The Venom Will Spread, but Still Walk the Dead

Mikey's P.O.V:

"Hey, what happened to you?" I questioned as a glum looking Gerard slumped down beside me.

"Nothing," He replied, looking up as Frank hurried past.

He looked up briefly, watching as the figure in the green uniform went over to talk to Bob. I studied his face carefully for any sign of what was going on. But he gave nothing away at all. Only thing I could tell was the obvious, it had something to do with Frank.

I sipped some more of my coffee quietly. Gerard stole the mug from me, sipping some himself. I smiled, letting him get away with it because he was clearly unhappy about something; I know my brother.

"You gonna' tell me what's up?"

"Nothing's up, Mikes," He assured "I just wanna' get out of here."

I raised my eyebrows and stared hard at him. He remained oblivious for a moment, sipping some more coffee. Then he looked up at me. Saw my face. And let a small laugh out.

"Don't look at me like that!"

I kept staring.

"Mikey, stop it!"

I wouldn't relent.

"Mikey, stop!" He ordered "There's nothing up."

"Gerard, tell me what's up!"

"Nothing."

He turned away from me stubbornly, still sipping my coffee. My coffee 'cause he misplaced his. So I snatched it back and sipped it myself. Gerard's eyes narrowed until he was scowling at me through tiny little slits for eyes. It just made me wanna' laugh in his face.

Frank and Bob had stopped their conversation and Frank had drifted over to talk to Ray. He was doing so in a hushed tone, his hand on Ray's arm. Ray listened quietly to him. Then he nodded. Frank managed a smile and patted Ray's arm. Then he came over to talk to us.

"Hey, guys," He began, squatting down to rest his arms on the table and let his chin rest on his arms "We're gonna' get moving again. So get your stuff and we'll get going, okay?"

"Okay," I nodded, finishing up my coffee.

Gerard and I both stood up simultaneously and made our way over to Ray to wait for everyone. It wasn't long before we were all outside and moving again. We were all quiet again. Gerard clutched my hand tight in his own. I squeezed his hand back, tramping along beside him. Right, left, right, left etc.

There was a long twenty minute silence in which we walked. We turned onto Androver's Street, where the music store I usually went to was. It was usually quite a busy street. And it wasn't about to let us down now. Frank was first to react, performing a roundhouse kick on the woman who lunged at him. Bob and Gerard both pulled their guns out and began to shoot. Then Ray.

I widened my eyes when I realised I had no way of defending myself. While everyone else had a gun, I had nothing. So I snatched up a crow bar that was situated near a car with a smashed window, which explains why the crow bar was there. I gripped it tight, bracing myself.

Moments later this guy with dreadlocks and darkish skin and no shirt lunged at me. I screamed and swung my crow bar around. . .

Crunch.

I opened my eyes and whimpered softly at the blood pouring from the 'puncture' I'd made in his neck. He wouldn't be getting up again for a while. Gerard yelled out from the right of me. He was pressed against a car with some old lady attempting to bite his arm. Gerard tried to knee her in the stomach but failed. She snarled and snapped her yellowing teeth at him.

"YOU SON OF A-"

Crunch.

Heavy breathing.

"Gerard?" I questioned.

The old lady was slumped against him. He whimpered softly when he realised she was leant on him. I repeated his name but he ignored me. And then I saw it. He shivered, looking at me with wide eyes. I shook my head, not daring to touch him or the corpse resting on him.

"M-Mikey. . . I. . ."

Bang

Bang

Bang

The gunshots around us echoed like churchbells knelling. I looked at Gerard, wide-eyed and fearful. He shook his head at me.

"Don't say anything, Mikey. . . I-I. . . it's nothing!"

"YEAH!" Ray cheered as he shot a blonde lady through the head "Sorry, honey, you're not my type!"

"Everyone okay?" Frank questioned.

"Fine," Bob nodded, kicking a body hard as he made his way over to us.

"I'm okay," I nodded, glancing at Gerard.

"Gerard?"

Silence.

"Gerard, are you okay?"

Gerard was still looking fearfully at the blood trickling down his forearm. And at the old lady, who still had her teeth stuck in his arm. He looked up at everyone, letting out a soft whimper.

"It's just a little blood, Gerard," Frank said gently "Nothing to be afraid of! There are worse things around at the moment!"

"She. . ." I began in a vague voice "She bit him. Just like they bit Nick. . . I think it's like a virus. Nick was fine before they bit him, right?"

"You mean, Gerard's gonna' turn into a zombie-like thing?" Ray questioned bluntly.

"Nice, Ray, make us all feel great!" Bob spat.

Frank narrowed his eyes at the blood seeping down Gerard's arm. Gerard pushed the old lady fearfully until she'd dropped down onto the floor. Then he whimpered and looked at the wound on his arm, fresh and bleeding. I didn't like the look on Frank's face.

Or the way he tightened his grip on his gun.

"We should take care of him," Frank said softly.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" I spat as bravely as I could.

I stood between Frank and Gerard, crow bar in hand, ready to swing it at anyone who tried to hurt my big brother. Frank's eyes narrowed again.

"Move, Mikey," He said.

"No."

"Move."

"Mikey, move," Gerard said softly "You said it yourself, I might. . . well. . ."

I shook my head. Frank stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder and shoving me roughly aside. I stumbled and turned fearfully. Frank was right in Gerard's face. Gerard looked terrified. . .

And then Frank dropped down onto one knee and began to examine the old lady in front of him. We all cocked our heads to one side as we watched him inspect the old lady's mouth.

"Frank?" Bob questioned.

"Those bitemarks. . ." Frank wavered, lightly touching the old lady's teeth "Now. . . if my hunch is correct. . ."

He wavered off mysteriously. Then he tugged on the teeth. And suddenly, he was holding a full set of false teeth in his hand, a triumphant smile on his face.

Gerard flopped his head back to rest on the car, his eyes closed and little groans of relief coming out of his mouth. I threw myself at him and hugged him tight. Bob and Ray both sighed in relief and Frank stood with a triumphant grin on his face. He tossed the false teeth aside and watched me hug Gerard.

"Not part of the body, which means that if it's a virus, like Mikey said, they won't be infected," Frank explained "So, Gerard's just got a pretty little wound to deal with."

"Thank you," Gerard whispered.

Frank shrugged.

Then there was a series of low growls. We all snapped our heads towards the sound, at the end of the street. There stood four Dobermans, all growling profusely at us. Frank swore. Gerard unfolded his arms from around me and closed his hand around mine.

"I think we should get out of here," He said softly.

"That might be a good idea," Frank replied, slowly taking a step back.

The dogs all twitched as he moved, growling again.

"Move," Frank said slowly.

Bob, Ray and Gerard began to step back. Gerard dragged me with him. The dogs were watching our every little move. There was no way we'd be able to back off and get away.

"MOVE!" Frank yelled as they poised themselves.

Gerard turned and ran, hand still closed around mine so he could drag me behind him. The thunder of three other pairs of feet and the roars of monstrous canines were behind us.

"GO GO GO!" Frank yelled.

I ran as fast as I could, trying my best to keep up with Gerard. He dragged me behind him, refusing to let go of me. My chest pounded, my heart thudding against my rib cage. I could hear the wheezing of my breath. I needed my inhaler.

Bang.

Bang bang bang.

A strangled howl.

My chest was so tight, screaming at me to stop and take a puff of my inhaler.

"IN HERE!" Gerard yelled, pulling me towards a bar.

He pushed me through the door first, then him, Bob and Ray piled in behind me. Frank was sprinting towards us, three of the dogs still behind him. The others were all yelling at him to hurry. He was getting closer. But that's all I could remember because, next thing I knew, I was on the floor, wheezing and reaching into my pocket for my inhaler.

"Mikey?!" Gerard's voice exclaimed in the distance.

My chest was getting tighter.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't breathe.