SAFE HAVEN: RISE OF THE RAMS

by Christopher Artinian

  “You don’t need one. The emergency exit opens directly onto the staff car park,” Ruth said proudly, as if she’d designed the building herself. The three librarians led the way through the maze of bookshelves to the metal fire door. “It’s the silver Micra in the last space.”

  Mike withdrew the shotgun from his backpack. “As soon as I’m through, get this door shut behind me. I’ll take care of whatever’s on the other side. And thank you again, all three of you.” He looked at each of them before booting the panic bar on the door and rushing out into the late afternoon air like Butch or Sundance making a last run for freedom.

  He was immediately confronted by a single RAM sprinting towards him. It would have been foolhardy to give away his position for the sake of a solitary beast, so he shoved the shotgun in his backpack, withdrew a machete and swung. One of the creature’s flailing arms deflected the strike and it escaped with just a deep cut. The force of the parry knocked Mike off his balance, and before he knew it, the grey abomination was past him and running towards the open emergency exit. Ruth, David and Richard were standing at the door, frozen in fear, as the creature approached. Other than on news reports, they had not witnessed one of the infected before, but now they saw it in all its terrifying gore. The yellow teeth of the RAM began chomping up and down in anticipation of not one, but three fresh kills. Every fibre in Ruth’s body wanted to shut the door, but pure terror had clamped down on her muscles. Her eyes met the beast’s, and fear gave way to sadness. The one thing in her life that had been under her control – how she was going to die – was about to be taken away from her. It was just metres away. Mike made a powerful rugby tackle on the fast-moving creature and the pair of them skidded along the concrete. The RAM was desperate to get back onto its feet, but Mike was an old hand at knowing when to release an opponent he’d brought down. When the pair finally came to a halt, Mike let go for a split second. The beast began to get up but Mike pushed it back down violently, giving himself the time he needed to get into position and push the machete firmly up through the base of the creature’s neck. He thrust so forcefully that the blade of the weapon cracked through the monstrosity’s forehead and scraped the concrete. Mike breathed out heavily, wiped the machete on the RAM’s already filthy clothing and stood up.

  “Are you three okay?” he asked, walking back to the emergency exit. Their shocked faces looked back at him, unable to answer. “Guys, are you okay?” Mike asked, a little more urgently.

  Ruth snapped out of her trance. “Yes... yes. Mike, is this what it’s like out here now? Is this what you have to do to survive?” The woman seemed to have aged ten years in those few short moments. Mike noticed more silver flecks in her hair. It was just as well she had decided to stay in the library. This world was far too cruel a place for someone like her.

  “If you’re out here, these are the least of your worries. They’re single-minded animals. You see one and you know what the deal is straight away. Kill or be killed. It’s the people you need to watch out for, Ruth, but then again it’s always been the people you needed to watch out for.” He released her tight grip from the door and motioned for the three of them to get back inside. “I’m going to close the door now. Take care of yourselves, you three.” He gently pushed it shut, leaving the librarians with their mouths wide open, still struggling to come to terms with what they had just witnessed.

  He found the small silver car, threw his bag into the passenger seat, put the keys in the ignition and smiled as the small engine burst into life.

  *

  “So, how’s the patient?” Keith asked as he sat down with his wife to join the hotel guests for dinner.

  “She’s doing great,” Lucy answered. She washed down her mouthful of chicken with another glass of red wine. “This place is going to be a whole lot noisier soon.” She smiled at the hotel owner and her husband as she answered.

  “She’s my niece,” Jenny said proudly as she cut into her baked potato. “Her boyfriend worked on one of the local farms. A few months ago he said his father had fallen ill and that he needed to go back home to Cardiff for a while. That was the last we heard from him. The poor child has been staying with us ever since. She’s a good worker and a lovely girl. I think she’ll make a wonderful parent. Good job, really, with that little shit doing a runner.”

  Jake and Sammy looked up from the plates in surprise at hearing the hotelier swear. The other adults smirked.

  “How’s Emma?” Keith asked, with genuine concern.

  “She doesn’t think Mike’s coming back,” Sammy replied, shaking her head comically. “But that’s stupid.”

  All the adults at the table were trapped between feeling sorry for the little girl and finding her manner and confidence amusing.

  “Mike said he’d see us soon and my brother has never broken a promise. Never, has he, Jake? And it’s his birthday tomorrow, he’s twenty-one, and that’s a very special birthday and Mike would want to spend it with us so I think he’ll come back tomorrow and if he doesn’t then it will probably be the day after, but it will be soon, because he promised.” The young girl’s expression became increasingly tense.

  “Well, if that’s the case, I’m sure he must be on his way here right now,” Jenny said, doing her best to placate the young girl. The other adults around the table looked sheepishly at each other. The discomfort of the lie was felt by all.

  Lucy drained her glass of wine and quickly refilled it. Getting drunk wouldn’t be a bad way to drift into sleep. Sober, she would just lie in bed and relive the past few days, relive the fear, the sheer unadulterated terror and the heartbreaking loss. But drunk, she could pass out into a dreamless coma.

  “I have to say, I can’t remember the last time I ate and drank this well,” Lucy said to Jenny and Keith.

  “It’s the least we can do. The prospect of delivering twins really wasn’t something I was relishing, so to have two medical professionals turn up at our door on the eve of the birth, well... Like I said, it’s the least we can do,” Jenny said, exuding gratitude.

  “Have you thought any more about those houses I was telling you about?” Keith asked as he poured himself some wine.

  “What houses?” Sammy demanded.

  “Mr Martin has said we can move into a house rather than stopping in the hotel, sweetie,” Lucy said, smiling at the young girl.

  “Well, it will be just until Mike gets here, because then we’re going to Grandma Fletcher’s.” This time Sammy didn’t even look up from her plate, she just announced it and carried on eating.

  Lucy raised her left eyebrow and gave Keith a look as if to say this is something we’ll discuss later.

  *

  Joseph missed his sons desperately, but there was peace within him as he sat at the large dinner table. His leg continued to be problematic and his cold symptoms had returned, but they were just trifling issues. He and what remained of his family were in the safe domain of Candleton. His brother had moved into this house just a few days ago as his farm was outside the village and therefore unsafe. But his wife, Bridget, had worked quickly to make the place her own, and as they all sat, about to say grace and feast on the bounty before them, they realised how lucky they were to be together.

  “Lord, thank you for the food we are about to receive. Thank you for guiding us to safety and bringing us to the house of my brother. And please, God, look after those we have lost along the way. Amen.” Joseph opened his eyes and looked at Daniel, who nodded appreciatively.

  “Well, have you told everybody the good news?” Daniel asked his older brother as he poured water into everyone’s glasses from a stoneware jug.

  “No, I was waiting for this very moment,” Joseph announced proudly. He took a sip of water. “Tomorrow, my loves, we move into our new house. It’s got five bedrooms, so there won’t be any need to share any more.”

  The smaller children looked at each other, spellbo
und. “Goodness, gracious,” Alice said, grateful for the prospect of being able to stay busy while she grieved for her fallen sons.

  “First thing in the morning, I’ll take you all to see it. It’s only one street away and, Beth, there’s a room there for Tracey if she wants to come and live with us.” He looked at his daughter. She had put her horrifying ordeal to the back of her mind, but with the mention of her co-captive, it all came flooding back.

  “I’ll go and see her tomorrow, Dad. I’ll ask her if she wants to.” Beth desperately wanted to leave the table. Suddenly the pain of her kidnapping was back. She felt like everyone was looking at her, imagining what she had gone through. There was no need to feel humiliation, but that’s exactly what she felt, humiliation and shame. She would ask Tracey, but she hoped she would say no. It was hard enough looking at her little sister. Even her sweet face brought back memories of being imprisoned in that breeze-block hell. Tracey had been the strongest one among them and, as grateful as Beth had been for the camaraderie at the time, now she just wanted to push those memories as far away as possible.

  *

  Mike made speedy progress out of the town centre and away from the hordes of RAMs who had persecuted him since his arrival in Skelton. As Ruth had promised, the car would not win a grand prix any time soon, but it was a lot faster and safer than being on foot. As soon as he was out of Skelton, the lanes narrowed and were surrounded by trees and hedgerows once again. He looked at the clock. 18:13. There was plenty of daylight left and at this speed he should be in Candleton within ten or fifteen minutes. He noticed the date underneath the time: 22 May. Tomorrow was his twenty-first birthday. Mike sniggered to himself. It wasn’t exactly how he had imagined it would be, but if he could spend it with his family and friends then it would be better than any present he could wish for.

  The sky was starting to cloud over, but with luck he would be in the warm embrace of his family long before the first drops of rain began to fall. The tyres screeched as he took a bend and Mike’s face lit up as he saw a sign saying “Candleton 4”. He didn’t understand why, but a tear ran down his cheek. Was it a tear of happiness? Was it just a physical release of all the stress? Or was it because he was scared? Beyond all the hardship and battles he had fought in Skelton, there had always been an underlying terror. Not for himself, but for his loved ones. Had they made it to safety? If not, everything he’d done had been for nothing. He had focussed so much on getting back to them that the nagging doubt had been pushed far to the back of his mind. Now that the answer was in reach, the hammering fist of apprehension was beating inside his chest.

  The Micra negotiated another sharp bend in the road before Mike hit the brake, bringing it to a bone-jerking stop. A huge tree lay across the tarmac. Even with rope, the small Nissan would barely be able to shift one of its branches, never mind the trunk. To either side of the tarmac were ploughed fields. If the group had made it this far, no doubt Joseph would have known of some secluded farm track that would have taken them beyond this obstacle. Even if Mike could find such a trail it wouldn’t be long before the small Micra got stuck or ran into a ditch. No, the only way forward for him was on foot. The anxiety he had been feeling was replaced by the more familiar feeling of anger as he walked the length of the tree. It looked healthy. To the best of his knowledge there had been no wind or lightning in the past few days. Then something caught his eye: sawdust. This tree had been deliberately felled.

  He instinctively withdrew his shotgun. Could it be raiders setting up a roadblock to rob anyone who stopped? Or was it a town or village further up the road making access harder for any potential enemies? He carefully surveyed the surrounding area and saw no signs of anybody or any vehicle ready to rush towards him. He pumped the slide on the shotgun just in case and walked around the fallen tree. He took the map out of his rucksack and studied it as he walked. If he stayed on the road for the next two miles he could then take a cross-country footpath over a small hill and rejoin the road just before Candleton. Mike took another look around. If anybody was going to pounce, they would have done it by now. He pushed the shotgun into the rucksack, zipped up his coat, pulled up the collar and began to jog.

  *

  There were three gentle taps on the door. “Hello?” Emma said, lifting her tear-stained cheeks from the pillow and looking up.

  The handle slowly turned and Samantha gingerly angled her head around the corner. “Hi, it’s just me,” she said, entering the room and closing the door behind her.

  Emma wasn’t in the mood for company but she knew Samantha meant well, so she sat up and tried to look like she was happy to see her. “Where are Sammy and Jake?”

  “After dinner, the Martins took them into the bar area. There’s a dartboard and a snooker table in there. They looked like Christmas had come early. Don’t worry, Lucy and Tracey are with them.” Samantha gestured to ask if it was alright to sit on the bed beside her and Emma nodded.

  “At dinner, Sammy said it was Mike’s birthday tomorrow,” Samantha blurted, as if it had been on her mind all night. Emma nodded. It had been one of the things on her mind all night.

  “My sister would have been twenty-one next month,” Samantha continued. “The problem is, you never know when you’re going to see someone or speak to them for the last time. There were so many things I wanted to say to Claire, to my mum and dad, and now I’ll never get the chance. But they knew I loved them and I know they loved me and sometimes that has to be enough, otherwise you can drive yourself mad.” Samantha wasn’t looking towards Emma, but staring off into a corner of the room.

  Emma sat there, realising that this was one of the reasons she was in so much pain, the sheer wealth of things she wanted him to know. How sorry she was for leaving him to go to London, how grateful she was for how he had led her, Sammy and Jake to safety, and how proud she was that he had done it without a second thought for himself. “You’re right. The things you don’t say haunt you more than the things you do. And there’s so much I should have said to him.”

  Samantha turned and, using her practised bedside manner, took hold of the grieving sister’s hand. “It’s going to take time, Emma, but trust me, it will get better, little by little. And thanks to Mike, you don’t have to go through any of it alone.” Samantha released her hold and stood up. “I know from experience what it’s like and I know you’ll just want to be by yourself for a while. But if you wake up one day and decide you want to talk, you know where I am.” She smiled sympathetically and made to leave.

  “Thanks, Samantha, that means a lot,” Emma said, lowering her legs off the bed for just the second time that day.

  “I really liked Mike, Emma. From the first time Claire brought him home I could tell he was different to a lot of other guys. He possessed an honour and sincerity which you rarely see, and that’s what defined him. That’s what made him the kind of person who would run towards danger to save others while everybody else was running away. Remember, Emma, day or night, if you want someone to talk to, you just come and find me.”

  Emma remained on the edge of the bed with her bare feet gently stroking the soft woollen carpet as Samantha closed the door behind her. Hearing that Sammy and Jake were in the bar had given her the urge to drink. Alcohol might numb the pain for a while. Surely anything was better than feeling like this. She reached for her trainers and slipped them on.

  She arrived at the entrance to the bar area to see Sammy and Jake taking it in turns to throw darts with Lucy watching them, while Keith and Jenny sat at a table with Tracey. Samantha was standing behind them. All the adults had drinks in their hands. Obviously she wasn’t the only one who wanted to blot out reality or at least have a mild sedative. Jenny stood up enthusiastically and guided Emma to the bar.

  “I’ve had my fair share of heartache, girl, and I don’t care what anybody says – a stiff drink, a friendly ear and a soft shoulder to cry on make it a lot more manageable. Now, first thi
ngs first, m’dear, what’s your poison?” Jenny smiled.

  When Emma had first met Keith’s wife she had thought that she was quite cold and aloof, but now she felt the woman’s warmth; she was taken aback by her compassion and the surprise rendered her temporarily speechless. She stood there trying to think of what drink would suit her purposes best. The seconds of indecision ran on, and Jenny took charge.

  “You’re absolutely right. Why just pick one?” Jenny smiled, grabbed an extra glass, put it on a serving tray and then did the same with bottles of vodka, gin, rum and brandy. She walked back round from behind the bar, signalled for Emma to join her and they returned to the table. “Move up, Keith,” she said, placing the tray down. “Emma’s sitting next to me.”

  *

  Mike hadn’t seen a single soul on his journey from Skelton. He had, however, come across four more felled trees. If Candleton was responsible for these, Joseph may have been right about the village’s resourcefulness – it was a smart move. With the right equipment and a lot of time, the trees were not immovable, but they would certainly use up effort and resources and would probably demoralise any potential attackers. There was a small sign up ahead. He slowed down to read it and check the map. This was it. This was the public footpath he needed to take. Light droplets of rain began to fall as he left the grey tarmac and began his uphill trek across to Candleton. Even though there was an incline, he was running faster now than he had been. The promise of this journey coming to an end was too much of a lure, and as his tired legs and aching feet thumped against the dirt track, he remembered happier times when he and Alex had gone running together. What he wouldn’t give to have Alex there now.