Resident Evil: Epidemic - 10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

::Coming Undone::

Oh-my-god-holy-shit-what-the-fuck.

Seriously.

Why was my father, of all people, whom I haven’t seen in years here at my school? And why was he wearing an Umbrella lab technician uniform? Wasn’t he supposed to be a regional manager, or something? That’s why he took that job in Texas.

And why the fuck was he a zombie?

I haven't been able to tear my eyes away from him. The blood, dark and thick, almost like a gelatin was pooled around the side of his face from the single bullet hole in his forehead. His bright red eyes still open, glaring at the ground in front of them, looking every bit the monster he’d become. The rotting flesh on his face, tinted a reddish color, peeling away slightly around the eye sockets and lips. His outstretched hand, fingernails broken and the rotten skin dirty and peeling. It was disgusting. This was my father! Those were the hands that had held me as a child!

My vision had gone blurry from the tears, and I’m sure I was in near hysterics, but I didn’t care. Nothing at the moment mattered, other than the fact that my father was dead and lying on the ground a few feet away from me.

Just this morning, I lost my mom. I was terribly afraid of what the future would bring for me. I finally started to calm down, and even though I was still sniffling, I realized I was in Lucas’ arms. For the first time since I lost it, I heard him whispering in my ear. His voice was so soothing, it made the fear and pain I was feeling start to drain away.

“I've got you, babe,” he whispered. “Everything’s gonna be alright.”

“You promise?” I asked, sounding every bit like a small child. I was clinging onto him for dear life.

“Sure,” he said. “When this all blows over, you and I are going to have a wonderful life together.”

At that moment, I believed him. I think I needed to. I needed something to believe in, and Lucas and I had such a strong connection that I knew somehow we’d make it work. No matter what kind of curve balls life decides to throw at us, if we get through this, we’ll survive. I mean, how can things possibly get any worse?

“I love you, Lucas,” I whispered into his ear. He tensed up slightly, and after a moment, sighed as all tension left his body.

“I love you too,” he said. “Kieran, you make me so happy, I don't know what I’d do if I lost you.”

“Promise me we won’t lose each other,” I said to him, dangerously close to sobbing again. “I can’t lose you too.”

He hugged me tighter, and whispered in my ear, “I promise.”

He continued to hold me for some time, gently rocking me back and forth, humming quietly in my ear. I was finally starting to feel in control of my emotions, and sat back, in order to look in his eyes.

The look of love I saw in his eyes took my breath away. But something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention.

Tyler, Dan, Mr Bosley, and Lucas’ dad. They were still in the room, leaning forward slightly as if they were engrossed in the most interesting thing in the world. Staring at us.

I realized they were still waiting for some kind of explanation. They all were, Lucas included. I took a cautious glance around, and found that the three zombies were nowhere in sight. They must’ve moved them while I was freaking out.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the coming discussion. All I really wanted to do was go climb in a bed and sleep for about a year. But by the looks everyone was giving me, I knew I wasn’t getting out of it that easily.

“Umm…sorry about that,” I started.

“Who was that, Kieran?” Tyler asked. I hadn't even noticed when he and Dan came back in.

“My…my father,” I said. Everyone gasped. If it wasn’t such a somber moment, it would have been comical.

“My father left when I was three years old,” I explained. “He took a job as a regional manager in Umbrella’s Houston office. I haven't seen him since, but still, he’s my father.”

“Why would he be here in Raccoon?” Tyler asked.

“I don't know,” I said. “It doesn’t make much sense at all.”

We sat around pondering that for a while. No one had any good ideas why a regional manager for Umbrella Inc. would be at the high school, and wearing a lab coat.

“Hey, didn’t Umbrella pay for all the modifications to this school?” Mr Bosley asked.

“Yeah, a few years ago,” Lucas replied. “Scored points for their public image.”

“Right, but why did they really remodel it?” Mr Bosley asked, getting blank stares from the rest of us.

“I don't follow,” Lucas’ dad said.

“Look at those last few zombies,” he began. “They’re wearing Umbrella lab technician uniforms. Why would Umbrella lab techs be in the high school?”

“Are you suggesting that Umbrella built a secret lab in order to conduct biological experiments underneath the city? And used an inconspicuous building to hide it in plain site? That’s ridiculous!” Lucas dad said.

Mr Bosley was known to like conspiracy theories. He’d sometimes go off on tangents in class about everything from the Kennedy assassination to fluoride in our water system. He even had one about super intelligent monkeys, but the day he talked about it in class I think I wasn’t paying attention. I was probably staring at Lucas’ butt. But this one seemed to me to have a sliver of credibility.

Why hadn't Umbrella done anything to stop this epidemic? They had to have known that the sickness wasn’t the flu. I mean, Umbrella employs some of the best doctors in the country, surely they’d be able to tell the difference between a case of the flu and the living dead.

“How else can you explain it?” he went on. “There’s probably an entrance somewhere around here. Tyler, where did you see them come from?”

“I was in the kitchen, looking for some real food, not that vending machine crap,” he paused, and looked at Lucas, Dan and I sympathetically. We’d worked hard to get that vending machine crap, and I had the bruise on my foot to prove it. “All of a sudden, I heard a door creak open, and some growling sounds. When they spotted me, I ran.”

“We should search the kitchen,” Mr Bosley suggested.

“I think we should regroup in the lounge, and find some way to fortify it,” Lucas’ dad said.

“Come on, there might be food and supplies in the lab,” I said. “And it sure as hell beats sitting around doing nothing.”

“A lab that might not even exist,” Lucas said, giving me a look that showed how much he was against finding the lab. I know he was just scared.

“Then there’s no reason not to look,” Tyler said. “If there is a lab, we can argue about going in later.”

“Fine, but I still don't think we should go inside,” Lucas’ dad said.

We all went into the kitchen. I moved to walk beside Lucas, and he kind of rolled his eyes and frowned at me. “I still think we shouldn’t,” he said grumpily. “Someone might get hurt again.” Childish, but I could tell he was mad at me because I didn’t agree.

We split off to search the area. The kitchen was actually quite large, being that there were four cafeterias in one. There were many large ovens, some giant pots that the cooks make the evil concoctions that they try to pass off as soup, and a lot of different pantries and walk in refrigerators and freezers.

Tyler, Lucas, and I decided to search the freezers. We opened the first one and were horrified by what we found.

“Gross!” Tyler exclaimed.

“I can't believe it,” I said.

“How can they do this? Isn’t this illegal?” Lucas asked.

“I think so…” I said in awestruck revulsion.

Lining the shelves in the freezer…were the leftover hamburger patties from last week. We knew they were leftovers, because of the handwritten sign that said ‘Leftovers’. The thought of having to eat a fresh hamburger from this school is enough to turn your stomach, let alone a week-old reheated one. Disgusting.

“Oh, nasty! This one’s got the cheeseburgers!” Tyler said from the next freezer to my left.

After a few more horrible discoveries, we started searching the pantries that were by the freezers. The first two I searched were ordinary, containing things like the boxes of extra condiments, and lunch trays. The third was different. There was nothing inside it, but along the back wall, there was a door marked restricted. It was slightly ajar.

I pushed the door open, and it squeaked quietly on its hinges.

It led to a long, dark stairwell. I looked over at Lucas, and the look on his face said that he knew as well as I did that we’d found it.

“Tyler, look at this,” I called to him. He was searching another pantry.

“You aren’t going to believe what they do with the leftover soup,” Tyler said as he entered.

“I don't want to know,” I said. “But I think we found something.”

Tyler looked down the stairs, but it was so dark he couldn’t see anything.

“Okay, I don't want to state the obvious here, but I think we might have found it,” Lucas said. “Now, let’s barricade the door and forget about it.”

“Dude, screw that,” Tyler said. “I say we see what's down there.”

Lucas looked at me, giving me a pleading look. I gathered him up into my arms, and kissed him on the cheek.

“Babe, I know you’re scared, Hell, I am too,” I said. “But there might be some supplies down there we need. Like some more of that wonderful First Aid spray.”

He gave a long sigh of defeat. “I'm not going to win this, am I?”

“C’mon, I’ll protect you,” I whispered into his ear. He giggled.

“By doing what? Shooting the Coke machine?”

“Hey, that Coke machine had a menacing look to it,” I said with a chuckle of my own.

He sighed again, and said, “Fine, but let’s go get the others first.” he smiled sweetly, and gave me a small kiss on the lips. I smiled down at him, a look of complete adoration in my eyes.

“You know, you guys really make me sick sometimes,” Tyler said from behind us. Lucas looked at him, and stuck his tongue out.

Lucas and I went out to find the others. We found Mr Bosley and Lucas’ dad in a maintenance supply closet just outside of the cafeteria, looking through the different tools. I've never understood straight guys’ fascination with tools. But, on the other hand, the thought of big, strong men, hot and sweaty from working with tools all day…okay, I won't go there.

We found Dan by a large refrigerator, one that holds various pastries and other breakfast items. He tried to act like he was searching the area, but the frosting on his lips gave him away. It was actually kind of cute. In the same way kittens are cute. Don't want Lucas getting jealous or anything.

Finally, we all got back to the door, which Tyler was guarding. Tyler looked pissed when we got there.

“Okay, lets just all walk away and leave Tyler to guard the door to the spooky underground lab with the freakin’ crazy zombie monsters by himself,” Tyler said sarcastically. “Not like any red faced mutant monsters came out of there and tried to eat him earlier or anything.”

He was putting on a show of anger, but I could tell that he was actually scared. I felt like an ass. Didn’t even think about leaving him there.

“I’m sorry, Ty…” I started to say, but he cut me off.

“Whatever, just lets go down there and get it over with.”

“Hold on there,” Lucas’ dad said. “I really don't think we should go down there.”

“Miles, think clearly for a minute!” Mr Bosley said. It took me a minute to remember that Miles is Lucas’ dad’s real name. “There might be something down there we need.”

“No, you think clearly,” he said. “There might be more zombies, or any number of other worse things down there.”

“Dad, they’re right,” Lucas said. I looked at him with an open mouth. I figured he’d be the first one to side with his dad. “I’m afraid too, but if we stick together, I think we’ll be alright.”

“Besides, one look at you and the thing will pee its pants,” I joked. “I mean you’re practically Muscles McGee over here.”

He blushed, and everyone giggled. It was strange to see this huge behemoth of a man so scared.

“Fine, but we go down there, look around, and come back up,” he said. “I don't want to stay down there for any long period of time.”

Everyone agreed to that. Seems no one wants to stay down in the freakin dungeon for any length of time.

Lucas’ dad and Mr Bosley argued for a good five minutes about who should go down the stairs first. I looked at them, two grown men, and rolled my eyes. I walked past them and started down the stairs.

“Kieran!” everyone shouted at once. I didn’t stop, just kept walking down the stairs.

“You guys coming?” I called over my shoulder.

Finally, I heard the creaking of stairs and knew they were following behind me. After I’d gotten about halfway down the steps, there was a mechanical sound, as if a fan started up.

I nearly peed my pants when the automated lights turned on. I looked back behind me, and caught Lucas’ nervous gaze from behind his father.

“Must have tripped the motion sensor,” Mr Bosley said.

I started walking again, more cautiously this time. The walls of the stairwell and the hallway beyond were covered in a pale green moss. I looked closer at the wall, and realized that it was pale because it was covered in spider webs.

I don't do spiders.

Like, at all.

I got that creepy feeling all over my body, imagining there were thousands of spiders crawling all over my skin. I rushed down to the bottom of the stairs and started unconsciously swatting at my skin, at the invisible spiders.

I was doing something akin to the pee-pee dance now, hopping around and generally wigging out.

After I finally calmed down, I looked back at the stairs and found everyone at the bottom of the stairs as well, but they all had a look of fear on their faces.

“Kieran, don't make any sudden moves,” Mr Bosley said.

“There’s a big spider behind you,” Lucas said, his voice wavering.

I had to admit, they were playing this one pretty well.

“Ha ha, very funny,” I said. “Just because I'm afraid of spiders doesn’t mean I'm stupid.”

“No, dude, we’re serious,” Tyler said. “Look behind you, but do it slowly.”

I gave him a look of doubt. I wasn’t going to fall for it that easily. “Okay, I’ll do it slowly,” I said. Then I spun around as quickly as possible, looking at the ground for this imaginary spider.

“See, I told you I'm not…” I started, but lost my train of thought when I caught sight of it. Or, rather, caught sight of the huge hairy leg in front of me. I looked further up, and found a massive drooling mouth with pinchers on the sides, with huge black eyes above it. The thing was huge, the size of a big dog. Bigger, even.

“OH MY GOD!” I screamed and jumped back as fast as I could. So much for no sudden movements. I literally jumped into Mr Bosley’s arms, catching him by surprise and knocking him over, running into Lucas’ dad making him fall too. Tyler and Lucas were caught off balance by us, and they fell to the ground as well. It was like a big domino effect.

Dan was the only one left standing.

The thing reared up, its front legs in the air, and let out a screech unlike any sound I've ever heard.

It sprayed a greenish liquid out of its horrible mouth, missing us on the ground, but catching Dan in the leg. He screamed as the liquid immediately ate through his pants leg and started burning his skin. I looked on in horror as his skin started bubbling from the contact. Dan passed out.

Lucas was the first one of us to gather his wits. He scrambled to his feet and picked up his rifle where he’d dropped it. He quickly took aim and fired at the thing, catching it in the side. A dark blood oozed from the wound, and the creature skittered back a few feet. It made that horrible sound again, this time sounding in pain. The thing looked at Lucas, as if realizing he was the one that hurt it, and paused for a few seconds. They stared eye-to-black bulbous disgusting eyes, as if in a standoff. This gave Lucas’ dad time to get up and pick up his shotgun. He cocked it, and pulled the trigger, only to realize it was empty. He scrambled to pull out more ammo as the thing reared up again, letting out another screech. It charged, trying to close the distance as fast as possible.

In less than a second, I watched in utter horror as it easily threw Lucas aside like a rag doll. Lucas hit the wall hard and fell to the ground. It started to advance on Lucas again, but stopped as it heard the sound of Lucas’ dad cocking the shotgun again, with fresh ammo in it.

The thing looked at him, and its gaping mouth drooled disgustingly. He fired. Two of its legs were ripped clean off its body. They fell to the ground and twitched, as the thing fell forward and screamed in pain again. Finally coming to my senses, I pulled out my pistol, and took aim. I fired the remaining bullets at it, but the measly 9mm rounds barely had any effect on it.

Lucas’ dad fired again, catching it directly in the face, and the thing was put down for good.

When we were sure it was dead, Lucas’ dad and I rushed over to Lucas, while Mr Bosley tended to Dan.

Lucas was holding his left arm to his body tightly, a look of pain on his face.

“Baby, are you alright?” I asked, concern heavy in my voice.

“I think my shoulder’s dislocated,” he grunted, a tear slipping out of his tightly closed eye.

Lucas’ dad moved to his son’s side, and gently took his arm. I had to look away, because I’d seen what was coming next in way too many movies. I heard a pop, and Lucas screamed. It had to hurt, but at least it was back in place.

I looked up to the ceiling of the corridor we were in, and wondered aloud, “Okay, seriously, what the hell is next? A clown from hell?”

God, I hope not.