Surviving the Land of the Dead Ep. 01

Corporal James Sudduth was shocked to hear the multiple pops of gunfire which began erupting at 10:30 in the morning. Briar Tennessee was a small town in the center of the state which was unusual for anything violent to happen.

James looked out his bullet proof square window at the desk inside the jail house to see that most of the officers guarding the place were gearing up for war.

James thought about the broadcasts that have been going on as of late, about cannibals which are actually sick people. Later reports talked about how their bites spread the sickness.

Then the crazy comparisons to the hit show, The Dead Walk started to circulate. The images were very disturbing and it was broadcasted on every major medium.

So, these things have finally made it to Briar. James watched as time went on from his cell. His eyes watched the four police men which were left behind.

Chris Portman was trying to hide the fear that was gripping his heart. "These are those monsters from the news, you think this is the end, guys?"

Terrance Mann looked Chris in his eyes with anger. "Get a holt of yourself, Chris. Our fellow officers have this under control. They just needed back up, that's all. Nothing to worry about."

Henry Wilson kept looking at the door. The sounds coming from outside had him on edge. "I have a family to think about, Terrance. I say we should let the prisoners go, then we look for our families while we can."

Terrance said. "Henry, that's not going to happen. You two are freaking out over nothing. Look I took the call, the police officers that are fighting them just ran out of ammo."

He went over to the door. "Now, I am in charge. I have a family, too Henry. I just trust that our fellow officers we work with everyday has this under control and if we release these prisoners, what are we going to tell the sheriff when he gets back?"

Henry went on. "Look what we have here, just three drunks and a war hero who did kill, but he surrendered when he was arrested. Hell, I actually think Brian Ross got what he deserved for what he done."

Terrance looked back in his eyes. "Henry you can't be serious!"

Chris said. "James story is very sad. For what he did for us during the Russian invasion of America. What Henry is just saying, what sort of scumbag would sleep with his wife giving how he risked his life to keep us free?"

Terrance replied. "And this is not reasoning by fear?"

John Adelson who had stayed quiet finally spoke his mind. "Terrance your not deft. You can hear civilians screaming as their getting ripped apart. You can't seriously believe our officers have it under control."

John walked beside Terrance. He put his hand on his shoulder. "Terrance, this is our lives here. There is no way we know what's behind those doors. But, we can use our own ears to know we are in deep shit.

I say we not only release the prisoners, but we also arm James. He has survived countless engagements with the Soviets. He knows how to handle a firearm, I honestly believe this is the only way we could get out of here."

Chris took a seat at the desk top. He typed in the code. Terrance drew his pistol and pointed it at Chris saying. "No, Chris! Were not releasing the prisoners."

John drew his pistol and pointed it at Terrance. "Terrance, I don't think you fully grasp the situation were in. Im not going to let you get us killed."

Chris drew his pistol and walked towards Terrance, whose eyes were constantly looking each person over. Henry had also drawn his weapon saying. "We don't want to kill you, Terrance. Please, don't make us."

Terrance said with disbelief. "Are we really pointing guns at each other. Seriously, why not radio in and find out from the officers what is going on, first. Before jumping to any serious conclusions on what is going on outside."

Henry went to their police radio. "This is officer Henry Wilson requesting an update on the current situation. Does anyone read, over."

A panicked voice replied. "Henry, the the dead have broken through. So many people are dead. I'm getting my family out of here, im sorry."

Right then the doors flew open with a frightened civilian crying out. "Oh, God help me please!"

The civilian turned around to close the doors as the officers shot at the dead. The sheer numbers were overwhelming as they grabbed a golt of the frightened man and bit into his flesh.

The blood sprayed out everywhere and a puddle formed as he screamed out in horror. Other waves of the dead kept coming in towards the officers.

Terrance, Henry, Chris and John knew it was hopeless. Seeing the mass of the dead coming in. They each put their pistols to their heads and pulled the trigger.

James looked on as the dead had filled the hallway and they seen him. He dropped down with his back against the door crying out. "Oh my God!"

The dead began pushing on the cell door which rattled from the pressure. James pushed against the door being afraid it would come open at any second. His heart was beating furiously as the door was rattling constantly.

Ten minutes had passed for the gunfire to attract the dead outside. James carefully looked outside. He noticed the trail of blood along the walls. The hallway was empty, his eyes also seen that his window had a small fracture in the center.

That fracture had given him hope, along with his knowledge that Chris had put the code into the computer. Which makes the button on the center of command console active. He figures Chris was trying to release everyone locked up.

James quickly put the pieces together. The cot, the pipe arms holding the cot to the concrete wall. The blankets, sheets, his prison suit, everything he could use.

James looked at the thin metal panel of the pipe arms which were bolted into the wall. James threw everything off the cot. He climbed on and got his body perfectly centered on the cold metal.

He looked down at his bare feet, let out a sigh, then controlled his breathing as he would leap as high as he could. On the way down he tensed up the muscles in his legs then falling strait down.

Beads of sweat dripped from his body while James kept jumping and tensing up trying to push his feet through the cot on the way down.

These jumps went on for about twenty minutes when James realized that the cot was wiggling a little as he leaped. His face then flushed with anger as he leaped with more fury.

He yelled out as his bare feet slammed down on the cold metal slab. Until his final leap caused the metal on both sides to tear apart from the bolts.

As the cot came crashing down the momentum of it finally breaking free sent James rolling on the ground. He laughed hysterically when he seen that the cot was finally free.

Getting some drinks from the sink, James pulled the cot away from the wall. The next steps would be to remove the pipe arms from the cot itself.

The jumping had already weakened the metal which held the arms to the cot. So James grabbed a holt of it pulling it back, then forward with all his might. It took some doing, but each arm had snapped free.

James spread the blanket out for the next phase of his plan. Using the cot to bust out the bullet proof window. The blanket will minimize slipping and he positioned the cot at a diagonal angle where the top end of the cot would hit the window.

James thought about the possibility to fit through the window. He realized that would be impossible, the height of the window and narrow space. His body wouldn't be able to fit through.

James got a solid grip as he moved the cot up and watching his target, he pulled the cot down with all his might. He seen that the crack had grown with the first strike.

He repeated the process again and again. A hole was catching the end of the cot which kept on getting larger as he repeatedly bashed the cot against the window.

He bashed it to where the hole was all the way down to the frame. James knew this would be a chore, bullet proof glass is made so that a fracture wouldn't compromise the complete integrity of the glass.

But, each of the layers do absorb the force, so he knew that the whole window has to be weakened. So he positioned the end of the cot to work at another point on the glass.

It took a couple of hours and repeating this process to finally be able to free most of the glass from the window. The shards came out in clumps. This is when James realized there wasn't any gunfire going off outside.

He examined each ends of the pipe arms to find out which one was the sharpest. He took off his prison shirt and clothes. He used that sharp end to tear out thin strips out of every piece of fabric.

He pulled and pulled it through, making thin fragments for a make shift rope. He needed a long one, because the target was about twenty feet away from his cell.

James heard the moans of the dead. The sounds from the window busting had attracted one from the street outside. James turned around when he noticed that a dead man was reaching inside the busted out window.

James got up with the pipe in his hands. He took the sharp end and aimed that end at the dead man's eye ball. He seen the teeth marks on his neck. The dead man's eyes were full of fury and he constantly growled out at him.

James grunted as he pushed the pipe with all his might. Forcing the end of the pipe through the eye socket. The force caused the dead man to stumble backwards, but he didn't fall down.

The dead man's eye ball was only a bloody socket and blood dripped from the end of the pipe. James repositioned to use the pipe like a club.

James grabbed the dead man's wrist with his free hand and slightly pulled to get it's head inside the window. The dead man pulled against his grasp in vain as he kept snapping at him with his teeth.

James repeatedly struck the dead man in the back of the head. Each swing slung blood everywhere, James seen the skull break open and the blood sprayed out over his face and torso.

He let go of the dead man's hand and it's limp body fell to the ground. James cleaned away the blood from his eyes and mouth, then took a drink before getting back to work on stripping down the fabric.

He made a strong knot to connect the fabric together into a long, make shift rope. With one end he tied both of the pipe arms to make an anchor. He tied the other end of the rope to his wrist so he wouldn't loose the anchor.

James eyes focussed in on the button behind the desk. He reached out his right arm holding the anchor above. He fit out as much as he possibly could to get the most strength behind his throw.

James sighed. "Now for the hard part."

He took his time, controlled his breathing. When he let the anchor fly on his first attempt, it wasn't even close. The anchor only landed about ten feet away.

The noise of the anchor hitting the ground and the clanking noise as James pulled the anchor back had attracted a dead woman who was outside.

James grabbed the anchor and seen her coming for him. Her face was completely eaten off along with her neck. You could see her spinal cord holding her head up.

James backed into his cell and waited for her to reach in. He would handle her like the dead man before, pulling her head in and using the anchor to bash in her skull.

His bare feet splashed through the blood after seven good hits split her skull wide open. James had to push her body out and it landed on top of the dead man.

After cleaning himself again and getting another drink from the sink, James set up to make another throw. The floor had a good puddle and the walls were decorated.

His eyes locked in on the target. He let it fly, the anchor hit and bounced off the top of the desk. With frustration James pulled the anchor back to his hand.

Throw after throw wasn't even close as his anger started to get the better of him. Finally James yelled out as he let the anchor fly.

James eyes lit up with hope as he seen the throw had the distance. Watching the anchor making it's descent right were the end needed to go. The sigh of relief hearing the buzz as the anchor fell directly on the button.

James eyes were filled with happy tears as he opened his cell door. He broke out in laughter as he freed his wrist from the rope.

While James exited he heard the other cell doors open. James found what was left of Chris on the floor. His arms were only bones and his belly was torn open.

James checked his 9 mm pistol. Released the clip and reloaded with the ammunition he had on his belt. He took the extra clips, and the rest of his ammo.

One of the prisoners walked up behind him and said. "Is it alright if I follow you?"