Tar: An apocalyptic horror novella

by Iain Rob Wright

  But the British Army was gone now. It had been weeks since Finn saw a man in fatigues. It didn’t bring him much closure though. In fact, seeing no presence of the Army during a time of such insurmountable crisis was disconcerting.

  “Everything will be okay,” Finn said as he wheeled Minty down the corridor. The kid couldn't hear him, but Finn felt a need to keep talking. It was unlike him, but he felt rattled. The kid had taken a bullet because of him.

  Wonder Mutt ran on ahead but didn't go more than a few metres without stopping and looking back. Finn assumed the police station would have a medical bay somewhere, or at least a supply closet. They had to be first-aid-ready, right? No telling when a drug addict would seize and start choking on their own tongues.

  Minty mumbled and went silent again.

  Finn continued wheeling the kid along the corridors, shoving doors on either side until he found what he needed. The fifth room contained a raised bed and several cabinets. On a counter sat a green box with a white cross on it—a first aid kit.

  Finn wheeled Minty into the room and hoisted him up onto the bed. The kid's lightness disturbed him. Then he pulled up the safety rails on either side and searched the room’s cabinets. Besides the first aid kit there was an ample supply of bandages, gauze, and even over-the-counter medications. Finn got a trickle of water from the room's barely functioning sink and crumbled two strong painkillers into a plastic cup. Gathering up bandages and antiseptic, he placed everything on the bed beside Minty.

  “I’m just going to strip your top off,” he said.

  Minty didn’t respond. Finn peeled his T-shirt off and over his head, then wiped away the blood with the antiseptic wipes. Once he could see what he was doing, he sprayed the kid's wound with antibacterial spray and placed gauze over it. The wound cleaned and dressed, he finished by wrapping bandages under Mint’s left arm and around the right side of his neck binding tightly. He used a strip of medical tape to tie-off the bandage.

  “Not bad, if I say so myself.”

  Minty mumbled again, but this time his eyes flickered. Finn propped the kid up into an angled seating position and tried offering him the dissolved painkillers. Even half conscious, Minty sipped at the liquid until it was gone.

  “There you go. Good lad.” Finn laid Minty back and slumped against the counter while he let out a deep sigh. Exhaustion had set in, not just from exertion but from the anger and hate he’d been holding on to.

  Would he ever find Dominic?

  How long before the grey ooze got here? It was like working against a ticking clock. Only a matter of time before the horizon disappeared and the creeping, relentless death started to devour the ground like a rising tide.

  Clatter!

  Finn leapt up from the counter, starling Wonder Mutt who ran underneath the bed and cowered.

  Somebody moved out in the corridor. The only question for Finn was whether to hide out in this room or rush out and catch whoever was sneaking around.

  He decided on the latter.

  Finn rounded the bed and shoved his way out into the corridor. He was surprised to find a young woman frozen on the spot and terrified. The clatter had been from her foot stumbling into an empty water canister from a nearby dispenser.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” the woman begged. The panic on her drawn sickly face was difficult to watch.

  Finn put his hands in the air and took a step away from her. “Hey, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just taking care of my kid.”

  “Are you a friend of Edward’s?”

  Finn frowned. “Who’s Edward? If you mean the sick fecker who likes to mess with kids, then I'm afraid he won’t be coming back.”

  The woman seemed to tremble, her legs wobbling all over the place. “He’s gone?”

  Finn nodded.

  “Oh.” The woman pitched forward and collided with the wall. Finn was just quick enough to catch her before she fell to the ground.

  “Easy, love. I’ve got you.” Finn eased her into a sitting position and looked at her. “Who was this Edward to you?”

  The woman needed a moment before speaking. She had to catch her breath. Eventually: “I came here a few days ago for help. My house burned down during the riots, and I had no place else to go. Edward was a police officer. When I found him I trusted him. I thought he would protect me. Instead…”

  Finn rubbed her shoulders, but moved his hand back when she flinched. “All right, love. I understand.”

  She looked at him, and the panic returned to her eyes. “Are you…?”

  “No,” said Finn. “I’m not going to hurt you. I really am just here to help my kid.”

  The woman nodded. “Did you kill Edward?”

  “Only to stop him killing me. D'you think you can get up?”

  The woman nodded and pushed herself up off the floor. Finn grasped her arm to help her, but once again it was clear his touch was unwelcome. He backed off.

  “Where’s your kid?” she asked him suspiciously.

  “In here.” Finn pushed the door open and led her into the sick bay. Minty still lay on the bed, but was awake now and staring at the ceiling in confusion. Wonder Mutt had somehow leapt up onto the bed and was stretched out over his legs.

  Finn rounded the bed until he was standing in front of Minty. “Kid, you’re awake?”

  “W-What happened?”

  “You got shot.”

  Minty’s eyes went wide. “I’ve been shot?”

  Finn wrapped his fingers around the kid’s ankle and squeezed. “You’re going to be fine. The bullet bounced off your collarbone. Just about the luckiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Minty glanced sideways. “Who’s she?”

  Finn looked at the women in the room. “Actually, we haven’t introduced ourselves. My name is Finn, and this is Minty. What’s your name, love?”

  “Katie. G-Good to meet you both.”

  “She was hiding out in here,” Finn explained.

  “Was she with the guy who shot me?” asked Minty.

  Finn shook his head before the woman could speak for herself. “She was no friend of his, kid.”

  “We need to go.” Minty tried to sit up, causing Wonder Mutt to hop to the ground, but he ended up yelling and falling back.

  Finn moved forward and put a hand on the kid’s chest. “Take it easy. We’ll stay here tonight and see where we stand in the morning. It might be best if we part ways.”

  Katie moaned. Minty did too.

  Finn put his hands up. “I’m just saying we think things through, okay? You two might be better off staying here than coming with me. The world ain’t getting any better.”

  “You’re not leaving me,” said Minty. “I took a bullet for you.”

  “That’s debatable,” said Finn, and before the kid had chance to say anything else, he put his hand up and silenced him. “We’ll discuss it in the morning. For now, you need to get some rest.”

  Minty sighed.

  Finn turned to Katie and motioned towards the door. She understood and followed him back out into the corridor. She still didn’t trust him—constantly flinching every time he moved—but there was little he could do about it. She would just have to live with her anxiety. It wouldn't be for very long.

  “Tell me about this place,” he told her. “Are there any weapons? Food?”

  She nodded. “Yes, do you want me to show you?”

  “Er... how about yes!”

  Nervously, Katie led him down the corridor and around a corner where she pushed open a door to a cleaning supply cupboard.

  “Well, slap me sideways,” said Finn. “You’ve got a king’s ransom here.”

  The small supply cupboard was filled with tins of food, dried packets, and bottled liquids. Even more surprising was the shelf full of handguns and ammunition. Edward must have cleared the station’s armoury and brought it down where he could get to it quickly.

  “He unlocked it to get a gun before he came out to speak to you,” explained Katie. “H
e’s given me a little to eat in the last few days, but barely enough to live on.”

  Finn nodded to the shelves full of food. “Well, get in there, love. You don’t need my permission.”

  It was obvious the woman did need Finn's permission, because she remained reluctant to go into the room. It was only after several seconds, she realised it truly was okay and started ripping open packets of food. While she was at it, Finn joined her, and together they downed more food than he'd eaten in weeks. Neither of them spoke for several minutes while they gorged, and Finn particularly enjoyed the jar of pickled eggs he found on the bottom shelf. He remembered the ones his ma used to keep in the pantry of their small home back in Belfast.

  Marie had always loved them too.

  The joy of a full tummy disappeared as Finn remembered he had a job to do.

  There was still a man he needed to kill.

  Katie looked at him all of a sudden and the panic returned to her eyes. Perhaps she could sense his thoughts of murder. Perhaps she could sense he was a killer.

  But she also seemed to understand Finn was not the same monster Edward had been.

  At least not yet, Finn thought to himself as he tucked into another bag of crisps.

  8

  EARTH

  The three of them spent the night in the same room because, quite frankly, it was safer that way. Finn packed up the food and put it into a pair of rucksacks he found in the station’s changing rooms. He also moved some of the weapons and all the ammo, along with something precious he'd found in the evidence room. He now lay on his back amongst his haul, listening to Katie and Minty snore. And that bloody dog.

  In fact, Wonder Mutt snored the loudest.

  How had Finn ended up here? On his way to kill a man, but somehow lumbered with a woman and a kid?

  Didn't they realise he couldn't help them? They were doomed.

  During the first weeks of the apocalypse, the United States assured the world it would save mankind. As self-proclaimed guardians of the earth, the Americans almost seemed to feel it was their birthright to be the ones to save the day. So far, only Australia and southern Indonesia had been lost, but the global weather turned unstable due to the massive ecological effects of losing part of the southern hemisphere. Only a single nation of white people was dead—and Australian’s no less—so the panic had not yet fully taken hold. Australia was a nation well-liked, but not one the world couldn’t live without. If they stopped the cataclysm now, it would go down as a tragedy to be mourned once a year. Woe betide the disaster creeping up on the Americas though.

  The grey tide, which scientists surmised was some kind of chemical chain-reaction, spread out concentrically from its point of origin. It started at the OSC facility in the Australian outback and spread out in a perfect circle. Therefore, on the opposite side of the globe, the United Kingdom would be last to go.

  Which was why it still existed in a world without America, China, or even France. All gone, except for England, Wales, and southern Scotland. Ireland existed just over a week ago. Next week, nothing would exist at all. A grey oozing crust would cover the entire world like a seagull soaked in tar.

  No one knew what the alien substance was for sure because it was impossible to collect a sample. Unmanned sea vessels were sent to collect specimens, but as soon as their apparatus touched the stuff it corrupted them and made them part of the growing whole. Only the air itself was immune, which was why helicopters and planes flew overhead and recorded the dreadful event for the world to see.

  Only once America disappeared, did the remnant of humanity abandon their civility and embrace their animal origins. Rape and murder statistics went through the roof. Armed Forces and Police fought wars on every street corner. Iran bombed its neighbours for no discernible reason. Muslims and Christians slaughtered each other on the streets of Jerusalem. A Tunisian sniper assassinated the Pope. The Catholics in Italy expelled the migrants from its shores with extreme prejudice. IRA terrorists set off eleven bombs in Northern Ireland.

  The twelfth had been a dud.

  In fairness to the United Kingdom, things remained civilised for a while longer than other places—perhaps because they had longer to live, but maybe because the population prided itself on its manners. The British government led by example and started accepting mass immigration from those countries in immediate jeopardy. The country filled with Malaysians, Filipinos, and Indians first. Then Africans from the eastern coastline. Eventually, the people of the United Kingdom grew tired of sharing with ill-bred refugees. No more supplies came from overseas, only more mouths to feed. The riots seemed to spark overnight, and when the country awoke, thousands lay dead in the streets—mostly immigrants but also naturalised citizens unfortunate enough to have the wrong characteristics. The slightest hint of an accent or tan became a death sentence. A country that once prided itself on manners and equality turned as xenophobic and bloodthirsty as any nation in history.

  And it was all for nothing.

  The creeping grey death would not stop. No one could escape the tar.

  All men were equal. Truly.

  So why were a woman and child clinging to Finn like he could do them any good? Best thing they could do was end it now, rather than risk the torments of more men like Edward…

  Or Dominic.

  Why wasn’t the fact that Dominic would die with the rest of humanity good enough for Finn? Why did he need to extract what would be a futile revenge?

  “No, I need to go,” Minty mumbled into the darkness. The kid had the bed while Finn and Katie took up the floor on mattresses from the jail cells.

  He kept his voice low but could already see Katie waking up. “What is it, Minty? Are you okay?”

  “No,” Minty shouted. “I said I have to go. Just leave me alone. I…”

  Finn sat up, rubbed his eyes despite not having slept. “Minty, what is it? What—”

  Minty bolted up from his sleep and yelled in terror. The scream trailed off quickly though and the kid ended up sitting there in darkness and panting. Wonder Mutt, also on the bed, licked at his face, but the kid gave no reaction.

  Finn climbed up and went to him. “Minty, it’s okay. You were having a bad dream.”

  Minty turned his head, his face ghostly and his hair wet with sweat. Tears glistened on his cheeks. “I… I was just… Please, help me.” The kid sobbed, holding himself and shaking. The more Finn’s eyes adjusted to the shadows, the more he saw the desperation on the kid's face.

  Finn stood there, not knowing what to do. He flinched when Katie moved up beside him.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart,” Katie told Minty. She moved over and sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled him close and cradled him, rocking him back and forth. “Just a nightmare. That’s all. Everything’s okay.”

  Finn sighed and sat back down on the floor. As he listened to Katie comforting Minty, he realised that she was doing what he should have done. The kid had been terrified, and he had been right there in front of Finn, afraid of the dark and alone.

  Why didn’t I reach out and hold him? What’s wrong with me?

  Does it even matter?

  9

  BLOOD

  Morning broke but you could barely tell. The room remained dark, and only Finn’s body clock caused him to go into the station’s reception area and look outside. The sun was just about visible through the haze of black dust. What remained of the earth’s atmosphere was closing in on them. The oceans no longer existed and had taken the winds with them. The black dust descending from above would blanket the earth. Perhaps they would all choke to death before the grey ooze took them.

  How long until it gets here?

  Am I afraid? I’m not sure I can even tell any more. All I feel is numb. Alone.

  Angry.

  Finn watched the empty road running in front of the station and considered leaving before Katie and Minty awoke. They would be safer without him. They could await the end together with food and warmth. He opened the station's
exit and winced as the odious stench of the world hit him. With his belly fed, it was harder to resist the urge to gag.

  A ragged fox emerged from the bushes along the embankment, probably confused by the lack of sunlight. Day and night lacked the definite distinction they used to hold. When the emaciated creature set eyes upon Finn, it did not shy away. Instead, defiantly, it trotted across the road and headed towards the city centre. Finn remained standing in the open doorway.

  Why wasn’t he leaving?

  It was as if ropes yanked at his back preventing him from stepping forward.

  “Damn it!”

  He turned around and went back inside. In the sick bay, Minty and Katie were stirring. Wonder Mutt had his nose buried in a packet of rice that he hadn't been given by any of them. Finn grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to the kid. “How you feeling?”

  Minty sat up and took the water. He rolled his shoulders and winced. “It hurts, but... I’m better. I think I can get up.”

  Finn nodded.

  “Are you still leaving?” asked Katie.

  “Yes. I have something I need to do.”

  “He’s going to kill someone,” said Minty.

  Katie didn’t seem upset by the statement. Why would she be with all that had happened? Spending the night in his presence without being abused had obviously gained her trust. Yet, Finn felt the need to explain himself. “The man murdered my sister.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Katie. “But why bother going after him? He’ll die soon, anyway.”

  “I made a promise to my ma I would punish the man who took our Marie. He doesn’t deserve a single extra minute of life, so I will end him before death claims the rest of us.”