The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  Watching the other female of the pack she pants hard from the exertion of running and jumping fences. Her strong heart beats fast and her lungs work quickly. This is a great game. Spotting the other pack members further down the road she bounds to greet them, yelping with glee that everyone is running together.

  There is someone else here. A little one that is running away from the pack. She doesn't sense hunger or threat from the pack to the little one, but nor does she detect fear from the little one either. So it must be a game. A game of chasing the little one, just like she used to do with her old pack.

  Her ears are sharper, her nose much stronger, so putting these to use she snuffles along the ground until she picks up the track. The scent is strong, a female little one that smells of human waste, and the track hovers above the ground like a different colour, an almost tangible thing that can be sorted separately from the other background smells.

  The pack leader makes loud noise but the track is strong and wills her on. Nose to the ground she weaves the route taken. Over the hard surface and through this gap towards an old pack den. Another pack lived here but not now. Into the old den and the track is strong, through the rooms and into the rear with the soft surface under her feet.

  Snaking the route, she heads straight across the grass to the rear fence. The little one has learnt to go over obstacles. With a running leap she uses her paws to drive her off the top of the fence and land easily in the next garden.

  Noise ahead, a noise that sends a feeling of happiness through her body. A familiar noise the little one from her old pack used to make. The noise he made when he was happy.

  Nose down and tail wagging she runs across the soft grass, down the side of the house and out into the street. With a yelp she opens her stride. The scent is no longer needed as the little one comes into view running down the street.

  Bounding up next to her Meredith yelps and wags her tail. The little one makes noise and stops to stroke her.

  She likes the touch from the little one and can sense her happy energy. The little one is covered in dirt. Dirt like this is bad so she tries to remove it, using her rough tongue on the girls face and hands which makes the little one make the happy noise again.

  The pack leader shouts from nearby so she makes noise back, telling him to come this way. The little one makes the happy sound and starts running again.

  She stays with the little one, running alongside her but this time the little one doesn't go into any of the old dens but keeps running down the street.

  This game is great fun so she makes noise, telling the pack where she is so they can chase them.

  The hard surface ends as the little one climbs over to get onto the open soft ground the other side. She spins round making noise, this isn’t a good place to hide, they will see us too easily here but the little one carries on anyway.

  Springing over the obstacle, she once again lands with ease on the soft surface and runs alongside the little one, her long tongue hanging out as she watches the little one show her teeth and make noise.

  Already checking the route ahead and she can see the high thing, too high for either of them to climb. The game must end now as the pack will find them easy. Maybe another one from the pack will run and hide?

  The pack leader makes loud noise from behind them, he sounds angry, something is wrong. She turns to see the rest of the pack running towards her, all of them making loud noise like they do when there is a threat.

  Spinning round she checks the area, nothing here, no threats. Confused at the noise being made she checks again, there on the air; a faint smell.

  It is a scent unknown to her, a familiar animal scent, but this is stronger and much more potent.

  ‘MILLY, NO,’ I scream as she runs towards the high chain link fence. Dave breaks away running as fast as he can, legs and arms almost blurring as he opens his stride fully. Lani is only just behind him and the rest all stretched out, every single one of us screaming at the tops of our voices for the girl to stop before she hits the fence. The electrified signs are clear as day, even from this distance and no way of knowing if the power is off.

  Behind the fence thick bushes obscure whatever lies beyond. Meredith is watching us and I will her to have the intelligence to grab hold of that girl but that is asking too much, even from her.

  I think we all gasp as the girl jumps to start climbing, a tiny tot going hand over hand as she climbs with the dexterity of a monkey, scaling the fence like it was made of rope. Thankfully ,she doesn't burst into flames or go flying thirty feet into the air in a shower of sparks.

  She must be superhuman, running all that distance and now going over a fence that has to be at least six metres high.

  It took us a little while to figure out which direction she went after getting through the next row of houses and into the street. It was only Dave hearing Meredith barking in the field that got us in the right direction.

  Sweat is pouring from me, my legs feel like lead and my lungs want to burst apart but if nothing else, I’m still going. If I tried to do all this two weeks ago I would have collapsed in a crying heap. Even now I know there is a bit of final speed and power left, that hidden reserve that is only ever to be used in the event of a dire emergency, such as a little girl about to jump onto an electrified fence.

  Milly scales the fence and with ease starts down the other side, the little sod actually pausing when she drops to the ground to wave at us before legging it out of sight into the bushes.

  A few seconds later and Dave hits the fence with a running jump, his deft movements have him reaching the top in a matter of seconds. Lani is pretty much the same, the two athletic bodies scaling the structure with ease.

  Us four? Well we get there alright, then stop to get our breath just as the other two drop down the other side.

  ‘You alright?’ Lani asks at seeing us huffing and puffing with bright red faces.

  ‘Fine,’ I just about manage to squeak, ‘get her…’ I wave them on needlessly seeing as Dave has already started forcing a path through the bushes.

  ‘No way,’ Clarence looks up at the fence with his huge chest heaving up and down, ‘not happening…’

  ‘Get,’ I try and speak but my lungs demand more air, ‘get a car and ram it,’ I finally manage to gasp.

  ‘We don’t know what’s on the other side,’ Cookey says through ragged breathing.

  ‘Who cares,’ I shrug, ‘he’ll never get over it,’ I nod at Clarence. The fence is strong and high, but the chain link is tight together. There is no way he will get his hands through the gaps enough to pull his heavy frame up, and his feet are too big to gain purchase in the loops too.

  ‘Fuck, gotta run back now,’ Clarence groans, ‘come on,’ he calls the dog after him before turning to start jogging off.

  ‘Up we go,’ I leap for the fence, slide down and start again from the ground. The lads join me, all three of us grunting and swearing in pain from the thin wire digging into our fingers. Several minutes later we’re dropping down the other side, clutching our sore hands and swearing even more. Our axes, thrown over before we started climbing lie nearby, wait to be taken up.

  ‘You got any water?’ Blowers asks.

  ‘No mate,’ shaking my head I know what he means. The heat is fucking horrible and despite taking water on several times this morning, I am already gasping for more.

  ‘Dave?’ I call out as we head for the bushes and start pushing our way through, ‘Oi, Dave?’

  Still no response so we push harder until we break through the bushes. We see the ground falling away in a long, gentle slope to a wide vista of open land, dotted with clusters of bushes, trees and small lakes. The sight is beautiful, lush and just eye wateringly gorgeous; what’s more it seems to stretch on without a break into the distance.

  ‘Jesus,’ Cookey gapes at the view.

  ‘There,’ Blowers points off to the right at the little figure still running along, Dave and Lani now not too far behind her. We set of
f at a steady jog knowing they’ll catch her easily enough now the ground is open and flat.

  Watching ahead, I can see both Lani and Dave look like they’re holding back a little, as though waiting for the girl to get tired and slow down instead of just catching her outright. That, I guess, will be Lani’s thinking so they don’t scare her too much.

  ‘This is amazing,’ Cookey stares about at the view, ‘must be some rich fucker’s garden, why’s he electrified the fence though?’

  ‘Stop us rough types getting in probably,’ I reply. The heat is unbearable. Out here, in this flat open land, it feels even hotter with absolutely no breeze.

  ‘She just doesn't stop,’ Blowers groans as we watch the girl happily running along with the occasional casual glance over her shoulder. She does start to slow down though, almost as though she knows the game is finished and there is nowhere to go.

  With the distance between her, Dave and Lani diminishing, we all start to relax a little. Then she stops and simply waits for the other two to reach her.

  Lani quickly takes the girls hand to stop her running off again, and bends down to talk to her while Dave stands nearby watching closely and ready to react if she bursts off.

  By the time we get there, we are wilting from the running and the oppressive heat. We are three red-faced, gasping blokes practically falling down to rest.

  ‘Milly?’ I ask with a glance from the girl then to Lani.

  ‘Yes,’ Lani nods, ‘this is Milly, say hello Milly.’

  ‘Hello Milly!’ The girl laughs happily, ‘can we play again now?’

  ‘No!’ We all shout. Well the three of us do while Dave and Lani just stand there looking stupidly fit.

  ‘Hello Milly,’ I grin while shaking my head, ‘good god you can run.’

  ‘I like running,’ she announces to us all proudly, ‘and I like climbing and I like chocolate and I like ponies and I like…’

  She goes on describing all the things she likes, chattering away happily while holding Lani’s hand. The rest of us don’t get a word in as she talks with no discernible break for breath. Her hair is matted with filth, thick strands all stuck together and a firm layer of grime on her skin, especially round her mouth, with various layers of chocolate and god knows what else. I’m guessing we all smell pretty bad but my god, she pongs to high heaven. Body odour, faeces and stale urine, her bright summer dress is filthy too and her bare legs are almost black from being unwashed.

  ‘Hi Milly,’ Cookey grins and holds a hand out, ‘nice to meet you.’

  ‘Hello, what’s your name? My name is Milly,’ she beams staring at the hand as though wondering what to do with it, ‘my mummy said I shouldn’t talk to strangers, are you strangers? Where’s the doggy?’

  ‘I’m Cookey,’ Cookey grins but does drop his hand, ‘and this is Blowers,’ he points at Blowers while Milly laughs.

  ‘That’s funny,’ she giggles, ‘’Blowers…’

  ‘And that is Mr Howie,’ he nods at me.

  ‘Hello Milly, you’ve led us on a merry dance haven’t you?’

  ‘I like dancing,’ she grins a toothy smile, ‘and I like jumping,’ she adds. ‘Why are you called Mr Howie?’

  ‘Er, I er…’

  ‘Because he in charge,’ Cookey explains, ‘like a teacher.’

  ‘I like teachers,’ Milly announces, ‘do you like teachers Lani?’ Milly looks up at Lani, we all look at Lani who just shrugs.

  ‘I already told her my name, and yes Milly, I do like teachers.’

  ‘Dave?’

  ‘Yes Milly?’

  ‘Do you like dancing?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Do you like ponies?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Do you like running?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I like running, can we run now?’

  ‘No.’

  Shaking our heads in stunned amazement, we watch the girl chatter away with no hesitation. The confidence just pours from her.

  ‘Can we pet the doggy now? I’m hungry,’ she adds with a serious glance that implies we should be giving her food right now at this very second.

  ‘Come on,’ standing up straight I nod to head back the way we came, ‘have you er…said anything to her yet?’ I ask Lani.

  ‘Not had a chance,’ she shakes her head, ‘she hasn’t stopped talking.’

  ‘And we can have some cake and biscuits and read comics and then we can play hide and seek again….It’s Dave’s turn’s to hide now.’

  ‘Why Dave?’ Cookey asks.

  ‘Because he catched me, silly billy,’ she laughs, ‘and if you catch Dave then you can hide and if Lani catches you then she can hide and if I catch Lani then I can hide and if Mr Howie catches me then…’

  ‘Got it,’ Cookey laughs.

  ‘Milly?’ I ask, interrupting her mid-flow, ‘how long have you been alone for?’

  ‘Um…some days,’ she says quickly, ‘Mummy and Daddy went out and I waited at home and they didn’t come back so I ate the chocolate and the crisps and the sweets and they didn’t come back so I went to next door to see Carol but she wasn’t there so I ate her chocolate and her crisps…I know where Carol keeps her chocolate and crisps and I can show later when we go to my house and then…’

  ‘Whoa Milly, slow down,’ I laugh, ‘have you seen anyone since your mummy and daddy left?’

  ‘I played chase and hide and seek with the strangers, but they didn’t do talking they make funny noises,’ she laughs, ‘like daddy did one day when he fell over.’

  ‘Did they catch you?’ Lani asks lightly as we all listen intently.

  ‘No!’ Milly laughs, ‘they were slow and silly silly silly,’ she sings the last few words.

  ‘Christ,’ Blowers mutters staring down at the happy girl.

  ‘Silly silly silly billy,’ Milly sings, ‘what’s that?’ she points to the pistol on Lani’s belt.

  ‘That’s my gun,’ Lani replies.

  ‘What does it do?’

  ‘It shoots the…er…’ she looks round at us all for help.

  ‘It shoots bad people,’ Dave says flatly.

  ‘Bad people?’ Milly thinks for a second, ‘are the strangers bad people? I don’t like them…they don’t talk and they don’t play and they look horrible and they keep getting cuts but they don’t put plasters on and Mummy said you should put a plaster on if you cut yourself.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Lani says.

  ‘What’s that?’ She points to Lani’s meat cleaver now held in the other hand, ‘Mr Howie has a gun and Dave has a gun and Cookey has a gun and…Blowers, do you have a gun?’

  ‘Yes, it’s here,’ Blowers pulls it out to show her.

  ‘Can I shoot the bad people with the gun?’

  ‘No,’ Blowers says quickly putting the gun away.

  ‘You’re good at remembering names,’ Cookey says with a grin.

  ‘I am I am I am,’ Milly sings.

  ‘Shit!’ Blowers snaps.

  ‘You said a rude word,’ Milly laughs with delight, ‘Mr Howie will tell you off.’

  ‘Oh shit…’ Blowers spins round as we all stop to look up. ‘Big fence…’ he mutters, ‘big electric fence.’

  ‘What?’ Cookey asks.

  ‘Keeps them in,’ he hisses.

  ‘Keeps what in?’ Lani asks, as we turn round staring at the view.

  ‘There,’ Blowers points to a cluster of trees away to the right.

  ‘Behind too,’ Dave reports.

  ‘What?’ I ask, unable to see anything other than trees and bushes.

  ‘Oh,’ Lani whispers.

  ‘What!?’ I ask again. Staring in the same direction as Lani, I watch a cluster of trees. Something moves, then something else moves. Then they start moving away from the trees towards us. They break free from cover and stroll out into the open. It’s a sight so familiar from television but not something I have ever seen with my own eyes in real life.

  ‘Five that side and four behind,’ Dave announ
ces, ‘the big male is behind.’

  Turning round slowly, I spot the four others behind us. The big male is easily distinguishable from his size and shape.

  ‘Lions…fucking lions…’ I mutter in shock, ‘we’re in a safari park…in a bloody safari park…’

  ‘Oh Lani, Mr Howie said a rude word too,’ Milly gasps, ‘who tells Mr Howie off?’

  ‘I do,’ Lani replies in a distracted voice, ‘don’t say rude words Mr Howie.’

  ‘Sorry,’ I reply, turning to look at the five coming from the right, then back to the four behind us.

  ‘Probably not had any food for two weeks,’ Cookey decides to share his thoughts with us, ‘so they’ll be hungry…really hungry…’

  ‘Thanks mate,’ Blowers mutters.

  ‘Dave?’

  ‘Yes Mr Howie?’

  ‘Any experience with lions?’

  ‘Pistols shots will just annoy then unless you get a clean shot to the heart,’ he replies.

  ‘That’s good to know, you reckon you can get the hearts?’

  ‘No, I don’t know where the heart is.’

  ‘In the middle?’ Cookey half says and half asks.

  ‘Where in the middle?’ Dave asks.

  ‘What about the head?’ Lani asks.

  ‘Their skulls are very thick,’ Dave replies, ‘might be okay up close…but that will mean being very close.’

  ‘Right,’ I say quietly, ‘this all going swimmingly then. The Saxon is broken down, the fort has got some new people taking it over, we’ve lost Nick and after having a human zombie heart shoved in my mouth, we’re now in a safari park with a pack of hungry lions.’

  ‘Pride,’ Dave says.

  ‘Dave, we have pride mate, I’m just saying what our current situation is.’

  ‘Pride of lions, not pack Mr Howie.’

  ‘Oh, right…yeah got it…’

  ‘I wanna see the lions,’ Milly says, ‘pick me up,’ she tugs at Lani’s wrist.