Infected

by Michael I. Rolfe

  Nearing the garage Dan could see multiple Infected on the forecourt, he grabbed the radio and said, “Infected at the garage, drive straight past and lead them away.” They had planned for this eventuality, so Peter just said “Roger” and followed Dan’s ploy in slowing down sufficiently to entice them away from the forecourt and in pursuit of their vehicles, “They are following.” Peter said into the radio, “Good, we will lead them for a mile or two then finish them. We can’t risk them following us back to the garage” said Dan.

  Eventually the road widened, and Dan said, “This is a good spot, run over as many as you can.” The two vehicles pulled away from the pursuing Infected, and the hunters became the hunted as the vehicles then turned around and drove back at speed and into them. They had become strung out and the individual Infected made easy targets and once the last had fallen, Dan called Peter and said, “Cover me with your rifle, but don’t shoot unless you have to” then stepped out of his car, walked back along the road and finished off the fallen Infected with the sword.

  The men arrived back at the garage, Peter parked the road sweeper alongside the tanker then ran across the forecourt, following the 4x4 as it reversed under the shutter. As soon he was through the shutter was lowered, then he was almost knocked to the ground as Amanda lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Pamela smiling shouted at them “You two get a room, there are children present!” then she did the same thing herself as soon as Dan emerged from the car.

  Frank and June kept their distance from the reunion and sent the children to keep an eye on the rear of the building. Frank was dreading the moment when Dan and Peter would return, acutely aware that if Dan rejected him and turned his family out they would not survive, so he was desperate to make a good impression. When the reunited couples finally disengaged, he stepped forward and holding out his hand, said “You must be Dan, I’m Frank and this is my wife June, very pleased to meet you.” But as Frank considered Dan’s eyes he feared for the worst, because he knew he was looking into the eyes of someone without pity. Frank had told the girls that he had retired, and that was true, what he had not told them was he had retired from life time as a detective in the police force. He had seen the same dead cold, expressionless eyes before in serial killers he had met during his service, they had never scared him, but this nondescript man who was stood in front of him sure as hell did!

  Dan looked towards Pamela, she nodded and smiled, Dan turned back towards Frank holding out his hand and in his most affable manner said, “Welcome aboard, good to have you here.” Frank took his hand and looked into Dan’s eyes again, any sign of the killer was gone and there was just a man who seemed genuinely pleased to see him. Frank hoped that the declaration of welcome was sincere, and could almost believe that it was, but he knew this man was dangerous beyond measure. He wondered, briefly, if the June, the kids and himself, would be safer out there amongst the infected…

  Pamela introduced everyone, and she seemed very happy that their small band had grown, if Pam was happy then Dan was happy, besides Dan knew that the group needed to expand to flourish, so, as long as Frank and Co. did not turn out to be a liability their presence would be a good thing. He decided that they should have a get-together to bring everyone up to date while the young lad Mark kept watch, but first Peter and himself needed to get cleaned up and have something to eat, June volunteered to prepare the meal.

  As soon as they had eaten Dan called the meeting to order, and Frank, watching carefully recognised that, as well as being dangerous, this man was a natural leader. Starting the meeting, Dan said “I’m sure you have noticed that the infected seem to be roaming more widely and larger packs than they were a few days ago, so we need to take extra care not to draw attention to ourselves. Dan went on to outline what Peter and he had seen at the first Military base they had been to and described the way the woman had been marched from one building to another at gunpoint. As a group, they decided that that for the time being at least they would keep clear of that area. He then gave a brief inventory of the weapons they had collected, then went on to explain about the most important thing they had discovered, namely the Infected’s aversion to water. He said “This knowledge maybe the one thing that will give us all the best chance of a safer and more secure future. He then asked how much food and water they had left. Pamela answered by saying “Taking in to account that we are now a larger group, we have enough food for four more days, maybe six if we ration. Water is more urgent, we only have enough for another day or two.” Peter said, “There is a stream two fields over from the back of the garage, I used to drink from it when I was a kid and it never did me any harm.”

  Dan said “Right, so our next tasks in order of priority should be: -

  A trip or two to fully stock up on water

  Use the Infected’s aquaphobia to our advantage in securing this building, I think we should leave containers of water strategic places around the building and on the roof ready throw over the infected should the need arise.

  Find more food and some of the other items on our list

  Look for a new larger and more secure place to live, I’m thinking an island.

  Are we all agreed?”

  They were no dissenters, so Dan continued “Right, before we get started I will issue all adults with a weapon and show them how to use it, then we will get started on collecting water and improving the site security until we can find a better place to live.”

  Taking Frank to one side, Dan asked “How old is your grandson?” and was told “He is fourteen years old, why do you ask? “I would like to give him the opportunity to train will a rifle, with your permission of course.” responded Dan. Frank had already been thinking about this, and his immediate reaction was ‘no’, but the more he thought about it the more he realised that Mark should be taught how to handle weapons. Common sense dictated that he should be given the opportunity be able to protect himself, and others, should the need arise. Frank acquiesced “I think that would be a good idea, but with one proviso, and that is that safety is the most important aspect of the training.” “Always!” Dan replied.

  The weapons training took the rest of the afternoon, the new arrivals were trained from scratch and Amanda, Peter and Pamela used the time to hone their skills. Only the eight-year-old Polly was exempt, but even she looked on with interest. June was surprisingly good with the rifle and as dusk fell Dan was satisfied that all the group could handle the weapons safely, but he was conscious that although weapons drills served an important purpose, they could not actually fire them because the noise would be a magnet for the Infected.

  Once again June offered to prepare the meal, and whilst eating Dan assigned roles within the group that best suited their skill set or disposition. June, with Polly’s assistance, became head chef and Pamela was obviously the group’s doctor with Amanda as Doctor in training. Frank was made Quartermaster and his trainee was Mark, they took charge of storing the weapons and all other equipment and had responsibility for compiling a master list of items both held in stock and required. The required list would be updated via information from the group as needs became evident. Frank would also oversee site security in Dan’s absence.

  The scavengers, responsible for acquiring the items on the Quartermasters list, were Dan, Peter and Amanda; who would also keep on the lookout for a more suitable long-term place for them to live whilst on their travels. Everyone would take turns on guard duty.

  They all seemed happy with their allotted roles, but Pamela did ask why she could not be included in the team of scavengers? Dan said to her “Because my dear, it is dangerous out there, and it is getting worse. Your skill set is irreplaceable!” That night during waking moments, the small band of survivors could hear the howls of the infected walking past the garage, confirming, if such were needed, that it really was getting worse out there.

  At first light the following morning the scavengers and Mark, all carrying water containers, crossed
over the fields to the stream where Pete had played as a kid. The fast-flowing water looked clean and clear so with Dan keeping watch the others filled the containers, then carried them back to the garage, repeated the trip several times throughout the morning. By the time June had lunch ready, Dan was satisfied with the amount of water they had collected then Frank came up with an idea to filter the water thought a series of new car oil and air filters that he found in the garage store, then Pamela insisted that all water for consumption had to be boiled, filtered or not! “The last thing we need right now is for someone to become sick.” she said. Fortunately, there was a plentiful supply of gas bottles in a store outside the garage, so it was easy to implement this added precaution.

  Containers of all description, filled with water, and placed around the garage were ready to be used as a defence against an incursion of the infected. Whilst this was being done Peter was ensconced in the garage workshop and when he finally emerged he was proudly holding an odd-looking contraption made from a foot pump, a long hose, and a thin tube with the end crimped. “What have you got there?” enquired Dan. A smiling Peter put the foot pump on the floor, placed the long hose in to the nearest water container then aimed the crimped tube at Dan and worked the pump. A jet of water arrowed at Dan, twenty feet away, and rapidly soaked him to the skin. Demonstration over, and not at all miffed at being soaked, Dan said “That’s great, I knew there was a reason for keeping you around.”

  Peter’s skills were further evident as he fixed a guard rail to the roof of the sweeper, then clipped the lance in place and he then turned his attention to the main body, where the road debris would be collected, cleared and cleaned it out thoroughly in readiness for the transportation of their food supplies. The final job was to securely fix Jerrycans full of water close to the sweeper’s tank. Throughout this time Dan stood guard, rifle and sword at the ready, with Pamela and Frank covering them both from the roof of the garage. Four times the lookouts on the roof warned about approaching Infected and Peter and Dan had to take cover. On the last occasion, Dan enquired “How many?” to which the reply was “Four.” Dan said quietly to Peter “Keep working.” Then he instructed Frank to “cover Peter but do not fire unless you have to.” He then walked over to the other side of the road and waited.

  The four Infected were strung out along the road and as soon as the leading one saw Dan it charged towards him. Frank watched in fascination as Dan drew his sword and stood to meet his attackers, side stepped as the Infected lunged at him and Frank barely saw the swords blade as it sliced through the air and the back of the Infected’s neck. Ignoring the body as it fell to the floor, he was already focused on assailant number two running full pelt at him, at the last second Dan dropped and rolled forward and into the Infected’s legs who, falling forward, landed hard on its face and slid forward tearing the skin from its cheek. Dan rolled back onto to his feet and the sword sliced through number three’s legs dropping it to the floor. There was no time for Dan to swing the sword at the fourth, so he just thrust the weapon forward and allowed the Infected’s own momentum drive the sword through the heart. Still using the Infecteds momentum, he stepped aside and holding the sword with both hands, swung the impaled body around then kicked it away as he twisted then pulled the sword out of its chest. The body crashed in to number three just as it was trying to stand on its one good leg, knocking it back down to the ground, the sword flashed downwards once more, then he turned to number two who had been stunned when its head hit the road. It was slowly regaining its feet as blood poured from its ripped cheek, Dan walked up to it, sword at the ready and looked in to its eyes, the Infected returned the stare then turned and simply walked away. Dan was about to cut through the back of its neck but arrested the movement as he realised that Frank and the others would be watching him, so he just let it go.

  He cleaned the blood from the blade of the sword by wiping it on one of the bodies, feeling a sense of unfinished business, there was a part of him that really wanted to kill that remaining infected. He was aware that the others were still watching him, no doubt wondering why he took them on in the in the first place? He could have hidden, as before, and let them walk past, and to kill the surviving infected when it was walking away and no longer a threat would be something the others would not understand, so he had let it go. The need to kill was still upon him, so he consoled himself by saying under his breath “There will be other opportunities soon enough.” He walked back toward Peter, who was meant to be working on the lorry but who had stopped to watch the show, and Dan enquired of him “Finished?” “No, have you?” replied Peter with a bemused look on his face, “Yes. I think so, for now.” said Dan.

  Frank was not shocked by the level of violence exhibited by Dan, but he was surprised by his efficiency at despatching the Infected, showing that here was a natural born killer. Frank knew that he would have to treat this man with caution, but despite himself he was starting to respect Dan, a monster in a world full of monsters, and Frank was beginning to realise that it was better to have a beast of your own to pit against the others. The other thing that intrigued the retired detective was why the surviving Infected had not attacked? Frank turned to Pamela and asked, “Did you see the way the Infected just looked at Dan, then walked away?” “Yes, I have seen it happen before. They look at him and seem to lose interest, I’m not sure why.” Replied Pam. Frank thought perhaps it’s a case of like recognising like, but he kept his thoughts to himself and did not say anything else.

  Peter finished working on the lorry as the last of the day’s light was fading, “Let’s eat, then get some sleep, we should leave at first light and start to scavenge.” said Dan.

  A Day at the Shops

  The following morning the group had a quick meeting and they agreed that because food was running low and the Infected more active, the scavenging team should not be gone for longer than a day or two, long enough to find food and a few other essentials then return. Then the next priority would be to find a longer term, permanent, and more secure base.

  With Dan leading the way in the 4x4, and Peter driving the road sweeper with Amanda riding shotgun, using radio contact when necessary, the two vehicles made their way towards an out of town supermarket. Once there they would assess the situation and then decide how best to proceed. Amanda was pleased to be out of the garage and the fact that she was with Peter made her happy too. There had had other relationships in the past, but the feelings she had for Peter were different, stronger and more intense, even though she had not known him for very long she knew that she both wanted and needed him, and she could not imagine herself with anyone else. The speed and intensity of her emotion surprised her, and she wondered if it was anything to do with the crazy way the world had turned out. Was it that, on some subconscious primeval level, she needed a man to protect her from a world packed full of monsters? Or was it the fact that Peter could well be the last available, and compatible, man on the planet and her brain was laying claim to him? She did not know, and what’s more she did not care, the situation was what it was, and the reason that she felt herself falling in love with him did not matter, what did matter was that in the world full of hate and misery she was happy! Besides she considered herself a strong person and would never play cave woman to his caveman! Then a thought made her giggle out loud, “What are you laughing about?” said Peter as he glanced across at her, “Oh nothing.” said a smiling Amanda as her face flushed pink, she was still picturing Peter in a caveman outfit made up of animal skins than must have come from a very small animal indeed! Peter rolled his eyes, smiled, then concentrated on the road ahead. A mile later he picked up the radio and said to Dan “We’re getting close to the supermarket, I think we should pull over soon.” “Okay, I’ll find a good place to stop.” replied Dan.

  They drove up a narrow lane and found a small lay-by that had been visited by fly-tippers, there were abandoned mattresses and assorted white goods strewn about in untidy heaps. Dan turned the 4x4 round, park
ed up, then jumped out of the car and kept a watch for Infected while Peter turned the road sweeper around, ensuring both vehicles were facing in the correct direction for a quick getaway should the need arise. As soon as Dan stopped the lorry Amanda climbed out of the cab and on to the roof where she could keep an eye on the surrounding area from an elevated position, then Dan and Peter joined her.

  From their vantage point on top of the lorry roof they could see across some waste ground towards a large car park and beyond that was the supermarket. The car park was less than half full, indicating that a lot of people had stayed away on the day of the outbreak. Dan was hoping that this would mean that there would be a lot of merchandise still left on the shelves, the spread of the infection was so swift that Dan did not think that people would have had the chance to go to the shops to stockpile food, so in theory, there should be plenty left for the scavengers. Dan said “Okay, here is the plan. Peter and I will make our way in on foot, find what we need and pile it all together, then return here. Amanda, you stay here with a radio and if it all goes wrong you charge in with the 4x4 to pick us up. Assuming that all goes well, we drive both vehicles in as close as possible and pick up the stuff and head for home. Any comments or questions?” Peter shook his head and Amanda just said, “Be careful!”