The Virus

by Lee, Damien

  “Hey, it’s me, Amy. Are you there? If you’re there, please pick up the phone.”

  The trio looked at one another as the woman fell silent.

  “Okay, well ring me back as soon as you can. I’ve got my phone with me now. I’m just going to Sunnymoor with a friend from work and then we’ll come for you, okay? Hope to see you soon, bye.”

  The click of the machine signalled the end of the message.

  Frank groaned. “Oh great, more company.”

  “We have to let them stay, just like we have to let Simon and Elaine back in.”

  “How is that going to help us? There’s not enough food here, bring in more people and it’s going to get worse.”

  “Sooner or later we’re going to have to go back out there. Now do you want to do it alone, or do you want someone backing you up?”

  “That fat bastard is only good for a shield. What other use does he have?”

  “He can fly,” Tina muttered, her attention focused outside once again.

  Frank turned towards the teenager with a scowl. “He can fly? What is he a superhero?”

  “No, he can fly a plane! He told me earlier. It’s a hobby or something.”

  Frank looked from the teenager back to Lisa, who gave him a smug grin.

  “We can use these people.”

  Frank stared at her as he considered the option, listening to the screams outside. With a snarl, he cocked the shotgun and strode out of the room. He released the locks and swung the door wide. The sudden burst of sunlight blinded him as he stepped outside, but he could still see the figures nearby. Atop the prison van stood the distraught couple, trying to maintain balance as the two zombies below slammed against the vehicle. The creature closest to him reminded Frank of a young Ronnie Corbett. He was a small, pudgy man wearing a stained waistcoat and trousers. He turned as Frank levelled the shotgun.

  The blast sounded like a clap of thunder, splattering the man’s head into tiny pieces. The body fell, giving him a clearer view of the second zombie as it charged closer. Frank squeezed the trigger, reducing its head to a pulp.

  “Get in, now!”

  The pair jumped down and darted into the house, closely followed by Frank. He slammed the door and applied the locks once more before joining the group in the living room.

  “Thank you.” Simon wheezed, his hands on his knees.

  “Don’t thank me yet. I still don’t know how useful you’re gonna be. Tina says you know how to fly?”

  “I do.”

  “Okay, that’s one point. Do you own a plane?”

  The man shook his head.

  “And you’re back to zero.”

  Frank hurled the empty shotgun aside and flopped into the armchair. The rest of the group sat on the couch, all except Lisa, who stood with her arms folded.

  “So what’re we gonna do?” she asked.

  “We’re going to have to make some kind of plan.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I don’t know. But we’re going to need supplies soon. We’re also going to need to reinforce this place until we come up with a better plan.”

  The group nodded in agreement.

  “Now I don’t know any of you, and to be honest, I don’t give a shit about any of you.” He looked from face to face. “But now is the time to learn a bit more about each other and what skills we can bring to the group. Agreed?”

  They all nodded.

  “Okay, then let’s start with you, Tubs.”

  “Me?” Simon asked.

  “Yeah, you. What skills have you got?”

  “I can fly?”

  “Yeah, but what use is that if we don’t have a plane? I can’t even think where the nearest airfield is.”

  “That old army base up north,” Lisa muttered.

  “Will there be any planes left?”

  “I doubt it.”

  “Exactly.”

  “What about Teesside Airport?”

  “It’s too far to travel.” Frank turned back to Simon. “So what can you do apart from flying?”

  “I don’t know,” he stammered.

  “Well, what are you good at?” Frank persisted. “What do you do for a living? Are you a joiner, electrician?”

  “I’m a solicitor.”

  Frank let out an exasperated groan while Lisa winced as if the man had just struck her.

  “So you have no use at all.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. I am good at some things.”

  “Alright then, you’re a solicitor; so you’re a good liar. Next up we have Mrs. Tubs.” He turned towards Elaine.

  “I can cook?” she said hopefully.

  “Not great when we’ve got no food.”

  “I can knit and sew.”

  “Great. Except it isn’t winter and I don’t need a sweater.”

  “I can clean.”

  “Finally, you have a use!” Frank beamed, giving her an over-dramatic round of applause. He turned back to her husband. “Can you clean as well?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Then your first job is to go upstairs and get rid of the Carters and that other woman.”

  The pair looked at him with a horrified expression.

  “Then when you’re done, you can clean the bedroom. That’s where you two will sleep tonight, so I’d do a good job if I was you.”

  “We can’t sleep in there,” Simon gasped.

  “And there’s me thinking I was being nice. Why the hell not?”

  “Because Ronald and his wife are in there,” Elaine said. “There’ll be blood everywhere.”

  “Hence the cleaning.”

  “But they died in there. I can’t sleep in that room.”

  “Okay then, you can either sleep there or you can sleep outside. Make a choice.” Not waiting for a response, he turned to the teenager. “What can you do?”

  “I can put my legs behind my head.”

  “Not something I was looking for.”

  “Really? Most men love that.” She glanced over at Simon, who observed her with a curious stare.

  “Hey!” Frank snapped, turning on the pair. “Those corpses aren’t gonna move themselves, at least not with their heads blown off. Get to it.”

  He glared at the couple as they slowly rose from the couch. Once they left the room, he turned back to the teenager. “So what can you do?”

  “I told you.”

  “And I said I’m not interested. You’re half my age and very, very strange.”

  “Your loss.”

  “So give me a reason not to throw your arse outside.”

  “I’m good with a blade. I’ve got good eyesight, good hearing. I’d be a good lookout. Oh, and I hate Roly and Poly as much as you.”

  She motioned towards the door Simon and Elaine had exited. Frank snorted. He looked at Lisa, who shook her head in disbelief.

  “You’ve won my vote. Why don’t you go put that good eyesight to use and find Ronald’s stash of ammo?”

  The young woman nodded, disappearing into the hallway and out of sight. Frank turned to Lisa, who regarded him with raised eyebrows.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “Well, what?”

  “Why should I let you stay?”

  A splintering crack came from upstairs, but Frank paid no heed as he watched Lisa approach. He raised a brow as she drew close, bending down until her lips were brushing his ear.

  “Because I’m the finest piece of arse in this hellhole.”

  Words failed him. All Frank could do was stare after her as she walked into the kitchen. He grinned until he heard a thudding sound. He looked up at the ceiling as another thud came, followed by an angry exchange. With a long growl, he jumped to his feet, snatching the shotgun as he stormed upstairs.

  “Just grab her arms, Elaine!”

  The sound of Simon’s voice met him as he reached the landing. He was holding the legs of Louise’s corpse, eyeing his wife angrily. Elaine stood nearby with a hand to her mouth.


  “What the fuck are you shouting about?” Frank asked, looking between the two.

  “She won’t help me.”

  “You won’t let me get the legs,” Elaine retorted.

  “What’s the difference?”

  Frank watched the pair fall into an indecipherable shouting match. Both yelled at the top of their voices, swinging their arms wildly. He’d had enough.

  “Hey, children! You’ll be back out there if you don’t shut up.”

  They fell silent, glowering at each other.

  “Now, who cares how you lift her? You can kick the fucker downstairs for all I care.”

  “Downstairs? We were just going to throw her out there.”

  Frank followed Simon’s gaze to the open window. The boards on the outside had been removed, leaving a sizeable gap.

  “What the hell did you do?”

  “We pried the boards off,” Simon shrugged.

  “Where are they?”

  “They fell outside. I don’t know why they’re up here. Those things can’t exactly fly.”

  “No, they can’t, but what if the birds fly in here?”

  “Why would they?”

  “Because it’s not just humans that can turn, you prick! The animals are infected as well.”

  Simon looked at his wife. Her dumbfounded look mirrored his.

  “You think birds might come after us?” Simon asked, turning back to Frank.

  “I don’t know! We don’t know what can get infected. But I’m not gonna take any chances.”

  “What do you want us to do?”

  “You can go out there and nail them back on.”

  “What?” Simon gasped. He looked back at his wife, who had turned ashen-faced.

  “You heard me,”

  “What about her?” he pointed towards the dead woman at their feet.

  “Her?”

  Frank seized a leg of the corpse and dragged it over to the window. With a quick motion, he picked it up and hurled it through the gap. The body hit the ground with a thud.

  “Problem solved. Now get outside and fix that window.”

  “But what if there are zombies out there?” Simon protested.

  “Frank!” the voice belonged to Tina, who stood at the bottom of the stairs.

  “What?”

  “I’ve found the rifle. There’s a box of bullets here as well.”

  “There you have it.” He smirked, turning back to the couple. “I’ll cover you.”

  He made his way down to the teenager, begrudgingly followed by Simon and Elaine.

  “Let’s see it then.”

  The teenager handed him the hunting rifle and a box of bullets, and he motioned for them to head towards the door.

  “I thought you said you were covering us?” Simon asked.

  “I am. There’s a balcony in Ronald’s bedroom that will give me a good vantage point. Anything comes near you, I’ll kill it.”

  “Oh great, we’re putting our lives in the hands of a serial killer.”

  Frank aimed the rifle at Simon’s head. “You did that the second you walked back into this house. Now move.”

  “We don’t have a hammer or nails.”

  “Ronald said he had some out back. Go check it out.”

  Lisa’s arrival stopped Simon’s further protests.

  “No need,” she said. “I’ve already been out.”

  Frank turned to face her. “You went outside?”

  “Yeah, the back door isn’t barricaded either. I went into the tool shed and got us some supplies.” She pointed over her shoulder at the assembled tools at the end of the hallway. A shovel, crowbar, and hammer were among other things she had collected. Frank looked back at her as she retrieved a handful of nails from her pocket.

  “And I got these.”

  “That was a stupid move. You could have got us all killed.”

  “Relax, I had this.” She pulled the baton from her back pocket.

  “And you’re a thief?” Franked laughed. “I guess I’m not the only criminal in here.”

  “Is that it?” Simon gasped. “You’re going to let her off? Why does she get preferential treatment?”

  Frank looked back at Lisa. She regarded him with raised eyebrows, waiting for a response.

  “Because she’s the finest piece of arse in this hellhole.” He looked back at the bewildered couple. “You’ve got your hammer, you’ve got your nails and I’m pretty sure I saw a ladder out there, so you’re good to go.” He turned to Lisa. “Lock the door behind them. I’m going to get into position on the balcony.”

  “What’s happening?”

  “Just a bit of DIY.”

  With that he turned and made his way upstairs, listening to the protests of the couple below.

  “We’re not going back out there.” Simon raged.

  “He’s got you covered,” Lisa reassured him.

  “I don’t give a shit. You can’t make us go back outside.”

  Frank turned as he reached the top of the stairs. “If I have to come back down there, I’m going to shoot you in the fucking face. Now go!”

  He listened for a response from the couple but heard nothing. Satisfied his message had sunk in, he made his way over to the bedroom. The smell struck him once more as soon as he entered. He strode towards the balcony, wrinkling his nose as he went. The carpet squelched under his shoes as he stepped through puddles of blood and vomit. He pulled the curtains back, exposing the balcony doors. He expected a wave of sunlight to embrace him. What he got was more boards barricading the exit.

  “Ronald, you prick.”

  He heard the door slam downstairs.

  “Okay, they’re outside, it’s all on you!” Lisa shouted up the stairs.

  “Not yet, I’m not ready.”

  He grabbed a handful of bullets and fed them into the rifle. The rattle of locks sounded downstairs before he heard the front door swing open again. Seconds passed before the door slammed shut.

  “I can’t see them!” Lisa called. “They must be round near you.”

  Frank growled in dismay as the sound of screaming came from outside. In an instant, he kicked at the boards. Gradually, the wooden planks came away as the alarmed shrieks intensified.

  “Frank!”

  Simon’s cry was accompanied by a loud screech. Sensing he was running out of time, Frank tucked the rifle under his arm and hurled himself at the barrier. The boards gave way, and he landed in a heap on the balcony.

  “Help!”

  Composing himself, Frank jumped to his feet and observed the scene below. The pair were cowering against the side of the house as three zombies sprinted towards them. He aimed the rifle at the nearest creature and fired. The bullet struck the man’s shoulder, sending him whirling to the ground. Frank aimed again, but the other two zombies caught his attention.

  “Frank!” Simon shrieked.

  He turned away from the downed creature and aimed at the second. Positioning the rifle against his shoulder, he stared down the sights until the crossbar lingered on the creature’s head. He pulled the trigger, dropping the monster in seconds. He looked between his first target and the final one which shambled along on a broken foot. The bone had snapped through the dead man’s boot and was clearly visible as he shuffled towards the couple.

  “They’re coming!” Elaine squealed.

  Frank aimed again, bringing down his original target with a single shot. The zombie fell to the ground, showering the grass with brain matter. He turned back to the final creature. It had closed in on the pair but was dismayed as they retreated around the front of the house. It let out an agonised cry as it reached for them. Its loss was short-lived as Frank put a bullet in its head.

  “They want to come back in!” Lisa called. “Shall I open the door?”

  “No, they’re safe, tell them to get the job done.”

  He leaned against the bar encircling the balcony and looked down at the bodies below. The men all seemed to be from a farming background judging b
y their physique and clothing. He glanced around at the rest of the landscape and found there were no more threats in sight. Eventually, the couple trudged around the side of the house. They looked at him with malice.

  “What’s up with you two?”

  “You almost got us killed.” Simon snapped.

  “Oh, you’re exaggerating. Now c’mon, the sooner you get those boards on, the sooner you can come back in.”

  “Oh yeah, so we can move more bodies, I’m ecstatic.”

  “Hold on.”

  Frank disappeared from sight. Simon looked at his wife with a frown. Without their marksman, they were vulnerable. He glanced around the field, looking for any sign of a moving corpse. He found one. With a cry of terror, he jumped back as the dead body landed at his feet. His wife shrieked as a second body came hurtling down from the balcony. Ronald’s corpse hit the grass with a dull thud. The remains of his head spilled over the green blades as the couple looked up in terror. Frank stood above them once more. He wiped his bloody hands on his trousers before leaning on the balcony rail.

  “There you go. Now all you gotta do is clean up.”

  The pair looked at each other incredulously.

  “C’mon then, we haven’t got all day. There’s a ladder over there. Get a move on.”

  “So you want us to barricade the windows, but you’re gonna leave the balcony insecure?”

  “We can lock these doors, genius. You left a fucking hole in the side of the house.”

  When he saw Simon was going to protest further, he aimed the rifle at the pair. “Don’t make me shoot you.”

  He watched as they walked away, approaching the ladder in the grass. They had a brief dispute before they each grabbed a side and dragged it towards the house. Frank looked away from them and studied the field. There was no sign of the undead, but that didn’t mean they weren’t close. His eyes went from the field to the sky. It was void of any birds, planes or insects. The sun shone brightly over the farm as it began its downward arc towards the rest of the world. He estimated they had four hours until darkness; more than enough time to reinforce the barricades.

  He gingerly touched his cheek, grimacing from the sting of his wound. He realised while it was well and good trying to keep the zombies out, what would the rest of the group do if a zombie was already in the house?

  21