George (Book 1): The Long Road Home

by Scarlet Le Clair

  “Alright get going guys, it goes without saying anything else you think may be helpful grab. Stay safe.”

  I was the first out the door desperate to get some fresh air and as far away from Deacon as possible. The guy gave me the creeps.

  Chapter 6

  We walked together around the building to the back where they kept the cars. It was a huge enclosed area that was locked by a simple bolt lock.

  “Wait here, I'll go get the car,” said Tony, he unlocked the gate easily and walked off towards a big black jeep. He got in, started up and brought it around to us. It was a Ford pickup truck with nudge bars and a line of lights on top of the cab. I got in the back with Will and was surprised to find myself with ample leg room. At 6ft 4 I had always found myself cramped in the back of vehicles.

  “Nice huh?” Adam called from the passenger seat. “It's a Ford Ranger. 4x4. My baby, although I can't drive her at the moment because of this.” He held up his hand that was lightly bandaged. “Caught my hand in the gate rushing to close it before being swarmed by the spookies, that's my word for the zombies. Cool huh?” Adam talked too fast and seemed really nice.

  I smiled at him. “Yeah cool,” I agreed, Poppy would love that name, it sounded fun and not at all like the zombies.

  “Shut the fuck up Adam, that's all you do is talk. How about we ride in silence for a while huh?” Tony shouted from the driver’s seat.

  “Ok no need to shout.” Adam held his hands up in mock surrender.

  They started to argue back and forth, I tuned them out and turned to look out of the window. I was saddened by what I saw.

  Empty buildings abandoned by their owners, some missing their windows, others had been burned in fires, most of them had blood and other body parts, I would rather not describe, smeared over the walls, doors and even the pavements. Bodies lay on the ground, too damaged to have reanimated.

  However, some of the houses stood relatively untouched. We drove through one town called Aldham and I noticed a library and a fire station that looked in good condition but saw that the police station door was hanging wide open.

  There were a few undead shambling around, their clothes all seemed to be their ‘best clothes’. They had on suits and what were once beautiful dresses. I wondered if they had been in church at the time of the change or if they were burial clothes perhaps?

  That’s when I saw her, the bride. Her once white dress was now stained red and brown, it was ripped all the way up to her left thigh. She dragged the leg behind her and she appeared to have a severely broken ankle.

  We had slowed down to navigate our way through a pile up in the middle of the road. She got closer, I was really scared but I could not take my eyes off her. There were about a dozen other zombies or ‘spookies’ coming towards our car but all I could see was her. Her face was now deathly white-grey and her eyes that milky white color and I wondered if they could see us or just hear and smell us. Her left cheek and her chin were missing as was part of her neck, like someone had just bitten her cheek and then ripped down to her chin and pulled, tearing off a long strip of meat. Because of the injury, I could see her jaw bone, teeth and gums. It was a gruesome sight. She was now so close that if I had had my window down, I could have reached out and touched her. Her mouth moved up and down and I could imagine the click-clack sound that her teeth made as they snapped together.

  My heart ached at the horribleness of being attacked by and turning into a zombie on your wedding day or at all for that matter. ‘til death do us part…’ and all that.

  We moved on now so I could no longer see her. But the image of her was burned into the back of my mind.

  I continued looking out of the window. We saw more of the walking dead but not as many as I thought we would. I wondered if the government really was getting control over this disease and wiping out the infected walking dead.

  We pulled up outside a doctor’s surgery, they had a built on pharmacy. “I remember this being built,” I said now knowing exactly where we were and how to get home from here. “There was a big deal about it in the news, new doctor’s health centre to have two different doctor’s surgeries, dentist, opticians, small hospital for the elderly and a morgue. It’s pretty useless now though.” I was talking to myself more than anyone else but my mind was working overtime. I wasn't that far away from family and it made me more determined to escape ASAP. I started to plan where I would go and what I would do to remain safe when Tony interrupted my thoughts.

  “Whoop Dee fucking do, a new place, dentist blah blah. WE DON’T CARE. Let's just move quickly so we can get home.” Tony glared and shouted at me.

  “Ok, sheesh just remembering the good days when people still needed doctors and morticians,” I mumbled, getting out of the car and walking around the front to meet Will and the rest.

  “Right George, you and Tony stay up front, get everything on your list plus anything else you see that may come in handy. Adam and I will go through to the back and get what we need, once you’re finished come through to us. It seems to all be in one floor, not two as we originally thought. As always stay together and watch each other's backs,” Will said and before he could finish, Tony was already walking off. “Yeah, yeah. It's a simple run. Go in get the stuff and get home, let's go.”

  Will shook his head, biting back his angry response and followed after Tony, indicating with his hand that the other two should do so also.

  As they reached him, Tony opened the door to the pharmacy slowly. He called into the pharmacy. “Hello is anyone in there? We don't mean no harm we are just looking for supplies.”

  We all waited, each of us holding our breath listening for the telltale dragging of feet or the horrible moans that accompanied the zombies.

  “Ok, looks like we are good to go,” Will said after about a minute, he walked through the door, gun at the ready, Adam followed him, then Tony and I brought up the rear. It wasn't a big area, all the shelves lined the wall leaving a big open area in the middle with a few chairs in it for people to sit and wait for their prescriptions. At the back of this room was a large open window with the words pharmacy written above it and a door with a number lock.

  Will walked up to the window and stuck his head through. He looked left and right and down to the floor. “So far it looks good. I'm going in!” he said jumping up and through the window in one fluid movement.

  Tony swore under his breath.

  I got out the list again and re read it. I thought I knew it off by heart but I wanted to make sure we got everything.

  I started on the first shelving unit on the left and worked my way clockwise. I had gotten most things on my list and turned to see that Tony hadn't moved, he was just standing by the door smoking a cigarette. “Are you going to help? We would be done much quicker with two of us,” I asked him.

  “I'm the lookout” he said turning away from me and stepping outside of the door.

  I shook my head in annoyance and carried onto the last shelf, here they had anti acid tablets, energy bars, diet shakes etc.

  I grabbed all of the bars and shakes and tablets that my bag could carry. I slipped four of the bars into the pockets of my trousers, I felt they would come in handy for my Great escape.

  Just then Will popped his head out of the window between the two rooms. “We got everything off our list and more, you?” he asked smiling friendly at me.

  “Yeah I picked up a few extra things also.”

  Adam and Will came back through the window to join me.

  We had emptied most of the store. “I guess nobody thought to look for things in a pharmacy, huh?” I said referring to the way the pharmacy was left untouched before we got there. “Yeah I guess so, or there’s nobody left alive to look.”

  The thought made me shiver.

  Will nodded his head. “Let's get out of here.”

  We went outside but there was no sign of Tony. It was then that we heard the gunshot and the sound of a woman's scream.

  Will thrust his
bag into my arms. “Take this back to the car and bring the car around back, keys should be in the ignition.” He was already running towards the sound of the shot.

  I turned to Adam he looked really nervous and his hands were shaking.

  “Can you take these back to the car and bring it around back?” I asked him, trying to give him a way out of following Will but still save face. The relief was plain to see on his face, he grabbed Will’s bag and was off to the car in an instant.

  Guilt weighed heavily on my mind as I shouldered my bag, I started off in the other direction, away from them, I was going to get back to Kelly and the kids and then get them to safety. I would come back for Will and Nia once my family was safe, I tried to tell myself, but deep down I knew that there would be no coming back, it was too dangerous, and I would never leave my family alone ever again.

  A scream sounded again, followed by lots of shouting, I stopped and closed my eyes. I heard a woman’s voice call out, begging. I knew I couldn’t just leave, I had to make sure that Will and Adam were ok. I turned back the way Will had just gone, my footsteps echoing as I ran.

  I got there just in time to see Will dragging Tony off a woman who was crying. I ran to see if I could help.

  I got to her and offered my hand, she looked at me scared, her eyes were wide with fear, I smiled what I hoped was an assuring smile and nodded my head. She continued sobbing but took my hand and I pulled her to her feet. I noticed that her dress was torn down the front exposing a ripped bra and part of her nipple. I gestured to her and quickly gave her my jacket and turned away as she covered herself up. She began to sob softly trying to gain control over her emotions.

  It was then that I noticed Will and Tony were fighting. Tony’s jeans were undone and pulled down slightly and his limp member was hanging out of them. Then I put two and two together, Will had caught Tony trying to rape this woman. God he was a low life.

  “Did he hurt you, it's ok you can tell me,” I asked her softly.

  She nodded her head. “But he didn't actually ra…” she trailed off a fresh set of tears streaming down her face.

  My anger at this man was growing by the second, my blood was boiling, I pumped my fists.

  “Aww come on Will, I was only having a bit of fun with her. Tell him sweetheart you wanted it really,” Tony said ducking punches from Will and throwing his own. He seemed to be enjoying the fight. He finally got the better of Will and sat on top of him punching him in the face.

  “I hate you Will I have always hated you, thinking you could come into the gang and take my place? Well fuck you!” He screamed at him. Will was struggling to fight back. Tony wrapped his hands around Will’s throat and started to squeeze, Will was becoming too weak to fight back. I started to walk towards them, to help Will.

  “Don't leave me please,” the girl begged holding onto my arm, pulling me backwards.

  Adam had pulled up in the car and was about to get out when I gestured to him to stay put. I sent the girl to Adam reassuring her that he was one of the good guys and started to jog towards Tony and Will. I could see Will was giving up the fight but I could not allow Tony to win.

  “It’s a good thing really, Will, with you out of the way I'm going to have so much fun with Nia. By the time I’m finished with her she will be begging me to…”

  I pulled out my gun remembering everything Will had told me about how to use it, put my gun to Tony’s head and pulled the trigger.

  “Have fun with that,” I shouted at him, the adrenaline pumping through my body gave me more courage than I really had.

  Tony’s body fell on top of Will and pinned him to the floor. Blood had splattered over the pavement next to them and I tried my best not to look at it or think about what I had just done. I bent down and extended both of my hands for Will. He grabbed them and dragged himself up. His chest was still heaving trying to replace the oxygen he had just been denied. I wrapped one of his arms around my neck and supported him until we got to the car.

  I opened the back door and he climbed in unaided.

  My ears were ringing and everything sounded muffled.

  “Wow, Will are you ok man?” Adam asked sounding concerned. “This is Amelia.” He nodded towards the girl we just saved. “I always hated that guy,” Adam finished.

  “Good to meet you Amelia,” I said and smiled. She was kind of hot.

  I started to feel a little guilty for thinking it but then I remembered that I was married, not dead so I did notice that she was really sexy. She had long shiny brown hair down to her waist and bright green eyes. A good body and extremely long legs. She wore light blue skinny jeans and now my jacket. Well-worn trainers on her feet.

  “Wait! My bag, I dropped it, over there by that car” she pointed to an old burned out car, I could just make out the small brown shape by the back tyre.

  I jumped out, jogged over to it, picked up the very light duffle bag and jogged back to our car, ignoring Tony’s body.

  I once again got in the back with Will and Adam started to drive away, I handed Amelia her bag.

  “Thank you, there’s not much in it, save for a few clothes but it is mine” she hugged the bag to her chest.

  “You’re welcome”

  We saw a few more zombies coming our way, the gunshots must have attracted them.

  Then it hit me, what I had just done. I had taken another man’s life. Even though he was the worst of mankind, I had taken his life. My smile faded, my hands started to shake badly and I could not get control of them. “Oh my God I just killed someone, I can't believe it, I'm a murderer. What's Deacon going to do with me knowing what I did to one of his men?” My eyes filled with tears, I looked to the others for forgiveness and saw pity from Will.

  “Look, George you did what you had to do to save me, the man was a menace. Deacon will understand.” He touched his hand to his neck and winced at the soreness.

  I looked at the ugly red and purple marks on his neck and I knew he was right, well about Tony being a menace anyway. I still didn't know how Deacon was going to take the news. I started to calm down, my hands now only had minor shakes.

  “Now what do we do with Amelia?” I asked.

  “What do you mean, what are you going to do with me? You saved me, you have to take me with you.” Amelia shrieked.

  I think she was terrified to be left alone.

  “I don't think it is the best place for you Hun, the guys there are not too good with the ladies. In truth most of them are like Tony, the guy that attacked you,” Will said. “The three of us are the exception at the warehouse,” he explained.

  “I have an idea,” I said, nervous now that I had said it. What if I could not trust these two guys? But then they seemed good so far. Will cares for Nia and saved Amelia from Tony and Adam just agreed she could not go back with them.

  “Would you like to leave Deacon, Adam?” I asked, hoping that I was not overstepping some sort of loyalty line.

  “Yeah but it's hard, the last guy that tried to leave was hunted down, tied to the back of a car and dragged home, there was nothing left of him by the time they got back, just a bloody rope,” he replied somberly.

  “Adam is in on our escape plan George. So you’re safe with him. What are you thinking of?” Will asked.

  “Slow up just here Adam,” I said. We pulled up outside the fire station in the previous town of Aldham. We hadn't seen any zombies yet so I was hopeful that this would be a good place to set up camp. I thought back to earlier when I saw the bride and her guests and wondered where they had gone.

  “What if Adam stays with Amelia? We can tell Deacon that Tony was attacked by zombies, Adam went to save him but we couldn't save them as we were swarmed too. Meanwhile Adam and Amelia here could hide out in the fire station. I have some energy bars and milkshakes that they can have until we can escape with everyone else and come back here. The fire station should have beds and blankets for those who used to be on call. What do you guys think?” I laid out the basics of my plan.<
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  “I don't know man, what if Deacon finds out about all this. I think I should come back too and leave Amelia here. Then the three of us break free with the others and come back for her,” Adam said running his hands through his hair nervously.

  “Please don't leave me alone,” Amelia begged placing a hand on Adam’s arm. “Please stay with me, I don't want to be alone anymore.” A few tears escaped her eyes and she lowered her head.

  One look at that beautiful sad face had Adam changing his mind. “Okay, okay, I'll stay with you just don't cry okay?” Adam said panicking because he didn't know how to stop her crying.

  “All this sounds good, only one thing stands in our way,” Will said, a grim smile on his face.

  “What?” Adam and I said at the same time.

  “Clearing out the fire station and making sure it's safe,” Will replied. “George, as it's your plan you go first.” He laughed.

  I got out of the truck and the three of them got out shortly after. We all looked around checking for zombies, we couldn’t see any people alive or walking dead, however there were a few bodies too badly damaged to reanimate on the grassy area opposite us. We quickly turned and approached the fire station door hoping we would find it free of any people alive or dead.

  Chapter 7

  "George you and me first, Amelia you after me and Adam will take up the rear,” Will instructed us.

  The three of us nodded our heads to show we understood. I pulled the handle down and walked through the door.

  I stopped short and banged the door three times loudly. Adam kept a look out behind us in case the sound attracted any outdoor zombies. Will and I scanned the inside. It was about 1:00pm so there was plenty of light to see by. We were in the garage part of the station where they kept the trucks and other equipment.

  The space was empty. The large doors were closed. I assumed it was because when the apocalypse started there were multiple fires all across the country and all fire engines were needed. Although I couldn’t explain why the doors were closed.