Chapter 5
As the remaining group watched the cruise liner sail away on the Atlantic, they overheard a reporter on a nearby radio:
"I repeat: We have just received word that the last cruise ship evacuating civilians has left Chesapeake Bay and heading out to the Atlantic Ocean. If you are still in the Hampton Roads area, we advise you to get to a safe place until we receive word saying otherwise."
"I knew we should've stayed on that ship!" Dylan shouted.
"Keep it together, Dylan!" Jake exclaimed. "What we need to do now is find a place to set up shop for tonight. We need to stay somewhere we can hold our ground that's high enough for these people not to find us."
"What about the Cape Henry Lighthouse?" Cassandra suggested. "We're not that far from it, and it's high enough to not be seen, but see a good area of Norfolk."
"Let's go there, then."
With Jake leading the way, the group made their way to the lighthouse, using the buildings and totaled vehicles as cover. They stayed close to the cove, using the sound of the rippling waves to cover the sound of their footsteps.
The lighthouse was in the group's view, but there were people bunched around close by. The group started to sneak past them when they heard gunshots and screams coming from the bay. Jake peered over the bay to see where the noise was coming from. It was the cruise ship that left them behind. They were under attack.
The group just stared in fear as the ship was being overrun. Julio glanced at the ship and saw Selena at the edge of the ship. She was covered in blood, and her left arm and chunks of her torso were gone. Before she could jump overboard, five people grabbed her. She started screaming in torment as they sunk their teeth into her skin.
All Julio could do was watch in shock as his girlfriend was being mutilated right before his eyes. When they pulled her away from the edge of the boat and away from his view, he lost control of himself.
"No!!!!" Julio screamed as he fell to his knees. His screaming and wailing caused attention, drawing the others that were near the lighthouse towards the group.
“Move, now!!” Jake yelled as he began shooting.
While Jake was firing, Cassandra and Dylan ran to the lighthouse entrance, with Dylan holding on to Julio, who was struggling to run as he was hysterically weeping. When Jake realized that the people he was shooting weren't hitting the floor, he followed the group in the lighthouse and locked the door with the deadbolt installed on it. The group made their way up to the top of the lighthouse where Jake met face to face with the light keeper, who was in same delusional state as everyone else. He started attacking, and Jake deflected his blows and started shooting. Like the others, the light keeper wouldn’t budge. Jake pushed the man back and kicked him out of a glass window. The man's neck snapped when he hit the ground.
Jake checked to make sure there was nobody else at the top of the lighthouse, then he closed the door to the winding staircase and locked it. Once Cassandra and Dylan unpacked the blankets and food, they turned on the small radio they had in possession. Nobody was speaking; just static noise. Everyone was silent for hours.
Later that night, everyone started chowing down on some canned food they brought with them to the lighthouse; all except Julio, who sat all alone in one part of the room, leaned up against a wall.
"Julio," Cassandra started. "Do you want something to eat?"
"Not hungry," Julio mumbled.
Cassandra sat down next to Julio and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I am so sorry about what happened to Selena."
All Julio did was stare at the floor. "This is it, isn't it? We're all gonna die."
Jake knelt down next to Julio. "Julio, listen to me. We are
not
going to die. Not you, me, Cassandra, or Dylan. We are
going
to get through this."
Julio looks up at Jake. "How do you know that, huh?! We all saw what happened at that beach! We all saw what happened on that boat! We all saw what happened to Selena! I mean, we even saw how those...
things...
were reacting when you shot them! They didn't fall, Jake! And that tells me one of two things: They're already dead, or they should be! The worst thing about it is that we can try to get out of this; but in the end, we're bound to end up just like them!"
With that, Julio stood up and proceeded to walk outside on the balcony. Jake stopped him.
“Julio,” Jake reassured. “I promise you... We’re getting out of here. Trust me on that.”
Julio quivered and his eyes started watering.
“They didn’t fall, Jake,” Julio whispered. “They didn’t fall.”
He stayed on the balcony and was silent the rest of the night. Everyone decided to try and get some rest.
Jake woke up to the sound of footsteps creeping around inside the room where he and everyone else was residing in. He slowly lifted his head when the door to the balcony opened. Jake grabbed his pistol and stood up to take a look around. He glanced at the balcony and saw Julio standing on the edge. Julio had a makeshift noose around his neck that was fashioned out of some of his shirts and pants. The noose was tied to the balcony.
"No!!" Jake shouted, waking the others up.
Before he could stop Julio, it was too late. Julio had already leaped off the building, with the noose trailing behind him. His neck snapped the second that the noose reached full tension. The others ran out to the balcony and saw Julio's lifeless body swaying back and forth as it was dangling from the balcony.
Dylan started to vomit when seeing Julio twenty feet below the very balcony everyone was standing on. Cassandra had her hands cupped over her mouth, trying desperately not to scream.
“I can't believe Julio just did that," Cassandra whispered.
"We need to move now," Jake replied as he began to pack up. "We can't stay here. Not after what just happened."
"We can't just leave him like that!" Dylan exclaimed.
"We don't have a choice! There’s nothing we can do. That and those things may have heard all of this commotion, which means it won't be too long before they find us."
As everyone quickly packed up all of their supplies, Dylan turned on the radio so the group could find out anything new about what was going on. The new's reporter finally had some information:
"...In the Hampton Roads area, and to all of the other survivors that are tuned in to this station: We have just received word that the state of Virginia is not the only place affected by this occurrence. There are reports coming in from the majority of the U.S., Europe, Asia, and other Third World countries. It appears that we are experiencing what many are calling, 'The End of Times.' I can honestly say that this may be the darkest day in global history. There are military bases that are taking in refugees and survivors. We advise that you head to the nearest outpost as soon as possible. We are going to sign off, as this may be our final broadcast. Please, get to safety as quick as possible. Good luck, and God be with us all."
"Julio was right," Dylan replied. "This is it."
"This is not it," Jake stated. "We can still fight through this."
"How, Jake?!"
"For starters," Jake answered. "We can make our way to the Norfolk Naval Base, since that's the closest outpost. They have plenty of food and supplies, they have choppers fueled and ready to go all the time, and I know that area like the back of my hand. We'll be safe there."
Jake and the rest of the group packed up their supplies and looked around, making sure there weren’t any more cannibals. The coast was clear, and everyone hurried out of the lighthouse. They made their way through an alleyway where they were met by seven cannibals that were trotting towards them. Jake led Cassandra and Dylan to another route where three more intercepted them. Jake and the group were close to the naval base, but they had to go through a handful of people. Jake, Cassandra, and Dylan were surrounded, so Jake reloaded his pistol.
Pow! Thp!
They didn't fall.
Pow! Thp!
They were getting closer.
Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow! Click!
Jake was out of ammo, and they were not hitting the floor. Jake pulled out his knife, ready to charge.
Pow! Thp! Thud!
A bullet flew by Jake's ear and hit one of the cannibals between the eyes and he hit the floor. Jake turned around to see soldiers armed to the teeth. He, Cassandra, and Dylan quickly dropped to the floor as bullets started flying. One by one, an attacker fell to the ground until all were dead.
Once that brief battle was over, one soldier walked up to Jake. He was a middle aged man with a rough, clean shaved face. He had an eye patch covering his left eye, and he was wearing a naval uniform.
The sailor reached his hand out to help Jake up. "Petty Officer Riley."
Jake immediately recognized the sailor when they shook hands. "Lieutenant Miller."
“Negative, Riley,” Miller replied. “Commander.”
Chapter 6
Commander David Miller led Jake, Dylan, and Cassandra to the Norfolk Naval Base, now set up as a refugee camp. There were a lot of survivors that have taken sanctuary there. There were lines of black body bags laying outside of the gate. There were only a handful of soldiers left at the base that were keeping watch at the borders.
"Go ahead," Miller said to Jake. "Make yourself at home. Not much, but I know you've been in worse when you were in Somalia."
"It was about the same," Jake replied. "Except there were more sailors."
"Yeah, we lost quite a few. Walk with me."
Jake told Cassandra and Dylan to get comfortable in one of the barracks that others were sleeping in. Then, he proceeded to walk with Miller.
"There are a lot of bodies outside the gate," Jake started. “Any of them military?”
"Yeah," Miller answered. "We've lost a lot of good men to this outbreak. Most of the remaining are just rookies fresh out of boot camp."
"Outbreak, Sir?"
"You didn't think that the major world population started losing it over Bath Salts, did you?"
Jake and Miller proceeded to walk through the medical center.
"Remember when the W.H.O. and the C.D.C. were trying to prevent the spread of Vermors Disease?” Miller asked.
“Yessir, I do,” Jake answered. “That bacteria recently discovered over in India. Decaying flesh, fever, chills, dementia, coma, then death. A couple guys were talking about it at Christopher Newport. But I thought that was contained.”
"It was, until some of the doctors decided to bring a sample of it to the states for further testing. One of them got in contact with the bacteria, then more after that. Since the bacteria was in a secluded area in Virginia, it didn’t hit the news. Scientists started working on a vaccine to prevent further spreading of the disease. Nobody knew the side effects of the vaccine until it was too late. The vaccine sped up the symptoms and made it more lethal. Turned it into a mutagen. Those that were tested attacked members of the W.H.O and the C.D.C, and it soon escalated from there.”
“They were given a biological weapon and didn’t even know it.”
“I hate it just as much as you do, Riley. And to put icing on the cake, our wonderful president failed to mention that the untested vaccine and samples of the Vermors bacteria were already sent to different labs in the US and the world, courtesy of Genesis Pharmaceuticals."
"You couldn't contain it in the U.S. laboratories?" Jake asked.
"That's the thing: We tried, but every time we did, one of our own would experience the same side effects hours later."
Miller led Jake next to a glass wall, where Jake saw one of the soldiers standing alone in a room. The man turned around and rushed towards Jake. He tried to attack him, but the glass wall was hindering him from getting to Jake. All the man could do was stare at Jake and Miller with hungry eyes.
"Good news: No more Vermors," Miller continued. "Bad news, now we have this new disease to worry about. C.D.C calls it ‘Consimili’, or ‘Walking Corpse’ in Latin. But many of us grunts are just calling it the 'Zombie Virus.'"
"Wait... like zombies off of t.v. shows?" Jake asked.
"More or less," Miller answered. "These things are twice as strong as they used to be before changing, and they can run. To change, you need to be bitten, scratched, or get in contact with its blood or saliva, like eyes, ears, nose, mouth, or cuts, just like Vermors and Rabies. Then you'll become just like Sergeant Mason here within four and a half hours."
"Is there a way we can stop this?"
Miller turned to Jake.
"We?"
"Come on, Commander," Jake said. "You're low on personnel, and you said it yourself, 'They're mostly rookies.' You need me, and you and I both know it."
"I'll see about talking to the Admiral about re-instating you temporarily, because I will say that you were one of my best men when you were around." Miller patted Jake's back. "But, I'm not making promises. They may not allow it because of the reason you were discharged."
Jake sighed. "Sir, with all due respect. I can’t change the past. What matters now is keeping everyone else alive, and you won't be able to do much of that with the people you have now."
Miller was silent for a moment, then changed the subject. "You still wanna know how to take these things out."
"Yes I would," Jake answered. “I tried shooting and stabbing. Nothing seemed to work.”
Miller pulled out his sidearm and cocked it back. "Remember when I said, 'Two in the chest, one in the head?'"
"Yes, Commander"
"Forget about the 'two in the chest' kill shots. Only in the head. Damage the brain with whatever means necessary."
Miller walked close to the button that would open the doors to the room where the zombie was. "Now the CDC is trying to make a cure for this virus as well. They are fools for attempting to do so. They tried making a vaccine for Vermors when Consimili was formed. It’s just a sick and demented irony. Imagine a dog with rabies. No real cure for rabies. The best thing you can do to fix him and prevent others from getting hurt..."
Miller pushed the button and opened the door. The zombie started rushing towards him, ready to attack. Miller raised his pistol and shot point blank in the man’s head. The back of his skull flew open and he fell to the ground.
"...Is put the dog out of his misery," Miller finished.
Jake and Miller proceeded walking back to where other survivors and soldiers were.
"You told me over the phone a few days ago that you were going to propose to Cassandra?" Miller asked, changing the subject once again.
"Already did, Commander," Jake answered. "She said, 'Yes.'"
Miller patted Jake on the back and smiled. "Congrats."
"Thank you, Commander."
"Go and be with her tonight. I'm not making promises, but I'll see what I can do about re-instating you into active dut
y
."
"Sure thing, Commander."
The next day, David Miller approached Jake, who was having a conversation with Dylan and had his arms wrapped around Cassandra. Cassandra, who was happy to see Miller, ran up to him and gave him a hug.
"I heard about your engagement with Jake," Miller started. "Congrats. He's a good man."
"Thanks, David," Cassandra replied.
"You wouldn't mind if I borrowed him for a little while, would you?"
Jake walked up to Miller. "What's going on," he asked.
"I talked to the Admiral," Miller answered. "You're back in the Navy, for the time being."
"Thank you, Sir."
"Anytime. I'm going to ask you to raise your right hand."
Jake raised his hand.
"Do you solemnly swear to support, uphold, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foreign and domestic?"
"Yes, Commander"
"Then on behalf of the United States Navy and the state of Virginia, I hereby temporarily re-instate you as Petty Officer First Class Jaycob Riley, Master-at-Arms."
"Yes, Commander."
Miller shook Jake's hand. "Suit up," he said. "There are few sailors at the north gate that could use some assistance. I'll take the main gate."
"Yes, Commander" Jake answered.
With that, Miller headed for the main gate, and Jake headed to the north gate to keep watch there.