The door opened slowly and Joseph appeared, followed by Beth, John and Annie. Emma eased herself up from the bed.
“I hope you don’t mind us popping in?” Joseph enquired politely.
“Of course not,” Emma lied. All she wanted was to be left alone to grieve. Well, that’s not all she wanted. She wanted her little brother and sister to accept what was happening, so that she could mourn with her family rather than by herself.
“Are they looking after you here?” Joseph asked as he and Beth sat down on the bed next to Emma.
“The people couldn’t be nicer,” Emma replied, struggling with the banality of the question.
“I’ve spoken to my brother, Daniel, and to Mr Martin. There are a few houses free in the village. A lot of folk went to join their families all over the country when the problems first started, so now they’re just lying empty. Of course, you don’t have to make a decision now, but when you’re ready, if you choose to stay, you don’t have to live out of a suitcase. You can have a home here.” He put his hand on Emma’s and the irritation she had felt dissipated.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of choosing to stay, Joseph. I wouldn’t feel confident with just me, Lucy and Samantha travelling the rest of the journey with the kids in tow. I mean, look what’s happened to us so far, and we’ve barely come fifty miles.”
“Stories are already going around the village about us, about what we did to get here, about what Mike did,” Beth said, trying to make Emma feel better.
The three of them sat on the bed and the four children began talking as if they were in the playground at break time. That small snapshot of normality brought a little comfort to the adults.
Joseph and Beth stood up. “Well, I didn’t want to take up much of your time. I just wanted to check in with you and see if you needed anything,” Joseph said, placing a gentle hand on Emma’s shoulder.
“That’s very kind of you, Joseph, thank you. But they’re taking good care of us here,” she replied, patting his hand twice in acknowledgement.
“Come on, kids,” Beth said to her younger siblings as the family made their way out of the room.
As soon as the door closed, Emma reclined on the bed once more, keen to lose herself in her thoughts, while her younger brother and sister began laying out a Monopoly board.
“Do you think she’ll be okay, Dad?” Beth asked as they walked down the hall.
Joseph’s leg was now constantly numb below the knee, but at least his cold symptoms had cleared up for the time being, although last night he had woken up with the worst headache he had ever had. Now he came to think of it, it wasn’t the headache that had woken him up but the agonising cramp in his thigh. My goodness, he was falling apart at the seams. Is this what it was like to get old?
“Dad?” Beth said, surprised that her father hadn’t responded at all.
“Sorry, love, I was miles away. What did you say?”
“Do you think Emma will be okay?” she asked again.
“I think all of us are going to be fine,” Joseph said, putting his arm around his daughter’s shoulder.
*
Mike turned and ducked in one instinctive movement. Three people were running at him. The first was a middle-aged woman with long black hair, flecked with grey, and fierce dark brown eyes. She was the one howling while swinging a chair in his direction. Mike’s ducking movement meant she lost her balance and went flailing off to the right. The second figure was a small rotund man, completely bald, his body lost in a thick brown hand-knitted pullover. He tried to right hook Mike, who easily deflected the punch. The third attacker was a middle-aged man with gelled black hair and a thin moustache. He ran at Mike with a broom handle. Mike grabbed it tightly and jettisoned his assailant across the tile floor. All three hurried to gather themselves. Mike pulled the shotgun out of his rucksack, pumped it and pointed.
They froze, instinctively raising their hands. The fear and uncertainty caused by being attacked vanished as Mike looked at the motley assembly in front of him.
“Fuck me, it’s the Addams family. You haven’t got Pugsley and Wednesday hiding round here somewhere have you?” Mike asked. The three remained silent, angry with themselves for not taking down the intruder. “Who the hell are you?” Mike demanded, still pointing the shotgun in their direction.
“I think the more pertinent question is who the hell are you?” the woman asked, trying to control her frustration and fear. The two men remained cowering, looking down at the floor.
“I’ll ask you again.” This time Mike raised the shotgun to his shoulder and pointed directly at her.
The woman gulped and held her breath, then released it, stuck out her chest and announced, “We’re the librarians.”
It was totally inappropriate, but Mike burst out laughing. The woman had spoken as if announcing she was a member of the Justice League or The Avengers.
It took a moment before he regained his composure and resumed eye contact with the woman, who looked more indignant than ever. “Look, if I put this away, the three of you aren’t going to try anything stupid, are you?” He looked from face to face. Each shook their head vehemently and Mike lowered the shotgun into the rucksack. His attention was drawn to two vending machines, both were open and still half full. He walked across and pulled out a bottle of mineral water and a chocolate bar.
The librarians just watched, afraid to move but curious as to who the intruder was. Mike took a long drink and then wolfed down the chocolate bar before grabbing another.
“So, what are you guys doing in here?” Mike leant against the drab beige wall of the foyer and gently slouched down to the floor. The woman walked across to the vending machine, gesturing as if to ask whether it was okay for her to take a drink. Mike nodded enthusiastically and she sat down opposite, prudishly adjusting her skirt as she did.
“The library has been closed for near on six months, but we’ve all still got keys, so we pop in regularly to borrow books. Well, on Tuesday, there was an emergency meeting at the town hall and we all agreed to meet here beforehand. We were just about to set off when we heard screaming and shouting followed by gunfire, lots of gunfire. We didn’t need to see what was going on to know what was going on.” The woman stopped and took a long drink from her bottle. “We yanked the shutter down, put the padlock on and have been here ever since. We keep hearing the odd gun, the odd charging group of what we can only assume are those things, but we’re safe as long as we’re in here.”
Mike took another sip of water. “Trust me, it’s not nice out there. How are you fixed for food and water?”
“We’re actually quite fortunate from that point of view. As well as the vending machines and the additional stock for the vending machines, we’ve got a staff room with a water cooler and a dozen replacement bottles, and the library cafe has quite a lot of tinned items. They shut the place down so quickly that they never thought to remove the supplies, so we’ll be fine for quite a while.” She looked towards her co-workers, who were staring angrily at her for giving the intruder so much information.
Mike picked up on the body language. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to rip off all your supplies. I’m after a map.”
“What kind of map?” the Uncle Fester lookalike asked with interest.
“I came into town with my family. An army of those things attacked us and I led them off while my brother and sisters escaped. They were going to a place called Candleton. I know it’s north of here, but that’s about it.”
All three librarians sprang to their feet as if their lives had a purpose once again. They hustled through the labyrinth of shelves and headed straight towards the map section. Mike stood up and followed them. As he reached them, the Gomez lookalike had already pulled an Ordnance Survey map from the shelf and handed it to him.
“Wow, I’m impressed, guys, that’s quick work.” Mike smiled warmly towards the increasingly likeable trio.
“Was there anything else you needed?” the woman asked. Her d
emeanour suggested she was the head librarian.
Mike was about to say no, then he paused. “Actually, now you mention it, there is something else.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Lucy opened the door to Emma’s room. The tight-knit group had shared so much over the previous few days that there was no need for formalities like knocking. The children rushed up to her enthusiastically and Sammy flung her arms around her waist.
“Do you want to play Monopoly with us?” the young girl asked, before racing her brother back to the board.
“Maybe later, sweetie, I was just coming in to see how you were all doing.” She levered off her trainers and planted herself on the bed next to Emma. Both were in a semi-upright position, able to see the children play contentedly. “They seem to be holding up pretty well,” Lucy said, watching Jake throw the dice.
“Yep,” Emma admitted, with more than a hint of bitterness in her voice.
“Y’know, we got a guided tour of the village today. It’s incredible what they’ve done with this place, how they’ve fortified it, how they’ve planned. I think we’re going to be safe here, Emma.”
She turned to look at Lucy, her dark eyebrows arched in sadness. When she spoke it was only just loud enough to hear. “I know I should be grateful that we’re somewhere safe. I know I should be grateful that we’re alive, but right now, all I really know is that my brother’s gone. I can’t see beyond that, Lucy. I don’t want to see beyond that.” Tears began to trickle down Emma’s face and Lucy pulled her close, like a parent comforting her child.
The pair stayed like that for some time. Eventually Emma pulled away and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.
“Have you eaten today?” Lucy asked, playing mother again.
“I don’t want anything,” Emma replied. The thought of food filling the emptiness inside her was too repugnant.
“Sweetie, if you don’t eat, you’re going to get ill. You have to look after yourself. Sammy and Jake are counting on you more than ever now. Look, I’m about to go down for some dinner, why don’t you and the kids come join me?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine, honestly, but if you’d be willing to take Jake and Sammy, I’d appreciate it.”
Lucy looked ruefully towards her. “Of course I’ll take them, sweetie.”
The children happily followed her out of the room and Lucy closed the door behind her, leaving Emma alone for the first time since arriving in Candleton. Emma edged down the bed and reached across for another pillow, clutching it to her chest as she began to wail.
*
After Mike had checked out the items he needed, courtesy of the three librarians, they all sat down in the comfortable chairs of the reading area. He studied the map while the others talked quietly amongst themselves. When he’d finished, he surveyed the small group of oddballs. The three of them were clearly social misfits: intelligent, geeky and, outside of the confines of this library, very vulnerable. Together though, they were companions, equals, who understood each other’s awkwardness.
“Look, you guys.” Mike spoke and the other three stopped. “It’s late afternoon now, I can’t really risk setting off tonight, so I’m going to go first thing tomorrow. Why don’t you think about coming with me?”
All three were stunned into silence. They looked at each other, shocked first by the generosity of such an offer from this stranger and then by the mere suggestion that any of them could ever consider leaving the only place they felt whole. They whispered among themselves for a few minutes and then the woman spoke.
“I don’t even know your name,” she said. The crow’s feet around her eyes deepened as her face warmed.
“I’m Mike. Mike Fletcher,” he said and impulsively held out his hand.
“I’m Ruth, this is David and this is Richard,” the woman said, introducing her two colleagues. “It’s a most generous offer, Mike, but we don’t really plan on leaving here.”
“I don’t understand. What are you going to do when the food and drink run out?” he asked naively.
“We’ve made plans. We’ve got a few weeks left and we intend to enjoy them together in the place we love. Then, when the time comes, we’re all going to leave together,” she answered, looking towards her friends.
It slowly dawned on Mike what she was saying. He didn’t know if the suicide pact had come before or after the night of the town meeting, but they were clearly resolute. He hung his head solemnly. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s what we want,” David answered, leaning forward.
“Look, Mike,” Ruth said, “it’s not exactly a sports car, but I’ve got a Nissan Micra in the staff car park. I’m not going to be using it again. I don’t think it will handle cross-country trails well, but you’re only a few miles from Candleton by road and you’re welcome to it.”
The chance of him finding a vehicle with keys and a good battery had been so remote that he had resigned himself to making the trip on foot, but now this stranger was offering him a passport to his family. It saddened him to think that he wouldn’t get to know these people better, that no-one would.
Ruth stood up and went to her workstation. She pulled out her handbag and removed the car keys, then came back round and handed them to Mike. “Honestly, Mike, they’re of no use to me now.”
Mike got to his feet and took the keys gratefully. “Thank you, Ruth. This is one of those moments in life when the words can’t match the sentiment, but thank you. If you could meet them, I guarantee my family would thank you as well. Because of you, I’m going to get to see my brother and sisters again tonight.” Mike took her hand in both of his and shook it firmly. “Now, I don’t suppose you’ve got a stepladder so I can get back out?” he asked, smiling.
“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.”
Safe Haven (Book 1): Rise of the Rams Page 25