by RR Haywood
These fools out here were stupid enough to stand either side and then shoot each other, but those inside are clearly set back and aiming at the gate. The first one through will be cut to bits. For a second he considers using the downed bodies to throw through, but he heard several distinct shots taking place, that means several different guns.
‘You,’ Maddox points at several of the children crouching nearby, ‘get down there and get some fuel out them vehicles…we need diesel and get it into that army truck.’
‘What you doing?’ Clarence asks quietly.
‘You gotta get back, those are my crews out there too,’ Maddox says quickly, ‘we’ll sort this, you get the fuck out of here.’
‘What?’ Clarence stares back open mouthed, ‘seriously?’
‘Yeah seriously,’ Maddox nods, ‘get going, take Paula and Roy, leave this to us...but don’t just look for your own team….find my crews too.’
Nodding back Clarence goes after the youths to the many parked vehicles rammed into the section between the gates. The children work quickly, identifying those vehicles with diesel and getting the fuel caps opened. Hose is found, along with fuel cans and within seconds diesel is being sucked up out to fill the can.
Clarence wanders between them, feeling the urge for action but not being able to do anything. The experienced children work quickly and make him redundant. So he paces back and forth, waiting without patience for the first fuel can to be filled. When it is, he snatches it off the children and gets it to the Saxon.
‘What you going to do?’ Paula asks Maddox, watching Clarence run past.
‘We’ll figure it out,’ Maddox replies gruffly. Paula twists round, staring at the Saxon and Roy, then back to the inner gate.
‘Maybe I should stay with you,’ she suggests, ‘Clarence and Roy can get the others and…’
‘Up to you lady,’ Maddox cuts her off, his face a picture of concentration as he stares at the high gates with such intensity as though his will alone will see it fall.
‘That cunt lied,’ Darius spits again, unable to get over what Toby said, his mind whirring with worry for Sierra trapped inside with Lenski.
‘I’m staying,’ Paula says to Clarence running past to grab another fuel can. He doesn’t answer but just keeps going, his sole focus on getting the fuel.
‘Oi,’ Maddox shouts, ‘you hear me?’
‘Okay,’ Clarence gasps at Paula, running past with another fuel can, ‘me and Roy will do it, you stay here…’
‘That’s what I just said,’ Paula mutters at the man running back to the Saxon.
‘I said, do you hear me?’ Maddox shouts, cocking his head to listen for any replies. When no reply comes back he stares over at Darius, a very rare look of worry on his face that serves to convince Paula of the need for her to stay here.
‘We’re done,’ Roy jogs over, ‘he said you’re staying here.’
‘Yeah,’ she replies.
‘Want me to stay with you?’ He asks quietly, finally pushing the goggles up from his eyes, ‘I er…I don’t mind staying with you,’ he adds.
‘Roy,’ Clarence runs in, ‘you ready?’
‘Go,’ Paula urges, ‘you need to get those children back here.’
‘I know.’ Roy nods but he still hesitates, ‘but er…well you know…we’re like a team and er…’
‘Are we?’ Paula asks with genuine surprise, then realises the tone of her reply, ‘that’s really sweet,’ she grins, ‘thanks Roy.’
‘What? Oh no don’t mention it…just you know…’
‘Roy, I’m going…stay here if you want,’ Clarence strides off.
‘Actually, I rather think I should stay,’ Roy calls after him.
‘No Roy, you go,’ Paula cuts in, ‘Clarence will need you.’
‘What about here? You’ve only got a couple of shotguns which are no good over range, I can use my bow in the dark…’
Clarence stops mid-stride. Turning round he stares up at the fort. These people don’t know who Big Chris is, they don’t know about Sergeant Hopewell or Ted, they don’t know about Sarah. They know nothing of the sacrifices made to keep this place. The fort has to survive; it has to be the safe place that survivors can go to. Howie is adamant about that, about how important it is, that it has to be a free area without fear or dictating rule.
The people stuck in the town are important to Clarence and the others, but the numbers of survivors who will need somewhere safe outweigh that importance.
‘Roy’s right,’ Clarence adds, his deep voice penetrating the hushed conversation taking place. Striding back to the group he keeps his voice low, ‘he can use that bow better in the dark than anyone of us with a rifle, stay here and do what you can…’
‘You going alone?’ Paula asks.
‘Yep, I’ll be fine.’
‘What about taking another vehicle?’ She asks.
‘These are no good,’ he replies, pointing down the alley at the parked vehicles, ‘the keys are in there,’ he nods to the fort.
‘Don’t need keys bruv,’ Darius comments.
‘There’s enough vehicles left out there to use,’ Clarence says, ‘stay here and get this sorted…I’ll get everyone else and meet you back here.’
‘Are there any tunnels or other ways in?’ Paula whispers before he walks off.
Shaking his head Clarence looks up at the high walls, ‘just the door at the rear, that’s the only one I know about, might be another way in somewhere but…’ he shrugs, deciding enough time has been wasted, ‘see you in a few hours at most, I’ll signal with the headlights when I come through the estate, three flashes…if everything goes wrong then we’ll meet at the little village across the bay.’
‘Got it,’ Maddox nods, exchanging a quick handshake before Clarence double times it back to the vehicle. Once behind the wheel he takes a brief second to stare at the fort. Shaking his head at the turn of events, he eases the big armoured personnel carrier forward to turn in a wide arc.
The others, standing silently in the alley between the high walls, watch the retreating vehicle. All of them feel a sense of despondency at the Saxon leaving. All of them apart from Roy, who mid-way through scratching his right upper arm detects a small lump and goes into meltdown. For the first time since the fighting started and all through the events of the evening, his heart finally notches up above normal, his breathing increases and a sense of panic starts to grip his insides.
Tugging the night vision goggles down, he twists his own arm trying to see the back of it and the giant tumour growing out of his arm. This is it. This is the big one. The start of the serious illness. He feels round the lump, craning his head while whimpering softly. An angry red lump, shit that has come up quick. It must be growing fast, spreading through his entire body. This lump will be the tip of the iceberg.
‘Roy!’ His attention snaps up, yelping in pain from the retina burn of the torchlight glaring into the lenses of his goggles. ‘It’s an insect bite…we’ve all got them,’ Paula says quietly.
‘A bite?’ He gasps, the feeling of relief starting to flush in.
‘Yes Roy,’ she says softly, ‘just a bite, Maddox has got them too…and Darius…haven’t you?’ She turns round, glaring wide eyed at the two lads.
‘Have we?’ Darius stares at her then at Maddox.
‘Er…yeah…my arm…it’s like…well itchy,’ Maddox picks up on the contorted facial expression of Paula, quickly rubbing an imaginary bite on his arm.
‘Me too,’ Darius rubs his leg, ‘got me on the thigh…itchy as fuck…you lot been bitten too?’ He asks the youths. Slowly, they understand the glares being sent their way from the combined forces of Paula, Maddox and Darius. All of them start scratching at various parts of their bodies, making noises of pain and relief.
‘See,’ Paula smiles back at Roy, ‘just a bite.’
‘Fucking good job,’ Roy beams, ‘Got me scared that one did…’ Paula stares at him for a second, full of admiration for the way he is a
nd the skills he brings with the bow. Even in the car park, when it was time to go hand to hand, he didn’t hesitate but wielded that sword like a demon. He was so fit and athletic, driving round to thrust and slice. His courage and skill were undeniable but that propensity to swear just doesn’t suit him.
Vowing to ask him where that comes from, she steps back to join the others staring up at the locked gates with the perfectly silent fort behind, all of them now scratching various parts of their bodies.
Twelve
‘Dad, we need to stop, the boys are getting tired…or we should find a car,’ Lilly calls ahead to her father and Norman walking side by side down the country lane.
‘Norman, what do you think?’ Andrew asks, ‘stop here shall we or press on a bit further?’
‘Oh, I don’t know Andrew,’ Norman replies, ‘I rather think we shouldn’t stop in the middle of a road, what do you think if we keep going and find somewhere?’
‘I think I would agree,’ Andrew nods blithely, ‘the committee has designated that we should press on for a short while,’ Andrew grins back at the girls, clearly proud of his humorous statement.
‘Yes,’ Norman agrees in the same annoyingly patronising tone, ‘the committee says to push on for a little while, you boys are okay aren’t you?’
‘I’m tired Daddy,’ Todd replies.
‘Hungry, my tummy is making noises,’ Billy adds.
‘Well yes, we’re all hungry Billy,’ Andrew comments, ‘just a bit further eh, there’s a good boy. So Norman, you were saying?’
‘Oh yes, well up to the recession I would say our output was matching that of the big players in the business, and to be truthful we didn’t notice any downplay in customer orders for quite some time…’
‘The committee?’ Lilly whispers to Samantha.
‘God knows,’ the other girl rolls her eyes, ‘listen to them, you’d think they were playing golf or something.’
‘Lilly,’ Billy pipes up, ‘where are we going?’
‘I’ve told you already,’ Lilly snaps, tired from the heat and the worry of walking in the middle of nowhere with two men completely engrossed in discussing business models. Taking a breath she softens her tone, ‘we’re going to a big fort where other people are living.’
‘Will we have a house?’ Todd asks.
‘With a puppy?’ Billy grins excitedly.
‘A puppy? Where on earth did you get that idea from? No, we’re not having a puppy.’
‘I want a puppy,’ Billy says sulkily.
‘Can I share your puppy?’ Todd asks.
‘Yes,’ Billy nods seriously.
‘There’s a house up there,’ Samantha points ahead to the flashes of roof appearing between the trees.
‘Dad, there’s a house up ahead, we can stop there,’ Lilly calls out.
‘Where? Oh yes…I see it…well I shall put it before the committee and get back to you,’ he grins again before turning back to discuss it with Norman.
‘You okay?’ Lilly asks, watching as Sam rubs her stomach and winces.
‘Period,’ Sam whispers, ‘really hurts.’
‘Cramps?’
‘Yeah,’ Sam replies, ‘it’s okay,’ she shrugs it off, trying her best to ignore the pains, ‘er, have you got any er…you know,’ Sam asks, aware that young ears are listening.
‘In my bag, do you need some?’
‘I will when we stop, I couldn’t ask Dad to get me any.’
‘Mum had loads at home,’ Lilly explains, her face dropping at the memory of her mother not seen since the event started.
‘The committee has agreed to stop at yonder house,’ Norman beams.
‘Gee thanks,’ Sam rolls her eyes again, shaking her head in embarrassment of her father.
Getting closer they start to see more of the house, a large detached stone built cottage set back from the road with large front gardens. Picturesque and quaint, with dried up flower beds and a large willow tree shading an old, wrought iron bench embedded into the grass.
‘Very nice, must cost a pretty penny,’ Norman admires as they walk closer.
‘Think of the heating bills in the winter though,’ Andrew comments, ‘those old style windows…no double glazing.’
‘Must be listed,’ Norman nods, ‘these old buildings are a bugger to alter if they’re listed.’
Lilly stares hard as the two men stroll through the gate and start heading up the path, both of them still chatting away amiably and not paying the least bit of attention. The two girls stare at the windows and front door, scanning the area while listening intently.
‘Dad,’ Lilly whispers, ‘we shouldn’t just walk up!’
‘What? Out here Lilly? Come on…this house looks fine.’
‘Sam, get my knife from my bag,’ Lilly says in a low voice, pausing while the girl opens the top flap to pull out the bladed weapon.
Checking her father and Norman haven’t seen, she tucks the knife into the waist band at the back of her jeans, adjusting it to make sure the blade doesn't dig into her backside.
‘Stay here with the boys Sam.’
Sam grabs the hands of the two boys, preventing them from walking any further as Norman reaches the front door and uses the big brass knocker to announce their arrival. Lilly spins round, checking the road behind them before walking to the corner to view up the side of the house, constantly scanning the windows for movement. Still, the fathers just stand there chatting not even stepping back from the door. Lilly grimaces, her heart beating harder at the blasé way they are treating this. Like a walk in the woods or a country stroll.
‘No answer,’ Norman states loud enough for them all to hear.
‘It’s locked,’ Andrew reports on trying the handle, ‘shall we go round the back?’
‘I’ll do it,’ Lilly strides off, not giving her father a chance to disagree.
‘Head strong like her mother,’ Andrew tuts.
‘They grow up quickly these days Andrew,’ Norman adds sagely.
‘They do Norman,’ Andrew agrees, trying to make himself sound as sagely as Norman.
Keeping to the far side of the garden to gain a better view of the house, Lilly walks towards the rear, her eyes roving from window to window. At the corner she stops and takes in the view of the rear gardens. Large and mostly laid to lawn, with ornamental pots bordering a long gravel path weaving between more flower beds.
Silence. She edges forward, one hand gripping the handle of the knife in her waistband. At the window she slowly eases round to peer inside, seeing an old farmhouse style kitchen with a large pine table. About to press on and she spots one of the pine chairs lying on its side. That’s not right, she peers on closer, spotting the cupboard doors have been left open.
Something wrong here, her instincts scream out to move away, this place is unsafe. Supressing the reaction and knowing they need food, she edges on past the window to the back doors set back from view.
Metres away and a solitary shoe stands alone on the path. Dark coloured, she didn’t see it because it blended in with the ornamental pots, except for the small blood stain next to it.
The knife is out, held in front as she breathes harder and leans round to see the open back door. The corpse of an old woman lies across it. Dried blood is smeared down the flagstone floor hallway where she tried to crawl away, before slumping on the threshold never to move again. Lilly takes it all in quickly, the inner hallway with the knocked over furniture, the opened cupboard doors and the dead body.
They need food desperately but this place has been done over, she can see the cut throat from here. The ragged flesh of the knife wound deep in the throat that caused the blood to come out so quickly. Murder. This wasn’t defence or zombies but plain murder. Gasping with shock she spots the old woman’s knickers are round her ankles and the old flannel skirt pushed up high.
The sight sickens her and she turns away as her stomach flips over. Jogging quickly round the side to the others she waves them away, urging them to ge
t back on the road.
‘We need to go,’ she whispers urgently. Both the men stare back in shock at the knife in her hand, the two of them too stupid to respond. ‘We have to go,’ she presses in a forceful voice.
‘Why?’ Andrew asks dumbly.
‘Come on,’ Lilly strides away to join Sam and the two boys already retreating out onto the lane. The four of them start walking off and Lilly notices the knife held in Sam’s hand down at her side.
‘Lilly!’ Andrew calls out, ‘what’s going on?’
‘There’s a dead woman at the back, she’s been murdered and…er…’
‘Oh gosh,’ Norman blanches, ‘really? Oh dear…yes well, maybe we should press on then.’
‘And what?’ Sam asks, picking up on Lilly’s voice trailing off.
‘Raped,’ Lilly mouths the word silently. Sam nods with a firm glance and picks her pace up, gripping Todd’s hand to urge him on.
‘How sad,’ Andrew says after a few seconds, ‘out here too in the countryside, I expect those things got to her, poor old dear probably didn’t know what they were.’
‘She was murdered Dad, not bitten,’ Lilly replies.
‘Oh I doubt that,’ Norman adds, ‘murdered out here? For what?’
‘Food, clothes, medicine…’ Lilly explains, shocked at the reaction of the two adults.
‘Suicide?’ Andrew asks Norman.
‘Most likely,’ Norman replies in his sagely voice.
They didn’t see her, Lilly thinks. Neither of them actually saw her with her throat cut but they’re convincing themselves that it was some accident or self-inflicting injury. Sam glances across at her, managing to convey the same thought process in a single look. Lilly nods, an affirmation between them that their fathers are incompetent idiots.
The boys, although picking up on the nervous fear of their older sisters, soon forget the drama and return to complaining about being hungry, something that plucks heavily at the heartstrings of Lilly.
Ahead lays a wide junction. One side branches off to a leafy side, lined with large, detached old style houses set back and the other side opens to pasture and thickets of trees.