Roamers (Book 1)

by Viper, Velveteen

  He unbuttoned her shirt and slid it carefully down each arm and lightly lifted her vest over her head, being careful to keep it from touching her face.

  He sat her on the bed to remove her boots and socks before helping her stand and thoughtfully unbuttoning her jeans and easing them down over her hips and legs.

  He found no more open injuries, but places on her body were purple with bruises.

  He looked her in the eye, silently looking for approval to remove her underwear. Scarlett nodded blindly and Travis prudently slipped them off before unclasping her bra and leading her to the bathroom.

  Scarlett’s muscles ached as she lowered herself into the tub and Travis began palming water over her back. The warm water stung her battered skin.

  Travis surveyed her naked form, distraught at the sight of her bruised body, her cut lips, swollen and black eyes, her stitched stab wound and the countless slashes and incisions that Mark had made on her in various places.

  After delicately cleaning her face, hair and body, Travis supported Scarlett as she climbed out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around her.

  He led her back into the bedroom and sat her on his lap, gently rubbing the towel on her fragile skin.

  “I’m sorry, Scarlett,” he said softly, “I should never have come back with you that day. All I’ve done is fuck things up for you.”

  Scarlett looked up at him with watery eyes. She put her hands on his face and her forehead to his.

  “Don’t you ever say that.”

  “It’s the truth. If it weren’t for me, Jimmy would still be alive and you’d still have the hotel. You probably wouldn’t ever have laid eyes on Mark again and this wouldn’t have happened.”

  Scarlett had another glimpse of the timid boy who didn’t think enough of himself. The same she saw on that night; the night she thought he and Riley had been killed.

  “And I wouldn’t have Hope; in both senses of the word. Something like this was always bound to happen, if not to me then someone else. It’s the end of the world, men get desperate and depraved. None of it is your fault. It’s over now. These cuts and bruises won’t be here in a few weeks… but I’ll still love you.”

  Scarlett kissed his forehead and he held her as tight as her injuries would allow.

  Chapter Seventeen:

  Three years had passed since the events in The City. Scarlett was fully healed and the scar left from the stab wound in her side had almost completely faded.

  Scavenges had become futile. There was nothing of use left in the area surrounding the cottage, aside from the mushrooms and berries Travis was able to collect. Everything they gathered had to be brought back on foot to preserve the last dregs of fuel, which was being saved for an emergency. All but two of the vehicles had become obsolete after the fuel supply in the area completely dried up. The survivors were hungry and it was time to move on again. It appeared clear to everyone that they were hanging on by a thread.

  Hope was now three and a half years old. She was becoming the image of her mother, with dark brown hair running down to her waist, having never been cut, and her father’s intense blue eyes. She was quickly learning about the world she was born into and neither Scarlett nor Travis wanted to hide anything from her. She was never allowed to leave the cottage, however, and instead, was looked after by Henry while her parents and Number Six, along with Riley, Jack and River, provided for her and the others.

  Henry often had to deal with injuries, mostly Travis’ or Jack’s, but always invited Hope to observe and learn. He hoped to teach her about how to clean and dress wounds, diagnose some common infections and illnesses, and administer the correct treatments as she grew. Although, it was looking less and less likely. Henry was an old man. The lack of proper nutrition from the little food they had was making him weaker than anyone else in the group. Deep down, he knew that he didn’t have long left.

  Hope was growing up quickly. Scarlett was pleased with her progress and proud of her daughter. Travis was less enthusiastic. He felt overprotective, and the faster Hope grew up, the more he thought about the future and having to teach her to be self-sufficient.

  He and Scarlett both knew that there would come a day when they wouldn’t be around to guard their daughter and wanted her to be prepared. Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow.

  Winter had arrived, transforming the usually lush green grass around the cottage into a barren wasteland of pristine white. The naked trees in the forest cast harsh, pointed shadows on the ground, and every sunrise brought with it a fresh layer of undisturbed snow that crunched satisfyingly underfoot. It meant that the food source they did have would soon diminish completely. The biggest perk of the cottage was the large wood fire which, in the summer months, was used for cooking, and during the cold season also served to keep the group warm.

  Nobody had seen a Roamer for weeks and the ones they had seen before that, in the last few months, had been extraordinarily decomposed. Some of the group assumed that not running into them meant they had decayed enough that they could no longer function.

  But assumptions were dangerous in the new world. Even if it was true, and the Roamers had died out, it didn’t make life any easier for the survivors.

  That evening, when almost everyone had gone to their rooms, Scarlett lit some candles and busied herself in the kitchen. She switched on the old CD player and pressed play, singing along quietly to A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. Number Six was sprawled out on the kitchen floor, always needing to be close to his master, lifting his head vigilantly whenever Scarlett spoke.

  Travis stood in the doorway after checking on Hope and watched as Scarlett boiled the rain water she’d collected from the water butt outside on a small camping stove.

  “Ain’t that River’s job?” Travis rumbled, startling Scarlett a little.

  “It’s everyone’s job now.”

  He approached her, but she didn’t turn to face him, so he brushed her hair to one side before slipping his hands around her waist and pressing his face into her neck, kissing her gently. Scarlett’s eyes drooped closed and she tilted her head unconsciously for better access. She quickly snapped out of it and shrugged him away.

  “Sorry.” She said, “My mind is racing.”

  “So talk to me.” Travis whispered.

  Scarlett took a deep breath and turned the stove down a little.

  “This is the worst winter we’ve had in years. Supply runs are becoming pointless and our people are weak. I just... I don’t know what to do.”

  “Did you talk to Riley about it?”

  “Yeah. He thinks we should leave.”

  “And what do you think?”

  “I think he’s right. Pretty soon we’re going to have nothing left.”

  “Then that’s what we gotta do.” Travis assured her.

  “What about Hope?”

  “We can protect her. I know we can.”

  “Can we though? She’s three years old. She doesn’t understand that crying could get her killed. Anyway, where would we go? We’ve exhausted everything in the area, including gas, so we can’t travel far. We need a home, Travis.”

  Travis could see that she was getting worked up, and that wasn’t going to help anybody.

  “Hey,” he started, taking Scarlett by the hand, “A home don’t have to be four walls. For me, it’s two eyes, a heartbeat... it’s you.” Scarlett looked him in the eye. “Hope’s safe as long as she’s with us. As for the travellin’... we’ll walk. We have tents, sleepin’ bags. There’s plenty of shelter in the woods. We’ve done it before, we can do it again. And we’ll just walk, a little bit further every day, ‘til we find somewhere new. You hear me?”

  Scarlett was so touched by his words; the deepest she thought she’d ever heard leave his lips; that she couldn’t speak. She simply nodded and leaned forward to rest her head on his chest.

  After a moment, Scarlett pulled away and looked up at him. She placed a tentative kiss delicately on his mouth. He looked at her and she smi
led and kissed him again, slower and longer. Placing one hand on the side of her face and the other on her waist, Travis deepened the kiss. It was adoring and possessive, and Scarlett had missed that.

  He reached behind her and pushed the camping stove away while the water bubbled gently.

  Scarlett pulled him closer and he slipped her shirt down her arms before moving his hands down to her thighs and lifting her onto the kitchen counter. She wrapped her arms around his neck and their mouths continued to move in concord, as though they couldn’t get enough of each other, unexpectedly remembering what it felt like to be close.

  Scarlett began unfastening the buttons on his shirt, but when Six got to his feet suddenly, skidding on the tiled floor, Travis put his hands on hers, pulling away without a word. He quickly stopped the music, blew out the candles and strode over to the window, peering out, his breath misting on the glass.

  Confused, Scarlett dropped down from the counter and followed him.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Dunno,” Travis mumbled, “Thought I saw somethin’.”

  “Roamers?”

  “Nah. Whatever it was sounded pretty close. Biters wouldn’t make it over the fence, besides, when was the last time we saw one?” Travis stepped back and sighed. “Maybe it was nothin’. I’m pretty tired. Probably hearin’ things.”

  “Come on. Hope’ll be up in a few hours. Let’s go t--”

  Scarlett was cut short by a frenzied thumping on the door followed by an unintelligible male voice, seemingly screaming for help. The pair looked at each other briefly, neither of them knowing what to do. Number Six began barking and ran to the door.

  On hearing movement upstairs, signalling that the sound had woken the others, Scarlett and Travis made hurriedly for the front door. Scarlett opened the door, realising too late that she and Travis were both completely unarmed, as four men barged their way inside, hitting Number Six in the head and knocking Scarlett to the floor.

  Jack was the first of the group downstairs, his pistol held out in front of him. All of the men were armed with automatic rifles, and Jack quickly understood that he didn’t stand a chance. On having a rifle pointed directly at him, he dropped his weapon to the ground and held up his hands in surrender. He was swiftly followed by Riley, River and Mouse and all four were herded into the living room, along with Travis, by two of the strangers. One man hoisted Scarlett forcibly to her feet by an elbow before digging the barrel of his gun into her back and marching her in behind the rest, while the last ran upstairs, grabbing hold of Six’s collar and dragging him along, in search of anyone else.

  The survivors had been crammed onto the floral sofa, and Scarlett made to sit on the floor in front. Two men continued to point their weapons, while the third strapped his to his back.

  The sound of Hope’s cries prompted both Scarlett and Travis to try to stand, only to be pushed back down without a word.

  “Please, let me get my daughter.” Scarlett begged, but she was ignored.

  “There’s no need for this to get messy.” The man who finally spoke towered above them threateningly. He was strikingly handsome, with short blonde hair and a thick Irish accent. “We’ve worked hard to find you. That’s our job; to track you down. Someone else wants to meet you. Now, which one of you pretty ladies is Scarlett?”

  “Who the fuck are you?” Travis growled.

  “You must be Travis, right? Put your weapons down, boys. Like I said, no need for violence.”

  Chino, Thomas, Helena and Felix entered the room, closely trailed by the last man who had Hope in his arms. The children were all in tears and, upon seeing her parents, Hope reached out her hands for them. Scarlett began to panic and looked to Travis for reassurance. He simply shook his head as Chino and the older children were sat down.

  “Let the kid go.” Riley ordered.

  “No. She’s our insurance of compliance. We need you to come with us.” he knelt in front of River and moved the hair from in front of her face. “Are you Scarlett, darlin’?”

  Scarlett saw the fear on River’s face and knew that there was only one way out of the situation.

  “Who’s asking?” she said.

  The man turned his head and smiled at her.

  “Hello,” he began, “I’m Quinlan Cambridge. There’s someone who wants to meet you and your boyfriend.”

  “Why?”

  Quinlan stood and beckoned the man holding Hope. He took her into his arms and she stared into his face. Quinlan smiled at her and bounced her up and down, calming her and evoking a grin. This only angered Travis and Scarlett, but they didn’t dare to stand for fear of what he might do to their little girl.

  “Your daughter’s beautiful.”

  “You so much as look at her the wrong way and I will end you. If you want us to come with you, why storm in like this?”

  “We couldn’t exactly just ring the bell. Would you have preferred a quiet knock on the door and a casserole?” Quinlan chuckled, “Just getting your attention, that’s all. So are you gonna come quietly, or do you need persuading?”

  “Get your goons out of our faces, give me my daughter and a good enough reason and I’ll consider it.”

  “Go on, wait in the car.” He instructed his men, and they left. He gently handed Hope to her mother. Scarlett clung to her protectively. “Remember the King?” Quinlan smirked. Scarlett and Travis looked at each other nervously, “We know what you did to him. His wife wants to meet you.”

  “I’m sorry, his wife?” Scarlett blurted. Quinlan nodded. “Are you aware of why that lunatic died? Now you’re telling me he has a fucking wife?”

  “I didn’t have you down as the jealous type--”

  His distasteful mockery was ended abruptly by Travis’ fist striking him hard in the face. Quinlan sniggered as he wiped his bloodied nose with his hand.

  “You watch your fuckin’ mouth, you hear?” Travis warned.

  “Sit down, Travis.” Scarlett instructed.

  “Down, boy.” Quinlan scoffed. “Mind putting your dog on a leash while we talk, Scarlett?”

  “You need to go.” Scarlett advised.

  “You sure? The Queen’s very insistent. She’ll probably send us to look for you again. Only next time I bet she’ll ask me to kill someone.”

  “You heard what she said,” Jack piped up, “Get the fuck out of here.”

  “Okay.” He winked at Scarlett. “See you soon.”

  With that, the men were gone as quickly as they had arrived. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. All except Hope, who had already started to fall back to sleep.

  Despite the darkness outside, the group resolved that their best option was to leave straight away. They all went to work, assembling any supplies they could find from around the cottage. They managed to pack the last of their water into two rucksacks, which also contained their only remaining tents. The group was already weak, but Scarlett was determined for this not to be the end. Now that they knew they’d been hunted down, they had no choice but to get on the move.

  The group left the cottage split between two vehicles, abandoning the place they had called home for more than three years. It was clear that this winter was going to be particularly unforgiving, and that was enough for a few of the group to practically give up the fight when it came to moving on. Scarlett was on edge, frightened, and her outlook was bleak, but she was anything but giving up.

  All they possessed were the clothes on their backs, two tents and their emergency supply of water and medication. Supplies which would only last them a day or two at most.

  Chapter Eighteen:

  They’d left the cottage two days ago. The cars had been abandoned only seven miles into the journey, and they left behind a trail of shuffled and dragged footprints, as though slogged through the snow by the dead. After walking solidly for almost six hours, their breath misting in the chill and bitter air penetrating their clothing and stinging their lungs, they were ready to surrender to the cold.

  The
very act of walking had become more difficult; moving forward but sinking a little with each step, snow clinging to their shoes when their legs became too tired to lift their feet properly off the ground. At least the snow had finally stopped falling. Everyone silently prayed for milder weather in the hopes of melting what was left.

  Scarlett had tried to protect Number Six from the elements, draping an old blanket over his back, but the poor boy was too exhausted to walk properly with it on. He was beginning to look old and tired in general, and a small white tuft of fur had appeared under his jaw. His eyes didn’t shine like they used to, and his tongue hung from his mouth, flapping up and down with each agonising step.

  Henry suspected that Six had developed arthritis in his hips and, as a result, more often than not, Scarlett left him at the cottage to rest. He spent most of his time curled up, sleeping next to Hope’s crib, ever vigilant; his ears pricking up at every unfamiliar sound, but most of the time his body was too worn-out to do anything about it. It was his first time out of the cottage for a while, and Scarlett suspected that the old boy might not make it.

  No one had slept the night before, and River could barely walk after catching her leg on a snag of rusty barbed wire. Not to mention the unrelenting hunger they all felt. There was only so much cat food they could stomach before the act of eating it became pointless.

  Looking into the distance, the road seemed to go on forever, merging with the grey sky. Scarlett strained her eyes as she tried to read the sign up ahead. As they slowly got closer, she managed to read the name Newhill. This was a good sign, she thought. She didn’t recognise the name, which meant they were still heading in the right direction and a new town was bound to mean supplies; food, water, maybe even shelter for the night.

  She and Travis allowed a five minute rest while Henry carefully cleaned and redressed River’s ankle.