From the moment I woke up I knew it was going to be to be an odd day. I did my normal routine and made sure to make it to the library to get my work done. It was the only place with sufficient space, privacy, free internet, and warmth. The house I was renting a room from was always on a budget and always remained cold. Library, my place of refuge and safe Haven.
They were getting close to closing and in the dead of winter the street lights were already coming on. I was counting the minutes-only 38 minutes before I'd be expected to leave. It had been a productive day, spoke to the usuals. Trent wasn't his usual self, though. He often rambled but today he seemed closed off and distant. Vicky, bless her heart was there like usual. An older unhoused woman like many of the regulars.
The children section had a decent crowd. A few teens paraded around. I caught a glimpse of a few people napping, some coming down from a good high. Mr. Cox the security guard posted on duty probably counting down the minutes. He sat by one entrance in the front. There was another door across the way directly parallel to the entrance but a stone's throw away. This section covered in tile. The rest of the library was carpeted. It was like a second home to many with an upstairs as well as large windows, open spacious, with pockets of privacy here and there.
Random sirens had been going on and off all day and cell phone emergency alerts were randomly popping off but no information. I asked around and no one seemed to have any clear answer. One random rumor was someone bit a woman on the arm. Another was hearing about different fights taking place.
Who knew for sure. I had been inside for the majority of this cold day. I was preparing to pack up my things, reorganizing my bag: emergency snacks, some water, trusty trail mix, leftover Halloween candy, some tangerines, cough drops, trusty lighter, and a mini Bible I always carry. I was nearly done packing up mentally preparing for the cold when it suddenly went black.
I heard countless gasps. Slowly my eyes adjusted to the little light from outside but there wasn't much. My heart was thumping patiently waiting for the lights to turn back on. I remained unmoved for several moments realizing, okay these lights are not coming back on.
My eyes had adjusted and I could make out some of the library where the shelves were and some figures of other people. Slowly people were bringing out varying sources of light, some had lighters some used their cell phones. I checked mine though it was on there was no service.
“Is everyone okay?” I heard a familiar voice ask in concern. A librarian staff member. No one answered. We all just sat and waited in peace.
That was until a blood curdling scream rang out by the front entrance. I move my bag to my back and navigated my way to the front where more light came through from the outside. A woman stood there pointing frozen with fear. A good distance away from the library entrance I quickly realized was a man fighting for his life, two other people attacking him. The security officer Mr. Cox stood and looked out in terror as other patrons began to congregate by the door to witness the gruesome site. I heard children in the family section start to cry a bit.
I stood breathless and helpless as the man struggled on the ground. An urgent cry in me led me to approach the door, to go out and do something, but Mr. Cox stepped in front of my path and told me to stay in here. “It's not safe out there.” He pointed in another direction.
I observed other people attacking people when a brick fell into the pit of my stomach as I caught a closer look at the people attacking the man and other victims. They weren't just physically fighting. They were also tearing off flesh. They were covered in blood and hit me, the random rumors of someone biting a lady on the arm.
Before my thoughts could go any further, a group of blood covered cannibals began to congregate into a small horde and started to proceed in the direction of where we were. The back door was an electric sliding door, unable to be operated due to the power outage. We were in the front. My heart pounded wondering, “Were they going to enter? Could they figure it out?” Before I could finish, Mr. Cox was already on it.
“Help me!” he whispered in a hurried plea. The bookshelf closest to the door, he had already made his way toward it. “Start to move this while I lock the door,” he instructed.
I caught another glimpse of more of the creatures gathering together. The lights from the cell phones were attracting them, I guessed.
“Turn those lights off,” I demanded.
Mr. Cox locked the door in front then assisted the efforts to move the book shelf.
“I'll go lock the office doors in the back, just in case,” I heard a librarian announce.
Mr. Cox, me, and another few guys, more of the homeless crew helped slide the bookshelves to the door. The creatures were now right outside, just yards away. Eight of them maybe, all covered in blood.
I, and the others with all our strength shoved and dragged the case to block the door. Books fell. We kicked and shuffled them around and pushed it up against the entry way. They outside started banging and scratching at the glass.
“There's more!” somebody alerted. I looked behind me on the opposite side at the back entrance. A horde of bloodied creatures once humans gathered by the back door. If the power did come back on, that door would open. They were scratching and pressing against the glass. Clearly they could see us, here and probably smell us.
The patrons on the other side found another shelf and started the same process on barricading the door.
“What in the ever loving fuck is going on?” a voice rang out to me. It was Lucy, a library regular. She went on, “Did you hear about what happened at the train station?” It's only about a 20 minute walk from the train station to the library. What could have taken place I wondered.
“No. What happened there?” I whispered back.
“I heard they closed it down for the rest of the day. Someone on there was attacking a lot people. At first all chill, then scratching, bit a few people. Had a rush them to the ER. Blood everywhere. Had to do an investigation. Only happened a few hours ago actually.”
“Why hasn’t more people heard about this?” I asked. “Wouldn’t news like this spread really fast?
“They were trying to keep on lock down I guess.”
“How did you hear about it?”
“Someone who was on the train but managed to slip past the cops mentioned it to someone who mentioned it to me before coming in to use the bathroom. Then all this happened.”
“Where was the train coming from?”
“No clue, but it was an Amtrak, full of people. They took some to the ER,” she said again. My heart thumped harder. Was there a chance of there being an outbreak at the hospital? Was this the outbreak that caused the power outage?
“Hey,” Lucy asked. “What do you think is going on?”
I shrugged, “I don't know, Lucy but are you okay?
“I'm scared,” she admitted. “They're piling up outside.”
“Yeah,” I managed to say. “Yeah, I saw.”
“Can we have everyone make their way to the middle to get a list of all who's here!” Mr. Cox announced.
Slowly and gradually people made their way: the women and children, the unhoused groups, library staff, the teens, even the ones that were passed out managed to wake up.
Trent came alongside me. “How you doin’?” I asked him. He didn't answer. Maybe he was scared I assumed.
“Watch it,” he bellowed when someone bumped into him.
“Everyone remain calm,” Mr. Cox demanded calmly. Silence came over the library again. We heard the pounding on the glass outside periodic screams in the distance. Gradually Mr. Cox continued to quietly ask for the name of each person present.
“Man, I need to smoke,” I heard Trent complain, I ignored him. He went on complaining about other things. Eventually I heard another person tell him to shut up. Trent snapped back the two of them got into it going back and forth.
“Hey guys, cut that shit out!” Mr. Cox commanded. “This isn't the time.”
“Who made you the boss?” Trent threw back.
“Please,” a faint librarians voice drifted. “Young man, we need everyone's cooperation please, for everyone's safety.”
He growled in frustration, “I need a smoke. Screw this!” Trent fumed. Before I knew it, he lunged forward towards Mr. Cox in an explosive rage.
Vicky the older woman stepped in front of his path embracing for impact, “You need to stop,” she instructed, placing her arm across his ches. He grabbed it and he bit down on her sleeved arm. In seconds a group of men grabbed Trent and pulled him off her I rushed to her side.
“Vicky!” I exclaimed as she held her arm close to her.
“He's one of them,” I heard someone whisper. “He's one of them,” the voice grew louder. The men continued to wrestle with Trent on the ground.
“Tie him up!” someone yelled. “Now before he attacks someone else!”
“Get the children upstairs now!” a woman's voice cried out. “Block the staircases off with more bookshelves.”
“Vicky, are you hurt bad?” I managed in the low light to see her pull up her sweater to reveal her arm. “Did he break the skin?”
“I need a light,” she managed. “I don’t think so, but it hurts.”
Children whimpered and cried in the distance. I watched as cell phone lights led the way down the isles and up the stairs. Trent was pinned to the ground growling, trying to thrash his body around.
“Knock him the fuck out!” Someone yelled.
“Are you gonna kill him?” I heard a librarian ask in terror.
“We’d better. Give me that club, Cox!”
“Just tie him up,” Cox pleaded.
“I need to knock him out first before he bites someone!”
The men argued while I shined a light to Vicky’s arm and prayed. We both signed in relief. What was this old woman thinking jumping in front of him, I wondered.
“Do you think she’ll be okay?” a voice from behind me asked.
“Um,” was all I could manage.
“Get some rope,” someone shouted.
“Here, it’s from my tent,” a reply came.
“He’s still trying to fuck us up! Beat his ass!”
Mr. Cox complied and struck Trent a few times in the head knocking him out.
“Quick, tie his ass up before he starts again.”
“We should kill him,” a voice in the distance suggested.
“Just tie him up until we know for sure what’s going on,” Mr. Cox reasoned.
“Fine, but the next person he bites is your dumb ass!” I recognized the voice, Anton, one of the homeless crew. They tied Trent up to a chair, and tied the chair to the copy machine.
“We’ll keep an eye on him,” a few men agreed.
I looked back at Vicky who was staring at her arm. “Put me in quarantine,” she faintly demanded. “I’m not safe.”
“How?” One of the Librarians inquired.
“Just make a box with four book shelves,” Vicky offered barely audible.
“But you’re okay. You’re not bleeding,” I tried to rationalize, heart pounding again knowing that it was the best option.
Before she could repeat herself, a group of people followed her request and prepared a quarantine station for her on the other side of where Trent sat tied up.
After she was boxed in, we all began to loosen up and whisper among ourselves. I munched on my candy for energy. People exchanged snacks and what little water they had. When going to the rest room they went in pairs. I offered Vicky my oranges and trail mix and she respectfully declined.
As time dragged on, the library got colder to the point where you could see your breath. A conversation took place somewhere in the dark.
“No, you cannot do that in the library. It’s not safe, dude. What are you thinking?”
“Who cares at this point?”
“You’ll set all these book on fire.”
“I’ll keep in on the hard floor section in a waste basket. We need some warmth.”
The group continued to argue. In another corner I heard some users mention needing a fix. “I need it,” he pleaded, agitation in this voice.
“They’re gonna think you’re one of them if you don’t chill out,” a voice cautioned.
“Everyone needs to remain here in place,” Cox announced.
It didn’t matter what he said that that point. The teens were huddled off somewhere by the large windows to keep watch outside. Around the computers the stoners and other smokers were talking about lighting up.
Mr. Cox spoke up, “You can’t do that here. Children present. Now isn’t the time for this shit.”
“I got to. I’m in too much pain,” someone pleaded. Others presented their arguments. Withdrawals etc.
“Unless you wanna be like Mr. Trent, knocked the fuck out, tied to a chair, put it away.”
“Back the fuck up,” a voice threatened. More people spoke up in support.
“Take it to the bathroom, and if we have anymore issues, you know what’s gonna happen.,” Cox conceded. He couldn’t risk another physical altercation. They disappeared.
Silence remained for a moment. Pounding and scratching from outside continued. Still distant sirens. It was some what of a relief to know first responders were still active out there. There was some hope. Upstairs we heard a mother singing, “We’re going on a bear hunt. We’re gonna catch a big bear.” They were actively participating, happily distracted.
I sighed quietly to myself. Worried about Vicky. The images of the bloodied faces, and the horde of creatures seared my mind. I managed to utter a silent prayer, “God, please help us.” Why hadn’t I thought of that sooner?
The temp continued to drop. Whatever happened to that fire idea? In that moment I was actually grateful for my cold room I rented which prepared me for this. Managing to doze of, it only felt like seconds when I was startled awake to the sound of screaming.
Another fight had broke out. Another person has been infected at some point, and the infection was now setting in.
“Kill him!” a voice yelled out.
“Did he bite you?” Another voice demanded.
“Smash his head in!”
I heard crying in varying places.
“Please don’t!” A panicked voice pleaded.
“If he bit you, you’re next.”
My chest ached, unsure of what to do.
“Just put him in a box or tie him up!”
“It’s too risky. He’ll turn violent like the others.”
I prayed.
“Oh, God. Please!” The voice cried out. My heart sank as they beat the man to death.
Half awake I managed to make my way over to Vicky.
“How are you?” I whispered to her.
“I’m okay. Been reciting the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 91 and 23. Just been praying. Is all I can do.”
“You saved Mr. Cox, you realize that.”
“Just did what I felt as right at the time.”
The crowd settled down. Mr. Cox attempted to bring more law and order, disputing where to discard the body for now. A debate took place whether the body could or would come back to life and how much time they had. Trent was still passed out, or perhaps dead? I had no idea. No one dared get any closer.
“It will be light soon,” Vicky offered.
“Yeah, I’m counting down the minutes. I’m also afraid of what we’ll be out there. All alongside the library they’ve been piling up,” I informed her.
“Lord, help us.”
In the dim light I looked over my shoulder at where Trent sat, tied up and noticed he was starting to move a bit. I froze unable to decide what to do. Yell to the others, get a closer look, tell Vicky and scare her? I just sat and watched his head move. Was he still one of them? Then I heard the growling.
“Vicky, Trent’s awake again,” I revealed.
“Go tell the others,” she instructed, “But do it quietly.”
I approached the group who was supposed to be watching Trent but got distracted by the other fight and quietly told them about our other problem.
“Shit, man,” one hissed. “We got to like three, or maybe four infected in here. We gotta burn them. I’m telling you.”
“Wait, what? Burn?”
“Yeah, like destroy them. They’ll reanimate.”
“What are they deciding with the other two over there?” I asked looking at Trent’s body start to reanimate as the guy just stated.
“Will that rope hold him?”
“I say, start a fire on the tile part and burn these fuckers before they spread it.”
“Or we could barricade them in the kid’s section. We can’t set this place on fire.”
Trent growled louder throwing his weight around to break free.
“I’m not getting close to him.”
I looked past them out the window and observed the sun attempting to break light. Soon we’d all have a clear idea of what was going on and a bit of dreadful hope.
I left the group and went to find Mr. Cox. He was still in a debate about thow to remove two bodies.
“They’re gonna come back to life and choose violence,” Anton protested.
“We’ll tie them up and wrap them in some material. They got flags hanging up. Then we’ll throw them by Trent and block them with shelves,” Cox offered.
“Fine,” the group agreed.
“He’s awake,” I managed to whisper to Mr. Cox.
“Shit. Let’s just get all the bodies moved over and go from there.”
Everyone willing and brave enough stepped up to help. Some pulled flags down. Others, the ones on drugs brave enough to tie the bodies with rope. Bodies then wrapped like human burritos in flags then thrown by Trent. Shelves were pushed into place blocking in them in.
“How’s Vicky?” Cox asked as soon as the task was complete.
“She’s good. Still unchanged.”
“Thank, God. She saved me. I know she did.”
The sun began to fully rise. We were able to see clearly out the window, the horde still present but less active as if their energy level was decreased. Even Trent was breaking down.
We saw body parts left on the road and sidewalks. Zombies with missing limbs, torn faces, blood stains, blood shot eyes. As it got brighter, law enforcement vehicles started to arrive, then military vehicles. Armored soldiers and hazmat crews arrived.
Sadly and tragically the zombie victims were exterminated with fire. Half eaten bodies still moving around. I can never get the image from my brain. Eventually, we were able to make contact with the outside and they let us out one by one, thoroughly examining us.
Vicky never changed. I praise God for that!
It took several months to recover, but I’m so glad to be back here in my second home with the parading teens, unhoused, children and their families, the drug addicts, and those needing a place to nap, my family at the local library.
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