The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  ‘I don’t think he’s that worried.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Nick shrugs, ‘anyway, we need a car and then the town centre.’

  ‘The centre?’ Lilly asks, ‘why?’

  ‘That’s where we got split up last night, everyone will be heading there to wait so we can get back to the fort.’

  ‘Sorry what?’ Lilly snaps, her keen eyes locking on Nick.

  ‘What?’ Nick stares back, momentarily mesmerised by the blue eyes before glancing away.

  ‘Fort? What fort?’

  ‘Oh sorry, yeah we got a fort, er…on the coast…er…south,’ he trails off again.

  ‘That’s where we were heading,’ Lilly sighs, ‘the place with the army.’ She rolls at her eyes at Nick as if it suddenly makes sense.

  ‘Not quite the army,’ Nick mumbles, ‘we did have a lot more but…’ A dark look flashes across his face, his voice dropping in tone, ‘but things went wrong…we got some more people now…’

  Lilly stares back, detecting the sadness in his manner. Nodding softly, she waits for him to lead the way, checking to make sure Todd is okay.

  ‘We’d better go,’ Nick nods, ‘find a car and…’

  ‘That van has loads of food in it,’ Lilly nods to the vehicle behind Nick, ‘those men were going from house to house stripping all the food out…I saw it…’

  ‘Really? Fuck…might as well have it then…nice one,’ he grins with a sudden easy motion that lifts his features completely. ‘We’ll get your brother, I promise…we just gotta find Mr Howie and the others first.’

  Nodding, Lilly takes Todd’s hand and starts walking towards the van. This is the third time within the last few hours that she trusted someone else. Norman in the forest and being groped, then these two men and now Nick. He seems genuine and nice, and he does keep blushing and looking away shyly.

  Patting the gun on her belt she walks on, knowing this time she’ll be keeping a very watchful eye on everyone.

  Twenty Six

  ‘Where is everyone?’ Blowers frets again.

  ‘They’ll be here,’ Lani re-assures him. The roles have switched, with Lani moving to the role of calming the other two while they get increasingly worried.

  ‘Something must have happened,’ Cookey shakes his head, ‘they’d be back by now…it’s been hours.

  ‘Maybe Clarence has already found a load and taken them back,’ Lani suggests.

  ‘No way,’ Blowers says dully, ‘he’d come here first.’

  ‘This place fucking stinks,’ Cookey grumbles, ‘fucking stinks of fucking dirty fucking dead fucking zombies and dirty fucking fire…’ Turning round he once more, stares with disgust at the scene of carnage all around them. Bodies fester in the staggering heat, flies and insects buzzing between them. Pools of blood congeal into crusty scabs, unrecognisable body parts start shrivelling as though in an oven.

  ‘I know,’ Lani replies softly, ‘maybe we should walking then, stay on the main road and…’

  ‘We can’t,’ Blowers shakes his head, ‘if the others come here they won’t know where we are.’

  ‘Leave a note then,’ Lani suggests again.

  ‘Where? What pinned to one of them? Dear everyone we got fed up waiting so we’re going to…’

  ‘Blowers,’ Cookey shoots his mate a dark look in reaction to his bitter tone.

  Breathing slowly the hard faced young man dips his head. ‘Sorry,’ he mutters.

  ‘Forget it,’ Lani says, ‘heat…bodies…fire…this is a shit place…’

  ‘Whoa! Lani just swore,’ Cookey jokes feebly, ‘she must be getting mad.’ The joke falls flat as their surroundings start sucking the life from them. They still all feel that Howie and Dave are okay, but they aren’t back yet. They should be here by now. The feeling must be wrong, something has happened.

  ‘YO!’ Jagger walk quickly towards them.

  ‘What?’ Blowers snaps impatiently.

  ‘Hear that?’

  ‘No, what?’ Blowers stands up, his face suddenly focussed and interested.

  ‘Van, diesel engine…’ Jagger cocks his head to one side.

  ‘What!’ Cookey stares at him, ‘I can’t hear anything.’

  ‘He’s right bruv,’ Mohammed steps in, ‘Jagger got some freaky fucking hearing skills going on.’

  ‘Transit,’ Jagger nods, ‘big fucking transit van coming this way.

  ‘Yeah,’ Lani nods, ‘I got it…yeah I can hear it…’

  ‘Really?’ Cookey looks about, spotting the dog now standing up with her head cocked to one side. Shoving fingers into his ears he wriggles them about before trying again. ‘Can’t hear anything,’ he shrugs.

  ‘You’s deaf bruv,’ Mohammed comments.

  ‘Yeah I got it,’ Blowers nods.

  ‘What the fuck?’ Cookey takes a couple of steps forward, as though decreasing the distance by a few feet will aid his hearing.

  Finally, the sound reaches him. The low throaty rumble of a diesel engine rattling along the roads comes closer. Used by delivery companies and workmen all over the world, the sound is intrinsic part of what modern life was.

  When it appears at the far end of the main road, the youths start to gather round Lani, Blowers and Cookey. Talking ends as they all watch with interest, none of the recognising the vehicle.

  ‘You got your pistols?’ Blowers asks in a low voice, already noting that Cookey has drawn his to hold low and ready.

  ‘Is that…’ Cookey takes another step forward, squinting as presses the side of his palm to his forehead to reduce the glare of the sun,. ‘Yeah…’ he laughs, ‘that’s Clarence!’

  ‘Is it?’ Blowers steps forward, doing the same as his friend. The big bald head is unmistakable, the broad grin that spreads across the drivers face even more so.

  ‘Where’s the Saxon?’

  ‘Dunno,’ Cookey shakes his head, ‘big bloody van though,’ he adds at seeing the size of the extra-long jumbo sized van.

  Coming up the road, Clarence notices the size of the group gathered there and feels a sense of relief that they all had the sense to wait.

  Getting closer, he starts picking faces out. Lani, Blowers, Cookey and the dog are instantly recognisable. No sign of Howie or Dave and no Nick either. The grin starts to fade as he brings the speed down, leaning forward to scan the group. With the time it took him to find another vehicle, get back to the Saxon and transfer all the kit, means everyone should have been back here.

  The delay just added to the growing sense of frustration and urgency. Knowing that the fort is occupied by another armed group, he knows that he has to get the group back there as quickly as possible.

  ‘Where are they?’ All greeting pushed aside, Clarence jumps down to shout the question while striding forward. The initial relief at seeing some of the group alive has faded, as he now starts to worry why the others aren’t back as well.

  ‘Don’t know,’ Lani looks sick, the composure she held before now slipping at the sight of the older, more experienced man.

  ‘Where’s Nick?’ Cookey asks, stepping round to see if another vehicle is coming up behind.

  ‘He went with them,’ Clarence points to the children standing nearby, ‘we were bugging out, all hell breaking lose…’

  ‘What?’ Blowers exclaims, ‘what the fuck?’ Spinning to face Jagger his face crosses with anger, ‘why didn’t you fucking say?’

  ‘I didn’t know,’ Jagger replies looking confused, ‘we thought he went with you,’ he says to Clarence.

  ‘No, we were getting swamped…he went off with you lot.’

  ‘Was chaos bruv,’ Mohammed pipes up, ‘everyone legged it every direction…pitch fucking black too.’

  ‘So Nick is missing too? What about the boss and Dave?’ Clarence asks.

  ‘No sign of them,’ Lani replies.

  ‘Have you searched?’

  ‘Yes we’ve searched,’ Lani says.

  ‘Have you searched properly?’

  ‘Clarence! We’ve searched
every inch of it, and checked all these bodies too…they’re not here.’ Lani’s voice grows stronger with frustration, the worry now evident on her face.

  ‘We figured they’d be back by now,’ Cookey shrugs, ‘We didn’t know Nick was gone, we thought he got out with you…shit…shit…’

  ‘Alright,’ Clarence forces his tone to be calm as he senses the rising panic, ‘we’ll find them…don’t worry. Dave went after Howie…’ He stops to think for a second, replaying the fight from the previous night through his mind, ‘he went into the vehicle ramp, that’s the last I saw of him.’

  ‘Who?’ Blowers asks, ‘the boss or Dave?’

  ‘The boss, Dave was going that way…he shouted for light, yes! He shouted for lights so we put the headlights on…remember?’

  ‘Not really,’ Cookey shakes his head, ‘we were at the door to the stairs.’

  ‘I heard it,’ Lani nods quickly, ‘if Dave shouted for lights he must have seen something.’

  ‘…Then got Mr Howie out,’ Blowers takes the train of speech up, ‘but where? And why aren’t they…’

  ‘More problems now too,’ Clarence interrupts, ‘fort’s been taken over.’

  ‘What?’ Blowers shouts.

  ‘We got back, some bloke with a gun was outside and the gates were all locked up. We got into the first gate but that was it…’

  ‘Who are they? What? I don’t…’ Blowers demands.

  ‘Don’t know, don’t know anything…’ Clarence explains, ‘left Maddox there with Paula and Roy, I came back here for you lot.’

  ‘Fucking hell!’ Cookey groans, ‘what the fuck? Why does this keep happening?’

  ‘We’ll deal with it,’ Blowers growls, ‘we gotta find the others first, the fort can wait.’

  ‘Agreed,’ Lani nods firmly, ‘why wouldn’t they come back here? What would stop them? We need to think clearly so we can figure out where to look.’

  ‘The boss could be injured somewhere,’ Cookey suggests, ‘Dave looking after him.’

  ‘They wouldn’t get lost,’ Blowers adds quickly, ‘same with Nick, they’d know to come back here.’

  ‘Nick can’t read,’ Cookey says quietly.

  ‘So? What difference does that make?’ Blowers snaps.

  ‘He can’t read the road signs, what if he legged it really far away? Or got chased or something?’

  ‘The fucking High Street is burning down,’ Blowers exclaims.

  ‘There isn’t that much smoke,’ Clarence cuts in, ‘not really…it looks worse from here but I didn’t see it until a few minutes before I got here.’

  ‘Fuck, so he could be lost then…no way, not Nick…’ Blowers shakes his head, refusing to accept the possibility.

  ‘He’d go south for the fort,’ Lani says, ‘they all would if they couldn’t get back here or…I don’t know… something’s stopped them.’

  ‘Okay,’ Clarence growls, his deep voice grabbing everyone’s attention, ‘the plan…you lot get back to the fort,’ he points at Jagger and Mohammed, ‘take this van and get them back, we’ll stay here and start looking.’

  ‘Plenty of cars about,’ Cookey says quickly, ‘we’ll grab a couple and drive about.’

  ‘Good,’ Clarence snaps, ‘do that…can you lads drive that van?’

  ‘You’re joking right mate?’ Mohammed says as he rolls his eyes.

  ‘No time for jokes son,’ Clarence glares, ‘get your lot back to the fort. Wait at the estate and make sure it’s safe to go down…do not just drive down, you understand? Good, tell Maddox and the rest we’re going to find Howie and our team then we’ll come back. If any of them get there, tell them to wait…understand? Don’t let them come looking for us, it’ll get confusing otherwise. Tell them to wait until we get back….got it?’

  ‘Yeah course,’ Jagger nods seriously.

  ‘You two,’ Clarence points one thick gnarled finger at Jagger and Mohammed, ‘are in charge of that lot,’ he motions the group behind them, ‘you get them back safely and no fucking about on the way.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jagger continues to nod, sensing this isn’t the time for flippant remarks or stupid comments.

  ‘Go then. Lani you’re with me. Lads,’ Clarence turns to Blowers and Cookey, ‘you two together in a car and searching, windows down and drive slow…’

  ‘Radios?’ Blowers asks.

  ‘FUCK IT!’ Clarence roars making everyone jump back, ‘they’re in the Saxon…I didn’t get them.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Lani says softly, ‘we’ll meet back here in two hours, agreed?’ She looks at the two lads nodding, ‘two hours from now whatever happens we all meet back here…’

  ‘And don’t touch any of our kit in that van,’ Clarence glowers down at the children traipsing past him.

  Waiting for the others to squeeze into the van, and then watching the minor squabble between Jagger and Mohammed over who will drive the van, they stand quietly each absorbed in their own thoughts and worries. That pervading feeling of being separated nags stronger as time wears on. The bond between them, so strong and seemingly unbreakable, now feels under threat. The saving grace, the one thing they each cling on to, is that Dave would never let anything happen to Howie, and Nick is very switched on and highly capable.

  They’ll be okay.

  Please, let them be ok.

  Twenty Seven

  ‘Jesus…I’m fucked…no more…please…even you’re sweating now Dave.’

  ‘Yes,’ his voice just one pitch lower than normal. That and the sweat are the only signs that he’s having any difficulty at all.

  ‘How? Just fucking how?’

  ‘How what Mr Howie?’

  ‘How can a little girl keep going like that?’

  ‘Well…’

  ‘Dave, it was a rhetorical question…you don’t have to answer it. Were you like this?’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Like that girl?’

  ‘I’m a boy Mr Howie.’

  ‘No Dave, I mean could you run like that and never ever need to pissing well stop and rest.’

  ‘Yes,’ he answers firmly.

  ‘Then we’re fucked.’

  ‘We’ll catch her Mr Howie.’

  ‘When? Today? Next week? She’s playing with us. She’s more evil than Darren and Marcy and all the fucking smart bastard zombies put together.’

  ‘I don’t think she’s evil Mr Howie.’

  ‘No? Why is she not stopping then?’

  ‘Scared?’ He ventures.

  ‘Scared? Fuck off! She bit my hand and kicked me in the bollocks…then runs off and leaves two glasses of water for us.’

  ‘A game then?’

  ‘A game?! A fucking game? What kind of game is this? Really? Tell me? I want to know what kind of game this is?’

  ‘Mr Howie.’

  ‘Yes Dave.’

  ‘You are starting to rant.’

  ‘I know!’

  ‘Okay,’ he shrugs, ‘just thought I would mention it.’

  ‘Right, so,’ I take a breath and let the sweat pour down my face, ‘if that was you running from us, what would it take to make you stop?’

  ‘Getting caught,’ he answers instantly.

  ‘Helpful,’ I comment drily.

  ‘You asked,’ he shrugs again.

  ‘Other than getting caught?’

  ‘Injury or getting trapped.’

  ‘As much as right now I hate her…I hope she doesn't get injured. As for trapping, we could do that if we knew which way she was going…but seeing as she’s ahead of us all the time we can’t do that either.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘That’s what I said Mr Howie.’

  ‘I know, I was repeating it as in, yeah I agreed with you.’

  ‘Oh, okay.’

  ‘Keep going then,’ I sigh, a long drawn exhalation of breath. A little girl. Small and sweet in a summer dress, but judging by the state of the house she was in, she’ll also be covered in shit and filth. We can�
�t leave her. Leaving her now, as much as wish to, just isn’t an option.

  Another day gone to rat shit, and it started so nicely too. Waking up rested, having a coffee and watching Dave slaughter loads of undead,. What could be better? But oh no, it’s has to fuck up within the mandatory twenty minutes doesn't it.

  Somebody up there is watching all of this and clearly thinking oh look, Howie and his merry bunch of men, and Lani, have woke up. Now, what shit can I throw at them today. Maybe I should just make it rain actual shit. Big, stinky, wet turds falling from the sky. No, I know…I will make that innocent little girl run and run all day long while they try and catch her.

  ‘Turds?’ Dave looks at me.

  ‘What?’

  ‘How can it rain turds?’

  I stare at him. I said all that in my head, I am sure I said that in my head.

  ‘Dave?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Was I speaking out loud?’

  ‘Yes Mr Howie.’

  ‘Like properly out loud, you know…words coming out of my actual mouth.’

  ‘Yes Mr Howie.’

  ‘I don’t think I was Dave.’

  ‘You were.’

  ‘I was thinking it but not saying it.’

  ‘You said it.’

  ‘Hmmm,’ looking away I ponder the idea that either I am losing the plot completely or Dave lives inside my head. I don’t know which option is scarier.

  ‘Mr Howie.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Why did you just pinch my arm?’

  ‘Just checking.’

  ‘Checking what?’

  ‘That you’re not imaginary.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘You’re not are you?’

  ‘Imaginary? No.’

  ‘How would we know? I mean, if you are figment of my imagination then pinching your arm could just be another, like mirage or something…’

  ‘I’m not imaginary.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Really. I am not imaginary.’

  ‘Prove it.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘I don’t know, do something unexpected.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘I don’t know…if I told you then it would be in my head wouldn’t it, and you would do it anyway…what are you doing?’