Roamers (Book 1)

by Viper, Velveteen

  “Thank you. I promise we’ll make ourselves useful. I’m getting better with my weapons and I have no issue with going out for rations.”

  “We do it in groups here. Usually just the men, but if you’re volunteering we’ll take you up on the offer. Can’t afford to be sexist when the world goes to shit.” He chuckled.

  In the second car, Jimmy sat in the back. He couldn’t decide what to make of Jack, who was driving, and whether or not he could be trusted.

  “So, uh, Scarlett is it?” Jack began.

  “Yeah.”

  “She seems feisty.”

  “She does what she needs to. She’s not normally so aggressive. We’ve just had some bad experiences recently.” Jimmy explained.

  “I like it. The girl knows how to survive. And she’s pretty.”

  “Yeah. I am a lucky guy.” Jimmy hinted.

  “Oh, so you two are…?”

  “That’s right. We’ve been together since before the dead started walking.”

  “Right… Awkward.”

  The convoy had been driving for what seemed like hours; travelling the country roads to avoid old road blocks and the highways congested with abandoned and burnt out cars, when through the trees, Riley’s attention was drawn to a large building surrounded by fields and a high metal fence.

  “Look at that,” he said, pointing to the enormous structure, “I’ll bet we could clear that place out.”

  “It’s huge!” Scarlett remarked. “It’ll be dangerous with that many rooms to check. You got enough men? Not to mention swingable weapons.”

  “We don’t need to worry about that. Jack and I collected enough firepower and ammo to supply an army – literally.”

  “You use guns?” Scarlett asked, astonished, “No wonder you got overrun. Those things are drawn to sound, so if you’re getting trigger happy before you’ve even settled in anywhere, then I’m not surprised.”

  Riley thought for a moment.

  “You make a good point. I guess it’s because Jack and I are military. Jack most of all is a ‘shoot first, think later’ kinda guy. It has its downsides.” He admitted, a little embarrassed.

  “You know, for a smart guy, you’re a real dumbass.”

  Riley tittered and pulled the car over, the others following his lead.

  “Well I appreciate your honesty.” He scoffed. “We do have one rule.”

  “What’s that?” Scarlett inquired.

  “When we lose people... However they die, we shoot them in the head.”

  “What? Why?”

  “We bury our dead,” Riley started, “but on more than one occasion, the Roamers have found them, dug them up and... They turned. We don’t want that for our people.”

  “Roamers?” Scarlett echoed.

  “Oh, it’s just what we call them. Roamers, Biters, Stiffs, Walkers, Shufflers... You get the idea.”

  Riley and Jack stepped off to one side to discuss the large building while Scarlett made her way to the car behind to check on Jimmy, opening the back door and helping herself to a seat.

  “You okay, Jimmy?”

  “I’m fine. As much as Jack seems like an asshole, I actually feel safe with these people.” Jimmy answered, placing his arms around Scarlett and pulling her close.

  “Me too. Safety in numbers, right?” she responded, not quite as convinced as she sounded, “Listen, I told Riley I’d help clear out that big house if they think it’s feasible.”

  Jimmy pulled back and looked at her.

  “Is that a good idea? Aren’t these guys trained for this sort of thing?”

  “You think the military are trained to remove reanimated corpses from old buildings?” Jimmy was unimpressed by her sarcasm. “I’ve been clearing houses on my own for eight weeks or so. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Yeah but, Scarlett… this--”

  “I know what I’m doing,” she interrupted, taking Jimmy’s head in her hands. “Trust me, okay?”

  As the convoy approached the structure, Scarlett quickly realised that it was no house. The building was vast, surrounded by tall, solid metal fencing and huge matching gates. A large wooden sign hanging from them read ‘The Bluehaven Hotel’.

  “So… this could take a while,” Riley announced, “Your no shooting rule is certainly growing on me.”

  “Well, shit,” was all Scarlett could say as she looked up at the enormous construction and thought of its potential.

  The hotel and its surrounding land were cleared faster than anticipated, allowing enough remaining light to load the group’s belongings into the appropriate rooms; the dwindling food supply was put away in the industrial sized, chrome surfaced kitchen, blankets and sleeping bags were distributed amongst the survivors, who all seemed to be in good spirits; excited by the hotel and the notion that it could provide them with a life which was that much closer to what they had before everything changed.

  The new residents selected their own rooms, none of them having to share with people who weren’t family unless they chose to.

  Scarlett and Jimmy took the room next to Riley and Jack on the third floor, a once beautiful abode with dusty red sheets on the king-size bed, an en suite bathroom with his and hers sinks and a shower over the bath. Scarlett set about cleaning their untouched room, favouring her own sheets on the bed. She even put what little belongings they had away in the large chest of drawers.

  As she folded her only set of spare clothes and placed them carefully in the top drawer alongside Jimmy’s, she felt familiar hands on her waist. She enjoyed the feeling of Jimmy’s arms around her while he rested his head on her shoulder, kissing her cheek.

  “Safe at last.” He whispered.

  “I hope so.” Scarlett smiled, turning around to face him.

  Jimmy put one hand on the back of Scarlett’s head and drew her in for kiss, only pulling away to speak, “It’ll sure be nice to sleep in a bed again…”

  Scarlett knew what he was implying, but she couldn’t have been less interested. There was obvious love between them, a strong bond, but what Jimmy was suggesting was the last thing on Scarlett’s mind. She would go along with it though, mostly to save Jimmy’s ego.

  She put her lips to his again and began moving back toward the bed. Jimmy grabbed messily for her breasts as she lay back but, just as Scarlett began to ease herself into it, there was a knock at the door. Jimmy leapt up as Scarlett clambered over the bed to open the door to Riley and Jack.

  “Oh, hey.” Scarlett said, smiling.

  “Hi,” Riley began, “we were wondering if you two wanted to join us in the dining hall. We found a few bottles of booze, wanted to celebrate.”

  Scarlett looked behind her at Jimmy and shrugged. Jimmy was still looking flushed and nodded blindly.

  “Sure. We’ll be down in a few minutes. We’re just sorting a few things out.”

  Riley nodded and Jack looked her up and down with a sly smile before leaving.

  Scarlett shut the door and grinned at Jimmy. They both broke out into laughter as Scarlett put her boots on.

  In the dining hall, they were only greeted by five people; Riley, Jack and a woman and two men who were yet to be introduced. Scarlett supposed that everyone else just wanted a good night’s rest.

  As they approached the table, Riley smiled happily to see that their newest acquaintances had joined them.

  “Hey!” he said, a little tipsily, “Have a seat. Guys, this is Scarlett and Jimmy, Scarlett and Jimmy, this is River, Mouse and Chino. The three of them were privates in the army.”

  Chino and Mouse, two Latino brothers who’d grown to be essential members of the group, had managed to locate the hotel's generators, complete with limited fuel in the basement; enough to heat water and cook food once a day for a few weeks.

  Jack slid two glasses of unknown alcohol over as Scarlett and Jimmy took their seats around the wooden table.

  It wasn’t long before Jimmy had had too much. He clumsily poured himself another glass of what they’d disco
vered to be tequila and drank it, pausing for a moment as he tried to keep it down, before standing, belching loudly and bursting into song.

  Scarlett and the others, in their various states of intoxication, couldn’t hold back their laughter at his behaviour. Tears began to stream down Scarlett’s face while she watched Jimmy serenading her, reminding her of better times.

  Jimmy completed his rendition of Build Me up Buttercup, which was, essentially, the same few lines garbled over and over again, before sitting and slamming his head onto the table, unconscious.

  The others looked from him to Scarlett, trying to work out if he was okay. Scarlett tried to stand, shaking Jimmy awake.

  “Come on, Jimmy,” she slurred, “I think it’s bedtime.”

  Jimmy groaned as he lifted his head. Riley stood to help Scarlett get Jimmy to his feet, failing miserably.

  “Get outta the way,” Jack interrupted, “I’ll do it.”

  Jack stood and lifted Jimmy under his shoulders. Placing one arm over his own shoulder and the other over Scarlett’s, they made their way to the stairs, stopping only when Jimmy could no longer hold in the contents of his stomach.

  Jack and Scarlett dropped Jimmy down onto the bed, sighing with relief. Scarlett lovingly turned him onto his side and removed his shoes before covering him with the blanket and leaving the room with Jack.

  “I haven’t seen Jimmy like that for so long.”

  “He’s got a lovely voice.” Jack said sarcastically. They looked at each other and laughed drunkenly before Jack changed the subject. “So, are you drunk enough for me to tell you that I think you’re hot?”

  “If you mean am I drunk enough for you to verbally objectify me without being able to physically retaliate, then yes.” Scarlett joked.

  “Well, that’s something, I guess.”

  Scarlett shot him a warning look, a look that said Touch me and you die, so Jack said no more on the matter. Well, almost.

  “You know, if you’re gonna be joining me and the boys on supply runs, you’re gonna have to have a nickname,” Scarlett looked at him expectantly as they turned the corner toward the stairs, “Mouse is called Mouse because of his… less than desirable facial features, weedy body and prepubescent voice.”

  “Where are you going with this, Jack?”

  “Well,” Jack stepped in front of her and stopped, causing her to do the same as he looked her up and down, “Foxy.” As he announced what sounded, to him, like a gloriously clever nickname for his new friend, he used his hands to pissedly emphasise its brilliance, spreading them in front of Scarlett’s face.

  “Foxy?” she repeated, unimpressed.

  “Yeah. It’ll be easier for us to identify you on the walkies with a name like that.”

  “Really? And how many men by the name of Scarlett are currently involved in supply runs? And, more to the point, who even uses that word anymore?”

  “Hey, it’s the end of the world; we can revive any outdated words we want, like... Groovy or radical. I’ve always been fond of Shakespeare... Thou celestial, honey-tongued... welsh... cheese.” Scarlett rolled her eyes at Jack’s desperate attempts. “Oh, come on, Foxy. I could be the Romeo to your Juliet, and what is Juliet without her Romeo?”

  “Uh, alive? Though hath not so much brain as ear wax.”

  Scarlett walked past him, back toward the dining hall, smiling to herself smugly.

  She returned to a happy atmosphere; Chino and Mouse were propping each other up at the table, and Riley and River were dancing to Will You Love Me Tomorrow which was playing from a boom box style CD player behind the bar. River’s laughter echoed throughout the room as she tried to pull away from her man.

  “I can’t, I need to go to bed!” she chuckled, a sweet snort taking her by surprise, “Please, Riley, I’m exhausted and I’m drunk!” she managed to tear herself away and started toward the door, blowing Riley a kiss as she left.

  Riley noticed Scarlett and smiled broadly, holding out his arms and beckoning with his fingers.

  “Good luck, Scarlett.” River shouted back.

  “C’mon Scarlett, I know you’ll dance with me!” he bellowed.

  Scarlett giggled and sauntered over to the boom box. She picked up a worn CD case and contemplated the track list. Riley scoffed and approached her with his hand outstretched.

  “I’m not really a dancer--”

  “You think I am?” Riley countered, “Just relax, it’s the end of the world. Be comforted by the fact that this won’t end up on the internet.”

  Riley slid one arm around Scarlett’s waist and held her right hand in his left on hearing the start of the next song, You Make Me Feel So Young. Scarlett placed her free hand tentatively on Riley’s shoulder and they began dancing slowly.

  “If you never remember anything else I say, Scarlett, remember this: when in doubt, dance it out.”

  She looked at him and laughed.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Just trust me. One day you’ll remember those words and you’ll be repeating them to someone else.”

  He felt her begin to relax and spun her under his arm a few times. They both laughed as he dipped her so that her head almost touched the floor. He really was a good dancer, and very easy for Scarlett to follow.

  As the night went on, Chino and Mouse seemed to wake up a little, and they couldn’t resist the urge to throw some shapes to Video Killed the Radio Star.

  The four of them stood with their arms around each other, singing loudly and tunelessly.

  When she decided to call it a night, Scarlett was unsure how long she had to sleep before the sun would be up. Not long, she imagined.

  Riley walked her to the door, the two of them trying – and failing – to keep their voices down. Their efforts to hold each other up were, at best, flimsy, and Riley’s badly placed foot caught Scarlett’s just as she lifted it, leading her to fall flat on her face.

  Riley stopped and stared at her with his hands on his mouth.

  “Are you alright?” he whispered.

  Scarlett lifted her head and let out a dirty laugh. Riley lost it. Helping her to his feet, tears started streaming down his face. Once they were both upright, they were greeted by an unimpressed Jack, standing at his and Riley’s door, arms folded.

  “Are you two finished?” he asked sternly. “You’re going to wake everyone.”

  “Sorry, Scarlett,” Riley began, “Mum says I have to go home now.”

  The pair erupted in fits of laughter again and Jack rolled his eyes.

  “See you tomorrow, Riley.” Scarlett giggled. “Night, Riley’s mum.”

  With that, she opened the door to the next room along and observed Jimmy, exactly as she and Jack had left him hours before. He was snoring loudly and Scarlett sidled in next to him.

  “Night,” she whispered.

  * * *

  Jimmy awoke the next morning feeling as though he’d had his head bludgeoned. He looked down and noticed Scarlett sleeping peacefully, resting on his chest. His arm was underneath her neck and he used his free hand to stroke her face gently, moving her hair so that he could properly look at her.

  Scarlett stirred and slowly opened her eyes, looking up at Jimmy. She smiled and stretched contentedly as Jimmy leant in for a kiss.

  They lay there, enjoying the feeling of peace that their new home gave them, and wondering what to expect from their new routine.

  Scarlett dressed herself, eager to start the day, and left Jimmy in bed, closing the door behind her as she made her way next door to meet Riley.

  As Riley opened the door, Scarlett caught a glimpse of Jack on his way to the bathroom, wearing only his boxers. He looked horribly hung-over, with bags under his eyes and, quite obviously, from the movements he was making with his mouth, the feeling that he’d eaten the contents of a bird’s cage. Jack was anything but shy, and shot her a devious grin and sleepy wink as he pulled on his jeans.

  “How’s your head this morning?” He smirked.

&
nbsp; “Those are awfully tight, Jack.” Scarlett pointed out.

  “Yeah, well it’s all me in there, Foxy.” He retorted.

  “Don’t worry, Jack. It’s what you do with it that counts.”

  Jack’s grin dropped as he flipped Scarlett off and entered the bathroom, closing the door heavily.

  “How’s it going?” Riley asked croakily.

  “Actually, I came to ask you the same thing. I’m guessing we’re heading out today?”

  “Wow, someone’s eager.” He said, pulling on a shirt.

  “I’m just looking to prove myself.”

  “Alright. I’ll meet you downstairs for breakfast in a few minutes. Will Jimmy be joining us?”

  “Uh, no. Today, Jimmy will mostly be impersonating a wet cabbage.” Scarlett stated, “Besides, he’s not really the hunter gatherer type. He’ll probably be quite happy to mooch around here for a while.”

  Scarlett was smiling as she spoke, but Riley sensed that Jimmy’s fear of everything wasn’t a trait that she found at all endearing.

  Scarlett made her way downstairs and was greeted by Mouse, who handed her a tin plate with warm pasta and tomatoes piled onto it.

  “Wow, thanks.” Scarlett said appreciatively.

  “Slow release energy... Riley mentioned you were heading out this morning.” Mouse replied shyly.

  On feeling a hand on her shoulder, Scarlett flinched a little, turning around to see Riley.

  “Sorry,” he said, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  He took an identical plate from Mouse and the two of them sat at the nearest table.

  “So, where are we going?” Scarlett inquired.

  “I thought we could just drive around. Find out what’s in the area, and if there’s anything worth taking, pick it up. We usually go out in bigger groups for runs – spread ourselves out a bit.” Riley thought for a second before changing the subject. “Jimmy’s a lucky guy to have you looking out for him. You must be pretty young too. Twenty-four, twenty-five?”

  “Ha, I’m nineteen.”