Walled In

by David Owain Hughes

  “Let’s wait until they land?” June said.

  “Okay,” Amy said flatly.

  June put her hand under the girl’s chin, raising her face to look into the child’s eyes. “Are you pouting?” June asked, grinning.

  “No!” Amy said.

  “What the…” James started.

  June looked up to see James staring out the kitchen window. Amy and Dafydd joined them. Jeff was leaning against the plane, vomiting into the grass. Maria was standing behind him, rubbing his back.

  “Ugh,” Amy said.

  “I’ll go out to them,” James said.

  “Can we come?” Dafydd asked, indicating to Amy and himself.

  “No,” he said, a worried look on his face.

  James headed out the kitchen door, taking the axe with him. June watched her husband go out to the two by the plane. The sun had started to set, and the sky was filled with a burning red. Shadows crept around the water pools filled with dead fish. The three figures were fast becoming silhouettes.

  “We’ll never be able to pack the plane now. It’s gone too late,” June said, shivering. Amy put her arm around June’s midriff, and June put her arm around the girl’s shoulders, drawing her in. “It will have to be in the morning now,” she said, dreamily. They watched as James and Maria helped Jeff toward the house.

  *

  Jeff sat at the kitchen table, his hands on his wounded leg. “It just split open when I got out of the plane, and made me nauseous. I’ll sew it back up,” he said to June.

  Dafydd and Amy had gone to bed, so had James. Tomorrow would be an early move for them all.

  “Drink the Andrew’s, Jeff. It should help settle your stomach,” June said.

  He picked up the glass of fizzing water and gulped it down without stopping. He pulled a face when he’d finished.

  “Ugh. I never did like that stuff.” He burped and put a hand to his mouth. He picked up the sewing kit June had fetched him.

  “So did you get everything you needed from over there?”

  “Yes, I filled the plane until it couldn’t take any more. Then we filled all the cans we took over there, just to make sure we have plenty.”

  “Good, good.”

  “What time does it get light around here?”

  “Well, it’s summertime, so the sun should be up at around four-thirty, to five o’clock.”

  “Great. I think we should be up and gone within an hour of it getting light,” Jeff said. “There is no point in hanging around.” He began to stitch the wound.

  June nodded. She looked sombre.

  “What’s the matter?” Jeff asked.

  “Oh, it’s nothing.”

  “Well, it must be something, June. Come on, tell me.” He stopped tending to his leg, and placed a hand on her knee. He could see tears in her eyes.

  She sniffed. “I’m leaving my home, Jeff, that’s what. All my belongings, all my memories.”

  He sighed. “You’ll be coming back, June. This won’t be forever.”

  She laughed lightly, “How silly am I being?” she said. “Weeping over a bloody house and a few photos. I’m just glad I have you here, Jeff. I’m glad I haven’t lost you too.”

  He put his forehead to hers and placed one hand on the back of her head. “Well, I’m not going to be leaving you. And when this is all over, I’m moving up here, to be closer to you and James. You’re the only family I have left now, June.” She put her arms around him, and he the same. They held each other tightly. “I love you sis”

  “I love you too, Jeff. How’s the leg?”

  “Getting there,” he said, wincing as he threaded his skin.

  *

  James’ phone alarm went off at five to four. He scrabbled around for it in the dark, found it, and hit the off button. He rapidly opened and closed his eyes, rubbing at them to shake the weariness from him. Once he was satisfied he would not drop back into sleep, he lay there and let his mind wander. June was snoring lightly by the side of him.

  He thought about the poor MacDouglas family. How he’d never seen such horror in his life. He felt a bit ashamed of himself; he’d been too scared to go back with Jeff, and had been secretly relieved that Maria had spoken up. God, how could I have let a woman go out into such danger? he thought.

  He rolled over onto his side and put his arm around June. She started stirring, and murmured something unintelligible.

  “June,” he whispered in the gloom. “June, love.” She didn’t answer. He rested his head against her back, snuggling in.

  He drove the thoughts of being a coward away from his head. How could he be a coward when he had saved Jeff’s life over at the house? But he couldn’t shake the notion. What must June think of me? he thought.

  James moved from her, and perched on the edge of the bed. He rolled his head around, clicking his neck several times. Then he arched his back and rose to his feet. He threw the curtains to one side and saw the sun rising. It would be light in twenty to thirty minutes.

  Turning back to the bed he went over to June again, and shook her lightly by the shoulder, “June, love. June.” he said, his voice raising.

  “What is it?” she said, groggily.

  “It’s time we made a shift, love.”

  “What time is it, then?”

  James picked his phone up and lit the screen. “It’s almost twenty-past four.”

  She groaned and threw the covers off her.

  “I’ll go and call Jeff. I’ll leave Maria and Amy to sleep for a bit – no need for them to be up so early.”

  “You could have left me sleeping too, matey,” she said with a playful tone.

  “But who would make the coffee?” he asked.

  She threw a pillow at him. “Bloody cheek!” She gave him a look that said I love you, you fool.

  “Do you think I’m a coward?”

  She scoffed, and snorted a pig laugh. “What?”

  “A coward, damn it! Do you?”

  She could see that he was serious. His fists were balled at his sides. The way the sun shone through the bedroom window cast a golden light on his face. His bare chest hairs appeared blond as they fused with the natural light. She took his left hand in both of hers and pulled him over to the bed, where he sat.

  “Don’t be so soft, James. You are not a coward.”

  He gulped. “But I must be. I never went with your brother to get the fuel yesterday. I just couldn’t do it.”

  “That does not make you a coward, James. You’d already been through hell once. And let’s not forget – you did save my brother’s life.”

  “I know, but I just can’t help but…”

  “Shh,” she said, putting a finger to his lips. “You don’t have to worry about anything. Nobody thinks any less of you, certainly not me. I think you’re a brave and wonderful man, James.” She kissed him.

  “Thanks, love,” he said, standing up and walking over to the long mirror in the corner of the room. He picked his jeans up and put them on, then took a plaid shirt from the chest of drawers.

  June got out of bed behind him. He turned around and looked at her naked beauty as she dressed. Her breasts were firm and her skin supple for her age. She looked no different in James’ eyes to the first day they had met.

  “Are you staring, James?” she said.

  “Not at all, beaut.”

  “Such a liar, you are,” she said, jokingly.

  “What a thing to say about your doting husband,” he said grinning.

  “Doting? Ha! I wish.”

  He looked over at her; she was trying to contain her laughter as she slipped her robe on. He went to her.

  “Oh, so I’m not then, am I?”

  “Nah.”

  He gently pushed her onto the bed, and straddled her. He pinned her arms down at her sides and nuzzled at the sides of her neck, snorting and grunting as he did so. June thrashed and bucked, laughing uncontrollably.

  “Ha-ha – stop it! You’ll wake everyone up!” she said.
r />   “Well they need to get up.”

  “Okay, okay, I give up, I’m sorry, you are doting,” she said, shrieking with laughter.

  “Thank you,” he said, as he climbed off. “I’m going to wake Jeff.”

  *

  Jeff lay there listening to his sister and James laughing and joking in their bedroom. He knew he would have to get up pretty soon, and dreaded the fact. He’d spent most of the night nursing his aching body and throbbing knee.

  When he heard James coming from the bedroom he tried to sit, but felt lethargic from the lack of sleep. He just about managed to get to his elbows as James came through the door to the living room.

  “Oh, you’re awake, then,” James said.

  Jeff nodded.

  “I think June is going to make us a cuppa while we get started, Jeff.”

  “Sounds good,” he managed. “My leg is killing, and so is my side.”

  “Your ribs?”

  “Yes.”

  “You want to put off the trip today, butty?”

  “No, no, I’ll be fine once I’ve got coffee and painkillers inside me,” Jeff said.

  “Well, okay, if you’re sure.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure,” Jeff said.

  “Dafydd, you awake,” James called. The youngster was breathing rhythmically. “We’ll leave him, shall we?”

  “Yeah, it should only really take you and me to load up. There isn’t much stuff.” Jeff managed to pull his laden body from the comfy chair, and stood.

  “Hmm, I’ll get you some painkillers,” James said.

  “Morning, Jeff,” June said as she walked into the living room.

  “Hey, morning, sis.”

  “Where is the Ibuprofen, June? Jeff’s leg and ribs are playing him up.”

  “Still rotten, hey, Jeff?” June said. “They are in the cabinet above the kitchen sink.”

  “Afraid so, yes.”

  “Sure you’ll be okay for flying today?”

  “Good God, yes. I’ll be fine to fly. Promise.”

  “Alright, if you say so,” June said.

  “Why don’t we go and get the stuff packed onto the plane?” Jeff said to James.

  “Yeah, that’s fine by me.”

  “Okay, boys. I’m going to get the pot on for us. Make us all a nice cup of tea.”

  They followed June into the kitchen, where she started filling the teapot. James went to the door, unlocked it, and had a peek outside. Nothing was moving out there. The sun was almost high in the sky now, driving away the meandering morning fog and soaking up the dew on the glistening grass. James breathed in the fresh air.

  “The coast is clear, Jeff, if you want to go out to the plane and open her open.”

  “Don’t you men want a cuppa first, then?” June said.

  “We’ll have it when we come back, June, love,” James said.

  “Yeah, let’s get loaded up, and ready for the off,” Jeff said.

  “Oh, okay,” June said.

  James grunted, indicating that he was ready.

  Jeff shouldered his machine gun, and picked up one of the boxes, as James took the other SA80 on his back and picked up the holdalls. They made their way out to the plane. Even though the sun was out, the air felt nippy; goose pimples invaded Jeff’s skin.

  “It’s a tad chilly,” James said, as though he could read Jeff’s mind.

  “Yeah, but by the looks of the sky it is going to be a lovely day; especially for flying.”

  James got to the plane first, and put the holdalls down at the belly of the plane. “Shall I run back and get more while you put these in?”

  “Good idea, I’ll just make a start here. I need to check the engine too.”

  James gave him a thumbs-up and headed back to his house for the rest of the stuff. When he got there, he noticed Dafydd was up, drinking a mug of tea at the kitchen table.

  “Need a hand, James?” he asked.

  “No lad, but thanks for asking. You stay in here, and help June and the others get ready. We will be leaving shortly.”

  “Your tea and Jeff’s coffee are ready,” June said.

  “Great, love. I’ll take Jeff’s out to him,” James said, taking a large swallow of his tea, before replacing it on the table and picking up another box, along with Jeff’s coffee.

  “Ok, well I’m off to wake Maria and Amy,” June said.

  *

  Jeff was happy with the condition of the engine, and was now sat in the cockpit about to start the plane to see if it was running smooth before the flight. He saw James approaching in the distance. The engine kicked to life; Jeff climbed back out of the plane and stood by the left propeller first, listening. It was fine. He went around to the other side, and was greeted by James. Jeff took the mug of coffee and Ibuprofen from him. “Thanks.”

  “No problem, Jeff. So, everything fine here?” he asked, placing the new box with the others.

  “Yeah, the engines are all running perfectly. Not that I thought they wouldn’t be.”

  Jeff downed a couple of pills and a swig of coffee before starting to pack their equipment away in the cargo area. James returned to the house to get what was left. As he lifted the second box to put it away, he felt a massive pull on his thigh, and his knees buckled under his weight. He collapsed against the side of the plane. His fingernails dug into the bodywork, scraping some of the paint away. His breathing became guttural as he tried to force the pain out of his body. Then searing heat tore through him. He forced himself into a standing position just as he saw James and Dafydd coming his way.

  “You okay, Jeff, butty?” James asked, placing his hand on Jeff’s back.

  “Yeah,” he said. “My leg gave way.”

  “Bloody hell,” Dafydd said. “Are you sure you’re okay, then?”

  Jeff nodded. “I’ll be fine in a minute. Are the girls ready to go?”

  “Yes,” Dafydd said. “They sent us on ahead with the rest of the things. June said she was going to lock up, then head over with Maria and Amy.”

  “Okay, in that case you may as well get in, Dafydd,” Jeff told him.

  “Me too,” James said. “Everything is loaded.”

  Jeff watched as Dafydd and James got alighted. Then he helped escort June, Maria and Amy, who was carrying Gypsy, onto the plane. He requested June sit in the cockpit, as she could help fly the plane.

  Once they were all in, Jeff climbed aboard, and got into his seat in the cockpit. He put his headset on, as did June. James closed and locked the door, and took a seat behind Maria and Amy. Dafydd was sat on his own in front of them.

  Jeff turned the plane around and hurtled down the field until he had picked up enough speed to take off. Once in the sky, he banked, and headed back over his sister’s farmhouse.

  Chapter 18

  Private Scott Rhoads drove as fast as the Land Rover would allow him. He had to make it to John O’Groats before it started getting dark, or he’d risk getting caught out in the middle of nowhere. He had a plan – he would take one of the boats at the harbour and sail to the outpost on South Ronaldsay. He would be safe there until this blew over.

  Scott, and a squadron of three-hundred men, had been sent to the north of the English borders to set-up blockades, hoping that they could contain the outbreak to just Wales and England. They had failed.

  Scott had been part of a platoon holding Carlisle and its surrounding areas. They’d been ordered to kill all infected on sight, and to dispose of the bodies by means of fire. They hadn’t found many sick, only plenty of non-sick, who the military had managed to herd out just before the infected had reached the borders. Scott and the other soldiers hadn’t stood a chance of stopping them.

  They managed to hold their ground for a few a days. But then ammunition started running dry, and the airdrops had lessened as time passed, until there were none, leaving them to fend for their lives. As the barriers started to show cracks, Scott left his post for the nearest vehicle and decided to drive as far north as he could.

&n
bsp; He’d driven as many hours as he could, before exhaustion took over and he had to stop and get his head down for a few hours. He found an abandoned Ibis hotel, out on a stretch of motorway between Fort William and Inverness. Most of the Scottish people had fled after word about the outbreak reached them. It had caused pandemonium.

  *

  After a few hours at the hotel Scott moved on. He was now about twenty miles away from John O’Groats. He’d never seen a motorway looking so dead. He came across a few crashed cars and smoking wrecks every so often. He didn’t bother stopping – he had no intention of stopping for anything, even if there could be survivors.

  He looked in his rear-view mirror just in time to watch an aircraft descending from the sky. His mouth sagged, forming an O-shape. His forehead burst into a sweat, and his palms became slippery on the steering wheel. He pushed the accelerator down as far as it would go. The plane got closer, until the nose was almost touching the back bumper.

  Scott swerved, hoping to avoid a collision. But as he veered to the right, the plane’s right wing clipped at his backend, and flipped the Land Rover over. The sound of crunching and scraping metal was the last thing Scott heard over his own screaming voice.

  The Land Rover rolled and pivoted until it came to a stop on all fours against an overturned bus. Most of the bodywork had been ripped free, exposing the framework. The windshield was gone, and so was the passenger door. The whole front was missing, and the engine was now sitting on top of the bus.

  Scott’s face was submerged in the airbag. He groaned as he pulled his face out. His right shoulder stung from the tension the seatbelt had applied to pinning him in his seat. He rolled his head around, checking for whiplash. There appeared to be none. He opened his eyes, and could see the plane’s tail-wing poking out over the top of the bus. It had come to a stop a little further down the motorway.

  Scott undid his seatbelt and tried to open his door – it was jammed shut. He grabbed his gasmask and Browning 9mm and climbed out. He leant back against the 4x4, steadying himself, allowing time for his legs to regain some solidity. He slipped the gasmask on, holstered his weapon, and moved away from the now smoking and leaking jeep.

  He looked about him as he moved closer to the plane – nothing appeared to be moving. He hated the gasmask; it restricted his viewing. But he needed it now – there was likely to be infected on board the plane.