70 Mary Street (Efflorescene)

You arrive at the building on Mary Street, with no heels. On the way, you’ve slaughtered another zombie or two, and you couldn’t retrieve the heel out of the last one’s neck.

You know now that those were Jimmy Choos. The woman you’ve been half-carrying (Rihanna) screamed more hysterically about losing those shoes than she did about losing blood. You sit her down on a seat out front, and draw in a deep breath.

Looking up though, you are pleasantly surprised. With Uni so far from your mind now, the real reason for this trip into the city slipping away like the green gooey blood on the pavement, you see an art piece. For a moment, your world is restored to normal.

Until little Mary starts kicking at your shins again. “You’re not doing a very good job!” she shrieks.

Job? This is suddenly your job?

You bend down to her at head height and say, “Well, Mary, what would you like me to do? Take your shoes and hack at a few more dead people?”

Mary points, lips quivering, to her feet. You look down. Mary’s wearing no shoes.

“Okay, so we’re weaponless,” you say, guilt clawing at you. “We need some ammo.”

“My friend,” Rihanna moans.

You look over and her head is half-dangling on the side.

There’s no time. A vacant bus nearby has had its windows smashed out and there’s passengers on it eating each other. And they’ve just seen you.

“We need to get into the building,” you say to Rihanna in a loud and steady voice. Can she understand you? Who knows what this living dead virus does to your hearing? “Do. You. Have. An. Access. Card?”

Her eyes roll back into her head. “Go through the sliding doors, dummy,” she says. She slumps over, the back of her neck pale green.

You don’t bite back (that wouldn’t be too clever), but instead walk to the doors. As you enter the building, Mary pushes you away. She has seen them first: a group of security guards.

We’re saved, you think, until they shuffle forward slowly.

“Plan B!” Mary yells. “Leave her here and get to the Gardens, now!”

She stomps her bare foot on the pavement. You hesitate, until that bus starts rattling, and walking carcasses shuffle out, heading in your direction. You had planned to ditch Mary at this point, but is that the right thing to do? It’s not as if you’re any better off without her, with your escape tactics through the city failing you so badly. Besides, your ankle throbs from the scratch earlier. You need to rest.

Follow Mary South until you reach George Street. Turn left into George Street, cross Alice Street and head through the first gate on your left into the Botanical Gardens. Go to the Morning Star (a silver box-like art piece) just before the water fountain in Botanical Gardens.

Go to the Botanic Gardens (Morning Star).