by Smith, I. J.
DEAD & ALIVE
TERROR
BY
I.J. SMITH
BOOK FOUR
COPYRIGHT
All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.
All work is Copyright © I.J. Smith May 2016
I.J. Smith has asserted his moral rights
Cover illustrations by I.J. Smith, Copyright © May 2016
, names, characters and all related work is Copyright of I.J. Smith
DEDICATION
Too all the amazing readers out there.
To my special team.
TABLE OF CONTENT
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
TABLE OF CONTENT
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
H.M.S ALBION
COPYRIGHT
TABLE OF CONTENT
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
PROLOGUE
Jack has led the group to a temporary home, while he and Ryan help Bray look for his family.
MacLeod is still out there and looking for Jack.
Their journey continues.
CHAPTER ONE
FAMILY
It was a cloudy day. Jack stood leaning against a wall, looking toward a large row of houses. They were nothing special, just a row of semi-detached homes with small front gardens. A few zombies roamed around in front of the houses. Jack felt the tapping of a hand on his shoulder; he looked over his shoulder to see Ryan standing there.
“How does it look?” Ryan asked.
“Not many, we can handle them.”
Jack looked past Ryan and asked, “Where’s Bray?”
Suddenly, Bray appeared from around the side of the wall. He was wiping his mouth. It was clear he had just been sick.
“You OK?” Jack asked.
Bray nodded, “Just nervous.”
Jack looked at his friend. Two weeks ago, he was living in a school with the others and now he was only feet away from his real home, with the chance of finding out what had happened to his family.
Three days ago, Jack, Bray, and Ryan left the others to go in search of Bray’s family, as Jack had promised they would. The others were in a safe place; a week ago they stumbled upon a caravan holiday park. The area was secure and a great place to hide. Almost everyone volunteered to help Bray look for his family, but Jack declined, telling everyone it was safer to travel with small numbers. Reminding them The Mercy group, was still out there.
Jack turned his attention back to the houses. Bray moved forward to join him.
“That’s my house, the one with the blue door!”
Jack glanced at him, he could see the fear in Bray’s face. “Bray, maybe you should wait out here. At least until we know for certain.”
“NO! I have to do this!” Bray replied quickly.
Placing his hand on Bray’s shoulder, Jack gave a half-smile. He pulled one machete clear and led the way. The three of them ran across the large road. As they weaved past the parked cars, the first zombie noticed them and approached. Jack ran towards it, the decomposing body of an old lady groaned at him. Jack noticed her leg had been bitten to the bone, loose skin hung from her body. Jack swung his machete, slicing the old woman’s head apart. As her body dropped, Bray rushed passed towards the blue front door of his home.
“WAIT!” Jack shouted at him.
Bray ignored Jack and kept going. Ryan was dealing another zombie. He bashed away with his baseball bat, with a nail embedded in the end. He destroyed their skulls with it.
Jack rushed to join Bray.
Bray forced the door open and he walked in, furniture was piled up in the hallway. Bray knew his wife and daughter had barricaded themselves inside.
“BETH! JENNIFER!” He shouted.
He began to move forward, but felt someone pull him back. Jack had grabbed ahold of Bray.
“I told you, to wait!” Jack spoke softly.
Bray nodded in agreement, he knew Jack was right.
Together they moved the furniture aside, the smell of urine was powerful. They walked along the hallway to the open kitchen. Bottles of water were scattered amongst empty bottles, food was piled up on the table.
“Looks like they dug in!” Jack told Bray.
“Beth knew what to do in an emergency, she was the calm one,” Bray replied.
Jack walked on, Ryan appeared from behind Bray.
“I shut the door, so no surprises coming inside.” Ryan told them.
Bray moved to the large glass patio doors, he looked at the overgrown garden, a large pond sat in the back of the garden, a tree stood in the middle, still with the tire swing that he hung many years ago. He closed his eyes, for a moment he could see himself pushing his daughter, Jennifer on the swing. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again. He turned to see Jack standing by the sliding doors that led into the living room.
Bray nodded to Jack, giving him the signal to open the door. Jack slid the door open; there were sheets and quilts, make shift beds laid on the floor. Supplies piled up, large knives and metal bars were stacked against the fireplace. Bray joined Jack; the room was dark, the curtains were drawn. A large sofa and table blocked the window, both men walked inside. The sound of a groan echoed out.
“Oh shit!” Jack said, knowing what was coming next.
From a dark corner, a woman with long dark hair appeared, her clothes drenched in blood. Half her face torn was apart, one eye was missing.
“Beth!” Bray said quietly, holding back his tears.
He stepped forward looking at his wife, tears rolled down his face.
“No! No!” Bray cried.
Bray stared at his wife, unable to take his eyes off her. He pulled one of his two pistols from his side and pointed it at her; the gun shook in his hand. Jack looked around the room; on the mantle above the fireplace their family photos caught his attention. He looked at the smiling faces of his friend and his family, suddenly his thoughts turned to Elle and his unborn child. He imagined the possibilities that could have been.
Bray still held his gun pointed at his zombie wife. He couldn’t pull the trigger, suddenly Jack’s hand landed on the gun; he pushed it down and took it from Bray.
“Go outside!” Jack told him.
Bray looked at him with tears in his eyes, he shook his head.
“Ryan, please get him out of here. This is something he doesn’t need to see!” Jack asked.
Ryan touched Bray gently on the shoulder and led him away, stopping once to glance back. Jack watched as they left, he heard the door open and close, as they left. He turned as the zombie reached out for him; Jack held her back for a moment.
“I’m so sorry! I promise I will look after him!” Jack said to her.
He raised his gun and fired a single shot directly into her head, she fell backwards, finally dead for good. Jack felt the emotion of the situation; he turned away from the front room. He suddenly stopped and looked around again, he frowned in confusion. Jac
k rushed to the stairs and raced up them, he checked the bathroom, the main bedroom and then finally Jennifer’s room. He stood for a moment, when suddenly the noise of commotion forced him to race outside.
Opening the front door, he stepped out to see Ryan holding his bleeding nose and Bray holding his second gun to his own head.
Bray screamed in emotional pain as he attempted to pull the trigger.
Jack raced over, grabbing the gun as it fired into the air. Bray took a swing at Jack. Missing, he was met with Jack punching him hard in the jaw. Bray fell to the ground; Jack held the gun to Bray’s throat.
“You wanna die?”
“You wanna quit, you fucking coward?” Jack demanded.
“Fuck you Jack, I’m not you! I have emotions! You’ve never felt a damn thing in your entire life!” Bray said angrily.
Jack pressed the gun harder against Bray’s throat.
“You wanna die? I’ll do it. You know me, I am happy to fucking kill anyone!” Jack told him.
Ryan stood up and watched the two men; he wanted to say something, but didn’t know what he could say.
“Well? You want the easy way out?” Jack asked Bray.
Bray looked back at Jack and replied, “I have nothing to live for anymore!”
“What about your daughter? What about Jennifer?” Jack asked.
Bray frowned, “She’s dead!”
“You don’t know that, she is not in the house. That means hope, no matter how small, there is hope. If you have it, hold on to it and live for it.”
Bray looked at his friend.
“You have something I wish I had, hope. Don’t give up!” Jack told him.
Bray grabbed Jack by his head and pulled him down on top of him, he hugged Jack and whispered in his ear.
“Thank you! Thank you!”
Ryan looked at them both lying on the ground.
“Ok guys! This is looking kinda weird!” Ryan said with a smile.
Jack glanced up at Ryan and smiled; he stood up and held out his hand, helping Bray up to his feet.
“Come on,” Ryan said walking back towards their vehicle.
As they began to walk away, Bray grabbed Jack by the arm and slowed their walk.
“I just needed to say, Thank You for what you did in there.”
Jack handed both his guns back to him.
“I couldn’t let you do it, that is something no one should have to do,” Jack replied.
He went to turn and walk away when Bray grabbed him again.
“I didn’t mean what I said!”
Jack looked at him and replied, “It’s the truth!”
Jack walked away, following Ryan to the car. Bray took one last look at his home. “I love you!” he said sadly.
CHAPTER TWO
CHOICES
Surrounded by countryside, the caravan park was peaceful. Days had passed since they had seen a zombie, it was also days since Jack, Bray, and Ryan had left on a mission. It was a hot day, and the survivors roamed around the park. Kat was on top of a large white caravan. She sat there in a vest and shorts looking out at the direction Jack and the others had left along. Every day she waited for a sign of their return.
Kat heard a noise behind her, she glanced back to see Tommy climbing onto the roof. Struggling, he finally made it; Kat giggled quietly to herself.
“Hey!” Tommy said, greeting Kat.
Kat smiled at her friend, the sunlight bright and in her eyes.
“You are up here every day. We both know Jack will be fine,” Tommy told Kat.
“I know, but it’s quiet up here, peaceful,” Kat replied.
Tommy sat beside her. “You mind some company?”
Kat rested her head on his shoulder, and they sat together in silence watching the area outside the park.
In the middle of the caravan park, a group had formed. They were having a meeting to discuss an important matter.
“Look, we can make a life here. We can defend this place, we can grow food and there are no zombies around for miles,” A tall man said to everyone.
Alice stood shaking her head, upon hearing the people around her cheering. She looked at the tall man; he was with her in the school, also a prisoner of The Mercy. She remembered him hiding when the fighting broke out, but now he was making a play for leadership.
“Tony, what the hell are you up to?” She muttered to herself.
Ray walked over and stood beside her. “Tony staking his claim again?”
“Yeah, he wants to run things!” She replied.
“How many want to stay?” He asked.
Alice shook her head. “God only knows!” She glanced at Ray. “You think Jack will let them?” she asked.
Ray shrugged. “If they want to stay, Jack won’t stop them.”
Suddenly a male voice shouted out.
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?” Adam yelled as he appeared and walked through the crowd of people. Tony stood his ground as Adam approached him.
“We are making choices about our future.” Tony replied.
Adam laughed. “Future? Maybe you should think about the past! Jack saved your ass, he saved all of you!” He said, looking around at everyone.
“And we are grateful, but he said he had a mission. We have a life to live!” Tony said with a hard voice.
“You ungrateful bastards!” Adam replied.
Before anything else could be said a young voice shouted out.
“SOMEONE’S COMING!”
Ray turned to see Kat waving her arms in the air, trying to attract their attention.
By the main gates Zoe stood guard, she heard Kat shout and raised her gun, waiting for whoever was coming into view. A roaring sound of motorbikes echoed out, Zoe watched as two bikers stopped just a few yards from the gates. Adam, Zarina, and several others appeared and stood with Zoe. A large bus came into view behind the bikers.
“WHAT THE FUCK?” Zarina muttered.
One of the bikers rode towards the gates and stopped a few feet away. The rider, who was dressed all in black, climbed from the bike and walked towards the gate. The person’s face was covered with a pair goggles and a mouth mask.
Zoe opened the gate a little.
“Where are you going?” Adam demanded to know.
“To find out what they want!” Zoe replied.
Zoe walked towards the masked biker. She kept a firm grip on her gun, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice.
Suddenly the biker spoke in a soft voice. “We are looking for some friends of ours!”
“No friends of yours here!” Zoe replied firmly.
The biker stepped forward; Zoe raised her gun, “Stop!” She ordered.
“We are just looking for someone!” The biker said again.
Zoe fired a shot passed the biker’s head; this made the other biker roar into action and started to race towards the gate. As Zoe pointed her gun, the masked biker grabbed it and kicked Zoe in the stomach sending her flying to the ground. Adam rushed from the gate and tackled the biker; the second biker jumped from their bike and attacked Adam.
Ray rushed past everyone and pulled Zoe off the biker.
“RAY!” The biker said.
Everyone went silent; Adam still had the second biker pinned down on the ground. Everyone watched as the first biker removed their mask and goggles, an olive-skinned beauty appeared.
“Raven!” Ray responded.
She quickly threw her arms around him, holding him tight. Adam looked on, in shock, but then felt a knife against his throat.
“This idiot with you?” A Jamaican accented voice inquired.
Ray glanced over; as the second biker removed his mask. The familiar smile and black dreadlocks revealed an old friend.
“Hello, Jacob!” Ray replied.
Lowering the knife, Jacob walked over to Ray.
“My man!” Jacob said, as the two men embraced.
“So good to see you alive,” Raven told Ray.
“Where are the others?” Ray asked.
Raven looked at Jacob.
“That’s why we are here, we need your help!” Raven replied.
“Well, we really need The Reaper!” Jacob added.
Ray frowned as he looked toward the bus. Raven looked around the crowd of people; Kat appeared through them and rushed to embrace Raven.
“Look at you, you get more beautiful every time I see you,” Raven told her.
Jacob looked around the crowd.
“Where’s Jack?” he asked.
“Not here,” Ray replied.
“Oh no! Please don’t say he didn’t make it?” Raven asked.
“NO! NO! He is on a run with some others.” Ray told Raven.
“See I told you, nothing can kill Jack, and he is too fucking stubborn!” Jacob joked.
Adam joined them, he looked upset and confused.
“Ok, what the hell is going on?”
Kat smiled. “They are friends of ours and Jack’s, so they are welcome here.”
Ray looked at the bus again. “Who is on the bus?”
“Just Rain, and the kids,” Raven replied.
Kat looked concerned. “Where’s Sarah?”
“That’s why we are here. She was taken a few weeks back, along with Randy. Since then, we have been looking for you. The people who took her started ranting about looking for ‘The Reaper’.”
“Who were they?” Adam asked.
Raven shook her head. “I don’t know, they called themselves The Mercy. We lost some good people during the escape.”
“MacLeod!” Adam said to Ray.
Ray looked at the ground.
“You know them?” Jacob asked.
“Yeah, we have a lot to tell you,” Ray replied.
Kat took Raven’s hand and guided her into the park, Jacob along with Ray and Adam walked towards the bus. Zoe stood her ground looking around. “Who the fuck are these people?” she muttered to herself.
CHAPTER THREE
REUNION
The red car drove along the deserted road, only the odd abandoned vehicle could be seen on their journey. Ryan drove as Jack slept in the backseat, Bray sat in the passenger seat not saying a word. Ryan kept glancing over at him, but struggled with his words.