The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  Several minutes later the chiefs were filing away talking amongst themselves, leaving Maddox and Lenski alone.

  ‘Skyla she like you no?’ Lenski asked, straight to the point as usual.

  ‘Yeah I guess,’ Maddox replied.

  ‘You like her? She very pretty, she make the eyes at you all the time.’

  ‘I saw that,’ Maddox grimaced remembering how Sierra pulled the zip lower and lower on her hooded top to show her over developed cleavage thrusting out from her low cut top. The sixteen year old girl was beautiful but that was it. She was sixteen and although Maddox was but two years older, somehow it felt wrong.

  ‘And the boobs, I thought maybe she take them out,’ Lenski stayed straight faced making Maddox laugh.

  ‘I think she young for you, you need the real woman,’ she winked before turning away with a swish of hair, exaggerating a sexy hip swing and looking back to make sure he was watching, laughing at his evident surprise.

  The youths were separated. Boys being taken to the far side by the large drains built into the ground and the girls led away to the front. Screens taken from the cannabis plantation and previously used to block the view from the grimy windows are taken outside and erected as large makeshift shower cubicles. Hoses, used to water the plants are dragged out and fixed to the side of the screen.

  Grumbling, moaning, whining and making excuse after excuse the boys lined up as Maddox made the crew chiefs go first. Telling them quietly to show they’re enjoying it. Taking it to the next level, the chiefs stripped off one by one and sang their way through the quick shower. Rap songs to start off with quickly change into any tune remembered and within minutes a competition was started with points awarded by the crowd for the song belted out.

  The water was freezing, but as Lenski said, the sun was hot and before long the ground was foaming from the liberal amounts of shower gel and shampoo scrubbed and sluiced off. With not enough towels to go round, Maddox ordered them to dry off quickly before getting dressed and stretch the towels out on the hot ground. Darius, showing as good initiative quickly inspects the clothes left by the showering youths and orders the filthiest to be set aside for washing. Those without new clothes were taken aside by Mohammed and Ryland to be supplied with new garments taken from the looted shops.

  Round the other side of the units, the girls fared much better. Naturally inclined to be cleaner than teenage boys the girls relished the chance to wash and each one took several minutes to scrub and wash their hair. A second hose was dragged out and some of the more confident girls showered two at a time. Chattering and laughing about the boys, who fancies who and badgering Lenski for new clothes and make-up.

  Within an hour the youths were clean for the first time in days and Maddox stared glumly at the pile of filthy garments left over, then shaking his head as the girls filter back round followed by Lenski and Sierra carrying armfuls of dirty clothes, quickly dumped onto the already huge mound.

  ‘So I will be cleaning these too?’ Lenski asked with a challenging look. Maddox stared back and shrugged, suddenly feeling out of his depth for the first time since it began.

  Picking up on the subtle change in his eyes, Lenski quickly smiled, ‘it’s not big problem, we clean them.’

  ‘Okay,’ Maddox smiled back. The resilient lad was used to looking after himself, using laundries to get his own clothing washed and taking care over his appearance. But suddenly having to sort out the laundry for so many filthy kids clothes was too much.

  ‘They need burning,’ Sierra added with a grimace.

  ‘Punishment detail,’ Maddox said quietly then looked to the two women, ‘we use it as punishment when they fuck up.’

  ‘Might work,’ Sierra nodded.

  ‘Is better than my girls doing it,’ Lenski agreed.

  ‘Maddox, is Lenski a crew chief?’ Sierra suddenly asked an innocent question that showed her young age. Being unable to just accept the situation fluidly and needing the rank structure laid out clearly.

  ‘No, Lenski is in charge of the base when I’m not here,’ Maddox replied in a tone that did not invite further conversation.

  ‘So does that mean she’s number three then?’ Sierra asked, clearly showing she missed the tone that didn’t invite further conversation.

  ‘I am not number,’ Lenski interrupted, annoyed at being spoken about like she wasn’t there.

  ‘The Bossman is one, Maddox is number two so you must be three innit?’ Sierra said as if it made the most perfect sense.

  ‘Yes.’ Maddox said with a glance at Lenski.

  ‘Yay,’ Sierra quickly hugged the startled Polish woman and walked off beaming, telling Darius that Lenski was number three now.

  ‘Nice one,’ Darius shouted over and set about telling more people, who in turn told more people who then stared back at Lenski smiling.

  ‘I am not number,’ Lenski grumbled to Maddox.

  ‘You are now,’ Maddox replied, ‘you just got promoted.’

  ‘Do I get the pay rise too?’ Lenski nodded at the grinning youths as the latest gossip that Lenski was number three whipped through the camp.

  ‘Yeah, you get more weed,’ Maddox joked, knowing Lenski, like him, didn’t smoke it.

  ‘I never try it,’ she replied.

  ‘Never?’

  ‘I never do the drugs. Is it nice?’

  ‘They like it,’ Maddox shrugged.

  ‘Do you like it?’

  ‘No, I like being in control,’ Maddox replied.

  ‘Yes. I see that.’

  ‘They’ll want to know who is number four next, then five and down to the last one.’

  ‘Three is enough?’

  ‘For now,’ Maddox said, his mind already working ahead and seeing the power struggles that could break out as the youths clambered for authority over the rest, ‘they’ll want deputy crew chiefs, assistant crew chiefs and someone in charge of the toilet.’

  ‘You remind me now, we need more toilets, there is only a few here.’

  ‘I know,’ Maddox replied, ‘add it to the list.’

  ‘I did that already.’ They stand in silence, two young people drawn together and watching a new society form right in front of them. One, a hardened black youth takes everything in, watching the subtle behaviours that shape the culture already developing. The other, a young woman from a different country, clutching a clipboard and blowing a stray strand of hair from her eyes, seeing tasks that need to be done, making lists and nodding to herself as she mentally ticks them off.

  ‘Rats and cockroaches,’ Maddox says quietly.

  ‘Where?’ Lenski looked at the ground in alarm.

  ‘Us, we’re rats and cockroaches. There was something the Bossman told me that the only things that would survive a nuclear war would be rats and cockroaches,’ he shrugged, ‘that’s us.’

  ‘I am not rat!’ Lenski exclaimed.

  ‘Cockroach then?’ Maddox smiled.

  ‘I give you the cockroach, I put them in your bed,’ she said laughing before walking away with another disdainful look at the mound of stinking clothes.

  Food is prepared by the girls in the units, helped out here and there by the younger youths drawn to the older women by a sense of being near someone maternal and caring. The power is taken from the lighting units set up above the plants and diverted to the games station and monitors. Music decks and speakers are dragged out near the pit, wires stretching back inside the units. Youths gather and congregate as a sense of excitement grows. Play lists are formulated and arguments break out over who is going first on the decks. With many budding DJ’s all wanting to display their skills Darius and Mohammed are forced to step in and resolve the disagreements by pushing the youths back and organising a list.

  The prepared food is given out one crew at a time as they withdraw to their tents to eat together, a rule enforced by Maddox to prevent squabbling and all out carnage. Peace descends for a short time, giving the older youths and crew chiefs a chance to get the final touches
ready. Some old disco lights are stretched round the pit, some of the plant UV lights stacked here and there. Then into the units to gather up the pre-wrapped lumps of weed. Taken round to the tents by Maddox and Darius, each youth given enough to see them through the night.

  Maddox, never before feeling any sense of guilt about supplying the weed and taking the cash for it, feels a deepening sense of shame and worry. Young kids, some of them barely ten years old, reach out to take the cannabis in their small hands. Smiling with red tired looking eyes. Children given a drug to keep them passive and quiet. He understands the thought process, that having so many young people ripped away from whatever fucked up family life they had and shoving them into an area with no real care or love is a recipe for disaster, but giving them drugs to keep them docile? Is this the right thing to do?

  Confused at the new thoughts creeping into his mind, Maddox moved from tent to tent. Seeing the way the young look up to him, eager for a few words or something said by Maddox that would mean he’s noticed them. He takes his time and mentions each youth by name, telling them they’re doing a good job, mentioning a joke heard about them, or a boy or girl he saw watching them. He takes it easy with the shy ones, speaking quieter and with a softer tone. Hardening his jokes and banter with the more rough and ready lads. The girls make eyes at him, zips get pulled down and cleavages pushed out. He pretends not to notice and keeps eye contact, smiling, joking, sharing stories and listening to their tales.

  As he steps out of the last tent his eyes move back to the end of the units, where the Bossman’s office is. Knowing the great man will be sat inside smoking a joint and jotting down his yields, power output, water usage and leaving everything to Maddox. Wondering if the Bossman will make an appearance tonight, Maddox heads back towards the pit and the final touches being put to the decks. The Bossman got all this set up; he moved quickly while everyone else stood with their mouths hanging open and hid under their beds but for the last few days he’s stayed in his rooms.

  The afternoon draws into evening. A palpable dual sense of nervous excitement spreads through the compound. Worry, that the night will draw the infected out, if they will hear the howls tonight, if any of them will charge at the gates or fence. But looking forward to dancing, drinking, smoking weed and getting caned.

  As the night started to fall Maddox stood at the top of the compound, on the corner of the building line, maintaining a view of the tents, the building and the front gate as the sun dropped below the line of council houses. The crew chiefs, spotting him looking into the sky signal for their crews to be silent, faces go taught and look up. Youths moved out from the tents to stand in silence.

  Maddox swiftly checked the gate nodding to Darius stood there holding an old rifle. Lenski and the girls, on hearing the sudden drop in noise emerged from the open door and stand in silence. Worried expressions etched onto their tired faces. Lenski holds her clipboard to her chest. Maddox knows the area has been swept clean, and nearly every house in the nearby vicinity has been checked but the worry that they could have shuffled back into the streets and now, with the daylight fading they could turn and come after the smell of fresh tender young meat.

  Long minutes ticked away. In the built up urban and without a view of the natural horizon it was impossible to tell when the sun was down and the night was properly upon them. But still they waited as the sky grew darker with each passing second. No howls sounded out, ripping the air apart. Silence everywhere. With a pre-arranged signal Maddox nodded at Mohammed on the decks. He flicked a switch, lights flashed on and the solid bass beat stormed out from the speakers. The youths, still looking up at the sky jump and twitch, spinning round to look at the grinning Mohammed and the multi coloured lights. Ryland, on seeing the signal drops a match into the pit and steps back as the long flames shoot up from the petrol soaked logs already stacked in place.

  Cheering erupts and the youths surge forward. The now clean and scrubbed faces bursting with relief in the absolute belief that if Maddox says it’s safe then it must be. Seconds later the young boys and girls are jumping round releasing the anxiety. The older ones hold back and saunter in casually, trying to look cool and show a sense of not being bothered.

  Hearing laughing Maddox turns to see Lenski and the girls all smiling and pointing at the dancing youths. She smiles a huge grin at Maddox, offering a little wave. He nods back and turns to see Darius intently staring out through the gap, peering down the street.

  ‘So you gonna get wiv Skyla then bruv?’ Darius asked his friend as they stood by the main gate a few minutes later.

  ‘Nah mate,’ Maddox shook his head.

  ‘She’s fit innit.’ Darius observed.

  ‘Yeah but not my style,’ Maddox said.

  ‘Lenski?’ Darius asked watching closely for a reaction, knowing his friends ability to stay completely straight faced.

  ‘Nah bruv, too busy innit. Swear down we got too much going on here,’ Maddox replied.

  ‘You see the Bossman?’ Darius changed subject, being reminded of how busy Maddox was. He, almost as much as the Bossman, knew how capable Maddox was and how much the compound now relied on him.

  ‘Earlier,’ Maddox shrugged.

  ‘He still sat inside with his toke?’

  ‘Yeah innit,’ Maddox smiled.

  ‘He comin’ out tonight or what?’ Darius asked, wondering along with everyone else why the Bossman was keeping to his office so much.

  ‘He won’t,’ Maddox said.

  ‘Is he alright then?’

  ‘Dunno, he seemed alright but just sits inside smoking weed and workin’ out the yields and crops.’ Maddox replied. Darius inhaled sharply as though it was a bad thing Maddox had said.

  ‘He’s leavin’ it all to you bruv.’

  ‘We need him,’ Maddox said quickly, wanting to dispel any stupid idea that might be forming in his friends mind. ‘He knows more than us, he got this place sorted and he said about the Dysentery, we don’t know stuff like that.’

  ‘Fact,’ Darius quickly sided with Maddox, picking up on his quick reply and wanting to show he didn’t mean anything.

  ‘You hungry bruv? Go get some food and I’ll stay here.’

  ‘Sure?’ Darius checked before starting to stroll off.

  ‘Watch Ryker,’ Maddox called out, ‘I don’t like that kid, he’s trouble innit.’

  ‘I’m all over it,’ Darius raised an arm and was soon lost in the deep shadows. Alone, Maddox leant against the gate and thought once more about the scaffold tower they need to be able to see over the gate instead of peering through the gap. One of the garden centres nearby should have something they could use. Then he thought to the local shops and the scaffolding rigged up round one of them while work was being carried out. Just take that, he mused quietly. Get the crews to carry it back. Need some lights out here, too dark now the street lamps are gone. Spotlights or something on the top of the scaffold tower like the guard towers have in the movies.

  The beat of the music drifted round to him and Maddox found himself humming along with the tune being played. The estate was huge, covering miles of social housing and run down streets. Bordered on two sides by fields and open countryside that was rarely ventured into and cut off by strong high metal fencing. An agreement worked out by the farmers before the project was started. The north side was cut off by the motorway and the south by the shore. Those houses on the shore were nice and kept by for the families that proved they could look after their properties.

  Thoughts poured through his mind, working out ways to maximise the area. He could use the school playing fields to plant crops, and maybe get some of the crews down on the shore catching fish. He knew there were still hordes of the infected gathered about, but eventually they would be killed off, more might come but they would be dealt with too. Thinking back to the conversation he had with Lenski earlier he wondered how he knew what he knew. The Bossman had taught him many things but most of it was down to Maddox growing up on the streets and
learning quickly. Striving to drag himself out of the benefit dependant life that everyone else seemed to cling too. He knew the risks of dealing but took those risks knowing it was the quickest way to get money, status and then get out and be somewhere else. He wasn’t drawn to the world of gangsta. He wanted out and that was the way to do it. But now, now it was all gone and out of necessity he was left holding the baby.

  There was no reason why some of these houses couldn’t be converted to house the cannabis plants. Put solar panels on the roof and then use the space in the units for living in when the weather got bad. He thought the Bossman wouldn’t like that idea, being away from his babies. But if they extended the compound out to take in the houses then they would be safe, and maybe use a few of them to live in too. In time, they could keep extended the fence and barricade out and create a big compound but then the adults would want in. More adults meant more problems and it would mean having to make more deputies, more helpers, more guards, more guns then it was back to the shit community that was here before.

  ‘The great leader should be with the people no?’ Lenski said, interrupting his thoughts and holding out a mug of steaming black coffee. Not sure if she meant him or the Bossman he simply took the coffee and smiled.

  ‘Are you hungry?’ She asked.

  ‘Nah, I had something before.’

  ‘We take out the crisps and snacks you said, they go mad and eat them like pigs, everywhere it smell of the weed and they drinking the beer too.’

  ‘A mess then,’ Maddox asked imagining the chaos that would reigning on the other side of the units.’

  ‘But they enjoy it,’ she added, ‘the little ones are dropping off.’