by RR Haywood
‘No, no I insist,’ Andrew presses on, ‘what about the plum tomatoes? I know my two would rather have the beans or the spaghetti.’
‘Well if you’re sure,’ Norman stares hungrily at the tin held by Andrew, ‘have you got an opener?’
‘Hang on, no look, it’s got one of those pull things, come on, what do you say we share some plum tomatoes?’
‘Well,’ Norman grins, ‘I would love to share the plum tomatoes with you.’
‘Here, would you hold this,’ Andrew passes the tinned beans over while he carefully pulls the lid back on the plum tomatoes. The smell hits them instantly, a rich tomato scent that gets their mouths watering.
‘After you,’ Andrew holds the open tin towards Norman.
‘Oh no old chap, you go first.’
‘I insist, you have the first one,’ Andrew prompts.
Placing the two tins down, Norman gently pushes his fingers into the rich sauce, groping to grip a peeled tomato, ‘slippery blighters,’ he comments as the tomato drops back in, ‘got it,’ he scoops it out and into his mouth, murmuring with delight at the taste.
‘Nice?’ Andrew asks.
‘Mmmm,’ Norman replies.
Andrew delves in, taking one of the big fruits and grappling it into his mouth. First savouring the rich taste as it soaks into his tongue and drips delightfully down his throat.
‘Oh god that was nice,’ Norman sighs. Andrew holds the tin out for him to take another one. Norman plunges in, scooping another to quickly mouth the morsel.
On Andrew’s second tomato he closes his eyes, thinking in amazement at how life has changed. To be stood in a ruined shop, with a polite stranger, sharing a tin of plum tomatoes and really enjoying them.
With the tomatoes gone, they each take a sip of the remaining juice, sharing the tin back and forth until the last is drained away.
‘That,’ Norman says sucking the sauce from his fingers, ‘was lovely.’
‘Truly,’ Andrew agrees, ‘how old are your children?’
‘My boy is six and my girl is fifteen.’
‘Never,’ Andrew exclaims, ‘mine are the same, Lilly and William, well Billy.’
‘You don’t say,’ Norman stares over in wonder, ‘well…small world, Samantha just turned fifteen a few months ago and Todd is six and a half now.’
‘What’s that word?’ Andrew screws his face up in concentration.
‘Fortuitous?’
‘Yes!’ Andrew beams, ‘very fortuitous. I don’t mind admitting I was petrified coming down here.’
‘Me too,’ Norman says, ‘utterly terrified I was, glad I bumped into you like that though.’
‘Oh definitely, shame we can’t all get together tonight.’
‘I wish we could,’ Norman agrees instantly, ‘but I don’t fancy bringing my two out in the dark. Sam would be okay but Todd wouldn’t like it.’
‘Oh gosh no,’ Andrew adds, ‘I wouldn’t chance it either.’
‘So we meeting here then?’ Norman asks.
‘If that’s alright with you?’
‘Sure,’ Norman nods, ‘you got a car?’
‘No, unfortunately not…er…had some financial problems so er…kind of had to give it back.’
‘Oh dear, recession was it?’
‘Yes,’ Andrew replies grimly, ‘bloody awful.’
‘Did my marriage in,’ Norman states, ‘I’m only hanging on by my fingertips, well I say that but er…don’t think it really matters now.’
‘No, guess it doesn't.’
‘Well, we can walk to the motorway if we don’t find something on the way.’
‘Agreed,’ Andrew nods, ‘well I better be getting back, nice to meet you again Norman.’
‘You too,’ shaking hands they nod and smile, both of them feeling a huge sense of relief at meeting the other, both of them feeling the tug to return to their families and both of them not wanting to go.
‘Have you got bags and things?’ Andrew asks quickly as a way of dragging it out for another minute.
‘Oh yes, we’ve got rucksacks, how about you? Anything you need?’
‘No, I don’t think so, I was going to pack a couple of books for Billy.’
‘I’ll do the same,’ Norman replies, ‘we can share then.’
‘Great, Lilly will be pleased, I think she’s getting rather fed up of just having her dad for company.’
‘Sam too,’ Norman grins, ‘well er…’
‘And you,’ they shake hands again as they step through the door into the moonlit street.
‘Oh the tins,’ Andrew laughs.
‘Oh crumbs,’ Norman chortles as Andrew retrieves them from the ground just inside the door, passing the spaghetti over.
‘That wouldn’t have gone down well,’ Andrew says.
‘No, definitely not, right well…er…see you here first thing then? You okay with that? If we go first thing?’
‘Absolutely, we’ll set off as soon as the sun is up, it shouldn’t take long.’
‘Same, see you in the morning then Andrew.’
‘Yes, see you Norman, nice to meet you again.’
‘You too, take care on the way home.’
‘And you Norman.’
Eight
‘You sure about this Dad? I mean, we don’t know them or anything.’
‘Honestly Lilly, he was a really nice man, we shared a tin of…’
‘Plum tomatoes, yes you said but how do you know he isn’t some axe wielding murderer?’
Andrew stops and stares at his daughter. There was a time when he would have stared down at his daughter, but now it was more or less straight across. He could, however, still look down at his son.
‘What do you think Billy? Do you want a new playmate?’
Rolling her eyes, Lilly shrugged her heavy bag higher up her back and tried to adjust the straps. It was a glorious morning with bright sunshine and already high temperatures. They were all sweating freely but that didn’t matter. Being outside in the open air was incredible. She felt like a prisoner being released into freedom and Billy was smiling properly for the first time in days too.
Clutching his rucksack he looked every inch the intrepid explorer, with a sun hat perched on his head and wearing his blue knee length shorts he tottered along clutching his father’s hand while he picked a route that avoided the worst atrocities.
By the end of their street those atrocities simply couldn’t be avoided and both Lilly and Billy saw their first dead bodies. The lightness of their mood plummeted instantly; Billy squeezing his dad’s hand tight as he stared in wonder at what looked like humans, only they had all the inside bits on the outside in a gooey mess with flies and writhing maggots feasting on the rotting cadavers.
Trepidation stole through Lilly as she both thanked the heavens for the change in her father’s behaviour but worried deeply about the coming days.
On his arrival home last night he was noticeably different; clutching a single can of beans like a hunter from the old days returning with a freshly killed deer. He spoke at length about Norman and how they’d worked together to find the food, and what a lovely chap he seemed, and he had two children the same age and they were going to meet up and head south. Andrew spoke about the fort and survivors and how a man called Mr Howie from the government had everything running properly and their mother was probably at the fort now waiting for them.
Lilly listened to the repeated tales through the night as they packed and prepared and she didn’t mind that he failed to notice she had mostly got everything ready.
By the time the sun was up they were ready, packed, dressed and set to leave. Billy had demolished the tin of beans with gusto. Lilly could see how hungry he was so only took a small mouthful, insisting that she wasn’t all that hungry really. The hunger pangs were almost painful but she knew that Billy would need the energy most.
Andrew’s mental state manifested during the packing process, displaying an inability to think rationally and trying to pack far
too many bags. It was almost as though he was planning a holiday for two weeks in the sunshine instead of it being a desperate fleeing away from the horrors of the town centre and to stave off the risk of starvation.
Fifteen years old, still a child herself but Lilly became the maternal figure, using sound common sense and judgement to pack the real essentials. Light clothing seeing as it was hot. Lots of water and personal keepsakes. Her mother’s jewellery that could be used to barter for goods and despite her father’s protests, she shoved the kitchen knife into the top of her bag too.
‘So we’ll head for the fort and your mother will know where we are,’ Andrew repeated again. It seemed he was going over the same thing more for his own benefit rather than either of theirs. Maybe guilt for leaving? Lilly thought as she watched her Dad nervously glancing up and down the street.
Looking round herself she could see just how bad it was, the area looked like a warzone, or something from the movies. Houses were smashed up, windows and doors ripped out, cars left abandoned in the street and bodies everywhere.
The smells were weird too. The fetid, foul meat stench from the corpses was just awful, even from a distance it made her want to gag. But away from the death the air was different. Somehow more clean and pure. Like the sudden loss of mankind and all the fumes was already having an effect.
Billy swept his gaze from house to house, his young face lingering on the bodies in the street and doorways. Although he was quiet and withdrawn, he seemed more interested than he was frightened.
‘It’s hot isn’t it,’ Andrew remarked to break the silence, his voice low and muted.
‘Very,’ Lilly replied equally as quiet.
‘Do you know any girls called Samantha your age?’ Andrew asked again.
‘Yes Dad,’ Lilly answered with forced patience, ‘quite a few.’
‘Got a brother called Todd, their father is…’
‘Norman, I know Dad, you’ve said a few times now. No, I don’t know…’
‘You alright Billy? Not too hot?’
‘I’m okay Daddy, who killed those people?’
‘Killed? How do you know they’re dead? They might just be sleeping.’
‘Their insides have come outside and that one doesn't have his head on, it’s over there by that red car.’
‘Oh right…yes his head is over there isn’t it.’
‘Why Daddy?’
‘Why what?’
‘Why is his head not on? Do heads come off?’
‘No Billy, heads are not meant to come off. I think he had an accident.’
‘Oh…did they all have accidents?’
‘Dad,’ Lilly intoned, ‘we talked about this…’
‘Yes I know Lilly,’ Andrew hissed, ‘can we just wait until we’re away from here.’
‘It’s going to be everywhere, he might as well know now.’
‘Know what Lilly?’ Billy asks, looking up at his sister. She stares at her father for long seconds. He returns the look but sags and just looks away, clearly not willing to say anything yet.
‘Nothing Billy,’ Lilly smiled.
‘Not nothing,’ Billy shakes his head, ‘did Mummy have an accident and her head fell off too?’
‘No Billy,’ Andrew snaps, ‘your mother is just stuck, that’s all.’
‘Stuck where Daddy?’
‘At work Billy, she’s stuck at work.’
‘Why doesn't she drive her car?’
‘The car doesn't work.’
‘Well she can get on a bus just like we do Daddy, when we go to the duck pond.’
‘The buses are all broken Billy.’
Silence for a few seconds, then followed with, ‘why Daddy? Why are the buses broken?’
‘They just are, we have to be quiet now Billy, Daddy needs to listen.’
‘What for Daddy?...Lilly? What is Daddy listening at?’
‘For, Daddy is listening for something not at something.’
‘What then?’
‘Shush now Billy, be quiet for a minute,’ Lilly asks quietly, picking up on her father’s rapid increase in nerves as they pass down a street where all the doors have been battered in.
Andrew nervously leads the way, threading through the deserted and silent streets. The oppressive heat only serves to enhance the ominous feeling as their feet crunch and step noisily along.
‘Are we there yet?’
‘Not yet Billy, be quiet for now please.’
‘Can I have something to drink please Lilly?’
‘Now Billy? Okay, hang on,’ she rummages through his back as he walks along, drawing a bottle of water out to hand down over his shoulder.
‘Water…haven’t we got any juice?’
‘Just water, that’s all we have…’
‘We always drink water now, Mummy used to give me juice and milk.’
‘We only have water for now,’ Lilly says quietly.
‘I need the toilet.’
‘We only left a few minutes ago, you said you didn’t need to go,’ Lilly sighs.
‘I didn’t…but I do now.’
‘Okay,’ she groans, ‘use that wall.’
‘Mummy said I wasn’t allowed to do a wee wee outside.’
‘I know but we’re allowed to now, they changed the rules.’
‘Did the teachers change the rules?’
‘Yes Billy, come on…hurry up.’
‘Ha look Lilly, I can wee really high….Dad….Dad….Daddy…look.’
‘That’s great Billy,’ Andrew says without looking, scanning the houses nearby for signs of movement. The walk was taking ages with Billy going so slow and he worried that Norman wouldn’t wait for them.
Hustling his young son he picks the pace up, urging Billy to keep going. Billy, after too many days of being stuck outside is full of wonder and awe at the outside world. Asking question after question. Where is everyone? Are all the cars broken? Is that car broken? What about that red one, is that broken?’ Who broke all the doors? Will the man get in trouble for breaking the doors? Is he a burger man because they said at school that burger men go into houses and steal toys? Can we get a burger now?’ Can we go to MacDonald’s later? Where do baby ducks come from?
Lilly fielded the questions deftly, speaking quietly as she too kept a constant vigil of the surrounding area.
‘That’s it,’ Andrew points ahead to the shop on the corner, ‘oh dear…no sign of them…maybe we’re too late.’
‘We should just keep walking,’ Lilly suggests, ‘or one of these houses will have keys for a car.’
‘Daddy said all the cars are broked.’
‘Broken, not broked,’ Lilly corrects automatically.
‘Andrew?’ Norman asks, stepping out from the shop doorway.
‘Norman! Glad to see you, sorry it took us longer than planned,’ Andrew smiles and waves, sounding to Lilly like he was apologising for being late for a game of golf, ‘Norman, this is my daughter Lilly and my son Billy.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ Norman offers a weak handshake to Lilly before tussling Billy’s hair, ‘hello young man.’
‘Hello,’ Billy looks up, ‘is your car broked too? My dad said all the cars and buses are broked but we’re going to MacDonald’s. Are you coming to MacDonald’s?’
‘Ah er…’ Norman smiles, unsure of how to respond.
‘We’re not going to MacDonald’s, we’re going for a long walk until we can find a car that isn’t broked…I mean broken…’ Lilly explains. She takes in the middle aged man, he looks the same as her father. Brown hair greying at the sides, medium build with a paunch and the same pale, worried pasty look.
‘This is Samantha and Todd, say hello Todd,’ Norman turns as two more figures step out of the shop. A young boy clutching a teddy bear with an older girl staring at them through scared eyes.
‘Hello,’ Andrew nods, holding his hand out to the girl, ‘I’m Andrew…’
‘Hi,’ Samantha mumbles quietly, she nods to Lilly then looks away. Dark hai
red and younger looking than Lilly wearing jeans and a black t shirt.
‘Were the beans nice?’ Norman asks Lilly with a forced grin.
‘Fine thank you,’ Lilly replies politely.
‘How about your spaghetti?’ Andrew asks.
‘Oh they enjoyed every mouthful, although it didn’t really last very long did it Sam?’
‘No,’ Sam shakes her head.
‘Well this is better isn’t it,’ Andrew smiles round, the same forced smile that Norman keeps stuck to his face, ‘you girls can talk about girly things…’
‘And us men can talk about manly things,’ Norman adds as Lilly struggles not to roll her eyes. How can they be so fake and forced? Don’t they see what’s going on around us?
‘Well, everyone ready then? I was thinking of staying on foot until the motorway and then trying to find transport once we’re away from the town…’ Norman says, his voice dropping to a low tone, ‘didn’t want to make any noise here…you know…engine sounds and drawing attention…’
‘No quite,’ Andrew nods, ‘I agree, on foot we shall go then.’
‘We should take a car,’ Lilly interjects, ‘we can get keys from one of these houses…it’ll be faster and safer in a car.’
Samantha stares at Lilly in surprise, nodding in agreement.
‘No Lilly,’ Andrew says as though embarrassed by her suggestion, ‘we should stay on foot until we get somewhere safer to get a car.’
‘Absolutely,’ Norman nods.
‘If here isn’t safe then why are we walking? We should be getting out of here,’ Lilly continues, making sure her tone is soft and easy, ‘there are loads of cars on these driveways, we should just take one and go.’
‘Thank you Lilly but I’m sure Norman and I know what’s best,’ Andrew says stiffly, glancing with admonishment at his daughter.
‘Oh I’m sure young Lilly here means well,’ Norman offers a weak smile, ‘and you’re fifteen Lilly?’ He asks with a fleeting glance at her developed chest.
‘Yes,’ she looks away feeling embarrassed and tries to cross her arms, an awkward movement hampered by the thick straps of the rucksack on her shoulders. She blushes as instead, she has to half cross them, feeling both stupid and exposed and wishing she hadn’t worn the tight vest top. She was used to men glancing down there, her mother was buxom and had told her from early in life to get used to it.