Undead at Heart

by Calum Kerr

  “What? Who were they?”

  Duncan shook his head. “This is going to sound crazy. They looked like zombies! I had to run them down, it was the only way to escape. I got to the school, ran in, got the kids, went home for Lorraine – she’s in the car keeping lookout - and then came here. You have to get your things and we have to get out now. Heald Green’s overrun!”

  Judith looked at him, then down at the twins, and her lips tightened.

  “No. We’re not going anywhere.”

  She reached over to the pegboard and grabbed the key for the garage and then pushed past him and headed outside. She unlocked the garage door and swung it up and over, then headed into the far corner. She shifted the Christmas decorations, and the wheelbarrow, and three sets of steps, and then she pulled out a large bundle of blankets.

  “What are you doing, Mum?” Duncan asked from behind her.

  She said nothing, just laid the bundle on the floor and unwrapped it. It contained three assault rifles. She passed two to her son and then stood, cradling the third.

  “Get Lorraine to come in and give one of those to her. There’s more ammunition in the chest of drawers over there, third drawer down. And for God’s sake be careful with it.”

  She squatted down in front of the kids who had been huddled behind their dad. “You need to go upstairs to the back bedroom. Take your books and do your reading. And don’t come down until I tell you, okay?” The twins nodded, scared and biddable. They ran back into the house.

  Judith walked down the side of the house towards the front and met Duncan and Lorraine coming towards her.

  “They’re coming,” Duncan said.

  “Well, then,” Judith said. She checked her rifle was ready for business then led them out into the road. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-one

  Twenty-two

  Twenty-three

  Twenty-four

  Twenty-five

  Twenty-six

  Twenty-seven

  Twenty-eight

  Twenty-nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-one

  Thirty-two

  Thirty-three

  Thirty-four

  Thirty-five

  Thirty-six

  Thirty-seven

  Thirty-eight

  Thirty-nine

  Forty

  Forty-one

  Forty-two

  Forty-three

  Forty-four

  Forty-five

  Forty-six

  Forty-seven

  Forty-eight

  Forty-nine

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Bonus Extra