Among The Dead (Book 3): Dwell In Unity

by Colley, Ryan

  “Shopping trip?” I questioned playfully.

  “Of course,” she laughed. Upon closer inspection, I saw three label-less tins in the bottom.

  “Ooo what a cutie, he takes after his mum,” I cooed, indicating the assault rifle and machete placed in the baby seat Kirsty just rolled her eyes and brought the trolley inside. “Any reason for that hunk of metal?”

  “Like you said, we can put it over the windows for extra protection,” she said with a wide grin – she’d been listening before. “I thought, in a residential area like this, there was bound to be a shop. And yes, the entire place was empty except for the mystery tins.”

  “Great,” I sighed. Food was becoming scarcer as places were picked clean, and I wasn’t looking forward to mystery tins of sweetcorn and custard.

  “I can do that,” Keith said, seeing the trolley, with a smile. Kirsty rolled it over to him and sat with Stephanie. I, on the other hand, wanted to help Keith. I just wanted it over and done as quickly as possible. I just wanted out of the garage. Out of the heat!

  So, we got to work cutting the trolley into sections, just so we had pieces of metal grating. We drilled into the panels of the van, all around the windows. We, once again, put the grating in place and used zip ties to hold them there – those we didn’t want to move. We used expanding foam to fill the holes, which held the ties in place and would keep the elements out. It wasn’t great, but it held.

  The van looked like an odd mix of things and that is exactly what it was. The only thing wrong with the vehicle was that the clock still wasn’t working, which none of us could figure out. So we’d continue relying on that stupid wooden clock. But we were done and it was time to appreciate our work.

  “I gotta say, we’ve done an awesome job,” I said, staring at the van with a grin. I had to squint ever so slightly because everything looked too bright and my head was pounding. I looked around at the others and said with an uneasy smile, “Should we head outside for a bit? I could do with some fresh air.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Keith nodded, he was staring at me, looking slightly puzzled. I ignored it. I really needed to get outside.

  “Grab the barbeque and sausages. It’s time for a celebration!” I said, forcing enthusiasm. Food was the last thing I wanted. In fact, I thought I was going to vomit. I rushed ahead and out into the glorious air, taking deep breaths. Yet I didn’t feel any better. Stephanie had placed the barbeque down in front of the garage and was beginning to light it. She kept failing to strike the match and the noise was infuriating. My eyes felt so heavy. It wasn’t even the evening, how could I be tired?

  “Got it!” Stephanie said excitedly as she finally lit the barbeque.

  “Great! Just put … the sausages … on the–” I began, but couldn’t finish my sentence as I slowed to a stop. The words took too long to come to me. My mind felt like it was swimming in jelly and the world was spinning. Everyone was staring at me. I took a step towards Stephanie, hand outstretched. The next thing I remembered was the concrete floor.

  Interlude Three – Stephanie

  Stephanie had always been the ‘perfect’ daughter, not just behaviour-wise but having the same interests as her father. That was until she reached her teenage years and puberty hit. She was no longer interested in doing any of the stuff she’d done with her father when she was young. No more guns. No more sports. It all became about boys, boy bands, and makeup. A stereotypical girly-girl.

  Her father didn’t mind so much, although he felt as though something had been lost between them. However, she was growing up and that it was okay. He was happy for her – the way a father should be.

  He let Stephanie practice painting his nails, he even learned how to do makeup to help her out. That’s what being a good father was about – doing stuff you didn’t care for because your child did. Hell, he’d eaten vegetables for years to teach Stephanie about a healthy diet – he personally hated them and would dispose of them whenever Stephanie wasn’t looking.

  Stephanie remembered her father dropping her to school and one of the other fathers commenting on his painted nails. He simply told them he would let his daughter do it a thousand times if it made her happy.

  Years passed and Stephanie went from loving all things girly to being a stroppy teenager who would storm out over nothing. All her father had to do was ask her what she wanted for dinner and she would shout about him not caring enough to know what she liked. Inevitably, a door would slam on her exit and his heart would break a little more.

  To make matters worse, he hated her boyfriend – all of them. Each and every time. Not just because she was his daughter, but because she had awful taste in men. Men who were too old or too immature. Each one seemed to bring out the worst in her and he hated seeing that. He knew he couldn’t say anything because any protest would drive her further away. He would persevere, and he was right to do so, because everything would become right again when she hit her early twenties.

  CHAPTER 15

  “Where am I?” I asked groggily, the world a blur. I could feel the cool ground beneath me. It took me a moment to realise I was lying down. I opened my eyes. The light burned my retina as I squinted. I was under some sort of shelter … a canopy. No one answered. I tried again, “Am I dead?”

  “He’s awake,” I heard a voice say, and it took me a while to place it as Stephanie. I tried to sit up but a hand stopped. Stephanie came into focus as she stood over me. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Like I died,” I said and tried to force a laugh – blinding waves of pain rippled through my head. I could see Kirsty looking at me, silhouetted by the sunlight. Keith sat nearby. The world slowly slotted itself together around me as my brain pieced together what I was seeing. I was next to the van. Someone had set up some shade using the sheets we had, obscuring us from the sun and anyone passing by. I gripped the ground with my hands and tugged. It came away in strands as I rubbed it between my fingers. It was grass. Cool grass.

  My peace didn’t last long as, before I knew what was happening, Stephanie was forcing water into my mouth. I coughed and spluttered but quickly gave in as the fluid rejuvenated me. I gulped deeply and greedily, almost snarling when it was taken away. I wanted to snatch it back, but don’t think I could even if I tried. Everything was an effort. Everything hurt. And everyone was staring at me. I forced myself up, a wet rag fell from my forehead.

  “Seriously recommend staying down,” Keith warned, staring at me. I ignored him. “How’re you feeling?”

  “I already said, like I died,” I grumbled. I felt confused. Disorientated. What had happened? I looked around. We were on a grassy outcropping, not far from the garage. Kirsty was standing guard, SA80 in hand. I groaned again and said, “How long’ve I been out?”

  “About a day,” Keith replied. I could have gasped. I’d been out for so long. So much time had been wasted. I felt sluggish, like I was in a trance. Thoughts struggled to connect, a jumble of images and words flowed through my mind. Keith added, “We stayed in the garage overnight, while it was cool. The moment it started heating up, we moved you outside and set up the shade.”

  “What happened?” I finally asked. The cool breeze on my skin felt amazing.

  “You passed out!” Stephanie exclaimed, sounding a little excited by the whole thing.

  “Can’t say for certain,” Keith explained, “but we think you might have overheated. Mix that with exhaustion and a little bit of dehydration … that’s why we stripped you down. The jacket and jeans are mostly to blame.”

  It was then I became hyperaware that I was nude. No jacket. No t-shirts. Not even underwear. Just as free as the day I was born. I moved my hand to cover my modesty.

  “Can I just have some boxers,” I winced. I was thrown a pair of wet boxers.

  “It’ll keep you cool,” Keith replied, noticing my grimace. I looked down at my body and was less than happy about my nakedness. Keith saw me looking and said, “No, you can’t wear anything else … doctors’ orders.
”

  “What’s our plan of action?” I asked, trying to stand and get back to business. My legs didn’t support me and I slumped back down. I felt the need to vomit rise but nothing came. Stephanie pushed some more water into my hands and I forced a thumbs up as I downed the glorious liquid.

  “Well, we need to get you some rehydration sachets … and some clothes. Seasonal appropriate clothes,” Keith said thoughtfully. He was still our prisoner and yet he seemed to take charge – a natural leader. “There’s a village not far from here, which normally means a supermarket will be nearby. Kirsty said there definitely wasn't any in that other store, so we need to look further afield.”

  “And why is that useful?” I said rubbing my eyes. I felt like I had jelly for a brain.

  “We can get you both those things there,” Keith said slowly. He reached for my face and I flinched, slapping his hand away. “Let me just look.”

  He looked into my eyes and made me follow his finger.

  “I know what’s happening. I’m not that out of it,” I snapped, attempting to bat away his finger. When he continued I sighed and said, “My name is Sam Lincoln-Ward. You are Keith. The others are Stephanie and Kirsty. The day is … I don’t know. Let’s just say it’s Day Zed.”

  I then gave him a forced wink and a smile.

  Keith laughed and said to the collective, “He’ll be fine, but we should get a few things.”

  “Damn right I will,” I nodded and pushed myself to my feet, using Keith as support.

  “You’re in good shape by the way,” Keith said, his eyes level with my stomach and, therefore, my abs.

  “He really is,” Stephanie nodded, staring at me – checking me out head to toe. I covered my stomach awkwardly.

  “I’m not a piece of meat. My eyes are up here,” I said, pointing to my face. She looked at my face and I was grinning at her. She laughed, and even I managed to force a bark of laughter that sounded somewhat natural.

  “Glad to see you’re feeling better,” Kirsty said sternly. She was still standing watch, making sure we were safe. “We should get a move on.”

  I agreed, we did need to get going – staying in one place for too long felt unsafe. I hobbled to the front of the van and opened the drivers’ door.

  “You’re not driving, Sam,” Kirsty stated. “Get in the other side and I’ll drive.”

  “Fine,” I muttered and sat where I was told. I opened the window ready for the cool breeze.

  “What about your jacket and jeans?” Stephanie called to me, holding them up.

  “Put them in the back. I’m not leaving my super suit behind,” I replied gruffly. I heard a laugh. I turned to them and painfully arched an eyebrow. “What?”

  “Super suit?” Keith asked with a laugh. Had I said that out loud?

  “A super suit. Something which would protect me from the dead … shame it put me on the ground,” I replied with a shrug. It didn’t stop them laughing. I sighed, admitting defeat, “Whatever.”

  Kirsty started up the van and I stared out the newly armoured window, the soft breeze blowing through.

  We drove mostly in silence. I could feel the occasional glance of the others, checking to see if I was still conscious – everyone except Kirsty who kept her eyes on the road. Kirsty was a very logical and cool-headed person when action was needed – if she did care, she didn’t show it at the time. However, I couldn’t worry about what people thought of me, I just had to focus on feeling better and the drive did that – the water had made its way into my system. However, I hadn’t urinated and didn’t feel the need to – if that continued, it could be a problem. On top of that, I felt weird being driven around in my underwear. Like some sort of crazy person. I certainly wouldn’t have done it pre-apocalypse. When you lived in a crazy world, you just had to act crazy sometimes.

  As more time passed, I felt marginally better. Would have felt a lot more better if Keith didn’t keep asking how I was feeling while Stephanie touched my forehead. I didn’t like people fussing over me – even if they were trying to care for me. I was already coming out the other end of it, wasn’t I? I felt tired and fatigued, but my thinking had started to clear and I could string together coherent thoughts. I was still having waves of nausea but even that was slowly subsiding.

  “No salt,” Keith said randomly.

  “Huh?” I said, turning to look at him.

  “You shouldn’t have any salt for a while … it’ll dehydrate you more,” he said, nodding thoughtfully.

  “Thanks, I’ll be sure to avoid loading up my fries with salt,” I snapped back. I was fed up with feeling like a victim – I just wanted to be strong again. I couldn’t be weak.

  I wasn’t sure if it was all in my head, but the many changes we’d made to the van seemed to work – I didn’t realise how rough and loud our ride had been previously. We had replacement parts in place, and the modifications were enough to keep us safe – at least in theory anyway. The grill over the windows was a particular favourite of mine. I actually felt safe enough to have the windows down. Eventually, distracting me mid-thought, a number of huge buildings came into view. A sign reading ‘Twin Town Retail Park: opening soon’.

  “Guess we’re here,” Kirsty said, slowing down.

  CHAPTER 16

  “Looks busy,” I remarked grimly, eyes moving around the carpark and counting the twenty undead wandering about. I didn’t know how many more could’ve been hiding within the various stores. My eyes focused on the few abandoned cars dotted around – no undead inside those at least.

  “Great,” Kirsty sighed.

  “Least we can get everything we need here,” Stephanie said, trying to sound hopeful. It didn’t sound convincing, but she was right. There was a good variety of shops for us to search – if someone hadn’t looted them first.

  Kirsty cruised along slowly, just fast enough to keep out of reach of any undead. There was a hardware shop with sheds and plants outside, the latter were on the verge of dying with no one around to water them. There was also a sports supply shop, the sort which sold a mix of sporting gear, exercise equipment and other bits and pieces. Next to that was a two-storey gym – no one needed those anymore. The real exercise happened while fighting to survive. It reminded me of how far I’d come since my journey began.

  We continued observing our surroundings, looking at the other shops in the retail park. The most useful of which was a supermarket – we could get food and bottled water. It would be better to stock up every chance we could instead of hoping to find some later. There was also the chance they might have a small pharmacy where I could get my rehydration sachets.

  Finally, my eyes fell on a top of the range clothing store – the sort that looked nice but I had doubts about the durability.

  “Can we get clothes first?” I yawned, exhaustion still clawing away at me. Kirsty moved the steering wheel ever so slightly and we crawled towards the clothing store instead. I didn’t fancy fighting the undead almost nude. She came to a stop and I climbed out – Kirsty and Stephanie did the same. I opened the back of the van and picked up the SA80, Kirsty took the other one, and Stephanie the shotgun.

  “Am I coming or staying?” Keith asked nervously. Not about if he could come with us, but where he’d be left. I saw that some of the undead were still heading towards us. Keith would slow us down but I couldn’t just leave him trapped in the van either.

  “Coming with,” I nodded, helping him out of the van. “You could do with a change of clothes too … we all could.”

  There was no doubt about that – everyone had so much gore and filth ingrained on them. We almost smelled as bad as the undead … almost. I ensured the silencer was still securely attached to my assault rifle, we didn’t want to alert any more undead to our presence. I also took my knife, just in case.

  “Should I?” Stephanie asked, aiming her shotgun at one of the approaching undead.

  “I got this,” I replied, letting off a couple of muted pops. The silencer didn’t exactly e
rase the sound of my shot, but it muffled it slightly. It was nothing like the movies made out, but it was just enough that other zombies didn’t take notice of our existence. I carried on taking shots, some going high or low, but still killing the undead. When I was satisfied that none of the other zombies had left their dormant state to pursue us, we entered the shop.

  The lights were on and the doors were wide open, as if they were still expecting business.

  “Greetings!” I called when I saw the store was apparently empty. I stood there for what felt like an eternity to see if there were any response from within. Luckily, there was not.

  “What now?” Stephanie asked, looking at me strangely.

  “Now we shop!” I grinned at her.

  “Good, you look ridiculous,” Kirsty said as she walked by me.

  “She’s right, y’know. Not very heroic in your underwear,” Keith said, walking by as well.

  “It does make you look a little crazy,” Stephanie added as she passed me also. I turned around and caught her staring at my backside.

  “Watch it,” I warned her jokingly. She laughed, displaying no shame whatsoever.

  Everyone dispersed throughout the shop, looking at various items of clothing. I padded through silently, my bare feet making almost no noise compared to everyone else’s shoes.

  “Make sure you pick something breathable,” Keith called over to me. He was looking through some shorts.

  “Sure,” I huffed, rolling my eyes for no one to see. I hated being babied.

  I carried on looking through the clothes and realised I was faced with a terrible moral decision. I had a choice of heavy canvas style shorts and a couple of t-shirts with logos on them which looked comfortable but wasn’t exactly what I needed. Or I could choose a vest top and some patterned shorts – both of which were designed for the summer and would make me look like I was ready to go clubbing in Ibiza. I wouldn’t have been caught dead wearing the latter pre-apocalypse, but desperate times called for desperate measures. I sighed and took a couple of the latter set of clothes, almost holding them at length in disgust. A pack of underwear and socks also came with me. I had hiking boots in the van, but could do with some lighter footwear as well, especially if I was stuck in the van all day – I picked up flip-flops. I disappeared into one of the changing rooms and tried on what I found. It all fit and was relatively comfortable. However, I couldn’t help but feel vulnerable with so much skin exposed. I needed something to protect me should it come to it. I could always rework my protective clothing and make it more summer-friendly somehow.