Wee Renee had decided to take on Sophie and Janet Woodall. She had her machete in one hand and the long metal knife sharpener she had taken from Ian’s shop the other day, in the other. Her eyes switched quickly in between each of them as they advanced. She stepped back, as they moved forward. Wee Renee knew it wouldn't be long though before she would have to attack as they had nearly backed her into a corner. Laura saw this going on and picked up her sharpened sticks. Sue still had the smoking gun in her hands and they both strode confidently over to this ambush.
‘I think you'll find someone behind you bitches,’ Pat shouted at them. Janet and Sophie turned around to see Andy, Laura, Sue and Pat behind them, each holding their weapons. This was the distraction Wee Renee needed and she was determined to get both of them. She shoved the rod shaped sharpener, between her knees for a moment. Took her machete in both hands and slammed it straight through the back of Janet. The vampire was quite a few inches taller than her and she cut diagonally crossways under the ribs, the machete getting stuck, but Janet did fall to the floor. Wee Renee leaned over her wiggling the machete out, then hit her again, at an angle in the abdomen making a V shape. The large triangle of flesh slipped down, the black insides exposed. Something in there was pumping the matter out quite freely, over the carpet. Other tubes, just trickled Janet’s issue out gently. She seemed to deflate, her eyes sinking into her head. Janet’s hands twitched. Pat kicked her in the open V of her body. This seemed to rupture something and an almighty flood of more liquid substance flooded out. Pat looked down at her black lace up shoes. ‘Ruined,’ She said.
Sophie watched all this with utter amazement, facing the new threats. Her back was to Wee Renee, then she started to snarl knowing her time was close too.
Wee Renee, grabbed the sharpening rod, which was still between her thighs. She jumped high into the air and with a war cry, she brought the rod straight down through the top of the vampire’s head. Sophie dropped. Wee Renee put her foot on Sophie’s head to hold it, whilst she yanked the rod back out. She jumped up and down, pushing on the head and trying to wriggle it out but it wasn’t budging. She then picked up the machete again.
‘I enjoyed that. It was a wee bit exciting wasn’t it? Next!’ They went back into the crowd.
Always the coward, Simon had decided he was going to try and get out of the fire exit door. He thought he could easily find somewhere safe. Wait until it had all blown over and everything was back to normal. Simon was a lover not a fighter. What he didn't consider, was that his wife Sandra and his mistress Tracy, had been watching his every move. They were waiting for him close to the door with open arms. His two children were behind them, hungrily waiting for the spoils.
26 – Timpani Mallet
‘I bet you've always dreamed of this,’ said Sandra.
‘He told me plenty of times how he wanted two women at the same time,’ said Tracy.
‘You got your wish,’ said Sandra, ‘But it is on our terms now!’ She smiled. It did not reach her eyes.
‘Girls, we can all make this work,’ he said.
‘I don't think so. In fact, me and Tracy have been getting along just fine without you.’ They closed the distance between him and them. He was thinking frantically about what he could say to save his bacon.
‘Listen girls I kept you two happy before, why do you think I can't now?’
‘That's a matter of debate,’ Sandra informed him venomously, ‘I certainly wasn't happy.’ Tracy tilted her head to one side thinking.
‘I wasn't too bad. But I know that you aren't enough man for us both, now. We need more. Sandra and I have come to an understanding.’ They moved forward towards him, they were only four feet away now
‘Look, I will do anything,’ He pleaded, ‘We can be a big family. Me, you two, and the two kids. It will be great.’
‘No, I’m sorry. The two kids only need us. We trust each other. We have got to know and like each other well and we don’t want to share.’ He had been looking at Sandra all the time she spoke, as she walked forward whilst talking. When she finished, he looked round for Tracy and saw that she had quickly moved behind him.
‘Oh shit,’ he said, rolling his eyes.
‘Ah yes, you can still be useful in one way, Simon.’ Sandra said, a wry smile on her face.
‘Girls….come on,’ he pleaded.
One woman bit down at the front and one at the back of his neck. He was not going to be turned. They had argued with The Master about this. They needed their sweet revenge, and The Master had finally agreed. Norman would get them to repay the favour at some point. Simon's two children watched with glee as their mother and their new Auntie Tracy killed their father. They clapped her hands. Again! Again! They said. Sandra turned to them, so pleased with their reaction.
‘Come on kids, there is plenty for everyone.’
Danny had blocked Stephen’s exit. They were in the back corridor of the building. The rear exit to the car park was behind Danny, the door to the main concert hall behind Stephen. Danny was determined that Stephen was not going to escape with the two children. They cried and stared at Stephen, pulling away from him, while he held their arms tightly.
‘Let them go, Steve,’ said Danny.
‘No, I want them.’
‘No, you don’t. Be a man and let just the big boys play.’
‘They’re my dinner. The Master said we were to feast tonight and these are mine.’
‘Come on Steve, there is plenty more where that come from. Lets have a chat, man to man. He considered this and Danny’s words worked somehow as he let both children go. They ran back towards the hall screaming, away from him.
‘Fair enough,’ said Stephen angrily, ‘If you think yours are big enough. Come and have a go. I know you always thought you were better than me. You got all the girls and had the principal baritone seat. But now we'll see who's best.’ Danny threw his head back and laughed loudly.
‘Are you that sad? Are you still bitter about all that shit? I was better, and I am still better, and you being a bloodsucker, isn’t going to change that, mate.’
Shaun had seen Danny, Stephen and the two kids go through the doors, but he was the other side of the room. By the time he had got to the doors, the two kids came running out at him.
‘Go find your Mams,’ he told them gravely. He poked his head through the door gingerly. No one was hiding around the other side. He looked forward and could just about see two people moving in the back. The noise was so loud behind him that he could not hear what was being said.
Shaun turned around to see where the two kids had gone. They seemed to not be able to see their mums and were terrified. They ran over to Mr Shufflebotham for help, who seemed to be in shock and had a few children clinging onto him like a life raft. Shaun didn't know whether to help Danny or help Mr Shufflebotham, or maybe even help his dad who, at the moment, was fighting a lady out of the audience who was snapping at his arm with her teeth. He was hitting her around the head with his euphonium, which was definitely changing her face shape. Soon her mouth wouldn’t be able to snap anymore. Shaun decided after seeing Stephen that it would probably be Danny that needed his help the most. He walked towards the darkness, it was colder in here, just looking back once, he saw Diane biting down on Mr Shufflebotham. The kids scattering like ants, when hot water is poured on them. Mr Shufflebotham dropped to his knees and put his hands together, obviously a religious man in prayer.
Now that he had fully committed to whom he would help, he quietly went down the stairs in the back corridor. He arrived to see Stephen just about to strike at Danny. Danny had a curved knife and also a chopper, which he had taken from the shop and was hacking away towards Stephen with a lot of power behind the strokes but Stephen was extremely quick. It was so dark here and Stephen seemed to be thriving in these conditions. Danny seemed to be struggling though, his eyes wide, trying to pick out the vampires movements in the lightless corridor. Shaun had a new idea. He had picked up one of Laura's timpani sti
cks earlier and it was stuffed down the waistband of his trousers. He took his cigarette lighter out of his pocket, setting the fluffy white end on fire. This gave Danny the extra light he needed to avoid Stephen. The vampire turned around to see what the increased light source was and saw Shaun.
‘Two against one, Stephen. Those odds work better for us,’ Shaun said.
With lightning speed, Stephen ran at Shaun in anger and knocked him over. Now an experienced killer, he bit down on his neck instantly, not giving him a chance to retaliate. Shaun flailed about with the lit timpani stick poking it at Stephen, trying to stab him with it. All this happened before Danny could get to them. It caught Stephens nylon band jacket and started to burn, the flames quickly licking up the side of his face. Stephen stopped and screamed, his hands trying to touch his face. He ran out, past Danny through the back entrance into the snow, plunging his head and neck into the mountains of soft white flakes. Danny ran over to Shaun, who was shaking, his eyes wide. One hand was on his neck and the other still held the flaming stick. Blood was flowing out of him very, very quickly. It was obvious that this was the end for him.
‘Thanks mate, you saved my life.. thank you,’ Danny said, choking back unexpected tears. Shaun clutched his arm.
‘I don't want them to eat me and I don't want them to turn me. Go and help everyone else now, quick.’ He looked at the timpani stick for a moment and Danny knew what he was about to do. He dropped it on his own uniform. The nylon quickly caught fire and spread over Shaun's body. Shaun was already very close to dying. He shook a couple of times and he was gone.
‘Sleep well, mate,’ Danny said as he ran back into the crowd of people.
Danny thought that after Shaun had saved him, the least he could do was to see if he could aid Shaun's dad, Geoff. He could see that Geoff had put pay to quite a few attackers, and was making his way back to where they all had made a stand on the stage. There was the odd one coming up attacking them and they were managing to keep them off. Geoff walked backwards and had to keep watching as there were bodies all over the floor that he had to keep stepping over.
As he stepped over one of them, their hand grabbed his leg really fast, pulling it from beneath him. As he was stepping up, he had one leg in the air and he had all his weight on this one leg, so he toppled over backwards clutching hold of his euphonium.
‘Oh hell!' he yelled, all of a sudden lying on the floor and looking up at the ceiling. Geoff had quite badly banged his head and the room was spinning. He felt a heavy weight on his legs that crept up his body. The weight was Peter Woodall. He reached up to Geoff’s waist from where he was at his knees, and pulled at his shirt, trying to get closer to Geoff’s neck. Geoff kicked upwards and outwards, wriggling, trying to pull away as fast as he could. He tried to hit Peter with his instrument, but from this angle he only managed to knock at him a bit. Peter slowly inched his way up Geoff’s body. Now his head was near the top of Geoff’s legs. His weight was immense. When he got to his shirt he pulled it out and, in a flash, bit into his stomach. Geoff was so completely shocked at this, he just looked down at Woody. He stopped trying to hit him. Now he was infected. It was the end. Woody continued to crawl upwards.
Danny rushed over as fast as he could. Peter looked up at Danny as if to say, you are too late and then with his fists clenched he punched them into Geoff's chest. He opened the hole a little looking in, then seeming to find what he was after, he quickly grabbed at his prize, ripping out his heart and taking a bite.
‘Mmmmm… ,‘ he said licking his lips, ‘Too late Danny!’ Danny stood aghast then turned around to help the others as Peter put his head into the pool of blood that was flowing freely out of Geoff’s chest.
Gary and Freddie were now being the most productive. Gary had a large knife in one hand, nearly as big as Wee Renee’s machete. He was moving forward, chopping away fiercely at anything that came near him. In the other hand, sure enough, he was using the weed whacker to shove into eyes or stomachs. He then twisted the whacker when it was inside to hook body parts with loops, ripping them through and out.
Freddie had taken the rubber bung off the end of his walking stick. It revealed a fine pointed, solid silver casing to the stick, which he had sharpened. He was using this to batter them, but more effectively, as a sword by piercing the vampires in the chest, neck, eye or straight in the mouth and out through the neck. He was really cutting a sway through the vampires for an older guy. That’s impressive, Danny thought, he must have been really something when he was a young man.
Bob, Wee Renee, Pat and Sue had formed a tag team and were ganging up on particular vampires picking them off again. Bob had made good use of Wee Renee’s excellent cheese knife and a set of sharpened sticks. Wee Renee was armed with the Machete and the flick knife, the long knife sharpener was still embedded in Sophie’s head. Pat had an axe and a lump hammer. The toffee hammer unused, in the inside pocket of her band jacket. Sue had the gun, which she hadn’t fired again. She looked behind them, to cover their backs.
Laura approached Danny. Even though the band were doing really well, not many other people were surviving. For every one they killed another two were being made.
‘I think it's time we left,’ she said regretfully, ‘There is little else to be done here. If we stay, it is only a matter of time before we get turned or killed.’
‘Yes, there’s not hardly anyone else here to save, and most of us are still okay. We will be able to get through the back,’ He glanced over at the back door, ‘We just need to watch out for Stephen, he is out there. I haven’t been watching the door, constantly, there could be others who have escaped.'
‘There’s still probably more in here, than out there, whatever has happened. We could take a couple, if they are out there. Find something to bar the door with,' Laura added.
She saw Keith was in the process of turning Mrs White into one of their flock.
‘Yeah, lets get everyone. Get us all out. This is not a good place to be right now. We have done enough for one night.’ They passed the message round one by one, to start moving back. Carefully and still fighting, they moved to the back doors.
Wee Renee was extremely cross with Pat, because they had to make a detour back to the stage. Pat said that there was no way she was leaving her Round Stamp Horn for them to have. Wee Renee said that if Pat wasn’t careful, that horn would be all she had to remember her by. Gary also agreed with Pat, saying that his Flugel had been given to him by his Dad, and over his dead body would he leave it. Liz picked up her cornet too, and said she had been bought it when she was six and she was taking it, thinking there was no chance they could return for anything.
They got to the rear entrance door of the hall. Quickly looking back and checking, that they had not left anyone alive back there. They shut the interior door to the hall and wedged a chair under the handle. With their torches on their phones, they ran down the dark corridor, past Shaun who had stopped burning. After the fight, they were so hot they were quite pleased about going out into the freezing cold snow, to cool down. Gary and Danny checked outside the stage door and indicated that the coast was clear. Stephen must have gone off somewhere, licking his wounds. They closed the door and through the two hoops that usually held a padlock Danny found a sturdy broken branch and shoved it through.
‘That should hold them, at least until we can get away,’ he said hopefully. They hastily made their way into the night as best they could. It wasn't too far to the band room and that is where they had planned to go. They had left more weapons there.
‘Thank god they are trapped,’ said Wee Renee, ‘We wouldn’t stand a chance if they were on the loose.’
‘I suppose they can do what they want in there now. Probably too busy to think about us,’ Laura uttered shuddering, ‘Making their new mates.’
Stuart walked out from the darkness of the trees, as they made their escape. He had not wished to be involved in this feast tonight. Stuart liked to do his feeding in private. Deciding, however
, that this was still a lot of fun to watch, he strolled over to the door sniggering, yanked the tree branch out of the two hasps and flung the door open to the night.
27 - Plan
The little army of friends started to walk through the streets in the deep snow. They had their weapons out quite boldly as they knew no policeman was going to stop them in their village. Occasionally they would see the odd shadow looking out at them from an alley, archway or deep doorway. The vampires retreated back into the darkness, hiding, to wait instead for an unsuspecting drunk or late night dog walker. They did not approach or attack the group, as the eleven of them with their weapons ready and poised, were quite a formidable team.
Freddie was leading at the front. Gary walked backwards at the rear. Danny and Tony at either side forming four corners to protect the women and Bob in the middle. It had stopped snowing for the moment and even vampires left footprints, so they were not being covered up by a fresh fall of snow. They could see where the odd few that had got out, had disappeared to. Pointing them out to each other, they made a mental note for the next day. Unless one had doubled back to them, they knew exactly where they all were, apart from the one that watched them from the roof. The most dangerous one.
They didn't speak one word on their way to the band room. They were listening for any sign of attack. The crunch of snow, running feet, doors opening. Noises could still be heard through the night air from their battle. The vampires' cries of joy as they made another beast, who themselves, screamed up into the night as they rose. They saw a couple of people looking out of their windows at them sadly, just out of interest. Regular, healthy people, not vampires. They didn't seem shocked, they didn't seem like they were afraid of them. Just afraid for themselves. Their eyes darted up the street, watching. Then they would shut the curtains to ward away the sight of the gang, maybe being attacked. And the fact that, what they couldn’t see, they wouldn’t have to help.
Sticky Valves: Book 1 of the Saddleworth Vampire Series Page 23