The World's Last Breaths: Final Winter, Animal Kingdom, and The Peeling

by Iain Rob Wright

  Grace hissed at him. “Fuck you!”

  Randall backhanded her across the face. “Get some bloody sense in you, girl.”

  He stomped over to the filing cabinet. Unlocked it with his key. From the contents inside he pulled out a bottle of water and a first aid kit. He set them down on the desk. “To think I came in here to check on you and this is how you repay me. Suicide is for the weak and pathetic.”

  “I wasn’t trying to kill myself.”

  Randall raised an eyebrow as he unscrewed the top from the water bottle. “Just shut up and give me your arm.” He poured the water over the wound and the blood diluted pink as it ran down toward her elbow. She winced as the liquid touched her skin and tried to pull away, but he held her tight. When the wound was clean, he put on a plastic glove from the first aid kit and yanked at the wooden splinter. Grace squealed as it came free.

  Randall examined the bloody splinter in his hand and felt revulsion as he imagined what it must have felt like entering the girl’s flesh. “Where did you even get this from?”

  “The table leg was split.”

  Randall looked down at the bottom of the desk and saw that one of the legs had a deep gouge in it. He took a bandage from the kit and started to wrap her wound. “Why did you do this?”

  Grace started to cry. “I can’t help it. I need my pills.”

  Randall nodded. “So that’s why Joe risked himself downstairs. You’re a nutcase and you need your loopy-pills.”

  Grace looked at him contemptuously. “Something like that.”

  “Well, if you promise to behave, I’ll let you out. I’ll look after you even.”

  “I don’t want you to look after me. Just let me out and I’ll look after myself.”

  “Is that so? Do you not think life would be easier with my protection?”

  “Protection from what? Your thug, Victor?”

  Randall nodded, the torchlight bobbing along with his movement as he directed it on her wound. “Among other things.” He rubbed at the bare flesh of her neck. “I could be a friend to you.”

  Grace spat in his face

  Randall wiped away the saliva with the back of his hand and sprang to his feet. “Bitch! Fine, be that way.” He yanked open the filing cabinet and took an object from inside. “We’ll see how much longer you can last until you’re begging for my mercy.”

  Randall stormed off towards the exit. Before he left, he turned around and tossed a surgical scalpel onto the floor. It skidded into the centre of the room with a clang.

  Grace’s expression was one of utter horror.

  “Good luck without your pills,” Randall said, and then closed the office door.

  29

  The first thing Joe thought about when he opened his eyes was Grace. The night before, he had awoken with her beside him. He already felt her absence like a bedsore. He looked around and saw that everyone else in the room was still sleeping. Danny’s little eyes twitched as he no doubt dreamt about being a famous wrestler.

  Joe crawled along the floor, gradually raising himself until he was on his feet. He snuck out into the corridor, intending to check on Grace again, and stopped outside the office door when he reached it. He rapped a knuckle lightly on the wood.

  Silence.

  He knocked again, but still received no response. A fire ignited in his belly. Come on, Grace, answer!

  Joe knocked one more time, a little louder this time but still quiet enough not to risk waking the others.

  “Joe, is that you?”

  “Grace! Are you okay?”

  That stupid question again.

  “I…I’m alive and that’s what matters.”

  “I’m going to get you out of there, right now. This has to sto-”

  “Joe, listen to me.”

  Joe stopped what he was doing. “What is it?”

  “It’s Randall. He came in last night and--”

  Joe bashed his fist against the door. “That fucker!”

  “No, no, nothing happened. Nothing like that.”

  “Then what?”

  “He opened a filing cabinet in here to…to get me a bottle of water. He forgot to lock it when he left.”

  “Okay, and…?”

  “It’s full of supplies. Food, weapons, medicine.”

  Joe cursed under his breath. “That dirty, rotten--”

  “But that’s not the thing that really matters. I found a phone in the cabinet. There’re messages on it about government rescue centres. There’s one down the road – in Leicester.”

  Joe’s eyes stretched wide. “You’re kidding me?”

  “You have to tell the others. They won’t support him if they know he’s been holding out on us all.”

  “You’re right,” Joe agreed. “We’ll have you out of there in a jiffy.”

  “A jiffy?”

  Joe blushed. “That’s what I said. Just hold tight for a little while longer, okay?”

  “Go do what you have to do, Joe. Just don’t forget about me, okay?”

  Joe smiled and ran his fingers against the door’s surface. “Never.”

  He turned around and hurried back towards the seminar room. The weight of the information Grace had just given him was almost sending him dizzy.

  I can’t wait to see your face, Randall – you arrogant asshole. I knew it would only be a matter of time until I brought you down. Turns out that your little reign of terror isn’t even gonna last a full day.

  Joe had a smile on his face as he pushed open the door to the seminar room. He hadn’t expected to be confronted with Randall’s ugly face quite so soon, but the man stood before him now, blocking his path.

  “And what exactly are you doing wandering around? No one goes anywhere without my express permission.”

  Joe laughed in the man’s face. “Screw you, Randall.”

  Randall shook his head as if some deep regret had found its way into his soul. “How very disappointing. I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to detain anybody else.”

  “The only thing you’re going to detain is my fist in your face.”

  “I think Victor will feel differently.”

  Joe smirked. “You think so? What about after I show him what’s inside your secret filing cabinet.”

  Randall suddenly went pale, like an overweight ghost. “What…what are you talking about?”

  “You forgot to lock it during your late night visit to Grace. She found your little stockpile, and – more importantly – she found your phone. We know that there’s help nearby.”

  Randall laughed heartily, although Joe wasn’t buying it. “She tell you that, did she? The woman’s a nutcase. I found her slashing herself to pieces. If I hadn’t checked on her she’d probably be dead by now.”

  Joe felt sick. “Is she okay?”

  Randall shook his head. “Not really. I bandaged her as best I could, but she’s a very sick young lady.”

  “I know,” said Joe.

  “It’s a good thing I was there, my friend.”

  Joe nodded. “It certainly was, you’re a hero, but may I ask you one thing?”

  “Of course?”

  “Why exactly were you visiting Grace in the middle of the night while everyone else was asleep?”

  Randall’s pale cheeks suddenly went red. “I…well, I…”

  “Wrong answer.” Joe let loose with a right-handed punch, sending Randall sprawling onto the carpet. He was pretty sure the blow broke the man’s nose and it almost felt like payback for when Victor had broken his.

  He’s lucky that’s not all I’m gonna break.

  Randall fell down on his rump and squealed. “That is it! Victor, lock this maniac up before he hurts anybody else. I will deal with him later.”

  Joe looked up and saw Victor approaching from the seminar room. He also saw that everyone else had now woken up and were milling about the room with looks of concern on their faces.

  Victor looked down at Randall, clutching his bleeding nose, but didn’t seem to care mu
ch. “We have bigger things to worry about right now, pal. The animals are back.”

  30

  Joe knew they would come back, but he had been hoping for more time. It didn’t change things, though. He was still getting out of there today.

  Everyone lined up against the seminar room’s cracked window, looking out at the horrors below. The silverback had returned, bringing with him an army that dwarfed his previous one. Now cats, dogs, foxes, and badgers mingled amongst the more exotic species of the zoo. A number of the original army’s members, such as the African elephant, were sporting wounds and horrible burns – mementos of their earlier, failed attack.

  Doesn’t look like it fazed them much.

  Victor picked up a firebomb. “Same procedure as before, people. The silverback is the priority.”

  “What’s the deal with him anyway?” asked Bill. “Who put the gorilla in charge of all the animals?”

  Mason cleared his throat, removed his spectacles and rubbed them on his shirt. “His name is Nero, a very intelligent Eastern Lowland Gorilla. He’s the oldest animal at the zoo – forty-eight. He was born here.”

  Bill shook his head. “Damn, he’s been caged here for fifty years?”

  Mason nodded. “Yes. Perhaps that’s why he’s in charge. Maybe he hates us the most.”

  “Don’t matter none now,” said Victor, handing out weapons and the remaining firebombs that he had removed from a locked cabinet. “An enemy with a cause is still an enemy. We spread ’em with fire and use the ballast against anything that gets to close.”

  Joe took two firebombs that were handed to him and thought about smashing them in Victor’s face. He knew it wouldn’t be the smart thing to do right now, though. The animals were the biggest danger and they all needed to fight together.

  Joe had a thought. “Victor, we need to let Grace out. She can fight for us.”

  Victor considered it. “I agree, but Randall’s the one with the key.”

  The floor vibrated as the animals rushed the building. Joe looked out to see several elephants and a pair of rhinos heading towards the walls. Dust began to fall from the ceiling, coating everything in a film of chalky powder.

  “They’re gonna bring down the building,” said Bill.

  “They tried it before,” said Victor, “and failed.”

  The building shook upon impact and Joe almost fell to his knees. “There’re more of them this time.”

  Victor smiled. “Just means more of them to kill.” The Scotsmen hung himself out of the window and let loose another beaker of acid. It doused the animals below and they roared in agony – but carried on attacking.

  “It’s not working,” said Joe, lighting the wick on a firebomb.”

  “Hit them with the fire,” said Victor. “Anything with flesh burns.”

  Joe tossed his bomb through the window and watched it plummet toward the ground. It smashed against the flank of one of the elephants, sending it wheeling around in agony as the flames engulfed it.

  What happened next demoralised everyone.

  The elephant on fire lifted its snout into the air and angled it over its back. A sudden gout of water released from its trunk.

  Joe watched the flames disappear. “They’re carrying water in their trunks. They planned for this.”

  Victor was grinning madly. “Looks like we have a proper fight on our hands, lads.”

  Bill was in full blown panic now, both his hands on top of his head as he chewed ravenously at his lower lip. “What the hell do we do?”

  Victor threw a beaker full of acid and it hit the partially-burned elephant in the face. It staggered backwards, falling to its knees. Smoke hissed from the surface of its skin as globs of grey flesh fell from its face. A moment later the pachyderm fell to the floor, dead.

  Victor turned around. “Let’s die fighting.”

  “Screw that,” Bill shouted. “We need to get out of here.”

  Victor thrust his knife at Bill, holding Martha just inches from his nose. “No one leaves without Randall’s say so.”

  Another impact hit the building. Joe shoved Victor’s arm away from Bill’s face. “Screw Randall! He’s been holding out on us all. He has a phone and knows about a rescue centre nearby.”

  Victor didn’t seem impressed. He turned and threw another acid bomb out the window. “Desperate times call for desperate measures, pal. I’m sure he had his reasons.”

  Joe shook his head in disbelief. “Don’t you care? We could find help out there, the army even.”

  “I know all about how the army works, pal. I’d rather take my chances here.”

  Joe threw his hands up. “Fine. Have fun going down with the ship, but we’re going. Come on Bill.”

  Joe started to leave when he realised that Bill was not following, instead he was staring out of the window with bug eyes. Shirley and Mason were staring too. Joe turned to see what they were all looking at.

  “Holy shit!”

  “Aye,” said Victor. “Quite a sight, ain’t it?”

  Coming towards the building was a herd of giraffes. Covering their backs like flies was a legion of monkeys. Joe understood immediately what was happening. “They’re going to climb up the giraffes to get in.”

  “Just like using a siege tower to breach a castle wall,” Victor marvelled. “Beautiful.”

  Joe grabbed Bill and pulled him away from the window. “We’re getting Grace and Danny and leaving. Right now!”

  Bill snapped out of his daze and allowed himself to be ushered away. “Okay,” he said. “Where is Danny?”

  Joe stopped in his tracks and examined the room. Danny was gone, his pile of plastic animals the only indicator that he had ever been there. The next thing Joe noticed made him feel sick.

  Randall was missing too.

  “That bastard has my son!”

  Bill looked confused. “Huh? You don’t know that. Why would he snatch Danny?”

  Joe growled. “Because I know what he’s been up to, and like any politician he’ll do whatever it takes to shut me up.” Joe suddenly had a worrying thought. “Grace, too.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Joe shook his head and grabbed Bill’s arm again. “Doesn’t matter, but we have to go.”

  Joe sped into the corridor, Bill limping behind. He had a bad feeling.

  A really bad feeling.

  Joe didn’t knock on the office door this time. He threw himself at the wood. It didn’t break, and the impact made him see stars as he bounced off and fell to the ground.

  Bill reached down and helped him up. “I don’t think a door like that is gonna give.”

  Joe leapt up and hit the door again and again.

  The wood was too thick and Joe slumped against it in defeat. His shoulder was numb, but his heart was where the real agony was.

  Bill grabbed the door’s handle and turned it. The door swung open and Joe fell through onto the floor inside. The shock confused his brain and he lay there, stunned.

  Bill entered the room behind Joe. “Always try the handle first, man.”

  The words didn’t reach Joe as they were meant to; they seemed to float into his ears before fading into nothingness. His mind was too chaotic to accept any new information.

  The room was empty and Danny and Grace were gone.

  31

  “Sit there!” Randall ordered Grace. He pushed her down on a chair in the warehouse’s small office. Danny struggled against him, but it was useless. The cable ties that bound them together by their wrists were far stronger than the boy’s meagre strength. Randall reached forward and fastened a new set of cable-ties to Grace’s wrist, securing her to a swivel chair. Her blood was all over him, not because of anything he had done, but because of all the thick gashes and tender slices she had made on herself with the scalpel he’d left her overnight.

  I guess I did kind of do it to her in a way.

  Luckily, she had been lying in a pool of her own blood when he’d entered his office earlier a
nd not coming at him with the blade as he had expected. It was easy to get her and the boy down the corridor while everyone else was distracted by the animal attack. His plan was to exit through the warehouse and make it to the next nearest building, or perhaps even find a car. He still wasn’t about to go and seek out the government’s rescue aid, but had at least come to terms with the fact that the visitor’s centre was a lost cause. It would only be a matter of time before the animals breeched it.

  Or bring it down all together. Damned elephants!

  The only detail he hadn’t worked out yet was how to proceed safely. It was a fairly reasonable guess to think that the coast would be clear – the bulk of the animal army was busy attacking the east side of the building. Hopefully, Victor and the others would distract them long enough for Randall to make his escape unnoticed.

  “You can’t do this,” Grace shouted at him. “We don’t want to come with you.”

  Randall pulled the cable-ties tighter and she winced as they bit into her flesh. “What’s the matter, sweetheart? I thought you liked pain?”

  Grace was weeping. “No I hate it. I fucking hate it!”

  “Tough shit! You’re going to have to get used to it, and if you don’t shut up I’m going to fasten one of these around your throat and watch while you strangle to death. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not, and when it’s just you, me, and the boy you won’t have the option of resisting me. There will be no one to save you.”

  Grace didn’t speak.

  Good girl. Learning so fast.

  Randall stood away from Grace and closed the office door. He yanked Danny in front of him on the metal walkway and made the boy look at him. “And I’m gonna be your new dad. How’d you like that?”

  The boy tried to pull away. “You don’t deserve to be anyone’s dad. You’re horrible.”

  Randall backhanded the boy, which made him cry out, so he shoved his hand over his mouth and shushed him. Danny bit his palm. Randall leapt back in pain, yanking the boy with him by the cable ties connecting them at the wrists. They crumpled to the floor with Danny landing on top. The boy started to beat at Randall with his fists.