The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  ‘But good heavens what does he expect calling you a diseased rancid whore like that. Unforgivable, truly it was. Again yes, you did run with Darren who we know caused the death of some his closest people and obviously that lad who died that night in the stairwell, so under normal circumstances one could feel a degree of sympathy for the anger and hurt he feels towards you. But to call you such an insulting term in front of others was abhorrent.’

  She begins to slow the frantic pace.

  ‘And that act of defilement, good god that was…well it was humiliating is what it was. Thrusting his thumb into your mouth like that…what was the man thinking of! How on earth you held back and didn’t bite down is beyond me. What an utterly stupid act of…of…well of stupidity, yes, a stupid act of stupidity. He was actually looking you in the eye and telling you to bite him! I saw it…we all saw it…telling you to bite him! Now that was either the single most bravest act I have ever witnessed or the single most stupidest and I know full well which way I am veering in my opinion let me tell you that…’

  She stops suddenly, spinning round to stare back and breathing hard.

  ‘What? What’s wrong?’ Reginald asks in alarm.

  Marcy lifts a hand to her mouth and touches her lips gently. She looks at Reginald who stares back blinking. She looks at April who stares back blankly. She looks at Mildred who nods. A slight movement, just a dip of the head. But it’s enough.

  Marcy starts running.

  Thirty-Eight

  ‘MAGAZINE,’ someone from the line bellows. Hard habits ingrained from Dave’s instruction. The first magazines are ejected and thrown into the back of the vehicle, new ones rammed in, bolts yanked back, rifles raised, triggers depressed.

  As soon as we start firing they start running. Charging across the flatlands towards us. A solid unbroken dark mass of undead, thousands of them. They’re some distance off but every step brings them closer.

  Whoever is running them has more experience than Darren as the sides of the horde start to overtake the middle. The shape of the ranks bending to a horseshoe.

  ‘They’re gonna flank us,’ Clarence shouts as he changes magazine.

  ‘AIM FOR THE SIDES,’ Dave roars down. As one the assault rifles adjust position and fire into the moving sides of the mass. Bodies go down as the rounds hit home but they keep coming. Charging with increasing speed and holding that pattern as the two flanks stretch further out.

  The GPMG holds on the middle section, cutting the numbers down in droves but even Dave has to focus the fire and give steady short bursts to control the rapid loss of the large calibre ammunition.

  The undead stretch further out to the sides, moving very rapidly to increase the flanking position. I suddenly think back to all the movies and documentaries where they talk about pincer movements, flanking and buffalo horn formations.

  With such a long line we find it hard to focus our fire and suddenly the small amount of guns we have become apparent against such a large number of undead.

  I fire at the left flank, focussing my fire and aiming for the upper body. I down body after body but I also miss some shots because of their rapid movement out to the sides. The GPMG bursts become shorter and shorter as Dave aims for the central mass.

  Changing magazine I glance round and see the thickness of the ranks still coming at us. Now much closer and gaining with every second. I can see the individual people now, make out male and female. I turn away before I recognise any of them. A quick glance shows me the others doing the same, averting their eyes while they change magazine.

  ‘DAVE…GO HEADSHOTS,’ I shout.

  ‘I HAVE BEEN.’ He opens up with the last final burst. A whole line of skulls exploding like melons. Pink mists puffing into the air as he strafes across the central section.

  Taking aim I keep on single shot, feeling the recoil of the rifle with each press of the trigger. Watching as they drop and spin off from the power of the bullets.

  ‘I’M OUT,’ Dave roars as the GPMG clicks empty.

  ‘GO TO THE FORT AND GET SOME MORE,’ Clarence shouts.

  ‘SERIOUSLY?’ I shout.

  ‘NO, I WAS JOKING…I THINK WE’RE FUCKED.’

  ‘AIM FOR THE MIDDLE, FULL AUTO,’ I shout and turn to aim into the middle. I flick the switch and hold steady as I unload the magazine into the dense central ranks. The assault rifles burst to life as we fire unrestrained into them.

  A dull roar sweeps as they give voice, encouraged and charged up from the GPMG running empty. They speed up, coming at us faster than ever.

  Changing magazine I glance round and see Dave quickly showing Joe how to push and load a fresh magazine into a rifle. The lad nods and starts ramming them into the spare assault rifles.

  ‘CLARENCE TO ME,’ Dave shouts. Clarence spins round to see Dave stood there with two assault rifles held at waist height. He aims for the oncoming central rank and pulls both triggers at the same time. His small body judders with the recoil of the two assault rifles.

  Once empty he casts them down and scoops two more up, Joe quickly grabbing the two discarded weapons to change the magazines.

  Clarence moves to the back and grabs another one, copying Dave he stands with two rifles and empties both at the charging mass.

  We fire and fire. The air splitting apart from the noise. The stench of cordite hitting our already scorched throats. Grimy sweat pours down our faces as the scorching sun burns down on us.

  With a final almighty roar they give a final charge, finding more speed and power as they sprint. Faces twisted in utter hatred, teeth pulled back, arms pumping wildly.

  ‘GET IN…GET IN NOW,’ I scream out, shocked at the burst of speed they give. They were holding back to keep us static. Waiting until the last second before showing that conserved energy. These are freshly turned and healthy. Full of strength and power.

  Clarence dumps his rifles inside and grabs Lillian, launching her into the back, he twists and grabs Lani doing the same. Dave stands central holding two rifles and firing into their legs, bringing them to down to trip the ones following, buying us seconds.

  I move back towards the Saxon. They’re so close now. Just metres away and coming in from three sides. Feeling the back of the Saxon I give a final burst from my rifle and dive in. Strong hands pull me away from the doors as they get slammed shut. Loud thuds follow within a second as the horde reaches the vehicle.

  I’m up and scrabbling for the front, cursing as I see the thick crowds in front of the vehicle. I start the engine as the vehicle rocks from the solid press of thuds and bangs coming from the outside. Bodies clamber over the front and lie over the windscreen blocking my view. I push the pedal down and feel the vehicle start to move. I press harder and feel as the vehicle struggles to make ground.

  I slam the gear into reverse and push my foot down again. The vehicle backs just inches before coming to a halt. Forward and the same thing happens. Reverse and I ram my foot down, we hardly move. No view of outside from the bodies across the windscreen.

  ‘They’re jamming the wheels,’ Clarence shouts over the sound of Meredith barking like crazy.

  Fuck it, we’ve been caught out by fucking zombies doing something clever instead of full on charging. Wankers. Fucking wankers.

  I keep trying, turning the wheel hard over and trying to force the movement at an angle. The engine screams with a mighty roar, bellowing its own frustration and anger at being blocked in.

  ‘CAN’T SEE A FUCKING THING,’ I scream out and keep trying to jolt forward and back. The things outside roar and slam against the vehicle. Loud bangs that echo dully inside.

  With a curse I give up and grip the steering wheel. My knuckles turning white from the pressure. My breathing gets faster. My heart rate increases. Oxygen floods my system, pumping into my muscles as my heart understands what’s about to happen.

  An image of Sarah floods my mind. The red eyes, the expressionless face. My sister. My family. Taken by those things.

  I climb out o
f the seat and into the back. Meredith ceases barking and stares at the back of the vehicle, knowing that’s where the doors are and what’s on the other side. A deep bass growl comes from her throat.

  ‘Here,’ Dave holds my axe out, knowing full well what we’re about to do. I nod back at him as Clarence picks his up. Dave draws his knives and starts rolling his shoulders. The lads ditch their rifles and heft their axes. Lani pulls her meat cleaver. Not a word spoken.

  ‘Can you drive?’ I look at Lillian. She nods then stares at us all.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘We’ll clear the road…get behind the wheel…’

  ‘What?’ She stares at us in shock, ‘they’ll tear you to pieces.’

  ‘The dog is immune to the infection, she has to survive…stay in here with Joe, as soon as you see the road is clear you drive and don’t stop for anything.’

  ‘You can’t do this,’ she shakes her head, ‘you can’t…’

  ‘What else we gonna do?’ Nick asks with a smile, ‘stay in here and wait for help?’

  ‘Have you called the police?’ Cookey asks.

  ‘Yeah, they’re sending a patrol car to check it out,’ Nick replies with a grin.

  ‘That’s good then,’ Cookey grins back, ‘or we could call the AA, hi there…we seem to be blocked in by a giant horde of zombies…I don’t know if you can send anyone but…’

  We all chuckle, apart from Lillian and Joe who just stare at us like they’ve seen a ghost.

  ‘Right then, out the back doors, clear some space…Joe will close the doors behind us and Lillian will be ready to drive out of here…any questions?’

  Nick lights a smoke and inhales quickly, Dave glares at him then shrugs. The others get quick gulps of water and warm flat Lucozade. Nick passes the smoke over to me, Cookey lights one and shares it with Blowers. Dave coughs pointedly.

  ‘I’m going first,’ I say as I blow a plume of smoke out.

  ‘It’s my turn,’ Dave replies.

  ‘I said it first.’

  ‘But it’s my turn.’

  ‘You two always go first, give someone else a chance,’ Lani states.

  ‘I’ll go,’ Cookey offers.

  ‘Nope…’ I shake my head as I pass the smoke back to Nick.

  ‘I’m the biggest, I should go,’ Clarence growls.

  ‘I’m the smallest…’ Dave points out.

  ‘I’m the only girl…so I should go,’ Lani joins in.

  ‘Nope,’ I shake my head again.

  ‘Want the last bit?’ Nick holds the smoke out. I nod and take it, savouring the harsh bite.

  ‘But…where…I don’t…’ Lillian looks terrified.

  ‘Just drive out of here okay…head for a big housing estate down that way,’ I point to the side of the Saxon, ‘er…towards Portsmouth…find a lad called Maddox and tell him what happened.’

  She nods but looks scared to death.

  ‘Get ready then,’ I say softly and nod at her. She hesitates then moves off, climbing awkwardly over the seat. ‘It’s just like a car…but much bigger…as soon as you see the road clearing you go, got it?’

  She looks up at me over her shoulder and nods again.

  ‘Lani, I don’t suppose I could persuade you to stay…’

  ‘Don’t even ask,’ she snaps with a glare.

  ‘Didn’t think so.’ I move to the back and stand in front of the doors. Dave pushes into my side and budges me over so we’re stood shoulder to shoulder.

  ‘How the fuck we gonna open the doors? They’ll be pressed against them…’ Cookey suddenly asks.

  Dave and I both turn round and shuffle away as Clarence steps forward and stands front centre.

  ‘Knew I’d go first,’ he mutters.

  ‘Only cos you’re the biggest,’ I mutter back.

  We pause for a second until he turns his head and looks at me, ‘well…say it then?’

  ‘Eh?...Oh…Sorry…’ I clear my throat, ‘ready lads?’ A chorus of replies, Clarence smiles and looks back to the doors.

  ‘Ready Dave?’ My voice comes out low and hoarse as the adrenalin starts to flood my system.

  ‘Yes Mr Howie.’

  Thirty-Nine

  ‘Marcy…I can’t keep up…this…this is too much…we’re safe and away…why are we still running,’ Reginald gasps for breath, his face flushed and gleaming from the sweat pouring down.

  Marcy looks back at Reginald and Mildred, both of them trying earnestly to keep up but clearly struggling.

  ‘Sorry,’ she mutters and starts running faster. April picks her pace up, easily staying beside Marcy. The two young women stride well ahead of the other two.

  ‘What?...what’s going on? This is too much, really too much. We come all the way over here and get abused by Mr Howie and then the next thing we’re running…and in this heat! I say this is all too much.’

  ‘Reggie my dear,’ Mildred says, relieved at being able to slow down but feeling a state of happiness at being able to run for the first time in years, ‘you do moan rather a lot.’

  Marcy and April open their stride, legs working furiously. They ignore the heat and glaring sun, powering on, back towards their horde.

  Forty

  She stands quivering with anticipation. Feeling stronger than ever from being with this pack. The energy between them is unlike anything she has ever known or felt before.

  The leader, the man with the dark curly hair exudes power. The small one is dangerously violent and has no fear, none whatsoever. Nothing. He is void.

  She hears and smells them outside the den. Many of them. All around. The pack starts to gather at the doors and waits. She knows they will open the doors. She knows this pack wants to fight. She accepts this as fact and without hesitation. It is organic and natural. The pack fights; she fights. The pack fights together. Strength in unity. She will stand her ground and fight with them.

  The little one is to remain here. That is clear. They fight to protect the little one.

  She ceases to bark because the fight is imminent. There is no point to tell them she is here now. She has already told them who she is. She told she has killed many and will kill them all. She told them to stay away from the little one but they did not heed the warning. So now they die.

  She knows she will fight because no one is holding her. No hands grip her collar or hold the thick skin on her neck. No one has told her to sit or stay.

  She understands this means she is to fight with them. The woman is to stay here with the little one. She will protect him in here while the pack goes out to meet the enemy.

  Soft brown eyes fix on the doors. Soft brown eyes pick out a route between the legs. Soft brown eyes that have already decided who will be first out the doors.

  The energy builds. An electrifying sensation that pumps through her heart. The pack bond is overwhelming.

  The big one at the front makes noise to the pack leader. The pack leader makes noise. The big one shows teeth.

  This is it. This is the time.

  The big one explodes with incredible strength and bursts the doors open, the pack roars.

  At the very first twitch of his leg she is moving, snaking between the legs, barging through those that refuse to move. As daylight flooded the inside of the den her front legs were already leaving the ground.

  As the doors fly open to reveal the things she is mid-flight, sailing past the big one and out into the open.

  The things have their lips pulled back. They show their teeth.

  You want to see teeth? She pulls her lips back. Look at mine…they’re much bigger.

  Forty-One

  Clarence gently releases the clasp and then explodes, booting the doors open. His enormous strength drives the things back, giving us just enough space to charge.

  As the doors go, we give voice. All of us roaring with fury.

  Then Meredith sails past my head. Launching herself past Clarence and straight into them. Too late now.

  We charge. Clarenc
e leaps with his axe held high. He aims straight for the hole created by Meredith. The strength of the dog is stunning, in the couple of seconds it takes for Dave and I to leap out she’s already killed two and going for the third.

  Clarence goes full Viking, swinging the double headed axe round and round, creating space, driving them back and slaughtering anything unfortunate enough to be in the way.

  Dave launches high, landing several ranks deep. His arms already spinning as he drops down. The rest of us, the mere mortals that we are, just plough in and start killing things.

  We fight out, pushing them back from the doors. Axes swinging and cutting, slicing the things apart. The bloodlust is high as pure rage drives us on. No thought given to who these things were. The thought that someone we know might step in front doesn't factor now. Just death. Kill and kill.

  So we do. We kill. It’s what we do.

  And we’re good at it.

  ‘JOE…SHUT THE DOORS,’ I scream back, I glance just enough to see Joe already pulling them closed. Not much bloody point now seeing as no one thought to tie the bloody dog up.

  Oh well. We’re here now. Might as well enjoy it. We set to work, destroying anything that comes near us. Lani’s speed is amazing, becoming more like Dave with every fight. Clarence used his strength to slaughter them. The lads use pure brutality. She and Dave, smaller builds and slight in frame, use fluid grace. Dancing, weaving, dropping, spinning. The blades flash and glitter to start with but quickly become blood stained.

  I fight with my axe becoming an extension of my body. A part of me. The power builds as I go. My wild hacking and slashing becomes focussed and aimed. Heads split apart. Brains burst. Limbs are taken off. Where I need the axe to be, so it is. I’ve learnt not to think. Just to let it be.

  Where-as before there was rage and fury driving me, now there is calm and a state of being. My mind clears, apart from one image. It should be my sister. It should be my family. It should be plenty of people. But it isn’t.