He was starting to worry me. We made better time than I thought and we got to the service station just as light started to fade. Camping out inside the A.P.C so close to where we had the fight with the bikers was slightly off putting, but I also knew that when the doors were locked nothing was going to get inside to get us short of a R.P.G (Rocket Propelled Grenade). We stopped a short distance from the pumps just in case something happened. I stretched out in the back and settled down.
“You think we’ll save them?” Chris said from the driver’s seat.
“To be honest I don’t know. We haven’t got a clue how many infected there are, or if they had managed to get them whilst we’ve been driving up here.” I replied.
“But do you think we stand a chance?”
“I have a plan but it all hangs on how many infected are there and where they are in regards the exits. We should know more by tomorrow.” I said.
“Marc I’m sorry for worrying you today.” He said yawning.
“It’s ok mate. We all deal with things in different ways, but it’s good that you knew it was worrying me.” I said.
I didn’t get a reply but a snore from the driver’s seat. Shaking my head and smiling I pulled the sleeping bag up and closed my eyes.
Strong daylight was the first thing I felt and saw the following morning. I opened my eyes and moved in my sleeping bag to see the familiar roof of the A.P.C above me. What must have woke me was the fact that we were moving. The sway of the A.P.C must have woke me. Struggling from my bag I stood and looked out the windscreen. I saw a sign for Caterrick go by and wondered how long we had been on the road for, or how long I had slept for that matter.
“Where the fuck are we Chris?” I asked.
“Oh, morning Marc. I started to drive when I woke, I didn’t think you would mind. You were dead to the world, excuse the pun.”
“Chris you haven’t said where we are?”
“Oh shit, sorry. We are about fifteen miles from Thirsk. We should be on the outskirts in about an hour and a half if we don’t get caught up on any of the abandoned cars.”
“Ok let me grab a bottle of water my mouth feels as dry as a Ghandi’s sandal.” Opening my rucksack I pulled out a bottle of water and drank nearly half in a few seconds.
Climbing through and into the passenger seat I looked out the windscreen at the scene in front of me. Every now and then we would come across an abandoned car, or an occupied one. Now those made me shiver, because I remembered the first one I had seen and the infected baby strapped inside. Just remembering that made me think was all this worth even bothering for. Man had slowly been on a destructive cycle for centuries and now we had let lose probably the one thing that will end it all.
Rubbing my hand over my face, I felt the A.P.C starting to slow down to a stop. In the distance I could make out the village we had come to check out. Grabbing the binoculars from the dashboard I climbed through the hatch in the rear and stood on the roof trying to get good view of the market place. The only problem were the crooked streets of the old village. The twists and turns mad it difficult for me to get a good view. I could see movement in there but at the distance we had stopped I couldn’t tell whether it was the infected or not.
Climbing back inside I said “I can’t tell anything from here and the streets are making it hard to see the market place from here.”
Chris looked at the village through the windscreen for a while before saying “We need to get closer, but if we take the A.P.C to close we might have the infected hear us and we could get swamped.”
“Listen how about we get close get out and see if we can get in somewhere to have a look at the market place.” I said.
Chris started the engine and we pulled closer to the village. Stopping about two hundred meters away from the nearest building, we got ourselves ready. Our webbing was already loaded up with magazines and our rifles were ready for use. Climbing out the A.P.C we headed for the nearest set of houses. Heading along the fence line we looked for a break in it so we could head further into the village. Chris came to the corner and stopped short of the gap and peered round the edge. I had stopped a few feet behind him and watched as he raised two fingers, letting me know that there were two infected through the gap. He reached back and pulled the axe I had given him back when we first met. It looked like he wanted to take them down without the rifles. I had brought the large crowbar I had found in the garage and pulled it out of my belt. Chris looked over his shoulder and pointed to himself and the left, then at me and the right. Nodding at him, my hands tightened on the crowbar.
Chapter Nine
Chris moved quickly round the corner and I followed. The two infected looked like they could be twin sisters. They both had shoulder length brown hair, they were roughly the same height and shape. It was the shape that nearly made me pull up short, both were what’s called pear shaped I think. They were your average large women trying to dress like young kids. They had nearly matching outfits. The right had a sky blue tight fitting top, black leggings and her sister had a red top and black leggings. I’m just guessing that they were twins because the one on the right was missing quite a bit of her face. The muscles and skin where hanging in shreds from her grey skull. The green slime we had seen issuing from every infected we had seen, was streaming down her face and neck staining the neck line of her top. Her sister had a huge chunk missing from her throat and only a small amount of slime was visible.
Seeing us the sister on the right moaned and started to come forward and her sister followed slowly. Stepping to the side and making sure I had her attention I headed back slightly so that Chris would have room with his target. I raised the crow bar like a baseball bat and waited for her to get closer. She lunged forward and I stepped to the right letting her stumble passed and as she did I swung the crowbar. It caught her on the back of her head and seemed to bend slightly with the impact. There was a loud crunch followed by her falling forward. Stepping closer I saw she was still moving so I raised the crowbar over my head and brought it down on the crown of her skull. Again I marvelled at how the human head can smash like a melon hitting the floor. Blood, green slime and black brain tissue seeped out through her broken skull.
I turned to see how Chris had faired with his twin and was shocked to see that he had severed her head from her body. The thing that caught my eye was the fact that the eyes followed him as he walked from side to side in front of it.
“You seeing what I’m seeing.” He asked.
“Now that is some kind of freaky shit.” I said.
“Yeah it looks like the head is their most important part.”
“Dude kill the fucking thing it’s scaring the shit out of me. Moving its eyes like that.” I said.
Grunting Chris pulled a combat knife from his belt and stabbed the head through the top. The eyes rolled back in the skull and stopped all movement. Looks like we were right the head does seem to be the most important part of the infected. Heading to the rear of the house Chris tried the door and found it unlocked. We slowly moved through the kitchen and into the living room. Heading up the stairs Chris pointed for me to wait in the living room. Looking out the front window I saw a few infected wandering the street. I slowly moved away from the window and waited for Chris.
After what seemed like hours Chris came down stairs and said “This was their house…” pointing toward the back “one of them must have been infected and got the other. Anyway I looked out the upstairs window and I think we have about three streets to cross between here and the market place.”
“I had a quick look out the ground floor window and there’s quite a few infected wandering the street.” I said.
“I noticed and I bet it doesn’t get any easier the nearer to the market place we get.”
“What we going to do? Those people might still be alive.”
“Marc you have the best ideas come on don’t bottle it now.”
I walked the floor trying to think of something that would get us to the
market place without having to run a gauntlet with the infected. Some kind of distraction might work, we’d seen how they had blindly followed the A.P.C to the bunker and noise seemed to attract them.
“Are there any cars on this street?” I asked.
“There’s one right out front, why?”
“Distraction.” Was all that I said.
Walking over to the front door I tried the handle and our luck was still holding, it was unlocked. Kneeling down I slowly opened the door and stuck my head out. Looking both ways I couldn’t see any infected straight away and I knew that if I couldn’t see them then they couldn’t see me.
Ducking back inside I said “If we can make a loud enough noise we should be able to get through the next few streets. Can you see if you can find a cotton sheet somewhere, I’m going to use it as a wick and blow up a car.”
“You do realise your nuts.” Chris said.
“Do you have a better idea?”
“Well no, but I still think your off your rocker mate.” He said leaving the room.
Standing as close to the front window as I dared I kept a look out for any large bands of infected. After twenty minutes of searching the house Chris returned carrying a black sheet at arm’s length and a look of horror on his face.
“What the fucks up with your face?” I asked.
“Let me put it this way, one of their rooms looked like an S&M dungeon and the stuff lying around on the table.” He actually shivered saying that.
“Hold on before I grab that sheet, where was it?” I asked
“Just look at the way I am holding it and you can fucking guess where it was.” He said holding it out to me.
“There’s no fucking way you’re getting me to touch that.” I said backing up.
“It was your idea.” He said coming forward.
“Look hold on I’ll be back in a second.” I said running into the kitchen.
I started looking in the cupboards and finally found what I was looking for under the sink.
“Right give me that sheet.” I said reaching out with a pair of yellow washing up gloves on.
“You’re going to go out there with those on?” Chris said passing me the sheet with a grin on his face.
“Look it’s not like I have to be bothered by fashion anymore.”
“Fair point.” He said as he watched me creep out the front door to the car.
Opening the fuel filler on the back of the car wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Shoving the sheet inside was quite a bit harder. I stopped when I saw the sheet getting soaked with the petrol, lying the rest of the sheet on the pavement I made my way back to the door. Chris stuck his hand out the gap holding a pink lighter, I looked at the lighter then him and he just shrugged and disappeared back into the house. I lighted the sheet and headed back inside closing the door behind me.
“Come on let’s get out the back and find another gap in the fencing.” I said heading toward the back door.
We left the house and edged round the twins and out the gap in the fence. We came to a road when we heard a huge explosion and smoke jumped into the air over the house roofs. Chris grinned over his shoulder and we set off down the road toward the market place. There were a few times when we had to hide in alley’s as bands of infected lurched past. At last we came to the alley that led along the rear of the shops and businesses lining the market place. The back door to a pub was open and the empty van parked outside. I thought this must have been the last delivery before the infection hit the village. Looking into the dark storeroom of the pub I had a feeling things were about to get a little difficult. Chris moved inside and I followed. Taking our time we cleared the room and headed for the front area of the pub. Passing through the swing door we both raised our MP5 rifles and edged toward the large glass windows. I nearly fell on my arse with shock, outside in the market square must have been five hundred or more infected. They didn’t look like they were trying to get inside anywhere but they weren’t leaving either.
Moving back to the swing door I said “What the fuck we going to do? Even if they are still alive, how the fuck are we going to get to them?”
“We just need to come up with a plan.” Chris said moving from one foot to the other.
Sitting on a stool I tried to think of something that might work. The A.P.C would get to their building easily but getting them inside and then driving away would be a problem. So we had to come up with a solution that would help both in clearing the square for a time and then keeping it clear till the survivors where loaded into the A.P.C. I looked around the bar and it was then that I saw a picture of a dirt bike over the bar. Something like that would be quick enough, but I still needed a way to get hundreds of infected to follow me. Looking round the room my eyes drifted to Chris’ webbing and the grenades he had strapped to it and light bulb went off in my head.
“Stay here let me check something out.” I said to Chris.
“What?”
“Just wait there I’ll be right back.” I called as slipped through the kitchen and out the back of the pub. I was looking for a garage near to the pub. Scouting down the alley, I found a garage set back between the pub and the building next door. There was a large lock on the door, luckily I had the crowbar and with a few hard pulls managed to rip it free from the doors. Opening the door I took a quick look inside and there it was, the dirt bike from the picture. Now all I had to do was find the keys and the plan was good. Looking around the shelves I saw some keys hanging on a nail. Taking them to the bike I tried them in the ignition and the second key fit. Turning it the fuel gauge moved to a half tank. The plan was slowly getting better and I headed back to the pub, pocketing the keys as I went.
“Where the fuck have you been? I heard something out the back whilst you were gone.” Chris said as I slowly opened the swing door.
“That was just me finding something for my plan.” I said.
“You care to let me in on your little plan then?” Chris asked.
“Nope, you’re going to have to wait and whilst we’re on about my fantastic plan. I need those grenades you brought with you.” I said grinning.
“What the fuck have you got planned Marc?” Chris said putting his hands over the grenades.
“Look, you like surprises don’t you?”
“Yeah, but not the type that will end up me getting blown up.” He said.
“Don’t worry you’ll be in the A.P.C waiting to come in and rescue those survivors.” I said smiling “Anyway enough fucking about give me the grenades and we’ll get started.”
Grimacing like he had sucked on a lemon Chris slowly passed me the grenades. I stood and headed for the back door with Chris following me.
Outside I waited for him and said “Right this is how the plan is going to work. You’re going to head back to the A.P.C and wait for the first two grenades to go off, then drive in to the market place and get everyone loaded up. Don’t worry if you here anymore grenades going off it’ll just be me making sure I have that hordes attention.”
“I still don’t know how you’re going to dodge that many infected.” Chris said.
Nodding my head toward the garage I said “Oh ok, I might as well show you.”
I opened the doors and there in the middle of the garage stood the dirt bike. Grinning I turned to look at Chris.
“For the love of god! You are fucking nuts.” Chris moaned.
“What it’s quick and I should be able to stay ahead of them easy.”
“I’m going to regret saying this, but let’s get this over with before my common sense tells me otherwise.” He said turning to leave.
“Chris one other thing.” I said and when he turned I passed him my SA80.
Chapter Ten
He shook his head slung the rifle next to his own and headed off to the A.P.C. I gave him an hour to get there before climbing on to the bike and starting it up. The sound of the engine inside the garage was very loud. I had ridden motor bikes before this was a different b
ike all together. For one thing it had a powerful engine and the clutch was quite sharp. Meaning I had to be very careful with the throttle or I would end up in a garden or even worse through a window. Taking it easy I made my way to one of the roads that led into the market place. Being careful not to pull any of the grenades to soon. I sat watching as the nearest infected took interest in the meals on wheels. Pulling the pin on the grenade, I let the spoon go and threw the grenade about twenty feet into a knot if infected, hitting one and putting it on its arse. Not wanting to be to close I pulled away slightly. The noise a grenade makes is loud and the devastation caused was fantastic. Body parts and blood flew in all directions.
The infected in the market place really took notice of me then and the moans almost drowned out the echo of the grenade. Moving slowly away from the market place, I had the infected follow me. Half way down the street I stopped and looked back. It looked like a sea of human flesh was trying to squeeze itself into the street. Teasing them I pulled further away and they shambled after me moaning. Reaching the end of the street I had to dodge two of them that been wandering the side streets. I threw another grenade and it landed just behind the front row and them same devastation was caused except this time it knocked nearly all the front row flat to the floor, they were trampled on by their rotten friends behind them. Pulling round the corner I waited for them about thirty feet from the junction. The bike was rumbling in between my legs and I had the feeling it wanted to race away. The first twenty infected rounded the corner and saw me. The moan echoed down the street and was picked up by the horde behind them. So for the next ten or fifteen minutes I lead the horde of infected towards the outskirts of town. I had to use one more grenade before I hit the outskirts and with the horde well and truly following me. My plan had worked and I hadn’t spilled of the bike at any time. Which to tell you the truth was one of the worrying parts of the plan.
The Bunker (The Infected Series Book 2) Page 5