Artefact 299: Accounts of the Zombie Apocalypse

by Binley, L. A.

  The macabre scene behind us set me on edge. I didn't like that I couldn't figure it out. How long ago had it happened? Was it what had been following us? Was it a coincidence? Would we need to run before what had caused it came back? The only piece of hope I had, that I could let my mind pass over, was that it was a person, or a group of people who had done this. That someone was hunting zombies, and this was the result. As much as that thought filled me with hope, it also filled me with dread. If there was someone out there that could do that, we wouldn't want to run into them. This could be our ending.

  “C'mon, if we go round here, we might be able to bypass that site but get some distance in. Hopefully, the smell puts off any of the undead that might want to feast on us.”

  I didn't wait for a response as I began to skirt around the edge of the scene. I kept as much distance between us and the destruction as I could. My eyes searching for any signs that this had dragged out further than we anticipated. Some slight signs of disturbance waved through the undergrowth, but we were spared the worst of it. I didn't want to think about what had happened, but I couldn't stop myself. I imagined a group of people who all turned into zombies and attacked each other. I shivered at the thought.

  Day 32 Continued

  A few hours have passed since we stumbled across the bodies. Although we were no longer haunted by the decay and debris that had scattered around the area, it wasn't far from our minds. I had been fighting with the images and thoughts that had been filtering through my mind since. What if we were never able to stop this virus, or disease, or whatever it was? Had anyone worked out what had caused this yet? It might not be as quick as a change as we thought. I don't know how long it took for the first person to become infected and turn. I'd never seen it happen.

  There had to be someone out there who could figure out how this had started. Figure out how to save us before we all ended up like the bodies in the woods. Had it spread beyond the UK yet? My thoughts were spiralling until Rachel distracted me.

  “D’you think we'll run into whoever did all of that?”

  “I really, really hope not. I'm hoping they'll have gone in a different direction. One where they can cause more death and destruction far away from where we'll be.”

  “What do you think happened? I can't stop thinking about it. No matter how hard I try and think of something else. My mind wanders back to those pools of blood.” Daniel said. His voice low, emotion bubbling across his words. “I've never seen so much blood in one place.”

  “It's alright.” I said reaching across to him. “We should be okay as long as we keep moving and stay out of the way.”

  “That's what you believe?” He asked, his eyes flashing to my face. “You think we can be safe if we keep moving?”

  “No, I don't think any of us are safe.” I tried to keep my voice calm. “How can we be safe when we are in the middle of a zombie apocalypse? But if we stay in one place, and too close to what we've gone past I think we'll be sitting ducks. I don't know what caused it. Two groups of people, some people hunting zombies, a group of people who turned at the same time. I don't have the answers. I can't explain it. But we can be optimistic that we can stay ahead of what caused it. That we won't suffer from the same fate.”

  Shock from my honesty rested on his face. “Thanks,” he mumbled. “I guess you're right. We can't sit around waiting for something to come and attack us.”

  “You think it might be a group of people who did that?” Rachel asked, disgust dripping from her voice.

  “It could be, but I don't know how. If it was, I don't think we want to meet them. They don't seem to be a friendly bunch.”

  “I don't know,” Daniel said. “It might be useful to meet them. They could keep us safe. Let us tag along with them while they look for their next target.”

  “How would we know their next target wasn't us? They might offer to help us then use us as bait for their next hunt. I'd rather stay away.”

  “I'm with Anna, Danny. I don't think those are people who would want to look out for us. What would we have to offer in return?”

  “Hey, it was only a thought. I didn't say we should go out of our way to find them.” He held his hands up.

  We carried on slowly through the area. Cautious of where we stood. Checking the ground to make sure it was clear of anyone. I don't know if I could manage stumbling across something like that again. I didn't think I could be surprised by anything else, then something like this happens. I could feel my calmness fraying, but I wouldn't let it go. Not when others depended on me.

  We travelled further in one go than we had for the past few days. The horror haunting us and pushing us further from that spot. The idea of settling down anywhere near it made my skin crawl. And as much as he might not want to show it, I think it would affect Daniel as badly as it had Rachel and me. He tried not to let people in, but that didn't mean it was any easier on him.

  Daniel volunteered to take the first watch. Maybe it had bothered him more than he let on? Usually, he jumped at the chance to rest and zone out, but he seemed more on edge. I don't know what was racing through his mind, and I didn't ask. If he wanted to talk to us about it, he wouldn't be keeping it to himself.

  Rachel was more open, her thoughts and feelings showed whether she wanted them to or not. Her fears tumbled from her mouth, rushing to escape, and let her inner mind feel free for a brief moment. She seemed comfortable around me. It was nice. I felt like family, maybe not paternal, there isn't anybody who would think that. I felt more like a responsible aunt, distant but close. Someone you could look up to, but also get into trouble with. If only I felt as mature as I saw my aunts.

  Day 33

  Even with the dreaded scene left behind us, I still felt on edge. No matter what I did to shake the feeling, I worried. When would we next stumble across something like that? Would we find ourselves in the path of what had caused it? How would I keep us safe? If there were only one or two people, we could make it out okay. But if there were a group of them? I didn't like our odds. The more I dwelled on it, the more I thought it had to be a group to have caused the mess.

  On the plus side, there was a group of people going around the countryside hunting and killing zombies. On the downside, there was a group of people going around the countryside hunting and killing. There's no way we would be able to tell if the people who were part of what we'd seen were only killing zombies. Could people revert to their base animal instinct? Once they got a taste of killing, would it be the only thought that crossed their mind?

  If only trust was something you could have for the people you run into. Not everyone would be willing to help. If I hadn't been so lonely, would I have helped Daniel and Rachel? Maybe not. If it wasn't for me, they might still be struggling to get the supplies they needed. I like to think I've given them a survival plan, but I bet not everyone would have reacted in the same way. I mean, who would have done? They tried to steal from me. I gave them a chance. Does that mean I should give everyone the same chance?

  “Anna?” Rachel asked, “d’you know where we're going? We don't seem to have moved out of these trees for a while.”

  I paused, looking at the nature surrounding us. “Er, I have a rough idea. I might've gotten us twisted round. I don't know where we should be going, and I'm hoping the route we're on will keep us safe. Or at least safer than we have been.”

  “That's not exactly filling me with hope.” She tittered. “I was hoping you would have a better sense of direction than me. Sticking to safe sounds like a good option as well. D'you think we'll bump into anyone out here?”

  “We could. After what we saw yesterday, and whatever was following us, I'd say there's a good chance. We can hope they've moved on, or at least hope that if we bump into anything, it's friendly, and doesn't want to kill us on sight.”

  “Thanks, Anna, I feel 100% better already.”

  “It's what I'm here for.” I chuckled darkly. “Stop.” I continued, “we're going to have to make a choi
ce. It looks like we can follow one trail out of the woods, or we can head deeper in.”

  “Which d’you reckon's safer?” Rachel asked.

  “Not a clue. Either could lead to safety or both could lead to death. I don't know how severely affected this area of the country is.”

  “If we head out of the trees, we might be able to stumble across more houses for food. But if we head further in, we might be able to forage a little better. How much food did we get from the cottage?” Daniel asked.

  “Not sure, maybe enough for a week at least. It could have been a little longer. I know there were some leftover tins, I packed a couple of them. Not sure about you two? One option would be to ration out the food even more. Not the best plan, but it would give us a few more days.”

  “So, we'd need to find more to eat.”

  It wasn't a question, but I answered him anyway. “More than likely, unless it doesn't take us long to get through here and stumble across a farm or something. I'm not sure whereabouts we are, so I don't know if we'll be able to find much either way. But we should all decide where we go. Either could be the wrong choice and I don't want any one person blamed. Which do you think's best?”

  “Hmm,” Daniel mulled over his words. “I vote for going further in. The zombies don't look like they are heading this far into the trees, and we might be able to keep relatively safe. What do you think, Rach?”

  “I'd like to be out of the creepy woods. I feel like anything could be lurking and waiting for us.”

  “Did you notice any zombies hiding behind trees when it was just us?”

  “I hate it when you're right. But no. We travelled easier when we were covered in the more forest-like areas. Something puts them off venturing in them. I still want to be in the open. Find a nice, dry place to sleep with walls and a roof.” Rachel looked over her shoulder, towards the darker part of the woods. “But I also don't want to get trapped in a house or something. Just waiting for them things to come and get us. I think I'd prefer the bugs and spiders. Maybe.”

  “Okay, deep, dark woods it is then. I'm sure we can find somewhere or something to give us a bit of roof when we stop for longer. If that makes you feel better?” I said smiling.

  “It might, a little. As long as it doesn't fall on us!”

  “That is not part of the deal.” I laughed. “I can only offer questionable wooden structures. No safety certificates.”

  “C'mon you two, we don't want to hang around here too long. Not if we want to make some headway before it gets too dark.”

  “Okay, Captain Daniel. We'll follow your lead.”

  He muttered something under his breath as he started to make his way off the path we'd been following.

  “Ignore him, he likes to complain but I think he's glad we've got you.” Rachel whispered to me as we followed after him.

  I knew it had been a group decision, but I didn't really want to go this way. I knew we'd be able to hide better, but the idea of being stuck in the woods freaked me out. Too many horror films in my teens had given me a skewed view of the type of people and creatures you might bump into.

  Daniel was a better leader than I'd been. He checked the route we were going and made sure there were no hidden holes or stuck out roots. We followed his path with ease with little changes to the line he made. Even though he was a good half a foot taller than either of us, he'd made sure we could manage it without falling behind. I was thankful, I didn't enjoy having to climb around places. Being outside was enough for me without any gruelling hikes added to the mix.

  The further we ventured in, the more the trees began to interlock. The sky overhead became a blanket of red and golden leaves, blocking out any view of the outside world. Daniel slowed his pace as the route before us darkened with the fading light.

  “Which way do you want to go?” He shouted over his shoulder. “We could go in a sort of straight line, or we could veer off towards the light. We'd be able to travel for longer, but we could get lost.”

  “Whichever, I think we might be lost enough as it is.”

  “Your choice Danny. I'm already in here now, it doesn't matter what happens.”

  “Okay, keep close. Let's see if we can get some light back.”

  We didn't walk for much longer before Daniel stopped us again. The diagonal path we'd taken hadn't given us as much light as he'd hoped for.

  “Let's make a roof for Rachel. There's enough light to be able to put a quick lean-to together.”

  “Do you know how to make a lean-to?” I asked.

  He stared at me. “You've never made a den before?”

  “Do I look like the sort of person to make dens?”

  He looked me up and down for a second. “No. I guess you don't.” He turned to Rachel. “Can you grab some of those longer branches and drag them back here?”

  “I can try, but if I touch an insect, I won't be able to stop the scream.”

  “We'll wait for it.” He rolled his eyes. “Anna, can you help me pull these around these trees?”

  “Sure.” I dropped my bag near where he'd pointed and began moving the branches and twigs around.

  I looked at the thick branches littering the floor, and the thinner pieces Rachel dragged over to us. It wouldn't be the same as a house, but it would give us some comfort for the night. It would keep the wind off us at least.

  “Daniel, can you help me wedge this one here?” I asked as I tried to lift the heavy branch.

  It took longer than anticipated, but we were able to put something together. Lean-to was a good descriptor for the haphazard structure we'd built. Now, as long as it stayed upright and didn't collapse on us while we slept. It seemed sturdy enough, but I didn't want to touch it too much. There was no need to tempt whatever deity or omniscient presence which might be watching us.

  “Okay, who's going on first watch?”

  “I will,” Daniel said. “I don't feel much like resting, apart from stretching out my legs.”

  “Okay. If I doze off, wake me up and I'll take the next one.”

  Day 34

  Daniel shook my shoulder.

  “Anna, wake up.”

  “Wh-what is it?”

  “There's someone out there.”

  I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “You sure?”

  “I don't know. I can't see anything, but I heard something.”

  “Okay, wake Rachel. We might need to run.”

  He nodded before moving around me to wake his sister. If I could sleep with walls around me and not be woken up by either twin, it would be a price too high to pay. I strained my ears to listen out for what had caused Daniel to disturb us. The creaks and moans of the trees reverberated around us. If there was anyone out there, they were masked. I risked a glance to check Rachel was awake and they both had their bags with them. Even though I hadn't heard anything, I didn't want to risk it. It was safer to be cautious. I'd rather be cautious and alive, than adventurous and dead.

  We stayed still, trying to minimise any noise we might make. Time rolled agonisingly slow as though we were pushing a heavy rock up a hill. I attempted to count the seconds. To give some order to our struggle. Nothing. No sounds, no noises that popped out at us. I was starting to question if Daniel had heard anything until I noticed something.

  The noise was faint, really faint. It was the almost unmistakable sound of talking. It sounded far off, but it was still people. The words were too low and garbled for me to understand, but I could hear them. I looked at Daniel and Rachel, to see if they were making a noise. When I caught their eyes, they both shook their heads slightly. I didn't know how to respond. From the sound of it, the people were some distance from us. It didn't stop the pounding of my heart. They could have been the ones responsible for the massacre. They could quite easily make our little camp into the same sort of scene.

  Adrenaline coursed through me. Fight or flight. Stay or run. I squeezed the handle of the cricket bat. It would be easy enough to run. If we knew where we could run to. I took
control of my thoughts. No, the best plan would be to stay put until we could figure out where to go. Panic simmered under the calm I forced on myself.

  “Where do you think they are?” Daniel whispered.

  “I don't know. Not close, or at least far enough away.” I whispered back.

  “Do you think we could hide the shelter a little? Make sure they don't know what it is they're looking at?”

  “I scattered leaves over it and tried to blend it in with all the other fallen branches. As long as they don't realise there's an opening, we should be fine.”

  He started to pull away from Rachel.

  “What are you doing?” I hissed at him.

  “Covering the entrance.” He almost seemed to shrug as he sidled past me.

  “Daniel—” Rachel whispered.

  “I'll be fine.” He said cutting off the rest of her sentence.

  I moved closer to her, both of us seeking comfort in the other's presence. He shuffled through the discarded branches we hadn't been able to use. He tested each one, I'm not sure what for before he started piling them up around the slight gap. He wove the bendier pieces together, all the leaves sticking out towards the outside world.

  “That should help.” He whispered as he moved back towards us.

  “I hope it works.”

  “It's stopped the opening from being seen head-on, but I'm not sure if it will keep us undetected completely.”

  “And it should stop a bit more of the cold.” Rachel said as she pulled her coat around her.

  “Good points.” I strained to hear any other sounds coming from outside. “Let's try and get a bit more rest before we head out. I'll keep an ear out. If we give it enough time, we should be able to get away without anyone noticing.”

  Daniel nodded as he fluffed his bag into a makeshift pillow.

  “Will you be okay, Anna?” Rachel asked.