Kris ran out on to Holders Road. Another gunshot attracted him into the alley. Standing at the end with his weapon raised was Sid. He ran faster for what seemed forever. The horde had gathered on all three sides of the car park. Ethan was visible, yet they were moving towards him too swiftly. Where was Jack?
Sid turned and fired to the left, taking down the nearest two creatures. Blood exploded from their heads before they sank. Kris strode towards Ethan, firing continuously at his closest foe; they swept in. “Where’s Jack?” he asked.
Ethan looked pale. He fired again. “In there.”
“What?!”
More gunshots in close succession a short distance away.
“He’s behind them. I saw him a second ago.”
“What the fuck?” Kris sprinted to the side of the line of drifting corpses and checked each way, but no Jack; nowhere to be seen. Veering to the right, he searched the entire area and the side of the warehouse by the fence with his eyes, but there was no one, only the dead. Firing at those now far too close, he ran back towards Ethan and finally spotted Jack, standing behind the row in front of him, covered in bloody, rotten guts from what he could see, as if trying to disguise his scent. Kris ran forwards, shooting zombies right, left and centre while Sid took after him. Ethan stayed where he was, firing at the nearest drifters.
“He saved Ethan,” Sid mumbled, “and then got trapped.”
Kris nodded, stepped closer to Jack and fired again. Jack turned abruptly and smiled, relief scrawled across his face. In front of him the dead swarmed like insects; groans amid stinking hides.
“Watch out!” Jack warned Kris, who spun around and blew off the pungent head in front of him. They were almost encircled.
“We need to get out of here,” Sid urged. “Like now!” As he spoke, blood and brains splattered into the air a short distance away. Someone else was shooting.
Jack ran to stand alongside Kris and Sid backed into them as they all fired at the dead dripping bile and blood. Bodies fell further away; they could hear them. The gunfire increased, but it would bring more and more of them. As the corpses parted, Jack, Kris and Sid ran through to catch sight of Brian, Leah and Marla.
“Run!” said Leah, but it did not need to be said. They sprinted back towards the alleyway, but the noise seemed to have awoken the whole of Amesbury. Both sides of their destination were heaving with zombies. They hurtled through the middle with Jack wiping the grisly innards from his torso as he went. Leah and Marla headed into the alleyway first and out on to Holders Road; then between the vehicles and houses to complete the shortcut. Outside the supermarket, Doug and Nick were waiting, but the dead had almost reached them. They used their treasured bullets to take them down. The girls careered across the road, past them and into the supermarket, with Brian on their heels.
Kris, Sid and Jack ducked behind a white van parked beside a house and crept through. Kris moved straight, but a crunch of gravel made the other two turn. To the side stood a young, blonde girl in a torn yellow sundress, staring. She wore one scuffed, red sandal and dirt stained her knees.
Jack gazed back, hypnotised by her sightless eyes that were fixed on his own. At the most she could only have been sixteen years old when she turned. If you looked her way quickly you could trick yourself into thinking she was normal, he thought, apart from the way her right arm dangled, suspended by a tendon. The girl raised her other arm as if to point at something behind Jack, but he knew it was his flesh she wanted.
Sensing no one behind him, Sid halted and turned around. His friend had stopped for some reason. “Jack!” he called to him.
Jack glanced his way and saluted him jokily as a tall, dark figure who had once been a man grabbed both of his shoulders and sank his sharp teeth into his neck. Sid froze as Jack’s blood showered outwards and the creature groaned in ecstasy, quenching its thirst. Again it dipped its head, ripping out a chunk of flesh, which it spat on the ground before drinking from the crimson waterfall spouting from the severed jugular vein. The skinny girl in the yellow dress took a step forwards, continuing to point while Jack shrieked. Sid’s arm shook as he struggled to aim his gun.
Wednesday, 21
Marla observed the dead-looker sail like driftwood up to the end of the road and sink against the wooden fence outside a house. It stayed there, not moving for a time before slumping down to the pavement. She gazed up at the faint egg-yolk sun and imagined being able to walk around freely, taking in the fresh morning air and its coolness with a positive expectancy, but she knew that day would never come.
She could not stop thinking about Ellen. Every day, every hour, she was there. As for Tommy, he was always present too. They haunted her mind, making it difficult to concentrate on anything and impossible to sleep, as if the nightmare was not enough. She could see no alternative: she had to go back. Then her mind switched to Jack, reminding her how dangerous it was out there. Her heart sank.
Leaning against the windowsill, she gazed back at the dead-looker. Still there, slumped, waiting. Marla was aware of what he longed for – there was no guessing that – and his patience knew no end, but waiting was something she had never been good at. His capacity to endure was something she almost envied. Except it is an empty shell. Turning away from the window, she wandered out of the room and into the main living area. Her new housemates looked up as she entered and welcomed her.
“Toast, eggs, beans, mushrooms, cereal or porridge?” asked Harris from his usual position by the stove. Ana was helping him.
“Toast and eggs would be great,” Marla replied.
“Is Freya still sleeping?” Ana asked her.
Marla nodded sadly. “I don’t know what to say to her.”
“Same.”
Turning, Marla spotted Nick sitting on the sofa talking to Kris. As she approached, he shuffled over to make space. “Thanks,” she told him, taking a seat. “How are you, considering?”
“Getting by,” he muttered. “Like everyone. Freya’s going to take a while.”
“I know.”
“You look troubled too.”
“You’re too wise,” Marla replied. “The thing is I need to get back… to the facility, because of my sister and Tommy. What happened to Jack got me thinking that I can’t afford to wait. I need to get them out of that place.”
“You’re joking!” Kris exclaimed, raising his voice. “They will kill you, like they did my brother.”
“She’s my sister, Kris. I can’t leave her there. They’ve been doing tests on her while she sleeps and I don’t know what that really implies after everything I’ve seen.”
“What do you mean?” asked Nick. “Why are they doing that?”
“Because she has the nightmares… of the dead.” Marla was suddenly aware that everyone else in the room had gone quiet and was listening to their conversation.
“Really?” gasped Ana, walking towards her. “I heard about this on the news right at the start of everything.”
“Some people said they were warnings,” Kris chipped in.
“So they say,” said Marla. “I dream them too.”
Leah blinked. “You do? What are they like?”
“Awful, terrible, but I’ve got used to them. They can’t harm me and they’ve faded a little, but Ellen’s were getting stronger. She had them first, on the same day as that scientist.”
“You mean the Nobel Prize guy,” Harris noted. “I followed his story. A genius, he was. Well, I hope he’s still alive. He had a lot of followers when all this started. However, some people accused him of starting a sect and that he was a religious nutcase.”
Marla nodded. “I laughed when I first heard about it, but then Ellen told me she was having these nightmares. You know, I didn’t believe her, yet when I started having them I had no choice but to believe it.”
“How are her dreams stronger?” asked Nick, rubbing his forehead.
“They are more detailed,” Marla replied. “She sees more in them and they are longer, and she rememb
ers everything. I don’t always. The doctor at Haven was really interested in her nightmares. I think he got bored of mine pretty quick, but I don’t really understand why. Our dreams are almost the same. It made no sense to me, but Ellen wanted to help. That’s how she is. She always wants to help people. I have to go back…” She stopped talking when she realised Kris was staring straight at her. “What?”
“The doctor,” Kris replied, frowning. “His nickname was Doctor Sleep while I was there. He was our only doctor in that place, so you’d have to go to him with anything, but he was obsessed with the dreamers.”
“Doctor Sleep… that’s the name Robert gave me… he said he was trying to read people’s minds, but I thought he was talking garbage. Poor Robert…”
“Why poor?” asked Nick.
“Because they tortured him,” Marla mumbled. “I found him. He spoke out and tried to show everyone what was going on there. It went wrong. He was a soldier…”
“What was his surname?” asked Kris.
“Genner, I think.”
“Gentser,” Kris corrected. “I knew him. Bastards. He was a decent man.”
“I know… it haunts me. I can’t leave Ellen in that place.”
“I would feel the same way,” said Leah, sitting down on the carpet and some of the others mumbled their agreement.
“How did you know the dreams were warnings?” Marla asked.
Kris leaned back in his chair. “Let me tell you a story. When I was in that facility there were two people who had those dreams: one Oriental woman and one Welsh guy. I didn’t know her. She was quiet, young and very striking looking. He was the opposite; really loud, outspoken, friendly, and he wanted everyone to know about these dreams he was having. Said they were a warning. Doctor Sleep was monitoring them both.
“This guy, I think his name was Arthur, shared his experiences. He didn’t want to have the dreams anymore, said they were scary. This went on for weeks. He’d update us and they sounded real scary to me. I was glad I didn’t have them. Anyway, this one day he just wasn’t there anymore and neither was she. He was popular, so a lot of people asked after him. They were told he’d asked for a transfer to another facility to be with his family, and that she had too. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Weird thing is the guy had never mentioned any relatives and he told people everything. If he’d asked for a transfer, he would have said his goodbyes or told at least one person. There would have been a big party, for Christ’s sake. But nope, no one had any idea. That was the weird part. That’s when I started asking questions in my own mind.”
“God, I have to get back there soon,” said Marla.
Nick thought for a second and shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. They’d kill you on sight. You know they’ve probably reported you as a terrorist. They won’t be expecting you to survive out here on your own, but to be sure, they’re bound to make sure no other facility will take you in.”
“I could change my appearance… and there are hundreds of people at Haven. They are all at risk. If you’d seen what they did to Robert…”
Nick waved his hand. “No, you’re not thinking straight. You can’t just barge in. There has to be another way. We just have to think of a solution.”
“I’ll do it,” said Kris.
“Don’t be crazy,” said Ana. “They know you.”
“Freya won’t want anyone going,” Harris cut in. “And I think we shouldn’t…”
“I could go back,” Kris insisted. “Fuck it, I need…”
Nick turned around to face him down. “Kris, I know you want revenge for your brother, but that’s the wrong way to go about it. If someone were to infiltrate Haven and get a message to Marla’s sister, it would have to be someone they don’t know… someone they wouldn’t suspect.”
“I’ll do it.”
Everyone turned to stare in surprise at Doug, who was sitting at the table wearing an expression of poker-faced determination. “I volunteer,” he clarified. Scooping up a spoonful of scrambled egg, he ate it and smiled. “DD stands for double dare.”
Friday, 30
“There’s a truck!” yelled Ana, almost dropping the porcelain cup she was washing. She moved away from the sink and wiped her hands on her skirt, shouting out, “Nick!”
He ran into the living area and almost bumped into her in the process. “Where?”
“There! It’s going down the road, past us.”
Marla and Leah ran into the room, and then it seemed that everyone else filled the corridor. Doug picked up his rucksack and called out, “I’m ready.”
“Me too,” Leah agreed.
“Are you both sure about this?” asked Marla. “I don’t want you risking yourselves. I wish I could go…”
Leah put her finger to her lips before hugging her. “Please don’t worry. I agree with you; we need to get those people out of there. It’s the right thing to do, and I think it looks more believable if Doug and I act like we’re a couple.”
At that moment one of the bedroom doors opened and Freya stepped out, looking red-faced and tearful. “Please be careful,” she almost whispered. “I want to see you two back safe.”
Leah gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry, Freya. Just take care of yourself and the kids, and I’ll see you in no time.”
Freya smiled and walked back into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
“Come on,” urged Nick. “I saw three trucks and a bus heading into the red zone where I found you, Marla. We need to meet them somehow without being seen.” He opened the hatch door and made his way down the spiral staircase, followed by Doug and Leah.
“See you, guys!” Doug yelled back.
“At least let me come with you now,” pleaded Marla. “I feel bad enough. Let me come, because if anything happens to any of you out there, I’ll never forgive myself.”
Nick looked at her and smiled. “Get your gun.”
“Have it,” she said, waving it in the air.
“Come on then, girl,” he replied with a smirk.
Sid pulled up the metal shutters and unbolted the exit. After saying their goodbyes, Nick headed outside, followed by Marla, Doug and Leah. As soon as they were out, Sid secured it again.
“Let’s move quickly and keep your senses sharp,” Nick instructed. “We’re not taking any chances, so if we don’t manage this today there will be other days.”
“Thanks again,” said Marla.
“No worries.”
Nick moved ahead of everyone to lead the way between some houses and on to James Road. In the distance they could hear the trucks moving. “They’re heading up London Road – the main throughway,” said Doug.
“Safest route,” Nick replied. “Predictable. Let’s go this way and take the alley around the back. That way they won’t see us and we can catch them up.”
The four of them ran up Holders Road and ducked down the narrow walkway behind the warehouses. Marla checked for dead-lookers all the way. When the alley ended, Nick continued straight, passing a signpost for The Drove.
“Sounds like they’re carrying on down London Road,” said Leah. “Maybe they’re heading for St Mary’s church?”
“They went there before,” Marla pointed out. “I was with them.”
“How about Smiley Face Nursery or the police station?” suggested Leah.
“Or maybe one of the schools?” Doug added. “There could be survivors in any of those places.”
“Do you ever see people here?” asked Marla.
“Rarely,” said Leah as they hurried along. “Just dead ones. We used to see more people and some joined with us. We lost some though. I reckon the living are hiding and not going out, like us.”
The road continued into Cold Harbour and the group hastened along it. “Stop!” urged Nick and everyone obeyed him. “They’re turning, listen. Step back.”
As they followed his instruction, Marla saw the familiar Land Rover, double-decker bus and Vector pass by the end of the road. “That’s them,�
� she said, “but normally there’s an extra vehicle.”
“Okay,” Nick answered, “I’m guessing one of the schools is their target. There are two of them pretty close together.”
“We can go ahead,” offered Leah.
Nick shook his head. “No way, it’s too risky. We’re covering you and that’s the end of it. They’ve gone down Earls Court Road, so let’s hurry.” He led the way to the end of the road and halted, just in time to see the back end of the Vector. “Right, looks like they’re going to Stonehenge School on Antrobus Road. It’s a straight walk up there. I’m not sure about letting you go alone, but if we come there’s a chance of us being seen…”
“We’ll be fine,” said Doug with a grin. “Let us go. And here’s the radio,” he added, handing his handset to Nick. “Too risky to use it anyway in case they are listening in.”
Nick took it reluctantly and sighed. “Good luck, you two, and please be careful. You know the plan, so don’t do anything crazy and veer off it. Sunday, the twenty-second of September is the day. We’ll be waiting at the meeting point. If anything goes wrong, you’ll need to join the patrol and come back to us that way, and we’ll have to think of something else. I don’t want you two stuck in that damn place. Alright?”
“You can trust us,” Leah responded, giving him a hug and offering Marla a smile.
He sighed again. “I know that, but I’ve grown fond of you all, as if you’re my kids.”
“Well, okay, Dad,” Doug joked with a wink. He hugged the older man and then Marla. “We’ll be off then…”
“Just stick to the plan and if things hot up, you know what to do. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” Doug and Leah responded in unison. “Don’t worry, Nick,” she added before they headed off down the street. After a few strides they looked back and waved.
Nick and Marla waved back. “This worries me,” Nick admitted, scratching his head.
“Me too. I’ll blame myself if anything goes wrong.”
“Come on. Let’s get back. I hate waiting and something tells me we’re going to have a bit of one.”
I Dream of Zombies (Book 2): Haven Page 29