Dead Pulse by A. M. Esmonde Page A

grasping Sam’s hand firmly. They both knew it would take too long for them to move enough rubble for him to get through to their side.
    “I sorry I won’t be able to help you find your brother, maybe next time. Go... Get out of here,” Sam coughed weakly. Karen could see more zombies coming up the other stairs towards Jayne.
    “Get Jayne out of here. I’ll be ok, promise.” His lungs began to fill with smoke, coughing, he let go of her hand.
    Karen lay there for a moment, watching Sam through the gap. Struggling to his feet, weak and tired, he walked away, and like an apparition, he disappeared into the clouds of dust and smoke. She could hear him as he fought off the approaching dead, wholeheartedly fighting for his life. His voice was lost to the sounds of the fire crackling around the collapsing building.
    “Sam?” Karen whispered gripping the broken floorboards in despair. Snapping out of her grief, as quickly as it had come, she effortlessly picked up Jayne putting her across her shoulders. Taking Jayne’s gun, she shot a quick glance back at the gap she had made in the rubble before turning and making her way to the stairs. As two more zombies approached she shot them both between the eyes, sending one crashing to the floor and the other tumbling backwards down the stairs.
    She walked down the stairs with Jayne still over her shoulder. Explosions continued to ring out all around her, the noise impairing her hearing. She looked up and couldn’t contain the laugh that welled up inside here as before her hung a, lop-sided exit sign. Kicking open the fire-exit Karen walked out into the rain. She walked purposely across the yard, towards the soldier’s lights.
    Due to her temporary deafness as a result of the blasts, Karen could not hear the explosions that continued behind her, but she could feel their force and heat as the flames lit up the sky.
    As she neared the fence, Karen collapsed to the ground, still holding onto Jayne. Looking back she could see what was left of the burning building. A figure walked out from the ruins. Her heart missed a beat, as for a moment she hoped it was Sam. Squinting through the rain and smoke that moved all around her she knew it was one of the dead. Despite it being a walking corpse Karen was relieved it wasn’t a cold, dead, heartless version of Sam. As the soldiers took aim the corpse was shot at all angles, torn apart by the bullets.
    Karen stood up leaving Jayne lying on the yard. Turning, she slowly climbed the fence landing softly on the ground the other side. She walked towards Hardy and the crowd of rejoicing soldiers. Frank stood with them. Karen marched towards him, and with the swing of her right fist she punched him on the jaw sending him sprawling on the damp ground.
    “What part of ‘ten’ didn’t you understand?” she snarled.
    Later Karen sat with Jayne in her arms as the dawn began to break; she looked up at the new sun appearing on the horizon with hope for the future. Jayne stirred and woke. Slowly both of the women got to their feet, Karen stood with one hand shading her eyes as she watched the sunrise. Jayne stood next to her.
    “Sam?” Jayne asked.
    Karen’s eyes filled and a fat tear rolled down her cheek, she slowly shook her head.
    Jayne bowed her head mournfully, guiltily looking at her mutilated hands. She knew she was lucky to be alive and with her hands, once they were healed she would finish the work she had started, experiment seventy- seven. Jayne was determined that Sam’s death would not be in vain.
    “Where are you going to go? What are you going to do now?” Jayne asked.
    Karen’s clothes were torn, burnt and dusty. There was a long silence then Karen’s voice trembled “I’m going to do what Sam would do.” She briefly though of her brother, firstly , determinably turning to face Jayne. “I’m going make sure that you reach the base.”
    The sun glistened down on the two weary women as they walked unsteadil y towards the