He nodded and fumbled one into the lock then another until he found the right key, taking a big breath he opened the door and sighed. It was a store room but very small and littered with books and nothing else just like she thought. Coming back out he threw the keys down and slumped to the floor, it looked like he was going to cry. “Ain’t you going out or something?”
She knew he obviously needed some alone time, it must finally have hit home about his family.
“Yeah I’ll be back soon, help me with the book case”, she said heading towards it throwing her bag on her shoulder and her blade at her side at the ready. Nearing the door she peeked out the window but couldn’t see too much from up here.
Will lifted the bookcase out the way, she looked away from him as she opened the door as she could see the first few tear drops sliding down his cheeks. He didn’t wish her luck just slammed the door shut behind her but she could just make out his grief stricken sobs from behind it.
She took a look at her surroundings, she was situated on the staircase of the bookstore, the railing was metal and glass so she had a good view of the room below her and so far so good no melter’s in her way to the exit. Taking one step at a time she kept the blade raised just in case anything jumped out at her, she felt her chest shudder as her heart pounded so hard, her mouth had gone cotton dry and she struggled to swallow her saliva in her dry rasping throat. The place was so silent it was deafening, the place had been looted before they got here by the looks of things as books, paper and magazines were strewn on the floor, the tills had been ripped apart but she knew money wouldn’t do much to help them now.
Glass crunched under foot as she made her way over to the door which was closed but open to the elements as the glass had been shattered, taking a deep breath she peered out over the deathly quiet street. The sun glowed low in the early morning sky which made the whole street glow with warmth but she knew it wouldn’t last long as the rain clouds were looming in the distance, she just hoped it wouldn’t be more acid rain but as she thought about it she remembered hearing the thunder, the sounds of bombs being let off. It had to be bombs that had sent out the acid, right? It had to be warplanes spraying the acid down upon the poor people of the world. She had no clue but it didn’t matter as she had to get home.
She stepped out placing one foot shakily in front of the other, still nothing was looming or lurking in any shadows so she took her chance to find Will’s bike, he had thrown it to the side just inside a small alleyway, picking it up she checked it over, sure enough the wheel was slightly bent but still useable. Jumping on the saddle she set off up the road watching out for any puddles and any melted monstrosities, she couldn’t afford to not pay attention and get acid on her from a splash of water. Taking a turn at a corner she turned up another road with a slight hill to it, her leg muscles burnt with the work they were doing but she kept going on, rounding down another road she headed the direction of her home. She passed a small section of the suburbs which had a small shopping centre which had become the home to a manic crime scene, the shops had all been smashed in and looted, dead and melted bodies lined the pavement. Cars had been set alight along with bins and other flammable material, as she neared it she slowed to a crawl as she spotted movement up ahead, the movement belonged to a gang they had guns and other weapons and where too busy smashing into an old food store to notice her. She had to stifle a laugh though as she knew there would be no food in there anymore, the small convenience stores had been the first to shut when the war hit home, they shut what felt a long time ago now a different lifetime, some of the big supermarkets still had some food left but unless you were a millionaire you could not afford it, most people could only rely on the ration stations. She took off at a sprint and pelted her way to her home where at the top of her road she froze, a cry of anger, fury and despair tangled in her throat and came out as a gargled sob.
Her block of flats had gone up in smoke, the tall skyscraper like building which was home to thousands of council tenants was burning brightly in the morning sun, the smoke was being blown in the opposite direction which was why she hadn’t noticed it before and maybe because her mind was so focused on her making her way safely she didn’t look above street level. She collapsed to her knees falling from the bike and onto the now dry and warm road heated by her home, she could see her flat from where she fell, on the fifth floor smoking and red hot, just to add flame to the fire an explosion rocketed from her flat as she watched all it left was a smouldering gaping hole in the side of the building. A few other flats had done the same thing and all she could think of was that there might still have been some gas inside the old boilers and pipes. She felt her heart shatter into a million pieces, there was no way they could all be dead, her mum, dad, Tyrone and Bianca…just no, it couldn’t be, it wasn’t real.
Wracking her brain she tried to think, what would Tyrone do, where would he go? Then she knew he would take the family to find her but all they would find is the melted bodies at the church, then where? Of course to nanna Lynne’s she lived by the sea in Brighton, that’s where he would take them, maybe the bombs had only targeted the capital city, maybe everywhere else would be fine? Maybe?
Standing up she knew she had to go there, she had to see if they had gotten to safety. She would head back for Will and take him with her, once out of the city they would be safe right, they just had to be.
Jumping back on the bike she raced back the way she had come not being as careful as she was before, she didn’t need to her heart had been ripped apart. She reached where the gang had finally smashed their way in to the small shop, she could hear their frustration as the place was as she thought, empty. Rushing past she didn’t give them a chance to notice her, just a blur in the sunlight.
Reaching the bookstore in half the time it had taken her to leave she threw the bike inside the shop front and raced inside nearly colliding with a melted woman who brushed her melted bony finger tips over Monique’s cheek. She screamed out in terror but with all the anger pent up inside she lashed out with the blade and sliced the woman’s neck sending a gush of blood over the floor, the woman bled out quickly as she had been mostly melted and damaged before but it wasn’t enough. Monique jumped on top of her and brought the blade down again and again until she knew the thing was dead. Standing up she wiped some blood off her face before throwing up all over the poor woman she had just killed.
“Monique?” a male voice asked from the stairs.
“Tyrone?” she said confused for a moment before realising it was William, “Will!”
“Who’s Tyrone?” he asked trying not to look at the woman on the floor.
“My brother”.
“Did you find them?” his voice was soft though as if he knew.
She shook her head, “My flat was on fire but I think they might have gone somewhere else”.
“Really? Where?”
“Brighton, to my nanna’s”.
“Do you think they made it out the flat? Do you think they made it past the melted people? Out of the city?”
She shrugged, “I dunno but I have to hope so, I have to go there, there might be no melted people by the sea maybe they only attacked London?”
“Maybe, worth a try I guess”.
“For sure? You coming with me then?”
He nodded, “Can’t stay here can I on me own, plus you might need a hand. Nothing to keep me here”
“Cool”, she nodded to herself.
“How though?”
“What?”
“How we gonna get there?” he asked.
She cradled her head in her hands feeling hot tears burn at the corners then an idea struck hard, “The buses, they were the only things to keep petrol other than ambulances”.
“Yes but most buses stopped working weeks ago”, he replied not thinking that was much of an idea.
“Maybe so but I bet they kept some as back up just in case they needed it”.
“And if they did wouldn’t they have g
one with it already?”
She shrugged, “You got a better idea?”
He shook his head.
“Then let’s go”.
They had been walking for hours through the burning and broken city, the landscape around them had seemed to have changed overnight, buildings had been burnt down their smouldering carcasses sending out smoke into the cool but sunny air, roads were blocked with old broken cars, bodies still lay where they had fallen the day before and the smell was intoxicating, the smell of burnt flesh and blood mixed with the smell of human waste and chemicals filled their noses like a constant reminder of the hell they were now living in.
Monique didn’t know this part of town too well but knew there was a bus depot in the area as her uncle had been a bus enthusiast and had told her all about it, he had died a few years ago from heart disease. He was one of the lucky ones, he didn’t have to live and see this new hell.
They had been lucky for the most part missing the melter’s that roamed around, diving behind cars or running through buildings to get away but they always seemed to know they were there and followed. Will had mentioned how he had seen them sniffing the air and following their noses to them, like they smelt bad to them and knew where they were or maybe Monique thought we smell good and tasty to them. They had run into a block of flats to take refuge from some that had followed them, the flats were some old mansion houses that had been converted, they were large and spacious with grand views over the part of London Monique didn’t know. Out the back had been a fire escape which was what they were climbing slowly and quietly down. They had spotted some more melter’s at the bottom near an old garage but they hadn’t spotted or sniffed them out yet. Monique jumped down first with an almost gymnastic finish whereas Will huffed as he landed awkwardly on his feet, he was covered in sweat and was extremely hungry and thirsty, she had given them a small snack to eat from her bag that morning but was making them hold out till lunch, she needed the food to last as long as possible.
“Quick this way”, she whispered to him.
They had a sort of plan, she roughly knew where the depot was and they were going to break in and find themselves a big bus with fuel and get out of town. Other than that she didn’t know what else to do, if there was no buses with no fuel then she was stumped and they would have to go by foot but judging by how long it had taken them to get here she didn’t fancy their chances. She also had no idea how to drive a bus, her brother had stolen a car once and let her joy ride it round a car park teaching her the basics but she had no idea if a bus was the same principle she just had to hope so.
Ushering him down a small alleyway which came out opposite a small supermarket which like so many places now was fully ablaze and shafting some hot heat out into the atmosphere. Using the burning building as a barrier for one side and hoping it would mask their smell for a while with the burning plastic, glass and wood on the other they made their way around it keeping a look out for any nasties. She spotted a sign up ahead for the bus depot and almost cheered until she spotted what was ahead of them, a large blockade built from cars, furniture, filing cabinets and other things blocking their way and behind was a gang of people all tooled up and looking fierce. A howl made her turn on the spot to the other end of the street and at first all she could make out was one melter then another and another and more appeared from behind it.
“Monique I don’t like this, should we just go a find a car from the street?”
“Most people couldn’t afford the fuel and it’s all run out now the bus depot is our best chance”, she replied, “Look there’s an alleyway over there we could head that way and go round the back of the gang to the road we need”, she pointed.
“No way man, that gang won’t let us stroll in and take a bus”, he gulped.
“Well you got any ideas?”
He shook his head and waited for her signal then they charged over the road to the alleyway, he chanced a look at all the melter’s at the end of the road and almost wet himself as they clocked them and began to shuffle their way, “Monique their coming”.
“I know just move”, she snapped.
“What if it’s blocked?”
“It won’t be”, she lied hoping it wasn’t.
Running as fast as they could they hurried through the narrow alleyway, watching out for the puddles that were still visible on the ground, moving in sync they rounded corners taking care not to run into the arms of anything.
“Oh shit”, she cried out it was a dead end.
“Told you so”, Will snapped the fear fully grinded in his voice.
“Shut up”, she spat, “I need to think”.
Looking around she couldn’t see anything that could help them and she knew in a few moments the melter’s would be here ready to tear them to pieces.
“Up there”, Will said pointing to an open window.
“It’s too high”, she whined.
“No we can move the dumpster over and climb up”, he said running to the old big metal bin which had seen better days and moving it slowly grinding the metal on the pavement. She rushed over to help him and they got it right underneath.
They climbed up on top just as the first melter appeared, “Argh”, it wailed and moaned as more arrived.
“Come on I’ll boost you up then you can lean out and help me up”, Will said putting his back to wall and holding his hands out cupped to hold a foot. She jumped up onto his hand and he huffed as he pushed her up, gripping the ledge she hauled herself in and fell onto a small wooden floor which belonged to a hallway at the top of a small set of stairs, taking a quick look she made sure it was safe.
“Monique!” his voice cried out as she was taking too long.
Grabbing a small table which held a house phone and lamp she shoved them off sending them crashing to the floor then she stood on it and leant out of the window hoping the table wouldn’t move and would take their weight.
“Grab my hand”, she said leaning out.
He jumped grabbing her hand and nearly pulling her arm out of its socket, she persevered and pulled with all her might, her muscles rippling with the strain. He worked too using his feet to climb up the brick wall. Using her legs she propped herself against the ledge and gave a final burst to pull him up just as a cry of hunger ripped through the air as one of them reached him and made a grab for his foot. Kicking out he hit the thing square on sending it howling into its mates, they all wailed baying for his flesh and blood, then he was up and falling in the window just as she slammed it shut.
They sat there for a moment panting trying to breathe and get their breath back, “Argh”, a howl wailed around them this time not from outside but from inside the building.
“Oh come on”, Will panted feeling like he could sleep forever.
They took off running down the stairs coming to another small landing, Will stumbled and fell behind her but was soon back up and running just a few seconds behind. Reaching the bottom of the stairs she came face to face with a hungry, drooling bloodied mouth, swinging her blade she hit thing square in the jaw and half decapitating the things face, it fell to the floor in a bloody mess twitching as the final saps of life left it, then she heard another one smash its way through a door behind her. Chips and splinters of wood flew everywhere as the thing charged at her, aiming her blade she sliced it embedding her blade in its chest but it didn’t stop it, it kept on coming knocking her to the floor, snapping its bloody teeth towards her neck. She let out a small scream of terror as she waited for its teeth to tear into her skin but then it stopped and fell to the floor dead. Will had grabbed hold of a guitar and had smashed it over the head then stabbed the broken neck of the instrument through the things back rendering it useless and lifeless.
“You ok, you get bit?” he asked holding out his hand to her.
She took it and pulled herself up then went to the monster and pulled her blade out which made a sucking wet noise as the metal slid out from the flesh wound, “I’m fine, didn’t get bitten
…you?”
He shook his head and showed her his arms, “All good in the hood”. He tried to make a joke to lighten the atmosphere but Monique was hearing something behind him, grabbing his arms they ducked down under a dining table.
The group of people who had built the blockade the other side had come to see what all the commotion was about, “Who’s there?” a male voice asked through a smashed front window.
They didn’t answer but the people knew someone was there, they climbed in and checked behind the table, “Well hello there, been fighting have we”. The man was friendly looking in his fifties he held a baseball bat and had two others with him, “Come on out we have a safe house round the corner”.
Coming out slowly from behind the table Monique spoke first, “Sorry can’t be too careful”, still feeling weary, she didn’t want to trust them right away but they needed to get to the bus depot.
“Don’t worry about it I’ve seen the gangs around and we ain’t like them. Come on we have some food bet your starving”, he smiled taking them out into the street. A group of people all looked through a gap in another blockade, “It’s ok they friendly’s”, he called out.
A woman in her forties opened a sort of makeshift gate to let them all in before locking it tight, there were about thirty people all holed up in a small area of street with some flats and houses boarded up with lookouts and over in the corner was the bus depot locked and shut up tightly. There were men, women and a couple of kids looking at them.
“Check them”, the woman said.
The man grabbed Will, “Hey get off me”, he struggled before being shoved to the floor.
“Have you been bitten?” The older man asked him searching his body for any wounds.
“No, it’s not my blood it’s the melter’s”, Will assured them.
Monique was next but as she didn’t struggle she wasn’t thrown to the ground.
“They both clean no bites”, the man said.
Alone (Book 2): Lone Page 12