Previously: Alex stared directly into the grey ghoulish undead eyes of her former boss Alfred, who slowly tried to hunt her down and make a meal out of her warm flesh. The slowness of the walking corpse allowed her to flee to a small roof on top of the lab she used to call her second home. She barricaded the small staircase door before the remainders of her breakfast couldn’t be kept down, she vanished to the ground. His wounded and tired body, against his will, faded into a deep sleep that could mean him leave the human race and join the ranks of those devilish creatures. Not long before, he had pushed a bloodthirsty woman 5 mts to the ground to see her get up from a puddle of blood and start crawling back towards him. He subsided to his dreams on top of a small roof inside a biotech company…

As she slowly opened her eyes, Alex could smell and taste the partially digested meal that had exited her body a few hours earlier. There was a cold blue light that entered the factory through some small windows and vents on the roof, which indicated it was yesterday no more. Fuck! Where am I?! Her brain interrupted and made her stand up in a sudden jump but her slow blood flow brought her to her back to her knees almost immediately. She tried once more, slowly this time, she managed to remain standing the few moments that took her head to stop spinning and her eyes to regain focus. Her eyes quickly focused in the dim morning light on a figure that rested leaning against the wall on the other side of the roof…a human figure. Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! Her discomfort was quickly outmatched by a rush of adrenaline that once more shot through her body.

Her brain played and discarded tens of different scenarios and escape routes in one second, the first of which was climbing down from one of the bioreactors and making a run for it. She quickly approached the edge of the roof, where a horrible scene quickly changed her plans. Around four or five meters below, Alfred continuously and patiently hit the wall with the palm of his hands, like he was knocking on a door. Behind him, on the stairs that lead to the bioreactors a woman with her head split gruesomely open and a leg that moved around like it was made out of cloth stubbornly tried to crawl the remainder of the metal steps. The trail of clotting blood that preceded the woman made Alex gag with a distinctive noise that caught the attention of the gruesome individuals below. The woman stopped crawling, extended her arm towards Alex and snarled at her, her piercing grey undead eyes were the same she had seen on Alfred before he started towards her. That…that…that’s Paula, what…the fuck, she’s dead, FUCK, she’s dead, Alex though to herself.

She backed away from the ledge still processing the scene and quickly started to consider new options for her survival. The second scenario her brain had proposed was to climb down the small staircase that lead back to the lab, unblock the door and make a run for it. She opened the small hatch that lead to the staircase and stood in the entrance so her eyes could adjust to the near penumbra of the small room. As soon as her pupils dilated and her eyes adjusted to the dark she started carefully going down each step grabbing the rail tightly. She reached the bottom of the stairs, the metal utility closet remained untouched and still blocked the door tightly. As she reached for one of the metallic corners of the heavy metal frame, she hear a loud thud and the distinctive sound of glass hitting the floor beyond the locked door. Give me a fucking break please, I’m going to fucking die here, what the fuck is going on, she exasperatedly whispered to herself as tears started running through her eyes.

She sat down on the floor, hugged her knees and cried desperately as each one of her escape plans were quickly hindered by possibly another one of those monsters roaming outside, her hope was completely lost, desperation was the prevalent feeling. As her tears slowly wet her filthy and torn up jeans, she heard another thud, but this one came from the roof above. Panic and fear quickly struck her, her eyes widened completely and her tears halted immediately. It was now obvious that whoever….whatever was on that roof had woken up and was moving upstairs, she was surrounded. Now, her only remaining option was to fight, she quickly tried to focus her sight on the windows of the metal cabinet to see if she could find a weapon, any blunt heavy object that she could use to cause some damage.  The dim light that came from the small hatch above dimly reflected on the tip of a fire axe that was still neatly hung inside the cabinet. The metal door made a slight creaking noise as she slowly pulled it upwards to retrieve the weapon.

She silently removed the axe from its hanger and placed it on the floor beside her, she positioned both hands on the metal door and with the aid of gravity lowered it slowly to avoid noises that would give out her location. She promptly stood up pulling the wooden handle with her, the metal axe grinded against the ground making a noise popularized by Hollywood horror movies. A few minutes passed and she decided the best option was to climb up, and fight on the roof where there was light and open space that would allow her to maintain distance between her and her foe if required. Her foot stopped on the second to last step before reaching the hatch, she was now convinced she had to strike first, she harnessed some anger from within her scared body as she tightened her grip on the sturdy wooden handle. On her second deep breath, she stormed the roof, hands gripping the axe so hard that made her feel she could snap the wood at any second.  She was ready to strike.

Ohhhhhh fuck, arrgghhhh, FUCK! He blurted out as soon as he woke up, his left arm, still tightly strapped by the belt to his shoulder stung in deep pain, followed closely after by the numerous small cuts that now stung like ants around his body. The pain was unbearable, but at least it was a sign he was still alive, never had such pain felt so horribly good. I’m alive, I’M FUCKING ALIVE! He leaned his head back on the wall and for a brief moment enjoyed the sharp electric feeling of pain that surrounded his body. He pushed his back against the wall and with the still working right arm tried to pull himself up, only to fall back down with a thud that rattled the concrete roof. The ribs on his right side burst in pain during the first rough movement, forbade him from standing up completely and forced him to grasp for air. Out of nowhere a young woman came out of a rusty metal hatch that resided a few meters to his left. The absence of air prohibited him from speaking or shouting and the only thing that came out of his mouth was a profound groan. Alex let out a piercing scream, one that almost mimicked a battle cry as the muscles in her arms prepared to wield the axe as hard as she possibly could. The grunt that had escaped the man’s mouth seconds earlier was the only evidence she needed that the fucker was definitely a foe. Her arms propelled the weapon with a perfect trajectory to his head, it was a perfect blow…

Dolor agudo en mi brazo izquierdo y en mi ceja derecha, dolor moderado en el pecho y piernas, estoy vivo. Mis ojos lentamente se ajustaban a la ahora muy ligera luz del anochecer, el olor a gasolina y otros químicos quemaba mi pecho con cada respiración mientras colgaba de cabeza en el asiento del conductor de mi coche ahora totalmente destruido. Finalmente mis ojos se re-ajustaron a la realidad y pude ver los trozos de cristal, metal, plástico y las bolsas de aire desinfladas que ahora decoraban la cabina de aquel pequeño Mini Cooper. Mis manos tercamente buscaban la hebilla del cinturón de seguridad mientras mi cabeza giraba bruscamente por el flujo de sangre que ahora se dirigía casi completamente en esa dirección. Mi mano derecha torpemente encontró la hebilla del cinturón y en el instante en el que la presioné, la gravedad tomó control de mí y me llevó al suelo con un estruendo ahogado.

Al momento de tocar el suelo, que ahora era el techo del pequeño automóvil, fui recibido por los pedazos de cristal y otros materiales que agudizaron el dolor que de por sí ya era tortuoso. Con el impacto, el aire escapó de mis pulmones y por unos instantes estuve sofocado. Tomé bocanadas violentas de aire hasta que finalmente los niveles de oxígeno se re-establecieron en mi cuerpo y aun así el dolor que recorría mi cuerpo me mantuvo algunos momentos más inmóvil. En cuanto el dolor fue tolerable, intenté ponerme en posición de gateo para salir de la cabina ¡MIERDAAA! Un disparo de dolor golpeó mi cuerpo al intentar poner peso sobre mi hombro izquierdo, haciéndome caer de cara al techo nuevamente. Al tocar el techo inmediatamente tomé el hombro con mi mano derecha y el dolor insoportable me hizo patear todo a mi alrededor de manera incontrolable. Las patadas continuaron por algunos minutos hasta que logré quedarme casi completamente quieto nuevamente. 

Alrededor de 20 minutos habían pasado hasta que el dolor dejó de crear caos absoluto en mi cerebro y la ahora punzante herida me permitió pensar en escapar el vehículo nuevamente. En cuanto el dolor fue ligeramente tolerable, coloqué muy lentamente mi mano izquierda sobre el pecho y tomé la decisión de gatear hacia afuera. Mi mano derecha cuidadosamente esquivaba los restos de cristal y otros materiales que potencialmente podían significar nuevos daños. Salir me tomó algunos minutos, pues tenía que aguantar el constante embate del dolor. Al salir, me senté y recargué lentamente sobre el coche, liberando un suspiro que me ayudó a aguantar el dolor que había sido  fuertemente avivado por el movimiento previo. Momentos después cuando el dolor fue tolerable nuevamente, decidí que tenía que inmovilizar el brazo o no llegaría muy lejos antes de sucumbir nuevamente al dolor.

Lentamente retire mi cinturón, mientras intentaba mover el hombro lo menos posible, mi mano izquierda aun apretando mi pecho. Logre pasar el cuerpo del cinturón por el tríceps de mi brazo izquierdo, hice un par de bucles alrededor de la mano que descansaba sobre mi pecho y posicioné la hebilla al otro lado de mi cuello cerca del hombro derecho. Cuando todo estuvo finalmente colocado en posición, tiré del cinturón y lo apreté lo más fuerte que pude sin lastimar el hombro. Una vez apretado, dejé descansar el peso del brazo sobre el cinturón, el amarre era lo suficientemente fuerte para evitar movimientos súbitos y el dolor seguía siendo manejable, quizá aguantaría lo suficiente para pedir ayuda. Mi mano derecha jaló la llanta trasera del pasajero ayudándome a levantarme. La escena en la pequeña pickup no era ni ligeramente mejor a la de mi coche, estaba volteada de lado, con el chasis enseñándose hacia mí, humo aun saliendo del motor y del cual una combinación de fluidos que viajaban hacia el suelo creaban pequeños ríos y manchas sobre el pavimento.

Decidí revisar la cabina para ver si alguien pudiese necesitar ayuda, aunque en mi estado sería muy difícil poder ofrecerla. Cojeé lentamente hacia el otro costado de la camioneta, en dónde una escena completamente horripilante me esperaba, una que no creería fuera real en un inicio y que me atormentaría hasta este día… El parabrisas estaba destrozado y… alguien había sido arrastrado hacia afuera, pedazos gruesos de piel colgaban de los picos del cristal y un camino de sangre se arrastraba desde la cabina a un lugar que no alcanzaba a visualizar en la luz casi inexistente del anochecer. Estaba tan sorprendido por semejante escena que caminé en blanco siguiendo aquel rastro rojo, quien sea que haya estado en aquel vehículo estaba muerto seguramente. Instantáneamente me atacó la culpa, ¿yo causé el accidente? Mierda ¿maté a alguien? Mierda, mierda, mierda, ¡¿que hago?!

El pensar que había matado a alguien, momentáneamente entumeció el dolor mientras ciegamente seguí el rastro de sangre por al menos 20 metros. Finalmente regresé a la realidad, el extraño rastro rojo terminaba detrás de un pequeño arbusto a un lado de la entrada al pequeño clúster de fábricas. H-H-Hola, ¿Hay alguien ahí? Tartamudeé intentando descifrar si los millones de pensamientos que había cruzado mi mente hace algunos instantes eran reales. El arbusto se movió violentamente como si hubiese un animal salvaje intentando escapar el ser depredado y después de algunos segundos se quedó completamente inmóvil. Di un par de pasos hacia atrás, inseguro de que hacer o de que esperar, jamás había estado en una situación remotamente similar a la que estaba pasando frente a mis ojos. El arbusto se sacudió violentamente en una segunda ocasión y en un instante alguien…algo se levantó de la parte trasera.

No podía creer lo que veían mis ojos, esto tiene que ser un sueño, una alucinación causada por mis heridas, una horrible pesadilla de la que tenía que despertar. Era una mujer, joven, quizá algunos años mayor que yo, su cráneo estaba abierto en el lado derecho, mierda, su ojo estaba casi completamente fuera de la cara, con una marca que parecía… como si algo…como si algo lo hubiese mordido, mierda, mierda, su pecho tenía un profundo hoyo que debió crearse al golpear algo durante el choque, mierda, mierda, MIERDA. Era imposible que siguiese viva, menos que aun pudiese caminar. Antes de que pudiera preguntar si estaba bien, meramente por ser cortés, pues no había puta forma de que estuviera bien, escuché el más escalofriante y espantoso gruñido salir de su boca, seguido por sangre que manchó el piso y su destruida vestimenta. Después de aquel horroroso sonido, corrió, no caminó ni cojeo, si no corrió a máxima velocidad hacia mí, tomándome por sorpresa. Desconcertado, la vi ganar velocidad y en un instante me tacleó al suelo, la adrenalina del momento se había apoderado totalmente de mí, como si me hubiesen dado el analgésico más potente conocido. En cuanto me tuvo atrapado contra el suelo, soltó una mordida dirigida a mi cara.

Sharp pain in my left arm and my right eyebrow, moderate pain in the chest and legs, I’m alive. My eyes adjusted to the now very dim sundown light that still lit the sky, the smell of gasoline and other chemicals burnt my chest with every breath as I hung upside down on the driver’s seat of my now destroyed car. I could see the shards of glass, metal, plastic and the deflated airbags that now decorated the small Mini Cooper cabin as my eyes adjusted back to reality. My hands stubbornly reached for the seatbelt and my head spun as the blood flow now headed entirely in its direction. My right hand clumsily found the seat buckle and in the instant I pressed, gravity took hold and took me crashing to the ground with a loud thud.

As I hit the ground violently, the air escaped my lungs and the pain became even sharper than it was before, I was greeted by the shards of glass and other debris in the roof of the small car. I grasped for air for what seemed like an eternity and when the oxygen levels where restored in my body, the pain kept me down for a few more moments. As soon as the pain was manageable I tried to get into position to crawl out of the cabin FUUUCK! A boiling jolt of pain struck my body as I tried to put weight on my left shoulder, sending me crashing face down back on the roof, where I immediately took my shoulder with my right hand and the unbearable pain made me kick the floor for a few minutes until I managed to remain almost completely still.

Twenty minutes or so passed until the pain had seized to create complete mayhem on my brain and the now the pulsing wound allowed me to think about escaping the destroyed car again. When the pain was barely manageable I pressed my left hand to my chest as slow as I could and decided to try and crawl out of the vehicle. My right hand carefully reached in front trying to avoid any shards of glass and debris that could potentially mean more harm. It took me a few minutes and all the effort I had to finally escape the cabin. I slowly sat down and leant on the totaled car, I let out a loud sigh while again struggling to contain the pain the previous movement had once again set alight on my shoulder. When the pain was bearable once more I decided I had to immobilize the arm or I wouldn’t go far before succumbing again.  

I slowly took my belt off, trying to move the shoulder as little as possible, my hand still tight on my chest. I managed to get the body of the belt on the triceps of my left arm, made a couple of loops around the hand that still stood tight on my chest and positioned  the buckle on other side of my neck near the right shoulder. Once in position I pulled on the belt tightening it as much as I could without disturbing the hurt shoulder, when it was as tight as I could make it, I let the weight of the arm rest on the belt. It was tight enough to forbid any sudden movements and the pain was still manageable, maybe it could hold on enough for me to get help. My right hand pulled the rear passenger wheel helping me stand up. The scene of the small pickup truck was not prettier than the one in my car, it rested on its side, chassis exposed in my direction,   smoke still coming out of the engine and fluids making small rivers and stains along the floor by its side.

I decided to check the cabin to see if anyone might need help, although in my state it would be difficult to do much. I slowly limped to the other side of the side turned car, a gruesome scene awaited, one I did not believe at first, one that would haunt me to this day… The windshield had been cracked and …someone dragged out, thick slices of skin hung from the glass and a trail of blood lead from inside the cabin to somewhere I could not pinpoint in the dying days light. I was so shocked by the scene that I just walked blankly following the trail, whoever was inside that truck was probably dead somewhere, guilt instantly struck me, was it me that caused the crash? Shit, did I just kill someone? Fuck, fuck, fuck, what do I do.

The thought of killing someone momentarily numbed the pain as I blindly followed the trail of blood for a good 20 meters or so. I finally came back to reality as the trail ended behind a small bush beside the entrance to the small factory cluster. H-H-Hello, is there anyone there? I stuttered trying to find out if the million thoughts that had just crossed my mind were real. The bush rattled violently as if some wild animal were trying to escape being hunted down and then became completely still. I took a couple of steps back not knowing what to do or what to expect, I had never been in a situation remotely similar to the one playing right in front of my eyes. The bush rattled violently a second time and in an instant someone…something stood up from behind it.

I could not believe my eyes, this had to be a dream, a hallucination caused by my injuries, a dreadful nightmare that I had to wake up from…quickly. It was a woman, young, maybe a couple of years older than me, her skull was split open on the right side, fuck, her left eye was almost popping out, almost as if…as if it had been bitten by something, fuck, fuck, her chest had a deep gash that I supposed was made by something hitting her during the crash, fuck, fuck, FUCK. It was impossible she could still be alive, let alone walking. Before I had the chance to ask if she was okay, merely for being courteous, because there was no way she was fucking okay, I heard the most spine chilling and foul growl escape her mouth, to which blood followed and splurted over the floor and her destroyed clothing. After the horrifying sound, she ran, not walked or limped, but fully sprinted towards me, taking me by surprise. Bewildered I watched her run as fast as she could towards me, in an instant she tackled me to the ground, the adrenaline had now taken over the pain, it was as if I had been given the most powerful painkiller in existence. Once in the ground, she threw a bite directly at my face.