The Infected: What Happened to David Price (3)

three: I have to


Everything happened so quickly. Rebekah was out the door. Greta had ran up the stairs. George Price was trying in vain to get Annie off his wife. There was blood everywhere.

David stood in the doorway, transfixed by the events unfolding around him. This isn't happening. I need to do something.

*****

Dad can't hold on forever. Annie is ripping mom a new face. I snap out of the dreamstate I was in and jump back to reality.

"GET OFF HER!" I hear dad screaming, his voice slightly different. I've never heard him so fearful and scared. Why is Annie doing this?

I go to grab Annie's arm to pull her off my mom when I hear it. Rebekah's high pitch scream.

My head snaps sideways and I can't believe what I am seeing. It just isn't possible. Rebekah is running for dear life back towards the house, towards me. Our eyes lock and sheer terror looks back at me. Rebekah is terrified. Then I understand.

Karl Lochlan appears from the left, a mere shadow of what he used to be. Dark, sulken eyes. Pale skin streaked black with veins. Blood all over him. He collides hard with Rebekah, smacking her against her own car.

"DAAAAVID!" Rebekah screams, never breaking eye contact with me. Her arm extended, silently asking for help as Karl rips a chunk of flesh from her shoulder.

Just then my mom screams and I hear objects crashing behind me. I can't look away. I can't leave Rebekah's gaze. Because I know what is happening.

It kicks in. It being anger, survival instincts, fear, whatever the fuck it is that ignites our flame when need be. I run outside, grab dad's shovel and extend it at arm's lenght, running as fast as I can towards Karl. I ram the spade through Karl's neck, ripping away the skin, flesh, and muscle that holds his neck up.

He slumps to the ground, as does Rebekah. She can't even talk. Blood is pouring out of her neck and shoulder wounds. Her left ear and part of her hair around it is gone.

"We need to get inside," I look around, spot another one by the intersection. I turn back and see Dad locking the back door, no sight of Annie. Mom is on the ground and she isn't moving. At all.

"Rebekah, we need to get inside now", I say and help Rebekah to her feet. She can't stand straight and I'm dragging her back to the house, the shovel staying firmly in my hand. I'm crying, she's crying and when I get inside I find dad crying over mom's lifeless body.

"Dad..." I take my time to lay Rebekah on the sofa. "Dad, I need something to stop the blood!" I'm nearly yelling yet he still doesn't respond. Mom is dead. What the fuck.

"DAD!" This time he looks at me and then at Rebekah. It sinks in. He's just about to get onto his knees when mom's eyes open.

"Oh, Theresa" Dad says tenderly, and I have no time to warn him. I should have known this would happen. Mom lunges forward and up, wrapping her jaw around dad's arm and chewing off as much flesh and skin as she can in one bite.

I grab hold of the shovel. I have to. I walk over to mom and wack her as hard as I can across the face. Dad is screaming, not because of his wounds. He's screaming at me but I don't listen. I have to.

I continue hitting her until she stops moving. I hear Rebekah moan on the couch, dad still screaming, unable to move because of his wounds.

Not once do I stop to think. When the dead can kill you with a scratch, you don't think. You act.

Dad knows what I'm about to do and he still doesn't understand what is going on. I guess it's normal. I mean, I've always thought zombies would eventually do us in but dad wouldn't know. This isn't fair. This isn't how it's suppose to be.

I raise the shovel and bring the spade down, severing dad's neck. I fall on my knees, leaning against the shovel's shaft. I'm bawling my eyes out. Rebekah moans again but this time it's more of a low rumble.

It's not easy but I have to.

Rebekah comes at me really fucking fast. I get to my feet and swing the shovel across the side of her head, sending her tumbling inside the kitchen.

"WRAAAGH!" She snaps her head up and those eyes that displayed fear earlier now only show hatred and hunger. Lust for flesh. I know about this way too much. She comes at me full speed and once again I smack her across the face, but this time I don't let up and keep wacking her on the head until she remains still.

I fall back against the wall, exhausted. I look around the room and the amount of blood and the smell of rot makes me nauseous. That's when I realise how much i'm shaking. I feel my heart beating through every part of my body.

Greta suddenly appears at the bottom of the stairs.

"David...what...what did you do?" She starts crying and makes her way towards the bodies.

"DON'T!" I grab her arm and yank her towards me. I hold her against my chest and hug her tightly. "I had to, Greta. For us, I had to."