The Tall Building

“Let’s check out the building.” I said, gesturing to the structure that shadowed us. “Maybe we can find someone up there or something…”

Daryl nodded and swung his crossbow over his shoulder.

“Okay, Andrea and I will check out the gas station then.” Rick said as Daryl and I made our way into the building.

Daryl pulled the door open and we stepped into a huge lobby. Couches and chairs lined the walls across the room. A plain wooden desk sat in the middle of it all; the papers that had once been organized nicely on top of it were now scattered across the entire room.

Daryl and I looked around the empty lobby, staying alert to our surroundings. We had no idea what this place held; if there were walkers lounging around in here or if it was just a safe haven for survivors. Either way, we took careful precautions and slowly walked the perimeter of the room. I went to investigate behind the desk and Daryl went to check behind the couches and other nooks and crannies a walker could possibly get themselves into.

I slowly walked around the desk to get a better look at what was behind it. As most of the papers had been flung around the ground, the desk didn’t have much on it. A corded phone was flipped over, and a couple of pens and pencils lay spread out across the wooden top.

I opened the drawers and pulled out a phonebook, more pencils, blank sheets of paper, and a newspaper. I sighed, hoping I would’ve found something useful and shut the drawer a bit too hard. So hard I actually heard something heavier slam up against the edge of the desk.

Scrunching my eyebrows, I opened the drawer again and shifted through the useless office supplies, but nothing as heavy as the object I had heard was in it. I fiddled with the drawer, pushing and prodding the sides when I hit something. A lever flung up a fake bottom; and inside, lay a silver pistol.

I picked it up, mouth hanging open at the luck I just had. It was fully loaded and I found two clips of ammunition in the drawer. I was about to call out to Daryl when I heard a FFFFTHROP! Daryl had shot at something with his crossbow. I heard a grunt and then something sliding down the wall.

When I found him, he was next to the doorway that lead to the stairs. A walker lay slumped over, next to a chair. Daryl walked up and pulled the arrow out of its forehead.

“I think that was the only one in here.” He said to me, then opened the door to the stairway. “Let’s go find what caused the explosion.”

I tread into the stairwell. It was dark and dank and a heavy smell of cigarette smoke wafted throughout it. I looked at Daryl.

“Someone’s definitely in here.” I whispered and he nodded in agreement.

We began to climb up the stairs slowly, checking each floor for the cause of the scent. We were approaching the fifteenth floor when we heard a slam from all the way at the bottom. Daryl and I leaned over the railing and caught a glimpse of Rick and Andrea running up the stairs.

“What’s goin'—?” But Daryl didn’t have to finish that question.

Rick and Andrea had shut the door, but hadn’t locked it. A horde of walkers burst through the door and chased the two up the stairs.

“GO, GO, GO!!!” Rick screamed at us.

We didn’t hesitate; we ran up past the fifteenth floor and to the roof. Of course the door as shut, but fortunately all we had to do was push on it and it slowly inched its way open.

Daryl and I felt the gust of warm air on our faces and we rushed out onto the roof. Andrea and Rick finally came up onto the landing and threw themselves through the door. Daryl slammed the metal door shut and quickly padlocked it. As soon as it clicked, the walkers hurled themselves into it. They beat and pounded on the door, opening it only enough to get their rotting fingers through.

“Holy—shit. That—was—close…” Andrea said between heavy breaths.

Rick had his hands on his knees and was breathing heavily as well.

“Well, I guess we found out why the town seemed so deserted.” I said.

“Looks like whoever was up here did a pretty horrible job of trying to barricade themselves in.” Rick pointed to a pile of rubble that had been blocking the door; some metal tubing and pieces of wood.

“That definitely means somebody’s up here…” Andrea added.

“Damn straight somebody’s up here.” We heard a rough southern accent approach us through the loud bangs and growls. We all turned to see who it was. A tall man stood there, but he looked badly beat up. His face was dirty and scruffy, his clothes ripped and muddy; but the first thing I really noticed was that he was missing his right hand.

“M—Merle?” Daryl said in disbelief.

“Good to see yah, Daryl.” Merle laughed harshly, “Happy to see your big brother?”

Continued...