The Fight for Life

by S G Read

  ‘At five.’ She echoed. ‘Some one was in trouble then?’

  ‘Probably but the news report did not go into that. I just thought I should warn you, I know you want to go up to London and kick them up in the air as much as I do.’

  She took the condoms. ‘I will tell him to park it for a while and I might still use these when the clan are history. The thought of a babies head coming out of me while I am still awake frightens me a little!’

  ‘It doesn’t worry me.’ Ray retorted and turned to go.

  ‘Men have it easy.’ Clem called after him.

  ‘Sometimes.’ Ray replied and closed the door after him.

  He walked downstairs and settled in a chair in the dining room. He used to go and hover in the kitchen, in case he could help but there were enough women in there now for him to be in the way and to be told that he was in the way! He could no longer pick up a paper and read it or listen to the news on the television, so he picked up a book.

  Slowly the rest arrived downstairs.

  ‘We were wondering when we were going to make a move against the clan.’ Ralph said from the other side of the room.

  Ray closed the book and looked all around him at the faces that expected not only an answer but the right answer.

  ‘We are certainly stronger now and we have the backing of two groups, who are willing to come and help. It is a shame the East Anglia settlement decided to sit on the fence but if they had not then they would still have been wiped out. It would have meant a lot more angry men here straining at the leash. I have formulated a plan but first I need to go and find out something. I will take half the fighting force with me in case we meet the clan and I will invite the A303 settlement to meet us there. I will invite the Welsh crowd up when we are going to attack.’

  ‘When are you going to find out what you need to find out?’ Ralph asked.

  ‘Today is as good as any day.’ Ray answered. ‘I have also come to a decision as to how we proceed with the work here. We need a group to go and find some of those telephone pole drills, built onto lorries.’

  ‘What those big augers?’ Jake asked.

  ‘The very things.’ Ray agreed. ‘And a supply of telephone poles. They can drill the hole and drop the pole in it quicker than we can cement the normal supports in. That way we can get a fence round the whole area sooner rather than later.’

  ‘Who does what?’ Ralph asked.

  ‘It sounds like you want to come up with us to London but I don’t want you going of half cocked and letting the clan know we are there.’ Ray answered. ‘If you want, you can sort out who goes where but remember Ralph, we only have one doctor. What do you think Evelyn’s chances would have been, had you not been here?’

  ‘Well Donna had stopped her neck from bleeding, which was a miracle, when she only used sterry strips. So I think she would have recovered.’ Ralph answered.

  ‘And been scarred for the rest of her life!’ Donna added from the doorway. ‘If you do anything to endanger yourself, you are endangering anyone who gets themselves hurt!’

  Ralph was angry at the statement but said nothing.

  ‘If I have my way you will stay here but you might argue that we need a doctor with us in case of injuries.’ Ray continued. ‘It might be true and someone might die if you do not come, someone who might have been saved by your presence. As the one you look to for decisions I say you stay here. I don’t intend to interact with the clan this time, the men are to make sure no one else gets taken by the clan or even killed by them but I will let you choose Ralph.’

  ‘Jeremy and I are not much of fighters so we will go and find these augers and poles. We only need two more men to help us.’ Jake declared.

  ‘Jethro and Tosh can keep building the wall where the towers are to stop the dogs harassing the sheep because they can see them. They will also double as part of the house guard. As they will be inside the fence they won’t need an armed guard.’ Ray continued. ‘I will take Will, the East Anglia four’-

  ‘You make us sound like the most wanted.’ Kevin declared.

  ‘You probably are most wanted by the clan, after your last escapade.’ Jericho exclaimed.

  ‘And Jericho on his bike as a scout.’ Ray continued ignoring the banter. ‘I’ll also take Barry, in case we need some stealth and Clem for reasons best kept to myself.’ He raised his voice. ‘Ralphy contact the A303 settlement and arrange a meet at the top of the M3; if they want to come along but let them know we are only scouting and trying to find out something.’

  ‘Yes Ray.’ Ralphy replied from the television room and turned the radio on.

  ‘I thought he’d be listening.’ Ray said at a lower level.

  ‘I heard that.’ Ralphy called back.

  ‘He never hears me when I want him to do something.’ Ralph declared. ‘I will stay here this time but when you go into attack against them, I will come.’

  ‘I hear you Ralph. Probably what I would say, if my wife was not dead.’ Ray replied.

  The women served the food and they ate breakfast, during breakfast Ralphy came into the room.

  ‘They will be at the top of the M3 at eleven AM, is that okay?’ He asked.

  Ray looked at his watch ‘Should give us enough time. Anyone not going should work but they should still be armed and be ready to fight.’

  They climbed into two vehicles, with Jericho following on the Harley and drove to the new wooden gate. They watched with some awe as it swung open, pulled by the worm gear. With one gate open they were able to drive through and they were on their way.

  Jake, Jeremy, James and John were next through in the minibus, off to find the auger. The gate swung shut and the settlement was once more kept safe from roaming dogs. Brian had watched his viewers for any which had the nerve to come in but none had dared. When the gate was closed he returned to his work, he was designing the system of cameras for the towers, so that they could see what the cameras could see, whenever they wanted to. He had designed the layout for the cameras which were on the towers, there were two normal cameras with a PIR switch so they would only work when the PIR detected movement and there were two night vision cameras. When is grew dark they turned on and stayed on all night. They could see anyone calling at the gate although there were no means of talking to the visitors as yet. They did not have weapons stored there, to shoot the unwelcome visitors. Jake and the others three drove around with the yellow pages in the leading vehicle to try to work out where the things they wanted were. It turned out to be very easy to find them, if not a long way away. They drove to the local depot and came away with as many poles they could carry on the two lorries they borrowed. James jumped into the first lorry without being asked and drove it to the pile of new poles. They used the grab on the lorry to load the poles onto the lorries and drove out when they were fully loaded. The mini motorcade drove back to the settlement but drove round to the side of the settlement to start drilling. The route had been marked roughly on a map to give the builders room to put in the towers and the wall in place without the fence or the poles getting in the way. One lorry drilled the first pole and the second lorry drilled the second hole. One man stood guard but he only had to go onto the ground while the pole was lowered into the hole. At other times he was able to go back to his car and comparative safety. The man in the lorry had the door closed so a dog attack was out of the question. As soon as one pole was dropped into the hole a little dry concrete mix was tipped in. Then they moved to the next hole and started again.

  Ray drove out of the settlement with his group following. They cut across the country side instead of heading for the M25, just in case the clan had men there. It took longer but they made good time on the deserted roads, only stopping now and then to push a car out of the way or to squeeze past a lorry with the driver dead at the wheel.

  At ten thirty they stopped near the top of the M3. Two cars immediately joined them. The two groups did not know each other, apart from the description given to both by Ralphy but
the Harley was the clincher. Four of the other group walked over to where Jericho had stopped.

  ‘You must be Jericho.’ Giles said eyeing up the Harley. ‘I am Giles. Charles sent us up to make sure you don’t get into trouble but we don’t really mind if there is a fight!’

  They introduced themselves and the group moved onto the M25 and stopped. Jericho rode along slowly with Giles on the back of the Harley watching for sentries. When he tapped Jericho’s shoulder Jericho stopped the bike.

  ‘I can see a head on the M4 Bridge.’ He whispered although there was no need.

  ‘How do we get there without being seen then?’ Jericho asked.

  ‘We can cut round from the M3 to the M4 and come at it from the other way. That will get us closer.’ Giles answered. ‘Go back the way we came.’

  There was a short discussion when they reached the rest and then they moved off with the men from the Kent settlement following the Nomads, as they liked to call themselves. They turned off the M3 and drove across to the M4. Here they turned right and headed toward the M25. When the turn off for the M25 approached they stopped and crept forward to see who was there. No one argued when Clem crept forward with the others. They could see four men on the other side of the bridge in a position to stop anyone going past on the M25 and on the M4.

  ‘What do we do?’ Giles asked.

  ‘Take them out.’ Ray answered. ‘But we must make sure they don’t alert anyone about our presence, until we have finished doing what we came for.’

  They crept down the side of the bridge and then under it to be out of sight. They were able to cross to the other side of the M25 but to go further could end up in instant death as they were likely to be looking over the side of the bridge.

  ‘Do you want me to make my way up there?’ Barry offered.

  Ray looked at the route that he would be forced to take. ‘It’s a bit open!’

  ‘Do you want a diversion?’ Clem offered.

  Ray thought for a moment. ‘Okay but start diverting from the other side of the bridge and don’t get near enough for them to lay hands on you!’

  Clem slipped back across the reservation.

  ‘Can I go and watch her back with my little pop pop?’ Will asked patting his snipers rifle.

  Ray smiled. ‘That’s a good idea. Make sure nothing happens to her and don’t have a heart attack!’

  Will followed Clem back to the vehicles while the others crept as close as they could.

  ‘How do we know when she is making this diversion?’ Kevin asked.

  ‘We should hear.’ Ray answered.

  Will arrived at the car to see Clem stripping off.

  ‘I’d keep your shoes on if I was you, the bridge is strewn with glass.’ He advised.

  ‘I won’t look silly will I?’ Clem replied.

  By now she was down to her bra and skimpy pants.

  ‘For some reason, I don’t think they will be looking at your shoes.’ He answered and moved into a position where he could see most of the bridge. ‘Keep to the right as you cross, or you will be on your own.’ He whispered as she walked past in her trainers and socks.

  She walked out on to the bridge with the men on the other side oblivious to her presence. She carried on walking until she was sure they would hear her, they had not seen her yet.

  ‘Excuse me.’ She called in a weak female voice.

  There was no reaction.

  ‘I hope they’re not all gay.’ She grumbled. ‘Excuse me.’

  One of them looked her way, looked away then his head shot round again. He spoke to the man next to him and then they both spoke to the remaining two.

  ‘I have been robbed!’ Clem wailed. ‘Can you help me?’

  All four stood looking at her as she walked across the bridge towards them. As she walked she tried to look as vulnerable as possible.

  ‘We can help you alright love.’ One man declared, put his gun down and took of his coat as if he was going to put it round her. ‘Come on and get warm.’

  Behind the four men, four other men appeared and Clem felt a little easier. She walked a little faster, rubbing her young breasts as she walked.

  ‘Will you really help me?’ She asked and stopped as though she was nervous.

  ‘Of course we will love the man in front declared. Won’t we boys?’ He turned to see his mates lying dead on the bridge.

  His face changed and he hurried towards Clem. Will appeared behind Clem with his rifle, as the man approached her he fired and the man fell, squealing in pain. Will walked past Clem.

  ‘I should get dressed now Clem, I think it did the trick.’ He chuckled.

  By the time he reached the man the other three were there.

  ‘I thought he might be more talkative with a hole in his leg.’ Will said looking at his handiwork. ‘Missed his knee! Still not by much!’

  The rest came onto the bridge carrying a rope.

  ‘Time for a dangle matey.’ Kevin declared and tied the rope round his good leg. ‘If you don’t talk dangling by this leg we will try the other.’

  They never got to dangle him over the bridge he told them all they asked without delay. More came each day and were forced to join or be in the games. There were over one hundred now despite all they had killed. The games were either football, whereby two teams played each other on a Saturday. The winning team got to go with the women, the losing team had to work. The other games were gladiatorial. Two men were forced onto the pitch at gun point the man who defeated the other man was allowed to fight another day. The loser had to be killed by the winner or they both died, if Jamal turned his thumb down. He told of two gladiators where one had fought so badly that the winner refused to kill his opponent. He argued that he could not kill a man in cold blood after such an easy battle? The man should go and train and then come back and fight properly. Jamal had been so impressed that he had let them both live to fight each other again, when the injured man had healed. They had fought and the tables were turned! After a long battle the man who lost last time won and he said the same. Jamal was warming to these fighters and decreed another battle should take place. The men listening almost heard his life story. Each man who had a wife in there asked him and he knew two of them, they were still alive. He told of the tall tower block where they kept watch, this and the QE2 Bridge were the only places that the tower could not keep an eye on and report on.

  ‘What do we do with him?’ Will asked.

  Ray looked at Barry then turned to the man.

  ‘If we patch up your leg you can go back to your boss and’- Ray started.

  The man slumped to the floor dead.

  ‘Thank you Barry. We cannot risk being found out before I have done what I came for even if it is a waste of time.’ Ray declared. ‘Get rid of the body and four of you put their tops on so that you can stand guard on the bridge. If you are relieved before I get back, kill them and then set up a perimeter.’

  ‘How do we do that?’ Giles asked.

  ‘I have no idea but they say it in all the war films.’ Ray answered and walked across the bridge to check on Clem. ‘Oh and by the way, Clem would like you all not to mention what she did today. Remember she did it for us.’

  ‘She could kill an old man!’ Will complained.

  ‘Come on I’ll explain what to do to secure your perimeter, if it comes to that.’ Barry exclaimed and they walked back to the end of the bridge where the men were on guard.

  Ray found Clem dressing.

  ‘Are you alright?’ He asked.

  ‘Better than they are I reckon?’ Clem replied.

  ‘I have told them to keep what happened here to themselves, I hope the ones who are at our camp adhere to it. The other camp I cannot control really.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter.’ Clem replied. ‘I will tell James about it when I get back to make sure he doesn’t hear about it from anyone else. So what do we do now we are here?’

  ‘I need to go down to the airport, Giles is a computer wiz kid and I hope
he can find out what I want if it is there.’

  ‘A lot of ifs there for a girl to freeze her nipples off for!’ Clem declared.

  ‘I must admit, I thought they wouldn’t have anyone this far out. Are you ready I hear feet approaching.’

  ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’ Clem answered and jumped into her car.

  They all drove across the bridge to where the four others were waiting, dressed as the guards they had just killed.

  ‘We will leave four men in a vehicle with a missile launcher, on the road to the airport so don’t worry if you see any clan members going that way, just wave normally.’ Ray advised them.

  They drove on, through the tunnel to the airport. Ray had never seen the airport so deserted; it brought back memories of his trips on holiday with Miriam. The hustle and bustle was horrendous but it was all part of the holiday. Now all there was to see was a vast open space with a few cars still parked there and the odd dogs running away as they drove down. They drove to the main complex and headed for what looked like the control tower. They carried with them a petrol generator to give them power and Ray’s plan was for Giles to search the computer memories for any information on the plague. Ray was hoping for reports of Jamal or someone of his description, which would be interesting, as no one had actually seem him. The men they had questioned up to now had given vague descriptions of him. They found the main fuse board and isolated all the power accept the computer circuits, luckily they were marked. They left the lights off as well, as they would likely take more power than the generator could supply, then started the generator. They connected it to the required circuit and Giles went to work. The others walked round the building they were in, to see if there was anything there worth taking. There were bodies on the main concourse, some of which had been eaten. The sight of the devoured bodies brought the guns into their hands from where they were slung on their backs and they walked about a lot more vigilantly. Will took two laptops which were lying on the seats in the passenger waiting room. He also saw two computer games but these he left behind, he saw them as a total waste of time. None of the others bothered with them either, so they lay there untouched after everyone had passed by. The bars had been ransacked for the booze but they found some tins of food in the restaurant storage area. They were big catering tins and well worth collecting, there was also a lot of cutlery they could take. They started taking it down to the front of the airport where they had parked, ready to load it when it was all down, so that some could stand guard while the others loaded it onto the chosen vehicles.