Within a refrigerated shelf unit were a few tipped-over cans of cola, so he opened one and began drinking. One more down, he thought, probably a few hundred-thousand to go. There’s a life-goal – find all the remaining Coke cans and bottles and die of diabetes-related illnesses, rather than being mauled to death. “How long did you last, Carol? Without your insulin?” How long did all the diabetes sufferers last – and all those dependent on medication? Cai recalled the University College Hospital in London for a moment, and passing it as he cycled by – all those windows, all those unattended beds. How many died from neglect without knowing why? Or worse – how many were helpless as the nurses and doctors, meant to bring them back to health, instead brought them to the brink of death? Do ‘zombies’ have cancer?
“Ready to go?” asked Ruby, startling Cai.
“Yes,” he coughed, “I mean, no, my bags and stuff. Are you?” She looked unkempt still, but drier.
“Yeah,” she replied, with Nate appearing now. “Come on, hurry,” he said as he headed for the doorway.
“In this?” asked Cai.
“Just rain,” said Ruby.
“Easy for you to say, hon, you’re immune to the elements, it seems.” Cai looked at their non-responsive faces. “Fine, my coat has a hood.”
Restocked and repacked, with his hood up, Cai met Nate and Ruby beneath the forecourt roof. For appearances, they too had put the hood up on their coats. They looked uncomfortable as they turned and walked into the rain.
The main road out of town was on a raised level – it was brand new and only freshly added to the UK road map book that Cai carried with him. The tarmac was pristine and the rain poured down back towards town. The embankments on either side were almost red with high-clay soil, hosting fledgling trees within plastic tubes that would one day crack and slowly pry apart as the trunks within them expanded. Maybe in a few hundred years someone else will hack their way through an overgrown forest, find the tarmac, and wonder what the hell all the broken plastic was.
Rain dripped from the hem of Cai’s hood and into his face. The clouds pressed down. Ahead, Nate and Ruby stalked ever onwards.
About half-an-hour further up the road they came to the scene of an accident; a heavy goods vehicle for Argos was overturned and splayed across both lanes. Vehicles had parked up on the near side, and there were more that could be discerned on the other side. As Cai got closer, he could hear the low rumbling of an idling engine. Nate went to the left, and Ruby went to the right. Cai walked up towards the centre, where the cab of the truck revealed its underside, and rainwater poured from the side down onto the road and then towards the edge of the convex curvature. Long-established trees stood to either side here, a shallow woods that gave way to rising hills.
As Nate and Ruby vanished, Cai reached the truck and peered between cab and trailer; the cars the other side were a jumble of crushed metal and shattered glass, and he spotted a slumped over corpse behind one wheel.
Someone said something. Cai ran to the left to catch up with Nate and turned the corner. Two idling motorbikes were parked next to a Citroen Xsara Picasso, and a young man, probably in his twenties, was just opening the passenger door and stepping out. “... of the rain,” Cai caught.
Nate nodded, standing still.
Cai jogged towards them. “Hi,” he said, catching his breath. “How’s it going?”
The man pointed to the sky. “Weather for ducks, eh?” His spoke with a Liverpudlian accent. His long brown hair was flat on his skull – probably from wearing the helmet. Cai spotted a second man who had chosen to remain within the car.
“Well, it’s Wales after all,” said Cai, offering his hand.
The man shook it; “Nice to meet you.”
“Cai.”
“Valentine.”
Cai smiled; “Interesting name.”
“Yep, that there is Brad Pitt,” he pointed.
“Nate,” said Nate.
“You’re a big fella, eh?”
“And that’s Ruby,” said Cai as she rounded some crushed metal. She raised a hand.
“Where headed?” asked Valentine.
“Up to Aber, or near as good. You?” asked Cai.
“Anywhere. Everywhere,” he turned and grabbed a bottle of water from inside the car door. “Anything worth going to back there?”
“Not really. Ghost towns and the like. What’s happening back there?”
“If you mean Aberystwyth, it’s messed up, like all the big towns.”
“Oh?”
Valentine sat down, shielding his head from the rain. “Yeah. Streets are like bodies just got dropped from the sky and exploded on the ground.”
Cai scowled in the rain. “Sounds terrible.” He looked around; Nate and Ruby were standing, arms around each other.
“Yeah. We went down to Cardiff hoping that something would be going on,” Valentine looked back to his partner, who just stared ahead through the windshield. “But it was awful, like. Don’t think about going down there. You make it to Aberystwyth, you can times that by ten.”
“We won’t,” said Ruby, looking round to Nate.
Valentine smiled; “No offence,” he said, looking at Nate, “nice to see a pretty face. Ain’t come across too many girls.”
“Why’s that?” asked Ruby.
“Just haven’t,” he gulped from the bottle. “For one reason or other.”
“All been raped, killed or turned I would guess,” she said.
Cai coughed – Jesus – “Hey,” he said.
“Could be,” Valentine said simply.
Unabated, rain streamed from the skies onto the standing threesome and wetted the seats of the motorbikes. Buzzards hovered above; a crow stood on the edge of the overturned lorry. They stood in awkward silence.
“We should move,” said Nate.
Cai breathed deeply; it was nice to have other company, if only for awhile. “Unless we have anything to trade?”
“I don’t think so,” said Valentine.
“No, I don’t suppose so.”
“Goodbye, then.”
Nate and Ruby turned and walked on, leaving the site behind. Cai watched them. Their backs shone darkly with the rain streaming down. “Alright,” he said. “It was nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
“Bye,” said Cai. “Bye, Brad.”
*****
He wasn’t completely alone that night; Ruby had stayed inside as Nate said, “Back in a bit,” and left, heading out into the darkness. The farmhouse they had stumbled across showed signs that it had been used previously as a temporary rest-stop. Empty tins stood in wood-ash in the wood-burning stove with their peeled labels discarded on the floor. Cai had commented that the only excitement that could be had from food now was removing all the labels on the tins to give yourself a surprise. Empty plastic water bottles were scattered around, and someone had made a game out of smashing plates and cups with other plates and cups; broken china was strewn across the Victorian dresser, the wall behind pock-marked.
After a while of sitting with his legs drawn up, staring into the wood-fire, he stood. The curtains were drawn and Ruby lay sleeping on her side above her sleeping bag. She looked peaceful, but today she had been unusually tired and they had stopped after only four hours. Road signs had indicated that Rhayader was a little further up the road, which meant they were another day, two tops, from Aberystwyth, if they were to keep up pace. Part of him wanted to just go, now. He was so close, one way or another.
Orange shadows played on the walls, and the fire reflected in the window when Cai pulled the curtain to peek outside. It had stopped raining and there were breaks in the cloud through which the moon peered. The courtyard was a mud-field of forgotten tractor tracks and pools of moonlight.
Cai turned and grabbed his coat, shuffling it on. At the front door, he pulled and felt the cold air zip through the gap. He closed it quickly after him.
He turned right and headed for the outhouse spotted on the way in.
It was like being home again, before he had turned eight and his parents had had an inside toilet installed in a downstairs extension. The click of the latch and the creak of the hinges were as loud as gunfire in the silent din. It stank of shit. He couldn’t see the toilet bowl clearly, but the smell told him enough. He closed the door and walked around behind it, unzipped his jeans and peed.
A horse neighed. It was an incongruous sound; Cai had spotted stables but they had been empty. He had checked them while Nate and Ruby checked the house.
“Where are you?” he whispered as he finished up. He walked around to the front and began to cross the courtyard, his feet sinking into the deep mud. Backtracking, he took the longer way round, skirting it. The stable door was open, and as he approached he could hear the quiet sound of stamping, the wheeze of breathing.
Nate appeared in the entrance.
“Fuck me!” startled Cai. “You gave me a heart attack.”
“Ssshh,” said Nate.
“What are you –”
Nate reached out and put a hand over Cai’s mouth; a giant hand that covered him ear to ear, or so it seemed. Nate’s thumb and forefinger rested against Cai’s nose; just one pinch and he wouldn’t be able to breath. Cai sensed this and his heartbeat quickened. Nate’s hand smelled like mud and sweat and the leftover mulch of a stream that had almost evaporated away.
Cai pushed against him but was being held fast – gun – he couldn’t move. His head was in a clamp. Nate’s eyes glowed, silvery, but they weren’t looking at him. They were looking out towards the house, and beyond; almost nowhere at all in fact.
After a few seconds of still being alive, Cai calmed. He was either going to do it, or he wasn’t. And since he hadn’t… well, so be it. Either way. The previous conspicuous absence Cai felt in the small of his back suddenly seemed inconsequential.
At last, Nate focused his eyes on Cai and let go, putting his finger to pursed lips.
Cai mouthed, “What are you doing?” but Nate turned and retreated back into the stable. Cai watched him from the doorway as he bent and picked up some hay, holding it out to the horse that was patiently standing in the corner. Blades of moonlight through gaps in the wood-panelling lit them, while puffs billowed from the horse’s large black nostrils. The horse munched gratefully as Nate petted its nose.
“I can smell your piss,” whispered Nate.
Stepping inside, Cai was silent.
“It’s okay…” hushed Nate.
“Why are you out here?”
“I’m not tired. Come.”
Cai stepped closer and Nate grabbed his wrist, placing his hand on the soft hairs running the length of the horse’s neck.
“Warm,” said Nate.
“Yes,” said Cai, placing his other hand on the horse’s warm body. It shifted on its feet momentarily – perhaps shivering from his cold hands, like a human would, thought Cai – and then settled down again as Nate caressed a hand down its nose.
“Why did you grab me?”
Nate backed up to a stool and perched himself on it; legs and knees raised, he was almost bird-like. “You were talking.”
“Did you hear something then?”
“Maybe, maybe not. Something.” It was hard to see his mouth move within the growing beard. The whites of his eyes were vibrant as they watched.
“Why are your eyes glowing? Like a cat’s.”
“Do they glow?” he creased his forehead. “Ruby’s glow sometimes.”
Cai stroked his hand across the horse’s back. “Easy,” he said as it shuffled again.
“The dark isn’t dark anymore.”
“You are a strange pairing, but I’ve said that before. I know I may have you to thank for for saving me on this trip, though I know I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t come along, mind, with your words. Perhaps I was losing will up in that house though with no-one around.”
“Quiet, still,” whispered Nate. Cai paused. “Talk, just quiet.”
Cai smiled and shook his head. “Why, you act so fucking peaceful, but I know – I felt – the power in you. I thought you would kill me.”
Nate scowled. “I wouldn’t. Me, Ruby, we’re protecting you.”
“I’m sorry, you scare me, you know.”
“You don’t need to be scared of us.” Nate tipped his head. “You’ve stopped shaking.”
“Yeah, I guess I have, thanks to horsey here.” Cai patted his neck, then rubbed his nose. “We never did have horses on the farm growing up. Perhaps I should get one, for transportation if nothing else.”
“Yes.”
“A friend.”
“Good friends.”
“What you going to do, after you help me get home?”
Nate stood and walked over to a small window. “Maybe, ask for your help.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ruby is having a child.”
Cai stopped mid-stroke and looked over at Nate. His broad back blocked most of the window. “She’s pregnant? Well, shit.”
Nate turned, smiling. “Not shit.”
Cai laughed quietly; “If you say so, bud.”
“I do.” Nate’s silvery eyes pierced him.
“Okay…” Cai gulped. “Congratulations.”
Nate turned back to the window. “We will need shelter. Safety. Food. Lots of food. Will you help?”
“If I can… of course. I’m not too sure what I can do especially, like.”
“Good. This farm… it is…” Nate went silent.
“Everything okay?”
“Thinking,” he said. “There is… no other houses near?”
“It’s isolated enough, if that’s what you mean, bud. God knows I used to hate it growing up.”
“Good.”
Cai stopped patting the horse, picked up some straw and fed it. “Good boy,” he said. “Maybe we could bring you with us, eh – would you like that?” The horse whinnied and snorted. “What should we call you? Any names, Nate?”
“Not really.”
“Well you gotta get thinking, for real, eh. Pregnant… in this…”
Nate ducked at the window and raised his arm, instructing Cai to duck too.
“What is it?” whispered Cai.
“Don’t know, quiet.”
Cai moved quietly up to Nate and knelt besides him.
Nate peered out of the window. “Go back, wake Ruby, then go upstairs.”
“What do you see?” Cai looked out but saw nothing but an open field quickly diminishing to darkness.
“Nothing yet. Go.”
Taking in a deep breath; “Okay.” He left the stable and followed the edge of the courtyard back to the front door. Once inside, Cai said “Ruby,” and she immediately woke.
“What is it?”
“Nate said to wake you up and go upstairs. He… sensed something… I don’t know what.”
Ruby stood up and went to the window. Cai joined her, but there was nothing to see beyond the moonlit courtyard. “Where is he?”
“In the stable.”
“Come on, then.” Ruby led them up the creaking staircase. She entered a front bedroom with Cai close behind her; the small bed was stripped of its sheets and the drawers ransacked. Kneeling at the window, they each looked out. They could see the roof of the stable from here and beyond; the faint shadow of the cobble-stone wall that marked the territory and defined the fields, bare trees stamped on the landscape like shadows within shadows. Nothing moved, it seemed.
“Congrats,” said Cai.
Ruby looked to her right; her eyes were slightly luminous too, her pupils wide. She saw his comprehension and then refocused on the field outside. “Thanks.”
“Nate told me.”
“Yeah.”
“Asked for my help.”
Instead of answering, Ruby lifted a latch and then lifted the window slightly. Cai felt the cold air once again.
“I said of course.”
“He wants to protect me,” said Ruby, sitting back down.
“Both of you, I’d say.”
“I wish…” she rested her forehead against the windowsill. Cai rested a hand on her shoulder. Her heat radiated through her jumper and warmed his hand, just like the horse. “I’m happy, but I worry.”
“No shit. Every man and his uncle would.”
Looking up, Ruby looked back out the window, and frowned. “Look,” she said.
“I don’t see anything.”
“Someone’s there.”
“Where?”
“In the field.”
Cai squinted; was that movement?
“Two figures,” whispered Ruby. “Carrying rifles.”
“Really? Shit.”
“They’re almost at the stable.”
“Ah yeah, I see em, the fuckers. Hmm, what do we do?”
Ruby stood, “I have to help, I can’t leave Nate alone.”
“But –”
“You should stay here.”
“– I have a gun, in my bag.”
“I know. Stay here,” she said, leaving the room. Cai listened to the creaking of the floorboards as she descended.
Fuck, he thought, as it dawned. Outside, two strangers with guns were bearing down on them. He peeked over the mantle and could just make out two shapes appearing from the side of the stable. They paused as they studied the front of the building. Cai was frozen in place. Wind gusted gently between the window frame and jamb and then stilled, and he began to shiver.
The two figures stepped forward into full view; their feet sank slightly in the mud. One of them said something and pointed to the stable entrance. The other headed in that direction, while the speaker, avoiding the middle-ground, began to walk around the other side. The moonlight glittered on the metallic edges of the rifles.
Stranger number two stopped at the edge of the stable entrance and appeared to look inside. Where’s Nate? Does he see the horse? The stranger rose the butt of the gun to his shoulder and aimed it inside, allowing it to lead as he stepped in.
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