The Undead the Second Week Compilation Edition Days 8-14

by RR Haywood

  ‘Oohh, you didn’t ask whether I meant zombie or human.’

  ‘Both.’

  ‘Zombies are easy,’ Larson shrugs, ‘but people Nick, people are living, they fight back, they scream and shout and are unpredictable, yet here you are claiming to have killed them. Who did you kill Nick?’

  ‘One man, stabbed him. He found me sleeping and tried to take my food. Stabbed him through the chest and kept stabbing until he didn’t move anymore.’

  ‘Okay, and the zombies? How many of them you killed?’

  Oh mate, you have no fucking idea. ‘A few, during the day when it first happened and they were slow, hid at night then they got quick in the day so I hid then too.’

  ‘Any good with a weapon?’

  ‘What kind?’

  ‘Firearms?’

  ‘Not really, shotguns are easy but er…didn’t get that far in basic training.’

  ‘Hand weapons?’

  ‘Okay,’ Nick shrugs again, ‘my kills came from knives so…’

  Larson doesn't speak but stares, holding Nick’s gaze with a level look. A light starts to dawn in Nick’s mind, a sensation, maybe an instinct or a prickling of an idea. They haven’t checked him over, not asked him to strip off to be checked for bites or cuts. The questions thrown at him by Larson are straightfoward, bloody hell even Cookey could talk his way out of this. That stare Larson keeps giving. That’s all he has. Just that hard look. Hold his stare and he’ll believe anything. Incompetent and running on blind luck that they’ve found a place so isolated the undead simply haven’t come this way.

  The gate guards were behind sandbags for fuck’s sake. Like sandbags are going to stop a swarm of charging undead pumped to the eyeballs with whatever chemicals the infection is using to drive them. The distance from the main gate to the house is too big, if the gate is overrun there is no way of getting re-enforcements to them. The walls surrounding the house looked high but again would pose no challenge. Nick could scale them easily enough which means anyone could.

  Even here, with armed men walking about, the house is wide open with the Doc walking about in his underpants fresh from swimming in a river with a bunch of little boys.

  Don’t question it, don’t look at it, don’t think about It, that’s what Larson said. A grown man swimming in his pants with little boys taken from their families, and we’re not supposed to question it? Larson also said the scavenge crews can do what they like once they’re out of here, which means they effectively had permission to rape and kill the way they did with Lilly and her family.

  The serenity of the place, the quietness of the area, the rich furnishings of wonderful opulence all dulled his mind into thinking this actually might be a decent place.

  Rotten to the core, and run by a bunch of idiots getting by on luck and violence for the benefit of a doctor promising them a cure on the basis that he can fiddle with small children.

  All of this swims through Nick’s mind. The neural pathways of his brain might be wired slightly differently to others, the ability to recognise and learn the written word somehow doesn't work in his head, but he is very intelligent and highly savvy with a keen instinct for human nature.

  He had fourteen days of dealing with the most extreme of situations and all the time watching, learning, absorbing. Seeing the sheer, unadulterated effort and depth of planning that Mr Howie applies to everything they do. How he thinks, weighs options, listens and watches and then decides for the benefit of everyone.

  Larson holds that stare while Nick blankly looks on. All these thoughts whirl within a split second, a sub-conscious conclusion is drawn but he doesn't show it, he remains passive and hoping he appears to be the slightly daft, affable lad he looks like.

  ‘I’m happy,’ Larson nods at length, ‘you seem the right person for us Nick.’ A firm nod and Larson extends a hand, offering an equally firm grip, ‘you’ll fit in well here son, good to have you on board. Sorry about the questioning but you just never know and it pays to be vigilant. The Doc does what he can to fix this and I make sure the place is safe.’

  Utter fool. You are a complete fucking tool mate.

  ‘Yeah sure,’ Nick nods, ‘I understand completely, I’m er…just glad you’re happy to have me.’

  ‘More than happy Nick,’ Larson nods again with a sincere look, ‘I was in the services, a few of our blokes were too but er, well I can’t really say what I did in the army you know son, classified and all that,’ he winks quickly.

  Classified? Now? After all this going on? Dave doesn't even try and hide what he did now and talks quite openly about it, and he’s more Autistic than Rain-Man.

  ‘Wow,’ Nick nods in admiration, ‘sounds intense mate.’

  ‘Yeah, let’s just say I saw things … did things … went places, you get me?’

  ‘Yeah sure,’ Nick keeps the nod going staring in admiration and awe at the older man.

  ‘Right, come with me Nick,’ Larson leads them out of the room, across the hall and through the kitchen, introducing him briefly to Meryl, before leading Nick through the back doors and out onto the rear lawns. ‘I’ve got things to do,’ Larson explains, ‘I’ll get you paired up with Jacob, he’s been here for a while and is a good hand. Jacob! This is Nick, he just joined us.’

  ‘Nick,’ Jacob nods in serious greeting.

  ‘Hello mate,’ Nick holds his hand out to shake.

  ‘He’s all cleared,’ Larson explains to Jacob, ‘been through the Q and A session with him, passed with flying colours. Stick with him, show him the ropes and I’ll see you both later.’

  ‘Okay,’ Jacob mutters.

  ‘Where’s your glasses?’ Larson asks, noticing the armed guard squinting in the sun.

  ‘Gave them to Rob, his face was swelling up.’

  ‘Good thinking, we’ll rotate him onto the gate in a minute. Keep an eye on those kids and get some coffee when they go back inside.’

  ‘Will do,’ Jacob nods, standing quietly he watches Larson retreat back into the house before eyeing Nick warily for a few seconds. Seemingly satisfied, he turns back to stroll towards the river bank.

  ‘Doc tell you about the kids?’

  ‘Er yeah,’ Nick replies, ‘something about don’t talk to them, don’t like engage or…’

  ‘Yep, don’t do anything. Just stand here and keep watch. Larson tell you about the Doc’s temper?’

  ‘Yeah but fuck that mate, he said he’s getting a cure ready.’

  ‘Don’t swear Nick,’ Jacob warns quickly.

  ‘There’s no one here.’ Nick looks round at the wide open lawn leading down to the river bank, the house well out of ear shot.

  ‘Doesn't matter, just don’t do it.’

  ‘Okay, sorry Jacob.’

  ‘For your sake Nick, not mine, come on,’ the older man walks steadily towards the river bank and the children now moving about quietly without the Doc’s perverted exuberance making them jump about. ‘He’s working on something, don’t know what, but he keeps saying he’s getting closer. I heard he was on about identifying what kind of virus it is today, telling Larson about different types of pathogens and things, clever bloke.’

  ‘Yeah definitely,’ Nick nods unsure of what to do with his hands after two weeks of carrying a weapon everywhere. To hide his fidgets he shoves them into his pockets, feigning a young lads slouch instead. ‘These the boys then?’ Nick nods at the youths.

  ‘They are,’ Jacob sighs, ‘don’t look at them Nick, look round them, look through them, look to the sides and beyond but don’t look at them.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Cos the Doc gets angry if you do, he already broke a man’s cheek today.’

  ‘Shit really?’ Nick asks in surprise, wondering why this man is opening up to him. Jacob doesn't know if Nick is a stooge, a real new comer or anything else. He looks troubled though, troubled and deeply worried with big, heavy bags under his bloodshot eyes.

  ‘There’s quite a few,’ Nick comments making a point of turnin
g to scan the area.

  ‘Over twenty now and we get more every day.’

  ‘Just boys though?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘Why boys? Why not girls?’

  ‘He likes boys,’ Jacob says darkly, a fleeting shadow crossing his face.

  ‘Oh,’ Nick says as if only just realising, ‘oh shit, really? Like… you mean he likes boys?’

  ‘We just guard,’ Jacob ignores the question, ‘and that’s it. Look Nick,’ Jacob glances at the young lad, ‘world’s fucked innit. Everything, everyone, we’re lucky to be somewhere like this,’ Nick watches the man attempt to justify it and can sense the turmoil within him.

  ‘You er, you go out on these scavenges then?’ Nick asks as a way of changing the conversation.

  ‘Sometimes,’ Jacob replies slowly, ‘some of the blokes love it, they empty the houses and do all sorts of things, come back and boast about it at night when we have a few drinks.’

  ‘What sort of things?’ Nick asks with a grin.

  ‘Use your imagination, there ain’t no women here Nick so the blokes got to find what they can.’

  ‘Oh, fuck…that’s bad,’ Nick says hoping he’s judged it right.

  ‘Not my thing,’ Jacob says quickly, ‘I like women, don’t get me wrong but…’

  ‘Why no women? Is that another one of the Doc’s rules?’

  ‘Yep,’ Jacob sighs again. Rubbing his stubbled chin, he checks the boys playing in the river and smiles briefly, an act noticed by Nick but left unremarked upon.

  ‘What did you do before this?’ Nick asks casually. The itch for a cigarette is starting, his hands keep twitching to draw the packet from his pocket.

  ‘Had a building firm a few years back but lost it when the recession hit. I was labouring here and there, fucking handyman cutting grass. Missus left a couple of years ago, took our boy and went home.’

  ‘Home?’

  ‘Polish, from Poland,’ Jacob adds needlessly.

  ‘How old is your son?’

  ‘Eight,’ Jacob growls.

  Nick glances at the boys in the water then at Jacob, understanding where the conflict comes from. Not just something disgusting that has to be tolerated but something the man can relate to, his own child being the same age as those under the care of the paedophile doctor.

  ‘Sorry mate,’ Nick mutters, ‘you er… thought about trying to find them?’

  ‘Course,’ Jacob nods, ‘look forget it Nick, this ain’t your concern.’

  ‘Sorry Jacob, didn’t mean to piss you off.’

  ‘Stop swearing.’

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘What you smiling at?’

  ‘You reminded me of someone else, they were always telling me off for swearing too.’ Staring at the man, Nick feels an instinct forming, a confidence to push further. ‘Can I ask you a question Jacob?’

  The older man looks at him, an expression of almost pleading etched onto his weathered face, pleading that the young man stops now before it gets too painful.

  ‘Why do you stay?’ Nick asks quietly.

  ‘I’m loyal to the Doc,’ Jacob says quickly, ‘I just want to do my job and that’s it.’

  ‘Yeah course,’ Nick winces thinking that he pushed it too far too quickly.

  An uneasy silence descends between them. Nick’s confused at why the man stays when he could just take off and try find his family, why be here watching this happen?

  Exhaling another deep breath, Jacob steps in closer and speaks in a low voice, ‘he doesn't hurt them,’ he says quickly, ‘I ain’t seen no bruises or anything, they’re quiet and like, you know subdued but shit, what else do you expect. I think he just likes looking at them.’

  ‘Fucking sick,’ Nick mutters.

  ‘It is, but there’s worse that can happen Nick, you understand yeah? He could be raping ‘em or hurting ‘em, but I don’t think so, he just gets ‘em to strip off and stand there while he exams them. He swims with ‘em every day with a hard on in his pants.’

  ‘Stop,’ Nick urges feeling the first surge of anger coursing up.

  ‘Listen Nick, if he gets a cure that can save everyone, if he gets a cure or a vaccine I can take it with me and find my son, save him you know? And like I said he ain’t hurting ‘em, not physically.’

  ‘What if he did?’ Nick asks quickly, ‘what if he was hurting them, what would you do?’

  Jacob stares back with genuine pain in his eyes, ‘I’m loyal Nick, I just want to do my job.’

  ‘What would you do Jacob?’

  ‘Your hear me nipper? I’m loyal see, I don’t want no trouble from anyone.’

  ‘Okay Jacob.’

  ‘How old are you? What twenty? Twenty-One?’

  ‘Something like that,’ Nick replies looking at the children.

  ‘You seem older,’ Jacob remarks, ‘a lot older.’

  ‘Hard life,’ Nick grins quickly.

  ‘I don’t know what I’d do,’ Jacob says quickly, his eyes locked on Nick, ‘I know what I’d want to do but…’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘No, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m talking bollocks, this heat yeah? Makes you say weird things.’

  ‘Don’t worry Jacob, I won’t say anything I promise.’ Nick can feel the desperation and fear coming from the armed guard. He looks so stoic and unflappable but is clearly crumbling inside.

  ‘He’s coming,’ Jacob changes instantly. Standing straight, he assumes the poker faced look with almost expert precision. Nick doesn't turn immediately but quickly removes his hands from his pockets to hold them together in front. Adopting the same serious expression he scans the area, viewing the hill that he and Lilly were hiding on just a little while ago.

  Did she get away okay? As long as she makes the fort and finds the boss then everything will be okay. That kiss, what was all that about? Offering herself like that so he would help her.

  ‘WHERE’S MY LOVELIES!’ The Doc’s voice booms out across the lawn. Dressed in clothes again he strides towards the river completely ignoring Nick and Jacob as he walks past.

  Grinning with genuine belief that the children will be happy to see him, he badgers and jokes them out of the water, urging them to run around on the lawn so the sun can dry their bodies.

  Nick watches the glint in his eye, the way he leers at the wet bodies. All the boys’ underpants, which are now soaked through from the river, have become effectively see-through.

  It’s sickening and repulsive. What should be a happy sight of children having fun, is destroyed by the perverted lust evident on the Doctors face. His long, gangly frame lolloping behind the boys as he gently slaps bottoms and scoops them up to hold for a few seconds.

  The size of the man and his exuberance makes the children meek in his presence, the very essence of childhood seems to fade from them as though too afraid or too cowed to reveal any character or personality. The sight makes Nick think of Nazi’s and how they cowed people into submission, that the mere presence of them, the power they gave off, was enough to subdue the masses.

  ‘Look away,’ Jacob whispers, jolting Nick to turn quickly and make a point of scanning the back of the house.

  On the pretence of turning slowly, Nick gains glimpses of the Doctor rounding the children up. He gets them into two lines with the smallest at the front, clearly a feeble excuse that gives him reason to physically move them into place, rubbing his hands over their bare skin. With a loud, jovial order he leads them off at the march, shouting “one-two, left-right” while comically swinging his long arms.

  Only it isn’t comical. Sinister is the word. Perverted. Nick swallows the surge of anger down again. Not yet. Wait for the others.

  The Doc marches the children across the lawn and through rear doors into the grand mansion house, leaving Jacob visibly relaxing as his shoulders sag, his face suddenly looking ten years older.

  ‘Coffee,’ the guard mutters. Nick follows him across the short grass to the side of the house and through a service door. From t
he bright sunshine into a gloomy room, Nick blinks to adjust his vision, aware of the murmur of low adult male voices.

  Men are sitting in easy chairs, on benches and old wooden dining chairs. All of them sipping from old, faded, chipped mugs. The stench of coffee, stale body odour, unwashed bodies hangs in the air. Tobacco too, but not from being smoked. The men here have smoked somewhere else and brought the smell in with them.

  Tattoo’s, heads that were once shaved short but now growing longer from the lack of clippers and power to run them. Thick arms, thick necks and broken teeth. Tough men from hard backgrounds, gnarled hands used to physical labour. Lean men with hard stares, the type that Nick used to see propping up the bars at the local pub.

  Jacob nods as he walks in but doesn't stop to engage in conversation, instead heading to the far end where he checks the water temperature in a large pan by sticking his finger in.

  ‘Just boiled Jake,’ a man calls out then quickly goes back to his conversation. A few glances at Nick but nothing of interest. Drink the coffee, guard the house, protect the children and go out to rape and kill who you want.

  They were in the old servants quarters with stone walls and small windows. Nick stands near Jacob watching him making drinks while discreetly looking round the room. Eight men in here. There will probably be a few more patrolling, plus the ones on the gate and others out scavenging houses.

  ‘Got a few men here then,’ Nick remarks casually.

  ‘About twenty, maybe twenty five,’ Jacob replies, ‘get a new one every couple of days and we lose one every couple of days too. Quite a few today from what I’ve heard.’

  Twenty five. That’ll keep Dave busy for all of five minutes. Nick looks away with a fleeting vision of these chatting men having their throats cut open within the next few hours.

  ‘We’ll go outside.’ Jacob picks the two steaming mugs up, once again leading Nick through the room and out into the sunshine, ‘can’t smoke in the house,’ he adds over his shoulder.

  Outside, they cross the path and skirt round the offside of a low outbuilding. Several garden chairs gather round a plant pot full of cigarette butts. Taking a seat, Jacob passes one steaming mug over to Nick before easing himself over to one side as he works to free a pack of smokes from his pocket.