Animal Kingdom

by Iain Rob Wright

  “Ways?”

  “Yes! This Irishman told me that God can destroy us on a whim. He flooded the Earth once and now he is completing what he began back then.”

  Bill laughed. “You’re talking about Noah and his ark?”

  “No, I am talking about what is happening now. We’re being wiped out. By God and his vengeance. Our sin has become too much for Him to tolerate any longer. He has unleashed a plague of beasts upon the Earth.”

  Joe wanted to argue. The woman was so full of bile that it would be nice just to shut her up. For some reason though, he couldn’t find the words to disagree. God was as good a reason as any for all of this. Joe did have one question however: “Who was this Irishman. Did he have a name?”

  Shirley looked at Joe and seemed to hear something other than her own voice for the first time. “Not one that he gave me. He was a traveller. At first I thought he was just a drunken rogue, but he knew things – everything – about me. Things no one could ever know. He told me that once he was an angel, but now lives amongst humans. I learned about Heaven and Hell from this man. He showed me.”

  “And why did this ex-angel decide to share all of this knowledge with you?”

  “Because he needed beer money.”

  Bill and Joe laughed in unison. Joe had to stifle himself to keep from waking up Danny. “Beer money? Okay, Shirley, wherever you’re keeping the wacky-backy, let us in on it.”

  Shirley’s face contorted in crags of anger. “Fools,” she spat. “If you choose not to heed my warnings then on your head be it.”

  “What warnings?” Bill asked. “All you’ve done is spout fairy tales.”

  “My warning is this: get your affairs in order, people, because we’ll all be in Hell soon – and some of us deserve worse than others.”

  Shirley stomped away and Joe shook his head in disbelief. “That woman is a Grade A wacko!”

  “Tell me about it,” said Bill. “You think she was delusional before everything happened, or if it was this shit that made her crazy?”

  “She was probably already losing the cheese off her cracker and this just helped her along.”

  “Still, makes you wonder if any of what she said is true.”

  Joe stared at Bill. “You mean about God punishing us all and that we’re all going to go to Hell? It’s insane.”

  Bill nodded. “It is insane, but then so is all of the animals turning on us.”

  “You’re right,” said Joe. “Maybe we are all going to Hell.”

  Or perhaps we’re already there.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  It was almost time, Randall decided. The sun was rising and it would not be long before it was fully light. Everyone else was still asleep, but Randall was wide awake, staring out of the seminar room window and surveying what would soon be his battlefield. The orange light of dawn, cast over everything, gave the landscape an ethereal glow, like consecrated ground due to be made holy. To be blessed with the sacred blood of battle.

  Victor no doubt had more tactical knowledge than he did, but the man was not a leader. Randall would be the one to organise and lead the group. Under his order, they would doubtlessly succeed. They would regain order from this mad world. And they would thank him for it.

  Thank me for the glory of battle.

  Randall looked outside at the enemy’s army. It had grown to contain an all manner of species, many of which he still could not name (despite his recent research). He theorised that the animals that escaped first had set about freeing the others, liberating the entire zoo. Randall estimated at least five hundred animals were now amassed outside. Standing amongst them was one giant creature that towered above all else: a silverback gorilla.

  My counterpart. The Napoleon to my Nelson.

  Randall went over to a collection of nearby desks. Victor had stacked them full of projectiles in order of priority. The gas bombs were to be used first to create disarray in the ranks and to force them into another attack. Then the PC monitors and other assorted heavy objects would be used as ballast to deter any animals that tried to scale the building’s walls. Acid bombs would be used to attack anything that managed to get inside. After that, it would be hand to hand combat.

  Hopefully it won’t reach a skirmish. We don’t have the numbers for it.

  Randall turned around and saw that Victor was awake, lying beneath his table and staring at him suspiciously. He nodded. “Morning, Victor.”

  Victor smirked. “Seems like I find you wandering around on your own quite a lot, pal.”

  “I just like to keep on top of things. Someone has to.”

  “Aye, and that someone is you, is it?”

  Randall lifted his head high, eyeballs pointed downwards. “Unless there’s someone else that wants the job.”

  Victor sniffed back a nose full of phlegm and swallowed it. “Not that I can see.”

  “So I have your support?”

  Victor remained quiet for a moment. Then: “Aye, for now.”

  “Wonderful,” said Randall, clapping his hands together. “Then I can rely on you to help me lead the assault.

  Victor laughed. “No way I’m gonna miss out on all the fun. We need to be ready soon.”

  “Agreed. Could you be so kind as to wake everyone in thirty minutes? We’ll commence the attack in ninety. They will not take this building from us.”

  “Roger that,” said Victor.

  Randall left the other man to it. There was something he wanted to check on first. If he was about to lead an attack then he wanted all facts at his disposal. He left the room and crossed the corridor outside, entering what he now thought of as his office (despite the name on the door). Inside, he unlocked the filing cabinet and finished off the pack of biscuits he’d started the day before. Then he switched on his Blackberry.

 

  RE: Emergency Communication

  This is a Government message to all cellular devices. Emergency Rescue Operations are firmly established at the following locations: Aberdeen, Exeter, Leicester, Nottingham, Oxford, Taunton, Warwick. If you are able, head to the town/city centre of these areas. Help will be forthcoming. Your safety is assured in these areas. Avoid contact with all animals.

  Randall studied the message and considered its meaning. Several of the earlier locations had been omitted – perhaps abandoned – but the remaining ones were now being described as ‘firmly established.’ To Randall, it showed that there was still hope for survival.

  But he wasn’t about to trust his future in the hands of the Government. He now had clear proof that a battle against the animals could be won, so he would win today’s battle and secure everyone’s future at the zoo. Then other survivors could join him. He would restart society right here – a new and improved society under his own shrewd leadership. Randall turned off the phone and locked it back inside the cabinet.

  It was then that he felt the tremors.

  “What the hell is that?”

  He hurried back into the corridor and re-entered the seminar room just as another tremor hit. Everyone inside the room had woken up now – with the exception of Grace who was still unconscious – and looked as confused as he was. Joe stood in front of him, holding his little boy in his gigantic arms. Randall asked him for information.

  “I don’t know,” said Joe. “It’s like an earthquake or something.”

  Randall shook his head. “No. Something is hitting the building.”

  Victor was already at the window, pulling away some of the barricade to see through the glass, which had begun to split. Randall moved up beside him and looked too. He could not believe it.

  This is not good. We’ve been caught napping.

  “What is it?” asked Joe, hurrying up to them.

  “Elephants,” Randall told him. “Elephants, Rhinos, and I think a hippopotamus.”

  Another tremor hit the building as an African Elephant crashed its thick torso against the building, the sound of splintering brickwork and shattering glass
accompanying the impact.

  “What do we do?” asked Joe, watching a beetle scurry out from a widening crack in the wall.

  “We do what we planned,” Randall replied. “We strike back.”

  Victor turned from the window and started to shout. “Okay, soldiers. Get to your battle stations. Joe, you and me are up front with the fire bombs. Make sure you spread your hits to maximise bombardment area. Everyone else, get armed and ready to drop the monitors on anything that gets too close. Remember, everyone, the silverback is a priority target.”

  Randall stood back and watched everyone assemble. This would be his moment of glory. Years of boardroom success would not compare to this victory. This moment was going to define the rest of his life.

  “Okay, everyone,” he shouted. “Let them have it.”

  Joe and Victor threw the first round of firebombs.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Joe watched the firebomb arc through the air, flames flickering majestically in the wind. It hit a pair of growling cheetahs and their pelts went up in a burst of heat that Joe could feel on his face even from the second floor window. In seconds, the flesh of the floundering big cats bubbled and blistered before sloughing off in thick sheets of spitting meat. The odour of singed fur filled the air.

  Joe watched them retreat in agony, before turning to Victor. “It’s working.”

  “Aye, but don’t start celebrating yet.”

  He’s right, Joe thought. That was nothing but a pinprick in the ocean. Joe picked up another firebomb just as one of the elephants hit the building again. The entire floor rocked and he almost dropped the weapon at his feet.

  Victor shouted out so everyone could hear. “Defend the walls!”

  Bill, Shirley, and Mason rushed forward, clutching PC monitors in their hands. They hoisted them through the open windows and let them go. Two of the monitors hit the elephant, breaking into smithereens against its thick head.

  It did nothing.

  The elephant trumpeted in fury and then resumed its onslaught on the base of the building. The floor shook again, plaster flakes showering from the ceiling, and Joe actually had to fight to keep his balance. “They’re gonna bring the whole place down.”

  “Throw another firebomb,” Bill shouted.

  “No,” Victor hollered. “It’s too close. We can’t risk setting fire to the building.”

  Joe had an idea. He went and grabbed a flask of acid from the weapons table. I hope this works. He headed back to the window and moved the others out of the way. “Everyone, stand back.”

  The elephant was still rushing the building, stepping back before lunging at the brickwork again and again. Joe leant out of the window and held out the flask. The liquid fell as he tipped the beaker sideways. The acid doused the elephant’s thick, round ears and bulbous head, but seemed to have no effect. Joe watched in anticipation as time stretched on. Just when he was certain his plan had failed, a wisp of smoke began to form. The elephant flinched, rearing up on its hind legs and thrashing its head about. It let out an agonised screech and then turned tail and fled the battlefield, trampling several smaller animals in the process.

  Victor came up and patted Joe on the back. “Good work.”

  Joe didn’t have time to accept the compliment, the animal army outside was riled and starting to attack in force. The silverback came to the fore and beat at his chest. The ape’s snarling cries sounded almost human in their fury, and Joe was sure that it was staring him directly in the eye.

  Like he’s about to swear revenge on me for what I just did.

  “The silverback,” said Victor. “Just the bugger we want. Get yourself armed, Joe.”

  Joe grabbed another firebomb. Victor already had one. Together they lit the makeshift fuses and prepared to throw.

  “After three,” said Victor. “One…two…three!”

  The two men threw the firebombs in unison. They sailed through the air, both aimed at the silverback gorilla. The towering ape stared back at them, smouldering malice dripping from his eyes like molten hatred.

  Victor’s firebomb went wide and hit the ground in front of a pack of Llamas. Joe’s was closer to the mark and was heading right for the silverback’s face. But before it hit, the gorilla swiped a long, muscled arm and hit the projectile out of the sky.

  A fireball exploded.

  The silverback turned away, covering its giant head with an arm. The liquid fire crackled for a few moments, releasing thick plumes of black smoke. The gorilla turned back to face the building and Joe saw that the firebomb had been a partial hit. One side of the silverback’s face was a melted mess. It reminded Joe of that famous painting - The Screamer?

  Victor punched at the air. “We got the bastard.”

  “Just about,” Joe said. “I think he’s pulling back.”

  Sure enough, the silverback grunted at the other animals and the whole army was beginning to turn away. Retreating.

  Bill ran up to the window and looked outside. “We did it. They’re going away. They’ve had enough.”

  Everyone in the room cheered. Danny came running up to Joe and hugged him around the waist. “You did it, Dad! You opened up a can of whoop ass on them.”

  Joe sniggered. “I sure did, son. I told you I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt you.”

  Danny hugged him again then ran off to look out of the window.

  “Hey, you be careful. Any of those animals start coming back and you move away from that there, you hear?”

  Bill placed a hand on Joe’s back. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

  “Thanks.” Joe found the nearest chair and plonked himself down. He hadn’t realised it, but he was breathing in great, heaving gasps. Excitement coursed through his veins.

  What just happened? I’m not sure, but I think I just firebombed a gorilla. That’s definitely not something I had on my list of ambitions. Joe saw Randall making a beeline for him and nodded to the man.

  “You okay, Joe? You don’t look too well.”

  “Just trying to come to terms with the fact that I just fought in a war against a silverback gorilla and its animal army.”

  “It certainly is an unusual turn of events. Not what I was expecting the day I walked into this zoo for a simple business meeting.”

  Joe smiled. “So, you really paid for this building?”

  Randall nodded. “Well, a consortium did which I was part of. It’s good business practise to spend a certain amount of profits on community projects – and everyone loves animals.”

  Joe laughed. “Ha! I think that may have changed.”

  Randall laughed too. “I think you’re probably right, my friend. Still, we’ll ride this whole thing out. We can settle here, rebuild.”

  Joe frowned. “You think? Maybe we can find help outside.”

  “No,” Randall almost shouted the word. “There’s no chance. We’re the lucky ones. Can you imagine what it’s like elsewhere? How many homes have pets? Dogs, cats, hamsters, all turning on their owners. I think we are on our own, and our only chance is to dig in here.”

  “Okay,” said Joe. “Perhaps you’re right. It wouldn’t hurt to hope though. We have no idea what everywhere else is like.”

  “You saw the news in the staff room when all this started. It took everyone by surprise.”

  “Fine,” said Joe. “I don’t want to argue. You’re probably right anyway.”

  “I usually am,” said Randall smugly. “Don’t worry though. I will get us all through this.”

  Randall walked away, and Joe pondered the man’s words. You’ll get us through this? Who put you in charge of everybody’s welfare? I don’t care what you say, Randall, I have to believe that there is more to hope for than life at this zoo. There must be other survivors.

  “Joe.”

  Joe spun around. Grace was awake. He hurried over to her, pulling up a nearby chair. “Grace, thank God you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

  Her eyes fluttered, unable to open fully. S
he tried her best to focus them on Joe and smiled when she saw him close. “Joe…”

  “What is it?”

  “I really need…my pills.”

  Grace was still pretty out of it, so Joe went and got her some water. He lifted her head up from the cushions and tipped a small amount into her mouth. She swallowed, and a spark of consciousness returned to her eyes. A couple minutes later, she was fully awake.

  “Thanks,” she said, taking another sip.

  Joe cut straight to the point. “What pills do you need?”

  Grace turned her head away. “They’re in my bag.”

  “Okay, great. Where’s your bag?”

  “By the snack machines.”

  Joe frowned. “What snack machines?”

  “The ones downstairs. Where you saved me.”

  “Oh. Well, we can’t get those. There’s no way.”

  “I know.” Tears began to spill from her eyes. “That’s why I’m so scared.”

  “I don’t understand. Scared of what?”

  Grace turned her head and looked into his eyes. She looked terrified. “I’m scared of hurting myself.”

  Joe scratched at his head. His hair felt flat and greasy. “Why would you hurt yourself?”

  “Because that’s what I do when I don’t have my pills.”

  Joe sighed. “You’re really gonna have to make this easier for me. What do you need the pills for? Are you ill?”

  Grace nodded as more tears left her eyes. “Yes. I have OCD.”

  Joe shrugged. “Doesn’t that just mean you have to be really clean or something?”

  “For some people it is. OCD causes compulsion, but I don’t get urges to clean, I get urges to–”

  “Hurt yourself.” Joe was starting to understand and he didn’t like it. “Surely we can do something.”

  “It’ll just get worse and worse until there’s nothing anyone can do. It’ll drive me insane until I start slicing myself.”

  A light bulb went on in Joe’s head. “That’s what happened to your arm isn’t it? That’s why you were in a room alone when the scorpions attacked.”