“Seriously? After everything we’ve discussed, after talking about the need to get out of here, you’re now saying that we should stay?”
George took the piece of paper back off the desk, folded it up and placed it in his pocket. He looked towards Maggie. “We think it would be for the best,” Maggie replied.
Jules stared at them both. “You were the ones who convinced me we needed to get out of here and now you’re saying we shouldn’t. Screw it!” she said, standing up.
“What—what are you doing?” George asked.
“Everybody’s looking to me for answers, and I don’t have them. One day we’re doing one thing then the next we’re doing another, and I genuinely don’t have a fucking clue. So I’m going to make this very simple. We’re going to get everybody together and have a vote. We’re going to put both options to them and see what they want to do,” she said, storming out of the office.
Maggie and George looked at one another for a moment, wondering if she was serious, then chased after her.
✽ ✽ ✽
Half an hour later, the three of them were sat around the same desk, looking at one another. “So much for a couple of days of normality,” Maggie said.
“Yeah well. It is what it is,” Jules replied. “You definitely know how to do this, old man?” She looked towards George.
“I’ve built these things before. It’s straightforward when you’ve got the right tools and materials, and we’ve got the right tools and materials.”
“And you think you can grow enough to stop us starving when the tinned food supply runs out?”
“You wouldn’t believe the speed stuff grows in a polytunnel.”
“And you’re sure we’ll still be able to get enough drinking water if all of a sudden we can’t use the garden depot for collecting it?”
“We’ll set something up on the roof. There’s even more space up there.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Jules replied. All their faces looked grim. The rain continued to pour outside and for a few moments, they just looked at it lashing against the windows. “So that foul stench from the drains, the one you said was a public health hazard waiting to happen. What about that?”
“Look, I can tell you’re obviously upset, Jules, but—”
“Upset? Why, because everybody’s just signed off on an idea that is going to be nothing more than a long, painful, uncomfortably ugly death for us all? You said it yourself. This place isn’t fit for human habitation. It’s in a city surrounded by the dead. You sold me fully on the idea of having to act because acting was the right thing to do, and I agreed with you. I still agree; getting out of this place is the right thing to do. A lot of people, good people, lost their lives to that end, but now it was all for nothing.”
“So why have this conversation now?” Maggie asked, immediately jumping to George’s defence. “Why did you go straight downstairs and put it to a vote?”
“Because without you two on board, I can’t do anything. And I can’t take the burden of this decision myself, I don’t want to. If you say you’ve checked the fuel levels and we’re running too low, I believe you. If you say it’s becoming too risky to keep heading out there on the off chance we might find more, I believe you. If you say that we’ve got a good supply of food, enough to keep us going until the first crops come in, I believe you. But the problem is when you said this place wasn’t fit to live in, I believed you then too, and you were right.”
A look swept across George’s face like he’d just been punched in the gut. “But—”
“All the reasons we wanted to get out of this place are just as valid now as when we made the decision to go—”
“But—”
“But what?” Jules asked angrily.
A tear appeared in George’s eye. “People died because of me. People died when we went to the school. People died when they went to the camping store. I can’t have that on me. I can’t draw up plans knowing that people might not come back because of me.”
Suddenly the bluster and anger were gone as Jules looked across the desk towards George. “And these plans… How many are going to end up dying because of those?” she asked quietly. The room fell silent again for a moment until Jules straightened up in her chair. “Look. You two are the ones I trust more than anyone. You’re always there for me. If you tell me now that you believe in your heart of hearts this is our best option, then I’ll get on board, and I’ll commit to it. Is this our best option?”
George looked her straight in the eyes. “It’s our only option, Jules.”
CHAPTER 18
They did as they said they would. They took two days for things to settle down, for people to take stock. Then, on the third day, they got on with the task at hand. Every man, woman and child in the place got to work clearing, digging, building and planting. The rain had stopped only a couple of times, and by the end of the fourth day, the work and the climate had taken its toll on a few of the older members of the community. One of them developed a severe cough that threatened to become something much worse. Another started shivering uncontrollably, and a third collapsed from fatigue. All three were taken to the cash office, which had become the unofficial infirmary for the place. Mary Stolt divided her duties between overseeing meal preparation and making sure the inhabitants of the infirmary were looked after.
When they downed tools on that fourth day, the frame of the first polytunnel had been erected, and people could see things coming together. The constant smell from the drains had become something that they just lived with and accepted now, and despite everything people’s spirits lifted a little as they saw George and Maggie’s plan starting to come together.
Jules, George and Maggie assembled back in the office as they did at the end of every day. George had drawn up a tick sheet and together they went through everything methodically, discussing the progress the different groups had made.
“I think maybe two more days and the first tunnel will be finished. Then Maggie can start fitting it out while my team starts on the second,” George said proudly.
“Well, so far so good,” Jules said. “When you got that final piece of the frame up today, you could feel the mood in the place change. It was like for the first time people could actually understand what was going on, what we were doing.”
“We’ll make this work, Jules,” Maggie said.
“I hope to God you’re right.”
“I am. I know I am. Well, I’m going to leave the pair of you, I’m bushed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
It had started to get dark outside, but there was still enough light in the room with the blinds open for everybody to see each other. This was the north of Scotland, and it stayed lighter in summer, much longer than the rest of the country. When Maggie closed the door behind her, Jules stood up and walked to the window. She placed her hands behind her back and looked down at the loading bay below. “Looks like the rain’s stopping again.”
“It’s been relentless for the past few days. It’s a good job we didn’t have any teams out, wouldn’t surprise me if there was flooding in the city,” George replied, pulling out his tobacco pipe and lighting up.
“I’m sorry for the other day, George,” Jules said, still not turning around from the window.
“Don’t be. You were stressed. We were all stressed and there are no absolutes in any of this. We are right and wrong at the same time.”
“How do you mean?”
“I mean,” he said, taking a deep puff of his pipe, “it’s right that we’re staying here. It was put to a vote and people have decided that the benefits of trying to look for a way to remain outweigh the risk. That’s not to say that looking for a way out isn’t the right thing to do regardless.”
“You’re filling me with confidence, old man.”
George smiled. “Look, it was the smart thing to do, asking the people. It was their choice, now you’re back to your old job.”
“How do you mean?”
Jules turned to look at him and let out a small laugh. “Every fuckin’ day.”
“Exactly! This decision has been made, and whether you agree with it or not, your job now is to rally the troops.”
“So what, I’m like a fuckin’ mascot or something?”
“Pretty much. Except I’ve never come across a mascot who uses profanity to quite the extent that you do,” he said, smiling and taking another suck on the mouthpiece of his pipe.
“Fuck you, old man. I’ll give you fuckin’ profanity,” she said with a cheeky grin. “Seriously though, how soon do you think the polytunnel and the rest of the stuff will start producing?”
“You’d be amazed. Things grow from seed remarkably quickly in those things. My pal had one, and within a few weeks of setting it up, he was digging up marrows bigger than rugby balls.”
“Marrows? Jesus Christ. Marrows?”
“You don’t like marrows?”
“Well, they’re not exactly at the top of my list of most missed foods.”
“And what would be?”
“I don’t know … bacon.”
“Yes, sorry, Jules, I’m all out of bacon seeds.”
“Think you’re funny, don’t you?”
“Look, It’s all about maximum yield and speed of growth. If you fill people’s bellies, they’re going to be happy, and you can grow a lot of marrows very quickly. They’re rich in vitamins A and C and—”
“Alright, alright, I don’t want a fuckin’ history of marrows. But please tell me that’s not your grand plan. Please tell me you’ll be growing something else.”
George smiled again and brought out another folded piece of paper from his pocket. “I was merely giving you that as an example. There are a number of quick-growing crops that we’ll be planting. Kale, chard, spinach—”
“Stop, please, my mouth’s starting to water too much.”
“Aubergine, various peppers, onion, cabbage, green beans.”
“Okay, okay, enough. You know what you’re doing; I won’t question your superior knowledge anymore.”
He folded the piece of paper away. “Trust me; we can make this work.”
“I do trust you.”
“Fancy a dram?” Jules asked, walking back to the desk and pulling out the whisky from the bottom drawer.
“Don’t you think you drink a bit too much of that stuff?”
“Are you kidding me?” she said, pouring herself a glass. “I don’t drink nearly as much of it as I’d like to. She held the bottle up. “And when this and the other one are gone, that’s it. I’m going to have to go into involuntary rehab.”
George smiled. “Who knows what the future holds, Jules? This time next year, we might have our own still.”
“Yeah, and this time next year, I might be married to Bradley Cooper.”
“I don’t know who that is.”
“How old are you exactly?”
“Old enough to remember when gobby youngsters were given a clip round the ear for being cheeky to their elders.”
Jules smiled and drained her glass. “Well, I think I’m going to turn in too. I’m jiggered.” George took one last long, satisfying suck on his pipe and walked over to the window. He opened it and emptied the glowing embers out, placing the pipe back in his pocket. “What are you going to do when you’ve smoked your last tobacco flakes?”
“Well,” he said, “I’ve got a few tins left yet, but when that day comes, I suppose I’ll just have to deal with it.”
The pair of them left the office and, on reaching the landing, George flicked his torch on. When they reached the shop floor, it was dark and quiet. Everybody had worked hard all day, and many had decided to turn in early. A number of lanterns remained on, providing people with just enough light to move up and down the aisles. Rob was on guard duty once again, and he waved as he did his rounds.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning. I just want to pop into the cash office to see how the patients are getting on.”
“Okay, I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow,” George replied and headed towards his cubicle.
When Jules arrived at the cash office, the door was slightly ajar. She levered it open to see Maggie sitting on a chair in between two of the airbeds. All the patients were asleep and, on seeing Jules, Maggie rose to her feet and placed her finger on her lips before guiding the younger woman back out onto the shop floor.
“They’ve only just gone off to sleep.”
“How are they doing?” Jules asked.
“Well, they’ve been given paracetamol and hot cordial. We had some cough medicine too. We’re managing to keep them warm, and they’ve all still got good appetites, so fingers crossed.”
“They were insistent that they wanted to be part of it, that they pulled their weight. I should have said no to them.”
“It wouldn’t have made any difference. That generation were a different breed. You could have said what you liked, they’d still have done their own thing,” Maggie said with a fond smile on her face.
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Look, don’t worry. They’re tough buggers, give them a couple of days and they’ll be right as rain.”
Jules reached for her friend’s hand. “Thanks, Mags.”
“What for?”
“For always being there for me.”
“We look out for each other; that’s what we do.”
The two women parted and each headed to their separate living space. Jules stripped down to her T-shirt and knickers before climbing into her sleeping bag. She lay there for several minutes looking at the orange shelf above her before slowly drifting off to sleep.
✽ ✽ ✽
When she opened her eyes again, confusion reigned for several seconds. Her head felt fuzzy and she couldn’t quite understand what had roused her from such a deep sleep. It wasn’t until she heard a volley of terrified screams from both men and women that she realised that, whatever it was, it was not good. Surely it can’t be more infected. Everybody was checked. She pulled her jeans and boots on and ran out of her cubicle, brandishing a knife in one hand and a torch in the other.
She was greeted by others who had clearly been shaken from equally deep sleeps. They were in various states of undress and readiness as they appeared in the aisle. They were carrying either torches or lanterns, and as the sound of screams intensified, they all began to run in the direction of the disturbing noise. It was not until they reached the end aisle that the full horror of what was causing the screams hit them.
Rats!
CHAPTER 19
For a few seconds, they were all frozen to their respective spots. It was as if the very ground was moving. The large brown rodents were everywhere. People came running out of their cubicles with them stuck to their legs, stomachs, and faces; they were running over their bodies and through their hair.
The screams rose in number and intensity. Jules could feel a crowd gathering behind her as they nervously watched the spectacle, as they saw the moving carpet coming nearer all the time. Then she saw something that she knew she would not forget until her dying day.
Maggie stumbled out from her living space, screeching at the top of her voice. Flaps of skin were already hanging off her face where sharp teeth had torn at her. There was a fat rat tangled in her hair, gnawing her scalp. She was adorned in just a T-shirt and knickers as Jules had been a moment before, and more was the pity as the rats became increasingly excited by the sight of bare flesh. They ran up her legs, sinking razor-like incisors into the fatty white flesh of her thighs.
Others bit her feet and ankles; then, suddenly, Maggie fell to her knees. Despite more than a dozen different battles going on with these hideous, foul-smelling creation
s, Jules could only focus on one. She was paralysed with fear. Her friend, one of the people she had come to rely on more than anyone, was being eaten alive right in front of her eyes, and the ever-increasing horde of rodents was heading straight down the aisle towards her.
Screams sounded behind her and to her side and suddenly the warm bodies that she had been shoulder to shoulder with seconds before were now gone, fleeing the scene in fear, but Jules could not move. She could not pull her eyes away from the unfolding horror.
The torment was not over for Maggie though. The rats continued to swarm over and around her. Two appeared simultaneously on her left and right shoulder, drawn to the fleshy, flapping lobes dangling so enticingly. In perfect synchronicity, the creatures ripped at the loose skin, tearing it clean off and making Maggie shriek even louder. She locked eyes with Jules. They were not the eyes of the friend she knew and loved. They were the eyes of a torture victim. A woman who just wanted to be put out of her misery, knowing full well that there was no road back to recovery from such a vicious and unrelenting assault.
Maggie’s eyes widened even further as more creatures ran up the front of her T-shirt and finally her screaming stopped. Jules continued to look in her friend’s eyes, but there was nobody home. The rats were mere feet away from Jules now, and as she saw her friend fall flat on her face, and disappear completely beneath the rampaging throng of filth, she knew that the same fate awaited her. She dropped her head and closed her eyes as tears welled and ran over her lashes.
Not long. A minute of horrific pain and degradation and then it would be all over.
The screams and excited squeals of vermin were suddenly joined by another sound. A strange, familiar whoosh. And accompanying the sound was a warmth that Jules did not understand. She opened her eyes once again, and the mass of diseased rodents was retreating. Some were on fire, and the smell of their burning flesh made Jules want to throw up. But the squeals of excitement had turned into squeals of fear. Jules did not understand what was happening; then she saw her three brothers and George slowly advancing. They had large canisters of insect repellent and lit candles in front of them—homemade flame throwers. The four of them moved forward methodically and slowly, forcing the rodents to beat a retreat. Some of the creatures began to scale the racking, only to be burned alive by a well-aimed jet of insecticide. Most scurried back the way they had come.
Before Safe Haven (Book 4): Jules Page 13