Clifton Falls

by L A Taylor

  Mike grimaced. “I haven’t forgotten.”

  The chief opened the front door, entering the outside. The Siamese-twin like reporter closely followed, but Chris would eventually piss Mike off if he didn’t unglue himself and keep a safe distance.

  Both bodies rushed outside as Mike frustratingly sent out crazy hand signals, indicating that he wanted the smaller man to get his arse into the passenger seat of the police car.

  It seemed extremely hectic in and around the hospital when they arrived. Mike watched busy reporters scrutinizing the area. It was a clear sign that something big had taken place. Chris joined the other reporters to pick up the latest news, as Mike rushed around to find out where he was needed. He wasn’t sure where he should be going so followed the crowd of important doctors and city snoops. Chris gathered up the appropriate information before rushing off to catch up with him.

  They followed the path leading to the door of the recent catastrophes, but once there were stopped in their tracks by one of the hospital workers. “I’m sorry, but he won’t be able to go past this point.”

  Mike and Chris appeared a bit baffled by those words.

  “Why?” Mike snapped.

  “I’ve been told from higher sources within the hospital not to let press in to snoop around.”

  “Really,” Mike said. He didn’t need this at the moment. He was still hung over and stressed because of it. “This particular member of the press is with me and is helping the police.” Mike waved an index finger in the person’s face. “Have you got that?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” The worker seemed embarrassed, so moved away so they could enter.

  Chris grinned as they walked passed. “Bloody hell, man, you definitely told him.”

  Mike still wasn’t sure that he was doing the right thing by letting Chris hang around him, but they were here now so was prepared to see what the day had in store for them.

  “You’d better not let me down. I want to see everything that you write and I don’t want you speaking to the public without me being there. Is that understood?”

  Chris tried to be serious and was anxious to be kept in the loop. “All right, calm down, mate. I’m helping you out. I’m not going to let you down.”

  If only Mike could believe it. “Okay, shall we go and see what’s up?” he said, producing a tiny smile toward the trying man.

  They moved on down the corridor, seeing busy people walking by as they neared the lift. They entered it, moved down to the next level before walking along the hallway leading to the recent shootings. Once there, witnessed three, chalked out figure outlines on the ground.

  Wayne stepped out of the morgue room to meet up with Mike.

  “All right, chief, we’ve had a busy night.”

  Mike lost his concentration for a moment and stared at a part of the other man’s body. “What the fuck’s happened to your arm?”

  “Jason shot me by accident, but I’ve had the bullet removed.” Mike was tired and all he heard was that Jason had shot an officer. He wasn’t one of the chief’s favourite employees and had been in trouble more times than any other constable, so Mike was likely to use this opportunity to rid the force of this unreliable member of staff. The cheeky hospital worker had almost pissed the chief off, but this was too much for him to take, especially when feeling the after effects of the alcohol. “Where’s the little shit? I should never have given him a weapon. He’s a fucking lunatic,” Mike shouted.

  Wayne needed to rectify his last sentence before Mike blew his top completely.

  “Calm down. It really wasn’t his fault.”

  He filled Mike in with the recent events of the last few hours, including how he’d been shot. Mike now turned a touch red in colour. If only he’d waited for the full story before losing it.

  “Is he okay?” Mike asked. His voice now calm again.

  Wayne began discussing Jason’s health, including the news that he’d been bitten.

  “Do you think he’ll be infected?” Mike asked.

  “All I know is that everyone else who was bitten had chunks taken out of them, but he has nothing but a flesh wound.”

  Chris was listening intently, not understanding all of it, but happy to be there and be able to jot down what’s being said. Wayne watched him and was puzzled by his presence.

  “What’s going on? Why’s this sleaze bag here? And why’s he writing stuff down?”

  Mike stepped in before Wayne stopped asking questions and instead, lashed out at the little guy.

  “He’s here to help us. I know we don’t get on with his sort but we need someone on the inside. He’s good at his job and can help by doing what he gets paid for.” Mike walked a little, pausing before finishing the sentence. “He can communicate with the public better than we can.”

  “I thought we weren’t going to tell the public anything?”

  “Well I think it’s a bit too late for that, don’t you? People in this hospital already know something isn’t right, and I’m sure other people know a bit about what’s been going on around here.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you’re right, again,” replied Wayne.

  After the most important issues were dealt with and Chris had written down as much as he could, Wayne moved the conversation toward the morgue room. The men made their way inside the specified area. The door closed behind them to stop any unwanted visitors peering in.

  Important members of the hospital career ladder gathered around a table, discussing what to do with the thing lying on the oblong, sturdy shape. Mike, Wayne and Chris blended themselves in amongst the pack of over qualified, health care people. They stared at a shape that appeared to be in human form, but it was so deformed in appearance that no one could make out its identity. Parts of its anatomy were missing. The right cheek had a massive hole in it and everyone could see teeth through the shredded skin, plus, the stomach had been removed, leaving the being pretty much weightless. Staff members had captured it and had strapped it down earlier that morning. Now it was attracting the attention of higher mortals. Mike was the only member of the room who wasn’t gawping at the freaky sight, as he was there to do his job.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt this cosy gathering, but can someone please tell me what the hell’s going on?”

  Out of the crowd appeared an old looking thin chap in a doctor’s uniform. He’d been asked to attend this important gathering.

  Maybe he was the man to explain why the dead kept coming back to destroy the living? Mike thought.

  “Maybe I can assist you on the matter in hand. My name is Victor Thompson, and I’m a surgeon from the city hospital. I’ve been asked to attend and comment on what we have in front of us.”

  Mike wasn’t impressed to find out that a snotty man from the city had known about this. He could spread the truth to the outside, and his job as the chief inspector was surely doomed if this happened.

  “I don’t know why you’re here? I’ve got the situation covered.” Victor sensed the hostility from the chief. “I don’t need you people coming to my town and telling me how to do my job.” Mike had no choice but to take a small pause before becoming a steaming kettle again. His worry was that the news had spread and a replacement chief was on their way to kick him out of the force. “My men and I are dealing with this.”

  The old surgeon stepped in, explaining the situation more thoroughly. He didn’t want there being an issue developing between the two of them and his intentions weren’t to upset the chief. “I think you’ve misunderstood me. I’m here only as an advisor.” Victor talked in the way a teacher would educate a class of children. “If you’re worried that others from the city are coming then I can assure you that this is all confidential.”

  He explained that he’d received an urgent call from Hazel, she needed help, and he wasn’t going to turn down an offer on finding a cure for this crazy outbreak. Mike should’ve known that Hazel would freak out. It was only natural for her to bring in people she could trust, so he mell
owed.

  It’s best to work with the other members of the room if I want to get to the bottom of this, he thought.

  “I apologize for my outburst. You just startled me by being here.” Mike produced a shy grin. “So, have you found an answer for us about the thing on the table?”

  This conversation developed into a battle of who knew more. Mike had his theories, but wasn’t convinced that the other man had the answer in the bag. Victor showed signs of pure puzzlement, but did he possess anything that would become useful?

  Mike and the others watched closely as Victor lowered his left hand over the mouth of the creature.

  “Watch, as the thing concentrates solely onto my hand. It has no inners and should be very much dead, but somehow isn’t.”

  “We know that, but we need to know why?” said the chief.

  Suddenly, without warning, the creature’s teeth snapped at thin air. This movement made the crowd jump back. Victor removed his hand away from the danger area before continuing the lesson. “The brain is a wonderful tool and without it we’ll all be dead. It’s the brain that’s giving this monster the order to feed, maybe that’s all it’s giving.” The surgeon pointed at the chattering monstrosity as he spoke. “We have to find out why it needs to feed and control it.” He now acted like a kid in a toyshop and it didn’t impress Mike. “I have to say, I’m seriously fascinated by this find.”

  Wayne sensed that his chief was on the verge of another major shouting match, but managed to calm him down. If the last of the zombies had been more mobile then Mike would’ve pulled out his gun, shoving it in the beast’s mouth for sure.

  Let’s see how fascinated you’d be if I blew the fucker’s face off, Mike thought.

  After a few seconds of eye stabbing glares, Mike asked questions on what would happen to the zombie and where was it found? When the answers were heard and Victor had showed him the nametag, Mike realized that the remains were of Colin. Wayne was shocked when he heard that the man on the table had lost his life in the morgue. It was still a mystery about what would happen to the zombie, but Victor made it clear that he was going to examine it further before destroying it.

  Wayne had been in deep conversation with the surgeon long before Mike entered hospital grounds, and had explained the deaths. He’d also told Victor about how he’d managed to kill the un-dead.

  Victor murmured to himself, walking around the room as he tried to put the pieces together of the past events.

  “The walking dead have been invading this town since yesterday, so something must’ve occurred recently to account for them.” Wayne nodded, as this was obviously true. “In the space of one day we’ve had a number of murders all linked with the same symptoms, so there could be a strain of virus that I’ve never heard of being spread through this town.” He rubbed his brow and then said. “You do know that if we don’t find the answer soon then we could all die.” Everyone skipped a heartbeat after hearing those dreadful words, but he was right and they knew that. “Have you guys given a blood sample yet?” Victor asked the officers.

  “I gave my sample to Hazel last night,” replied Wayne.

  Victor raised his eyebrows and looked at Mike.

  “I’ll give one before I leave here today,” said the chief.

  “And don’t forget to make sure that all the other people involved with these creatures provide a sample.”

  “I won’t.” Mike replied.

  Chris wrote the gory details down. He did the right thing and kept out the way so couldn’t be criticised for anything.

  Mike needed to carry on with his own investigations and so had no choice but to let the mad Frankenstein-like man do his. He made his excuses and left the room, closely followed by his crew.

  Chris’ notepad was filled with useful information. All he had to do now was turn the notes into something readable and believable for the townsfolk.

  Wayne was the first to abandon the chief. Mike needed to get that test done and so the sergeant returned to work.

  Some of the reporters followed Mike and Chris from the hospital around twenty minutes later. Chris apologised to the chief and went over to give them hope of a story, but Mike needed to get away from the hospital before it totally depressed him and so hurried the reporter along.

  “Is everything sorted out with your buddies?” he asked, as Chris returned.

  “Trust me, Mike, I’ve got a few stories up my sleeve to keep them happy.” Chris produced a slight chuckle. “Don’t be surprised to read some garbage that’s way off the mark but effective none the less.”

  “I’m not really interested. It’s your call what you say to them, but it’s also my call to give you grief if they end up writing something resembling the truth. Have you got that?”

  Chris stopped his little sniggering act. Mike still didn’t trust him after the interview stunt and he was a long way off from closing the gap between being a scum leech reporter to being a trusted member of the good guy society.

  “Calm down, Mike. I told you I wasn’t going to let you down on this, and I meant it. I’ll leave you to do your thing if you just leave me to do mine.”

  “You’d better not let me down. If you do, then I’ll place your head and hands inside a pillory and equip my staff with mouldy fruit and vegetables to throw at you. This’ll leave your face looking as rotten as the day I first clapped eyes on you. A rotten face for a rotten man should be perfect.”

  This wasn’t the speech Chris had hoped to receive from the chief. He now felt worried. He tried to lighten the mood as he sat beside Mike upon entering the car again.

  “You haven’t got a pillory, have you?”

  Mike burst into a fit of laughter. He couldn’t remain serious with Chris for very long. “No, I haven’t, but if I did you’d be in it.”

  “Okay, point taken. I know what I’m doing though.”

  “Good.”

  The car left the car park and headed for the next destination point.

  TWENTY

  A major bulletin was flashed on all television channels as news spread about the recent corpses. Chris was announcing it to the townsfolk. He had notes to guide him, but knew he needed to stay with the version mentioned on air the night before. “It’s thought that a strange virus is to blame for a number of mysterious deaths recently. These deaths are now being investigated by the health authorities. People should remain indoors while the matter is being inspected. Those who’ve been in close contact with any of the deceased should visit the hospital for an emergency blood test.” That was the final speech and Chris seemed pleased with how it went.

  Blake’s stalking of the police station had come to a halt. He now sat at home, pondering over what the newsreader said. Karen noticed that he’d become very quiet. “Are you okay love?” she asked.

  He turned away from the screen, frowning at her.

  “I’m fine, but there’s something weird about what the guy’s saying.”

  “What do you mean weird?”

  “Vincent and Mary were the first to be caught up in this mystery virus so why did the police tell us something else the first time we asked?”

  “I thought that officer spoke to you about it at the station?”

  “He did.” Blake paused. “But the story changed from an electrical failure to them both collapsing after a game of twister.”

  Karen frowned. “I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

  “I think their deaths are connected to this virus, but I’m not sure how.”

  “Let’s not think about it now; it’s too upsetting,” she replied, as a tear slid down her face.

  “I’m sorry to upset you, but something’s not quite right.” Blake stood up. “Remember the fertilizer that I received the other day?” “Of course I do.”

  “I sold one to Vincent and now he’s dead.”

  Karen hugged him. “Don’t even think about accusing yourself, Blake. This had nothing to do with you.”

  “I don’t know what’s in the stuff. I
t’s an experimental drug. I was in charge of it and I let him try one out.”

  “Your staff would’ve come to the same fate if it was the fertilizer?”

  Blake hadn’t thought of that. He now felt a bit better, but couldn’t let this conversation drop. He knew Karen talked sense, but something burned in the depths of his stomach and he needed to do something to make this feeling go away.

  “You’re right, but I need to report it to the police for my own piece of mind. If it’s not important to them then I won’t mention the subject ever again. You have my word.”

  He picked up the phone and was soon speaking to Susan. She didn’t understand why the fertilizer should be so important so told Blake to hold the line while she transferred the call to the chief. “Good afternoon, this is the chief inspector speaking. What seems to be the problem?”

  Blake knew he had to get this off his chest and now.

  “I’ve got some information which might be of use to you. It’s about the deaths of Mr and Mrs Smythe.”

  “What about the deaths?”

  Mike knew Blake had been at the station looking for him last night so remained calm, not wanting to scare the other man away.

  “I’ve a good idea what the source behind the deaths might’ve been.”

  This information was going nowhere fast. Mike wanted to know more about the zombies, but Blake seemed to be talking about fertilizer. He couldn’t see the connection. He listened while Blake explained that Vincent took one of the sacks and how he wasn’t sure about the safety of the ingredients. “Let me stop you there, Blake. Are you trying to tell me that the fertilizer killed him?” asked the chief.

  “I don’t know. I know it sounds too farfetched but the truth is, he had the fertilizer and now he’s dead.”

  Mike wasn’t impressed to finally hear the outcome of the conversation. Of all the theories that could’ve been said, the fertilizer theory just didn’t wash with him.

  “Okay, Blake. Thank you for that useful information. If I need to speak to you about it again then I’ll get in touch. Bye.”