The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  ‘Okay,’ he sucks the air in again, pauses then blows it out before looking at me, ‘like what?’

  ‘Er, I don’t know just sound nice,’ I shrug.

  ‘Shall I say we’ve got sweets?’

  ‘No Dave, we’re not paedophiles. Er…say we’re from the army and we’re here to help, yeah…say we’re soldiers and we won’t hurt anyone.’

  ‘Okay,’ he nods and draws the breath in again, then again blows it out.

  ‘What now?’

  ‘You shouldn’t lie to children,’ he says.

  ‘Eh? How are we lying? You were from the army and…’

  ‘Yeah but we do hurt people, we hurt lots of people.’

  ‘They’re zombies Dave, they’re not people.’

  ‘They were people.’

  ‘Yes, they were people but they’re not people now.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘And you were about to say we had sweets, that’s lying.’

  ‘It isn’t, I have got sweets,’ he replies.

  ‘Where?’

  ‘These,’ he pulls a sealed tube of fruit pastilles from his pocket. They’re all bent out of shape and somewhat squashed but easily still recognisable.

  ‘What the fuck Dave?’ I stare at him, ‘what…why have you got them?’

  Shrugging he stares down at them, then back up at me, ‘I like fruit pastilles.’

  ‘Right, so why haven’t you eaten them?’

  ‘I was saving them.’

  ‘What for? The apocalypse?’

  ‘Don’t know, just saving them…’

  ‘Okay well, er…great,’ I offer a quick confused smile, ‘best stick with the soldiers bit and not hurting people though, shouting we’ve got sweets to a little girl running away is a bit creepy.’

  ‘Okay,’ drawing breath he raises his head, ‘WE ARE SOLDIERS…WE ARE NOT HERE TO HURT ANYONE….I SAY AGAIN…WE ARE SOLDIERS….WE ARE NOT HERE TO HURT YOU…’

  Stock still with mouths open, we strain to listen for any sounds. Silence. Then, a door closing somewhere off to the left.

  ‘That way,’ I nod. We set off, walking steadily to keep quiet as we scan windows and doors. Another slight banging noise comes from the houses so we cross over the road, staring ahead but unsure exactly where it is coming from.

  ‘We can’t just leave a little girl here,’ I whisper.

  ‘I didn’t say we should,’ he replies quietly.

  ‘But you said it’s probably a trick so you must be thinking this is a waste of time and we should be trying to find the others.’

  ‘No,’ he lies badly, ‘well, maybe,’ he admits just as quickly.

  ‘What was that?’ I ask at the sound of something creaking then juddering.

  ‘Garden fence?’ He suggests.

  ‘Shout again.’

  ‘WE ARE SOLDIERS FROM THE ARMY, WE ARE NOT HERE TO HURT YOU…’ immediately followed by another bang. We set off at a jog, knowing the noise was somewhere up head from one of the houses on the right side. All of the front doors have been pushed closed and the curtains drawn at the front. Veering off, I trace a path through to one of the doors and check the handle.

  ‘Locked.’

  ‘Okay,’ Dave replies. Jogging into the next garden he checks the door to find it swings open. He waits whilst I run round, joining him looking at the damaged front door and the lock busted off.

  ‘Hello?’ I call out, ‘don’t be scared, we’re here to help you.’ Treading softly, we head into the lounge area, spotting a makeshift den made on the floor with food wrappers and comic books piled up. Empty glasses, bags of crisps, chocolate bars and a torch. The air smells of body odour, of someone unwashed.

  Into the kitchen and the back door is open. We head out into the garden to find a small ladder has been propped against the fence on the left side and a bigger ladder on the right, offering an easy escape route from the garden to either side.

  ‘Hello? Are you there? We’re not here to hurt you, we just want to make sure you’re okay.’

  Nothing, no response, no noises either. ‘She must be terrified,’ I add quietly.

  ‘If she isn’t a zombie you mean,’ he replies.

  ‘With a den in the lounge and comics? And these ladders?’

  ‘Could be,’ he shrugs.

  ‘Try that one, I’ll do this one,’ I make for the bigger ladder, scaling the rungs to the top of the fence to peer over into the next garden. With the height advantage I can see there are ladders, step ladders, chairs, tables and storage boxes all stacked against each of the garden fences for at least the next four houses down.

  ‘Same here,’ Dave replies when I tell him.

  ‘She must have been here since it started, eating shit food and waiting for family or something.’

  ‘Check inside?’ He asks. Leading the way he enters the back door and into the house. The dining room looks untouched with a fine layer of dust covering everything. The kitchen is the only other downstairs room other than the lounge that shows signs of life. More empty cups by the sink and empty bottles of squash left on the side. The bin is overflowing with wrappers and packets.

  Upstairs we find the bathroom in a shit state with faeces stuck to the side of the toilet bowl and shit smeared hand towels in the bin. The empty toilet roll holder suggests the paper tissue ran out some time ago.

  Closing the door quickly to keep the stench inside, we check the other rooms. One big double room that must be her parent’s room. No signs of disturbance other than a few drawers opened and the bed sheets all messed up like someone got up quickly and didn’t return.

  Another bedroom looks like an older child uses it, posters of teen boy bands and homework stacked on a desk. The smallest room must be the girls; the bedding is filthy and stained with piss and smeared with what could be either chocolate or more shit.

  ‘Poor sod,’ shaking my head I take in the sight of the unkempt room, clothes strewn about and toys everywhere.

  ‘Milly,’ Dave says, nodding at the glittery name stencilled on the door.

  ‘Come on,’ heading back downstairs we go into the back garden and stand quietly for a few seconds. ‘Milly?’ I shout out, ‘can you hear me Milly? My name is Howie and my friend is called Dave, we’re here to help you…’

  Still nothing. She must have stayed very quiet and very hidden to survive this long. Her instinct to stay away from others has to be strong, so no wonder she’s staying quiet now.

  ‘Milly, we have to make sure you are okay…that’s all we need to do. We won’t try and grab you or do anything and I promise we won’t touch you…’ Still no response.

  ‘Any ideas?’ I ask Dave.

  ‘Could threaten her,’ he suggests, which prompts a long and awkward few seconds while I conjure the image of Dave holding a knife to the throat of her favourite doll while screaming he’ll do her in if she doesn't show herself.

  ‘No mate.’

  ‘I’VE GOT FRUIT PASTILLES’ He bellows, causing me to jump out of my skin from the lack of warning. Bloody hell, I wouldn’t come out with some maniac screaming about fruit pastilles, let alone a little girl.

  ‘Too much?’ He asks.

  ‘Just a big mate,’ I reply. Instead, we climb the ladders and sit atop the fences scanning the area. Lots of garden sheds, greenhouses, play houses and tarpaulins that could all easily hide a child.

  ‘Dave, can you see my side from there?’

  Perfectly balanced on top of the ladder he nods. ‘I’ll go this side and start checking, you keep watch.’

  ‘Maybe I should search and you keep watch Mr Howie.’

  ‘It isn’t a trick Dave, she’s not a zombie.’

  ‘How can you be sure?’

  ‘Zombies don’t read comics and they don’t shit the bed either…’ jumping down I start in the first adjacent garden, checking all the places that could hide a small body. The shed is clear, as are the playhouse and the recesses so I move into the next garden.

  ‘Milly?’ I call out repeatedly, �
��don’t be scared, we’re not going to hurt you I promise…just shout out and we can make sure you’re okay.’

  There is no response but I keep going, keeping my tone light and soft and wondering if my shouting is just scaring her more. But then what would be more frightening? Me searching in silence with the little girl hearing me getting closer, or calling out nicely so she can tell where I am. I make noise too, not banging or anything loud. But just making sure I don’t go too soft.

  ‘Anything Dave?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I think she must be terrified of us,’ I shout out, ‘I feel sad that we are scaring her, I don’t want to scare anyone, do you Dave?’

  ‘Sometimes,’ he replies. I curse foully under my breath and give him a hard look.

  ‘But not children though eh Dave?’ Please don’t say anything bad Dave.

  ‘Er…no?’ He shouts back, clearly struggling to keep up with the layered conversation.

  ‘Milly?’ I was just about to call out that she can meet our big dog called Meredith, but I realise that would be about the same as shouting we’ve got sweets and a puppy. Creepy. Very creepy.

  ‘Other way,’ Dave bellows. ‘MILLY…STAND STILL,’ he orders with that parade ground voice booming out. It scares me and I know him, so god only knows the effect it must have on the little girl.

  Back over the fences, vaulting, clambering and a whole lot of falling, whilst trying not to use really bad swear words. Dave, as ever, goes off like a gazelle, gracefully leaping any obstacle in his path. He sees this as a challenge, not as a rescue mission for a little girl.

  ‘Dave,’ I yell, ‘ease up mate…don’t frighten her.’ Bit late for that, but he does slow down a bit and seems to realise he’s not going after an armed, insurgent baddie. Again, out of breath and sweating freely, I join him at the last point he saw her, several gardens down from our original point of access.

  ‘Which way?’

  ‘Lost her again.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes Mr Howie.’

  ‘You telling me we’re being outwitted by a little girl.’

  ‘Seems that way Mr Howie.’

  ‘Dave, the scourge of the British Army, the uber trained secret ninja commando has now been outwitted twice by a little…’

  ‘You told me to slow down,’ he says rather defensively.

  ‘True,’ I accept with a slight nod, ‘so it’s either over that fence,’ I point across the garden, ‘or over that fence,’ I change my pointing direction to the rear of the garden, ‘or through the house.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Three directions and two of us…right…would you mind getting up on that fence to have a look while I check the house.’ He goes off, getting up the step ladder onto the top and examining the view while I make my way to the back door, dripping sweat and snot everywhere.

  Luckily there is a nice thick roll of kitchen towel on the side which I make great use off, noisily blowing my nose and mopping my brow, and even taking the opportunity to grab a drink of water, which earns me a haughty glance from Dave.

  ‘Milly?’ Calling out softly as I thread through the downstairs rooms, checking in each one. I feel terrible at scaring the girl but she can’t stay here alone. She might be able to get by now while food is easy to find, but once that’s gone she’ll struggle, and this hot weather can’t last forever either. The thought makes me think how many children have been left alone and frightened, desperately waiting for their mums and dads to come back.

  Poor kid, she must have been so terrified but what choice do we have? We might scare her a bit more now, but then we can get her to a safe place with people that care for her.

  Suddenly, small feet go thudding down the stairs, flying across the hall and out the open front door. Twisting round I catch a flash of blond hair as I start running.

  ‘Milly, just hang on…please stop running…’ Out the front door and she’s already at the gate, turning sharp to sprint across the road. Sucking in air to shout for Dave, I bite it away at the last second, knowing it will only keep the fear factor high if I’m screaming while chasing her.

  ‘Milly, please…it’s too hot to keep running…my god you are so quick!’ By the time I’m at the gate she’s across the road and increasing her pace. Nothing for it but to speed up so I try and push my legs faster.

  Luckily, she goes for a straight sprint and tries legging it straight down the road. She’s quick, but my legs are longer and I start to reduce the distance between us. She glances back, but surprisingly she doesn't look that scared, just utterly determined to outrun me.

  ‘Milly,’ I gasp, ‘please stop running.’ Gradually, painfully I gain closer and start to reach out. Being this close, I can see how filthy and lank her greasy hair is, and how the bright summer dress is covered with stains. Running in her slipstream I can smell the musty stale odour of an unwashed body.

  Finally, my hand just catches the top of her small shoulder. She stops dead, spins and sinks her teeth into the top of my knuckles. I yelp and pull my hand back as she swiftly kicks me in the privates. I drop to the floor as stars and colours explode in front my eyes, the searing pain in my bollocks obliterating all other thoughts.

  A shadow falls across my closed eyes. Glancing up, I see Dave standing there shaking his head without the slightest trace of sympathy on his face.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Nothing,’ he shrugs.

  ‘Don’t just bloody stand there, get after her.’

  ‘I don’t need to,’ he replies, which earns him a confused glance until I prise my head up to see her stood off at a respectable distance watching us.

  ‘Oh god that hurts.’ Letting my head rest on the hard surface of the road, I wait for the pain to abate before stumbling back to my feet, shaking my sore hand with a perfect imprint of teeth across the back of it.

  Dave stares at the hand then shakes his head again. Fortunately the skin isn’t broken but it still bloody hurts.

  ‘You sure you never had kids Dave,’ I ask him at the sight of the fearless girl watching us closely.

  ‘Quite sure,’ he replies.

  ‘Sister perhaps? Cousin? Niece?’

  ‘No Mr Howie,’ he answers seriously.

  ‘Milly? Is that your name?’ Calling out but she doesn't reply or show any signs of hearing me, ‘listen, we’re not here to hurt you…I promise…’ she looks maybe seven or eight years old, small and slight build, ‘you can’t stay here Milly, this place isn’t right for you…we have a er…’ shit, what do I say now? Come with us to our big fort?

  ‘We have a place, a big place with lots of people and lots of children with their mums and dads, and we have food…lots of food…’ As we take a very slight step forward, she takes a very big step backwards. Making it clear she is more than happy to turn and run.

  ‘Please don’t run again,’ I call out, ‘we’re both old and can’t keep chasing you.’

  ‘I can,’ Dave cuts in quickly.

  ‘Ssshhh. Milly, we just need to make sure you’re okay…do you live with anyone?’ No response, ‘Mum or Dad? Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ Still no response. “Is that your house?’ I point back up the road but, again, she shows no response.

  ‘You want to me grab her?’ Dave asks, not quite quiet enough and she bursts away.

  ‘Bloody hell,’ groaning we start after her, ‘just keep her in sight until she gets tired.’

  ‘That might take a while,’ he replies.

  ‘Get off,’ I scoff, ‘she’s only little…how long can she keep going?’

  Eighteen

  ‘Do you think we’ve gone far enough off the beaten track Norman?’ Andrew asks, stopping to wipe the sweat from his red brow. His thinning brown hair clings to his scalp, giving him a look of a thirties gangster with greased down locks.

  Norman stops and makes a point of looking around, narrowing his eyes in that hard look he has been trying to perfect throughout the day.

  ‘Not sure old chap,’ No
rman replies quietly, ‘this terrain is quite open, so we could still be easily spotted. Maybe we should find some cover somewhere for the night.’

  ‘For the night?’ Lilly cuts in, ‘it’s only half past three and we need more food and water…we should find a house and a car…’

  ‘And we will,’ Norman is quick to reply, ‘most definitely but er…well I am just a little concerned at showing ourselves so maybe a few more hours away from the er…populated zones would er…be er...beneficial.’

  ‘Really?’ Andrew asks quizzically, ‘well yes I suppose there is some merit in your suggestion.’

  Shaking her head, Lilly again feels a wave of shame at the bad thoughts she has of her father, at his weak disposition and the way he seems to hang off every word Norman says. It’s quite obvious to Lilly that Norman is making it up as he goes along, and god knows why he wants to be out here in the countryside for so long. But it does feel a bit safer out here, especially after finding that body in the house and all those other houses with their kitchens cupboards stripped.

  ‘So, onto the next matter at hand,’ Norman nods round at his little group as he asserts his position as leader, ‘what’s our supplies situation like?’

  ‘Supplies?’ Sam asks, as she stares at her father and wonders why he’s being so weird, and why he keeps glancing at Lilly.

  ‘Water, and er…food,’ Norman explains.

  ‘We just ate it all,’ Samantha says, ‘like in that house we were just in…I mean duh Dad…’

  ‘Yes, thank you, Samantha,’ Norman huffs, ‘I am quite aware of the meal we just had, I was just asking what we had left.’

  ‘Nothing really,’ Lilly says, ‘few bottles of water but that’s it.’

  ‘Right, so we do need some more supplies then. I suggest we keep going and hopefully find a farmhouse or…you know like a country cottage or something.’

  ‘Or something?’ Samantha mutters.

  ‘What was that Sam?’ Norman snaps.

  ‘I said or something.’ Samantha rubs her stomach as the dull ache from her period, the heat and the constant walking take their toll and drive her already precarious mood down even lower.

  ‘You boys alright?’ Norman beams, quickly moving on from having to deal with his awkward daughter in one of her awkward moods. ‘Good,’ he adds, not giving them a chance to reply, ‘let’s press on then.’