Outbreak - Book One

Chapter Four - The Badge

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS HEAVY THEMES OF VIOLENCE, GORE, SUICIDE, DRUG USE, AND DEATH

Caleb rubbed his eyes before pulling himself out from his sleeping bag. No one around him appeared to be up. "Mom." He whispered as he shook her arm trying to wake her. She said nothing, just simply letting out a small grunt to let him know she's still deep asleep. Caleb decided he wouldn't disturb his parents, so instead of sitting around being bored he figured it'd be a better idea to explore the store. Caleb looked up at the bright red signs that said what was in the aisles. He immediately focused on the sign with the number 11 on it. It said 'Snacks' in yellow text. That was exactly what Caleb was looking for. He walked over to it, passing all the boring aisles until he was standing directly below the sign with the 11 on it. He was immediately let down though, as he quickly realized that the two shelves on both sides were completely picked clean. 'Dammit' Caleb thought, disappointed. He proceeded down the empty aisle all the way to the other side. He saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was a bright yellow 'M'. Caleb turned to look in its direction. He stood in awe as he was face to face with a McDonald's! No way they had a McDonald's at this store. What were the odds? He b-lined it directly over there. Caleb grabbed one of the plastic cups from behind the counter then went to the pop dispenser. To his surprise, when he pushed the cup against the trigger, a syrupy and watery mix shot into the cup from the machine. "No way!" He yelled, in excitement as he sipped the root beer. Caleb knew he had to tell his mom and dad about this. Just as he was about to go back to them, he heard a bang come from around the kitchen. Caleb held his root beer tightly while traversing through the abandoned McDonald's kitchen. There were stoves with patties left in them, deep fryers with batches of fries still in the merky looking water, and dried blood scattered along the floor and across the various kitchen machines. Caleb reached the end of the messy kitchen as he was now met with the door of manager's office. He stared at it for a moment before being startled by another bang on the door from inside. Caleb was holding his root beer in one hand, so he used the other to twist the doorknob. As it opened a walker turned and looked at him. It had a signature dark blue McDonald's shirt on with a name tag that said 'manager' on it. The walker had a long cut across it's throat. Caleb screamed at the top of his lungs as he splashed the walker with his root beer. He quickly turned away and raced back through the kitchen and down the snack aisle until he got back to his mom and dad. "Wake up! Wake up!" He cried, shaking his dad. Nelson woke up and looked delirious and confused from waking up so suddenly. "Dad help! There's a walker!" Caleb panicked at his dad. "Calm down, calm down. What's going on, what happened son?" He asked Caleb after finally being able to comprehend reality. "There's a walker in the McDonald's at the back of the store! It's coming!" Caleb told Nelson. Lisa was also awoken from this, so she and Nelson both went to the back of the store while Caleb stayed at the sleeping bags. There it was. The walker dressed in a blue McDonald's uniform lurking aimlessly around the pharmacy section like a lost puppy. Nelson quietly went up behind it with his knife and stabbed it in the head easily. It dropped to the floor, revealing it's face and cut neck. "Chose the easy way out." Nelson said, pointing to its neck. "I don't blame him." Lisa commented.

They went back to Caleb to see him curled up in a ball formation, crying into his knees. Nelson and Lisa quickly rushed to his side. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" Lisa asked him compassionately. Caleb kept crying. "Tell us, what is it?" Nelson asked, concerned. "There's something I never told you, dad." Caleb started, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'm listening." Nelson said. "Remember back in the school when you and your friends saved me? And Shawn got attacked by that walker?" Caleb said. "Yes, what about it?" Said Nelson. "I knew that walker was there, but I never told you." Caleb admitted as he started crying again. "Hey, it's okay. It wasn't your fault." Nelson told Caleb, comforting him. "But if I told you it was behind us he would've lived." He weeped. "Don't feel bad, you were scared." Nelson told his son. He stopped crying finally. "Am I a bad person?" Caleb asked in a softer tone, while sniffling. "No, of course you're not. Me and your mom still love you and we always will. No matter what." Nelson assured Caleb. "No matter what?" Caleb asked, in a pouty tone. "No matter what." Nelson said as he and Lisa both gave him a hug.