Cast Out - Part 4

Amy was looking forward to getting some sleep, after pulling a nearly a double-shift at the hospital where she was a nurse. While she enjoyed her job, she also hated the crazy hours. Maybe in a few years she would have some senority and be able to work and live like a regular person, whatever that was.


After graduating from high school, she enlisted in the Army and served as a medic in Iraq. One time insurgents ambushed her medical convoy, and she picked up a rifle and helped keep them at bay until reinforcement arrived, and then tended to the newly wounded. When the media got a hold of her story, she became something of a hometown hero. She was awarded a medal for her bravery, and had several offers for “reality TV”, which she turned down. Even now, a few years later, people would sometimes recognize her as “That girl who...”

The phone rang. It was work. She needed to come in right away. Everyone was being called in.

Pulling into the parking lot 20 minutes later, she was surprised to find a place to park right away, as she could people outside the doors of the emergency room doors. It was busy.

She walked into lobby and had to almost fight her way to checking in. “What in the world is going on?” she asked the desk receptionist.

“Busy night!” was all she said before getting another phone call.

Before she could say anything else, a voice asked her, ‘Can I get some help for my friend? He’s bleeding again!”

She turned around to see a man, a little younger than her, looking at her exasperated.

She asked, “Where’s your friend?”

He pointed over to a man with a large bandage on his arm that seemed to be bleeding through.

They went over to him. She asked him, “What happened?”

“This crazy women bit me.” He looked terrible.

“What’s your name?” She wanted to check and see where he was in the wait list.

“Bob Humprey.”

“I’m Dave”, said his friend, smiling awkwardly.

“Wait just a minute”, Amy said. “I’m going to check and see how long it is until you see a doctor.”

“We’ve been waiting for an hour! Don’t leave!” Dave said. He then sheepishly said, “Please!”

Amy looked at Dave and for a moment wanted to tell him off, but said, “Guys, really. I’ll be right back, with either new bandages or a doctor. Promise.” She held up two fingers like a scout. They tried to smile at her, but she turned around.

As she got back to the receptionist, Amy saw that she was talking to a cop, maybe ten years older than her, and he looked like he meant business.

“Where is cop that was brought in?” the cop asked. “The one with neck injuries?”

“Name?” the receptionist asked. The cop gave his partners name. “He….was taken to ICU. Downstairs”, “ Funny,”she said, “ we haven’t heard from anyone down there for awhile…”

The TV blared “… we are cutting to a live feed from our affiliate in the capitol.”

They went to another shot, this time of a hastily called news conference, with a familiar looking guy that appeared to have been up for hours, or just woke up.

“…stay in your homes. I repeat. Do not go outside. Stay in your home. We have reports coming in from all over the country and it appears from other countries as well. It appears as though…the dead are rising again and…eating the living. I know this sounds too incredible to believe, but until we have a better understanding about what’s happening, it’s better for everyone to stay in their homes. If you have a gun, load it and be ready to use it. Do not go outside…”

Everyone stopped and got real quiet. Then all someone could hear was the realization of what was going on, a combined mixture of groans and sighs.

Then a scream from down the hall startled everyone.

Looking down the hall, all that could be seen were the bloody clothes of the dead walking towards the waiting room. They had started to feed on some people down the hall. There must have been more than thirty of them. Everyone panicked except Amy and the cop.

The cop took out his gun, and started firing. A few direct hits to the bodies, but still they kept coming. They were speaking something in a kind of unison.

“Dammit!” the cop said. Amy stood behind the cop.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“They don’t die! They just keep coming! Unless…” he broke off. He took aim at one undead women, pulled the trigger, and hit her in the head. She dropped like a stone.

“Head shots! Gotta hit’em in the head!”

Then his weapon opened up. Out of ammo. He put another clip in and dropped a few more of the undead.

“Good shot!” Amy said.

“I’m out!” the cop said. They looked at each other, then down the hall. It was still full of the undead.

“We gotta go.” They both said at nearly the same time.

They ran outside in time to see many people running for their lives, cars going every which way, people getting run over, and people pulling out others from cars. Complete mayhem.

“Over here! Nurse Amy!”

They both looked over to see the sound of the voice, and the friend of Bob’s was waving his arm at them. “Nurse Amy! Cop! C’mon!”

They ran over to the 4 door sedan and got in the back. Before they knew it, they were out on the street and going about 80.

“Thanks guys” said the cop.

“What’s your name?” Asked the driver.

“Dan” said the cop. “Yours?”

“Dave.”

“Nice to meet you, Dave”, said Amy, a little out of breath.

Dave glanced into his rearview mirror with a slight smile, “Same here”.