The Beginning - A Zombie Story Part 3 - Suffer The Little Children

Suffer The Little Children1

"What's going on?" I finally managed to shout above the loud roar of the engine. The driver turned to me briefly, his face blank. I watched emotion quickly pass over his features before he sighed. I could tell he was conflicted between his orders and his conscience.2

"Well I don't know much, only what I've been told officially and what I heard from the other guys. I shouldn't really be telling you any of this, but the worlds going hell anyway." He stalled licking his lips as if deciding whether to continue.3

"So tell me." I shouted and he looked taken aback for a moment. He cleared his throat.4

"Well the official stance is that a strain of flu has made it over from Africa, and that we've been brought in to help contain it - which basically means taking the infected away, and killing those that are too far gone." My mind wandered to the memory of the boy lying dead on the school steps and I shuddered.5

"So you're killing people who are infected?" I said with an edge to my voice. The driver glared at me.6

"Well not me personally, but yeah. I haven't even picked up a gun yet, but according to what I've heard from a couple of my buddies, this is a nasty virus, it turns you into a maniac and you try to kill whoever you come across. We try to get the infected before they reach that stage, so we can try and help them. Once they've gone schitzo then basically you're fucked - pardon the language Maam." I blew out a breath, not realising that I'd been holding it.7

"So where are you taking me now?" I asked and the driver turned his attention back to the road.8

"The safe zone. It's the stadium over at Clearwater. Look Maam, I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about our conversation. I don't fancy spending the rest of my days in the brig." I nodded absently, trying to take in all that he'd told me.9

"Anyway, you'll see for yourself soon - I have to drive into Coatesville to pick up other survivors before heading over there." I felt my heart lurch into my throat.10

"We've got to go into Coatesville? With people like that boy running round trying to kill us?" The driver smiled.11

"Maam this is a M934 truck - it's damn near impossible to get inside this baby." He patted the dashboard with affection.12

"Besides, it's that damn big we just drive over anything in our way." I sat back further into my seat, my fingers tightening around the seatbelt until my knuckles turned white. He turned and looked at me frowning.13

"We're not getting out of the truck Maam, we're strictly pick up. They'll put the survivors in the back and away we go. Don't worry, I got your back." I smiled weakly, letting my face touch the cool window.14

I couldn't believe that 5 hours ago I'd been teaching my class Tom Sawyer and now I was in an army truck being driven through my hometown that was full of murderous, rampaging friends and neighbours. I shuddered, looking absently into the dark night, peppered every so often by fires.15

"Why did they blow up the school?" I said not turning to face him. The driver groaned; I could tell he was already sick of my questions.16

"It was for containment purposes. There was already at least 2 infected individuals in the building and if it had stood, maybe more would have followed. The Quacks are still finding out how this virus ticks, so by blowing up the school they hope to stop it from spreading - at least from that quarter." I nodded; it made sense in an overblown US Army kind of way.17

"Maam, we're heading into downtown now. Things could get a bit scary for a while. Just remember, you're safe in the truck as long as you keep the doors and windows closed." I closed my eyes tightly as we turned onto Main Street.18

“Oh Shit! I’m going to hit her.” The driver said as he turned the truck sharply. I looked out of the window at a little girl lying in the street, an imprint of the front tyre across her Barney nightdress, her right arm a bloody mess in the sidewalk. There was blood and drool all over her face and it took me a moment to recognise her. It was Jenny Abbott, one of the little girls from my class. She’d been absent for a few days with flu. A sob escaped my throat and I stuffed my fist into my mouth to keep from losing control.19

“Damn, is she...?” The driver said and I nodded, looking at her broken body. 20

“Oh God!! I’m going to hell for this one.” He said reversing the truck away from the body. I looked away from her broken body, focusing instead on my hands. I’d almost bitten through the skin on the back of my right hand.21

“What the Fuck?” The driver screamed and I sat to attention looking out of the window. Jenny had gotten to her feet and was shuffling after the truck, her one remaining arm out-stretched.22

“We have to help her!” I screamed trying to unlock the door and get out. The driver slammed his hand against the lock override preventing me from opening the doors.23

“No! She’s one of them now.” I turned to him in horror.24

“What do you mean, she’s one of them now?” The driver put the truck into gear and sped away down the street.25

“What I didn’t tell you is that, well there’s a side-effect to the virus. One of my buddies shot an infected man in the chest, left a hole the side of a tennis ball right through it. Five minutes later the man gets up and goes for round 2.” I shook my head violently.26

“I don’t understand, you mean they come back from the dead?” The driver nodded, wiping away the sweat from his top lip.27

“Yeah! Nothing I hate more than fucking Zombies!” 28