Phoenix Protocol- the Middletown Omnibus Read online

  Lost in her thoughts, she bumped into Fred’s cart in the hallway outside Dr. Hart’s lab door.

  “Fred?” Marie asked and knocked lightly on the door.

  Not hearing anything, she opened the door and stepped inside.

  5

  Charlie rushed from his dorm room and headed to the student union. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, he damn near felt human again. For the past few days, Charlie waffled about wearing a costume or not to the Greek Bash but decided to go with a pair of black jeans with the knees torn out and a Judas Priest tee-shirt that may or may not fit him a little too snug (it depended on who one would ask). He thought he looked ripped in the shirt, and it betrayed the growing keg out of what was once a solid cut six-pack.

  A crowd of students dressed up as vampires, nurses, and cavemen was already gathering at the entrance to the student union. Inside, short bursts of music blared through the open main level, and with each song clip, the crowd cheered. Charlie noticed students were already staggering where the party started early at some of the frat houses.

  “Check one. Check one. Check two, two,” a voice boomed from inside.

  Another roar erupted from the assembled students at the sound of Rex Ross’s voice.

  “I hope everyone outside is ready to get in here and raise some Hell this Halloween!” Rex yelled in the mike inside.

  The student union grew silent again.

  Charlie pushed through the crowd and flashed his paper pass at the beefy lineman running security at the door.

  “What’s up, Big Cheese?” Charlie asked, giving a quick nod.

  “Nothin’! What’s up with you, man?” Big Cheese replied and gave Charlie a high-five.

  “How do you think tonight’s going to go?” Charlie asked.

  Big Cheese shook his head and surveyed the crowd outside the door. “I done kicked three drunk motherfuckers out of here and ripped up their tickets. I swear to God, one looked like he was going to cry. Other than that? I think it’s going to be a wild and crazy night, my friend.”

  “Well, I need to get in and see what Rex needs help finishing up.”

  “Cool, later homey,” Big Cheese said and gave Charlie a fist-bump as he hurried into the building.

  Once he passed through the doors, Charlie felt like the night would be a killer.

  6

  Marie gasped when she saw Fred sprawled out on the lab floor. His head rested in a pool of dark blood, and some still dripped slowly from his nose and ears. His eyes were closed, but she could tell by the trails down his cheeks he’d wept crimson tears. Kneeling, she took hold of his right wrist and felt for a pulse. Only stillness answered her back. Rocking back off her knees, she sat down and cried. Sobs wracked her small frame, and she buried her face in her hands as she turned away from her date for the night.

  Come on, Marie, pull yourself together and call security; she thought as she took her phone from her pocket. With trembling hands, she dialed security’s extension.

  “Middletown University security office, this is Tim, how may I help you?”

  “Please, I need someone to the Romero Sciences Building. Fred Owens is in a pool of blood on the floor in Dr. Hart’s lab, and he’s not breathing!” she sobbed hysterically.

  Behind her, Fred stirred.

  “I need you to calm down and tell me exactly what room number you’re in,” Tim said over the phone.

  Fred tried to push himself up, but his hand slipped in the cooling blood on the floor, and he slammed back down on the tile.

  Marie froze, and her hand with the phone dropped to her side away from her ear.

  A low moan emanated behind her, and she froze, her body flooded with fear.

  “Fred?” she whispered.

  Silence answered her except for the wet sliding sounds and the low guttural groans behind her. Slowly, she turned around and found herself face-to-face with Fred. He glared at her with burning orange eyes, and his jaw hung slack. A sweet scent tickled her nose, and she inhaled deeply of the aroma.

  “Good, you’re ok,” she said, relieved. “What did you get in that smells like honey and rotten raspberries?”

  Fred sat still and made no reply.

  “Oh, Fred,” Marie guffawed and stroked his cheek.

  His face felt like ice.

  Fred’s mouth shot at her wrist like a coiled snake striking its prey. Marie tried to pull her arm away, but his teeth found their mark, and she felt them dig deep into her flesh. Quickly, she pushed back with her feet and tried to stand. His mouth felt like a clamp on her wrist, and Marie kicked him in the face. His mouth dropped open, and she pulled her arm free. Jumping to her feet, Marie rushed to the door. She heard Fred slipping in the blood, trying to get up and then fall to the floor again. He slammed on the tile and slowly climbed back to his feet.

  Marie screamed and ran out of the lab. Blood seeped out from the wound and soaked through the yellow blouse she wore. While she ran, she tried to keep the pressure on the wound, hoping it would stop bleeding. Her face felt flush, and the door before her swam and blurred. Stumbling, she tripped and hit the floor hard. Her breath escaped her lungs, and she gasped for air. Three students rushed to her side. The first one, a young blonde girl, grabbed Marie’s arm and examined the wound.

  “Blake, I can see it through the shirt and looks like it needs stitches,” she said.

  “Watch out,” Blake said, took Marie’s arm.

  The girl backed away and touched her bloodied hand on the third member of their group. The third person tried to wipe it off on his jeans but only smeared it into a larger spot.

  In Blake’s arms, Marie fell still, and he gently laid her head down on the hall floor. He didn’t notice the blood on his fingers when he rubbed his eyes.

  Out front, they heard security arrive, followed by the sounds of an ambulance. The crew rushed in with a stretcher, and the three friends left to join the Greek Bash.

  Within two minutes, all three felt feverish.

  8

  Charlie strolled over and cleared his throat. Rex sat there and didn’t move. The equipment appeared to be ready, but he couldn’t tell with it powered down.

  “You gonna sit there and daydream all day?” Charlie asked.

  Rex rolled his head around and gave Charlie a dry smile. He relaxed and swiveled his chair around. “I’m tired, dude,” he muttered and slowly turned his chair back around again.

  “Seriously, what do you still need?”

  “Charlie, I need a new life. I need finals to be over. I need Rachael to act like she loves me. Fuck, I need to get drunk.”

  “Well, tonight’s the night for that,” Charlie offered. He shrugged and did a once-over of the wires, plugs, and settings on the speakers and sound equipment. Rex sat in silence while Charlie buzzed around him.

  Around the stage area set up in the commons area, other workers milled about and prepared the refreshment stands, the bobbing-for-apples station, and the costume contest award table. A few of the student advisors double-checked the room and rushed off to get themselves ready, for they knew would be a wild party. Middletown University, while a dry county, never shied away from an excellent wet party.

  Charlie finished his checks and stared at Rex. He sat hunched over the mike with his shoulders slumped and his head propped up by his arm on the controls. Every few seconds, Rex glanced at his phone and placed it back on the soundboard.

  “Rachael not coming tonight?” Charlie asked and plopped down in the chair next to Rex.

  “Nope, she has some stuff to finish up for her classes over at Middletown High tonight. I can’t wait till we graduate and can blow this town.”

  “I think I’m stuck here,” Charlie sighed.

  “Maybe something will happen, and you can get the hell out of here. If you stay, you’ll regret it,” Rex answered.

  “But what about my mom and my sister? I can’t just leave them. Besides, I think Dr. Hart can get me a spot in the lab here. Can you imagine me, Charlie Nobel,
as an assistant to the great virologist Dr. Conrad Hart?” Charlie laughed once the words left his mouth. Rex stared at him for a moment and joined in.

  “Tell you what, let’s rock the shit out of this party, and then we can discuss getting out of here all you want. Time to cut the apron strings, my friend,” Rex said and flipped the switches to the on position.

  The party was ready to begin.

  9

  Big Cheese looked out and watched the people push closer to the door. Hearing the familiar chime of an arriving text message, he pulled his phone out and saw it was from Charlie telling him to open the doors in five minutes. Smiling, he shoved the phone back in the pocket of his baggy jean shorts and surveyed the crowd.

  All around the grassy area in front of the student union, he saw a large variety of witches, cavemen, and nurses. Some women wore barely a thread, and others buried themselves under capes and other devilish dressings. Big Cheese picked up the megaphone Rex had swiped from the football team and raised it to the crowd.

  “Who’s ready to party with the dead tonight?” he called out to the masses. They responded with yelling and fists high in the air.

  “Let us in!” Someone in the front yelled. A wave of shouts followed as the other students echoed the sentiment.

  Big Cheese smiled again and held up his hand with his fingers stretched out to the heavens giving the students the five-minute signal.

  Inside, the first bass hits thumped, and the crowd went wild.

  10

  Blake looked at his two friends and dropped to his knees. He heard the shouts from the front of the crowd followed by the bass drum hit and ripped his shirt off.

  “Oh my God, I’m burning up!” he cried out and fell to the ground. Tina and Greg writhed in the dirt, and their sweaty bodies turned the dry land to mud beneath them.

  Looking up at the sky, Blake watched the white clouds turn red, and the sky darken. Wetness spilled down his cheek, and he ran the back of his hand across his face and found it crimson.

  “Help me!” Tina screamed and tore at her top. Blake saw the blood streaks down her cheeks too. Even with her blood-stained face and his insides feeling like lava coursed through his veins, he still found his-self pining for her. He tried to check on Greg, but he didn’t move.

  “Tina…take my hand,” Blake uttered weakly and held his hand out. Tina slowly reached out, and their fingers tips brushed against each other. Even as only their fingers touched, they felt the heat burning through each other.

  A man in French maid costume rushed over stood over the three.

  “Holy shit, those costumes are dope!” he said.

  Blake rolled over and gazed up at the man. He tried to speak, but the words refused to form and remained stuck in his throat. Reaching up, his hand fell back down and landed on the ground. The man knelt and dapped his finger in the red on Blake’s face.

  “Dude, is this like ketchup or something?” he asked and rolled the blood between his fingers.

  Behind him, Blake watched Greg stir and flop around in the dirt. His body jerked, and he clawed his way closer to the maid-man. Blake noticed the same blood trail on Greg’s cheek Tina had. As Greg’s teeth sank into the maid’s ankle and the man cried out in pain, Blake felt himself let go, and the world faded away as Tina moved beside him.

  11

  Rex pressed the play button and grabbed the Coke bottle next to him. He wished he could look outside, but black paper covered the glass doors so that the room would be dark for the lighting effects. He figured they did it so nobody would be able to watch the set-up going on.

  “Ready to go, Rex,” Charlie asked and took a drink from his water bottle.

  “I do believe it is time to let the monsters inside,” Rex replied. He grinned and pointed to the door.

  Charlie pulled out his phone and sent the message to Big Cheese.

  12

  Big Cheese’s pocket sounded off with a text, and he pulled the old iPhone from his pocket. He could barely afford school, so he carted around his brother’s old phone and regularly dined on Ramen noodles. Anytime Rex or one of the Greek houses called with a job running the doors for a party, he ate it up so he could buy some Chef Boyardee instead, and beer. The parties also paid in beer, which was another excellent perk when you had a limited budget.

  Once again, he brought the megaphone to his lips, and the crowd roared in anticipation.

  “Folks, the time is here! Please form a line and hand me your ticket as you enter. No pushing, no shoving, or I will whip that ass and send you on your way home to Trick-or-Treat with the little neighborhood kids!” Big Cheese called out. The crowd flowed into a line, and he opened the door.

  The first couple of students handed him his ticket before he heard the scream.

  Beyond the students quickly jockeying for a spot in the line, a commotion started in the rear courtyard. Another shriek followed, and students began to circle something. Big Cheese looked around and didn’t see anyone around checking on the situation.

  “A fucking fight already,” he huffed and shut the doors. The students around him groaned, and he shot them a mean look. The ones in the front drew quiet. “Let me take care of this fight, and I’ll be back to let you guys in, OK?”

  He pushed through the line, and people ran from where the students formed a large circle. His pace quicken as the screams became louder and more urgent. More and more students rushed away, and he watched a girl double over and vomit into the row of holly bushes that framed the courtyard. Big Cheese wanted to run, but at three-hundred pounds, running wasn’t his thing, and he already felt short of breath.

  What he saw next froze him in place.

  The circle of students broke apart, and they ran in all directions giving Big Cheese a line of site to the fight. A man in a maid costume madly waved his arms around as another student held onto his arm. Two others had latched onto his legs and were slowly pawing at his fishnet stockings. Blood streaked the maid, and the student holding his arm dug his face into his wrist and, after taking a bite, ripped a large chunk of meat from the maid’s arm. Blood sprayed and splashed the student in the face as he slowly began to chew the flesh in his mouth. Blake and Tina began to sink their teeth in his legs, and they gnawed on his calves. Five others tried to pry the two from the maid’s legs but received bites of their own. They snapped their jaws at the waving hands frantically trying to pull them off, and their teeth found plenty of skin to bite.

  Jason Bach, the star lineman for the football team, rushed in and pulled the one from the maid’s back off and tossed him to the ground. Greg slowly rose and stared blankly at him in return.

  “Want some of this; you drugged up, motherfucker!” Jason challenged.

  Greg’s body limped a few steps before being met in the face with Jason’s fist. Blood flew through the air as his head snapped back, and the students close by felt the wetness hit them in the face. His head lolled around and finally fell forward-looking at the ground. A low guttural growl escaped his lips, and he took another step at Jason.

  “You better go down and stay down,” Jason said and threw another jab in Greg’s face.

  Greg took the blow and stood still. Jason looked at Greg in bewilderment. Nobody, nobody had ever received a Jason Bach jab and stayed standing; much less two of them.

  “What the fuck?” Big Cheese muttered.

  The maid-man dropped to the ground, and the three tore at him with their teeth and fingernails. They dug deep in his body and chewed on the pieces they liberated from him. Blood and stringy bits of tattered flesh hung from their mouths and gore dripped from their chins.

  “Shit, I think the party’s already over,” Big Cheese said to himself and rushed back to the door.

  Around the courtyard, amid screams, calls for security, or an ambulance, students near the incident rubbed splotches of blood into their pores.

  Within moments, they all felt flush, and like their bodies were on fire.

  13

  Loud music p
ounded the room. The few people who’d entered the building were already grinding against each other on the dance floor. Rex surveyed the landscape and grew concerned.

  “Hey Charlie, why aren’t there more people here?”

  Charlie looked at the doors and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, the doors look closed.”

  “What the fuck is Big Cheese doing out there? Man, he should have them flowing into here like a river,” Rex said and stood up. Without thinking, he lowered the booming music’s volume and listened. Boos erupted around the room, and the dancing stopped.

  “Dude, what are you doing?” Charlie asked and tried to raise the volume back up. Rex grabbed Charlie’s hand and powered down the system.

  “Listen,” Rex muttered.

  Outside the doors, they heard screams and sirens. People pounded the door, trying to get inside. Everyone froze on the dance floor and stared at the doors. The beating grew louder and more frantic.

  Rex grabbed the mike. “Open them up!”

  One of the student advisors rushed over and flung open the doors. For security, they locked the outer doors, and only Big Cheese had the fob to open it, but the inside remained unlocked. The doors quickly swung in and hit the stops hard enough that glass shattered onto the floor. Students climbed over one another, trying to get inside. Blood covered the first ones to get in the doors. Quickly, the ones who made it through got up and ran to the student union’s back doors. A girl in a witch costume tripped over her heels and landed sprawled out on the floor. Three guys slowly crept up behind her. Their movements were jerky, and everything seemed like a delayed reaction.

  Rex watched the three frat members fall on the girl and began tearing her apart. Their teeth tore through her flimsy black costume and shredded it. She kicked and swung her arms around, trying to break free, but their faces buried themselves in her flesh, and she finally gave up. Her body became still, and their faces pulled back, leaving meat and skin stringing behind their mouths. Chunks of flesh were torn free of her body, and the three frat guys started to eat her.