In The End (Book 1): In The End

by Stevens, GJ

I kicked myself as I checked the back room. Staring out beyond the garden fence I watched as a creature stooped low to the grass and, as if seeing me, it rose high and gave a cry like a wolf howling to the moon.

  82

  Still, they waited in the line, each turning as I came down the stairs and watched my expression. There was no chance they could have missed the terrifying call, despite the rumble from the crowd outside and the evil smell penetrating through the walls.

  I beamed back. If ever there was a time for a positive attitude, it was now. A few faces responded, Lane and Andrew's lifting, Cassie beaming as we locked gazes. McCole was unmoved as he leant heavy on Lane's shoulder, his face downcast and growing paler with every moment.

  I gave the order and stood to the side of the back door, waving Andrew out with his handgun peering ahead. Zoe and each of the kids followed; I read from their expressions their intrigue to see where we were off to next.

  Lane came after with a rucksack on his back. McCole followed, his good hand on Lane's shoulder. He couldn't lift his leg enough and tripped on the step, separating from Lane and falling headfirst out the door.

  Rushing to his aid, we had him the right way up, watching as he nodded he was still okay and exclaimed that the bruise on his head was nothing compared to the throbbing pain beneath the bandage he'd used to slow the fall.

  Cassie offered a shot of morphine but pulled back from reaching around to her pack as he shook his head for a second time.

  Lane took the lead again, going much slower this time and taking care of each crack in the concrete while checking up at Andrew, who hurried them forward and beckoned them towards the open back door, whilst each moment he swapped his glance to the road.

  It wasn't long before everyone had squeezed in. Cassie took the last space next to McCole, resting his swelling hand on her lap. Our eyes met through the glass as I shut the back door, taking great care not to make a sound.

  “It'll be okay,” I mouthed and she nodded, beaming back.

  Andrew took the passenger seat; he'd share the front with the old guy's wife while the husband would have to take his chances in the back.

  I jumped in the driver's seat, crunching broken glass under my feet, trying to ignore the slow procession only a few strides away.

  They hadn't turned yet. I looked through the door window and remembered the missing glass. I was out again, crashing my foot against a fence panel, each snap causing more attention than I needed.

  The shape wasn't right, but it would have to do. They were turning our way now, changing course with their mouths snapping open and closed.

  Back in the seat with the rough fence panel at my side, I pulled the door closed, no longer any need for the silence. I didn't have time to settle in, leaning heavy against the panel blocking the space of the window.

  I took a breath and the engine started first time. In the back, the low murmurs stopped and I watched in the mirror as all faces peered forward until the adults distracted the children's glances.

  Revving the engine, I let the clutch out. None of the creatures moved to the side. A triangular path didn't open, but the Land Rover had no trouble dropping each in the way below the line of the bonnet.

  With the suspension barely rocking as the wheels crushed bone, I saw our chance. The crowd was surging towards us, leaving a space where the old guy and his wife peered wide-eyed through a crack in the door.

  “We're not going to have time. Drag them in, you'll have to do all the work for them,” I shouted over my shoulder.

  Excitement grew in the rear and children hunched as they stood and were pushed further in so Lane could get to the back door.

  Andrew readied his hand on the handle and I pushed the accelerator as far as it would go. Flesh slapped against the front, fingernails scraped along the paintwork.

  I leant as heavy as I could against the fence panel, giving more pressure as I felt the grab of hands scratching as fingers tried to get a hold. Still those in the way disappeared underneath in droves.

  The cottage door was opening as we grew near, but a Cord clung to the bonnet, refusing to be dragged to its second death. Instead, entangled in the grill, its fingers, hand and arms slapped against the bonnet as it flailed its arms for our flesh.

  I started the count from ten.

  At five, we'd cleared the main group and I shifted the wheel left and right, the passengers gasping with each turn like they were on a rollercoaster. Still, the trapped Cord wouldn't dislodge, clinging on for what it called a life.

  On three, I smashed through the old guy's fence, hitting a post square on the centre grill, but not before it dropped the body and dragged it underneath to give back my full vision.

  On one, I slammed the brakes, stopping with the couple stood in the middle of the Land Rover's length.

  The back door flew open, Cassie and Lane out. Andrew jumped from the passenger seat. He turned around, raising the gun, his features bunching as he fired a salvo.

  He didn't stay fixed for long and like a member of an elite Israeli snatch squad, he had the woman off the floor. Her calls couldn’t hide her surprise as she slid across the passenger seat while he paused a second time, firing two shots in our wake, then crushed up against the her to share the seat.

  I revved the engine for fear of stalling and without looking, drove off as hard as I could when the rear door slammed closed.

  Clear of the front garden, I let myself look in the passenger wing mirror and watched as the Cords slowly turned to follow. I watched as they overcame the bodies Andrew had dropped.

  Checking in front, I saw the empty road and peered left out of Andrew's window. It was clear.

  I looked back through the rear-view mirror and let out a breath as I saw the squashed faces; Lane, the old guy and Cassie in the back.

  I relaxed against the fence panel, settled into my seat with my breath slowing until Cassie's scream ripped through the air, slamming on the brakes as a gunshot flashed from the back and sent my ears ringing.

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  Andrew and I burst out through our doors. The fence panel flew out to the road as I jumped. Freezing in my stride; I stared back at the creature I'd seen from the house. Its matted dark hair swung wild with its long stride towards us.

  A gunshot exploded from the other side of the Rover. I turned, grabbed the rifle from down the side of the seat and dropped to my knee. Despite being scared to take the time, I looked through the sight and lined up the shaking iron.

  As I pulled the trigger, I hit the target again and again.

  Andrew's shots filled the spaces between mine. Too soon the creature dropped to its haunches, leaping to the air and out of view.

  I shouldered the rifle; the abomination was gone. I rose, running to the back of the Land Rover, my gaze cast along the line of Cords who I knew would catch up too soon.

  By the rear doors, I followed the trail of thick blood splattered in wide marks across the tarmac. A shot went off from around the side before I could look up; before I could round the corner.

  All I could see was the plume spraying through the air and the body rolling to Andrew's side, the back of its head an open mess, the white of sharp bone poking through flesh.

  Blood covered Andrew's arm. He'd been hit, bitten, his face contorted in pain. Had it not been for the chaos at my side and the screams of panic in the back of the Land Rover, I would have rushed to his aid.

  Ripping the door open, Ellie's face ran with tears as she was pushed towards me. I searched in the darkness, desperate to find what had happened. I caught her before she fell to the tarmac, her face, clothes, everywhere I looked were sprayed with blood. A handgun skittered after her, stopping just before it dropped.

  I took a left-handed hold of her and pushed my right into the darkness of the passenger compartment. Grabbing what I felt first, my hand came back with the scruff of the old guy's collar.

  I had him out to the road with no complaint, pausing only as I saw the jagged gunshot wound in the front of h
is face.

  A shot went off but not from inside. It was Andrew and I turned. The Cords were going down with every new round, but still there were around twenty left, making their steady progress towards us.

  My hand went in a second time and found the arm of McCole's camouflage fatigues. Pulling as hard as I could, I soon realised most of his head had been left behind.

  I dragged his body to the floor, blood trailing after, the veins sticking out from what I could see of his skin.

  I only had time to guess that McCole must have turned as I drove. Someone had taken action, but the bullet had unintended consequences, taking the old neighbour too.

  Screams continued to issue from inside and so did the rounds from Andrew, until I heard the soft click of the empty chamber, the subtle noise mixed with the screaming chaos.

  My reach into the darkness found another, but what I had was so light I felt panic race up my spine when I thought I'd found just a part of someone.

  My face lit up as I found it was Tish, her weight suddenly heavy as Jack clung on. I pulled them both out and Ellie took control of the pair, helping them steady to the road and herding them around the side, whilst being careful to move their view from the pair of gruesome bloodied bodies at my feet.

  With my fourth reach I had to turn back, letting go of the cloth I'd taken in my hand, the moans of the walking dead creatures so close.

  A hand grabbed at my coat but I could do nothing but walk away; had to raise the pistol and let fury burst from its muzzle.

  With each round I took a step forward, issuing a terrifying, angry scream without my command; despite the water in my eyes rounding out my vision, each shot hit square in their heads.

  As the gun clicked, telling me it was all over, I put the last three down, emptying the bullets from the rifle.

  I went to turn back, but had to take a breath, forcing myself to twist. As I did, I saw the old woman bent down by Andrew, her hand ripping his shirt from his arm. The gun lay down at her side.

  To the right, Ellie had the two kids facing in towards her, her arms wrapped tight around their backs. No one else had emerged from the Land Rover and still there was Zoe and Lane, but I could barely bring myself to think of Cassie unaccounted for.

  My knees and feet slipped on the vehicle's slick floor, my eyes still not adjusted to the dark, but my gaze soon locked with Lane's, following his hands held tight around Zoe's throat.

  Her eyes were blinking faster than I thought possible. Moments later they stopped altogether and she slumped forward. I switched back to Lane, following his gaze again as it took me across the compartment.

  Relief filled me with joy as I swivelled around, but it wasn't long before the world fell out from under me. Cassie stared back with a forced smile on her lips, her hand clamped tight on her arm and blood seeping between her pale fingers.

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  Somehow, I switched off the sorrow and cleared the emotion from my view. With a wipe of my hand against stubbled skin, I numbed the fear and pushed back the pain.

  My hand found the scruff of Cassie’s jacket and I pulled her hard through the slick of blood. Pulling her up into my arms, I shuffled through the back door. With a kiss to her forehead, I lay her on a patch of bloodless tarmac.

  Lane was out with his pack open in his hands, the first aid kit already split in two and its contents spreading across the road.

  Cassie didn't moan or wince at the pain as Lane cleaned out the wound, but I had to look away.

  Standing, I scooped dressings from the floor and, ripping open the pack of QuikClot, I stumbled over to Andrew. The tourniquet had slowed his bleed, but his arm was going pale and I pushed the dressing into the old woman's outstretched hand.

  With my palm over my mouth, I took in a full view, drew a deep breath and watched for movement; the road littered with death and destruction, both with bodies which had died for the second time and those for whom it would be their one and only.

  The thought struck a reminder in my head, but my step back to the Land Rover paused as I caught a strange noise. My ears were attuned to the terrifying scream those horrific creatures gave off, but this was so different.

  Shaking off the contemplation, I delved in the rucksack and pulled two clips from the ammo bag before retrieving the hand gun from the road next to the rifle. I pushed a clip home and climbed into the back of the Land Rover.

  The smell was already surfacing.

  I pulled Zoe's arm and she followed like a doll. Gritting my teeth with her in my arms, I could already feel the ice-cold body reacting as the energy in her muscles began to twitch.

  I took her past the children, smiling through my clench and kicked the door of the old man’s cottage wide before laying her to the sofa, holding my left hand firm on her chest, with the other pushing the barrel against her forehead.

  “Goodbye,” I said, and with a deep breath I pulled the trigger.

  Back out in the open, the air was thick with decay and the stench of blood blowing in my face with every gust of wind.

  I'd been right; this was a new beginning. Just not for all of us.

  “Back in the truck,” I said to Ellie, my words free of emotion. “Back in the truck,” I repeated to Lane, ignoring Cassie's outreached hand.

  Instead, I strode towards the house where we'd stayed the night, walking at a stiff pace towards the whimper, all the while knowing what I would find.

  The sound grew louder and told me I was right; the black body in the garden curled in a ball soon confirming.

  Shadow's head raised as high as he could manage, his gaze locking to mine as I approached. He lay on his side and breath caught in my throat as my gaze fell on a great rend of flesh matting down the fur of his chest.

  Whimpering as I picked him up, tears ran down my face as his long tongue slapped at my cheek. He'd gone ahead, slipped out of the sight; rushed off to attack the creature in a pre-emptive strike to save the misery of its attack.

  The walk seemed so much longer on the return journey as I hoped I wouldn’t have to say goodbye to another friend by my hand today.

  Arriving back, the Land Rover was loaded; just the bloody remains, liquid slick, the discarded dressing packs and antiseptic bottles left to litter the road.

  I placed Shadow just behind the door and Cassie's voice came back quiet.

  “I'm okay,” she said, and I turned to Andrew, his cheeks bunched.

  I noted his silence. I couldn't reply. I couldn't voice my anger and give words to the despair when a small hand came up from out of sight.

  “It'll be okay,” the small boy said, and I turned in his direction. Taking his hand, he squeezed.

  “She told me last night. I can help,” Jack said and I saw his bright face, his sister's too, as she sat between his legs. Ellie's hand came out and I took it in my left.

  “She'll be okay,” she said. “She's the strongest person I've ever known,” she added, and I gave a nod, turning to Lane and the gun in his fist.

  “Watch Shadow too,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice even before slamming the doors as I let go. I couldn't twist away too soon, couldn't turn from their faces any quicker. Ellie was right, but I knew even if Jack held the key to the cure, it wouldn't be in time to save Cassie, no matter her strength.

  We had the chance to save other people's lives, but I couldn't stop the tears rolling down my cheeks. I wasn't blubbing. I wasn't losing control, but I couldn't help letting the emotion pour out.

  I took longer than I should to collect up the discarded weapons and pile them back on the passenger seat.

  The journey was the most solitude I'd had in ages and I pushed bullets into clips and chambers while I let the Land Rover amble along, knowing the lead had names on them I never wanted to write.

  Although I kept my eyes wide open and searched the horizon for hazards while taking a wide path around where danger could be hiding, I'd barely noticed as we finally made it along the stretch of road and I saw the Land Rover we'd used to make
our first trip. It was now pushed to the side and added to the roadblock.

  I slowed, ready for the sentries to raise over the hedge-lines. I was ready for them to take over, to lift this weight from my shoulders and pull away the responsibility.

  When the movement didn't come, I cocked a handgun and opened the door. Standing on the sill, I fired twice at the figure as it rose, their face already blooded, its skull on show.

  I gunned the engine, swerving around the angled cars and for the first time noticing the plumes of smoke rising in the distance.

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  McCole had been right; they'd needed taller fences. Stronger ones too; then maybe there wouldn't be great gaps where they'd toppled and the supporting weights wouldn’t be strewn to the side. If they had, then maybe the outbuildings wouldn't be on fire, their windows melted, roofs caved in to leave just the rising black smoke behind.

  Shells of Land Rovers littered the car park at the front of the low hospital; trucks, too. Bodies of soldiers, their weapons at their sides and bloodied messed up faces lay all around. The more numerous corpses were of the creatures; the normal people who’d been infected, driven of their will. Their bodies paved the tarmac, the grass, everywhere I looked; even wedging wide the main doors dripping with blood, stained with hand prints streaking down the wood.

  Bullets strafed brick, the windows riddled; smashed, the glass gone.

  Cassie knew something was up, despite facing out the back doors. She saw before asking, before climbing to her knees, helped up by Lane to peer over the seats.

  Rising, she stifled an intake of breath, her good hand to her mouth before she could ask the question to which I had no answer.

  We could all guess what had gone before; they'd been overrun, but somehow I could still feel the hope. It was a big building, plenty of places to hide. Only the fast creatures, the unnamed, the hunters, would seek their prey; the others, the Cords, were opportunists and would walk away.