No Zombies Please We Are British

by Alex Laybourne

  “Yes.” Stan hung his head, his own sorrow equally grand.

  “They killed the penguins, too?” Alessa made the assumption.

  “Penguins … don’t tell me. I think it is safe to assume you are right. We’ve not seen anybody else come through in days.”

  “How long have you been here?” Jack asked.

  “Since it started. Saturday, I guess it was.” Stan paused as he spoke, calculating how many days and nights they had been cramped together in a stuffy, relatively foul smelling – the relative part coming as a result of being exposed to the open innards of rotting death-walkers – room.

  “The riots started not far from here. We didn’t know what happened. Everything just went crazy towards the end of the afternoon. They came through in a wave. There was so much panic. People were being beaten, killed, and trampled. Everybody was screaming. It was just … just …” Nathalie burst into tears and buried her head on Callum’s shoulder.

  “You guys cannot stay here anymore. We need to move, to get out of the park,” Steve said.

  “We are safe here, for now,” Ayse responded sharply. Her olive-tanned skin and dark hazel eyes were bright with defiance. She was safe in the food preparation room, safer than being outside.

  “Well, maybe not for long. One of the gorillas, a real big bugger, just jumped out of the pen. He’s loose around here somewhere. Plus, with those military guys running around, it’s only a matter of time before they find you.” Steve’s words were stern, but he was not angry. It was a voice that would have made him a great father, had he chosen to settle down and have children.

  “Where are you headed?” Richard asked.

  ‘We are headed into the city,” Jack answered. “Someone I know is trapped down there, and we are going to rescue her.”

  This response was greeted by a round of nervous laughter.

  “I think we will stay here. I’d rather wrestle the fucking gorilla.” Callum snorted.

  “Fine, but we are moving on. We stand a better chance in a group.” Jack stood his ground and stared at Callum. The man tried to match Jack’s gaze, but couldn’t.

  A burst of gunfire rang out, ending their conversation. A window shattered in the building, just two rooms down from them.

  Ayse and Nathalie screamed. Richard threw himself to the floor, and Callum stumbled as Nathalie clamped herself around his neck, as good as jumping into his arms.

  “We need to move, now,” Jack ordered.

  He went to leave, but the door behind them suddenly opened and a soldier ducked inside.

  He was not looking at the others, in his panic, he was blind to them. With his rifle raised into his shoulder, he peered out of the door. He collapsed a second later. Not even able to force a scream out of his lungs before his head was pulled from his body and thrown against the wall.

  The gorilla appeared, filling the doorway. It stared at the people inside and pulled back its lips, baring its teeth.

  “Kitaka!” Ayse’s voice rang out as she moved to the front of the group.

  The gorilla stared at her, its eyes finding hers. The pair stared at each other for a few moments.

  “Kitaka, no!” Ayse’s voice was strong and powerful. It was commanding and the gorilla took a step back.

  Standing to its full height, the gorilla stared at them and beat its chest, snarling and growling.

  “Stand down, Kitaka,” Ayse said again.

  A moment later, the creature’s head exploded in a mist of red and grey. The headless corpse remained standing for a moment, before collapsing in on itself.

  Jack reacted fast, pushing everybody through the room and towards the back door. They all followed, Ayse resisting at first, unable to break her gaze on the dead gorilla.

  The round of bullets that tore into the room got her moving. The group, now eight strong, burst from the back of the feeding area and broke into a run.

  “This way, Lion’s Den. We can go down into the boiler rooms and double back on them,” Stan said as he took the lead. His years put to shame as he sprinted ahead of the rest.

  The lion enclosure was a towering and impressive structure. The doors to it were damaged, but seemed to have survived the sweeping wave of violence and death better than many other places. Possibly more due to the occupants of the enclosure than anything else.

  “Here, this way,” Stan said as they closed the doors.

  Another burst of automatic rifle fire rang out and glass shattered behind them.

  “Quickly now,” Stan said as he fumbled with the lock on a service door.

  Yanking it open, everybody disappeared inside, pulling it closed just before the breakaway military group arrived.

  “Come out of there. That is an order,” a commanding voice rang out.

  “That door won’t hold them for long. We need to move.” Stan led the way through the dark. Grim emergency lighting cast a dim glow that gave them just enough light to see by.

  Everybody followed, nobody spoke. They were all scared. The heavy, steady banging of their pursuers as they hammered on the reinforced maintenance door echoed along the bare concrete walls of the service gateway.

  The corridor ended, spilling into a workers’ area. Tools and equipment lined the walls. A medium-sized tractor mower stood in the corner, and all manner of industrial equipment set lurking in the shadows.

  “What is this place?” Alessa asked, looking around her, terror etched into her features.

  “It’s the zoo’s maintenance area. When we built the new enclosure for the lions, it was decided to build a lower level that covers the full area for maintenance. Everything needed to control the park is down here, from gardening equipment to back up security cameras and override controls,” Stan explained. He was not even out of breath.

  “Will this lead us outside?” Alessa asked.

  “Yes. It can actually take us to pretty much anywhere, but we need to act fast because those guys will find a way in.” Stan looked from face to face, making sure everybody understood.

  “Unless …” Jack said, pausing while everybody turned to face him.

  “Unless what?” Callum asked sharply.

  “We let them out. The animals, I mean. You said there are overrides down here. What if we just open all the doors and flood the park with them. That should at least buy us some time to get out of here.” Jack felt Alessa’s hand once again find his own.

  He welcomed it.

  “This isn’t prison,” Callum scolded. “It’s not like we have a lock down every night.” He laughed, but he was the only one. “What?”

  “Not every enclosure has it, but lions and tigers do,” Stan answered.

  “The bears and wolves too,” Richard chimed in.

  “Can you do that from down here?” Steve quickly moved the conversation along.

  “Yes, yes I can. Follow me.” Stan set off before he had finished talking.

  They followed the older man through the twisting and turning hallways of the underground service area until they reached the sub-level control room.

  Stan’s pass card granted him access and they entered, nobody saying a word about how he knew what he did, or how he had access to everything.

  It didn’t take long for him to work his way through the protocols and release all the locks. A siren sounded, and made Nathalie jump. Stan silenced it quickly, even though the echo made it seem as if it were still ringing.

  “There, it’s done.” He rose from the terminal and stared at them all.

  They moved on quickly, agreeing to take the first exit back up into the open air. It didn’t take long before they found a stairwell that brought them back to the surface. Slowly opening the door, they heard a scream followed by a roar.

  Looking, they saw a man in uniform beneath the weight of a giant cat. The body lay still, the gut torn open by the sharp claws that had struck out at it.

  “This way.” They turned and hurried through the rest of the park, happy to believe the lions and the trouble was now behi
nd them.

  “That was close,” Nathalie said, rising from the crouched position they had all taken behind the wall that surrounded the butterfly park.

  Nathalie’s head was broken by a high-powered rifle round before anybody could offer up a warning. A small black hole in the centre of her forehead leaked blood that looked black against her skin. Her eyes stared wide, finishing off her bemused facial expression. She collapsed to her knees, falling face first to the floor.

  The first shot was really only a warning. A barrage of automatic fire peppered the wall and had sparks flying like fireflies on a summer evening. Everybody pushed themselves flat onto the floor, Jack and Alessa finding themselves lying face down in the spreading pool of blood leaking from Nathalie’s corpse.

  The barrage of gunfire continued, a deafening roar that surrounded them. The shots stopped, and the soldiers screamed as another roar rang out. The range of agony-induced screams carried to them, and painted such vivid imagery in their ears that nobody needed to turn around and actually take a look at the scene as it unfolded.

  The sound of flesh being torn asunder is a very distinctive one, it lingers in the ears like an echo, only it never fades.

  Taking the chance, the group got to their feet and ran. They sprinted in all directions, lost to the panic of the moment. The screams of the soldiers were silenced, which only served to enhance their fear.

  Alessa, Jack, Steve, Stan and Ayse all followed a relatively similar path. Three separate groups, but close enough to each other to not lose their way. Callum and Richard were lost.

  They saw an exit point and ran to it. Behind them somewhere, a lion roared, no doubt claiming its spot as king of the hill.

  The pain came out of nowhere. They were running one second, and the next, Jack felt his leg give way beneath him, a ball of white, hot, searing pain consumed him. He fell to the gravel, dropping like a stone, barely able to bring his hands up to protect himself.

  Alessa stopped and screamed. Two soldiers appeared ahead of them, their uniforms stained with blood. Their faces were pale, their lips all but invisible as they snarled. Their eyes had the wide, vacant look of men who had seen the worst and come out broken on the other side.

  They walked forward towards the group, eyeing up Alessa as they drew closer.

  “My, my,” one sneered, licking his lips. “Aren’t you a pretty thing?”

  “Leave her alone,” Jack growled from the floor. Blood was pooling beneath him, as the bullet wound in his thigh went unattended.

  The soldiers laughed, and kicked out. Jack took a boot to the face, and all he felt was a rush of dizziness. It surged over him like a rogue wave at the beach, dragging him down and under the surface.

  Darkness crept in, threatening to claim him.

  He heard Alessa scream again. He tried to move, but another boot sent him down. Just before he lost his battle to stay conscious, Jack heard a rifle crack. He wanted to cry out, but it was too late.

  Chapter 12

  Jack slowly came to. His mind was a mash-up of memories, none of which were clear. He tried to move, but his body ached. Opening his eyes, he looked around. He was in a bed. A real bed. The room was not his, however.

  He remembered the zoo. He remembered the gunshots.

  “Alessa!” he cried out, forcing himself to sit upright. His goal had been to swing his legs over, get out of bed and find answers. What happened was that a ball of pain shot through him as his head and leg roared their objections.

  Jack collapsed back into the pillows and the soft mattress, his jaw clenched and sweat beading his brow as he fought against the agony.

  The door to the room opened and Stan walked in. He had a black eye and a sutured gash running along his forehead.

  “Good to see you awake. I was worried for a moment that you weren’t going to make it,” Stan said. “None of us are real doctors after all.” He smiled.

  “What happened?” Jack asked. Even his tongue hurt.

  “Those guys shot you in the leg, and gave you a real kicking. While they were putting the boots to you, your friend Steve appeared. He had acquired a rifle and took the two men out. It really was not as dramatic as it sounds. It was all rather messy and clumsy, really.” Stan paused to muse over his words.

  “Alessa?” Jack asked.

  “She’s fine. She was shook up, and thought you were dead. She hasn’t left the room since. Just stepped out a few minutes ago to freshen up.” Stan smiled at him. “She’s a fine girl, you two are good together.”

  Jack coughed and pain exploded through him, leeching from places on his body that he did not realize could hurt. “I have a girlfriend. She is trapped in the city. That’s why we are doing this, to rescue her.”

  “That may be, but I know that look. The one she gives you, and the one you give her. They can’t be hidden, and they can’t lie. Trust me, I’ve been married five times, I know that look. I suck at making it last, but I know the look.” Stan winked and lifted the covers to check on Jack’s injured leg. “I don’t see any infection, so we should be good to get you up and about soon.”

  “Really?”

  “It’ll hurt like a bitch, but remember all those dead folks walking around. They won’t wait to let you heal up. We’ve got some good drugs if you want them. Knocks the gorillas right out.”

  “We’re still in the zoo?” The thought terrified Jack for some reason.

  “Oh god, no. We are a few streets away. We lugged you to the first house we found. Left quite a trail of blood for those buggers to follow, but we’re safe for now. Your buddy Steve, he found the medical rooms and just bagged as much as he could, just in case. He is a resourceful one, alright.”

  “I’ll remember to thank him when I see him,” Jack said, groaning slightly.

  “You want something for the pain?” Stan asked seeing the look of agony etched into Jack’s face.

  YES! Jack thought. “No, I don’t want to be groggy if we have to move. I think the pain will actually help me focus,” he answered.

  “Good lad.” Stan smiled.

  “What about the others?” Jack said as he sat back against the old-school headboard.

  “What do you remember?” Stan asked.

  “I remember the attack, Nathalie getting shot, and then nothing.” Jack tried hard to think of something else. He knew there was something there, but he could not quite grasp it, like the fading memories of a dream upon waking. It remained close enough to tease the mind, but too far to ever offer any answers.

  “Well, it all happened fast. Callum and Richard didn’t make it. I saw Richard go down, he took a shot through the chest and another to the neck. I don’t know what happened to Callum. We never saw him after we split. If he is alive, then he is alone out there.” Stan turned and looked out of the window.

  “It looks like it is getting dark,” Jack remarked.

  “It is, you’ve been out for a day and a half.” Stan turned back as he said it, and paused, giving Jack the time he needed to process the information.

  “What–?”

  “You’re awake,” Alessa near squealed from the doorway. “I thought I heard you, but I didn’t believe it. I thought you were never going to wake.” She sped to the bed, ignoring Stan, stopping just short of jumping into the bed beside Jack.

  “Hey, yes, I’m awake now. I was just, with Stan.” Jack stuttered, Alessa smiled, and Stan gave a loud sigh and walked out of the room, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

  “They want to move tomorrow morning, early. They haven’t seen anybody outside since we arrived. Nobody alive, anyway.” Alessa fell into the chair beside the bed.

  “I’m sleepy,” Jack said, drifting away.

  “It’s the drugs. They were strong, and you kept fighting in your sleep. You should rest. Tomorrow, we go to get your girlfriend.” Alessa spoke the words with no malice, yet she held Jack’s hand within her own, her thumb gently caressing him as he drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 13

  Ja
ck woke with the birds. Dawn had not yet broken, but the drugs were out of his system, and the throbbing in his leg had torn him from sleep. Alessa was lying on the bed beside him. She had her head resting on his shoulder. Somehow, they had fallen asleep sitting up. They were holding hands, and it took a long time before Jack pulled his hand away, doing so gently so as not to wake her.

  It was silent in the house, and yet outside he could hear the steady crone of the undead. It had been five days now since it had first started. The numbers were no longer in their favour. If they ever were.

  For the next few hours, Jack sat quietly in the bed, learning to accept the drumming in his leg. He was going to have to if they were going to move today.

  He spent a lot of time thinking about the world beyond the house they were in. How many had died? Who had survived? Was there still a government? Had it been restricted to just London? What had caused it? There were too many questions, too many black holes that promised nothing but desolation and fear if you ventured too close.

  Jack could feel madness nipping at him like a chasing hellhound. Baying for his blood and soul. Now, in a moment of silence, Jack thought back. Only five days, yet he had witnessed so much loss, so much carnage. His goal had been simple, find Sarah, but now even that had become blurred. With the beautiful Italian leaning against him, nothing seemed so safe and secure, yet so uncertain.

  He loved Sarah. He thought he did at least, but now … it was as if the boundaries of his world, which had always been so clear cut, were now nothing but smudged runoffs, like a crayon drawing left out in the rain.

  His head ached by the time he heard movement downstairs. Waking Alessa, she stirred slowly. They lay there staring into each other’s eyes for just a moment too long; both confused and conflicted. Then Steve walked into the room.

  “Oh … oh, I’m sorry.” His face reddened.

  “No, it’s all good, man. We just …” Jack paused, the words failing him.

  “I just came to bring you this. You lucked out. Looks like the previous owners left you a gift.” He smiled as he produced two long crutches from behind his back. “Weapons and transportation rolled into one.”