The door opened and it was Joan that had let him back in. “Well?” she asked.
“We're gonna have to leave.”
“Again?” Marvin scoffed. “Jesus, can't we just find one place where we can stay for a few days.”
“The reception area is on fire. It hasn't reached the bar yet, but when it does...” He didn't need to go on.
Junior dropped his head. The laundry. It was all his fault. The joint.
“So we just pissing leave? Really?” Gordon was nervously grinding his teeth. “Just like that?”
Joan said, “Lloyd, there could be more of those things out there. We thought it was clear before.”
“We don't have a choice.” Lloyd threw his arms in the air, exasperated. “The fire has made them scarper, but we're gonna have to do the same. We can leave or we can burn. I've already made my choice.”
Gordon shook his head. “The guesthouse, your pub, the cabin and this village in just over a week. Will we ever be able to settle anywhere?”
“Stop complaining. You're still alive.”
“So are those Runners.”
“Okay, smart arse,” Lloyd growled. “You're not infected, that's what I meant.”
Lloyd walked over to the window and peered out. “Two miles from here should be a caravan park called Blithe. If you lot walk along the river bank, it should take you there. As soon as you see any sign of those things, you jump in.”
“Jump in?” said Marvin.
Lloyd glared at his big brother. “Don't forget, those pricks can't swim. But neither can Junior, so you'll have to look after him.”
“You're joking, right?” Marvin snickered.
Lloyd shook his head. “No joke. I'll meet you there, at the caravan park.”
“What are you talking about?” Joan asked.
“I'll leave first. I'm gonna drive over the bridge, sound off the horn. If there're any of those things in the woods, maybe I can entice them out, clearing it for you guys to get to the river ... unscathed. Try and give it as long as possible before you leave. I know the place is on fire and the smoke will be making its way up through the hallway, but wait as long as you can.”
Lloyd opened the window.
“Dad. Wait!” Junior called out. He ran over and gave Lloyd a hug. “I thought you were never going to leave my side.”
“This can't be helped.” Lloyd broke away from the embrace and lowered his head. “I've wasted enough time, man. Time to go.” He then kissed his son on the forehead, turned to the rest of the group and added, “Give me the bags.”
Marvin passed his brother both bags and Lloyd opted to carry them with his left hand, crowbar in his right.
Lloyd Dickinson climbed out of the ground floor window, took a look to either side of him, then made the short run to the jeep. He jumped in, threw the bags and crowbar onto the back seat and started the engine.
He checked the fuel. It told him there were four bars. He smiled. More than enough to get them away from the village.
He locked the doors, pulled the vehicle away and could now see the smoke billowing out of a reception window and through the crack of the main door.
He drove around Jory's body and headed for the bridge. There wasn't a soul in sight.
As he passed the bridge and was on the other side of the river, he began to blast the horn. He used a mix of short blasts and long ones whilst the jeep did a steady twenty. He had no idea what direction they would come, if they did turn up. If they turned up from all angles then Lloyd was going to struggle getting out of that scenario. He hoped that they would make an appearance the way they did earlier, in healthy numbers, over the hill. His thinking was that the more that followed him, the less danger there'd be for the rest of them as they eventually made their way on foot to the river.
Still blasting the horn, he checked over his shoulder to see if there was any sign of them. He then checked his rear view mirror. Nothing.
Then a slap came from his driver's side door, making him shriek. One had ran at the car, and some were emerging from the woods to the right side of him. He speeded up as he looked in the trees to his right, and could see more of them running his way.
He kept the vehicle in third and was now doing thirty.
More came out of the side of the woods and Lloyd took a quick peep in the rear view mirror again. Some were now appearing from over the hill.
As the road straightened, Lloyd increased more pressure on the accelerator pedal. He was now away from the woods, and all that was on either side of him were empty fields.
The road was the longest he had seen and seemed to go on for miles, almost like Route 66. He peered into the mirror again and could see them all, all from the woods and over the hill, on the road, hopelessly trying to catch him up. He was like a Runner Pied Piper, but unfortunately these lot weren't going to fall and drown in a river.
He had to speed up because the sign that he had just passed told him that there was a left turn up ahead, and a mile down that road would lead into the caravan park. He could see the river in the distance, to his left, and wondered if they had left the hotel yet.
The turn was near and he slowed the jeep down, looking in his rear view mirror once more. They were over a hundred yards away, but weren't giving up. They were still human, Lloyd thought. So surely some of them must be tiring, getting pains.
He turned left and this time floored the accelerator pedal.
The jeep swerved around the tight bends, now doing sixty. Four Runners were around the next bend that Lloyd took and hit three of them. He cried out in fright when he saw them at the last second, and jumped a little as the jeep rolled over their bodies, the remaining one chased after the vehicle. He knew this fucker wouldn't give up, so he speeded up, took a look in the mirror to check the distance between the back of the vehicle and the Runner, then stopped.
He put the vehicle into reverse and hit the pedal right down to the floor. With the jeep shooting backwards and the infected man running towards it, the impact was fatal, its head smacking off the back window.
He pulled the vehicle forwards and travelled another half a mile before reaching the campsite. He turned into the caravan park. The river flowed by the location and Lloyd thought that when his group arrived they should appear from the left side of the area. Maybe they would go around and go through the main entrance, the same way Lloyd had arrived in the jeep.
The place seemed empty, which he was pleased about. There were no vehicles at all and he guessed that some, if not all, caravans had been abandoned. He decided to park the jeep up by the first one.
He thought about the group of dopey bastards from the woods and the hill that were following him. He was certain they were still running along that straight road, and passed the one he had turned into, moving further away from where he was now.
He got out and wondered if he should go and meet them at the river. He shook his head. Junior was in good hands with Gordon, Joan, and even Marvin.
He decided to check out a caravan for the night, for them all. Maybe the next day they could check out every one, see what food and water was available.
Chapter Thirty
Gordon had made the decision, on behalf of the group, to leave. One by one, they exited the window and Gordon led the way. They never ran; they walked briskly, under the murky clouds, heading for the bank of the river.
Marvin lagged behind Joan and Gordon, and Junior reduced his pace. Marvin looked around the village and the hill where they had come over, when they first arrived.
Not one Runner could be seen.
Junior was by his side now, and Marvin could see that the teenager was a bag of nerves. He glared at Junior, seeing signs of distress on his features. Maybe it was the whole situation itself that was getting to the youngster. Or was it something else?
“What is it?” Marvin asked. “You look like someone has just stabbed your dog.”
“What do you think?” Junior look petrified and said, “It's everything. I'm fourt
een, I should be playing on my games console, listening to music—”
“No.” Marvin shook his head and pointed at Junior. “I think it's something else.”
“How can you be so sure?” Junior snapped at his uncle. “You don't know me.”
Marvin wasn't convinced. “Come on. Out with it.”
Junior's face told Marvin that something else was bothering him, and he waited for Junior to speak.
The boy cleared his throat and said with shaky words, “I think the fire was my fault.”
“What are you talking about?” Marvin lowered his voice with Gordon and Joan only yards in front of them. All four had descended down the grass bank and were walking on the dirt path that ran alongside the river.
“I was having another joint,” Junior began to explain. “I was in the laundry room with the window open, and then I heard yelling and my dad asking where I was. I knew it had something to do with the Runners.”
“That must have been when I came in, when those two fucks were at the bridge.”
“I dropped the joint and left in a panic.”
“Despite being alive, we tend to keep getting bad luck.” Marvin sighed and rubbed his chin in thought. “So this joint of yours could have ended up setting fire to towels, sheets... Shit.” Marvin began to laugh, forcing Gordon and Joan to turn and give him a dirty look. He added with a whisper, “You couldn't make this shit up. What a fuck up of a group.”
“It's not funny.” Junior was getting annoyed and felt he was being mocked by his uncle.
Marvin's giggling continued. “Oh, it is. I'm just glad that it's you that's fucked up and not me.”
“Thanks for your support.”
“Look on the bright side. The fire scared those things away. Staying in that room, with those things running around, we were like sitting ducks. However, I think it's better to keep this to ourselves.”
Junior agreed.
They trudged on the path in silence for a few minutes. The journey was monotonous, but at least there was no sign of any Runners. Junior hoped that his father had managed to get to the site unscathed. They all did, and even Marvin was concerned for his little brother.
Marvin nudged Junior and pointed at Joan. She was still wearing a black shirt and black leggings. He cackled, “Look at that arse. She's not the best looking woman, but if she took those leggings off and pulled her knickers to one side, begging me to sort her out, I probably would. Just as a special treat for her.”
Junior never responded. He had fantasised over Joan himself.
“Hold up.” Gordon stopped walking and held his hand up, instructing everyone to do the same.
“What the fuck is it now?” snapped Marvin from behind. “Need to tie your shoe lace?”
“Take a look,” said Joan.
Marvin and Junior took a step forward and looked over the shoulders of Gordon and Joan.
From a distance, three Runners were jogging along the side of the river, heading towards them. At least they thought they were Runners.
“They could be human,” Junior spoke up.
“Could be.” Marvin sounded unsure. “I doubt it.”
“I agree with Marvin.” Gordon brought his hammer back and watched as they progressed nearer. “Looks like three females.”
They all waited patiently, and after a few seconds the three individuals began to speed up as they got nearer to Lloyd, Gordon, Junior and Joan.
“Definitely them.” Gordon's hands shook as he held the hammer and took a look at it, then turned it around so the claw was facing forwards.
As they gained nearer, the group grew more nervous. Gordon released a war-like cry as a blonde female was the first to reach them, the others were a couple of metres behind.
Gordon brought down the hammer, the claws going into the face rather than the head, the intended target, and struggled to remove it. It grabbed Gordon and lunged forwards, making him scream out, but before the assailant had a chance to take a bite out of him, Joan stepped forward and rammed her knife in the side of its head, through the temple, then pulled it out.
The second one shrieked as it ran for Joan, but she pulled her knife back and swiped at the female being, slashing its throat, and all watched as it bled out. It staggered to the right and fell into the river.
Marvin went by Gordon and Joan, and announced that he had the other one that had been lagging behind the other two. He went for a more unusual method. He front-kicked the remaining Runner, sending it flying backwards, and ran behind it, grabbing its arms.
“What the pissing hell are you doing?” Gordon yelled. “Stop playing about!”
Marvin panted, “This is for Junior's benefit.” Marvin still had the creature in a double arm lock, each arm under the armpit and hands on the creature's neck, but he was struggling. Catching his breath, Marvin called over to Junior, “One day our lives might rely on you to kill one of these things with little hesitation. Get this one out the way, Junior. Kill it. One day your dad's life might be in danger and if you can't even kill one of these things, you're no use to anybody.”
Junior shook and took a step forward. He could see the possessed creature writhing, saliva dribbling out of its mouth and the eyes all bloodshot.
“You don't have to do this,” Junior heard Gordon say to him.
“For God's sake, Marvin,” said Joan. “He's only fourteen.”
“It's for his own good.” Marvin looked to be weakening and the creature was gnashing and shaking its head manically. “Hurry up, Junior. I can't hold this thing all day. You've got a knife, haven't you? What's the point having one if you're not going to use it?”
Junior lowered his head, began to cry and shook his head. He couldn't do it.
“Come on!” his uncle yelled.
Junior was inconsolable. “I-I can't.”
“Yes you can. Stop being such a pussy and kill this cunt.”
Joan walked over to the creature, knowing that Junior didn't have it in him, and stabbed it in the chest, through the heart. The creature stopped moving and its head dropped. Joan pulled out the knife and wiped the blood from the blade on the clothes of the brunette female Runner.
Marvin released the dead thing and looked at his nephew with disappointment, now shaking his head.
“We can't be wiping your arse forever,” he called over to Junior, stood up straight and continued to walk along the dirt path that was next to the river.
“Leave the boy alone,” said Gordon.
“Ignore him.” Joan put her arm around Junior and they both walked behind Marvin.
Gordon retrieved his hammer and walked behind the three of them. He was getting tired of this. Really tired.
Chapter Thirty One
Whilst waiting, Lloyd drove around the small site and was pleased that there was no sign of any danger. The caravans hadn't obviously been checked inside, but at least the grounds were clear. Lloyd also noticed a large shed by the side of the bins, and knew that that was where they stored their gas canisters for the caravans.
He could see a canister attached to every caravan, but didn't know if they were full or not. Once the rest of them arrived, he was going to check the shed out and try and take a few and store them away for future use. If other survivors arrived at a later date, the gas wouldn't last long. It was selfish, but he had his group to look after.
Lloyd was starting to see it that way: His group.
He liked Joan and Gordon. And although Marvin was a worry, he could handle himself when push came to shove. He was sad about Kelly, but so long as it wasn't Junior... The thing with Jory still needed explaining, but what made Lloyd calm was that Marvin wouldn't have done what he did without a valid reason. He just didn't know what that reason was ... not yet.
Lloyd parked the vehicle back where it was before: Outside the caravan that he had chosen, where they were going to stay for the night.
Once every one of the caravans had been checked, then they could all think about getting their own, especially if the ca
nisters in the shed were all full.
For fifteen long minutes Lloyd sat in the jeep before he could see the figure of Marvin in the distance. He was emerging from the side of the camp, as Lloyd predicted they would, because that's where the river was, and Gordon and Joan were next to be seen by Lloyd's eyes.
A sudden dull sensation developed in his stomach and a lump emerged in his throat.
Where was Junior?
“Where are you, son?”
A relieved smile broke out when his son was seen, lagging behind the other three. Lloyd exited the vehicle and went over to greet them. Junior ran over, passing the other three once he saw his dad, and they hugged. As they broke away from their embrace, Gordon, Joan and Marvin had now reached father and son.
“Is it clear?” asked Marvin.
Lloyd nodded. “Seems to be.”
“I don't get it.” Gordon began to grind his teeth, nervous that they were standing out in the open. “Where is everyone?”
Joan took a three-sixty look and noticed that Lloyd's jeep was the only vehicle on site. “I'm with Gordon on this. Blanchland was practically empty and now this place. Where did the people go?”
“Maybe the army came in and moved them,” said Junior. “You see it in films, don't you? They take people away to safety or ... they take them away and kill them to stop the infection.”
Marvin laughed, “That's ridiculous. How come we're still here?”
“Because for the last few days we've been hiding in a secluded cabin that nobody knows about, and then we went to the woods.”
“Jory never mentioned any army.” Gordon also thought it was a ridiculous statement. “Remember Jory?” Gordon glared at Marvin.
“I've already told you. I have my reasons for doing what I did.”
“I'm all ears.”
“Not now. Later.”
Getting back on the subject, Joan said, “Maybe people were attacked and turned, then fled the place.”
Marvin wasn't sure. “Then why are there no cars? Have these Runners suddenly developed skills to drive now?”
The Monsterland Trilogy [Books 1-3] Page 28