CHAPTER EIGHT: GOING DOWN

 

It was really hurting this time. Sarge wanted to store up a bit more energy for a trial run. Donovan didn’t think it made much sense. I mean, he had blown the toaster with what little power he had before. With the way it was hurting, he figured he had, at least, twice as much energy stored up. Surely it was enough to blow the whole damned elevator up.

 

But they had been working on control. Little by little, they worked on powering things up without melting them. First, a small ipod. Then, an old radio they found in a supply closet. After that, they pulled out a blender. The refrigerator was hard, but he pulled through that one ok. And the floor buffer was a fun ride. Threw him off like a wild bull.

 

But, now, it was go time. They had pried the elevator door open. Luckily enough, the elevator was only a half floor down from them. One by one, they lowered the small group down. Sarge had repelled down like a master. Lt. Dean had secured the rope they used and Rachel was next. Donovan had the hardest time. He couldn’t use his right arm as it was ablaze with green energy. So he held on with his left as Dean lowered him down. They really should have let him climb down and power his arm up then, but hindsight and all.

 

Once down, he could see Sarge holding the flashlight as Rachel tinkered with the elevator machinery.

 

“The power fo’ the lights are juiced from this here line. I’d say, if he pumped that there green stuff through here, it might jump just start the crank motor and work the cables that pulls the elevator up an’ down.” Rachel tried to explain.

 

“MIGHT? That seems like taking a big ole chance, dudn’ it?” Donovan exclaimed.

 

Rachel was quick to reassure, “Now, now, bo’. Won’t be nuthin’ like the toast’r uvun. Just do what we’s been practicin’.”

 

That didn’t ease Donovan much. He knew this was dangerous. Here they were in an enclosed area surrounded by metal and he was about to try and control a powerful bolt of lightning. But they had used the last of the food yesterday and the hunger in the boy’s stomach reminded him why they were all willing to take a chance like this.

 

“This oughta be good.” Came a voice from above.

 

All three looked up to see the mocking face of Frank leering down at them. Alex slipped in beside him and laughed.

 

“Better not be standing here when he lets loose with the green magic, Franky. Get your fuckin’ head blown off. I’m going to wait this one out in the bathroom on the other side of the floor; where it’s hopefully safe.” Alex laughed as he wandered off.

 

“You two, shut the HELL up! You had better hope this works or we might all be shimmyin’ down a rope on the outside of the building. How are YOU with heights, FRANK?” Sarge barked

 

“I’m fine.” Frank muttered, “How are you with plunging to your death down elevator shafts?”

 

Sarge just stood there and steamed at him. He knew it would do no good to discuss this or anything else with Frank. So, he decided to just ignore the ass and go on.

 

“Ok, Rachel, go on.” Sarge ordered.

 

Rachel grabbed the flashlight and pointed it to the place where they opened up the cable and exposed the wire.

 

“Grab it right here, hon.” Rachel directed.

 

Sarge touched the girl on the arm, “Miss, don’t you think you should climb up outta here?”

 

Rachel’s head bolted up as she stared an angry stare right through the military man, “I’ll be fine, honey. Maybe YOU should find a safe place to hide. (She turned to Donovan as she knew Sarge wouldn’t budge either) Let’s just do this.”

 

Sarge backed off without moving realizing she was possibly tougher than she looked, “Ok, son. You heard the lady.”

 

The pain was unbearable now. Little tongues of green lightning had begun to spit around his arm. It was obvious he couldn’t hold it in for much longer. Donovan walked over to the wire and gripped it tight.

 

“Hang on to somethin’” were his only instructions.

 

Slowly, Donovan released the power that was throbbing through his arm. He had closed his eyes; straining under the pressure. Sarge and Rachel look on as the green energy moved up the cable, crackling and popping all the way up. As it passed Frank, he just laughed; his face shinning with a wicked, green light. The energy continued up to the top of the elevator shaft and disappeared through the roof. There was a short pause as the energy seemed to wane. The shaft grew dark as Frank just shook his head and walked off.

 

“Buncha geniuses.” Was all he said as he disappeared.

 

Donovan was still straining to control the outflow, but you couldn’t tell by looking at him. The glow was subsiding. Was he losing power?

 

Sarge sighed, “Hell, just rest up and we’ll try again…”

 

Suddenly there was a huge pop from above as green sparks exploded from above them; lighting the whole shaft. Suddenly, the elevator began to move almost throwing them all down. Slowly, the elevator moved down the shaft. The glow was coming back to Donovan’s arm as the other two could see him grin in the green light. The movement was slow and easy and it seemed almost effortless.

 

Sarge and Rachel grinned at each other as Donovan whooped in celebration. They rode down past the next floor’s door and half way to the next.

 

“Ok, how do we get it to go back up? The rope isn’t this long.” Sarge barked.

 

Rachel grinned, “It’s simple, darlin’. One of us gotta go down in the elevator and change it manually.”

 

“Well, I guess that’s my department…” Sarge said as he looked for the door down to the elevator.

 

Rachel wasted no time. It was obvious that she knew where the door was to begin with as she was already dropping down the square hole. Sarge just ran to the dark whole in wonder.

 

“Well, I’ll be damned! Woman, you are some kind of wildcat!” Sarge exclaimed.

 

“Drop me a light!” Rachel replied.

 

“Shouldna dropped down that damned hole without it, ya crazy female!” Sarge admonished as he dropped the light down.

 

Rachel saw it coming and caught it. After looking around, she quickly popped open the control panel. After jimmying with the wires, the elevator suddenly stopped and quickly returned up the shaft.

 

“Well, I’ll be damned!” Sarge let out.

 

“Not yet, Sargent!” Rachel exclaimed.

 

After a short celebration, there was a noise coming from the elevator door they had passed before. Looking up, they were met with ghastly stares from the slowly opening door. Three gasping bodies were pushing through and giving the people below hungry stares.

 

“Holy shit!” was all Sarge could get out as he pulled his pistol the Army had commissioned him with so long ago.

 

They began to rain down like a plague taking every shot without remorse or any sign of pain. Rachel had climbed out and tried to pull her favorite weapon, her shotgun her granddad had given her a little girl, but one of the undead things landed on her; knocking the gun from her hands. Donovan was about to let go when Sarge began barking orders.

 

“Don’t let that go, son! We’re not high enough to reach that rope and we gotta get past that open door or there’ll be more of those things!!” Sarge yelled as he fought with a couple of the nasty ghouls.

 

Rachel was on her back again fighting a half decayed corpse that had begun beating her severely. Fortunately, she hadn’t reloaded her harness. So, there wouldn’t be any explosions from her chest today. But she soon proved a great deal less than defenseless as she pummeled the undead thing with her elbows. Sarge was able to hit one of the groping specters square in the head; blowing dark matter all over the shaft. That did nothing to slow his other assailant who began choking him.

 

As Rachel struggled, Donovan kicked the thing off her; giving her a chance to get to her shotgun. And just in time! Three more of those things dropped from the open elevator door that was getting closer with every second. Sarge could see an army of those things closing in on the door. So, after blowing another couple of the rotting attackers away (Headshots for the win), Sarge pulled a grenade from the pouch around his waist. Rachel quickly took a couple out with her shot gun as Donovan stomped on of those thing’s brains out (or what was left of them).

 

Sarge was busy kicking the zombies back from the door as the elevator continued to rise. Before the door disappeared, he threw the grenade in and pulled the door shut. As they reached the rope, they could hear a massive explosion that shook the walls and loosened the dust in the whole elevator shaft.

 

Sarge wasn’t happy for some reason. He was busy reloading.

 

“Damn undead mother fuckers…”

 

That’s when something dropped from the top of the shaft. Sarge was still struggling with his pistol that seemed to have jam. All he could do was look up at the grimacing dead thing that was already flailing for him. But, before it landed on the Army career man, there were two flashes of steel that reflected the light of the flashlight; leaving Sarge a bit mesmerized.. As the Elevator reached the opening leading to the bar, Sarge wiped the gooey black death off of his face as he stared down at the zombies grinning head that had, not only been sliced off, but had been cut in two. That’s when he looked up to see Frank standing there grinning at him and leaning on the door opening with what looked like a Samurai sword dangling in his hand.

 

“You’re welcome.” Frank said with a laugh as he walked off.

 

Sarge just frowned and began yelling, as usual, “Where the hell did the psycho get a fuckin’ ninja sword? Holy Hell!!”

 

He just shook his head and looked over at Rachel and Donovan.

 

“We’re about to get our asses outta here, Sarge.” Donovan blurted in an excited tone, “We got a chance!”

 

Sarge just continued to shake his head and mutter, “Yeah, a chance…but for what?”