Immediate Survivors

by Cenz Barone

  Grant walked down the corridor heading towards the front room of the house to take up his observation point as Kenny just shrugged his shoulders and Billy smoking turned to Kenny and asked “Is he always this bossy?” Kenny did not say anything but smirked as Billy relaxed on the couch and tried to get some rest. The television itself was no longer on a designated channel, it appeared most of the networks were shutting down and transferring to reflect the civil unrest, and all that was on the screen was “Emergency Broadcast to follow shortly”.

  Chapter 15 - Bedroom Trauma

  Melissa and Laura hugged up together in bed, tightly squeezing each other and their conversation was governed by whispering, for both of them were extremely conscious of what was going on outside with those people and those people whom they could only think of as being murderous drones. Laura and Melissa heard the noises outside which travelled easier in the silence which had overtaken the entire house following the earlier on commotion. Outside, the people were knocking bins over and marching around the streets groaning, always groaning in the most horrific of ways or viciously screaming. Both girls heard the odd scream and shout of someone calling for help but all they could really hear most loudly was each other’s heavy breathing, heavy breaths taken, such was all they could do to find comfort in each other over the moans and groans of those people who on occasion drowned out their thought processes, those strange possessed looking people. “Are you okay Laura?” asked Melissa who was gently holding her friend, Melissa’s brunette hair all mixed up with Laura’s blonde hair.

  Laura softly said, having calmed down following her earlier outburst “Is that a joke Melissa” Laura could not help but her friend’s stupid question misplaced, as Melissa laughed in reply, and in dismay Melissa said “No it wasn’t a joke. I was just trying to act normal”. Laura replied with equal dismay and said “If I acted normal I would say, yeah I am alright Melissa, never better. But I am not” Laura went quiet as Melissa listened to her friend, Melissa’s eyes were also looking outside at the window with its curtains drawn so she could see the fighting clouds vying for dominance of the sky with the open patches up above of thick blackness. Laura continued and said “I am far from alright, look at my hands do you feel them shaking” Melissa tightly held her friends hands to comfort her but Laura went on disclosing her thoughts “It is so warm in here but I am shaking. I am frightened and we are in someone else is house who I do not know, welcomed in by people who do not even live here, and Paul has been put outside because he is dead and the people here think he might come back to attack us. If that is meant to be a normal day then I suppose I am alright”.

  Melissa had accepted the surreal much quicker than Laura but Laura was slowly coming to terms with it. Laura asked childishly “What’s going on Melissa”. Laura stroked her friends dark hair as she tried to contain her own doubts “We are safe” Melissa said reassuringly but Laura dismissively said “Please Melissa, don’t patronise me, lying to me won’t help us”. Melissa sighed and said to her friend “I am not lying to you Laura. I am just trying to convince myself we are safe” as Melissa watched Laura stand up, Melissa sat up from lying down and observed Laura wiping her tears from her face. “How can those people just put Paul outside like that? Billy and Mark helping put out their friend, what kind of a mate does that” said Laura. Melissa had no answer as Laura spoke on “Alvin, Traci, Andrew, Lisa and everyone else, all our friends and those people we didn’t know at that house party, where are they?” Melissa now answered “I don’t know where everyone else is, some headed out into the front of the house, but I saw Alvin and he was caught by one of those people in the garden when we escaped the house”. Laura held her head “Oh my God I forgot about that” Laura forgetting she too had witnessed Alvin being taken down and attacked.

  There was a long pause as Laura muttered “Those people appearing out of nowhere to go into the garden and then they broke into the house, they look possessed, demonic even. One of the guys in the party said they looked like zombies. It is bullshit, zombies don’t exist”. Laura now went to go to the draws and pulled out clothing as she tried some on, she was shuffling through them as Melissa sat on the bed still wearing her own party dress. Melissa amusingly said “Some night though wasn’t?” Laura turned to her friend and looked stone faced but then reverted back to the draws of clothes. Then Laura sighed as she stood up and said turning to Melissa “I am sorry if I am coming across like a bitch Melissa”. Melissa shook her head and said “No you are not Laura”. Laura smirked and said “Now you are lying to me” Melissa could not help but laugh. Laura took off her dress raising it over her head and stood there in just her lace blue underwear and bra, she picked up a pair of combat jeans with a red blouse and she put it on, she checked herself out in the mirror and remarked “I feel so weird being here in this house trying someone else is clothes on and looking at myself in their mirror. A mirror they must have looked into every morning before they started their day and night before they went to bed”.

  Melissa asked Laura “How is your phone, the signal any better”. Laura shook her head as Melissa took out her own phone and noticed the signal was dead with no wifi or means to call out. Laura answered knowingly “It is been fucked for hours. I have tried to call my parents so many times but last night it would not let me do anything. Nobody is answering”. Laura took off the clothing she had put on and then opted to pick another set and settled on a more flexible set of items which was a baggy black t-shirt and a dark jean jacket with combat trousers and took hold of a baseball cap which had a beer brand on it. Melissa remarked “You look good”. Laura playfully posed and then went serious “You know Mark is a dickhead”. Melissa stood up from the bed and stated “Well at least he is not attacking and trying to, what did that girl say eat people” referring to Cherie as Laura replied “Since when did you become a joker, I thought that was Claire’s role”. At this moment Laura’s face became ashen as she threw off the baseball cap and stated “Oh fuck sake”. Melissa asked “What is wrong?”

  Laura then asked “Claire, she was with us, where the hell is she”. Melissa realising Claire was one of the lucky ones who got across the house garden into this house said “I last saw her downstairs with you guys”. Laura realising where Claire was last seen “I last saw her in the kitchen, shit, I cannot believe I left her alone”. Melissa then asked “Didn’t she say she was bitten” Laura had visions of them putting Claire outside and said “We have to find her before they dump her outside”. Both Melissa and Laura then left the bedroom and went into the darkened corridor, whispering to each other as they made their way down the stairs, both girls were whispering “Claire, Claire” as they reached the footing of the stairs they called out again but were startled when a dark shadow stood in front of them, it was Grant who made both girls flinch.

  “What is going on here?” asked Grant as Laura answered “Claire, have you seen her”. Grant they could see was momentarily confused as he then realised who they were talking about “The blonde girl who arrived with you and your friends” Grant sounding unsure as Melissa nodded and said “Yes her, we have just realised she has not been seen for a while. Where is she?” Grant detected their worry and asked “She has been bitten right, didn’t she say that” Grant realising they overlooked her during the commotion with Paul, and Grant also knew he had not seen her for a while either. Grant held a large steel pole in his hand as he turned around looking beyond Laura and Melissa “Okay, have you checked all the rooms upstairs”. But Laura answered “No, she would be down there”. But Grant questioningly asked “How can you be so sure?” and then with attitude Laura asked “Well have you seen her up here? Haven’t you been going into the other rooms, we have heard you moving around up here”. Grant had indeed been going around the upstairs bedrooms of the house and he just shook his head, he knew Laura was right that Claire was not upstairs.

  Elise was on the other side of the house staring out the side window, listening to the noises from the streets, as the tw
o girls raised their voices a little with Grant who was trying to calm them “Be quiet” said Grant. “Be quiet, where was the last place you saw her” demanded Laura as Grant told her “Down stairs, she was in the kitchen with your friend Paul” said Grant who knew he had not seen her since then and he had been in the kitchen a few times since taking over watch duty. Both Melissa and Laura spoke up and were getting hot at Grant who said to them both “You have to keep your voices down, those things are just outside, and if they hear you, they might not go”. “Just find her” moaned Melissa.

  Elise heard the commotion from up the stairs and walked out of a side room which was a second lounge of the house and stared up at the top of the stairs where she saw Grant in conversation with Laura and Melissa. Grant and Melissa and Laura turned to walk down the stairs and as Grant reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Elise he asked her “Have you seen the other girl who came with these two. Claire’s her name, is she in any of the rooms down here” as Elise shook her head and replied “Not in this area, she was last in the kitchen, right?” Melissa and Laura were growing worried as Grant said “I am sure she is there. Just stay put and I will go check”. Grant then walked away knowing he could not recall seeing her in there the last time he went inside but there was every chance he overlooked her, and then she noticed Laura and Melissa looking at her, Elise was holding the hunting rifle as they brushed passed her and headed down the corridor towards the main lounge.

  Billy and Mark were lying on the couch covered in coats and blankets trying to find some comfort as Grant, Melissa and Laura passed them. All three were looking in the lounge for Claire but it was obvious she was not present and then they came into the kitchen which had the light on, as they entered the kitchen the only person they saw was Kenny who was sitting at the kitchen table facing the way they came in, he was chewing gum and had a bottle of beer in front of him. Kenny asked “Grant, are you ready to clock off mate”. Grant immediately was stern and said “One of the girls is missing”. Kenny then necked back the bottle of beer and asked “Huh”. Grant annoyed came to Kenny and said “Are you fucking drinking”. Kenny looked at the beer and then at Grant and said sarcastically “How very astute of you Grant”.

  Laura went into the middle of the kitchen and looked in the area where she last recalled seeing Claire but she was not present. Laura was worried and asked “Have you done something to her?” Grant turned to Laura and sounding offended said “Of course not”. Melissa looked at Laura and said “Maybe she is sleeping somewhere and we have not seen”. Grant dismissed this “No, Elise and I have been in every room of this house and we have not seen her”. Kenny could see their concern and pushed aside his beer as Grant looked at him, Grant seemed disappointed as he said to Kenny “Mate, I can’t believe you are drinking”. Kenny stood up and firmly told Grant “Look man, why are you giving me shit about drinking? I am not drunk I am just having a drink” and Kenny was not drunk but Melissa said “We have not got time for this”.

  Grant ignored Melissa and said to Kenny “I am not giving you shit! I am just saying this girl is missing and she said she was bitten, do you remember her”. Kenny then looked at Laura and Melissa as he recalled who Claire was by her absence and he said sounding downbeat “Shit I remember her”. Kenny stood up from sitting down and said to Grant, Kenny suddenly sounding serious “You said she is definitely not anywhere else in the house, right”.

  Grant nodded and replied “For sure, I have been going in every room as has Elise and we have not seen her”. Laura pleaded “Please find her”. Kenny could see Laura was upset and said “Well there is only one place she could be”. All looked at Kenny as he turned to the kitchen window that overlooked the garden “Out there” said Kenny. Melissa stepped forward and said in disbelief “Out there, no way, she would not go outside with those things”. Kenny shook his head and said “When we first arrived here there was five of us, the girl we were with took off outside, she went into the street” Grant recalling Casey. Laura and Melissa did not like this suggestion, as Melissa said “Claire wouldn’t do that”. To which Kenny answered “You don’t know what people are capable of when faced with this thing, worse for her by being bitten”. Laura told him “You are not helping Kenny”. Kenny though was trying to be realistic as he said “Neither were you earlier” referring to Laura getting angry at them putting Paul outside. Melissa now spoke “Well, she would not have gone out the front, because you and the other girl were watching that area, right”.

  Kenny and Laura looking at each other, unhappy with the other, as Grant picking up on Melissa’s point answered “Yes, we would have heard her” Melissa now said “So we will have to check the backyard”. Kenny nodded and now headed towards the side door of the kitchen to gain access to the utility room which led to the garden and said “I just hope she has not done a runner like the other girl” again Kenny thinking of Casey. Grant near Kenny replied “But we sealed up the back door to the lane with those bricks, she would have struggled to move them all”.

  “What the fuck are you talking about, just go outside” said Melissa, sickened they were wasting time talking, and then Kenny opened the door and headed into the garden, Grant went towards the utility room entrance and stood there blocking Melissa and Laura as he said “Just wait”. Kenny in the back garden called out “Hit the lights will you Grant, I can’t see anything” as Grant hit the lights the first thing Kenny saw was the rain trickling down, much more clearer, he scoured the relatively large garden but could not see anything, he then heard a sound, it was shivering and quite erratic, he turned to the side and near the garden furniture he saw her. Kenny saw a pitiful sight and saw the girl with her legs brought up towards her chest shivering, her hair and body soaked through and she was trying to find cover from under the garden table. He could see her make eye contact with him, and Kenny who was always a cautious person preceding this, when he saw the state she was in just went forward to comfort her.

  Compassion suddenly overtaking him as he said “It is okay” he kept whispering this to her and put out his hand, her skin did not look different, she looked human he thought and as the sobbing continued he made a small step and then awaited the next move. “Kenny anyone out there” asked Grant from the utility room. Kenny responded quietly “She is out here” he kept his eyes on her cradling behind her legs cowering in the corner with tears running down her face which was mixed up with the rain, it was indeed Claire and her evening wear was all marked and ripped from the running, she shivered a great deal in the cold conditions and she held her arm where she was most definitely bitten and raising her head pleaded with Kenny “Please leave me alone”.

  Kenny said sympathetically “Come inside, you cannot stay out here, you’ll freeze to death”. Claire shouted at him “Fuck off”. This brought out Melissa and Laura who brushed past Grant who then came out and they saw where Kenny was looking, and all saw Claire. Claire was shouting to be left alone as Grant said worriedly “She has got to go back inside, her noise will attract those people. Get your friend inside, I don’t want to force her in, so you best do it” he said to Melissa and Laura who without hesitation approached her, Kenny stepped aside and let Melissa and Laura try their best to coax Claire. Both girls went near her and went on each side as their voices which were low and sounded tender, but both girls, even Laura to a point seemed hesitant due to Claire’s injuries but as dutiful friends they persisted.

  “Get away from me” Claire shouted as Melissa and Laura did not concede to her request so Claire went on and said “I heard you talking earlier on! You think I have the disease don’t you? Why should I bother anymore I may as well wait until I die so you can put me outside like you did Paul”. Melissa sat near her and said “Please Claire, you have to come inside, there is no way of knowing if this is contagious and if you will die from it. The doctors must have a cure for it! They must be able to do something, for all we know you might not even be infected”. Claire replied “Melissa we have been waiting for help for almost tw
o days and where have we moved to, we moved across the fucking street. Help isn’t coming”. Laura went on the other side of her friend and said “There is warm clothing inside, a nice hot bed and some food. Claire you cannot stay out here, it is too cold and it is beginning to rain heavier”. Claire cried and stated in response “So I come inside and you can throw me out like you did to Paul when I pass out, just like I am trash. Fuck you. I cannot believe you did that to Paul, what right do you have”. Laura stated angrily “I did not want them to do it, I tried to stop them!”

  As Claire said “Like you said the authorities might have helped him” Claire was looking at Kenny and Grant when she said this. Both Kenny and Grant felt as though they were blamed for Paul’s demise but remained quiet. Elise appeared at this point and came outside as she said “What is going on?” then Elise noticed Claire where Laura and Melissa were sitting. “Nothing Elise” said Grant as he like Kenny were both looking at Claire who was distraught as Claire said “I might have been bitten, I don’t know but I feel okay” again Claire moving into being sure or not, like she was contradicting herself, although it seemed like she might have been by the design of the injury but tellingly her injury from those people was nowhere near as bad as Pauls was.

  Claire felt threatened by Kenny and Grant. Claire was brought to her feet by Melissa and Laura who felt like they had control over her but Claire pushed them away and both girls were stunned as she stood away from them. Claire looking at them all with equal suspicion, even her friends in Melissa and Laura who were both scared for Claire and concerned.

  “I don’t want your help” Claire shouted and held her head as she was trying to stop herself from crying. Elise came to stand near Grant as she said “Grant, we have to get her inside now, she is making too much noise” Elise thinking of the dead things in the lane, were they out there would more come. Kenny whispered to Elise “Give me the hunting rifle”. Elise and Grant looked at him as he said with a glance towards them “Just give it to me”. Elise unsure why he wanted it handed it to him, Laura noticed this “What are you doing?” she asked Kenny as Kenny looked at Laura and did not say a word.