Ryan was about to head back to his driver’s seat when we heard an almighty crash coming from the station shop. He grabbed some left over piping and ran into the store. Before Ryan had a chance to get to the door, Leon and Paul came out, both their T-Shirts covered in blood.
“Found the petrol attendant.” Leon said handing Ryan his now blood covered bat.
“Don’t worry, we took care of him, he didn’t get very far” Leon assured us.
“Even so, I suggest we carry on with our journey?” George suggested his voice filled with concern. “We don’t know how many more of them could be out there” he finished.
We all agreed and hopped back into the cars. With our petrol tank now full, we got back on our route.
Chapter 7 – The Long and Winding Road
Armed with a magnitude of treats, we carried on our journey, towards the Venetian Marina.
We kept to the back roads as much as possible. We didn't know what we were heading into or what was waiting for us, lurking in the shadows.
The journey wasn't as straightforward as we had hoped. We encountered several roadblocks, obstructing our path ahead. Each time we turned around, our sat-nav recalculated our route.
Various Car pile ups lengthened our journey considerably; the roads we were now traveling through became less and less familiar. We were now passing through the lesser known hamlets and villages around the Cheshire area.
"How long have we got left now?" Lacey asked, as the sat-nav recalculated yet again.
"45 minutes" Nick replied, slightly deflated.
We had already been driving for half an hour and we were still no closer to the Marina. I was starting to get restless. Although we were in a locked car, I still didn't feel completely safe. To make matters worse we had no idea where we were.
"God, at this rate it's going to take hours" Lacey sighed.
"Yeah, I think we might need to pull over soon. Could do with a quick pit stop” Paul said looking out the windows.
“Why, what’s the matter?” Lacey asked.
“I need a wee” Paul replied sheepishly. Lacey rolled her eyes.
“Did you not go before you left?” She asked.
“No, I forgot” He replied.
“Can’t you just hold it?” Lacey carried on.
I turned around and raised my eyebrows at them both. They never failed to make me laugh. We were in the middle of nowhere, pretty much the epicentre of a zombie apocalypse, and they were too busy bickering about Paul’s toilet habits, to care what was going on around us.
To be honest, that was fine by me. It was actually rather nice to focus on the more mundane facts of life, even if it was a debate about Paul’s bladder control, or rather lack of control.
“Actually babe, I need to go too” Nick whispered to me as he slowed the car and pulled over to the side of the road.
We were in the middle of the countryside. Fields spanned for miles. Even if the world was normal again, we would still be the only ones there.
The boys in the car behind us pulled over, it seemed that everyone was holding it in. Lacey and I had the sense to make the most of the luxury which was toilets in the mail room before we left. It’s strange to think that in this new world, a toilet is now considered a luxury item.
The boys had it so much easier than we did. They could stand up to wee. It didn’t matter where they were they just aimed out. It was a luxury that neither myself, nor Lacey had. We were confined to the bushes by the side of the roads, or in the middle of the woods. It really wasn’t the most dignified thing we ever did, but better out than in I suppose.
“Can we continue on our journey now?” Lacey asked sarcastically as Paul came back over, zipping up his jeans.
We all piled back into the cars as we set off further into the countryside.
After rows upon rows of fields and woodland areas, we drove into a small village. The infected certainly seemed to be more active. They littered the streets around us. They stared at the cars as we drove past. They didn’t seem to be the fast movers we had seen previously. They were the slow to react, dithering types. Maybe it had something to do with their age.
They all seemed to be in the 50+ age bracket. Not that I could tell from their facial features, the virus had already consumed that. I guessed from the type of clothes they were wearing. One man still had his flat cap on.
This being said, it didn’t make them any less frightening to look at. Remnants of their last meal were clearly visible, although it certainly looked as if it was a fair while ago. Dried blood smeared across their faces, their eyes vacant, yet containing the most basic awareness of what was going on around them. Lucky for us, they were slow to react. We were way past them by the time they had clocked we were a happy meal on wheels.
These seemed to be lazy zombies. They pushed themselves forward, hobbling a few paces before stopping, seemingly to reassess the situation. They weren’t the brightest of the bunch. Maybe the virus is slower acting in less populated areas, I don’t know. But they seemed more like the first wave of infected we had come across in our time at the apartment.
It was good for us; we managed to pass through with only minimal danger. We had to slow right down a few times, but the infected made no attempt to reach the cars, it was like herding cattle moving them out the way.
They seemed to understand they needed to get out the way. They must be tuned into only the most primal dangers. It was as if we were watching cavemen discover fire for the first time. They didn’t quite know how to react. They eyed the cars quizzically at first; some even stepped forward to take a closer look. As they did, Nick inched the car forward. Unprepared for the new sudden movements they stepped back, as if they were deciding against it. Self-preservation was starting to reveal itself.
It didn’t take us long to come out the other side unharmed. There were only a few houses around us, not much else. We pushed on down the winding country roads.
The roads began to clear as we reached the less populated areas. Roadblocks became fewer and fewer. It didn’t take long before we were back on a main road.
The scenery started to become familiar. As I looked around me, I managed to get my bearings. We back were on Holmes Chapel Road.
We were driving along at a reasonable speed when we heard a loud pop from behind us.
Nick checked his rear view mirror. The BMW behind us flashed us and pulled into the side of the road. We stopped a couple of yards in front and stepped out the car.
We made our way over as the boys crowded the rear driver’s side tyre. There were a few houses in front of us, but all seemed quiet.
“What happened?” Nick asked running over to the car.
“Think we’ve had a blowout mate” Leon responded.
The Professor and George were the last to get out the cars. They walked over to Lacey and I as we stood watch.
“These fancy cars, not as reliable as they used to be” George scorned. “Did you not check the tyres before we set off” he added in for good measure.
“It’s a blowout, could happen to anyone” Lacey responded sharply.
For a girl, she knew a lot about cars. I was useless. It took me over a year to figure out how to open the bonnet. I couldn’t even stand putting fuel in the car. That was Nick’s job he always did it for me. I was always so scared I would put the wrong type of fuel in. My old car was petrol, the Quashqai was diesel, I was scared I would revert back to my old ways and start pumping it full of petrol, then would have to face a £250 charge for someone to come out and syphon it all out for me.
It didn’t stop there; I almost took my car to the mechanics when it had run out of screen wash. I never knew it was a fill it yourself job.
I was pretty much useless. Lacey on the other hand, well she knew just from the noise the car was making, what the problem was. She was a lot more practical than I was.
The boys seemed to be having a bit of trouble. The tyre was nowhere near drivable, it was completely shredded. To make mat
ters worse there was no spare tyre in the back.
“What are we going to do now? We can’t all fit in that one” Nick said pointing over to the 3 series.
“Well we can’t drive this one, that’s for sure” Ryan answered.
They all looked at each other, trying to figure out the next step.
“Have you checked for a spare in the other car?” Lacey shouted over.
They all looked up, as the light bulb finally clicked on. Nick and Leon hurried over to the 3 series and popped open the boot. Sure enough, there was a spare.
“I’m surrounded by idiots” Lacey sighed as she cracked a smile.
The boys got to work jacking up the car as Ryan and Leon removed the bolts from the old tyre, as the four of us looked on.
“We shouldn't be too far away now.” George told us. “All being well” he added.
“But then what?” I asked.
I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s all well and good finding this boat and sailing off into the sunset. But what about afterwards? Where would we go? I didn’t know the first thing about the canal systems; I had no idea where it would take us. Plus, how did we know where was safe. We couldn’t stay there forever; sooner or later we would have to stop off. It was safe to say, I wasn’t convinced. But it was the best plan we had, in fact it was the only plan we had.
“Then… we see where it takes us” The Professor answered. I was starting to grow fond of the Professor. He always kept his hopes up; he was always jolly and optimistic. He had a great sense of humour as well as having one of the best laughs I have ever heard in my entire life. He was a typical English eccentric; he probably picked that particular trait up from the years he spent in Cambridge. I can imagine a lot of professors, educators and even students behaving that way. It was a completely different culture.
Now although I had never been to Cambridge, I have heard stories. For example, bicycles clog up the roads more than the cars. Apparently driving around Cambridge is that much of a nightmare, the locals have given up on cars completely, and resorted to cycling.
That’s probably the main reason why I haven’t visited. I cannot stand cycling. Don’t get me wrong I have nothing but admiration for those who do. I couldn’t do it; just the thought of Lycra pants, helmets and exercise makes me cringe. I barely survived my Cadet training over at the base; I wasn’t really in a rush to repeat that.
I preferred cars. They were much more comfortable. They got you where you needed to go a short amount of time. Plus with the cars of today they came complete with Bluetooth, USB ports, sat-nav, cameras, climate control, I could even check the weather forecast in my car.
Most importantly, they provided protection from the wind, rain, snow and any other unfortunate elements.
However, Cambridge wasn’t just the home of cyclists. It was also home to a rather strange past time “Punting”. Now for those that don’t yet know a “punt” refers to a flat bottom boat, the only way I can describe it is pretty much half like a raft and half like a gondola. Anyway “Punting” is how the people of Cambridge navigate through their river systems.
I have never tried it myself, but on the rare summer days it seemed a great way to spend the day in the sun.
We were all stood around, in the middle of the road I might add, waiting for the tyre to be replaced. The cold icy wind ran through me, I could see clouds of steam in my breath.
“It’s freezing” Lacey moaned.
“You’re telling me” I agreed “Let’s just wait for them in the car” I suggested.
George waited outside; he didn’t seem all that bothered about the cold. Even in old age, he was still a tough nut.
The Professor was a little more sensitive. Just as we were; he wasn’t built for the outdoors. We all piled into the 3 series, Lacey pushed the mountain of chocolate bars Paul had rescued to one side, making way for the Professor.
“Professor, I’ve been meaning to ask, how far have you come with your research on the infected?” I asked. I was curious. I had seen the Professor in the sorting office, he was busy scribbling down something. I knew him well, I had no doubt he had already come up with some new theories.
The Professor smiled. “Well my dear, I’m glad you asked. I’m sure you have noticed some strange behavioural traits amongst the hosts. Well my research at the base showed me that this particular virus is fully capable of adapting to its environment.”
“How so?” Lacey asked intrigued.
“Well, I tested the virus in various temperatures. I introduced liquid nitrogen at one point, and still the virus thrived. Even at boiling point, the virus still clung onto life.”
The professor carried on “This particular virus is an incredibly intelligent life form. In my most recent research I resorted to starving the virus, to see if that would make any difference.”
“And did it?” I asked.
“Unfortunately I lost my work when the base became overrun. I wasn’t able to complete my research.” He replied sadly.
I was about to question him on his new findings when we were interrupted by a loud screech, out in the distance. The sound echoed all around us.
Great, the sound was coming from the same place we were heading. I looked over to the boys, making sure they were ok.
They looked like a group of Meerkats. They all looked up and were facing in the direction the screech was coming from. After a few seconds they sprang back into action, securing the new wheel as quick as possible. George had run over to them and was gesturing ahead. I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
After a few minutes, Nick and Paul headed back to the car.
“Change of plan, Professor. Looks like you’re staying with us.” Paul said as he pushed his way into the back. The poor Professor was now squished in the middle between Paul and Lacey.
I looked around slightly confused as Nick hopped back into the driver’s seat.
“What going on babe?” I asked.
“We’re taking a slight detour, going to camp up for the night and try again tomorrow. George doesn’t think it’s a good idea carrying on when those things are out” he told us.
I nodded my head in agreement. “Ok, so where are we going now then?” I asked him.
“Do you remember Jodrell Bank?” He asked me, grinning.
Chapter 8 – Jodrell Bank
Of course, I remembered Jodrell Bank. It’s where we went on one of our first dates. Nick has always been intrigued by the night’s sky; he used this to “woo” me.
He was such a gentleman when we first met. He was the type to open doors for me, walk me to the door and kiss me goodnight. He was so respectful, and he never pushed for more. I loved that about him. I was so used to guys being overly forward; mostly they were all after one thing. But not Nick, I could tell straight off the bat, that he was different.
It was a breath of fresh air, just being able to hold a conversation with him. We had so much in common, the same interests, the same outlook; we talked for hours and were instantly comfortable in each other’s company.
That was the last time I visited Jodrell Bank. He took me to the observatory, and we gazed at the stars projected onto the ceiling. He was always good at thinking up things to do.
We were now on the long road leading up to the centre. The huge white Lovell telescope towered over the observatory as we approached. Nick held out his hand as I weaved my fingers around his and squeezed his hand tightly.
I longed for the days we would go out just the two of us. As grateful as I was for the fact we were not alone in all this chaos, we hadn’t really had any alone time since this whole fiasco began.
We did a lap of the area, just to make sure we were alone. It didn’t look like we had anything to worry about; there were no cars in the car park and the whole area seemed deserted. I wasn’t entirely surprised. When the virus first hit the UK, and the announcement was made to close all schools, Jodrell Bank probably felt no need to remain open. It was always popular for school trips and families
. School trips probably provided the majority of their income. Without the schools the footfall would dramatically decrease.
With a deadly virus making its way up the country, I doubted anyone was in the mood for a day out. They were more bothered about what was going on down here, rather than up there in the night’s sky.
We parked directly outside the entrance; we purposely positioned the cars ready for a quick getaway, although it didn’t really seem necessary; but better to be safe than sorry.
We headed inside the visitor centre, strangely enough the doors were unlocked. We entered into the reception area. Blue section tape weaved its way up to the reception desk.
“As if they’ll be expecting a queue.” I thought to myself.
The walls were black, different photos of various planets added depth to the dark wall.
The carpets just reminded me of my school days. Blue, felt like carpet squares filled the room. Hard wearing enough for the multitude of visitors, and school children passing through each month.
The whole centre just seemed so… educational.
We made our way through the maze of blank TV screens built into the wall. Various tables containing pens, crayons and papers littered the area. Really it was just everything you need to keep a child occupied for a short amount of time.
Interactive boards and speakers dotted the rooms we walked through. No longer active, they were just a sad reminder of the world we had left behind.
We made our way through the multiple tourist attractions and were pleasantly surprised when we reached the end. There in front of us was an abandoned café; it was still in perfect condition. It hadn’t been touched.
We all rushed over to the fridge, where bottles of water, juice and even cans of coke lined the shelves.
A huge coffee maker sat by its side. I grabbed the first bottle of water from the fridge; it took me only a few seconds to finish the entire bottle.
We were all suffering from dehydration. I could tell, by the way the boys insisted on sharing with us the colour of their wee every time they took a leak. There were clearly no secrets amongst our group.
E Virus: The Diary of a Modern Day Girl (Book 2): The Path of Destruction Page 6