***
Cheyanne scurried around at the hospital, trying not to seem too keen on whether or not there was a body recovered from the bank. But she was pleased there was.
“Okay, we have a corpse,” she said, sneaking a phone call to Norman from the morgue room.
“Good…We’ll wait for the right time…The police will be too busy searching for those clowns to even think about checking a coffin for the cash.”
TWO
MARCH –
(Monday)
Three months had drifted by since the brutal bank robbery, but for the people inside the bank, the fire of torturous horror was still there, eating at their nightmares.
Vincent Smythe had spent two weeks in hospital; collapsing at home within forty-eight hours after the incident from a blood clot on the brain, or so he’d told people, but his absence from work had been very much noticed. The staff had made a plaque for him; putting it up so every customer would remember his bravery, but, even though Vincent had returned to work, he was still getting headaches when standing near the spot where he thought he would die.
The last three months had also been tough for the Clifton Falls police department, especially for the chief of police, Mike O’Sullivan. He was being harassed by the media for not arresting anyone, leaving him stressed to the point of quitting. He stared at the witness statements lying scattered on his desk, sighing because none were useful to him after no one recognised the robbers. He listened to the people outside holler for him to retire, cursing under his breath as he swiped a hand to knock the statements onto the floor. He sighed again, taking a deep breath to hear footsteps closing in; waiting for the knock to arrive on his office door.
“Come in,” he said, bending down to pick up the statements.
He looked up to see Susan Chester, a slim, brunette officer who worked mostly on the front desk, shaking her head at him.
“He won’t give up, chief. He just keeps calling, wanting you to quit.”
“Mrs Maudlin’s son?”
“Yes, chief. He wants to know why you haven’t found her killers yet.”
Mike grunted. “Is he on the phone now?”
“He sure is…I don’t think he’s going to quit calling until you speak to him.”
“Oh, fuck…”
***
9:00 am
(Saturday)
Five days later…
Blake Taylor sat with three friends inside Chino’s restaurant; an old hangout situated in Westbrook County. It was a few miles south of the Yorkshire countryside and ten miles from Clifton Falls.
He was nervous, scratched and bruised after escaping a slaughter-filled situation; one where he had to kill or be killed; battling against a zombie outbreak that rocked Clifton Falls to its knees.
He stared at his friends, choking from thoughts of what’d happened; quivering after remembering how close to death he was. He had smashed his way through one of the living-dead reincarnates whilst protecting an injured person, kicking out to almost feel its teeth; knowing he could easily have been its next victim. He looked down at his palms to see blood, but his friends saw nothing.
They turned to see a newsflash appear on a television situated high up in the corner of the room before noticing Blake’s eyes flicker; watching him shrink into his seat after seeing the aftermath of last night. A reporter was at the site, appearing frantic after seeing worn-out survivors carry a mutilated corpse towards an ambulance before coughing up spit as they placed it inside. Blake’s friends knew something major had happened so waited for him to explain, but Blake was still shell-shocked so wasn’t saying anything.
“Let’s hear what the reporter has to say,” Dave said, concentrating on the screen. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to understand what Blake went through.”
“Can you turn it up a bit?” Tony asked a waitress, happy to see her do it. “Thanks.”
They saw the reporter point at bodies on the ground to leave them wishing it was over before seeing him reach out to grab a microphone from the person behind the camera.
“There’s been a terrible catastrophe here, ending with too many fatalities to even count…The police had been in a battle with an unknown terror, an enemy consisting of the walking dead…A sadistic murdering spree that’s left behind torn body parts from victims, that eye-witnesses say, were brutally bitten by vicious, man-eating maniacs who were supposed to be resting in their new homes inside the cemetery.”
Dave approached Blake with tears in his eyes, but Blake was too lost inside his mind to notice.
“Blake. Look at me…What do you see?”
“Death everywhere…That’s what I see and it won’t go away.”
Dave knew Blake had been at the centre of what had happened on the news report because he’d told him brief accounts after turning up on his doorstep last night, but Blake had left out the uncut version.
“If you want to talk about it, then we’re here to listen.”
“I don’t think you can stomach what I’ve seen,” Blake cried out, turning away from staring at the screen to glare at Dave. “Or can you?”
“Hey!” Tony said; interrupting the conversation before Blake lost control. “Let’s get outta’ here…You don’t need to see a reminder.”
Blake shook himself; agreeing with him before rising from his seat, breathing deeply as he left the table.
“Come back to mine,” Dave said, following him. “Away from all this.”
“Yeah,” Gary popped up to say. “You may relax and tell us more.”
He rose from his seat to join the others, leaving Tony last to move away from the table; all smothering Blake as they escorted him outside.
***
Blake struggled to fight with the demons plaguing his mind during the journey to Dave’s house, as the others watched him perform a wrestling match between telling them and not saying anything. Tony sat beside him, smiling as Blake lowered his head.
“It’s all down to you. You can tell us all or nothing at all.”
“Thanks,” Blake replied, lifting his head again.
***
They entered Dave’s house to find the atmosphere dropping; the moment becoming more awkward as they reached the living room. Dave, Tony and Gary sat on a three-piece-suite, eyeing Blake as if unsure of how to treat him, not knowing if they were ready for what was to unfold before their eyes. They followed his movements, catching him close to crying, waiting for him to speak and hoping it would be soon.
Blake turned to them, wiping a hand across his face.
“Do you still want me to tell you how it all began or shall I not bother now?” he asked sharply.
Gary rose from his seat, placing a hand on Blake’s shoulder. “It’s your decision,” he said, walking towards the kitchen. “I’ll put the kettle on.”
But Blake cringed as he stared at bruises on his arms; touching one to shudder as a memory of when he got it almost brought him to his knees.
“If I don’t get this fuckin’ nightmare off my chest soon then I’m going to explode!” he hollered. “It’s eatin’ me up inside.”
“Okay, mate, cool it, yeah,” Dave said, rushing over to hug him. “If you’re ready to talk, then we’re ready to listen.”
Blake mellowed, but he felt embarrassed as Dave let go.
He knew Blake was still nothing like his usual self, but his appearance was a massive improvement from how he’d looked last night, and first thing this morning. Dave had let into his house a clone-like figure of his friend. Blake’s hair colour had changed from the golden-red waves to grey as a frightened casing wrapped around his body. Now Dave needed to crack it open before the real Blake could return.
He escorted Blake into a chair before sitting back down, but the only noise heard came from the kettle as they waited for Gary to return.
He arrived a few minutes later, placing a tray with hot drinks onto a small table located between Blake and the others. Everyone grabbed a cup, eager for Blake to begin.
He slowly took a sip from the hot, sweet coffee, glancing at each of his friends in a desperate attempt to produce a smile. But it wasn’t to be. He just felt exhausted, fragile, and on edge, but knew he had to focus on the long conversation ahead. He was now ready to relate his awful journey to his friends.
“Let’s go back to the beginning.”
THREE
(Monday)
again -
Blake arrived at an agricultural factory to start his shift. He was the boss; a happy man who treated his staff like equals. Everyone enjoyed going to work when he was there, but times were hard now, crops were slow to develop, and maintaining a profitable business was at its lowest. He’d been upset recently after laying off staff, but they understood. They knew it wasn’t his fault.
His company had been the main crop supplier for nearby towns, and not so long ago was one of the leading suppliers for companies abroad, but that was until a new insect arrived on the scene. The toxic beetle; a deadly plant-eating bug was about to come out of hiding. They had originated from countries with a warmer climate, like Australia and New Zealand, but somehow had sneaked into the UK via a delivery a few years ago. It was a mystery to Blake as to why the climate hadn’t killed them off, but the climate in Britain was changing. So, all in all, he wasn’t too surprised.
The bugs resurfaced every spring; unleashing devastating disease onto the crops by eating them and the soil.
And they also attack humans.
Once bitten, a toxic residue called Cantharidin is injected, causing a nasty, blistering rash on the unfortunate victim.
Blake entered his office to find a letter on his desk; picking it up to read the words – Head Office - before opening it. He smiled after reading the contents. The chemical-testing company, (Crop-techno Ltd), was about to launch its latest invention of pesticide/fertiliser, and his company was chosen to try it out.
He took the letter and left his office, walking towards the main part of the factory, but news about the fertiliser had spread quickly, so, by the time he’d entered the room, people were already engaged in conversation about it.
“Alright, everyone. Can I have your attention, please?” he said, waving the letter above his head. “I see some of you have already heard the good news about the new chemical fertiliser.” He placed the letter in front of him to read out loud. “It’s been tested and it works…Not only does it increase the size of the crops but it also eliminates those pesky bugs.” He watched everyone gather around him, all silent as they listened. “We’re about to put this chemical to use on our fields…It’ll be arriving in the morning, so everyone involved with spraying the crops needs to be here bright and early…We must get this done as soon as possible to kill those beetles before they stop us from earning money again this summer.” He waited for someone to say something but everyone remained intrigued. “That’s all I want to say on the subject at this time, so, if you don’t mind, can you please do some work today or I’ll be sacking a few more of you by the end of shift.”
He winced after seeing a few of the staff panic before chuckling to relieve their tension; knowing now that his words weren’t that funny. Blake usually had a way of making them laugh to brighten up their day, but choosing the ‘sack’ speech wasn’t one of his greatest ideas.
“Okay, that was below the belt,” he apologetically said, stuffing the letter into his pocket. “No one’s being sacked.”
“But what if the fertiliser doesn’t work?” a nervous employee shouted out. “You can’t guarantee that no one will be sacked then.”
Blake puffed out his cheeks as his energy drained from the words echoing around the room. He knew he had to reignite the spark inside the worker.
“It will work,” he said, closing in to tap the employee on the arm. “We just need a little faith.”
Blake left the worker pondering over what he just said before smiling and leaving the room.
***
He stood by his office window, staring out into the yard as workers left the building; knowing it was now 5:00 pm. Clocking-off time. He giggled at how quickly they moved when it came to going home, thinking swiftly at how much work could be done if they used this pace in working hours? Before giggling again as he walked back to his desk to give it a tidy before doing the same and heading home.
***
He opened the front door of his house, smiling wide after listening to movement nearby before shutting the door to walk along the hallway; hearing it again as he closed in on the living room. He smiled wider the nearer he got.
“Honey, I’m back. What’s for dinner? I’m starving,” he said, opening the door.
He entered to see the curtains were drawn to leave the room in patches of shady darkness, with the only light coming from a small lamp on a table in the far corner. He rubbed his eyes, feeling amazed as a woman with long brown hair and soft, silky skin, entered from the shadows, wearing nothing but a see-through negligee. To Blake, she was a magnificently sculptured masterpiece, an angel sent down from heaven.
“You can have me for dinner if you want to, tiger?”
“Tiger” is the nickname Blake’s wife, Karen, said to him when feeling very sexy.
Blake’s jaw dropped as his tongue hung from his mouth.
He trembled with excitement as Karen loosened the negligee; his stare remaining strong as she pulled it down past her breasts.
“If I have you for dinner then what do I get for pudding?”
“You’ll not need a pudding after what I’ve got planned for you,” Karen said, close to laughing. “And anyway, you’ll be too tired to eat it.”
Blake watched her close in, feeling her hard nipples touch his shirt as he leaned over to kiss her. But he suddenly backed away and burst out laughing.
“Sorry, babe,” he said, trying to control himself. “You are hilarious.”
“Blake!” Karen snapped at him. “I’m trying to be romantic, but you’ve just ruined the moment for me.”
“Believe me, you look incredible.” Blake reached out to hold her, kissing her gently on the lips. “I promise not to laugh again.”
Karen smiled and grabbed his arm.
“Good…Now, do you want to fuck me or not?”
Blake nodded.
***
Karen led him to the bedroom.
She pushed him onto the bed and straddled him whilst placing an index finger onto his lips, locking her eyes onto his to leave him paralysed with lust before pressing her vagina hard against his penis; gyrating at speed until feeling his manhood rise.
Blake was curious by her fast approach to them having sex but wasn’t going to complain.
“Have you been drinking, girl?” he asked, cheekily grinning.
Karen licked her wet, pulsating lips. She was intoxicated with something but it wasn’t alcohol. She had a thirst for some passion and tonight she would get it.
“Do I need to be drunk to want to spend the night with you?” she asked; her eyes glowing bright blue.
She pinned Blake’s arms over his head with one hand; slowly kissing his neck before using her other one to stroke the right side of his cheek. She gradually moved it down to rest on the collar of his shirt, but, in the blink of an eye, the buttons were torn off.
“Wooah!! This is new,” Blake said smiling.
“Just shush.”
Karen slipped off his shirt and threw it onto the floor, revealing his clean-shaven chest before grinning naughtily and kissing him again. Their eyes remained shut as their mouths opened and closed in rhythm to the beat of their hearts; the exciting sensation overcoming them until Karen sucked hard on Blake’s top lip.
“Ouch! Be careful, baby…I know you’re hungry, but I’m sure you can find something more enticing to suck on besides my lip.”
“Really? …Are you saying your little friend wants to play?”
“My so-called little friend, as you imaginatively put it, isn’t so little anymore.”
Blake pulled a silly face to leav
e Karen close to laughing, but she smothered his mouth with a hand until he stopped.
“Okay…I think it’s time to let him out, don’t you?”
“Anything you say.” Blake winked. “You’re in control, not me…But please be gentle.”
“Ooh, don’t you worry, I will.”
Karen pushed him further onto the bed until his feet dangled over the side; kissing his chest whilst stroking a finger down his stomach to make him wriggle with pleasure.
“Now, where were we?” she asked, teasing him with glowing eyes.
This woman is like an erotic, filthy-minded nympho tonight and it’s not even my birthday, Blake thought, trying hard to concentrate.
“I think you were about to play a musical instrument.” He sniggered again.
But Karen stared at him, twitching her nose. “What do you mean, an instrument?”
“I thought you wanted to play the organ?”
They choked, laughing at the joke as Karen got off to lie next to him.
“I love you,” she whispered into his ear before planting another soft kiss onto his lips.
“I love you back.”
***
(Tuesday)
The sun’s rays lit up the kitchen as Blake sipped his morning cup of tea. He smiled as thoughts from last night’s lovemaking entered his mind before grabbing a mirror to check his body for love bites; cringing after seeing one on his lower neck.
Damn! She almost ate me last night.
He placed the mirror on a table before pulling up his shirt collar to cover the bite; grabbing his work tie off a chair to chuckle as he put it on.
He sure had a spring in his step today.
He felt positive about the chemical fertiliser as he drunk the rest of his cup of tea; the thought of it doing its job exciting him to want to get to work.
He smiled again as he crept up the stairs; making sure to avoid the creaking ones in case Karen woke up before entering the bedroom to reach for his shoes off the floor. He put them on while watching her sleep before leaning over the bed to kiss her on the forehead, whispering - ‘I love you’ as he exited the room. He sneaked back downstairs again and re-entered the kitchen; grabbing his lunchbox and breathing deeply before leaving the house.
Clifton Falls: A Zombie Story [Part 1] Page 2