5. River
5
RIVER
T he stench hit River as she made her way through the hospital. It was a vile blend of sweat, blood, and something indescribably awful. What was that? The narrow corridor she found herself in was very dimly lit. She could barely see far enough ahead to put one foot in front of the other. The walls were smeared with handprints, some dark and rusty looking, others fresh and bright red. She smelled a coppery tang in the air.
Oh, God. It stinks.
She gulped back a wave of nausea.
River knew she couldn’t afford to be afraid—not now. Her father was still up at the cabin, and she desperately needed to get him some help. She’d managed to get this far, and she refused to give up now.
What did I see out there? They were like animals. Jesus! They were tearing each other apart.
After Sheila left to find Dr. Carter, she’d found herself stuck by the side entrance to Holy Souls. As she waited, she’d caught a glimpse of the frenzied mass outside. It had all happened so quickly. The image stayed with her as she made her way deeper into the hospital. River wasn’t sure what she would find or who she was looking for, but she knew it couldn’t be any worse than what was going down outside. This Dr. Carter had to be here somewhere—and she was her only hope of saving her father.
The hallway opened up into a larger, even more distressing scene. The hospital’s ER had probably always been a place of high energy, but this…this was something straight out of a nightmare. Bodies, both living and dead, littered the floors, their forms twisted in pain or frozen in expressions of sheer terror. River’s heart thudded as she stepped over a lifeless arm, her eyes scanning the room for any medical personnel. She’d been to this hospital countless times and even dated one of the nurses, but she’d never seen it like this. She’d never seen anything like this, not even in the movies. Horror flicks were so not her thing.
Suddenly, she heard a guttural growl. River’s attention was drawn to a group of what she assumed were infected people looming over two people dressed in white coats.
“Hey! You two! Over here!” she hollered as loudly as she could.
Then one of the figures, a man—or something that had once been a man—snapped its teeth, its body jerking as it bit into one of the white-coated people. As it ripped off an arm and started chomping down on it, it stared hungrily at the remaining doctor crouching on the floor behind him.
“Bobby!” the person on the floor cried out in desperation. It was a female voice.
“Hey! No! Leave her alone!” River’s breath caught in her throat as the creature lifted its head. Its eyes were glazed over and unseeing, and blood dripped from its mouth.
This is actually the zombie fucking apocalypse. This is happening. It’s actually happening. I have to save her.
The thing that had once been a man let out another growl, its gaze snapping to River with a suddenness that made her freeze. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Then, with a snarl, it lunged at the woman on the floor.
River’s instincts kicked in. She grabbed a metal IV stand and ran toward the thing. The cool steel of the metal steadied her nerves as she swung it with all her strength. The stand connected with the creature’s skull with a sickening crunch, and it staggered back. River didn’t wait for it to recover. She swung again, this time aiming for the creature’s neck. The impact sent it crashing to the floor, its body convulsing once before going still.
I got it! I killed it! I think? Oh my God. What did I do? I’m a murderer. But this is hardly a human.
River stood over the body, almost choking on her breath as she fought to keep herself from collapsing. Panic coursed through her veins at what she’d just done, but she had to survive this and save her dad. She could still hear distant screams and the faint crackle of static over the hospital intercom, but she didn’t have time to dwell on the horror of the situation. She couldn’t process killing that monster, but there had been nothing human about its behavior. As she straightened up and looked behind her, she saw the rest of the infected walking in the opposite direction en masse. She realized she’d either scared them or something else had caught their attention.
“Get up. My name’s Riv. We need to find a way out of here,” she said, her voice steadier than she’d expected.
“Riv? Like River? Are you Sheila’s friend?” The woman’s voice was hoarse. She looked around, her expression hardening as the weight of what had just happened pressed down on her. “What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe!”
“Did that thing bite you? Or scratch you?” River asked, ignoring the woman’s questions.
“No. At least, I don’t think so,” the woman replied.
“Where the hell is Sheila?” River barked.
“Oh, God…they got her. And Bobby…Bobby’s wife is pregnant…”
“We can’t think about Bobby’s wife right now. Who are you? Nurse? Doctor?” River asked, stepping closer. “My father…he’s hurt. Badly. I need your help.”
The woman glanced at Bobby’s corpse just a few feet away, her attention torn between the young nurse and the urgency in River’s voice. She took a deep breath, clearly trying to steady herself, and then nodded. “I’m Dr. Carter. Eliza. Alright. Are the introductions out of the way? Let’s move. This place…it’s not safe anymore.”
River nodded, her heart racing as she helped Eliza cover Bobby with a blanket. She couldn’t bring herself to look too closely at the young man’s face and the hollow look in his eyes. There was no time for that—not if they were going to get out of here alive.
As they turned to leave, a nearby door slammed open with a deafening bang. River spun around just in time to see another group of infected stumble into the hallway. They moved with a terrifying speed, their bloodshot eyes locking onto the two women as they snarled and clacked their jaws.
“Run!” Eliza shouted, grabbing River’s hand and pulling her down the hallway.
As they sprinted through the hospital, River’s lungs burned with the effort, her legs screaming for relief as she pushed herself to keep up with Eliza. Every turn seemed to lead them into more danger—more of the living dead. But Eliza clearly knew the hospital better than anyone. She navigated them through the labyrinth of hallways, up staircases, down staircases, through service areas and weird-smelling labs, through basement storage areas, and even a morgue with a determination that bordered on desperation.
They finally burst through a set of double doors into the hospital’s underground parking lot, the cold air hitting them like a wall. The vast space was dimly lit, the overhead lights flickering sporadically.
The generators must be struggling to stay on.
Eliza and River didn’t stop until they reached a corner of the parking lot where an old, rusted-out pickup truck sat gathering dust. The vehicle offered some cover, so they crouched down behind it, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they tried to catch their breath.
“Are you okay?” Eliza asked, her voice shaking.
River nodded, though she wasn’t sure how true it was. Every vein in her body was throbbing, but the sheer relief of having found a doctor was enough to keep her grounded. “I’m fine. But we need to figure out what to do next. We can’t stay here. I don’t understand what the fuck is going on. Is it really what it looks like? Zombies?”
“I think we’re okay here for a while. They can’t get through that door. I jammed it behind us,” explained Eliza, “and…I have no clue what this is. But it’s not normal, and it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
Eliza wiped a hand across her forehead, smearing a streak of blood that River hadn’t noticed until now. Her eyes were wide and filled with something River couldn’t quite place—fear, yes, but also something else—something that looked a lot like guilt. “You’re right,” River said, her voice dropping to just above a whisper. “Good job. But we still need to get out of here. Do you have any clue where can we go? The streets are just as bad as in there, you know?”
River bit her lip. Her head was full of questions, and she knew she wouldn’t get answers any time soon. She’d come all this way to find a doctor, and now that she had Eliza, she had to bring her back to the cabin to see her dad. But now that she’d witnessed firsthand the state of the hospital, she wasn’t sure if that was even possible anymore. The world outside the hospital was a mess. It was more than a mess—it was insanity. There was no telling what they’d face on the road back to the cabin, and River didn’t fancy their odds of making the trip in one piece. But what else was she supposed to do?
“Listen up, lady,” River said, her voice coming out more steadily than she’d expected. “My father needs you. I honestly think you’re the only one who can do this. Sheila said you’d help me. I know it’s a lot to ask. I know you probably have your own family to go home to. But…but please…”
Eliza stared at River, her blue eyes searching River’s face as if trying to gauge who she was dealing with. River felt the weight of that gaze settle deep in her chest. She knew she was asking too much of this woman—more than she had any right to. But she was asking anyway.
Finally, Eliza sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Alright,” she said softly. “I’ll come with you. My family is out of town. Where else am I going to go? We can’t stay here, and it’s fair to say my patients are beyond help. I can’t go back in there. There’s nothing I can do, is there?”
Relief flooded through every cell of River’s being. She felt it so powerfully that it made her dizzy. There were no words that could truly express her gratitude. “Thank you,” was all she could muster.
Eliza flashed her a broad smile, but River noticed that there was no genuine warmth in it. “Let’s just get to this cabin of yours. It sounds remote, which is what we need right now. We can talk properly when we’ve made our way to safety.”
As they stood up to leave, River caught sight of a door at the far end of the garage. It was slightly ajar, and through the gap, she saw a faint light shining inside. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing in the direction of the doorway.
Eliza squinted. “I’m not sure. I don’t ever park my car down here. Maybe it’s a way out.”
They made their way over to the door, their footsteps echoing behind them. The door led to a small maintenance workshop filled with tools and supplies that seemed like they hadn’t been touched in a while. But what caught River’s attention was the shelf in the corner, lined with dusty bottles of water.
“What is this place?” asked River.
“The hospital made some cuts about a year back. I think there was a janitor crew down here. But they outsourced the work to save on the budget. I’m guessing nobody ever came to clear this place out.”
“Is that drinkable, do you think?” asked River, pointing to the dusty bottles.
“I guess so. I mean, normally I’d be worried about microplastics in bottled water that’s been hanging around this long…but I think we’ve got bigger issues. If we can find a way to carry some of these, let’s do it,” Eliza said, grabbing one of the bottles and inspecting it. The label was faded and the plastic was slightly discolored, but when she twisted the cap open, the water inside looked clear enough.
River grabbed a bottle. Her throat felt so dry after their sprint through the hospital. She hadn’t realized just how thirsty she was until now. The water felt warm as it passed her lips, but it was better than nothing. She gulped it down.
Gross, but also…thank God!
As she continued to drink, River couldn’t help but steal glances at Eliza. The doctor was standing by the door, her eyes scanning the parking lot for any sign of danger.
“We got lucky. I can’t believe there’s nobody down here,” she said.
“Don’t say that. You’ll jinx it,” River said, laughing slightly despite the seriousness of their predicament.
Eliza was striking in a way River hadn’t expected. She didn’t really know what she’d expected, but it wasn’t this. She looked like she was older than River by ten years.
Jesus…don’t start, Riv. Now’s certainly not the time to indulge your thing for older women. Pack some of these water bottles in your bag and stop staring at her.
But she couldn’t. Eliza had a refined elegance about her, a quiet confidence that River presumed came from years of experience, both in her private life and in the medical field. Her features were soft yet defined, with high cheekbones that caught the dim light and a strong jawline that hinted at the strength beneath her composed exterior. Her dark hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, a few loose strands framing her face and adding a touch of vulnerability to her otherwise confident presence.
Her deep, stormy blue eyes drew River in the most. They were sharp and intelligent, but she could see a softness in them that suggested she’d witnessed more than her fair share of pain and loss.
Well, she must have seen some terrible things working in a place like this…even before the zombies showed up.
River turned her attention to Eliza’s lips. They were full and a natural dark pink. The older woman’s mouth was set in a determined line, but River couldn’t help but imagine what it would look like when she smiled—really smiled, with warmth and genuine joy.
I doubt I’ll get to see that any time soon.
Eliza’s femininity was evident even in the way she stood on the lookout, poised in the midst of chaos. Her bloodstained scrubs and coat clung to her voluptuous frame. But even in her disheveled state, River could see that there was an undeniable sexiness to her.
She obviously takes care of herself.
By this point, River was fully staring at Eliza, her heart fluttering in a way that both excited and unnerved her. She’d always been quick to develop crushes, a weakness that had gotten her into mischief more times than she could remember. But this was different. She had a feeling that this might be more than just a fleeting infatuation. There was something about Eliza that captivated her, something that made her want to know more about the woman.
“Why are you gawking at me like that?” asked Eliza in an irritated whisper.
“Sorry, doc. I didn’t mean to be rude. You look just like my sister. It’s weird,” she said, laughing to herself at how often she’d used that line to get out of trouble. She was an only child, of course, but that was on a need-to-know basis.
River pulled herself together. She knew she had to keep her focus on the task at hand, which was getting Eliza back to the cabin to save her father. There might be time later down the line to figure out what this sudden, intense attraction meant…or there might not be. But even as she told herself this, she couldn’t shake the images that flashed through her mind.
River cursed herself silently, frustrated by her own ridiculous thoughts at such a time.
“I’m going to check out the rest of this place,” River said abruptly, needing an excuse to get away, if only for a moment. “Just to make sure we’re alone.”
Eliza nodded. “Good idea. But be careful, would you? Do you want me to come with you?”
“I’ll be fine. You have a look around here. Maybe the maintenance guys left snacks? Non…erm…perishable snacks? Like Twinkies. I heard they’re the cockroaches of the snack food world. They last forever. They’re like…the best thing you can find during the zombie apocalypse, if that’s what this is.”
“This isn’t the zombie apocalypse,” replied Eliza firmly.
“It so totally is! Did you see those monsters in there? They were humans this morning, and now they’re tearing each other apart.”
Eliza sighed desperately, hoping this was all a huge mistake.
River slipped out of the maintenance room and into a small adjacent bathroom. The door creaked as she pushed it open, and the stale air hit her as she stepped inside. It was a tiny space, barely big enough to turn around in, with cracked tiles and only a tiny amount of daylight breaking through a window around eight feet off the floor.
She leaned against the sink, gripping the edge with both hands as she tried to steady her breathing. Her thoughts were spinning out of control in a whirlwind of fear and exhaustion.
She imagined what Eliza was like in the real world. Maybe she had a boyfriend? Maybe she was gay? River’s mind wandered, interested in this striking woman.
She cursed herself again, frustrated by her inability to control her thoughts. Eliza was bound to be straight, she reminded herself. And even if she wasn’t, was the zombie invasion really the time to be thinking about dating? There was no way any type of romance, casual or otherwise, could get off the ground when either one of them could be eaten alive at any moment, no matter how much River might wish that weren’t the case.
Her father was lying on his deathbed—or deathfloor, to be accurate—and there was a deadly virus sweeping through the city. This was not the time to be fantasizing about a woman she knew nothing about, no matter how compelling the attraction.
River splashed some cold water on her face, hoping to clear her head. It worked. She needed to get back to Eliza to figure out their next move.
As she wiped her face with a threadbare towel, River caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her short blonde hair lay flat against her skull.
What’s going on with the wig, Riv? Pixie cut, my ass. You look like you’ve been scalped.
Her reflection stared back at her, pale and haggard, with dark circles under her eyes and a look of weariness that went far beyond physical exhaustion. She barely recognized herself, and the sight made her heart ache. The image of the creature she’d killed flashed into her mind. It didn’t look human, but it had been one once.
You did what you had to do to survive. Now quit worrying and move on with it, she thought. And when that’s done, you need to treat yourself to a facial and some highlights because…shit, hon.
When River returned to the maintenance room, Eliza was still standing by the door, her posture tense.
“Everything okay?” Eliza asked, glancing over at River.
“Yeah,” River replied, her voice steady. “I just needed a minute.”
Eliza nodded, her expression softening. “I get it.”
No, you don’t.
River felt a pang of guilt at the concern in Eliza’s voice. She was here, risking her life to help River’s father, and all River could think about was how hot the woman was. It was selfish and immature, and River knew it.
“Anyway…erm…we should talk about what’s going on,” Eliza said after a few moments of awkward silence. “We need to figure out what we’re dealing with.”
River let out a small sigh, grateful for the distraction. “That’s your area of expertise, right? Do you have any idea how all this started?”
Eliza ran a hand through her messy hair. “I don’t think so. I want to be honest with you. I’ve seen viral outbreaks before…we all have. But nothing like this. It’s spreading way too fast. Is it mutating, or…you know what? It’s almost like it was designed to do this.”
“Designed?” River echoed, her eyebrows arching.
Eliza hesitated, as if weighing her words carefully. “Yeah. Listen, I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but this feels…unnatural.”
“Supernatural, you mean?”
“Well…maybe. No. No, I don’t think that. But viruses don’t usually behave this way. They spread, yes, but when did we first hear about this outbreak?”
“Around two days ago? Maybe three?” River answered.
“Right. And look at where we’re at already. This feels…targeted. We’re only a couple days in, and look how wild it’s gotten. It’s like someone wanted it to spread quickly, to cause as much chaos as possible. I mean, I’ve seen this shit in movies, but never thought it could be reality.”
River’s stomach somersaulted. “You think someone did this on purpose?”
“I don’t know,” Eliza admitted. “But I think it’s a real possibility. And if it’s engineered, then whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing. And that means it could get a lot worse before it gets better. We need to protect ourselves. We need weapons.”
River scouted around and noticed two crowbars stacked by the wall.
“Reckon they’ll do?” She pointed at them.
“Better than nothing.”