Zombies Ate My Neighbors
an excerpt

1 – Area X
Dr. Cecile Andrews prepared the syringe.

“Don’t worry girl,” she said to the massive, brindle pit bull in cell one. “This won’t hurt a bit, and afterward, you’ll be good as new!” She held back tears as the dog’s yellow eyes stared into hers. She was her favorite test subject, and though the brindle dog only had a number and no name, Dr. Andrews came to recognize her as a sad statistic in the world of dogs and the law.

All of the pit bulls, rottweilers, Dobermans, and other dogs came from various animal shelters. They were considered red zone dogs and were going to be put down. The privately funded lab where Dr. Andrews worked took the dogs and used them as test subjects instead.

Pit bull five seventeen, the brindle that Dr. Andrews had come to love, had tested the security of the lab for the last time. Each cell led outdoors where the areas were divided into sections via electric field. If the dogs tried to pass through, they were given a nasty shock. The lab had designed the outdoor areas for the dogs this way because they were goliath breeds and could easily dig under, knock down, or run through a standard fence. The perimeter was similarly charged.

Dr. Andrews turned toward her singed companion and pinched up the skin on her neck.

“I love you girl,” she said against her head, kissing it gently. It was a sad case, this brindle dog. Not even a year old yet, she had attacked a man who had broken into the house where she lived while her master was out. She was merely defending her home. Dr. Andrews grimaced, thinking of such circumstances. “He should have been put down, not you,” she whispered. She set the needle down and rubbed the dog’s ears, pinched her large jowls, and patted her side roughly. The dog panted and wagged her tail, then let out a deep woof. She bowed down onto her front legs, butt in the air, tail sweeping back and forth. Dr. Andrews picked up the needle and turned away. She blinked rapidly to clear her eyes of the oncoming rush of tears. Her nose burned with emotion. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, turned to the brindle beast in cell one, pinched up her skin and sunk the needle in.

Area X, located somewhere outside of Platteville, Colorado, was a privately funded stem cell research lab. The lab was working on a regenerative drug called Selliria. Since stem cells could replicate any cell in the body, the goal was to create an intravenous drug that could be injected into the body and used to cure cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other noncurable diseases. They also toyed with creating skin and other organs with the stem cells to eliminate the need for amputations and skin grafts.

Area X had barracks for the scientists, kitchens, a dining room with a cafeteria, all the essentials for a person to live comfortably, with the exception of a warm body to snuggle against at night. Families were not permitted on the premises.

The research facility consisted of two large laboratories, one held the research equipment, complete with samples and other paraphernalia, and the other held the dogs and other items for testing the drugs. The batch Dr. Andrews had injected into the brindle, number five seventeen, was the newest, and closest batch yet, or so the researchers assumed.

Dr. Andrews turned away when the brindle pit slumped to the floor of her cell after trembling, a frightened look in her yellow eyes.
“We were so close,” she whispered, cradling the dog’s great head. “We thought this was the one.” She gripped the edge of the counter, one hand on her mouth as she stifled her cries.

It was late and she couldn’t bear to put the brindle dog in the incinerator where failed test subjects were placed, so she left and went to her room and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning as the scientists were waking up and grabbing coffee or sitting in the cafeteria with newspapers, Dr. Clempta swiped his passcard on the pad and entered the lab. He scanned the room. All of the dogs were eating heartily from their food bowls. All except dog five seventeen, located in cell one. She was sitting, staring at Dr. Clempta.

“What’s wrong, girl?” He said to her in a soft voice. “You don’t like your food?” He went closer to her cell and touched her ears, then her nose. “You’re not sick are you?” He reached both hands inside and rubbed her ears. He looked at her yellow eyes. “Hmmm, that’s odd,” he said, turning her head from side to side. Her pupils had five points extending to the outer edge of the iris.

The door opened and another doctor came in. Dr. Clempta turned his head to look at who it was. “Oh, hey, Rodge,” he said. “Come take a look at this.” When Dr. Clempta turned his head back to look at five seventeen, her teeth were barred. A low growl rumbled from her throat and without hesitation, she lashed out and bit his hand.

“Oh my god, Gus, are you alright?” Rodge said. Dr. Clempta moved away from five seventeen.

“She bit my fucking finger off,” he said, holding up his hand. Blood poured from the wound. He wrapped it tightly in his lab coat.

“I’ll get some help,” Rodge said.

“No!” Dr. Clempta said. “No, I’ll be alright.” He held the towel wrapped hand tightly. “The paperwork would be too much, workman’s comp and all, you know?” He felt suddenly hot.

“You look kind of pale, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Well, no, I’m not okay,” Dr. Clempta said. “My finger is in that dog’s stomach.” He pointed at five seventeen. “Don’t’ touch her, don’t go near her,” Dr. Clempta said. “There’s something wrong with her.” Dr. Clempta fell to his knees and gripped his throat. He gasped and made choking sounds, his face covered in sweat.

“Gus! Oh my god, Gus!” Rodge said. He stood with his hands on his face, jerking back and forth, trying to decide if he should go get help or help Dr. Clempta. Before he could do anything, however, Dr. Clempta fell forward, trembling. With a final gasp, he stopped moving.

Rodge crouched over him and pressed his fingers to Dr. Clempta’s neck.

“Help!” He shouted. “Someone, help!”

Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Clempta’s body was zipped into a bag and taken to the Area X morgue.

Cell one was empty.