Ashton Memorial Read online

  WHO:

  Angie Land – Young single mother and nurse's aide at Lakewood Memorial Hospital.

  Maylee Land – Angie's fourteen-year-old daughter.

  Dalton Land – Angie's twelve-year-old son.

  Parker Welch – Local hunter who was at Lakewood Memorial Hospital when the dead moved and ate. He has two twin daughters he has not seen in years.

  What:

  A sudden and massive attack has left the world in chaos. Corpses have risen from their graves and are eating the living.

  Where:

  The parking lot of Lakewood Memorial Hospital, the only hospital in the small town of Lakewood. It is burning and destroyed from the events of the night before. Angie Land and Parker Welch are the only survivors. Angie's children have raced to the hospital to meet her and have just arrived.

  When:

  The morning after the initial attack. It is late fall.

  Why:

  No one knows.

  Ashton Memorial

  Book 2 of a zombie trilogy

  A novel by Robert R. Best

  Ashton Memorial

  By Robert R. Best

  Copyright Robert R. Best 2010. All Rights reserved.

  Smashwords edition.

  Edited by Laura Best

  Cover art by Deedee Davies

  Interior formatting by Kody Boye

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronically, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the proper written permission of both the copyright owner and “Library of the Living Dead Press,” except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. People, places, events and situation are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead or undead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.

  Zero

  “We gotta move,” said Angie, pushing Maylee and Dalton forward. The burning hospital behind them bathed everything in orange light. The sun was coming up, but long shadows hid large portions of the parking lot. Corpses could be anywhere. Angie’s back tightened at the thought.

  “Same here,” said Park behind her. Angie stopped and turned. Park was heading off to her right, toward the outer wall of the hospital.

  “Where’s your truck?” she said.

  He pointed as he walked. Angie followed his gesture to see a pickup crumpled against the nearby wall. The front was crushed in and a metal ladder lay across the top of the cabin. Angie recognized it as the ladder that had been attached to the wall.

  “Is that even gonna run?” she said. Maylee and Dalton stopped a few feet ahead of her, turning back to look.

  Park shrugged and kept walking. “Fuck if I know. We’ll see, I guess.”

  Angie turned to look at her kids, then back at Park. “Thanks for your help,” she said, almost yelling as Park got farther away.

  Park chuckled. “Let’s not start that shit. We both needed to get out. We just happened to be doing it at the same time.”

  Angie snorted and turned back to Maylee and Dalton. Dalton was looking at stumbling corpses, far in the distance. Maylee held her aluminum bat over one shoulder and watched Park move to his truck. Maylee’s eyes met Angie’s. Maylee frowned. “What?”

  “Don’t what me, young lady,” Angie said, walking forward and motioning for them to follow. “You could have gotten you both killed coming here.”

  Maylee let out a pained groan. “We couldn’t very well stay home, Mom.”

  “You stole a car.”

  “We had to!”

  “You shouldn’t have been driving.”

  “Someone had to,” Maylee protested. “Dalton’s too little!”

  Dalton shot Maylee an angry look. I’m twelve, the look said.

  “You’re too little,” said Angie. “You’re fourteen!” They drew near to her car. Angie fished around in her hospital-issue smock, looking for her keys. For a panicked moment she thought she had left them in her purse, back in the breakroom of the burning hospital. Then her hands met metal and she sighed.

  From back toward the hospital, she heard the groaning complaint of an engine attempting to start. Over and over but not kicking in.

  “Who is that guy, anyway?” said Dalton.

  “Parker,” said Angie, flipping through her keys to find the right one. “He helped me get out.”

  The truck engine groaned and clanked in the distance. Over and over. Not starting.

  “Is his truck going to start?”

  “How would I know that, Dalton?” Angie snapped, then immediately felt bad. Dalton frowned at her. Angie sighed. “Look, I don’t know, alright? I just have to get you guys safe and …”

  A gargling groan came from their left. Angie spun to see a corpse, a man with a burned face and bloody exposed ribs, staggering toward them.

  “Shit!” said Maylee.

  “Don’t say ‘shit,’ Maylee,” said Angie. “Get in the car!”

  “I’ve got this one,” said Maylee. She gripped her bat and ran toward the corpse.

  “Maylee!” yelled Angie, furious and terrified as her daughter ran at the approaching corpse. Maylee let out a roar and swung the bat at the corpse’s head. The bat connected with a sickening “snap” and the corpse’s head fell to one side. The corpse dropped to its knees. Angie raced up and grabbed Maylee’s arm just as Maylee brought the bat over her head.

  Angie snatched the bat from Maylee and threw it to one side. The bat clanged across the parking lot. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “Mom, the bat!” Maylee yelled back. The corpse groaned and fumbled around at their feet. “I need that!”

  Maylee started to push past Angie, toward the bat. Angie pushed back, stopping her. “You will do as I say, young lady! Get in the goddamned car right goddamned now!”

  Maylee snorted. The corpse groaned as its head lolled around, limp. “Oh sure, you get to fucking cuss all you want.”

  Angie slapped her across the face.

  Maylee’s jaw dropped and she put one hand to her cheek. She stared at Angie.

  “Goddammit, Maylee!” Angie yelled. Her body shook. “I’m your goddamned mother and you will get in the goddamned car!”

  Maylee rubbed her cheek, staring at Angie. The corpse groaned. Tears grew in Maylee’s eyes.

  “Please,” said Angie, her throat tightening.

  To their right, Dalton screamed.

  Both Angie and Maylee turned. A large woman, throat ripped out and blouse covered in dark gore, closed her arms around Dalton from behind.

  “Dalton!” Angie screamed, running toward him. Maylee followed.

  They reached Dalton as the corpse lowered her mouth toward his scalp. Angie grabbed the woman’s matted hair and pushed as hard as she could. The woman’s head snapped backward. She hissed at Angie, thick clotted fluid running from her open neck and pooling on Dalton’s hair. Dalton screamed.

  Maylee arrived next to Angie. She grabbed hold of the woman’s fingers and pulled them apart. Dalton wriggled free and ran past Angie, furiously wiping his head with his hands.

  The woman wrenched free of Maylee and grabbed hold of Angie’s smock. The woman was stronger than Angie would have thought.

  “Dalton! Maylee!” Angie yelled. “Get out of here!”

  Angie kept hold of the woman’s hair and pushed back with all she had, but the woman pulled her closer. Angie heard Maylee running away. Oh God, Angie thought, please let them get away in time. She struggled with the
woman as best she could. She heard the broken-neck corpse groaning behind her. The woman’s mouth drew near to Angie’s cheek.

  A blur flew from the side and a loud “thud” rang out. The woman’s head flew back, her hair pulling free of Angie’s grip. The woman let go of Angie’s smock and Angie jumped away. Dalton threw his arms around her waist. “Mom!” he shouted.

  Maylee stood to one side of the woman, gripping her bat. She brought the bat over her head and slammed down on the woman’s skull. There was a sharp “pop” and the woman toppled over backward. Maylee panted and lowered the bat, looking at Angie sheepishly.

  Angie sighed. “Thank you, but don’t ever do that again.”

  Maylee nodded.

  Park’s truck groaned and whined, still not starting. “Shit!” Park said, far away. Angie looked and saw corpses closing on the truck.

  “Dammit,” said Angie, biting her lip and sighing. “Dumbass.”

  She turned to her kids. “Everyone in the car.”

  Both Maylee and Dalton moved to the front passenger door. They both stopped, scowling at each other.

  “Both of you in the back,” said Angie, opening the driver’s side door.

  “What?” said Maylee.

  “Why?” said Dalton.

  “One, because we don't have time to stand here arguing,” she paused to nod toward Park's truck, “and two, we're gonna have to save dumbass over there.”

  Moans came from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see two corpses approaching the car. “See,” she said. “No time. Now hurry!”

  Maylee and Dalton ran to opposite back seat doors. They opened them almost in unison and clambered inside. Angie climbed into the driver’s seat and they all shut their doors at once.

  Angie tuned the key, grateful when the engine started. She grabbed the shifter and pulled down.

  “Seat belts,” said Maylee from the back seat.

  Angie looked in the rear-view mirror. Maylee was clicking her belt into place. Dalton was grabbing his and frowning. “What is your deal with seat belts?” he said.

  Angie's eyes met Maylee's in the mirror. Maylee adjusted the belt and frowned. “Seat belts, Mom.”

  Angie chuckled. “Okay. Seat belts.” She pulled her belt across her chest and clicked it into place.

  Thuds came from the rear. They all turned to look. The two corpses had reached the car. One of them was a fat man with a huge gouge down his face and neck. He pawed at the back window and moaned, the loose skin around his wound shaking.

  “Mom,” said Dalton anxiously.

  “I see them,” said Angie, pressing down on the gas pedal. The car jerked backward. The second corpse, a thin woman missing most of her scalp, fell backward and out of view. The fat man fell forward, toppling onto the trunk of the car.

  “Shit,” said Angie, slamming on the brakes, hoping the corpse would fall off. He did not. He groped and pawed and groaned.

  “Mom,” repeated Dalton.

  Gurgling came from the front of the car. Angie looked to see the broken-neck corpse climbing onto the hood.

  “And there's that fucker,” said Angie. “Wonderful.”

  “If you'd let me finish it off earlier,” said Maylee.

  “Zip it, Maylee,” said Angie. She pulled the shifter into drive and slammed down on the gas. The tires screeched and the car lurched forward. The corpse on the trunk slid down, cracking its gouged chin. The corpse on the front rocketed forward, flying across the parking lot and slamming into the hood of a van. The “crack” of the corpse's back was so loud Angie heard it over the engine.

  Angie hit the brakes again. She and the kids rocked forward. The corpse on the trunk slid toward them. Black fluid spilled from the corpse’s mouth and flowed over the trunk.

  “Gross!” said Dalton, looking backward. Angie pushed the shifter into reverse and gunned the engine. The car raced backward with such force the seat belt dug into her shoulder.

  She spun the steering wheel to her right. The tires screeched and the car twisted in a half circle. The corpse, moaning and clawing at the trunk, slid off and rolled across the pavement. Its head spun free of its body.

  Angie braked, and she and the kids rocked violently in their seats. They paused for a moment, panting and looking around.

  “Shouldn't have put off having the brake pads replaced,” Angie muttered.

  “Mom!” said Maylee, pointing to their right. Angie looked. The broken-neck corpse was pushing itself off the van. Its head hung limply and its broken back twisted impossibly.

  Angie pulled the shifter to drive and sped toward the hospital.

  The hospital was almost completely in flames. Black smoke obscured most of the front. Park's truck sat to the right, still immobile. Park sat in the front seat, visibly frustrated as he tried again and again to start it. Five corpses were closing in.

  Angie turned the wheel hard to the right, aiming for the two closest corpses. They heard the car coming, and turned to stare with empty eyes. One, a young man with no arms or tongue, hissed at them. Angie gunned the engine harder and knocked both corpses aside. They flew in either direction, limbs coming loose and scattering. Angie slammed down on the brakes, stopping just short of Park's truck.

  Park looked up from the ignition, frowning. He turned his head and saw the car, then Angie. He snorted and tried the engine again.

  Angie rolled down her window and leaned out. “Hurry up, jackass!”

  Park looked over at her, shaking his head. “I got this.”

  “You ain't got shit!” said Angie. “Get in the car or I'm leaving you here!”

  He glared at her. “I need the truck to get to my girls!”

  The remaining three corpses were getting closer. One reached out to grab the tailgate of the truck. Black smoke crept up from behind Angie's car, the acrid smell stinging her nose. She could feel the heat from the fire behind her.

  “For fuck's sake,” yelled Angie. “We'll get you another truck!”

  Park tried the engine one last time. “Fuck!” he bellowed, striking the steering wheel. He looked back at Angie. “You better.”

  Park pushed his door open and climbed from the truck. Angie leaned over in her seat to unlock the passenger door. When she straightened back up, Park was struggling with a corpse.

  “Great,” she said. She undid her seat belt and let it retract. “You both stay here or it's your ass!”

  “Mom, no!” said Dalton as she opened her door.

  “Just stay here!” Angie yelled in a tone she knew scared both of them whenever she used it. She hated to use it. She climbed outside and shut the door. Smoke stung her eyes and heat assaulted her. Corpses were nearby. She could hear them groaning.

  She rushed over to Park. He was struggling with a bald man in boxer shorts. Thick dark blood flowed down his leg, from a large gash on one thigh. The man's eyes were white and his rotten teeth snapped together, inches from Park's face.

  “Fucker,” Park grunted as Angie arrived and grabbed the bald man's arm. His skin was slimy. She pulled as hard as she could, managing to put a few inches between him and Park.

  “You should have told me your truck wouldn't start!” she yelled at Park, straining as she pulled at the bald man.

  “It fucking started before!” Park yelled back, pushing at the man's face and struggling to avoid getting his hand bitten.

  Angie mustered up her strength for one more pull. She tugged so hard she felt her back twinge. The bald man pulled back another inch. The smoke grew thicker around them. Groans and the sound of flames came from all sides. “Before you crashed it into the wall?”

  “Pretty much,” Park said, bringing up his free hand and punching the bald man across the cheek. The bald man let go and fell to one side.

  Angie looked around, coughing in the smoke. Dark shapes swayed and groaned.

  Park leaned back into the truck.

  “What are you doing?” yelled Angie, between coughs.

  Park slung a hunting rifle over his shoul
der.

  “I thought you ran out of bullets,” Angie said.

  “I did. In there.” He straightened back up, jingling his hand. “But there were three loose in the truck. Plus, this.” He held up a long hunting knife, then stuck it in his pocket. He looked around at the smoke and moving shapes.

  “Gotta admit,” said Park. “Your car's looking better right now.”

  “Yeah, well,” Angie said, moving toward her driver’s side door, “It needs an oil change and there's trash in the back seat, but it'll do.”

  She opened her door and climbed in. Park sat next to her and they both shut their doors. Angie glanced in the rear-view mirror, making sure the kids were okay. They were. She pulled the shifter to reverse. “Everyone hold on.”

  She gunned the engine, hurling the car backward into thick smoke. Shadows moaned around them. One appeared in the back window. The car shuddered with impact and the shadow fell out of sight. They bounced in their seats.

  “Where the fuck are we, even?” asked Park, looking back.

  “No idea,” said Angie. “So here's hoping.” She wrenched the steering wheel to the left. The car banked toward where she knew the hospital to be. She prayed they were not close to the wall.

  Maylee was staring out the back window. “Mom!” she yelled as a large dark figure emerged from the smoke. Angie slammed on the brakes. The rear of the car slammed into the figure and the shape flew backward, smacking against something. Angie heard glass shatter. One of the windows in the front wall of the hospital. The shape moaned and toppled forward, out of sight.

  Angie sighed and pulled the shifter to drive.

  “Seat belts, Mom,” said Maylee.

  Dalton groaned.

  Angie looked at Park. She grabbed her belt and pulled it into place. “You heard her. Seat belts.”

  Park stared at Angie, then looked back to Maylee. He turned back to face front, reaching for his seat belt. “Well fuck me. Seat belts.”