthur said. 
   "Me neither..." I replied. 
   Laila's hand tightened around mine. "I'm scared..." She said. 
   I pulled her closer to me. "Me to..." 
   I felt a tap on my shoulder then, letting out a yelp as I quickly spun around... Only to see a young woman in a lab coat. 
   She put her finger up to her lips before beckoning us to follow her. 
   We all shared an uneasy look before hesitantly doing so. 
   She led us down a few dark hallways before stopping in front of a thick, metal door. 
   She gave it a knock before it opened, two men sticking their heads out. 
   They ushered us inside before closing and locking the door. 
   A feeling of relief washed over me. We were inside the lab. We finally found it. And there was still people here. 
   "Oh thank god." Arthur said, pulling the woman into a tight hug. 
   "What're you guys doing here?" One of the men asked. 
   I faced him, holding Laila in front of me. "We're here to find a cure..."