Immediate Survivors

by Cenz Barone

  Laura shouted “Could have, would have, should have whatever you say Billy. You don’t know that, none of you do”. Grant and Kenny just did not have the energy to argue with her, so Elise informed Melissa “He was bitten and he is dead, that is how it happens. He has to go outside. Bites are a sure sign people will come back crazy”. Laura went towards Melissa and cried in Melissa’s arms as she cursed and called everyone else names, she went through the entire catalogue of bad names that she could think up, and all she had to vent was her frustration, her frustration becoming the ultimate expression of her anger at this senseless situation. She cried and cried, as Mark having enough snatched Laura from Melissa’s hold and placed his hands onto her shoulders, trying to console his friend he stated “Laura, please. It had to be done, please try to understand none of us wanted this”. Laura told him to fuck off and then Mark felt Laura strike him across the face with a slap. Elise, Grant and Kenny flinched at this.

  Laura went quiet her eyes angry still as Billy was shocked Laura struck Mark. Mark held his bruised cheek and then lost control as he took hold of her and shouted aggressively “Wise up you stupid fucking tramp. It is the end of the world, have you seen what’s going on out there. What do you want, do you want Paul to get up and start killing us. Open your fucking eyes, think about all we have heard and seen, what these people have been telling us about what is happening and you want to fucking argue and fight us”. Melissa pleaded “Mark stop, you are not helping” as Mark outraged punched the wall, as though tempted to strike Laura but then he said “Do you think she is helping us Melissa? Tell her to stop crying, it is not easy for us either, it is not easy for any of us. Do you think I want to put Paul out there like that in the cold as if he is fucking garbage? What do you think his mother and father will think when they learn about what we did to him. Jesus I have my parents to think about, my family, my grandfather who is sick and in hospital dying of cancer. You aren’t the only one unhappy about this Laura”.

  Mark stood there after his rant as everyone was looking at him. Cherie in the dining room could hear this entire conversation through the walls and then Mark started to lose it and ran into another room, slamming the door behind him as he broke down in tears not wanting anyone else to see him in this vulnerable state. Billy stood there unsure what to do, should he go and console his friend Mark or console Laura. Kenny, Elise and Grant stood patiently still, it was quite troubling to have brought all this drama into this house, because they found preceding the new arrivals entrance, the house was both secure and at ease, now they all felt a little more vulnerable. Grant then looked at Billy and said sympathetically “Just leave Mark. Come back into the lounge Billy. All of you just relax as best as you can”. Grant and Elise with Billy walked back towards the lounge and decided to leave Mark and Cherie solely to their own devices. Laura was slowly finding comfort as Melissa held her tightly. Melissa did not argue or protest she felt like putting Paul outside must have been necessary, Laura was just upset and unable to comprehend what was happening. Kenny was the only one standing near the front door, next to Melissa and Laura at this point who he gazed at. Kenny was about to walk away but stopped himself and then looking at them both, seeing how frightened they were he said sincerely “Look I am sorry about putting your friend outside. You don’t know any of us and we do that. The people I am here with are strangers to me as well, but trust me, your friend was bitten and is dead, and he will come back to life and try and kill people. If you don’t believe me check outside later, he will likely be gone. I am sorry”.

  Laura was now emotionally drained and had a long distant stare she had no reply to Kenny, not even to be abusive, but Kenny did not take Laura’s harsh words personally he felt for her, thus far Kenny had not lost anyone he knew personally so the loss of Laura was raw for him. Melissa put her hand up asking Kenny not to talk about Paul anymore, Kenny taking this advice politely finished up by a nice suggestion and said “You girls should go upstairs and get some sleep. There is also plenty of clothing up there for you. There might be clothing about your size. Just go through the cupboards, the people who once lived here must have gotten out in a hurry but make yourselves at home” they both stared at Kenny seeing him for what he was, a youngster like them in age who was scared and he muttered “Make yourselves at home in a strangers house who I don’t even know”. Melissa holding Laura then said graciously to him “Thanks, we might do that”. Kenny then looked at their clothing, their short dresses in low heels as he said upon looking back at their faces “You better change into something more compact than what you currently have on. I think the party is over”.

  Kenny smiled meekly, he was trying to be friendly as he moved away from them both, leaving Melissa stroke Laura’s hair as they stood at the foot of the stairs. Billy sat down on the chair in the lounge and pulled out a cigarette “Anyone smoke” asked Billy but nobody answered, Kenny by this time had walked into the lounge as Billy lit up the cigarette and dragged back hard, moaning in pleasure as the smoke attacked his lungs, he then breathed out heavily and stated “That’s nice. I could do with some beer to go with this. God, I could do with a cold beer, ideally from Poland. Paul use to love that Eastern European beer”. Billy laughed to himself as he continued to smoke, even though he was dying inside at what he had just done with his friend but his mourning was coming fast, Billy continued to speak on, but to nobody in particular just himself “Right Paul. He and I once went on a 7 day bender across several Eastern European countries, right down from the Baltic countries, we country hopped every couple of days catching flights and trying to drink as much different beer as we could. Most of the stuff we did together was either travelling abroad of watching the football across the country, go and watch our team play, but usually watching them lose. He was a cracking bass player to, a really great musician, and he could drink me under the table”.

  Billy wiped his eyes which were developing with tears, he sucked in some air to compose his shaking voice and the cigarette helped then Billy added “Now he is out there, dead. His skin all fucked up and I am in here talking about him. Fucking Paul, what a crazy bastard”, he said with affection as he dragged back another heavy inhale of his cigarette and blew out the smoke thoughtfully. Elise and Grant were sitting on different sofas as Kenny stood near the wall next to the television and was equally as thoughtful, all were listening to Billy but thinking of their own loved ones outside, whose welfare they still had no idea about.

  As Billy went quiet and a few minutes passed it seemed some sense of stability was coming back to the house, but then Kenny heard a distant thudding noise, he looked around at the other people in the lounge but it did not register with them it seemed, they were all lost in their own thoughts. Kenny then asked with a whisper “Do you hear that?” they all looked at him as he could tell they could not hear anything but Kenny was convinced he heard what sounded like thudding and it was building up. At this point a loud bang was heard like something had fallen over and clanged onto the ground. Grant shot up and instantly realised where it was coming from, Grant stated “That’s coming from the lane”. Grant raced towards the kitchen and was followed by the others from the lounge. Grant made his way outside towards the back door and he could hear those people motioning around banging into the van, hitting the door and slamming into it.

  Kenny was near him and said to Grant “It is a good thing we got those people out of that house now rather than later isn’t, something bad might have happened” it was tongue in cheek by Kenny, considering the circumstances of the new arrivals appearance in the aftermath of escaping into their house. But Grant did not find it amusing as he said “It must have been the noise we made in the lane that attracted them outside. I think it is best we put those bricks up. We will need to reinforce the door”. Kenny was not in the mood to do any manual labour as he replied “Grant, for fucks sake, that’s a steel door, they won’t get any leverage behind it, not with the van blocking it off”. Grant was not convinced as he said “Kenny i
t is better to be safe than sorry”.

  Billy and Elise were in the doorway watching Grant and Kenny talk. Billy whispered to Elise “What is going on?” Elise had an idea as she replied looking ahead towards the back door of the garden which led into the lane “Those things are outside around the van, it is always noise which attracts them”. Billy concentrated on the sound and now when he heard the thudding and banging he could imagine those things around the van. Billy suddenly exited from standing near Elise and went back into the house unable to take the noise.

  Elise remained, Kenny meanwhile went to pick up some grey chip stone bricks, which were buried at the side near the small glass house, and the bricks looked like they had been within the garden for years. Kenny spoke “This door is quite sturdy Grant. I don’t see the point in doing this” in the rain Grant and Kenny placed the bricks near the door as Grant replied to Kenny “I am not taking that chance” Grant forcefully said, asking Kenny intensely with a follow up question “Do you want to take that chance?”. Kenny did not have to answer Grant, as it was the seriousness of Grants tone that convinced him to continue. Grant then stated feeling justified “I did not think so”. Grant set about putting the bricks up against the door finding it hard on occasion which Kenny noticed as Kenny teased “You will have to put some muscles on pen pusher”. Kenny smirking as Grant ignored his wisecracks and asked “Fancy giving me a hand instead of being a smart ass”. Kenny went beside Grant and moved the blocks as Kenny said “I am just joking mate” but Kenny was himself struggling, he was not at all muscular himself.

  Elise watched them from the back door of the kitchen and she felt content at least now things seemed to be calming down. Elise was also concerned about the presence of the people from the house they invited in, what more could happen with those people she wondered and then there was Cherie who was acting out of it since the confrontation in the kitchen. Elise though just knew they had to stay put and help had to come, she did not want to think if help did not come and what that might mean. It was clear though by Kenny and Grant barricading the backdoor up there was no means for a quick escape to the van now which to Elise said they were prepared to stay the long haul within this house.

  As the boys finished up erecting a pretty impressive barricade against the door they moved back towards the house and Grant closed the utility room door behind him, as best as he could considering he had earlier on burst the lock with his kick. Once the door was closed though, there near the garden furniture, beside the white table and chairs and hidden away in the shadows was the shivering sounds of Claire, the girl who quietly snuck outside earlier on during the commotion with Paul. Nobody noticed she was missing but also nobody noticed she was out in the garden.

  As the three went into the lounge after having been in the garden, Billy remained sitting in the comfortable single sofa chair of the lounge and he had lit up another cigarette. It was quite annoying to Kenny and Grant he did not offer to help despite saying he would offer any help earlier on, but in his defence they did not ask him and it was pointless to bring this up to him as the work, the main work on the house had been done long before Billy and his group entered. Kenny and Grant sat back down as Elise remained near the radiator trying to draw warmth from it. Grant now asked Billy “Where are your friends, the two girls” in reference to Melissa and Laura. “They have gone up stairs to find a bed” Kenny voiced to Grant before Billy could say anything, Kenny added “I told them it is best to get some sleep and probably change into something more suitable than what they are wearing, if we are going to end up back on the streets it might be better not to be walking around in a party dress and high heels, don’t you think”

  Billy jokingly said “Ah, so you have taken away the eye candy mate”. Kenny indifferently smirked at Billy’s comment as Elise rolled her eyes. Grant was not impressed by this comment from Billy but commended Kenny by saying “Good idea pal, it really is best they sleep” to which Kenny replied seriously “Yeah Grant. I suggested they go and just relax after all they have been through a lot. Last thing we need is them down here being dramatic”. “Good idea man” Billy added, referring to Kenny as he yawned and Billy said “I might join them too, I think, I am tired”.

  Grant objected to Billy’s idea of down time and said with authority “No Billy. We need a rota”. Billy seemed unhappy about this as he protested “A rota, mate this isn’t a job. Why do we need one? It is all secure you said, so the house is fine” Grant disagreed and answered “We have to have a shift rota and a watch system. The house might be secure but we need to watch what is happening out there, like if help comes and we miss it. It is very late I know and we are all tired but we need to make sure we can survive the night here and cannot be complacent, we have a lot of worrying to do tonight, it is not over. But we have a lot more worrying to do in the morning if we are still here. You can sleep Billy but you have to do your part”.

  Curiously Billy asked “Do you think help is really going to come because the house we were in for nearly two days nothing came even though we spoke to the police”. Grant who naturally found himself in a leadership role with everyone looking to him said “I don’t know. I was expecting to be rescued long before now but here I am. Anyways I am pretty sure we will be okay if we hold out until the morning, hopefully someone will come, police or military, I am banking on helicopters and tanks, but in Oxford somehow I doubt it. Who wants first watch” asked Grant but nobody responded and in annoyance Grant stated “Fine, I’ll take first watch. I need someone to stay awake with me, to keep me company, Elise do you want to?” he had a somewhat plead to his voice when addressing Elise, the only one he knew well and Elise nodded as she answered “Okay, I am going to make some coffee for us. I saw some Mexican beans in the cupboard it seems like good enough fuel for us, besides I need caffeine”. Grant turned to Kenny and Billy “You two can sleep but when Elise and I wake you, you have to get up and do your part”.

  Billy not use to taking orders just nodded, Kenny was far more relaxed about it and just waved his hand in resigned acceptance. At this point Mark appeared which distracted the three guys who looked at him. Then Mark said something which made his guilt all the more emphatically expressed “I killed Paul, it is my fault he was bitten. We were out running in the garden and I pushed him into one of them, if I did not I would have been bitten, so the guy, he bit into Paul”. Mark was emotional and Elise who heard Marks voice re-entered the lounge from the kitchen to see Mark. Mark stated “I am petrified, I am so scared” he sniffed deeply wiping his nose in the process, trying to find solace in admitting these grievances to friends and strangers alike.

  Billy stood up as Mark was speaking directly to him “Please do not tell the girls! I know you were closer to him than I was, but I was his friend to. But please I did not mean to push Paul into that man, I was petrified, I just had to get out of there” tears streamed down his face as he wiped them with his stripped jumper. Billy approached Mark and said “Don’t worry mate, it is over” Billy put his hand on his friends arm and Mark had obviously been crying when he ran into the other room earlier on, Billy further reassured him “Don’t worry about it mate, there is nothing to change this now, we were all scrambling for the exit, everyone was in a rush. People fell over each other trying to save themselves mate nobody could foresee anything like this happening”.

  Mark protested and said “But I killed him, you hear me. I killed him!” Billy held his friends arm firmer and stated “No, you did not kill them, those fucking people killed Paul. Those sick fucking bastards killed him”. Mark seemed shaky as Elise wondered what more was going to happen, Grant to was on edge as Kenny was sitting down just minding his own business, and then Mark said “I did not mean to say those things to Laura, Billy”. Billy was getting annoyed and stated “Snap out of it Mark. Everyone was upset” Billy’s mood changed so many times, that was noticeable to Elise especially. At this moment Billy noticed a figure behind Mark, and Billy jumped back as Mark turned and then they all saw
Cherie standing there.

  When Kenny noticed Cherie he stood up as he like Grant and Elise were intrigued why Cherie was standing there. Cherie appeared at ease, her eyes were still alert but she seemed to have calmed down “There is plenty of time to cry” her words were chilling as she then said to Mark “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen and get something to drink, I think you and I both need it”. Cherie’s relaxed words made Mark nod as he went along with her, Kenny wanted to speak to Cherie but she ignored him. Cherie by this time had been told by Elise Kenny was not bitten and why he had said he was to her in the kitchen during the confrontation, but she just did not want to engage him, at least right now. Cherie and Mark went into the kitchen, moving to the side of Elise who stood there in silence and then Elise went into the kitchen herself to get her own coffee which was almost finished by the machine and the coffee for Grant in preparation for their first watch.

  Billy still smoking the cigarette approached Kenny and Grant as he said “My friends are all afraid but your friend scares me” he said in a joking way about Cherie. Neither Grant nor Kenny said anything, despite them not being friends with Cherie in the respect of not knowing her beyond their very short time together, they nevertheless were concerned. Billy then said “Mark is not the only one who feels guilty. I do as well. I should have tried to keep people together, abandoning my friends the way I did was wrong but nobody was thinking about anybody else. Some of them ran out into the streets from the house you know when those things were breaking inside. It is everyone looking out for their own best interests at the end of the day, isn’t”. They heard moaning outside and ignored it as best as they could. Grant snapped out of it and said forcefully, no longer wanting small-talk “Look Elise and myself have first watch, we will call it 2-3 hours until you relieve us but I don’t know if I will be able to sleep, but when we wake you up just do your part. You best go to sleep if you can”.