Animal Kingdom

by Iain Rob Wright

  Doesn’t sound all that bad to me…

  Joe took a hold of himself and let out a long breath. “What then? I just keep my head down until he tries to hurt you again?”

  “No,” said Grace, a twinge of anxious levity in her voice. “You need to go away and figure out what to do. Then you come rescue me like a hero on a white horse. We’ll leave Randall to his playschool prime minister act and get ourselves somewhere safe.”

  Joe smiled. “I’m glad you’re so confident. I don’t even know where we can go to.”

  “You’ll figure it out,” she said. “Now go.”

  Joe put his hand against the door again, wishing he could feel the warmth of her cheek instead of the lifelessness of the manufactured wood. “Okay. I’ll go figure something out.”

  He walked away, but before he got far, Grace called out to him. “Joe?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Please don’t take too long or there may not be much of me left to save.”

  The thought filled Joe with dread. He walked away without any idea what to do.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Night had fallen and Joe still had little idea about what to do to get Grace free – or where to go afterwards. For now, he decided to let things lie in his mind, hoping that inspiration would strike unprompted. Since the day’s earlier events, two camps had clearly divided themselves. Over by the window sat Randall and his cohorts, lit by flickering candlelight, while on the opposite side of the room, in near total darkness, sat Joe, Bill, and Danny. Mason sat midway between both parties, obscured by piles of open books that lay around him. The thing that Joe noticed most of all was that all of the food supplies were on Randall’s side of the room, and that each of his group had weapons. They were laughing amongst themselves, snacking on crisps while Joe’s group starved.

  They’re the elite and we’re the proletariat, but I think there’s a revolution in the cards for the near future, so just enjoy your cosy little throne for now, Randall. Enjoy it because I’m gonna make you eat it.

  Bill whispered beside him. “I’ve been trying to work Mason out all evening. He hasn’t spoken to either you or me since he stabbed you in the back, but he isn’t sitting with Randall either. What you think his game is?”

  Joe considered things for a moment. “I don’t think he has a game. Despite what happened, I don’t think Mason is looking to cause any trouble. I think he just wants a quiet life, which is why whatever Randall said to him was so effective.”

  “You think that’s what happened? That Randall said something? He could have just genuinely thought that you weren’t the man for the job.”

  Joe laughed quietly. “I’m not the man, but then neither is Randall, that’s for sure. I don’t know what happened, but I know Mason wouldn’t have wanted this.”

  “It’s pretty fucked up, I think we can all agree. You figured out what to do yet?”

  Joe shook his head. “No, but I’m working on it. I’ll try to come up with something by tomorrow. We need to act soon.”

  “Shit, man, are we really gonna do this then? I mean, we’ll probably die.”

  “I know, but at least by doing this we’ll have the chance to live. Grace isn’t going to last long if we don’t do something.”

  Bill looked at Joe. “You gonna tell me what the deal is with her?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know. I just get the impression that there is something you’re not telling me. Like why she needs pills.”

  Joe sighed. “I don’t think it would be right to tell you, but I can say that she has a serious condition and that leaving her alone is dangerous.”

  “Okay.”

  Joe frowned in the dark. “Really? You don’t need to know anything more?”

  “Would you tell me?”

  “Probably not.”

  “Exactly, but if you say that she needs our help I believe you. I’ve got your back.”

  Joe laughed. “I didn’t know Black people actually said that.”

  “Word, dawg, for real.”

  Joe renewed his laughter and punched Bill on his arm. “You crazy fool!”

  Bill joined in the laughter. “Now I know why your son’s a little bit racist.”

  The two men eventually settled into silence and Joe was left alone with his thoughts. For some reason, he found his mind wandering off and retrieving memories of his ex-wife, Jane – Danny’s mother. The regret of losing her was still embedded deep within Joe’s soul, and not a day went past that he didn’t rue the day he had betrayed her with another woman. Yet, in some twisted way, his weakness was the reason he and Danny were alive right now.

  If we hadn’t separated then I wouldn’t have taken Danny to the zoo for my custody weekend. Who knows where I would have been instead, but the chances of surviving this thing were a million to one in the first place, and if things were different I don’t think I would have been so lucky.

  None of that made Joe feel any better. If he could take back the night he allowed his neighbour’s wife to throw herself at him, he would. He would take back the entire last year if it meant he could feel the warmth of Jane’s arms around him one more time.

  But that will never happen. I have to think about the present. About Grace…

  Suddenly it was Grace’s arms that he longed to feel around him, and he became resolute that he would rescue her as soon as possible. He was going to break her out tomorrow.

  Chapter Thirty

  Randall could not sleep; too much adrenaline in his system to even consider it. He was finally in charge, free to do as he wished, and it tasted good. Soon he would look towards bringing in other survivors to add to his empire. He considered the methods he could employ, such as lighting signal fires. It would be difficult and dangerous, but he would find a way. That’s why he was the one in charge.

  Randall got up in the darkness and shuffled across the room. He stopped when he came in line with Joe and his group. There was no light here, but he could hear each of them snoring, the boy the loudest. The last thing Randall needed now was another inane discussion, and it was a blessing that none of them woke as he padded out into the corridor and switched on his torch.

  Joe is turning out to be quite the problem. I may be forced to deal with him, sooner than expected. I know he’s plotting something. Him and that bloody queer.

  Randall approached the door to his office. Slowly, he inserted the key into the padlock. Despite his efforts to remain quiet as he opened the door, he found Grace awake. She was sitting at the desk and staring at the back of her arm in some sort of dazed confusion. A heavy layer of sweat covered the girl’s forehead and clothing.

  “What are you doing awake?” he asked her.

  She flinched at the sound of his voice as though she hadn’t noticed him enter the room.

  “I said what are you doing?”

  Grace still didn’t answer. Randall was just about to lose his temper when he noticed the blood. “Jesus, girl, what did you do to yourself?”

  Grace stared up at him, still struck by some bizarre fugue.

  Randall grabbed her by the wrist and stretched out her arm. Embedded into the flesh of her wrist was a ragged splinter of wood. Blood ran down its length and pooled on the surface of the desk. “What’s your goddamn deal? You crazy?”

  Grace hissed at him. “Fuck…you!”

  Randall backhanded her across the face. “Get some bloody sense in you, girl.”

  He stomped over to the filing cabinet. Unlocked it with his key. From the contents inside he pulled out a bottle of water and a first aid kit. He set them down on the table opposite Grace. “To think I came in here to check on you and this is how you repay me. Suicide is for the weak and pathetic.”

  “I wasn’t…trying to…kill myself.”

  Randall raised an eyebrow as he unscrewed the top from the water bottle. “Just shut up and give me your arm.” He poured the water over the wound and the blood diluted pink as it ran down toward her elbow. She wi
nced as the liquid touched her skin and tried to pull away, but he held her tight. When the wound was clean, he put on a plastic glove from the first aid kit and yanked at the wooden splinter. Grace squealed as it came free.

  Randall examined the bloody splinter in his hand and felt revulsion as he imagined what it would feel like entering his flesh. “You crazy bitch! Where did you even get this from?”

  “The table leg was split.”

  Randall looked down at the bottom of the desk and saw that one of the legs had a deep gouge in it. He took a bandage from the kit and started to wrap the wound. “Why did you do this?”

  Grace started to cry. “I can’t help it. I need my pills.”

  Randall nodded. “So that’s why Joe risked himself downstairs. You’re a nutcase and you need your loopy-pills.”

  Grace looked at him contemptuously. “Something like that.”

  “Well, if you promise to behave, I’ll let you out. I’ll look after you even.”

  “I don’t want you to look after me. Just let me out and I’ll look after myself.”

  Randall smiled. “Is that so? Do you not think that life would be easier with my protection?”

  “Protection from what? Your thug Victor?”

  Randall nodded, the torchlight bobbing along with his movement as he directed it on her wound. “Among other things.” He rubbed at the bare flesh of her neck. “I could be a good friend to you.”

  Grace spat in his face

  Randall wiped away the saliva with the back of his hand and sprang to his feet. “Bitch! Fine, be that way.” He yanked open the filing cabinet and took an object from inside. “We’ll see how much longer you can last until you’re begging for my mercy.”

  Randall stormed off towards the exit, but before he left, he turned around to face Grace. He tossed a scalpel onto the floor and it skidded into the centre of the room with a clang. He smirked as he saw the fear in her eyes. “Good luck without your pills,” he said, and closed the office door.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The first thing Joe thought about when he opened his eyes was Grace. The night before, he had awoken with her beside him and he already he felt her absence like a bedsore. He looked around and saw that everyone else in the room was still sleeping. Danny’s little eyes twitched as he no doubt dreamt about being a famous wrestler. Joe crawled along the floor, gradually raising himself until he was on his feet. He snuck out into the corridor, intending to check on Grace again, and stopped outside the office door when he reached it. He rapped a knuckle lightly on the wood.

  Silence.

  He knocked again, but still received no response. A fire ignited in his belly. Come on, Grace, answer!

  Joe knocked one more time, a little louder this time but still quiet enough not to risk waking the others.

  “Joe?”

  Joe threw himself against the door, cringing once he realised the noise he had just made. “Grace! Are you okay?”

  That stupid question again.

  “I…I’m alive and that’s what matters.”

  “I’m going to get you out of there, right now. This has to sto–”

  “Joe, listen to me.”

  Joe stopped still. “What is it?”

  “It’s Randall. He came in last night and–”

  Joe bashed his fist against the door. “That fucker!”

  “No, no, nothing happened. Nothing like that.”

  “Then what?”

  “He opened a filing cabinet in here to…to get me a bottle of water. He forgot to lock it when he left.”

  Joe frowned on his side of the door. “Okay, and…?”

  “It’s full of supplies. Food, weapons, medicine.”

  Joe cursed under his breath. “That dirty, rotten–”

  “But that’s not the thing that really matters. I found a phone in the cabinet. There’re messages on it about government rescue centres. There’s one down the road – in Leicester.”

  Joe’s eyes stretched wide. “You’re kidding me?”

  “You have to tell the others. They won’t support him if they know he’s been holding out on them.”

  “You’re right,” Joe agreed. “We’ll have you out of there in a jiffy.”

  “A jiffy?”

  Joe blushed. “That’s what I said. Just hold tight for a little while longer, okay?”

  “Go do what you have to do, Joe. Just don’t forget about me, okay?”

  Joe smiled and ran his fingers against the door’s surface. “Never.”

  He turned around and hurried back towards the seminar room. The weight of the information Grace had given him was almost sending him dizzy.

  I can’t wait to see your face, Randall – you arrogant asshole. I knew it would only be a matter of time until I brought you down. Turns out that your little reign of terror isn’t even gonna last a full day.

  Joe had a smile on his face as he pushed open the door to the seminar room. He hadn’t expected to be confronted with Randall’s ugly face quite so soon, but the man stood before him, blocking his path.

  “And what exactly are you doing wandering around?” he asked Joe. “No one goes anywhere any longer without my express permission.”

  Joe laughed in the man’s face. “Screw you, Randall.”

  Randall shook his head as if some deep regret had found its way into his soul. “How very disappointing. I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to detain anybody else.”

  “The only thing you’re going to detain is my fist in your face.”

  “I think Victor will feel differently.”

  Joe smirked. “You think so? What about after I show him what’s inside your secret filing cabinet.”

  Randall suddenly went pale, like an overweight ghost. “What…what are you talking about?”

  “You forgot to lock it during your late night visit to Grace. She found your little stockpile, and – more importantly – she found your phone. We know that there’s help nearby.”

  Randall laughed heartily, although Joe wasn’t buying it. “She tell you that, did she? The woman’s a nutcase. I found her slashing herself to pieces. If I hadn’t checked on her she’d probably be dead by now.”

  Joe felt sick. “Is she okay?”

  Randall shook his head. “Not really. I bandaged her as best I could, but she’s a very sick young lady.”

  “I know,” said Joe.

  “It’s a good thing I was there, my friend.”

  Joe nodded. “It certainly was, but may I ask you one thing?”

  “Of course?”

  “Why exactly were you visiting Grace in the middle of the night while everyone else was asleep?”

  Randall’s pale cheeks suddenly filled with red. “I…”

  Joe nodded. “Wrong answer.” He let loose with a right-handed punch as hard as he could summon. He was quite sure he had broken Randall’s nose. It almost felt like payback for when Victor had broken his.

  He’s lucky that’s not all I’m gonna break.

  Randall fell down on his rump and squealed. “That is it!” he bellowed. “Victor! Lock this maniac up before he hurts anybody else. I will deal with him later.”

  Joe looked up and saw Victor approaching. He also saw that everyone else had now woken up and were milling about the room with looks of concern on their faces.

  Victor looked down at a bleeding Randall on the floor, but didn’t seem to care much. “We have bigger things to worry about right now,” he said. “The animals are back.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Joe knew they would come back, but he had been hoping for more time. It didn’t change things though. He was still getting out of there today.

  The entire group was lined up against the seminar room’s cracked window, looking out at the horrors below. The silverback had returned, bringing with him an army that doubled his earlier one. Now cats, dogs, foxes, and badgers mingled amongst the more exotic species of big cats, rhinos, and monkeys. A number of the original army’s members were sporting wo
unds and horrible burns – mementos of their earlier, failed attack.

  Doesn’t look like it fazed them much.

  “Same procedure as before, people. The silverback is a priority as always.”

  “What’s the deal with him anyway,” said Bill. “Who put the gorilla in charge of all the animals”

  “His name is Nero, a very intelligent Eastern Lowland Gorilla,” said Mason. “He’s the oldest animal at the zoo – forty-eight. He was born here.”

  Bill shook his head. “Damn, he’s been caged here for fifty years?”

  Mason nodded. “Yes. Perhaps that’s why he’s in charge. Maybe he hates us the most.”

  “Don’t matter none now,” said Victor, handing out weapons and the remaining firebombs that he had removed from a locked cabinet. “An enemy with a cause is still an enemy. We spread ’em with fire first, then use the ballast against anything that gets to close.”

  Joe took two firebombs that were handed to him and thought about smashing them in Victor’s face. He knew it wouldn’t be the smart thing to do though. Right now, the animals were the danger and they needed to fight together.

  Joe had a thought. “Victor, we need to let Grace out. She can fight for us.”

  Victor considered it. “I agree, but Randall’s the one with the key.”

  The floor vibrated as the animals rushed the building. Joe looked out to see several elephants and a pair of rhinos heading towards the walls. Dust began to fall from the ceiling, coating everything in a fine film of chalky powder.

  “They’re gonna bring down the building,” said Bill.

  “They tried it before,” said Victor, “and failed.”

  The building shook upon impact and Joe almost fell to his knees. “There’re more of them this time.”

  Victor smiled. “Just means more of them to kill.” The Scotsmen hung himself out of the window and let loose another beaker of acid. It doused the animals below and they roared in agony – but carried on attacking.

  “It’s not working,” said Joe, lighting the wick on a firebomb.”