When you are trapped and cornered, several things start to happen. The adrenaline starts to pump, your heartbeat pounds in your ears, you sweat, you panic. All of this happened to me as I paced around the cupboard, trying to collect my thoughts. None of this was helped by the continuous pounding on the door.
I took a deep breath and checked the door. It was solid, and the lock was sturdy—it would hold. But that didn't help me with getting out of the room. I looked around. Not much in the way of useful implements—just a few boxes of hand towels, toilet paper, some mops, the mop stick I had used to repel my attacker earlier, some bin bags, and that was about it.
I checked my bag that I had brought with me, hoping that somehow a machine gun had materialized in there at some point. Of course, it hadn't. Just a spare T-shirt, a can of Irn-Bru, a book—Day by Day Armageddon—and some Doritos. Crap.
Outside, everything had gone quiet. All I could hear was the pounding on the door. Guess it was too much to ask for them to forget about me and move on.
I looked at my options.
1st—the door: Pretty much suicide. I would be lucky to make my way past the one at the door and had no idea how many more were out there. If this had happened to everyone on the ward, it could be as many as fifty—thirty patients and various amounts of staff, if they hadn't already fled.
2nd—the wall: The hospital executive board had bragged about how the hospital was "future-proof." If anything needed rewiring or new systems needed to be installed, you could just smash into the cheap wall and put it in. But by the time I smashed my way through, odds were the things would have heard me.
3rd—sit tight: Cross my fingers, hope the door holds, and that they get bored. This was the most appealing option, but I had no idea how long this would take. It could be days, or they could just stay there.
None of the options was particularly jumping out at me. I looked up to the heavens, asking God for an answer, and surprisingly, he responded.
I smiled as I saw my way out.
I piled up a couple of hand towel boxes and climbed up on top of them. I pushed the cheap board up and looked into the gap between the main ceiling and the false ceiling, where various cables ran. I was reminded of Aliens, worrying about if one of those things had climbed up here too—I didn't fancy one coming up behind me and getting bit on the arse.
But the pounding and groans on the door drove me up, only pausing to grab my coat (it was chilly outside—didn't want to catch my death) and the mop handle. Not sure why, but I just felt better having it in my hand.
I threw the pole up and then hauled myself up, replacing the board behind me. Wasn't sure if they were smart enough to follow me, but I didn't want to take the chance.
It was dim up here, dusty as hell. Enough room for me to crouch, but that's about it. But at least I could see where I was going.
I slowly made my way across the beams, testing each step carefully. I didn't want to risk putting my foot through a board, falling through the ceiling, twisting my ankle, and being devoured.
I made my way east for about fifteen meters and stopped. By my estimation, I should be just above the door. I removed the panel and looked down. A body. Couldn't make out whose—it was missing half its face, and the other half was caked in blood. I suppressed my reaction to puke.
Two more panels over, and I would be on the other side of the door that required a swipe card to open. I doubted these things were smart enough to work it out.
I stooped over to the panel I needed and pulled it up. I looked through—both ways down the corridor. All clear.
I gently dropped down and looked back into the ward. I didn't want to, but I couldn't help myself. There they were, just shambling around.
One looked at me.
I knew her.
A moan escaped her lips, and they all proceeded to the door, banging and shoving it. Fortunately, they were too dumb to work out the swipe card.
I moved closer to the door, looking through the glass. Gazing into their eyes, I saw nothing—just emptiness. They continued to paw at the glass.
I saw something.
I threw myself to the side just as one of them slammed into the door where I was a second earlier.
Where the hell had it come from?
Had they escaped into the main part of the hospital? Had the people that had been bitten and sent to A&E turned and spread the infection?
I didn't have time to contemplate this any further, as the creature was coming at me again.
Not seeing a fire extinguisher nearby, I held only the pole as a weapon. I gripped it in both hands, keeping it between me and it.
It lunged. I swung the pole straight into its kneecap.
It sank to one knee.
It looked up and roared.
But at this point, it was roaring at nothing—I had already taken off down the corridor, closing the doors behind me. Thank you, Resident Evil, for the advice.
I swiped my card again and walked past maternity.
I could hear screaming and crying.
I couldn't bring myself to look in, but blood was seeping under the door and into the corridor.
The elevator was just around the corner. I would take it to the ground floor and head out through the underground parking area.
As I was waiting for the elevator, I considered that the stairs would have been a better idea.
I wasn't paying attention.
And it almost killed me.
I stepped straight into the lift without thinking.
Tucked into the corner, just out of view.
It hurled itself at me.
It caught me on the side.
I somehow managed to get the pole up between me and its teeth, its mouth biting into it.
It was a girl—blue top, blonde hair, jeans.
Not sure. I was too busy trying not to get eaten to play fashion police.
I managed to get my foot up and drive it into her stomach. I then used my weapon to hold her against the wall while I reached for the ground floor button.
The door slid shut.
Now, I could use both hands to hold her in place.
The ride down seemed to take forever. Hopefully, they would not be outside the elevator door, waiting for me.
The door opened.
It was clear.
I sprinted out of the elevator, leaving the thing behind me.
The corridors in the hospital were wide, offering plenty of space to dodge around. I was going to need it.
The ground floor was swarming with them.
Broken glass.
Broken bodies.
Everywhere.
People yelled and cried.
I just kept going.
It was easy to dodge—most of the creatures were too preoccupied with others.
I approached the main lobby.
I could head out here, but the revolving door would be suicide. Best to take the stairs down a floor and head through the parking lot.
I was almost at the stairs, just passing the coffee shop when one came out of nowhere, waving an arm at me.
I ducked.
I raised the pole in both hands, caught it under the chin, drove it back, and knocked it straight through the glass divider between the stairs and the floor.
We both tumbled over.
I landed on top of it.
I heard the pole snap its neck as we hit the ground.
But its head continued to try and bite me.
I stomped on it.
It stopped.
I stumbled to my feet, winded. But there was the door leading out to the parking area.
I had made it.
I swiped my card and stepped into the parking lot.
It was deserted.
I walked out and stood on the pavement outside the hospital.
Emergency vehicles raced past me.
I turned around and started the long two-mile run home.