Alan nodded and turned his attention to Candice who had chosen to sit as far from me as possible. He was using all of his charm in an effort to persuade her to stay. He was wasting his energy, she certainly wouldn’t be leaving with me and I doubted she would leave on her own.
My thoughts turned to what I would need to continue my journey. Clothes for both Emma and me of course, along with a thick jacket each. A new weapon would be useful. The hammer wasn’t as much use as I had originally hoped. I knew the chances of finding a new hatchet here was small but I still hoped that I would.
Beth returned with food and placed it before each of us. Plain rice and peas, not the most appetizing food ever but it was hot and filling.
“You still have gas for cooking?” I asked around a mouthful of rice.
“Yes, no electric though and water pressure is way down.” Beth said she had a bruise on her shoulder that I could see whenever her baggy top slipped. She didn’t seem to meet anyone’s eyes either. I was becoming increasingly sure that something was off.
I sat quietly through the rest of the meal alternating watching the other people around the table and trying to persuade a much calmer Emma to eat. When the meal was finished Beth cleared away the plates with John once again following along with her.
“Well then, if you will excuse us I think I shall go and find some new clothes for us” I said with forced cheer and a smile.
“I’ll show you where the clothes shops are” Julie said and stood after a glance towards Alan and his nod of approval.
Emma once more took a firm grip of my hand as I followed Julie out of the cafe. Candice stayed behind, still clutching her bag and seemingly enjoying the attention of the two men at the table.
I followed behind Julie silently as she led us to the back of the store. “You can find general clothes in there” She said with a gesture to a door on the left “Though if you come this way I can show you the outdoor section.”
“Outdoor? You mean camping and walking gear?” I asked hopefully.
“Well hiking stuff and mainly ski gear.” Julie said, “With the forest of Bowland so close by, most shops stock hiking and cold weather gear.”
“For a forest?”
“Well it’s not an actual forest, more moorland and bogs along with high hills and deep valleys.” Julie said with a laugh. “The name is misleading I guess.”
“Yes I guess it is. We will certainly need hiking and cold weather gear then.” I said with a deep sigh.
“Is that where you are meeting your friends?” Julie asked.
“No, beyond that. I just thought it would be easier to cross that, rather than try the roads around it.”
“Yes makes sense I guess.” She stopped by the open door to a shop and waved her arm towards the opening.”Have a look in here, you should find plenty of stuff.”
I thanked her and brushed past her into the dim interior, but not before I noticed the several bruises on her arm. She stood by the door and watched as I moved amongst the racks of clothes looking for something suitable.
The shop was full of useful items for us. I picked a large rucksack for myself and a much smaller one for Emma. Sturdy cargo trousers for both of us as well as thick vests and t-shirts, several pairs of socks and underpants each. Gloves, scarves and hooded ski jackets that the tag claimed to be waterproof, windproof and breathable.
All were in dark colours to better blend in and avoid notice. Emma of course had decided that the bright pink ski jacket was the one for her and I spent ten minutes trying to convince her otherwise, much to the merriment of Julie.
Fur lined snow boots for Emma and a pair of sturdy walking boots for me and I was happy with my selections. Emma went into the changing room to get dressed.
“You have everything you need?” Julie asked.
“Well clothes wise sure,” I said. “We could use some other equipment, you know torches and maps. Maybe a weapon or two.”
“There are no maps here though you can probably find some closer to the area” she said.
“What about weapons?”
“Alan has anything like that locked away” she said.
“Why? I would have thought you would all be armed in case those zombies got in here.”
Julie shook her head and kept her gaze down.
“What’s going on?” I asked. I was beginning to think that my paranoia was justified.
“It’s nothing, just go as soon as you can.” She said and turned to walk away.
“Wait” I said, “You can tell me what’s going on. Is there a danger to the child here?” I asked in the hope of prompting some maternal response.
Julie paused and stood with head bowed as she considered what she was going to say. With a look towards the changing rooms and Emma she finally spoke. “There are more people in our group. Not here at the moment, they went outside to gather supplies and survivors.”
“Ok...” I began.
“No it’s not ok. When they come back tomorrow that will mean there will be six men and two women here unless your friend stays or they find some more people.” Julie said with a fierce glare. “So far it’s just been the six of them and two of us and it’s all been very civil. Alan made a schedule and they each have to wait their turn.” She said her voice full of bitterness and disgust.
“Oh” I said as understanding came. “So they will be happy to see me leave but want to keep Candice.”
“Yes and if the others come back empty handed they may want to keep Emma too.” Julie said, her arms wrapped around her body and she refused to look towards me.
“Well then, that will not happen” I said coldly. “I am responsible for the child and I told her I would take her to my friend. Anyone who gets in my way will regret it.”
“There’s nothing you can do.” Julie said quietly.
“We shall see about that.” I said. My thoughts were still and calm. I was responsible for the child and I would take that responsibility seriously. “When are the others due back?”
“We expect them late tomorrow, why?” Julie asked.
“I shall be leaving in the morning. Do you think Alan and the others will try and stop me?”
“Not if it’s just you, no.”
“And Emma?”
“I’m not sure.”
With a glance to the changing rooms to make sure Emma was still occupied I stepped close to Julie. “I will not leave her here. Will you warn me if they are going to try and keep her?” I asked.
“If you take me with you.” Julie said.
“They will certainly try and stop me if I take you with me.”
“Please” She pleaded. “I know the area and I hiked in the Forest of Bowland many times. I can show you the way through.”
I thought it through for several long minutes before coming to a decision. “We will need to leave early before they wake up and I will need a knife from the kitchen.”
“I can’t, the only times we go in the kitchen is to make one of them food and then someone is always with us.”
That certainly explained why John had followed Beth into the kitchen earlier. “You will need to try if you want to come with me. What about Beth?”
“She won’t come. She doesn’t like the situation but she was Alan’s girlfriend before all this and she gave up trying to leave him a long time ago.”
“Ok then, show me where I can spend the night and when they are asleep come and join us. You may need to watch Emma for a little while. Get me the knife if you can.” I instructed and stepped back as Emma left the changing rooms.
“Well you certainly look better prepared for the cold” I said as she bounded over to me, her earlier upset forgotten. I left her with Julie as I quickly changed into the new clothes myself. The feeling of putting on underwear and clean clothing for the first time in days was incredible.
Taking Julie along would be useful. Someone to help watch Emma and show me the way through unfamiliar te
rrain would be invaluable. Candice had proven she couldn’t be trusted and I was fine with leaving her behind.
I left my soiled clothing on the floor of the changing room and rejoined Emma and Julie. I disliked leaving the mess behind but I had other things to think about, namely who I would have to kill to be able to leave this place.
Excitement at the prospect of violence and death rising, I followed along behind Julie as she led the way through the Outlet Store.
Chapter 10
The rest of the day passed slowly. I sat with the others in the cafe and listened as Alan tried to charm Candice. John sat with his beady eyes staring hungrily at Candice and it was easy to imagine him eager for a new bed mate, willing or not. I was ostensibly ignored and that suited me fine.
Akhtar had been instructed to check all the entry points to ensure they were secure and Beth had gone with him. The hammer which looked to be my only weapon was with my rucksack in the crafts section of the store, where Emma and I would be spending the night. I had no idea where Candice was staying.
Beth and Akhtar returned as the light began to fade and immediately set to helping Julie light some candles before heading into the kitchen to start preparing food with John following along behind. I noticed that Beth had several new bruises.
When the meal was ready, plain pasta with a tomato sauce, I ate slowly as I considered my options. Ideally I would leave in the night without any fanfare but if Julie was willing to come along then I would need to wait for her. Candice could stay and rot for all I cared, she had shown herself to be unreliable and the way she was lapping up the attention was pitiful.
After the meal was cleared away we sat and drank some tepid tea while we listened to Alan regale us all with tales of his former life. When Emma yawned widely I seized the opportunity to make my escape.
“Well thank you for the pleasant afternoon and the wonderful meal, but I think I shall get the little one to bed.” I said with my most pleasant smile.
“No problems. What time are you leaving us tomorrow?” Alan asked.
“Oh, sometime after it gets light if that is ok with you?”
“That is absolutely fine” Alan replied with a fake smile that didn’t touch his eyes. I recognised the smile. I had used one like it many times before myself.
“I’ll take you back to your sleeping place” Julie said as she picked up a candle.
Alan watched as we walked from the room and I was sure his gaze fell more than once to Emma. We followed Julie along the corridor and into the craft section in silence.
“Here” Julie said as she handed me a sharp bread knife. “I don’t think they noticed.” She added with a fearful look over her shoulder as though afraid we had been followed.
“We need to leave as soon as possible, before they wake would be best.” I said with a look towards Emma as she wrapped herself in her coat and settled down beside the rucksacks.
“It’s my turn with John tonight so I can’t go anywhere till he’s asleep” Julie said. “They will notice if I try and leave before it’s light.”
“Fine, I shall be ready to leave first thing in the morning but if you can get away before then...” I left the sentence unfinished and she nodded. I could tell she was scared, I was intimately aware of how someone looked when terrified.
Julie left and I moved across the room to sit beside Emma. She was warm beside me and curled up much like the puppies I had seen in pictures and on TV. I felt a curious sense of peace as I sat in the darkness beside the child and I settled down to wait for morning.
Sometime around midnight the first shadow entered the room. A large bulky frame moving slowly as he tried to stay quiet. He was followed by the shape that could only be Alan. They each carried a weapon in their hands as they moved across the room to the sleeping space, though it was too dark to see what type of weapon.
When I was sure that a third shape wasn’t following them I stood up from where I had been crouched beside the door, partially hidden by a shelving unit and stalked along behind them. As they neared the sleeping place I stepped up behind the burly shape of Akhtar and stabbed the bread knife into his neck.
His yell of pain and surprise woke Emma who screamed which provided enough of a distraction to Alan that I had the time to swiftly pull the knife from Akhtar’s neck and feel the warm spurt of blood against my hand before turning my attention to him.
He lashed out with his weapon and pain exploded as I felt something solid and heavy strike my shoulder as I tried to duck and I was knocked to the floor. With knife still in hand I stabbed the blade into his ankle and with a scream he fell beside me.
I pulled the knife blade from his ankle and scrambled on top of him. He reached for his weapon but stopped as I placed the blade against his cheek and just beneath his eye.
“Where is John?” I demanded.
“In the cafe with the others” Alan sputtered.
“Good to know” I said and ran the knife across his throat, the sharp blade cutting easily through his flesh.
With Alan dying almost quietly I picked up his weapon and found it to be a crowbar. I hefted it in my hands as I crossed to where Akhtar lay on the ground mewling and trying desperately to stem the blood leaking from his neck. I crushed his skull with one swing of the heavy crowbar before crossing over to the screaming child.
It took several long minutes to quieten her and after I had done, I was forced to take her with me as I walked along to the cafe.
As I approached I saw light spilling out onto the concourse and I slowed my pace. I could hear angry words coming from within, they must have heard all the screaming and yelling and I hoped they believed it was me that had been killed.
I whispered to Emma that she needed to be quiet or the bad people would hear and she clamped her mouth shut. I gave her a smile that she couldn’t see in the darkness and admired her willingness to at least try. I placed her on the floor and told her she needed to wait by the door for a moment.
She shook her head emphatically ‘no’ and I realised that I would have a problem. With a sigh I let her take my left hand as I had the crowbar clenched in my right, before I led her towards the open door.
Inside the room the three women sat at the table and John leant against the counter a large butcher knife in his hand. There was an air of fear and despair in the room and I guessed that was coming from the women as they kept casting their gaze towards John.
“What the fu...” John began as I released Emma’s hand and dashed across the room to swipe him hard across the ribs with the crowbar. He gave a yell of pain and dropped the knife. My next blow caught his arm and I heard bone crack before he screamed. A final strike to his temple and he fell quiet.
“Oh my god!” Beth yelled.
“Shut up.” I said coldly and was gratified when they all stopped speaking. I picked up Emma and told her how brave she had been. She nodded and buried her head into my shoulder. It occurred to me that it had perhaps not been the best idea to kill so many people in front of her, but quickly dismissed the idea as she would have to get used to the kill or be killed mentality sooner or later.
“Gather your things if you still want to leave” I told Julie who nodded and ran out of the room. I stood silently and watched the two women who still sat teary eyed at the table as I waited.
Julie returned after ten minutes and I saw that she had dressed warmly and carried a backpack of her own. “I’ll get some food” she said and disappeared into the kitchen. When she came out the backpack was bulging and she paused long enough to pick up a candle.
“Let’s go” I said and walked out of the cafe without a backward glance.
“Why are we leaving now?” Julie asked as the crying and yelling began behind us.
“All the noise will have attracted attention. We have no guarantee that we will be able to get out now, let alone in the morning.” I said.
“I didn’t know what they were planning” she said after a short pau
se.
“If I thought you had known then you would be dead too.” I replied and we continued walking along in silence.
We reached the end of the concourse and Julie led the way into one of the shops. “This one has a fire exit at the back hopefully it won’t have any undead outside it.” She said.
The shop was full of baggage and accessories for travel. It wasn’t as big as the outdoor section had been and we were soon standing beside a metal door marked ‘exit’ in large letters. Julie paused with her hand on the locking bar and looked at me.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
“Sure but put out the candle first.”
“Oh, sorry.” She said and blew out the flame before pressing down on the locking bar and pushing open the door.
When nothing burst through the doorway attempting to eat us, I lowered the crowbar and cautiously stepped outside. The night air was cold and it was raining but I couldn’t see anything moving out in the darkness.
“Ok then, lead the way” I told her.
Julie set off slowly, keeping to the side of the building. I wasn’t complaining as Emma was heavy and I suspected she had fallen asleep.
She stopped at the corner of the building and peered around it before looking back at me. “I can see some shapes but can’t really make out much. I think it’s undead though and they are headed towards the front of the building” she said in a whisper.
I nodded and whispered back, “They are likely going to try and get in through the front entrance. I doubt the barricade will last too long.”
“Oh god, we should warn them.”
“No point. Come on, we need to leave now while we can and find somewhere to wait until morning.” I said firmly.
“If we cross the road here, there’s a housing estate. I used to drive past all the time on the way to work and most of them have garages or sheds.”
“That will do until morning.” I told her, “Let’s go.”
Chapter 11
Julie was sat with her back against the stack of cardboard boxes that lined the back wall of the garage. Emma was curled up in a ball next to her. I stretched and pulled open the side door.
Safety Lost (Killing the Dead Book 3) Page 6