“We mean you no harm.” I said, “We’d no idea anyone was living here, thought it was abandoned.”
“It’s not, go away.” the man snapped, and I glanced at Pat who nodded.
“Fine...” Was all I managed to say before the shotgun fired, a thunderous roar that was followed by a cry of pain and surprise from Pat.
Chapter 21
I covered the distance between us in seconds, my knife in hand. The shotgun was knocked from his hands and I grabbed him by the throat as I drew back my knife to strike.
“Oh God!” the man said.
“Daddy!” Screamed a child in terror.
“Ryan, stop.” From Pat and I paused to look back in surprise.
Pat was doing his best to sit up, his hand pressed over a fast spreading stain across his stomach. He grimaced in pain and shook his head.
“It was an accident.” he said and I glanced back at the man I held who nodded emphatically. “He could barely hold the gun up, it slipped.”
“I’m sorry.” The man whimpered.
A child was crying behind him somewhere in the house and I thought furiously through my options as my arm trembled with the urge to strike anyway. Finally I released him.
“Help me get him inside.” I instructed and the man nodded once more.
We picked up Pat who threw one arm around my shoulders and the other around the shoulders of his shooter and we half carried, half dragged him into the house.
I had a quick glimpse of a woman holding two children close and then we were past, into a dining room where with a great deal of effort we managed to get Pat laid out on a wide mahogany table.
“Bloody hell it hurts.” he winced and I grinned at him.
“You think it hurts now, just wait.”
His jacket was thick and had an inner lining for insulation, he also had a jumper and t-shirt on beneath that so dependent upon the type of shotgun shell that had been used, his wound could range from fatal to minor inconvenience.
I pulled down the zip and carefully lifted his jumper and t-shirt to inspect the wound. A number of small holes peppered the right hand side of his abdomen and I could still see some of the small lead ball bearings embedded close to the surface of some of them.
“Get me tweezers, bandages, gauze, alcohol and anything else you think will help.” I instructed and the man nodded and dashed out of the room.
“This going to kill me?” Pat asked.
“I don’t think the gunshot will but the infection to come might.” I said with a sigh, “I’ve no idea what got pushed into the wound when the shot passed through three layers of clothing, not to mention whatever bacteria was on your jacket.”
“Don’t hold back, just tell it how it is and don’t spare my feelings.” Pat said with a laugh that turned to a groan.
“No use lying to you.” I said and he chuckled again.
The man came back into the dining room with a green first aid kit and placed it on the table beside me.
“This is all we have.” he said and I tutted as I opened it and looked through the contents.
“What sort of shell were you using?” I asked and he looked at me blankly.
“It was my father’s gun, I have no idea.”
“Great.” I muttered, “What did he use it for?”
“Hunting pheasant I think.”
“Then it should be ok.” I said to Pat, “From the little I do know about those useless guns is that the shells used for birds are totally different from the ones used to kill bigger game. If we can dig these out and you don’t become infected, you should survive.”
“Good to hear.” Pat growled. “Dig them out then.”
“Have you anything to sterilize the tweezers with?” I asked the man who stared at me dumbly, “Fire, candles or anything like that?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Then go and do what you can to sterilize them.” I instructed and once again he dashed from the room.
While I waited, I sorted through the first aid kit. It was surprisingly well stocked and I was pleased to find a small pack of disposable gloves. I pulled a pair on, the latex feeling unpleasantly constricting.
I had just finished cleaning around the small puckered craters in Pat’s abdomen when the man returned with the tweezers which I took from him and immediately put them to use.
The light in the dining room wasn’t great but it was enough to allow me to see what I was doing as I dug around in each of the holes in turn in search of the small metal ball hidden in his flesh.
Pat moaned and complained as well as cursed quite a lot. It was distracting and set my teeth on edge so that by the time I was done, any chance of a pleasant mood had vanished and I was left with an irritated sort of anger directed at the man who had been holding the shotgun.
I finished cleaning the wounds with the antiseptic wipes and was convinced I had found all of the small balls and removed them. With little else of use, I sprayed antiseptic spray over the small puckered holes and hoped for the best before applying a dressing.
“Is he going to be ok?” The man asked and I swung to him, my hand dropping to the knife hilt at my belt.
“You had better hope so.” I snarled and he flinched as it took all of my willpower to keep from driving my blade through his eye.
“I’m sorry.” he said in a quiet voice as though aware of how close to violence I was.
“Ryan.” Pat murmured, “It’s fine mate. I’ll be fine.”
“Do you have a boat?” I asked the man and he blinked in surprise before nodding.
“In the shed.”
“I’m going to get our friends. I’ll bring them here and then we will borrow your boat. While I’m gone you will watch out for my friend and if anything has happened to him when I return, know that I will hunt you down and make your last remaining hours as painful as possible. Am I clear?”
He gulped and nodded his head rapidly, his eyes swivelling from me to Pat and back again. I was sure that I had suitably impressed upon him the consequences of his trying anything. I turned back to Pat and bent down to speak directly into his ear.
“I’ll get the others and bring them here. You keep an eye on them.” I instructed and he murmured agreement.
With one last warning glance to the man who had shot my friend, I left the way I had come with barely a look at the wife and kids. I was out of the patio doors and jogging around the outside of the house and back towards the road.
The cold burnt my lungs and shortly after I climbed over the wall the dark clouds that covered the sky gave up their burden and began to release heavy, wet flakes of snow. I was less than amused with how the day had been going.
I passed the two zombies we had killed that morning and turned off the road, scrambling up the snow and ice covered hillside and setting off across country.
A brief flash of colour caught my attention and I slowed my pace to stare at the stand of trees by the road, but whatever I had seen was gone. With the pressing need to gather my friends, I decided to leave it and continue on.
When I reached Phillip’s home I was greeted with the sight of a dozen corpses slowly leaking their bodily fluids into the snow of his front garden. I gave each corpse a quick look to make sure they were all zombies and not the remains of my friends. Finally satisfied that they were the remains of the undead, I went into the house.
“Ryan, where’s Pat?” Lily asked as I pushed through the front door.
“What happened here?” I asked at the same time.
“Some zombies found us, we killed them. Where’s Pat?” She asked with concern.
“He’s been hurt.” I said and quickly explained what had happened before adding, “If we leave now we’ll get there just after dark. We can spend the night there, check on Pat and then start moving to the island tomorrow.”
“Oh god, how badly hurt is he?” Cass asked as Lily put a comforting arm around her shoulder.
“M
inor damage but the chance of infection is probably quite high.” I said and Lily glared as Cass burst into tears.
“Right then, we need to get moving.” Lily said as she looked at Gregg, “Get everyone together and distribute the bags.”
He nodded and disappeared into the living room and I sank down onto the bottom stair to rest before having to leave once more and head out into the cold.
Lily spent several more minutes comforting Cass, speaking to her quietly and rubbing her back.
When Gregg returned he was dressed warmly and the rest of our little group followed him. Phillip was holding his granddaughter Laura’s hand while Alicia stayed close to offer support to the almost blind old man.
Becky was supported by Harry the mean looking fellow that I had pulled from the plane wreckage. He seemed to be a little more alert today and he watched the rest of us warily.
Lily and Cass gathered their own jackets and weapons as well an assortment of backpacks, duffel bags and carrier bags that were distributed amongst everyone. I received a backpack from Lily and a smile.
When everyone was ready, I led the way from the house and began my third trip of the day over the rough countryside as I followed the tracks made by Pat and me earlier that day.
There was surprisingly little complaining from any of the people in our group which pleased me. After having just a few minutes rest tiredness had set in and I didn’t have the energy to put up with complaints.
The snow refused to stop falling and the sun was well on its way towards the horizon as we began the climb up the side of the last hill before we would meet the road and I could only blame all those factors for why I didn’t notice the people waiting for us.
“About time you got here.” One burly man said to another who grinned in response.
“Told you they’d be back this way.” Candice said grimly and I groaned.
“What do you want?” Lily asked as my hand moved towards the knife at my waist.
I didn’t know the two men with Candice though I thought that perhaps I could recall one of them from the fight with the zombies at the apartments. They held their clubs with easy familiarity and looked to be the sort of people you would avoid given the chance. I certainly didn’t like the way that the one with the thick beard was eying Lily.
Candice looked much the same, though paler than I recalled with sallow skin. She held a club of her own though she didn’t seem as sure of its use as the men.
“We want whatever you’re carrying.” Candice said and I laughed.
“You’re robbing us? Really?”
“Yeah we are.” She said with a look to her companions as though for confirmation.
“Does Matthew know you’re doing this?” Cass demanded.
“That useless prick doesn’t know anything.” She spat and her companions grinned.
“So it’s true then, you’re stealing from people.” Lily said sadly and my smile widened in anticipation.
“Do you really expect this to go well for you?” I asked. “Three of you and all of us?”
“Who said it’s just three of us?” The bearded man said with a smirk and I glanced back in alarm as another two joined us, a gaunt man with a scar across his chin and a woman who would fit anyone’s expectation of a classic junkie.
As tired as I was, I had the confidence that my friends would be able to hold their own against Candice and her people. I caught Gregg’s eye and he nodded almost imperceptibly while his sister’s eyes narrowed and she pressed her lips firmly together, she looked ready to hurt anyone who got in the way of her reaching Pat.
Lily shook her head as I glanced at her and I frowned as she tilted her head back towards Phillip, Becky and Laura.
“Give us your bloody stuff.” Candice snapped. She was apparently growing tired with our silence.
“No.” I said.
“Wait...” Lily called before anyone else could speak and she turned to me. “We need to do this.”
“Why?” I hissed.
“We need to get to Pat and keep these others safe.”
“These are not innocent people; I will be breaking no promises by killing them.” I snapped, “I will not let them do this.”
“You have to.” Lily said calmly, “There’s too much of a chance Laura or Phillip will get hurt.”
“Come on, do what your bitch says.” Candice said with a laugh that was echoed by her group.
“Please.” Lily said as I tensed.
I swung the backpack of my shoulders and threw it at Candice’s feet. Her group laughed all the harder as I stared at the bag and willed my arm not to draw my knife.
The other bags followed and Candice led her group in gathering them up with just a few shoves and jeers at my friends.
“Thanks for this, make sure you bring something nice for me next time.” Candice said before they departed, walking down the hill towards the apartments. The sound of their mocking laughter filled the air around me.
“Ryan...” Lily began as she placed one hand on my arm but I shrugged her off and without another word, set off towards the house where I’d left Pat.
Chapter 21
From where I leant against the wall, watching falling snow disappear as it hit the dark waters of the lake, I could hear Lily talking with our new hosts.
William, the man who had accidently shot Pat seemed terrified that we would harm his family and was being cooperative while talking endlessly about how sorry he was for the accident. I fairly itched with the desire to kill him or anyone, just someone.
When we had arrived I had stormed into the house almost praying that they had done some harm to Pat and had instead found him laid out on the couch with a blanket over him and a glass of water by his side.
William and his wife Sophie clung to each other and watched me carefully as though I were some wild beast about to savage them. It was only after first Lily and then Cass entered the house that they calmed a little.
They had been in this house since almost the very beginning and their food had long since been eaten. They had managed to scavenge a few scraps from neighbours in the hills but fear had kept them hidden inside the house most of the time and while my group were poorly fed, this family were starving. It was no surprise that the idiot hadn’t been able to hold his gun steady.
With all of the food we had given over to Candice and her friends, none of us would have anything to eat tonight.
I had to consciously unclench my jaw when my teeth started aching from being pressed together. I really wanted to kill something.
“Ryan.” Lily said quietly as she stepped out of the house.
“Now is not a good time.” I said in a voice that seemed to chill even the falling snow.
“We had to do it.”
“Not now.” I snarled as I rounded on her in a fury.
“Yes, now.” She replied, her voice calm and expression serene as she gazed at me without fear. “You can’t let this fester.”
“They needed killing.” I snapped and she nodded slowly.
“I’m afraid you might be right, if nothing else they need stopping before they harm more people.” Lily agreed.
“We could have killed them then and there.”
“Not without risking injury or death to one of us.” Lily said, “You have to think of others.”
“I do?” I snapped back and she sighed and looked out over the water.
“You don’t.” She said quietly, “Not really and if you ever do it’s only because you think it will benefit you.”
I knew she was right and I had no real response to that so waited quietly seething until she spoke again.
“You do try, or at least you’ve been trying.” Lily said with a smile as she turned back towards me. “That’s one of the things I... find so endearing, you’re trying to be better than your nature.”
“I’m going to kill them, Rachel and the others.” I said in an attempt to change the subject to someth
ing I was more comfortable with, “Are you going to try and stop me?”
“No.” She said with heavy sorrow.
“Will I be welcome back when I’m done?”
“You’ll always have a place with me.” Lily said with that same sad smile, “But you won’t go alone this time.”
“I won’t?”
“No, we’ll help you.”
“You will?”
“Yes.” Lily said, “I want to believe that Rachel wasn’t part of what happened to the poor girl back at Hawkshead but deep down, I think that I know she was and if Candice is willing to steal from us then she will do the same to others.”
“Good.” I said with a touch of confusion, I was sure it wouldn’t be so easy.
“We need to talk to Matthew first, let him know what’s going on.” Lily said and it was my turn to sigh.
“Fine.” I agreed since I didn’t doubt Matthew wouldn’t believe us and I’d still get to kill them. “Will you be able to kill a living person if you have to?”
“I’m not sure, I’m not sure of much anymore to be honest but the one thing I do know is that the world has changed. It won’t be going back to the way it was and we no longer have the luxury of prison.”
“I don’t want to kill anyone but if it needs to be done to protect those I care about then I will.” Lily said and I smiled at her as the rage within me calmed just a little. “Now come inside, please.” Lily said plaintively.
“We need some food.” I said, “And I really need to blow off some steam.”
“What do you propose?”
“There’s houses nearby or perhaps the hotel a little way to the north, I may find food there.”
“In the dark and this close to Ambleside?” Lily asked.
“Yes.” I said with a shrug. I knew it was irrational and foolish but I didn’t entirely trust myself to be locked in a house with other people considering the mood that I was in.
“Fine, wait here a minute while I tell them we’re going.” Lily said.
“We?” I called after her but she was inside the house without replying.
Killing the Dead (Books 4-6) Page 41