Willy B. is a Deadman!

A single light was flickering, while all others were out. The roof of the box car was ripped up. The snow from outside was roaring in. Inside the damaged boxcar were five bodies. The bodies were broken and dead. However underneath a steel pillar, rose a sixth body. The large and built man was breathing heavy. He had wiped blood off of his face, unknown if it was his or not. He had no idea where he was. He had no memories of his name or what horrible fate had led him into this mess.

He looked at his clothing. He was wearing a Type II Navy uniform with a name patch reading: BACK. He felt no pain, just uncertain confusion. He had a hunger for the truth that he couldn’t ignore or brush off. Scanning the room, he saw the dead body of Navy SEALs. The huge gaping hole in the wall was large enough to fit an entire car. There was a single deflated tire near the hole. It appeared as if a large jeep had rammed into the boxcar. In the center of the room was a huge chemical vat with biohazard warning signs posted all over. Engraved on the side of the vat was a bronze label reading 19L68D. A front bumper was wedged into the vat and had caused a crack. Whatever was inside the vat had leaked. He then heard a blood gurgling moan. There was another still alive in the boxcar, for a little while longer at least.

The two Navy SEALs looked at each other. The one on the ground looked up in horror and uttered

“WILL?…BY GOD!”

He died immediately after. Now the only surviving man in this horrible nightmare griped his temple.

“What’s happening? Need to wake up!”

He then started slapping himself. He was hoping to awaken or at least feel any type of pain. His adrenaline must have been spiking. Preventing him from feeling pain but also letting him know; this was no dream. He opened the door to the passenger car the boxcar was attached to. He had no idea what would be next or even left but he at least knew his name was Will.

As Will entered the passenger car he called for help, but there was no response. Nearly all windows were destroyed. Bullet holes and broken glass were everywhere. Being surrounded by ominous signs and hearing only the howling winds gave Will a sense of much needed sanity. As a SEAL, It was his job and his job was his life. Still not finding the answers he needed, he continued to the next passenger car. A loud thud rocked the entire train. It was as if train was gaining speed. He was desperate for answers but had the uneasy feeling his body and mind were deteriorating and his soul and spirit were fading.

As Will entered, he heard voices. He saw a lone woman working a large military radio. She was turning the knobs desperately trying to get a signal. She was finally able to make a connection. She looked familiar to him. He knew for certain that they had met and were even friends but he couldn’t fully remember who she was.

“This is Sergeant Ceniza. Can you hear me, commander? Our cargo train was attacked by the Eco-terrorist group: Raqm Nabd Alqalb. Multiple Jeeps were firing at us. We managed to destroy most of them, but one rammed into the last boxcar. The Package number 19L68D may have been destroyed. There are only three of us alive. I don’t know if the SEALS assigned to protect the package are still alive. What was in the package?”

Will tried to get her attention, “Hey! I came for the last boxcar. I’m the only survivor.”

Ceniza looked up and her eyes widened in terror. She pulled out her 9mm pistol and aimed it at Will. The lights were dimmed. She may or may not have even seen him.

“Hold your fire! Let’s just talk!”

The commander’s message finally came in.

“Sergeant Ceniza, our satellites are reading that the train is picking up more speed. If it isn’t stopped in ten minutes it will crash. The Package 19L68D must remain intact.”

Ceniza turned away from Will and ran out to the next passenger car. Will then grabbed the radio to reach the commander on the other end.

“Please, I need answers! What the hell is going on? I barley remember my own name!”

The commander responded, “Sir I can’t understand you. You need to help Sergeant Ceniza stop the train. We cannot let what’s inside 19L68D get leaked!”

“IT ALREADY HAS!”

The train began to shack as it gained even more speed. Will fell over but quickly got back up. He sprinted to the next car. He could hear the conversation before entering.

He heard Ceniza, “Whoever was driving this train must be dead. I have to stop it. You two guard that door. Something is on the other side.”

One of the two men spoke, “Is it more Raqm Nabd Alqalb?”

“I don’t know. I think its Will.”

“Corporal Back is still alive?”

“I know it’s crazy but if anything was exposed to 19L68D, it has to die.”

The second man finally spoke, “I always liked Willy B, but it’s him or us.

Knowing that he was now a dead man, Will climbed outside and to the top of the passenger car. He was holding on for dear life as the fierce blizzard was hitting his face. He could no long feel fear or pain. He only knew that life and the truth were escaping him. Only his hunger to survive was all he can think of. He saw that the runaway train had a total of six parts. He was currently in the fourth. There is only one more passenger car and after that was the cab where Ceniza is trying to stop the speeding train Suddenly, a thud rocked the passenger car and he had dropped from the sunroof and crashed down to the floor of the car with the broken glass. He looked up to see the two Army men with pale faces. Acting on pure instinct, Will leaped up and tackled both of them both down. All he could do was bite and claw at them with his fingernails. Will’s mind was at a loss. All he could do was fight. He easily over powered one of the guards and with all his strength; he was able to break his neck. Will felt zero remorse for what he had done. Could his memories be finally returning? Could his instincts from years of serving in the Navy SEALs have made him emotionless to taking a life out of survival or was it something else?

He had got up and the other guard was gone. He must have escaped to the next passenger car. Will had no intent on killing anyone. Killing one of the guards seemed to settle his aggression but he still needed the truth.

He entered the final passenger car and it appeared to be empty. From the opposite end, he had heard a familiar voice. It was the commander transmitting from another radio.

He spoke, “Listen Private, whether that man walking is Corporal Will Bradley Back or not he must die and as god as my witness that train must stop and 19L68D must remain intact. Failure and there will be hell to pay!”

Will grabbed the headset, “This mission is a critical failure. Your Package is broken and whatever was inside was leaked. If you want to kill me then come do it but hell is already loose.”

The commander responded, “Who the hell is this and what are you saying?”

Will was now more frustrated than ever. No one could understand him.

Moments later the commander spoke again, “Is this Corporal Will Bradley Back? If anyone is listening, kill him! THAT’S AN ORDER!

The private that had escaped leaped on Will unexpectedly and began to strangle him with very thin wires. He had Will pinned to the floor.

“Sorry Willy B. I always liked you but this is the apocalypse and you’re a dead man!”

Will couldn’t breathe or move. Nothing more he could do. What else can a mortal do? Pleading for mercy was never his style and not knowing the truth may be better after all. He lied still and accepted his fate. His last thoughts were trying to remember anything from his life. He couldn’t do it. Everything that he remembered was gone and he knew that he was dying. Why else would his thoughts begin to fade?

He heard the gasping and heavy breathing of the private on top of him. He was getting tired.

“GOD DAMMIT, DIE ALREADY!”

He was using all his strength to kill but to no avail. Will with all his might leaped up and was able to fight off his attacker and threw him out a window. Will was somewhat shocked that he was able to survive the fight.

“If I stop this train myself, I can sneak out before the military arrives.”

Knowing that Sergeant Ceniza was in the cab and armed, Will needed to sneak up on her. He went outside and gripped on to the side of the train. He could hear a struggle coming from inside the cab. A bullet was fired from the inside and went through a window right above his head. Will peaked from the window and saw what was happening. He saw Ceniza on the floor and a tall man pointing a gun right at her. The marker on the man’s uniform showed not only was he Raqm Nabd Alqalb, but he was a high ranker member of the group. He was the leader of the assault on the train.

“Your country made that bio-weapon. Genetic mutation is evil. Anything unnatural is wicked. The gates of hell await anyone with the minds you have.”

“I never knew what was inside that vat. I was only doing my job.”

“And now I must do mine. In the name of god, you’re death will save our world.”

Ceniza tearfully closed her eyes, waiting for her inevitable death. The leader of Raqm Nabd Alqalb shouted, “What is dead must stay dead!”

Will lunged from the window and tackled the leader onto a wall.

“MONSTER!” the leader said as they fought back and forth. The leader shot off Will’s ear. Seeing his blood splatter didn’t concern him. Both pain and fear was becoming unknown to him. During the fight, the leader pulled out a large bowie knife and went after Ceniza. Will ran in between them and the knife stroke his heart. He heard Ceniza scream as he dropped to the floor. Will laid there with the knife in his chest. He felt as cold as he did when he was being strangled. Death had come for one more on that runaway train. He never felt so tired. It’s was almost forever since he had a decent amount of sleep. A welcoming change he thought. It’s important to have pleasant thoughts before you die. He closed his eyes for the last time.

Like most sleepless nights, he was unable to drift off. He was able to hear the fight between the leader and Ceniza. He opened his eyes. The leader was on top of her, chocking her with his bare hands. He wanted to save her but he was dying…or was he? The knife was in his chest but he wasn’t bleeding. He didn’t feel any pain and he was wide awake. Was this all cause of what was inside 19L68D? It must have been a bioweapon. Did it give him this strength? Was it the reason he survived this train ride from hell for so long? Of course it must be the reason.

It had mutated him. He had become something else; a being stronger than anyone and even stronger than death. Just how inhuman was he? He grabbed the knife with both hands. He slowly pulled the knife from his chest. His adrenaline was pumping. He could hear his bone snapping as all 12 inches of the blade was being removed from his ribs. The leader was still mounted over Ceniza, nearly chocking the life out of her. Will leaped on the leader’s back. Before anyone could react, blood shot on to Will’s eyes. He was blinded in red. Then suddenly nothing, he had blacked out. All he could sense was the blood still in his eyes. He soon wiped it away to see Ceniza in the corner holding her bloody hand. She screamed as her hand was in full view. Two of her fingers have been bitten off.

Ceniza looked at Will and shouted in terror, “ZOMBIE, ZOMBIE, ZOMBIE!”

Will turned to look at the leader. He looked quite different from before. He was missing his face and one eyeball. Will was indeed a dead man but what leaked from 19L68D had other plans for him. Everything all started to make sense. His new found strength and durability came at the price and his soul. He looked back to Ceniza. She was sweating profusely. Her eyes were blood red. Her skin was turning pale as her veins were turning a blueish green. A few minutes ago she was speaking clearly. Now all she can spout were horrible growling and moans. It was suddenly clear to Will why the Commander could never understand him. Who could hear the wails of an undead soldier? Who would even want to for that matter? Ceniza reached up to grab the emergency brake lever. Will had grabbed her hand, stopping her. They both looked into each other’s lifeless eyes. They held each other with just seconds left before the train reached depot. With the blazing speed, the crash should destroy everything. What is dead must stay dead.

(Three year later)

Two men named Johnathan and Tim were walking along a train track. The track was covered in dirt and roots as if it had not been used in quite some time. They were both in hunting gear. Johnathan’s clothing was much dirty than Tim’s. Both men had looked like they had a very long day.

“This is a terrible short cut. I need to stop listening to you.”

“Relax Johnny. This area isn’t even that big. We will reach the jeep in no time.”

“We better. I got mud from my balls to my ears. If I’m going to get arrested for breaking the law, I at least want to be in jail in clean clothing.”

“What law did we break? It’s just a keep out sign that no one listens too. A runaway train crashed around here a few years ago, big deal.”

“You heard the urban legend of this place? The undead roam here.”

“Yea I heard. I just don’t believe in werewolves.”

“They weren’t werewolves, idiot. They were vampires!”

“No need to bring up my wife. That’s why we’re out here hunting. Instead of cheating like we normally do.”

Suddenly Tim fell to the floor. He yelled as if something was attacking him. Johnathan with frighten look on his face reached up and pulled Tim to his feet. Tim had laughed.

“I got bit by the chupacabra. Now, I’m going to turn into Frankenstein!”

“Oh I see how it is Tim. You making fun of me getting pulled down awhile back, huh?”

“Sorry, it was funny. You slipping around saying something was pulling you to the ground. What’s worse is that you’re so convinced a person bit you.”

“I never said person bite me, but something with human like jaws did. Look at it. It’s turning green!”

“Alright, I can see the jeep just twenty yards away. So take it easy. We’ll be back!”