by S G Read
‘So we watch and wait, when they come back we act but we use the things we took from the Isle of Wight.’
‘Them things!’ Jericho cried. ‘Still they are being bastards.’
Barry and Jericho slipped out of the hotel to go and see the young men, while Ray and Will looked at the generator the little group used.
‘Not much poke.’ Will declared. ‘Not even enough to cook by. We should find them a better one.’
‘Let us see what Barry and Jericho find.’
They walked round the hotel without climbing up too many floors, as the old people could not go up more than one and seldom did that. The girls chose to sleep in rooms higher up, in hopes of not being found.
Jericho came bounding up the stairs. ‘There is about forty of them, so whoever they catch must go through it a bit.’ He declared.
‘So what should we do then?’ Ray asked.
Jericho shrugged. ‘Barry is watching them but he thinks we should cut and run.’
‘Makes two of us.’ Ray answered. ‘You go out and find some transport, take Will with you to watch your back and get back here as soon as possible.’
‘I’m on my way.’
The two men hurried down the stairs and out of sight; Ray followed at a more leisurely rate.
‘We are taking you somewhere away from the group of men, as we do not have enough manpower to fight them. I will take into account your ages and what you will need before we decide where to go but it will be safer than here.’ He announced.
There was no argument they were beyond arguing.
‘When do they usually come calling?’ He asked.
‘Later on, they are just waking up now from last night, then they will have a few beers and then we will be forced to let them have us.’ Tallulah answered. ‘Even me!’
‘Pack what you want to take but remember there are a lot of shops out there with most of what you need in it.’
They hurried away to pack, some hurrying faster than others.
Jericho walked away from where the men were living and Will followed. When they were a street away and he thought they would not hear them drive away he started to look for a car, in the end it was a yellow cab. He drove round looking for inspiration and found a coach. It was low on fuel and they had to refuel it the hard way, before they parked it in the street behind the hotel. Will hunkered down and kept watch while Jericho walked back to get the others. Some were too old to walk that far so they were wheeled on anything they could find until they were all on the coach. While they were doing it Barry came back.
‘They are drinking.’ He warned. ‘Time to go I think.’
The coach moved off slowly with Jericho and Will following in the two other vehicles. Ray had poured over maps to see just where he should take them and chose Richmond, further down the coast, hoping to find warmer weather for the older people and good land for farming but it was a long drive. At least they would be out of the reach of the layabouts who kept coming to call. They took all the food and stopped to cook it when they were hungry. They cooked over an open fire, which they made sure was out when they left. They drove through the night and approached Richmond the next day only to be stopped by a man at a road block. It was obviously designed to stop people getting into the town and Ray stepped down to talk to him.
‘Good day.’ He said courteously.
‘It is for now.’ The man answered. ‘Going far?’
‘Into Richmond I hoped, I have a few people who are being victimised because of their age’-
A scream from the coach stopped him in mid sentence and he walked back to see what was going on.
He climbed up and saw Ralph busy with Tallulah; she had obviously gone into labour. There was nothing he could do so he walked back to the man on the road block.
‘Sorry about that, one of the girls has decided to give birth now.’
‘We have a doctor.’ The man declared with a little interest.
‘No we have a doctor on board, he’ll cope alright but we might light a fire for hot water to clean it up with.’
‘Go ahead but it probably won’t live long.’
‘Oh we don’t like to lose them.’ Ray declared. ‘Lost one once and decided it wouldn’t happen again.’
Ray found a place to light his fire and soon had it blazing with two pans either side with water in them. The man left his road block and stood by the fire.
‘Found a way to keep them alive then?’ He asked.
Before Ray could answer Barry appeared. ‘They have a baby dying in there; Ralph has got to help the poor little thing.’
The man looked round. ‘How do you know that?’
‘I had a look round to see if it was any good.’ Barry answered with a smile.
‘We got three poorly babies in there.’ The man replied.
‘Tell Ralph, Barry and you go and get your doctor, we have a serum which might save the babies.’
The man was flustered. ‘I can’t leave my post.’
‘I’ll stand watch.’ Barry called back as he walked away. ‘No one gets past me.’
‘The longer you delay the less chance of saving them!’ Ray warned and the man caved in.
He ran off leaving his rifle for Barry to use. Barry told Ralph and then took his place where the man had been sitting. Soon they heard a car engine and Barry watched it weave in and out of the obstacles to get to the coach. He did not stop it as it was coming out and not going in. A man jumped out of the car and hurried into the coach. Three minutes later he came out again and drove back to the road block, Barry waved him through. The sentry returned a few minutes later to take up his post again and Barry gave him back his rifle.
‘I take it that was the doctor.’ He said as they sat there together.
‘Yep.’ The sentry answered. ‘Does it work?’
‘Works better on some than others but we only lost the one baby so far.’
Ralph delivered the baby for Tallulah and outside they could hear it crying, Ralph watched it for signs of the plague and she was soon wheezing. He injected her with serum and watched, her breathing eased, soon after and she started screaming for food a little while later.
They cooked food and sat about the coach eating, including Walt the sentry. Suddenly men appeared and moved the lorries used in the road block. Soon after that a delegation walked out to meet them. Ray stood up ready to be a leader once more.
‘I am Hank Williams. We thank you for the serum, what do we owe you?’ The man at the front asked.
‘The serum is not for sale, it is freely given, while we have any.’ Ray answered. ‘We have people here who need a place to stay, elderly people and young people; oh and one baby.’ He added looking back at the coach with its screaming baby.
‘So we hear; we have milk if the mother is dry.’ Hank replied.
‘She was raped at thirteen so she might well be.’
A woman stepped forward.
‘Go ahead.’ Ray said with a smile. ‘We don’t stand on ceremony.’
She walked up to the coach and a little later the screaming stopped.
‘You aren’t from round here are you?’ Hank asked.
‘Me? No I’m from England. My radio operator was talking to their radio operator and told us about Tallulah’s baby so we came over to make sure it did not die and found out about a group who was terrorising them.’
‘All the way from England I’m impressed. Like the flying doctor.’
‘Yes a bit like that, how are the babies?’
‘The doc is with them and told us to invite you in.’
They all climbed into the coach except for Barry, who was still sitting talking to the sentry when the coach drove inside. The lorries blocked the road again and the two were left alone to talk.
They parked the coach in front of a hospital and Ralph walked inside hoping to find the doctor, Ray saw to the disembarking of the passengers. Two had to be helped out and a Zimmer frame appeared for each of them. They were ushered inside and he s
at down to talk with Hank.
‘So what will you do with the old ones?’ He asked.
‘Everyone works here even the old ones. Some can knit some can just water the vegetables others like to potter in the garden pulling out weeds, no one sits and looks.’ Hank answered.
‘This place is just like our place in England only a bit bigger.’ Ray declared. ‘And now you have a radio and a radio operator who will know our code we can make contact if we want anything.’
‘You say you moved the old folk and the girls because of a bad lot?’
‘Yes Barry knows where they were holed up.’
‘Good, they are on for what you English would call, a spanking!’
Ray laughed. ‘Up in London maybe. If it was sooner than later I know two men who would really like to go with you!’
‘Up for a fight are they? Have you had any problems over there?’
Ray recounted the problems they had come across since the plague took hold, telling him about their battles with the clan and then what they found on the Isle of Wight.
‘And I thought we had it tough.’ Hank declared. ‘I thought we ought to escort you back to your plane and to save gas, we could give them a spanking while we were there!’
‘We might have to delay leaving for a little while then, if we are invited that is?’
‘Come by all means but remember who invited you.’
‘I’ll tell Barry and Jericho to be polite.’ Ray replied.
‘And who is going to tell you?’
‘I am a leader and I will act like accordingly.’ Ray answered.
‘That I will believe, only if I see it!’ Hank declared.
Ralph spent a lot of time with their doctor, who was just known as the doc, as his name was harder to say than it was to spell. They discussed the serum and why it might have failed when made from their blood, the doc had already tried using their blood without success but now two of his babies were on the mend and the one who was near death was clinging on to life with both hands. They made more serum and the doc would make more from the baby’s blood as soon as they were strong enough to let him take some. The day before they left the baby who was poorly showed enough improvement to give Ralph and the doc hope that he might make a full recovery.
The cars left before it was light in the morning and drove to New York they stopped to rest twice and in New York the vehicles separated, one lot going to the airport to help Justine and Ralph get the plane ready and store the things the people from the settlement had given them, they were not short of food. The second lot went into the city and parked several streets away from the hotel the men were holed up in.
‘What now?’ Ray asked.
‘Now we get some shut eye and wait until morning, by all accounts they should be too hung over to put up any resistance. Unless we are unlucky and they have run out of booze!’
They settled down to wait and at first light they swooped. There was no resistance at all, only complaints about being woken up. They were all rounded up and their hands secured with cable ties ready to be taken back to Richmond.
‘So what happens now?’ Jericho asked.
‘We have a trial for each of them and they are punished. The young girls will get their say and Carter will tell you all about it when he calls Ralphy back in England.’ Hank explained. ‘They are young enough to work hard and to learn the error of their ways but if they don’t we do need the fertilizer!’
‘Probably make the food sour.’ Jericho replied.
A coach took the men to Richmond under armed guard while Hank and the rest saw the visitors off. They were amazed to find out that Justine was going to fly the jet back to England and they stayed to watch her take off, which she did as though she was born to it.
They watched as it circled, waggled its wings and then sped off into the distance before heading back to Richmond.
‘A good choice that, Richmond.’ Brian said as he was working out the route.
‘Fell on your feet with that one.’ Barry agreed. ‘What would you have done with the old folk, if it had been deserted when we got there?’
‘I have no idea but then everyone is entitled to a little luck now and then!’ Ray answered.
‘A little luck!’ Jericho declared. ‘You find your wife’s twin sister and she actually likes you and you think you are entitled to more luck.’
‘I have to agree, that was more than lucky really; as though it was meant to be but with what has been going on, I have no idea who might have been organising it.’
‘Mac of course.’ Rebecca replied. ‘He organised it, therefore he must be God.’
‘In that case I want a word with him about a few things when we get back.’ Ray retorted.
Ralphy was asleep before they crossed the coastline, some things never change.
A reception committee met them and they were driven back to the settlement for a sleep, some of them did not sleep on the plane. Ralphy was soon talking on his radio but Ray did not expect anything to be wanting his attention for at least six hours so he and Rebecca went to bed.
Six hours ran into the next day and he walked down refreshed to find Rebecca cleaning up the house kitchen. It was mainly used for snacks now that the canteen was up and running. With regularity people arrived, either visiting from the other settlements or sent down from London. They found the newcomers a place to stay and fed them in return for their work where it was needed, unless they had special qualifications. One woman was a doctor and she was sent straight to where Ralph was working in the new hospital, which was nearing completion. She found him up a ladder wiring in the operating theatre lights.
‘I am Marjorie Booth, I have been sent to find Ralph.’ She announced.
‘Nurse or doctor?’ Ralph asked.
‘Doctor.’ Marjorie replied.
‘Welcome on board Marjorie, I am Ralph; up until now the only doctor. I have a few students who are well on the way to being doctors, some from other settlements, where they don’t have one. I would appreciate it if you would tell me what you think of each one, maybe set a test without knowing what they have been taught.’
‘Glad to, do you want any help with that wiring? Hands that sew up people make short work of wiring.’
‘You can wire the next theatre up if you like, nothing special they all come on together in sections.’
‘I can cope with that.’ She answered and left him working.
Will was working in one of the houses which needed rewiring. He walked over to the hospital to collect some wire and saw Marjorie up the steps in her skirt.
‘I’d recognise those legs anywhere.’ He cried.
Marjorie looked down. ‘Will Butler? Is that you?’
‘In the flesh Marjorie. I see you are still trying to do my work.’
‘Just helping out.’ She replied and climbed down off the steps. ‘It is so nice to see a face I knew before this all happened.’
‘It is so nice to see a pair of legs I knew before this all happened.’
‘Still flirting then?’
‘Always willing to try.’
‘Well just you beware; Ronnie was taken by the plague, so I am looking for a good man.’
‘I hope I am good enough then.’ Will answered.
‘How did you know I was here?’
‘I didn’t I came for some cable, I am rewiring the Gables at the moment.’
‘I’ll come and find you then when I have done here.’
‘Okay. Left hand side of the settlement near the corner, best to borrow one of the electric runabouts to come down there.’ He pointed to where he meant as he spoke.
‘Where does all this power come from?’ Marjorie asked.
‘Wind turbines in the sea, I routed it up here, up to London and over to another settlement just off the M3.’
They stood looking at each other.
‘I must go, we have people who want somewhere to sleep tonight without getting cremated.’ Will said apologetically, although he would rather
have stayed there to talk to her.
‘Yes and I must get on.’ Marjorie climbed back up the steps and he went in search of the cable.
Ray sat in the library looking at the hospital plans and the list of things to do.
‘Ralphy!’ He called and Ralphy came running.
‘I think we will be okay for a party to celebrate the opening of the new hospital on the 20th of December. That way they can get back to their settlements to celebrate their first Christmas since the plague was unleashed upon us.’
‘Do you want me to arrange it then?’
‘Yes we can use part of the hospital to house anyone we can’t get in anywhere else and the old hospital will be available for people to sleep in by then so don’t turn anyone away.’
‘Except for cannibals?’
‘Oh yes you can keep them away!’ Ray answered and roughed Ralphy’s hair with his hand.
‘Do you think Santa survived the plague?’ Ralphy asked.
‘Oh yes, it is too cold at the North Pole for the plague to hurt him.’ Ray assured him.
‘But if he isn’t immune he might die when he delivers the presents this year!’
‘Not now that we have the serum, it will be his present from us instead of mince pies and a glass of brandy.’
Ralphy ran off to contact the other settlements and arrange the grand opening. From now on anyone who needed treatment could come there and get it without going on a waiting list.
Ray walked to his little runabout and whirred out of the gate at about fifteen miles an hour. He drove to the canteen, found something there he wanted to eat and sat eating it in his favourite chair. For once no one wanted anything he just sat and ate. Then he took a ride round the perimeter of the original settlement before going up on to the wall and driving round there in one of the modified vehicles up there. He stopped and had a chat with Otis and Tom before returning to his little buggy. He drove out the back gate and into the village to see how that was faring in the winter. The shop was open so he stopped and went inside. An array of tools were spread all round the ground floor and they had removed most of the interior walls to make more room. The upper floor was mainly held up by RSJs to give maximum area downstairs for tools.