“Is it safe?”
“The walkway? Safe enough. It took a lot of work to string it all up and I did that with a few of the others who were here before they left.”
Josh was somewhat lost for words. This petite gothic girl with the thick Irish accent had made a huge impression on him. He was captivated and all he could manage was an embarrassing mumble.
“Want to check it out?”
“Ummm…,” Josh still struggled with his words. Swallowed hard. “We’ve kinda got to get home.”
“Hahahaha… before you all turn into pumpkins. I get it. Look, its way too dark to be going anywhere on these streets tonight. You’re all welcome to stay here for the night. Even you Eric,” she said turning to the troublesome individual sitting on her settee.
Eric fumed. Siobhan was right about the dangers of venturing out after dark and it pained him to have to agree. The emotional cocktail of adrenaline and bravado that flowed through him when they arrived at the bar had long since worn off. Numbed by alcohol he simply sat there wallowing in his own malevolence for this girl.
“I guess,” said Josh, summing up the situation, “that would be best, if we could crash here I mean. We would really appreciate that. We’ll head off first thing.”
Siobhan nodded.
“Is that cool fella’s?”
Eric merely grunted. Opening another bottle of beer he sank down further into his seat. He was getting quite drunk, rather quickly.
Tyler and Stuart grinned like Cheshire cats smiling contently from ear to ear, their exposed their teeth now browned by an over indulgence of chocolate. Giving the thumbs up they then high-fived each other before returning to their confectionary banquet.
Siobhan closed the window. “So,” she said, reaching for ropes, “are you up for an adventure?” She did not wait for an answer, skipping her way forward across the rickety walkway to the far side.
Josh cautiously took a hesitant step onto the bridge, then another. It wobbled underfoot, swayed from side to side causing him to grip tightly to the railings.
He steadied himself, waited for the rocking to subside then, when he felt it was safe made a mad dash for the other side where Siobhan was waiting for him.
Weapon in hand the Irish girl led the way into the gloom, lighting the way ahead with a small pocket-sized flashlight. Guiding Josh up a steep flight of stairs, their footsteps echoed loudly as they ascended higher and higher. Stepping out onto the rooftop they were quickly swallowed by the darkness of night.
The drizzle began to subside as the two adventurers took cover under a tattered canvas shade where they stood staring into the murky metropolis, into the darkness. The tall building looked out over the forsaken city giving a birds-eye view over the wastelands below.
“Damn, it’s quiet tonight,” Siobhan said with a shiver.
“Yeah, kinda creepy.”
A pale moon broke through the cloud cover high above. The outline of the cityscape beyond became slightly visible as large silhouettes of skyscrapers rose high into the night sky.
“Welcome to the edge of civilization.”
“I don’t think we have much of a civilization of any kind anymore,” Josh replied, with a sigh. “This new world is just total chaos and ruin if you ask me.”
“I wasn’t asking you, but I do agree sadly.” Siobhan stood gazing at the dead city before her, strands of wet hair dripped off her shoulders. “Where does it start, and where does it end.”
“The chaos?” Josh puffed out his chest. “All I know is that it ends with us. We are the last line of humanity, of mankind and we have some kind of duty to put things right.”
“What the hell has become of us?”
Josh furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”
“Have you not stopped to think about all of this? How we ended up running from undead versions of ourselves day in and day out. Is this a new holocaust to cleanse mankind that might perhaps eventually lead to a new beginning. Or is it something much more sinister, perhaps the apocalypse – the end of us all.”
“You’ve had some time to think about this shit haven’t you?”
“Yeah, I have sadly.
“Well, I honestly don’t know the answer to that, but I sure as hell miss things the way they were.”
“Hell yeah.” Siobhan smiled at him. “So, what of the old world do you miss most?”
Without hesitating Josh blurted out, “Pizza…,” then shook his head. “Why the hell was that my first answer?” He laughed at himself. “Pfft… pizza.”
Siobhan gave a slight giggle.
“Cold beer,” he added, winking at her. “Far out, there’s so much I miss. Pork chops on the barbecue. The Internet, my iPhone, partying, sex…” he immediately blushed. Had he gone too far?
“Hey, me too,” came Siobhan’s reply. “It’s ok to miss that, but better to have it though right.” With her lips closed tight she sighed through her nostrils. “I tell you, I really miss the noise and the hum of the city. And the beach, oh God, how I miss feeling the sand between my toes and tanning in the hot sun. I miss living, more than anything. Yeah… I miss living.”
“You have a point there, this is not living, far from it. Surviving just sucks.”
Those who had survived the turn had merely existed, fighting each and every day just to stay alive. To alleviate boredom they found ways to pass the time in the relative safety of their compounds and safe havens. Reading, training, keeping fit, readying themselves for something better and for some time now, they had all been waiting for a sign. Some purpose that would give their lives meaning again.
Josh thought for a moment about this chance meeting with the attractive Irish girl. He let the thoughts that this perhaps meant something more than just a random event bounce around in his mind, before simply dismissing them as delusional.
“So, what’s your story then?” Josh asked. “I mean the real story, not the sugar-coated version you might had rehearsed for our benefit before. C’mon, spill the beans.”
Siobhan was taken aback, turned to face him staring through squinted eyes. Whilst she welcomed his candidness, she was caught a little off-guard and felt a little vulnerable. Finally she cracked a smile accepting that for the first time in a long time she now had the chance to speak openly and honestly with someone. For some reason she had trusted Josh right off the bat, this well-spoken intelligent handsome man who had just come bursting into her life.
As she began to confide in him about her life around the days and weeks following the turn, she felt a huge weight being lifted from her shoulders. Speaking candidly she shared the details of when the first wave hit and a large number of staff and customers at the 4Horsemen Bar & Grill had been forced to barricade themselves in on the first floor. She recalled that there were about thirty of them at the start, men, women and children, a mix of ethnicities and backgrounds. Most were strangers, all were panicked.
In the beginning they faced many attackers as people they once knew – customers, friends and co-workers who came at them time and time again trying to kill them. At first they had no idea why anyone would want to attack them like this, it was bewildering to everyone. Only when they witnessed the first of their group turn after being infected did the full realization of their plight truly dawn on them.
Repelling wave after wave of the undead took its toll on those at the bar. With each attack they lost more and more supplies and more members of their group succumbed to the repeated onslaughts. They were forced to forage for food, supplies, medicine and weapons in order to sustain their meagre existence. Survival was not easy, but they did everything they could to protect themselves and to stay alive.
Siobhan told Josh about her weapon of choice, this well-crafted double-handle sword in her hands which once hung proudly on display over the bar. The sword had been a major topic of conversation amongst patrons at the 4Horsemen Bar & Grill, but now in Siobhan’s hands it had been put to good use. The inscription on the blade read, ‘Carve a Reputation�
�. It was written in Celtic with an English translation below.
“So,” said Josh, admiring the weapon, “have you carved yours yet?”
“My what?”
“Reputation.”
“Oh honey, you have no idea,” she said, cheekily. Spinning the handle in her hands she reflected on how it came to be in her possession. “You know, I would look at it every day when I was working. It was perched up high on display for all to see including me. Never in my wildest dreams, or nightmares did I ever believe that I would ever have call to use it.”
With a swish she swung the heavy sword through the air. “Let alone carve a reputation with it. I have spent many hours learning how to use her, how to tame her. Training every day I learned new techniques and styles, rehearsed moves and became her master. It has been a labor of love.”
Siobhan caressed the handle gently, allowing it to roll across her palm. “Of course, I have other weapons, but she is my baby. I have spent every waking moment learning how to care for her and wield her. In return, she keeps me safe.”
Changing the topic abruptly for it had just popped into his mind, Josh asked, “Do you know if your family are still alive?” He was unsure if the question would be too sensitive to ask, but asked it anyway.
“I’ve got no idea. It all happened so fast and everything went down before I could get in contact with anyone. I’m just hoping that this pandemic did not make it as far as Ireland.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. As far as I am concerned they are still alive and safe. Sooner or later I will get home and we will all go out for a Guinness and laugh like we used to. Until then, this shit is all about survival.”
“Yeah, that’s so true. You’ve done bloody well on your own though.”
“Well, I wasn’t always on my own.”
“Oh?” Josh was fishing.
“There was this girl.”
“Oh?”
“Her name was Lisette. God, I loved her so much.” Siobhan’s eyes welled up. She fought to suppress her emotion, it was obvious that she felt strongly.” We worked together, became the best of friends, then more.”
“Lovers?” Josh was still fishing. It was an awkward question, asked awkwardly.
“Yes silly, I’m bisexual.”
Josh swallowed. Chewed his lip. It was a technique he used to avoid saying something stupid and he felt he was destined to on this occasion, but managed to remain silent.
With her eyes glazing over Siobhan added, “Lisette was stunning, drop dead gorgeous in fact. She was nothing like me,” she said modestly.
“Nothing like you?” Josh thought to himself and wondered how beautiful this other girl must have been. He was totally hooked on Siobhan, believed she was the most stunning woman he had ever laid eyes on. Big wraps indeed. Giving her an amorous glance he admired her closely as she stood there on the rooftop in her pleated skirt and tight t-shirt. Her perfect breasts rose and fell as she inhaled deeply, releasing the air in a heavy sigh.
“We shared some wonderful times together before the world turned. What we had was truly something special.”
“What happened to her?” Josh was careful with how he framed the question. He could feel the emotion in her voice.
“She died a horrible death.” A fragile sadness wavered in her voice, there was also a degree of frustration in her tone. She gritted her perfect teeth. “Killed at the hands of a madman. If I ever find him again.” Slight anger. “I swear, I will avenge her.” Controlled rage. “He is at the very top of my hit list.”
Josh was not sure whether he should offer her a hug right now. Wisely, he chose not to. He also decided against asking about the list, it seemed too personal and too sensitive a subject.”
Siobhan pressed her eyes shut for a long moment. Suppressed her thoughts. “Come on, let’s go,” she said abruptly, changing the subject. “I’ll show you around.” Siobhan let her thoughts of Lisette go for the moment, she knew that harboring such emotion could get her killed out here.
With the utmost stealth she led Josh back to the stairwell then together they moved down through the building, creeping from floor to floor. Whilst the entrance below had been securely blocked, they took no chances as they carefully strolled through each level. One entire floor had been converted into a massive living and sleeping area, complete with mattress, sheets and pillows. Josh was amazed at the work that Siobhan had put in to setting up her alternative retreat.
“Impressive stuff,” he complemented, sweeping his flashlight through the room.
“It’s survival Josh, nothing more.”
He smiled, the sheer fact that she used his name was a big deal to him. They had pretty much only just met and he was impressed that she was already being so personable. He knew that he was probably reading too much into it, but small things had large importance in this grey new world, often they were the difference between life and death. In this instance it was something far more intimate.
“How well are you guys set up where you are?”
Siobhan’s question made Josh think. Whilst he really liked every single about her, he was still a little reluctant to divulge everything about the compound, not yet anyway. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, he totally felt that he could, he just knew his duty was to those he loved back at the house. Discretion was always the better part of valor in this messed up world.
“We are pretty self-sufficient,” he began, exercising caution. “Loads of supplies – food, water, weapons and ammunition. We loot every corpse and keep the things we need. We have a …,” nearly said supermarket, that was an ace that needed to remain up his sleeve for now anyway, “vegetable garden,” he corrected himself. “Several in fact, in our back yard and in the yards of our neighbors. We have a few animals too, chickens mainly, but sadly we have had to pretty much become vegetarians.”
“No harm in that Josh.”
There it was again, the sweet sound of his own name, from her sweet lips.
“I guess not. We also have loads of fruit trees,” he continued, smiling.
“So, chickens huh. Oh my God! What I would give for an eggs Benedict breakfast and an espresso. Mmmmm…” Licked her luscious lips.
“Sounds like a plan.” Josh winked at her. “I’d be happy to whip that up for you m’lady.”
Siobhan raised her pierced eyebrow at him. “Are you flirting with me young man?”
As Josh blushed. They both laughed together, quietly, for the briefest of moments.
“These creatures, what do you make of them?” asked Siobhan, in a more serious, somber tone. As she spoke she turned and started to lead them both back to the overpass.
“I probably don’t know much more than you do, to be honest. We have tried to study them examine them and predict their behavior, but it is really hard to know precisely what we are dealing with. They are without doubt some kind of zombie being.”
“Zombies huh. That was my guess too, but to be honest that’s a bit hard to fathom don’t you think.”
“Yeah well, they are without question undead, reanimated in some weird way. There is a virus of some kind that is passed on when you are bitten by one of them. We think there is something in their blood, but we don’t quite know what it is though. All we know is that there is no hope for you once you are bitten and as soon as that virus gets into your bloodstream your life and everything you knew or once were, is gone for good.”
“Are these things, these zombies or undead creatures actually alive? I could never tell.”
“That depends on what you call alive. They exist but they are certainly not human, not by a long shot. They cannot reason like we can, whatever has infected their blood affects their brain function limiting their thinking. They seem to just act on impulse like basic animals.”
Siobhan thought for a moment. “One thing I know for sure is that they crave human flesh and that hunger knows no limit, man. Have you noticed though, that they never eat themselves?”
“Yea
h, they must be able to sense the infected blood working out the difference like a bloody wine connoisseur. If you get bitten though, they will eat your flesh if they get to you before the infection spreads. Once you turn, they leave you alone. It’s so mental.”
Siobhan nodded. Walked on as they talked, shining her flashlight through the next room.
“They also seem to have developed some form of hibernation mode,” Josh continued. “Their bodies shut down if they haven’t fed for some time. We have come across a few like that in an inert state, just waiting to be reactivated like bloody robots.”
“Haven’t seen that myself, but that is pretty fucked up.”
“I know. The good news is that they do die, all of them eventually.”
“Oh, that much I do know!” Siobhan had indeed become a powerful warrior in her own right, capable of slaughtering a herd of these creatures single-handedly. Her mighty sword carved through them with ease.
“Here’s the thing though, they die naturally too.”
Siobhan stopped in her tracks and took Josh by the arm. “You’re kidding right?”
“Not joking at all, we have seen them die. They cannot go forever without eating, just like us sustenance is vital. Sooner or later their organs shut down and they croak it, for good.”
“Are you honestly for real?” This was a huge revelation.
“We came across a bunch of corpses once that had not been killed by anyone. They looked like they had just wasted away so the only conclusion we could come to was that they died of natural causes.”
“Hmmm…,” Siobhan thought for a moment. “That really is big in the scheme of things. If that is the case, then we can totally win this fight and take back the city.” There was an air of excitement to her speech.
Night tightened its grip as Josh and Siobhan crossed the rickety overpass returning to the bar. All was quiet when they stepped through the window into the 4Horsemen Bar & Grill, they were greeted by the sight of the other three men dozing where they had finished eating and drinking.
“Alright fellas,” said Siobhan, walking into the room, “it’s time for us to turn in. There’s some blankets in the storeroom at the back so make yourselves cozy. Grab a chair, a couch, or a spot on the floor.”
Dark of Dawn 4Horsemen: Book one in the Dark of Dawn Series Page 8