Zombie Castle Series (Book 4): ZC Four

by Harris, Chris

  Becky interrupted. “Why don’t you leave the generator at the bottom of the hill and use an extension cable if it’s that heavy?”

  Shawn looked at her with a ‘duh! Why didn’t I think of that’ expression on his face.

  Woody responded, laughing, “And that, gents, is why men are doomed without the fairer sex.” He pointed at Jon and Jamie. “Great idea, Becky. Jon if you can help him and if you, Jamie, could guard them, just in case, we’ll carry on checking the rest of this place out.”

  Shawn looked a bit apprehensive as he inspected the stonework of the doorway.

  “What’s up?” I asked as I began to walk away with the rest of the group.

  “Oh, nothing really. It’s just, I’ve worked on listed buildings before and you can’t even stick a screw in the walls sometimes under pain of a proper bollocking from the Historic England people. I know we need to, but it seems sacrilege to use a hammer drill on these walls. That’s all.” He laughed and held his hands up. “I know, I know, I’ll get over it.” He turned to Jon and Jamie. “Let’s get on with it. Jamie, if you stay up here and guard the gap, Jon and I will go and get the stuff we need from the trailer.”

  Slowly checking every room, cupboard and nook and cranny, we continued working around the building, finding nothing until we reached the large impressive fortified main gate of the castle, known as the barbican. We could hear power tools operating as Shawn and Jon worked on blocking up the hole in the walls. The loud screeching hammering of his drill worried me. So far, we’d tried to be as quiet as possible and the noise he was making, even though it was unavoidable, would certainly be loud enough to be heard beyond the castle grounds, potentially attracting unwelcome visitors. We hadn’t had chance to survey any of the perimeter fences surrounding the castle yet. We hoped they were as secure and intact as the emptiness of the place indicated, but until we’d physically checked them, we couldn’t be sure.

  Dave Eddy had his ear to the door with a sign on it saying, ‘security office’, when he held his hand up to get our attention, before turning and whispering, “I think there’s someone in here.”

  We all raised our weapons and stared at the door as he slowly backed away from it, indicating with a wave of his arm for us to walk further away, back down the corridor we’d just cleared.

  “It makes sense,” began Eddy, “if there was anyone here overnight, it would be the security guys. And apart from any foot patrols they might need to do, I imagine they would mainly just sit in an office, watching the feed from security cameras.” He paused and looked at the knights. “Okay, guys, usual drill. I’ll check the door to see if it’s unlocked. If it is, I’ll open it and step back for you to enter, shields first. If it’s locked…” He looked at the hulking shape of Ian as he stood looking like a man mountain in his armour. “I’m sure your size fourteen feet can open the door just like they have with all the other locked ones we’ve found. The rest of you watch our backs in case the noise we’re bound to make brings any more of them out of the woodwork.” He paused and looked at us all. “Ready?”

  When we all nodded in agreement, he waited for the knights to get into formation behind him, before reaching out and pushing down on the door handle. He pushed it down and the door clicked loudly in the silence as the latch released. A groaning noise we’d got to know well sounded through the still closed door and something crashed into it from the inside, making it rattle on its frame, and we all jumped back slightly.

  Eddy looked at Ian, nodded and stepped back to give him some space. More bangs came from the door.

  “Sounds like there’s more than one in there,” Ian said as he steadied himself before uttering, “Ready, boys!” He took a pace forward and raising his armour-clad leg, smashed it into the door. The door burst open. The groans were replaced by crashing noises as whatever was behind it was knocked over by the power of his kick.

  With a shout of, “Come on, lads,” Ian regained his balance and with his axe held ready, raised his shield and stepped through the doorway, closely followed by the rest of the knights.

  We couldn’t see what was happening but the grunts, shouts and now familiar sounds of blades striking soft flesh and bone brought up a vivid picture of the carnage the knights could rain on the undead.

  After a final flurry of noise, in the silence that followed, a call of, “All clear” came through the doorway. We trooped in. The remains of four bodies, all either with no head or a severely damaged one, lay at various angles on the floor. Blood and pieces of skull and brain stuck to or slowly slid down the bank of monitors that filled one half of the room. Looking around the room, we could see another a pile of bones and clothes in a corner and it told an all too familiar story of someone’s last moments filled with terror and pain as their former colleagues ate them alive.

  The room was large and clearly used as the security office for the castle. There were desks for people to work at, some comfortable chairs and tables at one end, with a small kitchen area for taking breaks, and one wall was filled with banks of screens and control panels for the clearly high-tech security system the castle possessed.

  Looking at the blank, lifeless screens, we all came to the same conclusion: if we could get it up and running again, it would be a great boost to our overall security and ability to spot any threats approaching the walls.

  Geoff was wiping the blood off his mace with some cloths he’d found in the kitchen and he looked up and said, “We need Shawn to have a look at all this. He might understate what he does, but he’s a bloody good electrician and I know he installed big systems like this when he worked on the oil rigs. If we get him some power here, I’ve no doubt he can get it going again.”

  I saw Becky looking pensive. I walked up to her, put my arm around her and kissed her forehead. “You okay, darling?” I asked.

  “Yes, you’ve got me thinking,” she said as she pulled the map of the castle from her pocket. “Do you remember the mill that’s attached to the castle? Didn’t one of the old owners convert it to generate electricity back in the old days?” She pointed on the map to those of us close by to the mill that was attached to the castle, but near to the river. “I think it still works. Well, I remember it was doing something when we went.”

  I remembered it now. When it was installed in the late 1800s it was a marvel of the modern age and I think it provided enough power to light the castle.

  I kissed her again. “Bloody brilliant, darling. Well remembered.”

  I looked at Woody and Eddy. Woody replied with a look of mock disgust on his smiling face. “Thanks, Becky! More work for us all.” He looked out of the window at the view of the castle grounds and then at his watch. The sun was getting lower in the sky. There were still a few hours of daylight left, but it was still getting late in the day. “Let’s get the rest of this place cleared and then everyone unloaded and inside first. If we have time then, we can check further afield, but I think most of us are about done in. The priority is getting us a safe place for the night. Tomorrow we can start making plans for the whole place. But yes, I agree if we can get the CCTV up and running, that would be brilliant. Becky, can I have a look at the map, please?”

  She handed it over and he studied it for a few moments.

  “Right, it looks like we’ve got most of the place ticked off as checked, so let’s carry on and get the job done.” He looked at the corpses on the floor and gave the nearest one a kick. “First job after that will be to get those out of here. They’re smelling bad enough already, if we leave them till tomorrow, they’ll stink the whole place out.”

  We quickly but thoroughly scoured the remaining rooms and finding them deserted, we returned to the inner courtyard and our vehicles.

  Maud, looking down at us from the side of the trailer, was holding a crying Sarah. “Is it safe?”

  Becky looked up at her. “Yes, Maud. We can get you down and find somewhere more comfortable now.”

  She looked relieved as she answered. “That’s good news. I
t’s too hot out here for poor Sarah. She’ll be much happier if we can get her into somewhere cooler.”

  “I think you’ll like our new home, Maud. Can you think what you’ll need to get unloaded first and we’ll get you and the kids settled in.”

  Maud looked at the faces of our children who were peering over the sides of the trailer. “Oh, don’t worry. I think the youngsters have enough energy to help carry a few boxes. Haven’t you, children?”

  All the children announced their agreement cheerfully.

  Showing once again how important Maud was to our little group, not only had she kept the children occupied while we were searching the castle, but she’d also cared for the two we’d rescued from the outdoor supplies warehouse. This had freed more of our group to guard them or to help make sure the place was clear of any danger.

  Forty-four people and two dogs started moving into our new home. The four former occupiers were dumped unceremoniously into an industrial sized waste bin we found hidden behind some fencing for disposal in the morning.

  Chapter Three

  We didn’t unload everything we had from the vehicles, only taking what we needed to make us comfortable for the night. The castle had so many rooms we could use and so many doors to access the various parts, that until we decided who and what was going where, it seemed a waste of time to unload the large amount of supplies and equipment we had until got more organised.

  Discussing if we needed to organise a guard rota, we decided that until we were more familiar with the castle and set a proper system in place, we could be putting ourselves at unnecessary risk. Parking the vehicles to protect the main door to the castle, we closed and bolted the huge wooden doors, sealing ourselves in for the night. The windows overlooking the inner courtyard gave us a clear view of its large expanse of grass, so Woody quickly sorted out a rota, stationing one of us to sit in the window of the state dining room keeping watch, just in case anybody or anything managed to breach the defences.

  For safety, we also limited everyone to the main ground floor rooms of the castle and secured any doors that led into other areas. The Great Hall was the obvious place from the more than ten rooms we had to choose from for us to gather. It was an incredibly impressive, large room with huge windows overlooking the River Avon and its walls were lined with suits of armour and arrays of weapons. It perfectly portrayed the grandeur and wealth of the Earls of Warwick who had resided in the castle for the hundreds of years before it was turned into an attraction. It even had two full-sized knights mounted on their destriers guarding the room.

  The high ceilings and thick stone walls provided a welcome relief from the heat of the day and while some began to sort through the supplies we’d brought inside, others dragged enough chairs, sofas and other furniture into the room from elsewhere for us all to sit on.

  Released by Maud from their duties, the children ran about excitedly exploring the rooms, for once free of the ever-watchful eyes of their parents, who knew for the first time in many days that no danger could befall them.

  While I sat in a comfortable chair, my legs stretched out in front of me, I could feel my body begin to relax. We’d made it against all the odds. We still had a massive amount of work ahead of us and that would probably never end if we wanted to survive the coming days, weeks, months and possibly years. But for now, we were safe in what was possibly the best place in the country to ride out the terror that had consumed the entire planet.

  The knights seemed to be the most excited of us all to be in the room; they gawped in wonder at the array of weapons on the walls and suits of armour the room was filled with.

  I watched, amused, at Simon trying to prise a sword out of the hand of a plate armour-clad figure. Calling over to him, I jokingly admonished him, “Oi, it’s not a bloody jumble sale, you know.”

  By now, he’d managed to free the sword from its previous owner’s grip, and he gave it a few practice swings before holding it with both hands and admiring it.

  “Aw, come on, mate. These weapons are the real deal, not the reproduction ones we use. There’s no way I could afford this beauty; it’s got such great balance I could swing it for hours and not get tired.” He ran a finger carefully across the edge of the weapon. “A few hours with a whetstone and I’ll get this baby as sharp as when….” He turned to look at the small information sign that was next to the figure. He jolted with physical shock and then stared with reverence at the weapon, before quietly muttering as if in disbelief.

  “Bloody hell, it’s only Richard Neville’s sword, the King Maker himself!”

  He stood, looking unsure at what he should now do with the almost six-hundred-year-old personal weapon of one the most important persons in English history. The rest of his friends, hearing what he’d said, crowded round to look at the weapon.

  Ian read the information sign. “It’s his bleeding armour too!” And he tried to take the full-face helmet off the figure. He pulled too hard and it toppled over, crashing on to the hard-stone floor of the Great Hall with the sound of dozens of metal pans being dropped from a great height.

  Sarah, who was sleeping in the wicker basket we’d turned into a cot for her, woke with a startled cry and began wailing in shock and outrage. The knights, looking very contrite, stood frozen in horror at what they’d done until Maud, who’d reached Sarah first and picked her up in an effort to console the screaming baby, turned to them.

  The tone of her voice and the look on her face told them they were in deep trouble. “Ian. Why is it always you? You lumber about like a big oaf, not thinking of the consequences of what you’re are doing until it’s too late. Do you know how long it had taken us to get her to sleep?”

  She gently held Sarah out in front of her. “Well, you can try now.”

  She looked at the petrified expression on his face as he realised she wanted him to have Sarah. “Yes, you! Come here and get her back to sleep. It might make you think next time before you do something stupid.”

  His friends stepped back slightly, smiling with relief in knowing that, once again, Ian was taking the brunt of her anger. Ian slowly shuffled towards Maud, his eyes staring fearfully at the crying face peering out of the blankets she was wrapped in.

  He tentatively held his arms out as Maud carefully placed Sarah into the grip of his huge hands. Ian immediately adopted the pose people who are unused to holding babies adopt; hunched over and acting like they’re holding a priceless, very fragile antique vase. She immediately stopped crying and her small arms reached out to touch his face. He looked up in amazed triumph and tried to hand her back, but as soon as she left the comfort of his enveloping hold, she began wailing again.

  Maud smiled at him. “Oh no, it’s not that easy, big man. Keep walking around with her until she is truly asleep.” As he pulled her close to him, she stopped crying once more. Staring at her, his terrified look softened and changed to one of amazement and joy at the baby, who was now smiling and giggling at him. Without another word, he turned and began walking around the room, jiggling her softly and making cooing noises.

  Eventually he noticed the women were looking at him the way only a woman can when looking at a man holding a cute baby. He couldn’t help himself as he addressed the room but looked pointedly at Shawn standing next to Louise.

  “Watch out, boys. Not only am I the most attractive man here, but I am also a baby whisperer. No woman in her right mind will be able to resist me now.”

  Once the laughter had settled down, Maud spotted the rest of the knights, who were beginning to look at and touch the weapons again and she raised her voice once more. “Can you stop it? It’s a privilege for us to be here and I don’t want this beautiful room ruined by your ham-fisted efforts to get some new toys. I’m sure once we have investigated every room fully, there’ll be plenty more things lying around for you to take, so you can leave this place alone for now.”

  With a few grunts, the knights reluctantly agreed and stepped back from the weapon-filled walls, and th
e group settled down to begin collectively cooking a meal on the camping stoves we’d unloaded, and organising areas where we could all sleep. There were enough rooms to afford families and couples a degree of privacy each, which after being so long in close company with each other would be something we were all grateful for. We knew there were enough rooms in the rest of the buildings and even some apartments which they rented to those who wanted to experience living in a castle, so in the future there was a good chance that most would be able to have their own quarters. But for now, everyone was more than happy to share the large and beautiful ‘show’ rooms the castle had.

  The two we had rescued from the warehouse, Faye and Dominic, were gaining strength and were able to join us. Once the parents amongst us had eventually got the reluctant children to sleep, we got together in the Great Hall in the gathering darkness. We collected candles in ornately gilded holders from various rooms and the adults sat in the room lit by their flickering flames.

  We opened some beer and wine, and we discussed and planned what we needed to do the following day.

  Chapter Four

  I was rostered on the early morning lookout duty shift. Once Noah woke me up, I quietly made myself a mug of coffee and sat by one of the state dining room windows overlooking the inner courtyard. Waiting for the sun to start rising, occasionally sweeping the light from a powerful torch slowly around the area, I thought about the day ahead and what we had planned.

  Firstly, before we allowed anyone to start roaming freely, we wanted to conduct another full check of all the buildings, just in case we’d missed anything first time around. Louise had suggested the night before that it would be a good idea to mark the door of every room we’d checked as clear. That way, if we came across a door without a mark on it, we would know we’d missed one. Daisy’s bag provided us with a few sticks of chalk which would be great for the job.