The Biters (Book 1): Time to Run

by Denise Larkin

  I closed the driver's door, but as I did, I saw something behind some trees nearby. I walked nearer. There was a car, which looked as if it had crashed into a tree. I ran over to it. The horn was loud and I could see there was a body lying over the steering wheel, so I opened the door and pulled the person off of it. The noise stopped. I was relieved.

  I felt the guy's pulse, but as I did, he started to change. His mouth started to chatter as he tried to bite me. I stuck my knife into his head instantly and then ran back to the caravan.

  I ran inside and saw Lydia looking at me.

  "You stopped the horn," she said.

  "Yes... there was a car nearby that crashed into a tree and there was a body lying on the steering wheel which made the horn go off... but I think we should get out of here now... right now and fast!" I said as I felt the panic rise up from my chest.

  I looked over at Ellie who was sitting next to Nick on the sofa. He looked up at me and nodded. He seemed better I thought.

  "Right... Lydia... go now." I said urgently to her.

  I saw Lydia nod and then I touched her hand, caressing it gently.

  "Okay... I'll get this thing moving." Lydia said as she squeezed my hand and then ran over to the driver's seat.

  "Good... Joe and I will get to the van and back up... you do the same and follow me.... everyone else, strap yourselves in... it's going to be a bumpy ride!" I looked over at Lydia and saw her look at me worriedly.

  "It'll be fine Lydia... we just need to get out of here." I said trying to reassure her.

  "Yes... I know... be careful Tim." She smiled weakly at me and I felt an aching emotion grab my heart as I remembered the passion we had shared the night before.

  "I will... you be careful too... okay." I said with a smile.

  I opened the door and ran to the van. Joe was already there waiting for me. I started the engine just as Joe strapped his seatbelt on and I backed out of the field we were in and onto the road. I saw Lydia behind me in my rear view mirror and felt relieved. I could see the crowd of biters coming up on my left as I turned right onto the road. We left them behind gladly and I felt relieved about it. It could have been worse for us.

  I drove for a couple of hours at least. It was gone lunch time. Joe and I saw a road sign saying 'Bristol 10 miles', so I decided to drive a bit more until we got nearer. We needed fuel and more food, because I knew we must be running low.

  I slowed to a stop when I saw a petrol station up ahead. There was a store there too. As I got out of the van, I saw Lydia come outside.

  "Hey... we made it." I heard her call out to me.

  "Yeah we did... Lydia... wait here... Joe and I will go and search the place out... get some fuel while you're waiting." I said.

  "Okay... be careful in there." She said as I nodded to her.

  I took a swig of drink from my whisky bottle and then shoved it back into my jacket pocket. It was nearly the last of it. These last few days, my drinking had slowed down quite a bit, because I was running low on it.

  I watched as Joe got his axe out and held it tightly with both hands. I held a knife and then picked up one of my sticks with my other hand.

  We, slowly, went inside the shop. It was quiet. It wasn't a huge place, but there were around a dozen shelves that went all the way down to the back of the store. There didn't seem to be anyone around until we heard a bang coming from behind a door further into the shop. I moved towards it whilst Joe followed.

  We could hear shuffling feet moving around from behind the door. It sounded like just one or two people were inside, but I couldn't be sure.

  "Joe... let's get in there quickly... be ready." I whispered and Joe nodded silently to me.

  I shoved the door wide open. We saw two creatures standing there. Their eyes bulged as they saw us. They looked eagerly at us, as they saw us as food. We moved quickly. Joe slammed his axe into the head of what was once a young lady and at the same time, I knocked the other shrivelled up figure down to the floor and rammed my knife into his eye. Blood squirted all over me. My jacket was ruined once again. I needed a new one I thought. I made a mental note in my head to find one if I ever saw one somewhere.

  We went back into the shop. I looked around. There was quite a bit of food on the shelves still, but what caught my eye was something shiny that gleamed in the sunlight. I walked over to it and there to my astonishment was my new found friend. It was on a wall behind the counter. An ornament of bravery and power. A sword. It was the handle that glistened in the light. The rest of it was in a casement.

  I went behind the counter as Joe watched me. I reached up and took the weapon down. It wasn't too heavy. I touched it. It felt powerful and I was glad that I had found it. I took it out of its casement and touched the blade. It was incredibly sharp. The bluntness on it would do the trick. I was happy that I had found it, so I claimed it as my own. I put the sword back inside its cover. It was attached to a strap, so I hung it over my shoulder and felt safer with it close to me.

  "Hey... Tim... it suits you... you look really evil now." Joe said as he smiled deeply at me.

  "Yeah... it's awesome... isn't it." I said as I laughed back at him.

  "Definitely is bro... come on... let's get some food... I'm hungry." Joe announced.

  "Me too Joe... I could eat a big meal right now... and then we better put some fuel in the van and fill up the cans just in case we can't get anymore." I said.

  "Yeah... whatever you say..." Joe said as he started picking up food from the shelves.

  Afterwards, I headed back to the van and left Joe in there. He wanted to have a good look around.

  I came out and I saw the others standing outside. They looked like they were taking in the fresh air, although it was freezing outside. It was the first day of December and I knew the weather would get colder now. It was a shame the end of the world hadn't started in summer I thought as I glanced at the bright sunny sky.

  Lydia came over to me and suddenly pulled me around the other side of the caravan. She kissed my lips as I pulled her tightly into my arms. Her lips were sweet and soft. I felt passion rise up within me as I nibbled on her neck. My hands slid down her back as I felt her fingers go through my hair. I wanted her again, but I knew it wasn't the right time to be thinking of such things.

  "Mmmmm... well that was sudden." I said as I took my lips away from hers and then kissing her once again.

  "Tim... we need to get out of here and park up somewhere safe so we can continue this thing we've got going for us... don't you think?" I looked into her brown mischievous eyes and smiled. She kissed me again. She couldn't stop.

  "That's not a bad idea." I agreed as I kissed her back. Suddenly, she stepped back and looked at me.

  "Well... look at you... with your new shiny weapon." She said as I saw her hand trace the outline of it. She caressed the sword's shiny cover hanging over my shoulder.

  "I know... it's going to do wonders for me I think." I said feeling pleased about it.

  "It certainly will... anyway... shall we get going then? Where do you think we should go? We need somewhere private for us so we can carry on with our passionate friendship." She said laughing at me.

  "We're not far from Bristol city... so... maybe we can find an empty house for the night or somewhere along the way where we can stop safely." I said as I heard someone shout out my name.

  It was Joe calling me. I took Lydia's hand and went back to the others. I let go of her before anyone had seen us together.

  "What's up Joe." I asked as I saw the terror on his face.

  "Tim... there's someone inside the shop... I found her hiding in the corner and she's badly hurt."

  "Where... how hurt is she?" I asked.

  "It's her leg... but Tim... there's something else..." Joe said as I walked by his side back to the shop.

  "What Joe?"

  "Well... she's... she's heavily pregnant and she's very young... around 17 or 18 I'd say." Joe said sighing.

  "Really...?" I said as
I stared at him in horror and felt my heart panic. It was going to be another hardship having to take care of a pregnant woman. Whatever would we run into next?

  I walked into the shop to look for the pregnant female. My heart let out a breathless sigh of fear when I saw her. Her leg was bleeding. But that wasn't the problem. She looked like she could have the baby at any minute, because she was enormous!

  I turned back around and leaned my back to the wall, as I took my small bottle of whisky out of my pocket and drank from it.

  I had just started to feel a glimmer of hope again after being with Lydia and finding the weapon. Now, things were about to get more complicated. This end of the world crap was getting harder I thought.

  23. Lydia Brown - A Place to Rest

  I looked at the pale young girl sitting on the floor of the shop. Her heavily pregnant form stretched her dirty, black t.shirt. I shivered at the sight of her.

  As I stared, I noticed how impatient Tim was to get away. He left, so he could sort out the petrol for his van. I was alone with the girl. Her huge blue eyes looked up at me.

  "Hi... what's your name?" I asked.

  "Trudie." She said quietly looking up at me as she sat on the floor.

  "So... Trudie... can you get up?" I asked as she nodded. "How many months are you?" I asked as I put out a hand to help her up.

  "Almost nine months... I'm due in a few days." She said.

  I tried not to panic, so I continued to ask her questions.

  "Where do you live? Do you have anyone here with you?"

  "Yes... well... I did... I got stranded here... my partner... boyfriend.. he came here with me and then he was attacked and killed... you know... bitten... he was in that room over there... but that guy you are with... he... he killed him," she cried.

  "Oh... I see... well, he was already dead Trudie." I said as I watched her nod in agreement.

  "My family live about five minutes away from here on a farm," she suddenly said.

  "A farm? Is that your parents?" I asked feeling a glimmer of hope.

  "Yes... my mum, dad and brother... also... my boyfriend had a car parked over there, but I don't drive, so that's why I'm stuck here," she explained.

  "Okay... well... what if we take you there." I asked.

  "Would you? Oh thank you so much... I need to see if they are okay and they must be worried about me." She said as she stood there looking at me.

  "Okay... come with me and I'll introduce you to the others." I said.

  I brought Trudie to the caravan and introduced her to Ellie, Janice and the others. Nick was sitting with Ellie and was starting to look better. He was having some soup out of a can. Aiden sat next to him drinking a bottle of water. The kids, Molly, Sean and Rebecca were sat around a table playing scrabble. Tim and Joe were outside by the van, so I left Trudie with Ellie and Janice. I went outside to speak to Tim.

  "Tim..." I called to him as he turned to look at me.

  "What's wrong? Is that girl okay? She's not going to have her baby yet... is she?" I smiled at him as he nervously spoke about the pregnant girl.

  "No... she's not having it yet Tim... I've just been talking to her and she told me that her family live on a farm about five minutes drive from here... I think we should go there... see if her family are still alive." I said as Tim seemed to perk up at my words.

  "That's good... it means we won't be stuck with her." He said.

  It annoyed me that he was eager to get rid of her.

  "That's not a nice thing to say Tim. I was thinking more about how we could have somewhere to sleep for the night." I said flippantly.

  "Well... it's true... we can't survive if we have a baby with us... imagine if the baby cries... we'd all be dead in minutes... come on... let's get going to this farm." He said as he left me standing there alone.

  I watched him as he got into the driver's seat. Joe went with him, so I went back to the caravan to tell the others what we were going to do.

  We drove to the farm, which took us only a few minutes. We parked up and Trudie rushed outside. She was just about to go to the big double fronted house that stood in front of us, but Tim was outside first and stopped her.

  "Wait... we have to check it out first... make sure your family are safe and still alive." I heard Tim tell her. He was right I thought.

  I went outside and waited with Trudie whilst Tim, Joe and Aiden went over to the front door and knocked. No one answered. Then a man came to the door. The door was made of glass, so he could see right through it. He saw Trudie and opened it instantly.

  "Trudie..." He called and she ran to him.

  "Dad..."

  I walked over to the house and stood there with Tim, Joe and Aiden.

  "Hi... I'm Lydia... we found your daughter at a petrol garage not far from here... she's okay... just a bit shaken up... are you all okay here?" I asked wondering how they had survived.

  The house looked big and roomy. There were acres of fields and trees surrounding the house. I could see stables at one end in the distance. The house was well hidden behind trees. I realised that no one would be able to find it unless they knew it was here. I looked at Tim and hoped he would see how safe it would be for us all if we stayed here for a while. He eyed me back and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

  "We have been fine so far, but Trudie went out with her man and never came back... where is he?"

  "Dad... he's gone... he got bitten... he's dead now..." Trudie cried.

  "Oh... my sweet... I'm sorry... go inside and get your mum..." He paused for a minute. "Thank you for bringing her back to us. I don't know how to repay you... we have been worried sick about her... and the baby..." he said breathlessly.

  "Yes... well... so you are all okay... is it just you, your wife and son?" I asked.

  "Yes... I'm John Newman and my wife, Jenny.. or Doctor Newman... she owned a Doctor's surgery in town, but that's all finished now... and my son, Danny, who is 15 years old," he explained as I felt a spark of joy at his words.

  "Your wife is a doctor? Oh... that's so good, because our friend has been hurt... Janice, who used to be a nurse, has tried to help him, but it would be great if your wife could take a look at him for us." I asked eagerly.

  "Yes... I'm sure she wouldn't mind... look... why don't you all stay for a while... my wife has cooked a large pot of stew and I would like to repay you by letting you stay for a meal. What do you say?" He said kindly. I was shocked that he would trust us enough to let us come inside his home.

  "Okay... that sounds delicious and I must say we are all hungry, but are you sure you have enough? There are a few of us and we really would be grateful if your wife could take a look at Nick." I said hoping he wouldn't change his mind as I glanced at Tim with a smile.

  "It's no problem... How many of you are there?" John asked.

  "Well, there's me....Tim, Joe and Aiden here... in the caravan there's Janice, Ellie, Nick and their children, Molly, Rebecca and Sean. So, that's ten of us." I explained.

  "That's fine... my wife makes at least two huge pots of this stew with the chickens that we keep on the farm... although we are running out of chickens so this maybe the last of it."

  I nodded. I felt pleased that we had found somewhere to relax for a while.

  We all went inside and sat around the table. We met Doctor Jenny, John's wife and their son. They seemed to be very nice people, but I had a feeling they didn't have much experience with the biters yet.

  The food would be ready soon. John showed me to a bedroom where I could freshen up in the bathroom attached to it. I changed into a pair of clean jeans and a t.shirt that I had brought with me from home. The room was painted white, but felt cold from lack of heating.

  I was just brushing my hair when I heard the door open. It was Tim.

  "Tim what are you doing in here?" I said smiling at him.

  "Well... I thought I'd come to look for you." He said as he came closer to me. He had a cheeky grin on his face as he came up close and put h
is hands on my waist.

  "What are you doing?" I asked.

  "What does it look like... I'm trying to seduce you." He said.

  "Not now... they are waiting for us out there... we have to go back out there Tim."

  "It's okay... the food isn't ready yet.. they are drinking out there anyway... they brought some wine out... they're all laughing and being merry at the moment. No one will even notice that we are gone." He said as I smiled at him and put my arms around his neck, and realised that he was here and not out there drinking alcohol.

  He kissed me eagerly on the lips and held me close. I felt his hand touch my butt, pulling me even closer to him.

  "Mmmm... Tim..."

  "Yeah... you want me... don't you?"

  "I do..." I said.

  I kissed him hungrily until I heard a scream. Loud screams echoed in the house.

  "What was that?" I asked as I pushed Tim away to listen. I heard more screams and then, I heard Ellie shout my name.

  "Lydia... Lydia... come quick... where are you?" Ellie yelled as Tim sighed to himself.

  Tim and I ran out of the room and into the large kitchen where everyone was seated around a table. What was going on? No one seemed to be in a panic, but then John, Trudie's father, came running into the kitchen.

  "It's Trudie... her waters have broke." He said panting.

  I looked at Tim in shock and we followed him into a room where Trudie was sat on a bed. Her mum was next to her trying to calm her down.

  "Do you need help?" I asked Jenny, Trudie's mum.

  "Yes, I need you to get towels, sheets and water... John will show you where they are...and then I will need your help when the baby comes." She said.

  Janice, Ellie and I were going to help with the delivery, although, Janice knew much more than I did in these matters, so it terrified me.

  We sat there and waited. Trudie would probably go into Labour very soon I thought. What I didn't know, was how long we would have to wait for the baby to be born. I knew it would be difficult for Trudie, especially, if there wasn't any pain relief for when it got tougher.

  24. Lydia Brown - Birth