Midnight Cry

Back to square one

“Come here, Josh. Good job! You'll earn this badge for your hard work.” He gave me a badge.

“Thanks Dad. When will you get home?  Will I be able to play chess with you again next time?”

“Sure thing. Later after work.”

But dinner came and father forgot. He patted my shoulder saying, "Good Job" I always ask him to play but he never has the time. He'll always say "Next time"

There's no time left for him now. I won't ask him again. I got tired of waiting and waiting for nothing.

What is this, flashback?

I only heard silence. But after that, it turned out that they're all near me. It's too loud. I am lying on the cold ground still looking at them. But where did the bullet go through? Oh. I'm still alive.

I take a good look at my hands.

What commotion? Are they all fighting? Because of me?

But I am well.

"Hey Stop" I shouted at them.

They didn't listen.

"I said stop it!" I am angry now.

They looked at the door because a clanging sound was made while they're arguing.

We saw a shadow from someone and it showed itself.

Ms. Rease gasps.

It walks fast and it's not human.

Zombie.

"What-the-actual---" Calvin restrained himself from cussing while hustling to get in the car.

We all try to get in the car. We have no choice.

"How can we get out of here? It's locked!" Kean pointed the huge gate from the basement.

"I totally forgot... " I told them that we need the passcode to open the gate but we're all in the car. Of course, no one wants to go out.

"Is the passcode the same as what we used to open the CCTV room?" Rease asked.

"It's not the same." I check my email to get the passcode. " Oh, here it is..." I scrolled up.  "But there's four here now. 5697823, 6973218, 6479812, and 7809465"

The gate opened.

"Didn't see that one coming" I said. " I guess no one needs to get out of the car."

"Voice activated. Cool." Rachel was amazed.

"Oh no! The zombie!" Kean shouted.

The zombie screamed as it was banging its head to the window glass. We saw the blood rushing through its mouth. It banged three times… But the fourth time made a huge impact that it almost... Almost whack the window glass.

"Kean! Drive!" Ms. Rease shouted at Kean because he doesn't know what to do.

When the gate opened, we saw a lot of zombies waiting to kill us all. One glimpse and I can count 18 of it. All of them are rushing to get us all. One is full of blood on its lips. That zombie already had dinner. The other one I saw seems beaten up by someone but it won because it’s still alive. I don't know. They looked like a person but you can't tell if they're normal. I think it's all in the head. I mean something's wrong in their head like they're brainwashed or something that's why they became like that. Some of the zombies are still awake daylight. Must be hungry.

Kean drive like crazy. He bumped into those cursed zombies. One after the other that's how they died. There is a zombie that's just so strong that it manages to open up the door on Rachel's side.

"Ah! Jesus Christ. Please save us." Rachel screeched.

She pushed the zombie by kicking at its face then it got off. Rease closed the door.

All of us became numb and no one wants to say something when it's all over.

"I want to go home!" Rachel began sobbing and Rease tried to comfort her by hugging her in her arms.

"Shh. Shh. It's okay Rachel. It's okay. You're so brave. I saw you kicked that zombie's ass." Ms. Rease touched her head. "You're very brave."

"How is the zombie's head become his ass?" Rachel still sobbing.

"I'm just kidding… So, please stop crying. I feel embarrassed now." Rease was blushing.

"What an ugly face you made while shutting the door, Rease. That made my day. Ha-ha" Rick began to tease Rease and we all laughed. Except Kean who looked so bothered by something. That's when I become curious and asked.

"Why would you want to go to Cleveland Hospital?" Kean did not reply. I will try again. Let's see.

" Hey, Kean... Are we still going to Cleveland after all?" Kean stared at me from behind.

"Yes. I'm sorry." His short reply.

"Then why? Give us an acceptable reason." Rease then followed up a question.

"I hate hospitals. It's scary." said Rachel.

"Rachel has a phobia in hospital because she saw Mom died in there." Calvin explained. He really knew Rachel very well.

Kean stopped the car in the middle of the street.

"My father was there. He’s one of the patient at Cleveland and I'm not going anywhere without him. He's the only family I have left."

We only stared at each other hoping someone would speak up. No one wants to be careless now. I don't want to hurt Kean's feelings after all he's done for me and Rachel. I remember when I am in the warehouse, clueless of what's happening outside.

All of the workers are trying to escape from mayhem. All of them are calling their loved ones and the emergency alarm is on and I saw them crying over the phone. It's so noisy. I cannot hear a thing but screams and murmurs. It's funny. I cannot understand what they're saying. One of our colleagues told me to get in the car and we're leaving this town. I just didn't listen. Dad's not here. What will he do if I did not listen to what he says? Will I get his attention? Will he come and save me from this mayhem? I get off the car and all of them are telling me and pushing me to get in. I calmly said that I'll be fine. I rushed back to the warehouse as the zombies approached. There's no one left in the warehouse but me. The main gate was locked and so, I felt so secured. I can hear the zombies growl but I know that I am safe because this place is made of titanium. I get a bat and a knife. I am well trained with self-defense that's why I am not worrying. Suddenly, I heard a girl's scream.

"Please! Open the door, quick! We're being attacked by zombies!"

"She seems normal." I told myself. " And oh, she's with two other guys." I scratched my neck and send a text message to my father.

"Anyone please, open the door. They're near." A man was desperate for help now.

"Do you have zombie scratches?" I asked them.

"No. We don't have one. So, open up! We're going to die!" The guy in lab gown was totally getting in my nerves.

"Okay, okay." I opened the door calmly but it's freaking locked.

"Okay... The door was locked." I shake the door but it's no use.

"Go to the left side of the building. There's a stair leading to the second floor and third floor."

I wonder what in this world did I just sign up for?

I rushed to the second floor hoping that they did understand my instructions. There's an adjustable stair case for emergency purposes only. I grabbed it and pull it down so that they'll be able to climb.

One by one, they climbed up.

"Oh no! They followed us! Kean! Faster!" The guy in a lab gown held unto the guy named Sir Kean.

Sir Kean is the last person to come up the stairs and the zombies moves fast. A zombie wants to climb up but Kean successfully climbed up. All we have to do now is to adjust the stairs.

"Oh my...Calvin, use this..." The girl was holding a bat then she hand it over on to the guy named Calvin.

"Kean!" The Calvin guy throwed the bat and he catch it.

The zombies at the staircase and it was looking at me. One of them grabbed my shoes and about to eat it. No... The zombie's about to eat me! but then the oldest swing the bat and it hit the zombie in the head and so it fell to the first floor.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked. "Hi. I'm Rachel. This is Calvin and Sir Kean. Nice to meet you."