Tyler marveled at her eloquence, drifted off momentarily imagining himself as an elite athlete who was receiving a pre-match rev-up from his coach. Right then he caught sight of Goliath staring at him causing him to blush as he compared muscle definition. He turned his attention back to Ashley, flexing his bicep under his shirt.
“We accept anyone inside the Stadium,” she continued, “but we do have rules. The first of these is to do with lodging.” Ashley read from her clipboard notes. “You may pitch a tent anywhere on the playing surface, but you must have three or more people residing at your shelter at all times.”
Heads nodded. It made sense.
“Nothing here is free,” she said matter-of-factly, returning to her notes. “Each campsite must pay rent on a regular basis. You may exchange goods for the rental payment attached to your small plot. This could be anything from trinkets, water or weapons, clothing or anything else the Collector may deem worthy of a fair offering.”
Silence echoed through the changing room. Faces dropped, this was a lot for the weary travelers to digest. There was still more to come, a lot more.
Ashley breathed in and continued, this was the part which she did not really enjoy. “Now, if you are unable to pay your rent you have several options available to you. The first of these is to be put to work. The second sadly is eviction, we don’t tolerate freeloaders.”
“What?” Josh exclaimed, shaking his head. “We just got here and you’re already threatening to kick us out?” He sighed. “What sort of work?”
Ashley turned slowly to stare at Josh. “A feisty one huh.” Gave a smirk. “So, the work? Well, that would be up to the Commissioner now wouldn’t it?”
Josh raised an eyebrow as he stared back at Ashley. She had striking features, silky smooth skin that appeared flawless, full lips and deep blue eyes that were simply alluring. He immediately became conscious of Siobhan who was also staring at him as he ogled their host. Quickly he averted his eyes.
“Perhaps,” continued Ashley, “I might just put you to work myself. You look like you can handle yourself.” She spoke very suggestively. Devilishly.
Redness spread across Josh’s cheeks. He swallowed hard.
Siobhan went on the defensive. “How on earth are we meant to pay rent to you or to this Commissioner, if we have nothing to give?” She was curt, born out of jealousy.
“Well, little lady,” came Ashley’s sarcastic response, “I am so glad you asked.” She winked at Josh, sensing it might antagonize Siobhan further. “Each day we open the gates and allow a certain number of people out into the city. There they scavenge and forage for what they need in order to pay rent or trade in the markets. We do not offer protection by the way, your safety is your own concern. There is a curfew of five o’clock each night which is the last time when the gates are opened to allow people back in. Then it is locked again for the night.”
“And if you’re not back in time?” asked Jon.
“If you arrive back after the curfew, then you will have to take your chances outside the gate. You will not be allowed in, no matter how much you beg.”
Heavy sighs as jaws dropped.
Over the course of the next fifteen or so minutes Ashley ran through all the rules regulations and protocols that were in place, all of the do’s and don’ts. For the most part it all sounded like common sense and as a result there were no more questions or queries raised form the floor.
“Almost everything here at the Stadium has a price attached to it,” Ashley said, getting close to wrapping up. “What you buy and how you pay is entirely over to you. I am sure Goliath here has shown you the markets, yes?”
“Yes, he has,” replied Jon, on behalf of the group.
“We have some luxuries and few, shall we say extras that are available here at the Stadium as well. But I do warn you, they all come at a cost.”
“What sort of extras?” Siobhan asked, tersely.
Ashley smiled, her lips parting to reveal perfect white glistening teeth. “Well, for starters those of you wanting a shower, and I am sure some of you do,” she said staring at Siobhan, “we have a rainwater system here and all the soap and toiletries you need.”
There were murmurs in the room as people turned to each other in astonishment. Most could not remember the last time they had a decent shower.
“That’s not all, we have fresh vegetables available and on occasion when we have a good hunt, we even have fresh meat. Sometimes even milk and cheese.”
The newcomers were simply blown away.
“So, if there are no more questions, Goliath will take you to buy your tents. Enjoy your stay here at the Stadium.” With that she turned, gave Josh a parting wink, tucked her clipboard under her arm and left the room.
Siobhan scowled.
The newcomers queued up at the vendor’s stall to purchase their portable accommodation. The merchant, a long-haired hippie type reveled in the sudden upturn in business that day. He swayed from side to side as if in a hypnotic state wearing a continuous grin that shone through his bright reddish-brown beard. Around him incense burned and the smoke trails rose to where dream catchers and other crystals hung from every vantage point.
Sprawled across his countertop was a selection of goods which included drinking containers, clothing, hand-held weapons and various other implements. It was however, the selection of jewelry and trinkets had been offered as payment for the tents he had on offer that appealed to most to the vendor. As he pawed over his shiny new possessions examining each item of exchange with meticulous precision, a distinct glint appeared in his eyes.
As the group were led away from the markets bewildered faces looked back at their treasured things now being lined up on the merchant’s table for resale. It was an all too familiar sight for Goliath, one that irked him for he believed the welcome given to newcomers was far too harsh. He felt for those who had lost important things in return for a roof over their head, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was a fair man enforcing what he believed to be unfair practices, but he had no choice – them were the rules!
Ahead of them the letters D-BLOCK that had been painted brightly in yellow stood out against the dull, colorless concrete wall. Double doors appeared with the same letters painted on them. Placing his enormous hands on the handles Goliath turned to face the group. “Welcome to Tent City,” he said, giving the doors an almighty heave.
Light flooded into the underground concourse, temporarily blinding those at the entrance. Raising their hands to shield against the glare they stepped forward. The hum that greeted them when they had arrived immediately rose to a crescendo and as they emerged from the tunnel the sound of laughter and merriment echoed all around them. Tents and people were everywhere to be seen.
“Quite a sight isn’t it,” Goliath said to Josh, who was still trying to take it all in.
The eldest of the Armstrong children nodded. His mouth was still ajar.
Goliath smiled. This was the typical response he got from every newbie and he was used to it now. It had become the most enjoyable part of his job for he could see the weight lifted off the shoulders of every new arrival in what was always a rollercoaster of emotions. For many of them they had spent so much time fighting for survival they had forgotten what it was like to be around people, to be human again.
Goliath allowed them all a moment or two to soak it all in before setting off into the throng. “Let’s find you all some good spots,” he said to Josh. “It’s a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack though, finding the right location can be tough, but I’m sure we can put you lot somewhere decent.”
It took some doing but eventually they all managed to find a patch of dirt to call their own. Tents were unfurled, groundsheets laid, pegs hammered in and camps set-up. For the Armstrongs it was decided that the larger of their tents would sleep five of the men. Olivia, Rebecca and Nikita would lodge in a separate tent and somehow Zoe had managed to convince Josh to allow her to join him and Siobhan in the r
emaining shelter.
Once the camps were established and all their belongings stashed inside they set about meeting their neighbors. There was an overwhelming feeling of safety and inclusiveness about the meet and greets, everyone was so warm and friendly. Josh could not help feel that their new sanctuary strongly resembled a refugee village, didn’t really care though. He smiled as yet another welcoming neighbor shook his hand.
As evening came everyone headed back to their respective campsites and prepared to settle in. It was a mild night and as a result many simply sat around and chatted outside their tents. As far as Jon could work out through conversations with locals the area in the immediate vicinity of the Stadium had been looted heavily already. People were now forced to scavenge further and further away, which meant more time trekking to outlying areas and less time collecting tradable objects. An ever increasing number of people were choosing to stay out beyond the curfew, returning days later with bags of loot to trade and cover their rent.
Josh started to feel weary as the hectic past few days started to catch up with him. With a yawn he excused himself from the gathering outside his father’s tent and headed for his own. There had been no plots available next to each other, but they were all close enough, within walking distance. Pulling aside the flap to the entrance he stepped inside. Siobhan and Zoe had already made themselves comfortable and were sitting next to each other at the rear of the shelter.
“Come take a seat big boy,” said Siobhan.
“Yeah, we won’t bite,” joked Zoe.
Josh yanked on the zipper and sat down.
Outside the noise that had filled the arena all day started to slowly subside. The commotion of human interaction was rapidly being replaced by another, more ominous sound. What started as a low drone was morphing into something much more sinister. The consistent, very distinctive sound of moaning.
“The rotters are out in force tonight,” said one of the armed guards patrolling the lower concourse.
“They sure are,” replied his offsider. “I can smell the wretched things.”
Nothing out of the ordinary happened on this watch. It was a boring, monotonous routine that simply had to be walked – part of the routine. So far on this particular evening it was business as usual.
“Hey, shall we see if your girlfriend has come for her goodnight kiss?” said the first guard, with a chuckle.
“You’ll keep, you prick.”
Together the two men made their way further around the interior of the concourse until they reached the first external exit. The double wire-netting gate had been chained and padlocked securely. That however, did not stop the creatures that had amassed there from trying to force their way through.
“Now, where is she?” inquired the first guard, peering into the gathering. He still kept his distance from the gate avoiding the outstretched limbs that had squeezed through the narrow openings in the wire. Desperate fingers clutched at him.
“Oi! There she is!”
“Where?”
“About four rows back.” The first guard pointed in the direction of a woman, or at least her living dead incarnation, who looked like at one time she was someone very well-to-do.
Dressed in a once stunning deep blue evening gown with a plunging neckline, she wore a row of large pearls around her neck and long elegant white gloves stretched up to her elbows. It was obvious that on the day she turned she had been attending a swank event, a gala of some sort, or perhaps a theatre performance. This once elegant woman was now nothing more than a hideous living corpse and she was now the subject of a long running joke between these two men.
“Oh, she’s hot for you tonight,” said the first guard, his voice thick with sarcasm.
“Give u a kiss darling.” The second guard leaned forward, puckered his lips and blew the undead woman a kiss. Without thinking he leaned in a little too close to the gate, putting himself in immediate danger. A thin bony mitt grasped hold of his shirt.
Swatting at the hand as if it were a spider crawling on him his response was far from masculine. With a yelp he overbalanced toppling to the ground as his shirt tore open. Seconds later the offending hand fell to the cement floor, fingers still flexing and twitching.
Blood dripped from the bayonet at the end of the second guard’s rifle, which had severed the hand clean off just above the wrist with a single blow. The man on the ground kicked at the dismembered body part pushing himself backwards in a panic.
“Come on you fucking idiot,” said the first guard, with a laugh. Extended an outstretched arm. “You cannot let your girlfriend see you like this.” More laughter.
“Fuck off will you.”
“Aww come on mate.” Crouching down he picked up the severed hand. “Will you settle for a hand job then?”
Both men eventually roared with laughter, before heading off to complete their rounds.
Zoe giggled as she and the two others inside the tent shared another funny story. They had been chatting, laughing and enjoying each other’s company now for hours. For Josh, there was something about this evening that he found invigorating and he no longer felt tired. He had not spent this much time with Zoe before and the longer the night wore on, the more he warmed to her.
Siobhan on the other hand felt a raft of emotions and feelings inside her. She was aroused, of that she was certain, nervous and apprehensive too. Sensual desires and erotic thoughts filled her head as she imagined the possibilities of what might lie ahead for the three of them that evening.
It was not long before Siobhan was unable to control her desires any longer. Butterflies danced wildly in her stomach as she trembled with excitement and plucking up the courage to take the next step she leaned over to her man and whispered in his ear. “I’ve… uumm… got something to tell you.” Despite the struggle she got there in the end.
“Sweet,” said Josh, oblivious to the seduction, “I’m all ears.”
Siobhan swallowed hard.
“Well, it’s probably easier if I show you.”
Josh raised an eyebrow. He was more than curious now.
With that Siobhan shuffled forward on their makeshift bed of clothes and rags until she was seated directly in front of Zoe. As she turned to face Josh the attractive gothic Irish girl felt herself giving way to her inhibitions. “Actually, you’re going to love this,” she said, before turning back to Zoe.
Josh’s eyes nearly fell from their sockets when Siobhan, his Warrior Princess, placed her lips on Zoe’s and kissed her softly. It was a velvety kiss, one that was delivered and met with tenderness and warmth. As he savored this intimate exchange he found himself very much lost in the moment, instantly aroused. He pinched himself as the two girls continued to kiss. Zoe gripped Siobhan’s long raven hair and pulled her closer, their tongues lashing each other as they became consumed by heightened levels of lust and desire.
Siobhan reached for him, tugged at his shirt drawing him in. She pressed her lips gently to his, just touching and breathed into his mouth. Panting with desire they embraced, kissed deeply, lovingly. Zoe placed her soft hand on his cheek, turned his face to her and she too kissed him.
Outside the tent beyond the end zone, the moaning continued.
33
Bazaar
Siobhan and Zoe walked with arms linked as they strolled through the many stalls of the underground market. It was a bohemian paradise and the two girls acted like kids in a candy store, such was their excitement as they perused the many stalls. So many trinkets and sparkly things glittered and glowed, twinkled and sparkled.
Everyone was in high spirits, even Josh who followed along behind like a well-trained puppy. He was still pinching himself after the events of the previous night. Racked his brain trying to think of how lucky he was to have gained the affection of both these attractive girls. With a smile on his face he simply gave up thinking. There was only one word suitable to describe what had gone down the night before – hot! God-damned hot!
The bazaar was a live
ly place, there were people and smiles everywhere, with good natured chatter and laughter coming from every vantage point. As the morning wore on the din of the markets quickly rose to a crescendo.
Josh had long thought that the city had lacked a heart since the turn, had had it ripped from her when the creatures took control and drove mankind from the streets. What he now realized as he looked around at this underworld emporium, was that this was possibly where the city’s heart had been transplanted. This place was alive, it was buzzing, beating loudly.
The trio stopped at a clothes stall. Behind the table laden with fabric goods stood a middle-aged woman dressed in a fine selection of garb that flattened her plump figure. Her makeup had been applied thick, filling in the deep trenches that covered her well-worn visage.
“Welcome folks,” came her greeting. The woman spoke with a deep, dull drawl, hers was a voice perhaps more suited to a prison warden or school mistress rather than a vendor at a market. She carried on regardless with her opening spiel.
“Newcomers huh. Ain’t seen y’all purdy faces around here before. I’m one for faces ya know. So, fancy some new duds young fella? I tell you what, you could certainly use ‘em.” Barely a breath was inhaled between sentences. When she was done talking she directed Josh to a large full-length mirror leaning against the table at her stall, which had a big crack running through it.
Josh checked out his own reflection and was shocked at how disheveled he looked. His clothes were well worn and filthy, his hair was a mess and stubble covered his face. Wondered to himself just what had he turned into.
Zoe giggled and turned to Siobhan. “Should we pimp our boy up today?”
Siobhan thought the comment was hilarious. “Pimp him up,” she laughed loudly. Turned to Josh, “So, should we pimp you up?” Squeezed his buttocks.
Before he had time to answer the two girls began manhandling him, pushing him to the menswear section at the far end of the stall. Folded in nice neat piles were stacks of jeans, t-shirts, underwear, socks and other items. A lot of the goods on display were ‘as new’, having been salvaged from boutiques and shops in the city surrounds.
Dark of Dawn 4Horsemen: Book one in the Dark of Dawn Series Page 33