Deadweight

by Forster, Paul

  Several rioters had attempted to get through the checkpoint and had met with their ends quickly. Their corpses serving as a deterrent to any others considering this short-sighted plan. Other checkpoints were no doubt suffering the same fate, and several sections of the fence were being targeted with makeshift wire cutters. From nowhere, a group of four rioters armed with homemade bats set upon two soldiers from behind. The soldiers didn't see them coming as the bats beat them mercilessly. With the soldiers incapacitated, two more rifles had switched sides and began engaging olive green targets. They weren't trained marksmen and only found one target before the soldiers returned fire with greater effectiveness. But their brief attack had added to the confusion and panic amongst the ranks, an officer grabbed a radio.

  “We need the armour in play now, they're everywhere, I have several men down. Get me a fucking tank here now!” He had his Glock in his hand and blindly put two rounds towards the checkpoint.

  He saw Diane slowly crawling and signalled for her to go back. They made eye contact, but she instantly looked away and continued. He looked on in disbelief as this moron crawled towards the angry mob.

  As she got closer, she moved through blood, bodies and spent shell cases. She suddenly wondered what she was doing, looked back behind her then forward to see which was the best way, give up and go back or push on forward. She slowly climbed to her feet and began a feeble jog towards the checkpoint as she got closer she could see the angry faces trying to break through. They looked beyond her, she wasn't a threat, that was obvious. They did not understand what she was doing or why, but they didn't care. Diane merged amongst the crowd and carried on through it. She felt a huge sense of relief she hadn't been shot or beaten to death, but didn’t dare to let her guard down. She picked up the pace as she progressed through the camp. What little power and lighting there had been was now out, only the moon and the growing inferno within the camp lit the way. She bounced off several people and several more bumped into her as she pushed through towards the next checkpoint. As Diane moved further away from the soldiers and towards the outer rings of the camp, she felt less safe. To those duking it out with the soldiers, she was just a lab rat in a white coat, to those rioters further away, she was part of the authorities responsible for taking their loves ones. As a scientist, she would have been experimenting on them. An angry woman spat in her face.

  “You fucking cunts took my whole family!” She wiped her face and began to slip off her lab coat as a teenage boy shoved her in the back, Diane struggled to remain on her feet and stumbled a few feet forward before regaining her balance. She dropped the coat to the floor and hurried further on.

  She made it through the next checkpoint. Nearly there. She looked forward and strained her eyes. She thought she saw Amy climbing a fence but couldn't be certain in the light. Several extra loud gunshots echoed through the camp, that was something big and the reaction was equally loud, screams of panic filled the crowd behind her. Diane waved to get the attention of Amy ahead, a shove from behind knocked her to the floor. Three figures stood over Diane, two girls, neither older than ten, and a boy maybe thirteen or fourteen. They were all filthy, skinny little things, bruised and angry. The boy had something in his hand, Diane couldn't see what it was.

  “Please I just want to leave, please.” Diane pleaded.

  Neither of the children said a word, the boy crouched down and repeatedly struck Diane in the stomach and chest.

  The pain, she had never been punched before, but it hurt, damn it hurt. The children scurried off into the crowd, despite the pain Diane felt some relief. She tried to get to her feet but couldn't. The pain had her on her knees. She looked down at the blood, all over her stomach and chest. She began to panic. Something was sticking out of her stomach, she pulled it free, the handle of a toothbrush, the head filed down to a point. It was soaked in her blood. The little bastard. She lay down on her back.

  “Help, someone, please.” No one came to her aid.

  A man tripped over her and she lifted her hand towards him but he looked back then ran off. Diane hadn't noticed before but it was cold. She was so tired. It would be okay. Someone would help her. Diane closed her eyes. Just for a moment. Just until someone would come to help her.

  CHAPTER SIXTY

  THE SURREY COUNTRYSIDE looked beautiful as dawn began to break, the green fields illuminated as the birds sang. A dozen or so civilians rested in the open with Amy, Bo and Babs amongst them. They had nowhere to go, but they couldn't sit in a field all day. Several had already set off alone, the strongest generally had taken this option, the weakness of the group was obvious and they decided they’d be better off going alone. Those left behind were the youngest and oldest, the weak. Amy had in a matter of hours found herself the accidental leader of the group, Bo was more than happy with this and none of the others had the desire to take the responsibility, at least whilst they were in the open and vulnerable.

  “I don't think they'll follow us, they don't have the manpower or inclination to do it. We just have to worry about the feeders.” Amy climbed to her feet and stretched her stiff muscles readying herself to continue the trek.

  “What next then love?” Bo was already standing, he dare not sit down for fear of not getting back up again.

  “Carry on south, when we hit a road, we'll get a better fix on our location.”

  “That's great, but what are we doing? What's South? I don't know if you've had a chance to look around, but some of these folks make me look like bloody Usain Bolt. If we're lucky, we'll do another couple of miles, but no one wants to be in the open after dark again. Fuck knows how many we lost last night in the darkness, we all heard the screams, this group is a miracle, Jesus Christ himself must've been watching over us, but the fucker probably won't do it again. We should find somewhere defendable for a few nights, get some supplies, sort ourselves out. And we’ll need motors.” Bo helped Babs to her feet.

  Amy looked around at the group, Bo wasn't wrong. Not a fighter or runner amongst them. They must have been truly desperate to choose this over the camp. Bo was right, but they had to push on. The army would have scouted anything of any size nearby, shelter might be achievable, but decent supplies would be less likely.

  “What do you think happened at the camp?” Amy had a tinge of remorse in her voice, maybe it was because many had died or possibly that this group would likely meet a grizzly end.

  “It might help in the short term, fewer people to watch, less food. If you're looking to regain authority, putting down an uprising, and doing it hard has the desired effect.” Bo sounded like a man who in his prime had seen authority regained with the use of brute force.

  “Diane. I hope she is okay.” Amy tried not to think about it. “Time to get going everyone.” Amy started strolling and checked others were following. The group slowly got to their feet and followed.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

  A WEEK HAD passed and the bodies at the fence had been growing steadily. The sight was grim and the civilians, no longer allowed outside, wouldn't dare to pay too close attention from the building windows. Half of the local town must have become infected and wandered to the facility looking to feast and finding only a tall fence, a pile of corpses and a soldier ready to dispense a cure to life. The soldiers moved with little more ease than the creatures that besieged them. They slowly shuffled about their duties, whether that was patrolling, guarding, or inserting increasingly grim looking metal bars in the skulls of the things. The Major and Kenneth were having a briefing in the grounds slowly walking as they talked, like the rest of the men, they looked tired and had little time to sleep. Niceties such as shaving had gone out of the window and both sported several day's worth of growth.

  “We might need to organise a long range patrol. I'm still hopeful we'll be resupplied and maybe even reinforced, but we need to plan for a scenario where that won't happen.”

  The situation they were in had a calming effect on the Major. He knew shouting and screaming were n
o longer the appropriate method for dealing with his men. He spoke softer, listened and whilst maintaining discipline, doing so more like a father than an army Major.

  “We can't spare a single man, sir.” Kenneth stated the obvious, but felt it had to be said out loud.

  “I know Kenny, but I think we might have to spare two. I can't send a single man out there. I can't imagine too many volunteers for that duty.” The Major surveyed the fence line, one or two of the creatures still to be dealt with.

  “I could do it sir. I could take a rifle, one of the cars and make my way to the nearest camp.” Kenneth didn't mind being out on his own.

  “A big bastard like you would make a lovely meal for one of them.” The Major allowed himself a smirk as he patted Kenneth on the back.

  “I could do it.” Kenneth was absolutely serious.

  They hadn't heard from the outside world in two days, the base in Southampton was still broadcasting its automated message inviting survivors to seek refuge, but no longer responding. They were the last contact, smaller camps had gone quiet a few days before. If Kenneth or another soldier were to head out, Southampton would be the destination. It would only take an hour and a half by car normally. However, it could take days the way things likely stood. Roads would probably be blocked, towns would be no-go areas. Swarms of these things could take a day to evade and navigate. It wouldn't be easy, but between Lewes and Southampton were several camps. They may have fallen, they may just be without power or an equipment failure. They may also just be a mass of bloody bodies and creatures feeding on them. There would be only one way to find out.

  “Sir, I could take the Landy, a days supplies and head to Southampton, scouting between us and them for survivors or resources. I'd be back in two days.” Kenneth was eager to get moving.

  “We'll keep that in our back pocket Kenny. If I decide to proceed, you will be my man. In the meantime, we need to make more improvised weapons and train some civilians, those not working in the labs can help patrol. I wouldn't trust them with a rifle, but a piece of lumber or blade from the kitchen to protect themselves is fine.” The Major was a pragmatist, soldiers, rifles and ammunition were in short supply but they had a good number of civilians and many potential makeshift weapons.

  Another week of this and his worry wouldn't be the creatures outside but the exhausted men inside who might decide a service rifle under the chin was preferable to carrying on.

  “Talk to your pal Dr. Srnicek and get a list of non-vital civvies who she can spare, we can start training this afternoon.”

  “I can train them to blow a whistle, but I can’t promise you an elite fighting force?” Kenneth liked the idea of help, he just couldn't see what he could teach anything useful in an afternoon to an assorted group of science nerds, canteen staff or IT geeks. If they saw one of these things, they should run. At best they could scream for help for someone useful to do something.

  “Teach them not to cut themselves, how to swing a lump of wood and what to do on patrol. We're not looking at soldiers, we're looking at pairs of eyes. We could all be in this for the long haul.” The Major was right, but Kenneth couldn't help feel he'd be more useful driving to Southampton looking for supplies and reinforcements.

  “Yes, sir.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

  A GRAND TOTAL of nine civilians had been put forward for training. A fifty-seven-year-old canteen working, a nineteen-year-old cleaner, and a four-foot eleven girl who worked in IT, no older than twenty-five. These were the star pupils. They were focused and able to swing a lump of wood without giving themselves a splinter. The others just didn't want to be there, they just wanted to do their office or lab jobs and not patrol a fence close to the teeth gnashing end of the crisis. But the Major was adamant, every available “Swinging dick or tit” was to be utilised. Out in the grounds, they had given the group an overview of what they were to do on a patrol. The importance of their role and given the opportunity to go to town on a few hastily built dummies. Hit the head and run was Kenneth's advice. Getting into a physical confrontation was exhausting and trying to slug it out with one of these beasts wouldn't end well for any of these people. The tiny IT girl was the only one in any shape. Her running 10k a day was great, but fighting was a different fitness. It was decided that to avoid them stabbing or cutting themselves, makeshift spears were produced, some were little more than a wooden chair leg with a paring knife attached at one end. It made the blades more manageable and gave the user a little range.

  The session was drawing to a close, the eighteen eyes stared at Kenneth just as scared now as they were to begin with, maybe a little more. Kenneth had made sure it scared them, he didn’t need them taking any unnecessary risks, far better they were petrified and ran away screaming than be killed without raising the alarm.

  “Questions?” Kenneth announced, glad to be done with this duty.

  A young man stepped forward. “When is our next class?”

  Kenneth could have laughed. “Next class? That was it, no more classes. You will patrol with a soldier you can ask them questions and they will make sure you do what you need to do.”

  Obviously, the forced volunteers were under the incorrect impression that they would be on the fast track to special forces training.

  “Just listen to what you're told and you'll do fine. We have two good fences and weapons. We're in pretty good shape, you're just extra eyes and ears to help us. We fully expect to be reinforced soon, so enjoy your patrols, you may not be called to do too many.”

  With that the class were dismissed and wandered back towards the main building bemused. Kenneth's mind had been made up, he was going to Southampton, recce for supplies and survivors en route. Even if he didn't bring back reinforcements, he could bring back weapons, medicines, and food. He wouldn't go AWOL, but he would make it clear to the Major this needed to happen and now was the time.

  The Major was taking a moment to himself, sitting down drinking a black tea as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the silence at a picnic table in the growing grass twenty feet from the fence. Kenneth didn't see the Major was resting his eyes and launched straight into his pitch

  “Ammunition is low, food will run out within a week and we're only seeing more of those things approaching, not less. The generators may have another couple of weeks of fuel, but if we don't secure a larger supply, the white coats won't be able to do anything useful.”

  The Major sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Kenny, I know. If I send you out, everyone will know that help isn't coming and that we're on our own. But that doesn't change the situation.” He took a swig of his tea that had gone cold and stood up. “We'll ready a Landy, a half day's rations and we'll set you off in the morning at first light. We'll tell the men you're rendezvousing with an SAS team working out of Chichester. You head to Southampton, but swing by the camp in Chichester then divert up to Petworth first, if you find help before Southampton, you're to appraise the situation and head back if it's useful. Useful is guns, ammunition, soldiers and food. Civilians at this moment in time are no good to us and we're no good them. Don't take any risks Kenny. I'd rather you back here empty handed than not at all.”

  Kenneth beamed, at last he could do some soldiering. Him, a 4x4, water, a few supplies and a rifle. He relished being in the combat zone, the monstrous appearance of the enemy wouldn't bother him. Over the last few days he'd pierced enough of their brains with a piece of metal to know what they were like. Beyond the fence, he didn't plan on getting that close and he really didn't plan on discharging his rifle. He'd take the Landy off-road where he could, stash it and move on foot if he needed. He would complete his duties, get some sleep and head out as soon as it was light. At last they were doing something and not just waiting.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

  HE WAS READY, the car was ready. The soldiers lined the fence and attracted the beasts away from the gate, there were maybe fifty now and each eager for a taste of the men inside. They weren't hard to attract. A few soldiers
thinned their numbers a little more, as they gave a twenty foot clearance either side. Kenneth helped to roll the Land Rover into place to not attract attention with a running engine. His rifle slung across his back, he took two full magazines from a pouch on his belt and handed them to another soldier.

  “I've seen you shoot, you'll need these more than me.” They were gratefully received.

  “If you're not back it two days, I'm getting your shit.” Kenneth patted him on the back as he approached the Major for one last check in.

  “Godspeed Kenny. I wish we had good comms but you'll be on your own, I can assure you, we won't be going anywhere.” The Major carefully handed Kenneth something, eager to make sure none of the other men saw. “It’s our only one, I don’t even know why it was here, but I trust you might need it more out there than us in here.”

  Kenneth examined it, a hand grenade, if it got too bad at least he could take a few of them with him. He placed it in a backpack and moved his rifle to the front passenger seat as he jumped in. The soldiers stepped up their distraction, shouting and screaming, banging against the fence with their rifles as the gate was quietly opened.

  Kenneth turned the key and started the engine, he threw the car into gear and slammed his foot down. He was off through the gate and worked his way up the gears. A dozen of the things gave a slow pursuit of the car as the soldiers slammed the gate shut and secured the perimeter. The Land Rover didn't take long to disappear into the distance, its moronic pursuers not giving up on their chase. Kenneth checked his mirrors as the centre disappeared behind him, it was good to be out, but now he had to have his wits about him. He'd already decided to bypass the town, that would surely be suicide. He'd stick to the country roads and take it easy, even then it should only take a few hours, three tops, to get to Chichester where he'd scout for supplies and either stay the night or head to Petworth which might take another hour. He had memorised the route but had the map ready to reference. Making his way to the junction, left for town, right to head deeper into the countryside, a quick glance confirmed his suspicions. The bus was small, but on its side, a small blue Hyundai had crashed through the roof and only its rear end visible outside of the bus. Dark stains of blood had soaked into the tarmac and splashed against the dented bodywork of the bus. Kenneth had only just left the safety of government land and already the road showed the chaos that was awaiting him. Several of the creatures, aroused by the diesel engine, appeared from the other side of the bus. Kenneth didn't wait for more to make their way towards him. Through habit he indicated as he made the right turn and put his foot down.