Travis's arm trembled with the weight of the oxygen tank as he raised it above his head. The thudding of the creatures below echoed up the stairwell, filling the air with an impending sense of doom. Each pounding thud against the door sounded louder, more aggressive, the creatures fueled by their primal hunger. Just as Travis was about to bring the tank crashing down again, a sudden realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.
He froze mid-swing, wide-eyed, as the memory came rushing back.
"I… I have the key," he muttered, disbelief spreading across his face.
"What?" Steve snapped, his voice cracking with fear and irritation.
Travis fumbled into his pocket, adrenaline making his hands shaky and slow. His fingers brushed against cold metal, and he pulled out the ring of keys, his heart racing. "Oh my God, I forgot—I have the keys!"
The group stared in disbelief as Travis hastily searched for the right key, his hands now trembling more from urgency than fear. "Come on, come on…" He finally found the key with the faded red mark. The growls and banging grew louder, the creatures mere feet away.
"Hurry!" Paris hissed, her eyes wide with terror as she glanced back at the door, the sound of claws scratching against the metal adding to the horror.
Travis jammed the key into the lock, twisting it desperately. The click of the lock disengaging felt like a bomb going off in the silence, and he threw the door open.
"Go! Go!" Travis shouted.
They all rushed through the door, stumbling onto the roof, the cool night air hitting them like a wave of relief. Travis slammed the door shut, fumbling to lock it again. The thudding from the other side was almost immediate, the creatures ramming against the door with renewed fury. The heavy breathing and muffled growls were so close now, the sound a reminder that they were never truly safe.
Travis, Eli, and Steve glanced around the rooftop, their eyes scanning for any potential threats. It was eerily quiet, save for the faint moaning of the creatures below and the rhythmic banging against the roof door.
"We're safe for now," Travis said, though his voice was far from confident.
The group collapsed onto the cold concrete, gasping for breath, bodies aching from exhaustion. The tension slowly ebbed, but it lingered, like the last note of a horror song refusing to fade completely.
Steve glanced at the wounded man, huddled on the ground, his body trembling as blood continued to seep from the deep wound in his side. His groans were a sickening reminder of their grim reality.
"Guys… are we going to handle this situation?" Steve's voice wavered, his eyes glued to the man.
Everyone turned toward the wounded man, his face pale, lips trembling as he gasped for air. He looked up at them, his eyes pleading. "Wait… wait… please…" His voice was weak, barely audible above the noise.
Steve let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "The second you turn, that's it, man."
The wounded man didn't argue, just nodded slowly, as if accepting his fate.
Eli moved to sit beside Paris, who was staring off into the night sky. "How are you, little lady?"
Paris let out a long breath, her body still trembling from the ordeal. "Better now… even if it's just for a moment."
Eli smiled weakly, but the weight of the situation hung over him like a dark cloud.
The forgetful man, hunched over, finally spoke. His voice was low, almost hesitant. "Thank you… for helping me."
Steve shot him a glance, biting his tongue before saying something snarky. Janice studied the man, her brow furrowing in thought.
"Sir… were you in room 901?" she asked, her voice gentle.
The man blinked, his eyes widening. "Yes… yes, I was. How did you know?"
"I'm a nurse. You're Peterson, Jake Peterson. You survived a serial killer attack… but you didn't remember anything. You were pretty shaken up."
Jake's face scrunched in concentration, trying to recall something—anything. But the memories eluded him. Still, he was grateful to have a piece of his identity back.
Janice felt a small sense of satisfaction. Amidst all the chaos, she had helped someone. But as she turned her attention to the wounded man, her heart sank. He was getting worse. The wound had become a gory mess, his blood staining the concrete beneath him.
She knelt beside him. "What's your name?"
"Jason," he whispered, his voice heavy with pain.
"Jason… I'm sorry. There's nothing more we can do."
Jason looked up at her with tired eyes, managing a small, pained smile. "You did more than you know."
Janice swallowed hard, her throat tight. For a brief moment, the chaos of the world seemed to fade, leaving only the fleeting connection between her and Jason.
Nightfall crept over the rooftop, casting long shadows as the group settled in to rest, despite the terror lurking behind the door. To everyone's surprise, Jason hadn't turned by the time they woke. He was still Jason.
Travis, Eli, and Steve took to searching the roof, desperate to find a way off. After what felt like hours, they found a narrow ladder leading down the back of the hospital. Far below, their vehicles waited like beacons of hope in a sea of despair. But the creatures were still out there, roaming the hospital grounds like predators in the night.
They returned to the group, hope mingling with dread as they shared the discovery.
"There's a ladder," Travis explained. "It's risky, but it's our best shot. Eli's truck and my car are down there… if we can get to them."
Before anyone could respond, the low hum of a helicopter cut through the air. It was distant, but growing louder.
"It's the military!" Steve shouted, his face lighting up with hope.
Everyone scrambled to their feet, waving and shouting, desperate to be seen. The noise, however, caught the attention of the creatures below. Their banging became more frantic, their growls louder, more insistent. They were breaking through.
"Stop yelling!" Paris cried, panic rising in her voice.
But it was too late. The helicopter didn't see them, or didn't care. It passed overhead and disappeared into the night sky.
The group stood frozen, disbelief and dread washing over them as the banging reached a fever pitch. The door was about to give way.
"We have to go. Now!" Travis shouted.
They rushed to the ladder, but Jason, pale and trembling, held up a hand. "I'll stay. I'm done for anyway. I can buy you some time."
"No, Jason, don't…" Janice began, but Jason cut her off with a weak smile.
"Go. Get out of here."
Janice took his hand, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you."
Jason turned toward the door, his face contorted in determination. "Hey! Over here, ZedHeads!"
Steve couldn't help but chuckle. "ZedHeads? I like that."
The creatures broke through the door just as the group reached the ladder. Jason screamed, drawing their attention, his voice cracking as they swarmed toward him. "Come on, you bastards!"
The group descended the ladder in a rush—Eli first, then Paris, Janice, Travis, Jake, and finally Steve. As they climbed down, ZedHeads began spilling onto the roof, some of them tumbling off the edge, their bodies hitting the ground below with sickening thuds. Blood and bone splattered across the pavement, the sounds making everyone wince.
Steve's foot slipped, and he dangled from the third level, panic flooding his veins. "I'm gonna die!" he shrieked. The rest of the group made it safely down.
The ladder shook as more ZedHeads fell, their bones crunching, blood spraying onto Steve. He screamed, feeling death creeping closer. But Jason yelled louder, drawing the creatures back toward him, giving Steve a moment to regain his balance. He climbed down another rung, heart pounding.
But a ZedHead tumbled straight onto Steve, knocking him from the ladder. He fell hard, a sickening crack echoing as his leg snapped beneath him. Steve's scream pierced the night, the sound of pure agony.
The others rushed to help him, dragging him toward Travis's car as ZedHeads swarmed the rooftop. Jason's screams grew fainter, replaced by the wet sound of tearing flesh as the creatures ripped him apart.
The group fought their way to the car, swinging and shoving ZedHeads aside. Blood splattered across their faces as they reached the vehicle. Janice, Jake, and Paris helped Steve into the backseat, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Travis jumped into the driver's seat, Eli beside him.
They sped away, leaving the hospital—and Jason—behind, the sound of the creatures fading into the distance.
The hospital disappeared into the rearview mirror, but the questions hung heavy in the air: How much longer could they survive? Would they ever find true safety?
The answer seemed more elusive than ever.