Don't Look Back (Warders of Earth)

by S. E. GILCHRIST

  No, Tara. You and I are linked and I’m linked separately with Shay.

  Whew. That’s a relief. I certainly didn’t want anyone else privy to my secret fantasies where Alex was concerned. I looked around to find Alex had picked up two containers. Sighing, I crouched down to scoop up a box before hurrying off behind him.

  Further down the street came a low muttering and shuffling feet.

  What the hell is that?

  Shit. Hurry, Tara. Alex broke into a jog.

  I bit down on my protest and did my best to keep pace stumbling over a crack in the pavement. Just when I thought the box would fall from my numb hands, I spotted Alex’s car parked outside the schoolyard.

  My legs shaking like a mousse gone wrong, I tottered to where Shay was bent over the open boot. Alex strode over and took my box and stacked it on top of the others.

  He took my hand and towed me to the passenger side door.

  “Get inside and keep the door locked until we get back.”

  Before I could say anything, he was gone.

  Thank heavens! I ached all over. Huddling down against the leather until my head barely topped the dashboard, I waited out the long minutes until the boys return. We were running out of time. Every so often I popped my head up and scanned both directions of the road, remembering those blood-curdling noises I’d heard. What if it was the infected roaming the streets? What if they attacked Alex?

  One more look.

  I peeked over the dashboard.

  From a blotchy, slack-jawed face, green-filmed burning eyes stared at me. I almost had heart failure.

  OMG!

  An infected!

  Chapter 19 – INFECTED

  Could that dribbling creature really be my boss from the pub, Ray Watson?

  It had to be – the mop of salt and pepper, shoulder-length hair and his sagging pouch of a belly, gave him away. Squishing back up against the seat in an attempt to put as much space as possible between me and the windscreen, I gulped. My gaze flicked round the cabin like an insane dragonfly, then zeroed onto the rifle bolted under the dash.

  If it came down to it, I’d have to put a bullet in my boss.

  I remembered the soldier I’d killed earlier that day. The food I’d eaten earlier rushed up my throat. Blindly, without thinking, I yanked open the door and leaning out, vomited onto the ground. Stomach still heaving, I suddenly realised what I’d done.

  Shit!

  Bare feet shuffled into view.

  Grimy fingers curved around the edge of the car door.

  Shit! Shit! Shit!

  Scrabbling about I somehow twisted my body back inside the car. I yanked on the door handle, desperate to close it. Ill as he was, Ray was surprisingly strong. His other hand wrapped around the top of the window. He wrenched the door backwards.

  I had no choice, I let go.

  The door flung wide.

  Ray lurched back on his bare heels, arms windmilling.

  I bent down, unclipped the rifle.

  A snarl rumbled from Ray’s throat as he regained his balance and rushed toward me.

  No time to release the safety and aim.

  Grabbing the muzzle I slammed the butt down onto the top of Ray’s head. Still coming. He reached for me. Fingers hooked onto my shirt, pulling me forward. His mouth was open. Foam frothed from his mouth.

  Limited by the confined space of the car, I smashed him again on the forehead with the gun.

  And again.

  Blood spurted.

  He was so close, I could see the hairs growing from his nostrils, smell his fetid breath from his gaping mouth. He leaned inside the car, crowding me, forcing me back. My legs were bent under me, my back arched. I couldn’t kick him. On my knees, I attempted to wriggle out of his reach.

  But the gearstick stopped me, trapping me.

  Using the rifle now as a lever to put distance between our two bodies, I wrestled to escape.

  He snapped his teeth.

  Greenish-tinged blood dripped down his face, distorting his features.

  “Tara!” A pale-faced Alex appeared behind Ray.

  Locking an arm around the infected’s throat Alex hauled him out of the car. Ray released his grip on my shirt to claw at Alex’s head.

  Panting, I scrambled from the car, the rifle still in my hands.

  Alex and what used to be my boss, were on the ground, rolling over and over, grunting, pounding into one another. A fight to the death.

  Shay ran up, Glock in hand. His gun wavered as he moved it about to get a bead on the infected. But the men moved too fast.

  Then Alex threw the infected sideways.

  A single shot rang out.

  Ray Watson flopped onto his back, arms outspread.

  The top of his head blown off.

  Shay holstered his Glock and stepping forward extended a hand which Alex gripped and hauled himself upright.

  “We have to move now before someone investigates.” Alex nodded his thanks and swept an arm about me, pushing me back inside the car. “What happened?”

  “I made a mistake,” I mumbled. Tremors shook me from head to toe. “I didn’t think. I was sick.” I was stupid.

  I was grateful when Alex refrained from commenting and merely removed the rifle from my stiff fingers.

  Alex stuffed me into the passenger seat, left my side for a moment only to return and tuck a blanket around my ice-cold body. He cuddled me, pressed a kiss to the top of my head, before snapping on my seat belt.

  I snuggled into the blanket, my teeth chattering. Car doors snicked shut as Alex and Shay slid inside. Alex started the car and we sped down the street. Wandering down the side of the road was a group of five or six infected. They broke into a stumbling run and veered toward the car.

  I shuddered, stifled my instinctive cry, and buried my face in my shaking hands as the car swept around them and passed them by.

  “Are you okay?” asked Alex.

  Raising my head, I met his frown and lied, “I’m fine.” I knew by way he worked his jaw, he didn’t believe me but we both knew this wasn’t the time for blubbering or hugging.

  Stay strong, babe. “We’ve got the medicine. Thanks to you, we’ll be able to save quite a few people.”

  And Marnie…oh, please let us be in time. My voice was a bit wobbly but at least I could still speak. “Where’s Mum and Dan, the others?”

  “You won’t believe it but Shay left them at Crystal’s place. She’s got some bunker thing and has been rounding up people and pets.”

  “I was wrong about her. I always thought she was a stuck up bitch,” I admitted slowly. I was getting my mojo back.

  “She still is,” said Alex. “But she’s got good leadership skills and a strong sense of community.”

  To the east along the horizon, a faint leavening of the darkness heralded the rising moon. I leaned forward, craned my neck and looked up at the sky where faint trails of bright light revealed another shower of so-called ‘meteorites’ heading towards Earth.

  I threw off the blanket. “After we deliver these boxes, we have to leave. I need to make contact before this second wave enters our atmosphere.”

  “Yeah, you do.” Alex spared me a quick glance. He nodded, a tiny smile curving his lips like he was proud of me before turning his attention back to the road. “The aliens will be close behind their seeders. It won’t be long before they take out our satellites and radio transmitting stations. Once we’re unable to communicate with our armed forces we’ll be plunged into chaos. We’ll be easy pickings.”

  We turned into another street.

  The houses here were set on large allotments, usually with pristine gardens and sweeping driveways. Now, lawns were littered with debris from the storm, papers and discarded clothes. Alex pulled up in front of a massive, white two-storied mansion with a pillared portico protecting the front entrance.

  Crystal stepped into view from the shine of the car’s headlights and when Alex lowered the window, she motioned her hand to the
side. “Drive around the back and straight into the garage.”

  Alex said ‘cheers’ and set the car into gear.

  No sooner had the car passed inside, then the roller door closed behind us with a loud clang. Light flooded the room.

  Crystal’s coupe, a confiscated army jeep, Nic’s ute and the mayor’s silver Mercedes filled the space.

  I straightened and wrestled with my seatbelt which had become stuck.

  My car door opened and there stood Crystal looking like a stranger in black cargo pants, a buttoned up grey shirt and low-heeled boots. Her hair was pulled back from her unsmiling face into a tight ponytail.

  “Are you going to get out or sit there all day?”

  She may have undergone a transformation in her manner of dress but underneath, Crystal was still Crystal. Nice to know some things never change!

  “This way.” With a snap of her fingers, she stalked off and out a side door.

  “Come on. Let’s hustle.” Alex released the boot and swung out of the car.

  I joined Shay and Alex and had a box placed into my arms. The guys carried two containers each as we hurried from the garage into a small room where another door hung open revealing a steep flight of well-lit stairs.

  Down we tramped and by the time, I reached the bottom, I could have burst into tears, my arms were burning with the pain from my muscles. But I couldn’t stop. I had to get the antidote to Marnie. I staggered through another doorway that opened out into a massive room built from reinforced concrete. At the far end a large group of people were gathered around a rectangle table, conversing. As I struggled down the long length of the bunker, my wide-eyed gaze swivelled from side to side taking it all in; this was some bunker.

  At various intervals, metal doors indicated even more rooms lay beyond. Open storage racks lined both sides and appeared to be well-stocked with boxes of non-perishable foodstuffs, even medicines and stacks of bottled water. Neat towers of plastic chairs were positioned along the right-hand side. I even saw boxes clearly labelled cat dry food and dog dry food.

  Amazing. Crystal had thought of everything. Who would have thought? It looked as if she had sufficient supplies down here to last months if necessary.

  “Oh Tara, thank heavens.” And there was Mum, rushing toward me, a big relieved smile on her face.

  “Where’s Marnie?”

  “She isn’t looking well, Tara. She’s resting in a small room by herself. On her insistence.”

  Nic hurried forward. His face asked the question he couldn’t speak.

  I nodded. “We’ve got it.”

  He placed his hand over his eyes and stumbled away to lean against the wall.

  “You took too many risks.” Garroway rocked back on his heels and considered me through slitted eyes as I wavered to a halt, wondering when on earth someone would take this bloody box off my hands.

  Then Alex plucked the container from my shaking arms and placed it on the ground. He opened it and withdrew a red stickered vial and a syringe.

  “Let me do this, Alex.” Mum took the antidote from his hand. “I’m quite familiar with giving people injections.”

  I followed Mum into the room which looked little bigger than a broom closet. Marnie was huddled in the corner, shivering. She raised her eyes when we entered and I bit back my gasp as I took in her bloodshot eyes and the stark white of her face.

  “It’s going to be okay, Marnie.” I crouched beside her and patted her leg. “We’ve brought a whole pile of vaccines and antidotes.”

  Mum pushed back the blanket covering my friend and competently administered the dose.

  “Thanks.” Marnie’s voice was hoarse and her smile more of a grimace.

  Refusing to allow my tears to fall, I sat with her and Mum while we waited to see if the antidote would work. Mum placed her arm around my shoulders and rubbed one of my stiff arms with gentle fingers. I fought hard not to lose it. But that was nothing compared to the battle Marnie had to fight.

  “You’re exhausted, you need to rest, honey,” she whispered before pressing a soft kiss on my cheek.

  “I can’t Mum. There isn’t time.” I picked up the plastic bottle near Marnie and unscrewed the lid before placing it gently against her cracked lips.

  Marnie took a few swallows.

  “I’m just going outside for a few minutes, Marnie. I’ll send your dad in.”

  She shook her head.

  “Listen, don’t worry. We have the vaccines now, remember? Mum will vaccinate him before he comes in.”

  “Alright.” She gave a weary smile.

  I led Mum outside where Nic waited near the door.

  “How is she?”

  Mum said, “She’s a fighter, Nic. All we can do now is wait.”

  “I want to be with her.”

  “Mum, vaccinate yourself first then Nic. Can you start on the others? How many people do we have here? We need to record every vaccination so we don’t miss anyone.”

  “I’ve got it all under control, Tara,” said Crystal coolly as materialised and waggled a clipboard under my nose.

  Mum took Nic by the arm and walked to a table where Alex had set one of the boxes. Crystal and I joined them.

  “Good.” I looked around, spotting my brother and Em sitting on camp chairs close by. A cat carrier sat on the ground next to them. My gaze lingered when they looked up and smiled, then swept over the people next to them. “Is everyone here?”

  “Yes.” Garroway placed a hand on an unopened container. “Since we have the vaccinations, we may as well use them. Alex, ensure our group receives the first batch.”

  “Yes, Sir. I’ll round them up.” Alex walked off.

  About to follow, I was halted by Garroway digging his fingers into my wrist.

  Hard. What was his problem?

  He leaned down. “If you’ve lost us this one chance, you won’t have to worry about the Mundos Novus forces. I’ll kill you myself.”

  And as if contact with me had contaminated him, he flicked my hand aside, his expression twisting into disgust.

  ***

  An hour went by which I spent in a daze slumped against the wall while everyone in the bunker was vaccinated. Pain splintered like lightning strikes inside my brain, one after the other. My entire body throbbed. What I wouldn’t give to lie down and sleep for a century.

  But rest was not an option.

  Not for me.

  There was no time. I had to make contact. But how? Where? Biting my lip my blurry vision took in the faces of everyone I loved so much it hurt.

  It was time for me to leave.

  Me and Alex, that was.

  As if I’d called his name, he was there, before me.

  “Ready?” He rubbed his thumb in tiny circles on my temple, his worried eyes examining me.

  A little of the pain eased even as bile formed into a ball in the pit of my belly. I knew what he was asking. My nails dug sharply into my palms when a wild rush of panic temporarily blinded me.

  Faces of everyone I loved flashed through my mind. Images of the places where I’d lived while on the run unfolded like a power point presentation of the wonders of Earth then stopped on a vision of my vegetable garden. Closing my eyes, I could almost smell the rich scent of freshly dug earth, the tang of horse manure, hear the contented clucking of hens, the cackle of the kookaburra that lived in the tallest gum tree just outside our fence, feel the life-giving beat of heat from the sun on my skin.

  My fate lay elsewhere. Not here. Not where I belonged. If I could save my family, my friends, my people, the land that I loved so much by facing some hideous alien, than nothing, nothing was going to stand in my way.

  Opening my eyes to meet Alex’s intent gaze, I nodded. “I’m ready.”

  And just like that, my migraine vanished, the sickness clogging my throat settled. A sense of peace settled in my heart. “I can do this. Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone down.”

  Alex released a noisy breath, stood taller, his shoulders a rigid str
aight line. “I’ll be with you.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled into his face, recognising the vow in his deep voice. I looked up to see my family and friends watching us.

  Dan swung his backpack to and fro in one hand and winked.

  “No way.” I held my hands up.

  “I’m coming with you, Sis.”

  I ruffled his hair one last time. “No, you have to be my back-up plan. You know that don’t you?”

  “I guess.” Dan snivelled and looked away. Wiping his nose with the back of his hand, he mumbled, “Will I see you again?”

  “I don’t know.” Did that confident, calm voice really belong to me? “Be safe, be strong. I love you little brother.”

  “Right back at you, Sis.” We hugged.

  And my heart broke all over again.

  Nic, with his arm around Marnie, came out of the broom closet. Relief had me clutching at Alex to say upright. Slowly, they crossed to my side.

  “It’s working. I can feel it.” Marnie grinned.

  Her eyes were clear and colour had returned to her face. “I’m going to make it, Tara. Thank you. Now, I can go and find my little girl.”

  I thought Marnie’s smile the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

  “Grazie, Tara, grazie.” Nic kissed my cheek.

  I frowned. “I guess I can’t talk you into staying here where it’s safe.”

  “I feel my daughter needs me, Tara. Dan found an address. Nonna will stay here and do what she can to help but Nic and I are leaving too.”

  Em joined us.

  “You’re not leaving too?” I said.

  “Don’t worry. I have no intention of facing whatever’s out there.” Em jerked her thumb towards the ceiling, rolling her eyes. “I’ll do my best to look out for your Mum and Dan, Tara. You just...” She blinked mistily. “You just come back to us. Okay?”

  “I’ll try.” Opening my arms wide, I embraced my friends in a group hug.

  Stepping away, I brushed the tears from my cheeks then found Mum beside me. I fell into her arms. Words rushed to my throat and were lost in the well of grief constricting my chest. I rather thought Mum had the same problem for she seemed unable to speak. Merely held me tight as if she never wanted to let me go.

  The feeling was mutual.