Apocalypse Hearts

Chapter 4 - Beneath the Walls

The tunnel was three meters wide. Exposed water pipes ran along the ceiling with some drippings on the floor. Emergency lights were on, but it was the kind that turned on and off automatically with movement; at least the concrete floor was clean.

"Mang Ben, there were people behind the plant boxes," Sally said.

"Can we just go?" the young mother asked. "My husband was just buying food outside before this all happened. Maybe he is just there waiting for us." she pleaded.

Silence followed. Sally looked at the pitiful young mother. She also looked at the elderly couple, but their face looked like they really wanted to help the others also. She was torn between helping others and sending these people to a safer place.

"We can make sound on the other part of this corridor to distract the infected. This has doors to every department. I will make a sound over there, just outside one of the doors," Mang Ben pointed towards the end of the corridor, "I will come back to open this door to let the people in here."

"That's a good plan, Mang Ben. But wouldn't it be faster if I came with you, got the key, and ran here? So that we'll have more time before the infected wanders again," Ronald said.

Camille found Ronald very smart because of his suggestion. She couldn’t help but look at him with admiration.

"Your plan is better, lad. Just don't make too much sound while running. And don't slip." Mang Ben smiled.

"Let's do this. Camille, you all moved back there to make a room," Sally said.

Mang Ben walked away with Ronald. Camille and the others followed. She held the boy's hand. They walked farther in, stopped in the middle to give way to more people who would come. Minutes later, Sally heard a banging from the far end of the corridor. She touched the door with her ears to listen. She heard the infected scrambling, walking away towards the banging sound. She listened intently, making sure there was no other movement. Ronald came running. Slowly, he opened the door with Mang Ben's key. He opened it just a small fraction. Seeing there was no infected person around, he came out with Sally.

The four people behind the nearest plant box stood as they saw Sally and Ronald coming out of the opening in the wall. They immediately ran towards the opening.

"There are others," said one of the four as he reached Mang Ben by the door on the wall.

Sally looked around and saw more people, quietly hiding. There were two nurses, some patients, several relatives, two utility personnel, a guard, and two paramedics. Some people were behind the standing air con, a few were under the overturned long metal bench, several were behind the steel cabinets; all of them were now standing, aiming to run towards the wall opening. And they did.

"Quietly," Sally said in almost a whisper. She was signaling everyone to be quiet, but everyone was so terrified to move slowly.

Almost twenty sets of feet sprinted, making noises as they ran towards the opening of the maintenance corridor. Some hit the carts, some slipped on the charts, making loud noise, not to mention the whispered screams. Sally was sure she heard other feet coming from one of the corridors.

They are coming, Sally's head screamed.

"There is no time. Faster!" Ronald said loudly as he assisted people coming in, "Sally, let's go!"

Before Sally turned around, she saw two infected people already coming out of one of the corridors. She ran with her head looking back. The door was still stuck with people.

"Mang Ben, they are coming!" Ronald said loudly while waiting for his turn at the door.

Mang Ben already knew from Ronald's panicked tone, so he pulled the people in one by one to give way to Sally and Ronald. After entering, Mang Ben immediately shut the door. Just a couple of seconds later, the infected were banging on it.

The people were terrified. Hands in their mouth, walking slowly towards Camille. Mang Ben overtook and led the way. Sally and Ronald were at the back. Now they were 31 people, Sally counted in her mind. From time to time, she glanced at her cellphone. No reception still.

They continued in silence. One stopped and waited for Sally and Ronald from the back. It was the lead paramedic.

"Thank you for saving us there," he said almost in a whisper, extending his hand for a handshake.

"Hey," Sally said almost excitedly in a low voice, clasping his open hand tightly. Maybe she was just relieved seeing a familiar face, Sally thought.

"I'm Alon Serdenia."

"Sally."

"Ronald Avenilla."

They could still hear individual screams from inside the hospital. Distant car alarms and relentless rain can be heard. As they walked, Mang Ben was touching the wall from time to time.

"Could this be rabies?" Alon asked Sally.

"I've seen many rabies patients; they don't ignore pain," Sally said.

"I've seen people delirious from drugs or meningitis," Ronald added.

"When we were in the lobby, hiding, I dialed the police already. They were not convinced. I don't know if they will come. I hope help arrives," Alon said.

The corridor turned sharply to the left. As they walked, Mang Ben stopped in the middle. All of them stopped. He looked into a very small window, eye level, just ruler size. It was the radiology department.

Sally, Ronald, and Alon went and peeked. Camille, after signaling the others to sit down and rest, came to Sally and looked into the window also. Several slippers, shoes, charts were scattered on the floor. Beds, equipment in disarray. A nurse was standing in the middle; her back was turned. She was not moving. Just standing motionless.

"Is that… Is that Nurse Diane?" Camille asked Sally.

"I think it is Diane. But I don't know anymore."

A scream echoed from the hallway. The nurse slowly tilted her head and turned to where the scream was coming from. Her eyes were all black. She walked slowly towards the sound. Each step was deliberate. No rage.

"Nurse! Nurse! Help!" a man called from the other side of the hallway.

Sally wanted to shout and warn them to stop. She immediately looked at Mang Ben.

"We need to help them, Mang Ben," Sally asked.

Mang Ben turned to Ronald and Alon, "Get them," and immediately inserted his key into the very small keyhole; the wall opened.

The two ran instantly towards the man calling while looking on the other side where the infected nurse had gone. They saw that the nurse was turning toward the new sound. A relative with an unconscious lady patient on his back came into view.

"Stop shouting," Ronald said softly in a panicked tone as they approached the man.

Alon scooped the unconscious lady and carried her in his arms and immediately ran towards where they had come out. Ronald held the relative's arm as they ran. The infected nurse was coming, walking slowly, just five meters away from the wall entrance where Sally was. They sprinted faster and collapsed on the other side of the wall, one meter before they were reached by the infected nurse.