Immediate Survivors

by Cenz Barone

  Laura stroked her bandaged arm and answered Melissa “It is okay, the pain killer’s work, I am just glad it is not as bad as it could have been. Finding a fucking doctor, what are the chances! Whatever that doctor gave me to take it is working a treat, so I cannot really complain even though I want to”. Cherie softly said to her “You should really try keep using it, you and Elise, slow exercise you know like Nancy is doing for her leg, and it doesn’t have to be much”. Confused Melissa asked “Why, wouldn’t that make it worse” as Cherie said “I studied physiotherapy before I dropped out of university it is really helpful. Plus it is what the doctor said to do. You will have a better chance of surviving if you have all your limbs working. You are going to need them”. As Laura in a carefree way answered “If someone said that to me before all this I would think what the fuck, and even in this situation I cannot help but think what the fuck. I was shot!”

  Melissa picked up her machine gun and said “I am tired, I am not sleeping alone, are you ready to go bed Laura”. Laura just nodded as she looked at Cherie and asked “What about you?” staring at the fire Cherie answered “I am going to stay here for a bit, get some comfort from the fire, I won’t be long. Goodnight”. Melissa and Laura both held each other as they went to their own tent, leaving Cherie alone near the fire resting beside it as she closed her eyes, finally alone in her own thoughts, and she could reflect on their recent events and dreading what more was to come”.

  Chapter 32 - Exploring Other Costs

  Early the next morning, with daylight upon them the first one wide-awake was Nancy, she now wore dark jeans and a black blouse, spoils of clothing taken from the supermarket during their previous evening raid. Nancy’s blonde hair was all messed up as she exited the tent and she made her way to the fire and saw Roy sitting there. Nancy paused to check for anyone else from her group who was around but saw nobody. Roy had a fire going and was indulging himself, when he saw her he called her “Good morning, what a wonderful day it might be” Nancy strolled over, she had her pistol in her belt behind her back as she answered “You are here early” as Roy smirked “I am an early bird, what can I say. Did you sleep well?” Nancy rubbed her hair, wishing she could shower as she answered “Not as well as I use to” she smelt it in the air and asked “Are you making coffee?” to which Roy gleefully responded “Yes I am. I hope you don’t mind I used your fire to cook some of my tinned coffee, first chance I have had. It took me a struggle to get it back up, it was almost dead. I thought to get an early start as soon as possible. You still want to go see this place, right?” Nancy was confused momentarily, something did not sit right, so she asked “Wait a minute, wasn’t anyone awake when you got here?”

  Roy sipped his coffee from the tray and shook his head as he replied “No” then Roy pointed near the camper van where Nancy saw Kenny passed out near the front wheel of the camper van, he had about five empty bottles of beer near him. Nancy muttered “For fucks sake Kenny” she was outraged and disappointed, she was going to make her way over and give him such a row, Roy though said calmly as he handed out a tray of coffee for her “Give the kid a break, he’s tired like you all were, can’t expect everyone to be awake all the time. You’re not machines, are you? Besides Nancy, like I said nobody comes this way, you obviously underestimate how deep you are in the downs, the woodlands around here are so isolated, it is why you need to get familiar with it, I am glad you are more forward thinking than the rest of the people you are with”.

  Nancy took a moment to cool herself and soaked in Roy’s words as she turned to him and took the tray of coffee he offered, she sipped some and after gulping it, she groaned in pleasure and Roy teasingly said “I didn’t know the coffee was that good” as Nancy placed the tray down and wiped her mouth, she now looked back upon Roy who said “Would you like something to eat” Nancy was not hungry as she stepped near the fire and said seriously “Look Roy, I appreciate you helping us, I really do but I have to ask you something” Roy waited, curious what this request would be.

  Nancy crossed her arms and said as she checked the surroundings, making sure nobody was in earshot “I have to ask you something, a favour. I know you are helping us and like I said I do appreciate it, but the details of what these deaths squads are doing. Can cool down on the gore and not mention it in detail. The people with me are mostly just college kids, you know. The last thing they want to hear about is people not infected torturing and gang raping other people. I know you mean well but I do not want them panicking anymore than they have to, we’ve already been through a lot to get here. I am trying to keep everyone together because we won’t survive this if everyone is paralysed by fear. They are civilians like you but there is no need to discuss it so freely, it frightens them and to be honest it frights me”.

  Roy studied her and was chewing his lower lip, as he lost his cold facial expression and said with a smile “Sure, I understand, but I disagree they cannot handle it. By the sounds of it you people have been through hell, this is just a different type of hell, and they should know everything they are up against. Because though it is safe and isolated in this vast woodland, you are all still vulnerable, anything can happen and going out beyond these woods you will need to do so. Because I know you are intending to stay here for as long as possible. Believe me, the more alert you are, the more you will know you cannot allow yourself or the rest of you people to get caught, especially the girls in the group, you be mindful of that for your own personal safety as well” he then came uncomfortably close to Nancy who was not intimidated and whispered “Because you will be shown no mercy” he then back off and added with a smirk “From those people”. He really was a creepy guy but a creepy guy helping Nancy thought. Roy now said “Since you not hungry, let’s get whoever else is coming and head on out”. Nancy shook her head and replied “Let them sleep, it is just you and me” Roy was surprised as he said “You trusting me that much” Nancy then used her right hand and placed behind herself and pulled out her pistol, she remarked “I am not alone” a subtle warning to Roy, whose own weapon was nowhere near as powerful as hers.

  Roy turned and said as he began walking with her “It is about 7 miles you know, don’t you want to tell them” again Nancy answered “No, they know where I am going this morning, I don’t think anyone else cares much to go”. Roy led the way encouragingly saying “Stay close and be alert, more so when we get closer to the house”. Nancy followed suit keeping her pistol close, she was alert as she limped, Roy said noticing her struggle “Are you sure you can make this hike?” Nancy gritted her teeth and replied “Don’t worry about me. I love hiking” fighting brave she was as Roy tilted his head finding it gutsy of the young policewoman.

  They had walked around almost 500 meters at this point in silence, the only noises being the undergrowth of twigs, branches and small stones crackling under their shoes. It was as they continued walking through the undergrowth that both stopped at hearing a noise behind them, for someone was running. Roy raised his hunting rifle with Nancy moving behind a bush and she pointed her pistol, and then through the clutter they saw Cherie and Elise appearing holding their weapons, both were taken by surprise as Nancy and Roy stood out of the hidden area they were at, shocked to see them both. Nancy asked them confused “What are you doing here, has something happened back at camp?”

  Nancy was visibly confused but Cherie replied calmly “Relax the camp is fine, we just did not want you to go out by yourself” “How considerate” said a sarcastic Roy. Nancy taken aback and she looked it as Elise told her “You should have told us you were leaving” as Nancy seemed momentarily speechless. Cherie smiled at her and said “Some guard Kenny was huh”. Nancy now blurted “I nearly fucking shot you” as Elise replied, herself injured still, and holding her gun in her better hand “It is a good thing you did not”. Roy was in the backdrop and annoyed said “So you are all coming, let’s fucking go”. Nancy watched as Cherie went in front of her and Elise stood near her looking at her leg, conscious of it be
ing injured. “Let’s go” and they walked onwards along the path Roy was leading them on, they moved along the sticking out nettles as he followed the slightly noticeable path.

  Roy made his way down and around various trees. Nancy turned to Cherie and Elise after they walked for a few more miles and asked “How did you catch up to us so quick”. Cherie then replied and said “You have to be quieter in the morning to get past me”. They were whispering in the back as Cherie added “Besides, Kenny’s snoring kept me up, silly boy, he must have drank quite a lot”. Nancy voice her annoyance at Kenny, as she whispered “I know, I am so pissed off” to which Elise whispered “Don’t be, everyone was tired, besides you don’t know who this guy really is” referring to Roy who walked about 20 meters ahead of them, and Nancy did not think of how reckless it was, she just needed to get an idea of the landscape and surrounding areas. Nancy was not annoyed at them anymore she was quite touched, to think they actually cared enough for her to tagalong. It was nice having someone watch your back she thought.

  They walked on for several miles as Roy stopped and turned to them all. He now said “You’re going to start seeing some bodily parts soon and some blood, there is a nasty smell as well, so cover your noses” after about 2 hundred metres they saw the blood and fingers on the floor “Those things did this” asked Cherie to which Roy answered “No, it was those death squads”. “You mean ordinary people” Elise said disgusted “Afraid so, that’s what it is like” tiresomely Roy replied still walking, wondering why they were asking obvious questions but they were just scared. They made their way further and then stopped short near a road which came out of nowhere once Roy pulled back on some bushes. Roy truly did know his way around the woodland, and this justified Nancy using him for intelligence gathering. Further down the road as they all stepped out of the woodland was a house. Roy remarked “See the person in the woods must have escaped and she was followed and tortured then murdered”. As Elise asked “I didn’t see her body?” Roy turned to her and said “They took it with her I am guessing for their own purposes” Roy glared at Nancy, respecting her decision to omit details but everyone knew what he meant.

  Roy without a care in the world stated “Come on, let’s go, it is dead quiet here” they followed him towards the house. The smell was just like Roy had warned them it would be, it was grotesque and vile. “It was this smell that drew my attention, kind of like your food” which Cherie queried “I thought you said you watched us before we cooked, soon after we got there” Roy kept walking uncaring, even though that was what he said, as he answered “What’s the difference?” he was speaking quite oddly concerning the narration provided to the place as he went on “Like I said the scent is what got my attention, there was a family here a man and woman along with one of their parents I think, and some children, the kids are upstairs, and some other people. I don’t want to tell you what happened to them” they made their way towards the front door.

  Roy leaned down and lifted up the key from inside the plant and opened the door. This was confusing for Nancy who replied “How did you know that was under there?” Roy turned the key into the lock and answered “I told you I came across it a while ago, I thought storing the key here would be a good stash, like a haunt, might need to get some cover or shelter. It is important to be resourceful” which was a logical explanation but when he opened the door, the scene within was a bloodbath, Nancy covered her mouth instinctively, Elise turned away to try and escape the carnage while Cherie stared horrified within. There was a blood and guts all over the house. They walked inside and found a young woman tied up in the living room, with rope around her ankles and wrists and connected to furniture elsewhere, she was covered in a sheet over her lower parts but her face was visible and an older woman was tied up and dead on the dining room table.

  Elise went sick at this point, throwing up on the white carpet that was covered in blood and Cherie covered her eyes. Cherie was finding it hard to stomach. Only now could Nancy stomach it when the shock wore off. Roy casually pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, as he flippantly remarked “It helps with the smell, I did have some deodorant but it’s all gone” Roy chirped. Roy dreamily observed the scene as he said to the three women near him “It’s a relief just telling someone about this, it so fucking hard to deal with alone. I did hear their screams I think a day or so before I found the house, but then the smell arose by the time I got to the house. All I saw was 13 guys or so all of them pissed out of their minds I bet. See those bottles of booze, the cider and beer, vodka even, and then there are those numerous tyre tracks outside. I bet they were laughing to, the kids, the two girls are both tied upstairs, I can show you...” Elise blurted “Oh my God the children” Elise was horrified and went sick again.

  Nancy for one was nearly throwing up “Are there any more” Nancy struggled to say as Roy answered “Yes, out back, I don’t know if they are the family or just people they brought here, their pictures you see are not the ones on the wall, there are 4 of them out in the shed, all the ones in the shed are men, with their throats slit and shot in the eyes, the brains like these people in here being totally destroyed. “Why are we here again” asked Cherie as Elise was on the verge of leaving the house. Nancy replied to Cherie “We need to know what’s going on, at least now we will know not to get caught by these people”. “How the hell do we know who they are or not” asked Elise. As Roy smoking moving around the lounge said “You won’t know that is the point. You have to guess, which is why I took so long before I approached you”. Elise unable to take anymore stormed out of the house.

  At this point Nancy had seen enough and said “We better make our way back to camp” Nancy turned around as the group filed out of the house, with the smell in their clothing, in their mouth and in their hair. Their bodies having been consummated by the atrocity, it was so hard to understand “Who could do something like that to other people” Elise outside asked as she had finished off throwing up once more. Nancy wanted to answer Elise’s question but she could not really find an answer. Roy spoke for her as he stepped out of the house and closed the door, locking it and placing the key into the plant box this time, he remarked “That’s why you are all vulnerable”. Elise annoyed told him “You don’t have to keep saying it”. Roy smoking motioned towards the driveway from which they entered and replied “You need to keep it in your mind, you see you have many women with you, the squads are mainly men like I said before, so you have to be very sure not to trust anyone. I have not told anyone else of your group’s existence, in fact the other groups don’t even know about each other, you know the other people I told you dotted around the downs who I have encountered. They only know other people are around not who exactly, I won’t give details. I think it is safer”

  Roy presenting himself as the trustworthy traveller and supporter of fellow survivors, Roy now said “There are other places, a village, really small only about 18 house’s, it has a post office, a couple of pubs and some newsagents, that is about 8 miles up North. There are over 59 people like the ones in the house murdered, butchered, it’s not just those mindless people who want to eat us you have to worry about, you understand why I am telling you this”. Nancy told him “Roy, I don’t understand you, you are acting like you have our best interests at heart, you don’t even know us, why do you care. I have to ask myself why are you doing this and almost rubbing this in our faces”. Cherie and Elise both were quiet, waiting for his answer. Roy did not betray anything, even though he was outgunned by them all.

  He disclosed “I thought it was the right thing to do, there are many people trying to survive this, who don’t want to cause any more trouble than necessary, they just want to live through it and if I can help get as many people through it then my wife and child wouldn’t have died for nothing” Roy rubbed his hands together as he said “Look at your group, you are strangers who are helping each other, like myself and so many others who are waiting for this whole nightmare to end. I am not really trying to convince
you about anything, I am just, I just want to do the right thing” he laughed smoking his cigarette, and then he asked “It’s funny isn’t?”

  “No it’s not really, it’s a relief” said Nancy as Roy apologetically answered “I know I might come across as strange but this situation really fucks with your head, I can’t help it” he stood there sincere. Nancy though was taking the chance on him, that he meant what he said and she could grasp how situations change people, she felt herself changing but hoped she would never be someone who has a flippant indifference to dead human beings, especially those who were brutalised the way the family in this house were. She did not want to have the same outlook that Roy had.

  Reassuringly Roy informed them “Anyways about the dead people, I mean the ones coming to life not the ones in there” again with his gallows humour as he went on and added “You won’t have to worry about them in places like this, if you do it will be the odd ones here and there, they stay in significant number in the small towns or villages in these parts, they might migrate but you have seen how hard it is to navigate in those woods, those things would just constantly fall over, so they would make noise, you’d hear them coming a long way away especially if it’s quiet wherever you are in the woods”.

  Perhaps this was too hopeful but his logic made sense. Roy added “Just be prepared to anticipate every eventuality. I speak from experience in the respect I have been fortunate to avoid the crazed killers in these parts, to a point of concern. Now we have to worry about gangs of crazed killers who are just as human as you or I, they are the ones I am more nervous about”. Roy now looked at Nancy who was still quiet, soaking all this in, as Elise and Cherie didn’t know what to think, he now said “Come on, let’s go back to your camp”. He led them back, as Nancy could see Cherie and Elise looking at her like what was the point of this, what did it achieve, but for Nancy it just brought home that even in the midst of this uprising of the dead coming back to life, the living were like in the old world far more dangerous it appeared.