by Unknown
“What the fuck!” said Ant and Scott in unison!
Jon and Jordan, the two staff members had finally made it to the top of the escalator after having received an emergency call on their walkie- talkies which had simply stated the two code words 'Eagle' and 'Wet', originally devised by a former security guard and wannabe code cracker who had now retired.
Although the codes had yet to be updated to something more practical, 'Eagle' meant emergency and 'Wet' meant upstairs toilets. The code words were being barked over the air waves rather rudely by a much- disliked manager called Niall (who finished the message with some nasty remark about sacking them both if he was ever given half the chance), and in a strenuous attempt to get there after battling the panicking general public, who were not only swamping the descending stairs but also clawing their way down the ascending ones too, Jon and Jordan were grabbed by a terrified looking Reece Bailley, who began to drag them to a cubicle whilst blabbering incoherently about his mates being in there.
As they approached, it was evident that the cubicle door was only ajar but there was a fast growing pool of blood seeping its way towards them. This sight, together with the most inhuman-like growling coming from inside the small space, caused all three to look at each other and mouth the words “What the fuck?”
Jordan, who was the biggest of the trio and probably the most inquisitive, edged slowly towards the cubicle door. Jon and Reece watched in wide- eyed anticipation as Jordan, whilst being careful not to step in the dark puddle of blood- red goo, reached out his hand and gave the door a gentle push. The sight that greeted the three lads changed the previous wide- eyed anticipation into outright disgust and horror that would stay etched on the inside of their eyelids forever.
Inside the small toilet were two figures, both wearing hoodies; one red and the other...... well... red, as it was almost completely smothered in the blood that was seeping from the torn- open abdomen of one of the Kyles.
Time stood still as the three pairs of sickened eyes tried hard to process what was happening before them.
One of the inhabitants of the toilet was clearly feasting on the other. Blood that had spattered up the walls of the cubicle was now trickling down like raindrops on a window pane. The odour of fresh blood pervaded the air.
The low-pitched growling that had attended this scene suddenly stopped and the monster that had previously been a Kyle slowly turned his head to face his audience. Jon and Jordan instinctively stumbled backwards, taking in the crazed look of the pair of bright red blood shot eyes that glared at them. However, Reece Bailley was rooted to the spot, in complete shock and trying desperately to make any sense of what his mate appeared to be doing to his other mate. This lapse in alertness was to be his downfall. Without any warning, the monster leapt forwards, landing on the poor hapless youth and ripping a huge chunk of flesh out of his face with just its bare teeth.
With the dreadful growling and ripping sounds bouncing off the tiled toilet walls, Jon and Jordan ran with all their might toward the escalator, both of them bewildered about what they had just witnessed.
Riding the packed descending escalator, the two horrified members of staff had an overall view of the chaos that was being played out on the ground level into which they were headed.
All around the large restaurant people were running like headless chickens. Some were running towards the large exit doors, but then it seemed that just as many were running back from them.
Instinctively, both Jon and Jordan together with the rest of the descending escalator- headed straight towards the exit doors as freedom seemed to be the most sensible option, at least until some sense could be made of this crazy situation.
As they surged forwards, with the exit in their sights, they recognised the familiar uniform headgear of a fellow staff member from the pizza department about to flee through the heavily encumbered and only slightly open automatic doors. It appeared that the sensor responsible for the opening and closing of the large doors was no longer working, and that the doors were having to be forced apart by a few pairs of desperate hands. It was the pizza assistant, visible only by his bright red company baseball cap- and purely due to the nature of being very slimly built -who was the first to break through the narrow gap.
“Ryan's made it out!” shouted Jon above the loud din growing around them. It was less than a second after the words had left his mouth that a loud gun blast rang out from just outside the building.
“He's been shot!” exclaimed one of the men who had been frantically trying to pull the doors apart. “He's been shot!” he repeated wearing a look of complete disbelief as he fell to his knees in shock.
“Why has he been shot?” he then asked the crowd of people around him as one by one they took their hands away from the slim gap in the doors.
With no other plan, and an assumption that the 'enemy' was outside, the crowd surged back into the restaurant, desperate to find another means of escaping the panicking mob- Some of whom were inexplicably splattered in blood and attacking others randomly.
“Game-Zone office!” shouted both Jon and Jordan at almost exactly the same time.
Game-Zone office was a small office tucked away just inside the amusement arcade section of the services. It was a fairly dark area, lit up only by the enticing brightly coloured lights of the gaming machines themselves. It was designed this way to give hardened gamblers a fairly anonymous experience in which they were almost unseen and could fritter away their hard- earned cash for as long as they could be tempted to stay. A dark door in the corner led into the small office which housed a desk and a safe. Having previously worked this section, Jordan had knowledge of the security code needed to open the dark door. Hence they headed toward the bright lights of the miniature Las- Vegas, thus making the whole situation they were in seem ever more surreal.
As Scott and Ant dragged their eyes away from the now concealed outside world, they finally took in the sights that surrounded them. It appeared that people were no longer bothering with the food in this large food hall and instead were choosing to devour the flesh of other diners.
Being huge fans of The Walking Dead and other such TV serializations that had bought about a nationwide zombie fascination, these two men were left in no doubt whatsoever about what was occurring here. This was a zombie outbreak! How this had come about was a question for later; right now survival was of prime importance. Neither Scott nor Ant had to think much; it was as if their own animal instincts took over. This very situation had been discussed at length during lunch breaks at work......and social gatherings....and phone calls!
1) Assess the extent of the situation.
2) Grab anything close that can be used as weaponry.
3) Head immediately to a safe and hidden area.
4) Ignore all cries for help from other humans. Don't even look at them. If they are wearing blood then it is already too late.
Unbeknownst to them, Kyle's generous nosebleed had infected many other customers as he had made his stumbling way towards the toilets. The ones that had missed the highly toxic blood vapours had been treated to sprays of putrid vomit. The unstable components in the stolen TK MAXX (once inside human flesh and outside the sanitized, clinical area) had evolved into a blood thirsty virus that was intent on spreading itself through the body fluids of as many hosts as possible.
Scott and Ant took a 360- degree turn, taking in an extensive view of their surroundings as per their first rule. A little to the left a woman who had previously been breast feeding was now covered in blood and eating her baby. Nothing in this unpredictable world can ever prepare you for that sight, and both men felt their legs almost collapse from under them. To the right, people were climbing over tables and chairs trying to escape others who stumbled awkwardly but resiliently after them, their mouths open and their eyes crazed! Yup, these were zombies for sure.
Without conscious thought, they both went straight to their second rule- weaponry and very quickly scooped up the arsenal that ha
d been purchased that very morning before the world had gone mad. Rule Three was a no-brainer and they struggled against an oncoming tide of man and monster. They had almost reached the doors, where only an hour before they had entered excited and hungry, when they had heard the gun shot and the man's incredulous cry of 'Why has he been shot?'
This too would be a question for later, right now though with gun shots being heard outside and cannibalism rife inside, a hiding place was tantamount to survival. It was at this point that Ant spotted, amongst the melee, the determined stride of two young lads wearing the recognisable company logo on their t- shirts. He grabbed one of Scott's over loaded arms, pulling him in the same direction as Jon and Jordan were headed. The four were soon in the relatively quiet safety of the dark recess, and as Jordan frantically scrambled to punch in the vital numbers of the code, getting it wrong the first couple of times, Jon suddenly felt the presence of others behind him and instinctively jumped into a karate stance instilled in him from his childhood love of a certain film.
“It's okay man” said Ant, slightly shaken at the sudden movement. “We're on the same team!”
Jordan finally remembered the correct numbers in the correct sequence and, as the door to the sanctuary opened, the four men stormed in closing the door very quickly and very firmly behind them.
Once inside the safety of the little office, Scott and Ant laid down their arms. The stash covered the surface of the desk and with an impressed smile, Jordan looked them both up and down and in an overly dramatic voice said the words “Welcome, Soldiers!”
Scott held back a gasp of laughter. How absurd was it that the young lad in front of them who looked like a real life Johnny Bravo was addressing them both as soldiers? But then how absurd was the situation on the other side of the door where previously civilised diners had dumped all etiquette and table manners and were ripping out, and feasting upon the entrails of strangers and family members alike?
Life as they knew it had ended, things were never going to be the same again, and although Scott's heart had felt squeezed by an icy hand at this very thought, another part of him had suddenly felt empowered and rejuvenated at the thought of the Quest that had somehow been thrust upon them. Normal everyday actions like deciding what to have for tea would now become mini- adventures (albeit danger of death ones) He looked across at Ant and saw the exact same thoughts reflected in his face. Although they had never actually prayed for this to happen, all of those hours of discussing strategies had not been in vain. They were ready for this. And yes......maybe they were soldiers!
“Choose your weapons!” said a very composed Ant pointing to the array of items on the table. Jon was the first to move, quickly bagsying a pair of Wolverine claws that he'd spied underneath the Biolite mini camping stove.
“Ok,” said Ant “But when we get through this- and we will- just remember to give them back. I've wanted a pair for ages!”
Jordan added to the booty a few little hidden gems of his own, such as a baseball bat, a broken- off chair leg and a thick heavy chain that lay in the desk draw.
“Really?” gasped Jon, looking surprised.
“These machines generate a fair bit of cash,” explained Jordan indignantly. “Man's gotta' be prepared!”
It was whilst the weapons were being chosen and applied (as in the case of the claws and the Samurai umbrellas) or concealed in pockets (as in the case of the thick chain and the bottle of Sex panther- Scott was not going through the embarrassment of purchasing that a second time) that a whiny noise was heard coming from beneath the desk.
Given their vulnerable predicament, all four pairs of legs jumped back immediately, and with the reflexes of a cat. Jon, who had heard the noise first, tapped the strap on his palm, releasing the sharp metal claws that could shred a watermelon in seconds and jumped onto all fours.
The very tips of the Wolverine claws almost punctured the face of a man who was hiding underneath the desk; but was he undead or alive?
“Get out from under there!” shouted Ant, knowing that compliance of this simple instruction would determine whether or not this was friend or foe.
Being very careful to avoid the X-Man's extremities, a snivelling male in staff member's uniform dragged himself out from under the desk.
“Bryn!” stated Jon and Jordan, neither of them sounding surprised.
“You've got to help me” spluttered Bryn. “There's monsters out there! They're after me! Trying to eat me! You have to save me! They're going to get me!” he squealed, dropping to his knees at Jordan's feet “Please, Jordan, I beg you. Make them all go away. Kill them for me!”
When Jordan next spoke, his voice was dripping with contempt. “Stop snivelling on my shoes. Get up like a fuckin' man and choose a weapon to fight with. There's no room here for cowardice, you little weasel!”
“Arrrgghhh! I can't go out there,” cried Bryn “I'm not made of that kind of stuff. I can't cope with this. I'm hyperventilating, I need a paper bag! Someone get me a paper bag! I'm gonna' die! We're all gonna' die!”
And with that, he did the most unexpected thing ever and ran for the door, displaying all the actions of a mad man whilst bawling “Let's get it over with! Come at me monsters!”
Just in the nick of time Jordan grabbed Bryn's hair and dragged him to the radiator at the back of the room.
“Duct tape! Second draw down!” he shouted to Jon who, once he'd retracted his claws, carried out the order. “You're a fucking liability, you muppet. You're staying here out the way. And if you piss me off one more time I'll rip you to bits and personally feed you to the monsters! Do you get me, Bruv?”
With even more fear in his face than before, Bryn merely nodded as he let Jordan and Jon tie him securely to the radiator, not even murmuring as a thick piece of duct tape was placed roughly across his mouth.
“Now where were we?” he continued, shaking himself slightly as if he'd just shaken off an annoying little mosquito.
“A plan” said Scott simply. “We need to get out of here pretty damn fast if we're gonna' survive. It would seem that the military that we witnessed arriving are well aware of the seriousness of our situation. Seeing how anyone trying to escape through the doors is getting shot! We need to find another way out, one that they haven't covered. One that they don't know about!
“There's a hatch that leads out onto the roof,” said Jon remembering a mischievous incident that happened on a late shift some months previous that resulted in a damn fine Youtube video of him and a fellow colleague singing 'Up on the Roof ' whilst heavily disguised. “But it means getting to the back of Waitrose and up two flights of stairs!”
“Great,” added Ant “Then that's our plan. You will have to lead though, Jon! Are you up to it?”
“Of course I am! Let's get the hell out of here!”
Armed with their weapons of choice, the foursome gathered around the security monitor that afforded them a black and white grainy window into the Gamezone arcade. Apart from the flashes coming from the gambling machines everything else seemed still.
“On three....!” announced Scott.
“Wait! What's that?” blurted Ant, pointing to a dark figure moving cautiously between the machines and heading towards the door.
All four examined the movements of the figure. It was a large man who appeared to be moving purposely- certainly not the movements of a zombie.
“It's Andy the arcade manager,” breathed Jordan, having already decided on letting him in, and had opened the door quietly as Andy fell right through it.
“Thank fuck for that,” said Andy “I...I...I couldn't think of the..the.. bloody door code. Please tell me I'm dreaming this!”
“Sos' mate, no can do,” offered Scott. “Have you got any blood on you? Either yours or anyone else's?”
“Er... no, none at all,” he answered, sensing the seriousness of the question and casually moving his left leg behind his right thus hidden from sight.
“Right then, Andy. Grab a chair leg off t
he desk and let's go”
“No way- No how! I ain't going back out there. It ain't happening!”
“We haven't got time for this cowardly shit,” announced Jordan “You stay here with the other wuss. Hasta la vista, babies!”
Suddenly the door was opened and, led by Jon, the newly forged alliance left the relative safety of the little room and crept out into the unknown.
He who dares wins
Stealth was the word of the day and the four men moved silently and carefully and with one hundred percent concentration. Every fibre of their bodies was tuned in to the situation, their senses were heightened and their breathing was shallow...............except for Jordan!