Infected

by Michael I. Rolfe

  Just to keep Peters spirits up and against his better judgement, he fired a few rounds into the Infected climbing on top of the digger. Their bodies fell away but were quickly replaced by others who renewed the attempt to get at their prey. Dan could see that the JCB was laying close to a building and toyed with an idea of finding a ladder and laying it from the flat roof of the building to the top of the digger, but he quickly discounted this idea as being unworkable, the same was true for each new plan that he came up with, a sure way to get one or both of them killed.

  The shots he fired had attracted several Infected to his position and he had to move, running through the woods and pursued by them, he ran fast to string out the chasing pack then stopped suddenly to cut one down with the sword before sprinting off again. He came to a wide stream and leapt over, then stopped to cut down the next infected as it landed after jumping over the stream. But the Infected stopped dead and did not jump, it just stood there and snarled at Dan, the first Infected was joined by the others but not one of them attempted to cross the fast-flowing stream. Dan realised that they were afraid of the water, but he needed to make sure. With the rifle at the ready in his right hand he stepped in to the stream, still they did not attack, keeping the rifle aimed at them and set to fully automatic Dan stooped down, cupped his left hand, and splashed water over the nearest Infected. The result was astonishing! It went crazy, knocking two of it compatriots down in a fanatical attempt to avoid the water. More had arrived but not one of them attempted to cross the stream to get at Dan, even though he stood only three metres away, Dan knew that they wanted to rip him apart but not one of them dared to cross. Dan splashed more water at the enlarged group and they all jumped back, snarling and howling in outrage and frustration, they wanted to tear him apart, rip out his entrails, taste his blood and devour his flesh but they were terrified of the water. Dan laughed and shouted at the ever-enlarging group “What’s the matter, did your mothers not teach you how to swim?” he turned and walked away, the future now suddenly looked a lot brighter for his little group of survivors and he was coming up with a plan to rescue Peter!

  He made his way to a place where he had radio contact with Peter, pressed the push to talk button and said, “Hello Peter, I have some good news.” Peter responded, but he sounded very stressed, Dan told him what he had discovered and how he thought this would help and then said, “Sit tight, I may be gone some time, but I now have a plan that I think will work so just relax as best as you can!”

  Once Dan was back at the 4x4 he loaded some more magazines, then off loaded and hid the weapons and ammunition, then drove back toward the tool hire centre. The first time that he was there he had seen but not taken much notice of a road sweeper, Dan had no idea how to operate one, but he was not planning to sweep the roads. In the past, Dan had seen people operating these vehicles and they had a pressure washer as part of the equipment. He found the keys to the road sweeper and started her up. It took him a while to establish how to operate the pressure washer, and when he did finally get it going it soon ran out of water. The taps had run dry long ago, so he would have to find another way of filling up the tank. He found a large funnel and two buckets and drove the road sweeper towards the local canal and parked as close as he could.

  It took another hour to fill the tank using the buckets and night was approaching so Dan drove back towards the Army base, by the time he arrived it was fully dark. Peter was happy to hear of the plan, but was very disappointed when Dan said they would have to wait until first light to give it ago, adding to his misery Dan said, “First light is around 06:00 so turn your radio off until 05:30 to save the batteries.” “Okay.” Was the only response.

  Dan had spent the night in the cab of the road sweeper not far from where the weapons were stashed and awoke at 05.00 hours after a good dream free sleep. He gave the road sweeper a check over, then started the engine and tested the pressure washer before extending the hose over the top of the lorry and tying the lance in place on the cab roof, now all he had to do was pull the enlarged trigger on the pressure washer lance and he would have his very own mini water cannon, he was ready to go!

  Peter turned the radio off and settled down as best as he could, the Infected had also been less active with the fading light, he did not think he could sleep but he did eventually drift off. It was a fitful night; his dreams were full of monsters that were attacking him, and some had the faces of his parents. He awoke well before it was time to turn on the radio but restrained himself and waited as instructed, when he did call Dan, the response was immediate, and Peter was thankful for that! “Ready to go, or would you like a lie-in?” asked Dan. Peter answered, “It’s a weekday, so let’s go to work.” Dan said “Okay, seeing as you are so bright eyed and bushytailed, we will get this show on the road. Don’t move before I tell you to, but when I do go like hell and kill anything that gets near you. Remember, fire into the heart or head, make sure you can get to your spare magazines. Put the radio in your pocket now so you do not lose it, and, good luck!” Thirty seconds later, from within the steel-clad cab of the JCB digger, Peter could hear a lorry approaching. Dan drove the lorry into the mass of Infected that surrounded Peters stricken digger, then reversed in a semi-circle and crashed into them again, he then drove off leading some of them away for a mile before repeating the process. He drove back to the crash site and this time reversed deep into the crowd of enraged Infected firing a full magazine into the creatures nearest to the cab of his lorry. Then, after reloading the weapon, placed it on top of the cab roof before crawling out of the window and onto the roof himself.

  They rushed forward and climbed up the road sweeper, as a head appeared at the top of the cab roof Dan kicked it in the face with his heel, breaking the nose and its body fell away only to be replaced by another scrambling to get at him. Dan kicked out again and this creature also fell away, but there was always another to take its place. Others had managed to climb up on to the rounded rear of the sweeper, he fired the assault rifle in short controlled bursts and these fell away too, only to be replaced as the enraged mob now concentrated all their attention on surrounding Dan’s lorry. “I’m starting to think that this was not such a good idea!” said Dan out loud as he pressed home another magazine into the SA80 and kicked out at yet another head. He stooped down untied the quick release knot that held the pressure washer lance in place, stood up and swung toward the rear of the lorry that was now swarming with advancing Infected. Dan pulled the trigger, water jetted out of the end and the effect was instantaneous! Those that were so intent on getting at Dan were now equally determined to get away from the water, they were literally falling over themselves in their panic! Dan cleared the roof, then the area around his road sweeper, then called out to Peter “Get ready!” He then cleared the ten metre area between the two vehicles before directing the jet of water over the cab of the JCB, the infected scattered! Dan had no idea how long the water would last and knew that if it ran out there was no way he or Peter would survive, he “swept” the area one more time to keep them at bay then concentrated on the area around the JCB, shouting “Get ready… GO, GO, GO!”

  From within the confines of the steel-clad cab Peter heard the road sweeper approach, and as it did so the baying from the Infected reached a new height. He heard the impacts as the vehicle drove into the massed bodies surrounding the JCB, then the sound of the engine faded as Dan drove away. Peter became anxious, “Had the plan failed and Dan had given up on him? After all he had not known each other for long and Dan owed him nothing, why should he risk his life for me?” thought Peter. The sound of the engine returned and his relief was intense, even though the howling from the Infected was if anything worse. He flinched as he heard automatic gun fire, then after what seemed like an eternity he heard Dan shouting “Get ready!” then “GO, GO, GO!”

  Peter reached through the viewing slit that he had cut through the steel shutter and felt around for the padlock that held it in place. Dan had secured the shutters i
n place, but Peter had kept the key and made sure that he could reach the padlocks before driving off. The original plan was that Dan would take the key from Peter and release him from the digger once they were clear of the Infected, but that plan was made before the JCB had tipped over. Dan was now too busy keeping the Infected at bay, so Peter would have to release himself from within the steel confines of the cab. “Don’t drop the key!” Peter kept repeating over and over to himself as he fumbled with the padlock.

  Peter felt the lock spring open and he removed and dropped it to the ground, then pushed the shutter away and it clattered to the surface of the road. Sunlight and water spray flooded over him as he stood up with the SA80 at the ready, he climbed stiffly out of the cab and ran towards the road sweeper as three of the Infected ran towards him. He raised the rifle to fire but all three scampered away as a fresh jet of water streamed at them. Peter jumped into the cab, slammed and locked the doors, wound up the window that Dan had crawled through then sat there trying to figure out how to drive the thing. After a minute, Peter heard Dan bang on the cab roof and shout “Now would be a good time to depart!” “Hold on!” replied Peter as he crunched the engine into gear.

  The road sweeper shot forward, then stalled, almost catapulting Dan off the roof, he managed to steady himself and then pressed the trigger to fire a jet of water at some Infected that were creeping forward. But only a dribble of liquid came from the nozzle, the washer had stopped working when the engine had stalled. Sensing their advantage, they surged forward again so Dan dropped the lance and started to fire short bursts, but they were coming from all directions and he could not even hold back the ones to his front. He stopped firing to conserve ammunition, inserting a fresh magazine he let them come on, they reached the side of the lorry and started to climb. One after another heads were kicked backwards as they came into view, more had climbed up the rear of the lorry and were rushing forward and these were cleared with the bursts from the SA80. Each time he fired bodies and empty cartridges tumbled to the tarmac. As another magazine was being replaced the road sweeper shot forward again and Dan struggled to keep his footing. He fell towards the rear of the lorry, steadied himself, then let the SA80 rifle dangle from its sling, he picked up the lance and sprayed the Infected that remained on the top of the lorry. He laughed out loud, as much in relief as anything else, as he witnessed the distress of the Infected as they jumped away from the now speeding vehicle that was heading towards the camp exit. Once they were well clear he banged on the cab roof and shouted, “Okay we are clear, pull over!”

  Peter stopped the lorry and Dan climbed down and walked around the vehicle, rifle at the ready to make sure it was clear of the Infected, then got into the passenger seat and looked at Peter who was gripping the steering wheel and staring forward. Dried blood was matted into his hair, on his stubble and on his shirt, to cap it all he was soaking wet, and in shock. Dan said “You look like shit, anyone would think you had spent the night trapped in a steel box surrounded but homicidal fresh eating zombies! And look at the state of your clothes, I’ll have to give you the name of my tailor!” Peter just looked at Dan and did not known whether to laugh or cry.

  They picked up the 4x4 then collected the stash of hidden weapons. Deciding to keep the road sweeper they drove it to the canal and refilled the tank before driving back to the garage and the girls. The expedition had almost ended in disaster, but through a combination of luck and decisive action had turned out very successful, the weapons and ammo were a fantastic result, but even they were insignificant compared to what they had found out about the Infected’s extreme Aqua-phobia!

  Pamela and Amanda

  Once the two men had left to find weapons, Pamela and Amanda secured the roller shutters, then settled down to wait for them to return. They had planned to take it in turns to keep a lookout, but most of the time they sat together chatting as they kept a watchful eye on the road outside the garage and occasionally checking on the rear.

  Dan and Peter had been gone for few days and Pamela and Amanda had settled into the routine, Pam was making the first hot drink of the day when Amanda quietly but urgently called her to join her at the front of the garage. They peered out and could see an old couple standing on the forecourt, “Keep out of sight!” whispered Pam as she ducked down and reached for the shotgun. Both women held their breath, then jumped as the roller shutters rattled. Pamela looked through a small gap in the blinds covering the window to see the old gentleman trying the shutters, Pam then dropped to the ground as the man walked up to the window and squinted through. The girls froze and remained still for a minute before Amanda plucked up the courage to have a look. The gentleman had retreated from the window and had rejoined his companion who was still standing in the centre of the garage forecourt.

  “We can’t leave them out there.” whispered Amanda, “We don’t know anything about them, I think we should just let them walk away.” responded Pam. “But they look harmless, it would be nice to have more people around and they could help out by keeping watch.” countered Amanda. In hushed whisper’s they debated the pros and cons of allowing the old couple into the fold, the women wished Dan and Peter were here because what really bothered them both was making a decision of this magnitude without consulting them. In the event the decision was taken out of their hands because as the old couple started to walk away the kettle that had been left on the gas hob started to boil, it’s whistle letting out an ear-piercing shriek! Amanda smiled and said, “You can’t argue with fate, we now have to offer them a cup of tea!” Pam was relieved because she really did not want to leave the old couple out there but mindful of how Dan would handle this situation she kept the shotgun close and said “Okay, open the shutter.”

  The old couple heard a long whistle and returned towards the garage, stopping in the middle of the forecourt and watched the steel roller shutters slowly being raised. They looked relieved and pleased when Amanda stepped into view and offered them a cup of tea, but when they saw Pamela clutching the shotgun they were not so sure. “It’s okay, she’s a Doctor!” said Amanda, and this sounded funny even to her, as she gestured towards the gun toting Pamela.

  Lowering the shotgun, and trying to adopt a less menacing demeanour, Pamela then reinforced this image by saying in a very “upper-class” English way “Good morning, I’m Doctor Charles, please do come in and have a cup of tea. It is dried milk I’m afraid, but that’s all we can offer in these most difficult of times, however needs must!” Amanda starting laughing, and said “Why the hell do you always turn in to “Lady Muck” every time you meet someone new?” Pamela looked crestfallen and said, “I’m so sorry, I just can’t help myself!” Amanda turned to the older couple and said, “What she meant to say was, do you fancy a cupper?” The old lady pushed passed her husband and smiling said “Oh yes please!”

  “I’m June, and this is my husband Frank.” said the lady as she marched in to the garage in search of the promised cup of tea “I’ve not had a decent cupper in over a week, I’m gasping!” she said. Frank followed his wife in more warily, still not fully comfortable with the fact that the posh lady doctor had a shotgun. Once they were all in Pamela took a quick glance up and down the road, slung the shotgun over her shoulder and closed the shutter door.

  Pamela said “Amanda, why don’t you make our guests tea while I keep watch.” Then in a lower voice so that only Amanda could hear she said, “Don’t tell them anything about us, or mention that we are on our own until we find out what their story is.” Amanda nodded, then smiled as she said to Frank and June “How do you take your tea?”

  They all sat together, and as Pam kept watch they quizzed the new arrivals on their recent history. Frank was sixty-five, had just retired, and the couple had been spending some time touring in their caravan. When outbreak started, Frank had driven to a remote spot to wait for the authorities to get control of the situation, but after two weeks their food had run out. They had driven to find food but had run out of fuel a mile or
so along the road and walked from there. Frank said, “If you could just spare a bit of food and some fuel, then we will leave you in peace.” Pam replied, “Could you give us a moment to talk?” Frank said “Of course.” Pam and Amanda walked to the rear of the building to confer, “We can’t send them back out there.” said Amanda, Pam responded “I know, nor can we force them to stay, and I get the impression that they are keen to leave. But I think we should give them a chance to stay if they want.” “Agreed.” said Amanda and they walked back to talk to Frank and June.

  Pamela said “If you would like to stay here with us you would be most welcome. All we would ask is that you muck in and help out with the tasks, mainly keeping watch.” Frank looked enquiringly at his wife and after a pause she nodded, Frank said “We have not been totally honest with you, we are not on our own, we have our grandchildren with us.” “Then we should fetch them, and straight away!” said Pamela as she stood up.

  Leaving Amanda and June at the garage, Frank lugged half a jerrycan of fuel towards his car and caravan with Pamela escorting him with the shotgun, they only had to hide from the Infected once, but it still took them nearly an hour to get there. Frank called out to the kids and his relief was palpable when they both bolted out of the caravan and came sprinting towards him. They were both talking at the same time, trying to be the first to tell him that they had hidden under the caravan seats as the “Monsters” had walked passed. Then, they both lost the train of thought as the noticed the smiling lady with the gun, “who’s that?” said Polly. She was the younger of the two, pointing towards Pamela, “That is Auntie Pam, but its rude to point!” said Frank “Hello auntie Pam I am Polly and I am very pleased to meet you and I am very sorry that I pointed at you too!” said Polly in a long sentence and in her piping young voice. “Hello Polly, that’s quite alright.” replied a shocked Pamela, she had never thought of herself as anyone’s auntie before and was not entirely sure how she felt about suddenly being an aunt now. “And this is Mark.” Said Frank, indicating an older child of around fourteen years of age. “Pleased to meet you.” said the lad holding out his hand. “And me you” replied Pamela as she took his hand. “Right, I think we should fuel the car and get to safety.” She said.