Ted ran past the living dead up the stairs. He grabbed the empty bottle of champagne, smashed it on the wall then used the broken part to defend himself from being eaten. "Still can't find any open doors?" He yelled.
Emily's response was a helpless nod. She ran to every door, pulling and screaming. Survivors who were hiding in some of the rooms turned deaf ears to her screaming. One of them rebuked her from inside, asking her to leave quickly. One of the living dead raced up the stairs, coming towards her. She was unable to run away as fear had paralyzed her legs. She yelled at the top of her lungs, drawing Ted's attention. Scurrying towards the living dead, he flung him down the stairs.
"Go quickly! Check other doors for help." The last seven days had been an excruciating one for Ted and Emily. They had been running from one room to another, looking for edibles and water. Emily could get over the betrayal she felt. The man she loved the most had left her to die without giving it a thought. She wondered if he ever loved her or if it was truly one-sided as Ted used to tease her.
Absentmindedly, she bumped into the trash can in the way. The soft innocent moan coming from inside drew her attention. She removed the lid, slowly, ready to attack if it were a monster. Throwing the lid to the side, stick raised high, the little girl cried out to her for help. "Emma?" Oh my God. She's alive. "Emma, what are you doing here? Where's grandma?" This kid. Oh my, she looks tired. "Have you eaten anything?"
"How could a kid you just found hiding in a trash can eat anything?" Ted snapped. His knife went into the eye of another living dead. "Stop being foolish and look for a door that's open."
"Emily, I'm scared." Her racing heart and shivering body were enough proof she was terrified. She climbed out of the trash can, jumped into her arms, and buried her face between her legs. "Something bad happened to Grandma. Grandma is a nice person. Why did something bad happen to her?"
"Dear, how did you get in the trash can?"
"Grandma put me in there. She said I shouldn't come out until the police came." Her stomach rumbled. Her eyeballs flickered. She raised her head, staring at Emily shyly. "I'm very hungry. I haven't eaten in a long time. Where's Grandma? Why hasn't she come to get me."
"Grandma isn't around. Let's go. Uncle Ted won't hold out for much longer." Taking the girl's hand in hers, she ran as fast as she could, Ted buying them some more time to find an open room. "Hold this." She handed the girl her phone. "Watch out. If you see anyone approaching us, tell me."
"Are they bad people? Why is Uncle Ted killing them."
"They are trying to kill me, kid." He grabbed his stick on the floor. "Your grandma is probably,"
"Ted! She's a kid." On arriving at the last door, she closed her eyes tight, hoping it was open. Emma pressed her hand in hers.
"Is it open!"
"The door's locked, Ted!" Her voice came through. She pushed and kicked, struggling to break it open but every time she kicked, someone pushed it back. Feeling very agitated she banged hard on the door. "Open up. Look, I know you're scared but so are we. Please just open up, okay?"
"How do I know you ain't a monster?" The little boy's voice came through from inside. Emily could sense the fear and helplessness in his soft voice. Anyone in his position would have done the same thing. No one knew who to trust. The spread of the virus had made everyone selfish; The fear of not being able to trust someone you know, having to point a gun at someone you cherished so dearly. It reminded her so much of the year 2020, during the coronavirus outbreak. When everyone suddenly became aware of their environment, having to close the door to their friends and loved ones just to be alive, looting from shops to survive, being isolated waiting for the government to say it was over. That same feeling but a different situation. The pain she felt every time she had to cut off the head of a customer she once admired. These were once people who had many dreams, some probably had plans that day.
Would things ever get better? She thought. She was snapped out of her thought when Ted's hoarse voice resounded in her ears. "I'm not a monster, kid. Please just open up!"
"How do I know you ain't infected?"
"Have you seen any of these living dead talk back?" Her eyebrows snapped together.
"Well, I didn't know that dead people could just come back to life and try to eat my flesh till it happened. So I won't be surprised if there might be a new development in whatever's going on. By the way, you rig of dirt. I can smell you through the door."
Kicking and banging one more time, her eyes flashed heat waves at the door. The words erupted from her mouth, "Open this door this instant or I'll break it. I promise you, kid, once I get in I won't spare you."
"I'll like to see you try to break the door."
"Emily!" She grabbed her knife again and stabbed the living dead trying to bite him. "What's going on?"
"There's a kid in there and he won't open up."
"Fuck. Have you tried sweet talking him?"
"Yes. I even threatened him but he won't open up!"
"Threatened? How in the world do you think you can threaten someone who seems to be your only choice of survival?"
Holy cow. What's gotten into me? I used to be the one saying that to him. He truly is a bad influence on me. "Kid," She called out reluctantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean those things I said. I was scared, okay. I'm sorry."
"You seriously think I would buy that?" He scoffed, unconvinced. "This room is occupied. The sexy lady on the news said one of the symptoms is aggressiveness. You displayed that earlier so how can I trust you?" She's trying to fool me. She thinks I'm some dumbass kid. "Go away! I don't want to hurt you. Your boyfriend over there seems to care about you a lot. Poor guy."
"What now?" Emma blinked. "Are we going to become bad people too? I miss my grandma. I want to go to her."
Why did this obnoxious boy think for a second Ted is my boyfriend? She shrugged. She was stuck with him while the two guys she cared about were probably dead or alive. She twisted her fingers anxiously, thinking of how to get through to the boy.
"Emily," Emma exclaimed. "Uncle Ted,"
"Stay here." She swallowed her fear. Emma didn't need an additional crybaby. "Don't move. I'll be back."
"Hello." Emma flipped her hair. She tiptoed to the door, resting her head on it. "If you can hear me, my name is Emma. My parents are dead and I don't know where my grandma is. She told me to wait for her that she would come but I haven't seen her yet. If you don't want to open the door for me, that's fine. But can you tell me if you've seen my grandma? I have a huge amount of money in my piggy bank, I would give everything to you if you tell me where my grandma is."
"Your grandma is with your mum and dad." The boy replied. "I wish I could say sweet things to you but you'll only hurt more if you find out I lied. She's probably scolding them for leaving you all alone in this crazy world."
"My grandma will never scold anyone and she's not with my mum and dad. You are fatuous, you know." Emma shook her head in disappointment. "I said my parents are dead, so how can my grandma be with them? I thought when people grew older they became smarter."
"I am smart!" He scrunched up his face. "I am very smart."
"If you're very smart then you'll know that you need people to outlive. You can't make it out of here all by yourself. There were more than 2000 people here and many of them are bad people now. How will you escape the bad people with that tiny voice of yours? You sound so much like a squirrel to me."
"You are saying mean things to me. I'm older than you!"
"And I'm smart enough to know that you are foolish. Age doesn't equal wisdom. My grandma used to say that."
"So, you think that lady isn't infected?"
"If she was bad, she would have attacked Uncle Ted. Stop being silly and open the door or we'll leave you and go home. If my grandma comes, I'll go with her. Emily and Uncle Ted will go and only you will stay here till the Cops show up. By the way, why do you keep saying infected?"
And she says she's smart. "They ain't bad people. They are terrifying monsters."
"Are there monsters that ain't terrifying? Just say monsters, no need to be dramatic."
"Fine." He pulled a small stool close to the door and then unlocked it. "Get in."
"You!"