Crossroads: Cindy

A story about before the Zombiegeddon.

            Crossroads:  Cindy

 

          Cindy’s feet were killing her.  She leaned against the counter and raised her left foot in vain attempt of relief.  She looked out the window to the empty parking lot, and then glanced up to the clock.   It only took three hours for the lunch rush to die down.  Maybe now she could get a bit of relief.

            “Cindy those dishes aren’t going to wash themselves.” a voice called from behind her. 

            She sighed and turned around to see Delores in all her ancient wrinkled glory.  Cindy was told that Delores was the first waitress hired at this greasy spoon and only Armageddon was going to make her retire.  “I know Delores but my feet are killing me.”

            “You don’t think mine aren’t killing me.  Honey this wasn’t nothing.  I remember back in 66 we were slammed from"“

            Cindy interrupted. “I’m having a smoke break,” she made her way through the swinging doors to the kitchen.    Delores just grumbled and went back to her work.

            Tommy was in the back cleaning the grill.   He was eighteen years old, had flunked out of the army and was debating what he wanted to do with his life.   He looked up to Cindy curiously as she walked slowly towards the back. 

            “Hey what are you up too?” he asked.

            “Looking for you actually, you got a smoke?”

            Tommy put the grill brick down and wiggled his hand out of his protective glove.  “What are you going to do for me?”

            Cindy rolled her eyes.  “Come on, I’m out and I was running late and didn’t make it to the store.”

            He shook his head and fished out his pack from his pocket shaking it toward the young waitress.  “We’ll call it a favor you owe me down the line.”

            She sighed and took the cigarette greedily from the pack and nods. “That’s Tommy, you’re a life saver.” She then made her way for the backdoor.

            The sky was growing overcast and it seemed to give the land a thick haze.   Cindy sat down on folding chair and lit her cigarette inhaling the brief piece of pleasure.   She exhaled the smoke and let all her troubles float in the air.     She glanced up watching the darkening sky. “Rain.” she sighs.  “Great one more thing I need.”

            She could hear thunder in the distance as she stood up and threw the butt on the ground and stomped it out.   She turned to the backdoor put her hand on the handle and gave a defeated sigh before walking into the backroom.

            “Cindy, Delores said she wanted you to get to those dishes.” Tommy called back to her.

            “Jesus H Christ!  I’m going to get to it.  Give me a minute.” she shouted as she headed for the bathroom.

            Tommy just blinked and took a step back.  “Hey don’t kill the messenger.” He called out. 

            She didn’t reply to him she just slammed the employee bathroom door and locked the door.  She  wanted to cry, the stress from the day was just becoming overwhelming for her.  Cindy turned on the water faucet and put her hands in the cool water, then began to wash her face.     She took a look up at herself in the mirror and winced.

            “This diner is killing me, it’s turning me into Delores.” She sighed looked at her face.  She reached into her hair and pulled out a gray strand.  “I’m twenty three years old this shouldn’t be happening.”

            She washed her hands and unlocked the door.  She turned to face the rest of her day. At least she got off work in a few hours.  In the kitchen Tommy was looking down cleaning the prep table trying to stay out of Cindy’s wraith.   She gave him a smile to let him know everything was okay and pushed the swinging door and stepped back into the diner.

            The diner had one customer, a sheriff’s deputy she hadn’t seen before.  He was looking at the menu minding his own business.   Delores stepped in front of Cindy handing the deputy a glass of soda. 

            “There you go, you ready to order?” she asked.

            “No not yet, give me a minute.” The deputy quickly replied. 

            Delores gave a sweet smile. “You take your time just call when you’re ready.” She looked over to Cindy.  “Don’t forget your dishes.”

            If the deputy wasn’t there Cindy would of clocked Delores one.  She however decided to smile and walk over to the sink and start running the water.    She heard the deputy make his order by the time she was getting the dish washer going.    Delores was calling the order to Tommy who was preparing to cook.

            The dinging from the door chime caught her attention.  She looked up saw a man dressed in a dirty, torn business suit.  He stumbled when he walked but soon steadied himself.   The man slowly made his way to the barstools and sat down.  Cindy let out a startled gasped when she saw his face.

            He had dark green lines running from his neck and up his face like a horrible rash.   His right eye was tearing up and he reached with trembling hand for a napkin to take care of the problem.   Cindy wanted to stare but she averted her eyes quickly and focused on her dishes; secretly thanking Delores for the chore.

            The man looked up and coughed suddenly before speaking.  ‘Water.”

            Delores blinked and quickly regained her composer as she started to fix the stranger a glass of water.  “Are you all right?”

            The deputy looked up at Delores’ question then to the coughing fellow. “Yeah you all right buddy?”

            The man’s shaking hand grabbed for the glass of water and he raised it to his mouth.  Water dribbled from his lips and poured on to his clothes; he didn’t notice.  He kept guzzling down the water and when it was empty he slammed the glass on the counter.   He stood up and reached for his wallet but couldn’t find it.  He just shook his said. ‘I’m sorry.”

            The group watched the Stranger turn around and stumbled for the door.   He pushed the glass door open, took one step on to the sidewalk and collapsed in the parking lot.   The deputy jumped up from his barstool and rushed out.

            “Call 911!” he barked on his way to the fallen stranger.

            Delores rushed behind the counter and headed to the door she looked at Cindy who was drying her hands.  “You heard him call 911!”

            Cindy grabbed the phone and started to dial.  Tommy stepped out of the kitchen and looked around.  “What is with all the shouting?”

            “There’s a guy sick in the parking lot.”  She said listening into the phone.  “The deputy told me to call 911"Hello, hello yes we have a sick man in our parking lot.”

            Tommy walked from behind the counter and headed for the glass door.   He saw the deputy trying to revive the stranger on the ground.  He had the man rolled over on his back and was checking his pulse.  “What happened?”

            “This guy game in and just passed out in the parking lot.” Delores replied her attention on the Deputy and the Stranger.

            “He’s not breathing I’m going to start CPR, do any of you know it.” He said as he started it.

            Tommy quickly headed to the stranger and knelt down beside him. “Yeah I do,  I’m certified.” He replied as he started to give compressions.

            The Deputy tried desperately to save the strangers life.   Tommy would give compressions when ordered too.  Delores just watched helpless, looking back to the diner then to the life saving attempt before her.  

            “Ambulance is on its way!” Cindy cried out as she burst through the door.

            The Deputy looked up.  “Good thanks.” he bent down to start again with the Stranger gasped and his body jumped. 

            Tommy moved back as the man started to come alive. The man started to whisper and the Deputy bent close to hear him.   The stranger grabbed the deputy quickly and bit into his cheek. The deputy screamed as his face became red with blood, his arms trying to pry himself from the man’s grasp but it wasn’t any use.

            Delores screamed and rushed over to Cindy who was just stunned at the whole thing.   Tommy kicked at the stranger but he had rolled and forced the Deputy onto his back.  He was biting at his throat, the Deputy tried to resist but soon his body was still.   The grill cook kicked again this time knocking the stranger away from the Deputy.   He looked down and saw the large bloody hole in the Deputy’s throat and knew it was too late.

            The stranger pushed himself up and let out a bone chilling howl.   Cindy didn’t wait after that she turned and headed for the diner. Delores and Tommy was right behind her.   Once they were safely inside Cindy turned the latch and locked the door.   The stranger continued to howl in the parking lot. 

            “What? What is going on?” Delores cried.

            Tommy shook his head and stepped away from the door. “That guy he killed him. He killed a deputy.” 

            Cindy blinked and put her hand over her mouth rushing for the sink behind the counter and vomited.  Delores followed her and began running the water.  “It’s going to be alright.” She says wiping her own eyes and trying to gather her own composer.  “You called 911 help is coming.”

            Tommy watched the stranger continue to howl then he stopped.   There was silence for a few moments but suddenly from the distance Tommy could even hear more howling.    The stranger then staggered over to the Deputy’s body and began to feast once more.

            “We are in trouble.” Tommy announced.

            “I don’t know, more sick people like that guy out there. “ Tommy quickly replied.

            “You are hearing things, that guy out there is sick he’s got rabies or something. Once help arrives everything will be okay.” Delores tried to take control of the situation calming down her younger coworkers. “I got us some coffee, we keep that door locked we should be fine.”

            “What kind of sickness is that?  What if he is contagious? What is we are all infected. Oh my god we are going to end up like that!” Cindy started to cry.

            “I know what I heard.  I think we are in some serious trouble.” Tommy replied as he stared at the window trying not to watch the stranger continue to eat the deputy.   “Besides you can’t get rabies unless he bites you.”

            Delores caressed Cindy’s cheek before moving to the phone.  “I’m going to call 911 again.” She said.  She dialed the number and waited for a moment.  “It’s busy.” She looked up them and tried to dial again.

            “Busy? How can 911 be busy?” Tommy asked.

            “I don’t know it’ just bus"“

            Cindy’s scream interrupted Delores.   “There’s another one!” she jumped up pointing at the window.

            A woman was shambling down the parking lot. Her face had the same green rash lines the stranger.    She moves to  the stranger who was still busy biting into the deputy.   She then looked to the glass door and started to shamble for it.    A few moments later three more could be seen shambling down the road heading toward the diner.

            “Tommy, the back door!”  Delores called out!

            The young cook rushed up the barstool, jumped over the counter and rushed to through the swinging doors into the kitchen.  He saw the backdoor wide open and an older man standing just inside.  He face and arms were marked with the green rash and he stumbled a bit making his way for Tommy.  

            Startled Tommy fell back against the wall.   He scrambled to his feet grabbing a frying pan from the hanging rack he swung it defensively.  The man lunged forward and Tommy swung the frying pan cracking against his skull.  He fell to the floor motionless and the cook ran for the back door to lock it.

            Delores pushed open the swinging door and called out. “Tommy what’s going on back-“ she screamed upon seeing the infected fellow on the floor.  “Is he dead?” she said trying to catch her breath.

            “What’s going on?” Cindy called from the diner. 

            “Nothing, nothing just stay up front.” Delores replied.

            Tommy closed the door and slid the lock closed.  He shook the door just to be sure and turned to the waitress.  “He was in here he came at me I hit him with the frying pan. “

            Delores looks at the man on the ground and she could tell he wasn’t breathing.  He had  infections lines running all over the visible parts of his body.  It looked like the infections was traveling through the veins causing a greenish rash to appear on the body.  “I think he’s dead.”

            “Well its self defense I’m not worried.” He said walking over to the knives on the prep table.

            “What are you doing?”

            Tommy drew a knife from the block. “Just in case, I’m not going to risk another one getting in here.”

            Delores was going to protest but she knew he was right.  She began to step over the body below her and make her way to the prep table. She never saw the hand that grabbed her ankle.  She screamed as the infected man pulled her leg close and bit into her Achilles tendon.  She screamed and fell forward.

            The young cook rushed over to Delores and gave a swing with his fry paying knocking her attacker onto the floor.  With a quick thrust, Tommy stabbed the man in the back.   His hands trying to pull the blade from out of his back, the man let out  a screeching howl. 

            Tommy stepped back and saw Delores still alive she had bite marks all over her legs that were pouring blood.  The man stood up and twirled around as he tried to pull the knife out of his back.   Tommy lurched back and tackled him into the bathroom jumped back shutting the door.    He quickly reached for the legs of the supply shelf above the prep table pulling it down and braced the door with it.

            The pots and pans clanged to the floor and Cindy finally popped her head to the back.  She saw Delores crying on the floor looking at her leg.  Tommy was sitting on the floor by the bathroom trying to make sure the bathroom door was going to stay shut. The man inside was banging against the walls and the door. They could hear the cracking of the wood each time he pounded.

            “That door’s not going to hold we got to get out of here.” Tommy said standing up and looking over to Delores.

            “Oh my God!” Delores screamed as she saw the green lines starting to appear on her legs.

            Cindy began to come unhinged and started to scream. “She’s one of them, she’s going to turn into one of them!”

            Tommy left Delores on the floor as he pushed Cindy out back into the diner.  He started to speak when he looked out the window.  There were more of them at least twenty.  Most standing at the door and windows pounding on the glass letting out this moans.   He pushed Cindy onto the ground and they hid behind the counter.  Cindy was still crying and screaming.

            He put a hands on each side of her head and gave it a dominate shake.   He made sure they both had eye contact and she quieted down.  “Listen to me, stay calm, there are more of them out there.    I don’t need you freaking out on me.”

            Cindy’s eyes continued to water and she tried to speak, but couldn’t find the words.  She finally said. “I don’t want to die.”

            “We aren’t going to die, we’ll get out-“

            Tommy was cut off by the sound of sirens.  He peered up and saw the ambulance drive up.  He smiled.  “See we are saved!”

            The infected also noticed the ambulance as it drove up and slowly moved their bodies away from the windows and to the parking lot.  Tommy then knew what was going to happen.  He rushed to the window screaming but it was too late.

            The paramedics opened the doors and rushed out and were quickly attacked by the mob of cannibals.  Tommy looked away and said a silent prayer; it was the only thing he could think of doing.  Cindy rushed over to him and he held her in his arms.  

            “What are we going to do Tommy?”

            “We are going to get out of here.” He said taking her hand and headed for the kitchen.   “My car is in the back we’ll take it and get out of here.’ He said pulling her along.

            When they opened the swinging door they saw Delores limping by the bathroom door.  She was trying to push the shelf out of the way.  Tommy tried to warn her no but she just turned around. The infection was all over her face and when she faced them she let out a howl.     They heard pounding on the back door and knew they weren’t going out that way.

            “I got an idea.” Cindy said as she ran through the swinging door and around the counter looking out the window. 

            Tommy followed her keeping his eyes on the kitchen knowing the Delores would free the infected man in the bathroom anytime now.    “What is it?” he asked.

            “They keys in the ambulance, those sick people are occupied with the paramedics, we can just run for it.” She said reaching her hand to the lock.   

            Tommy started to protest but soon Delores came running out of the kitchen howling.  He helped her open the door and they both ran for dear live to the ambulance.   Delores followed them and continue to let out the screeching howl.  Some of the infected looked up seeing the two run and they began to take chase. 

            Cindy jumped into the passenger side door and crawled over to the driver’s side shutting it quickly.    Tommy followed but as he started to climb in he was grabbed.  He screamed and tried to hold on.  The ambulance was rocking, Cindy could see more people coming down the road she looked to Tommy and pushed him out.  The infected surrounded him and she slammed the passenger door.

            She locked the doors, put the ambulance in drive and sped off down the road.  It was about thirty minutes until she reached a police road block. They took her in and put her in the back of the squad car. She could hear on the radio that this was bigger than just at the diner.  This was happening all over.

            Cindy just sat in the car trying to relax. She was thinking about Delores and how she pushed Tommy to his death.  She understood it was either him or they both would of died.   She looked over as a state trooper walked over with a can of soda.

            “Sorry mam, it’s not coffee but it’s all we have on short notice.” He said handing her the can.

            She took it and popped the top.  “Thank you.”

            “You’ve been through one hell of an afternoon, but your safe now.  How do you feel?” he asked.

            “My feet hurt.”

 

 

           

             Scotty O. White