95 Million Killers

by Gary Weston

  Nigel Landers sipped his beer in the empty pub. Along with Carlos Davro who was drinking orange juice, and Micky Sparrow, the landlord, they had been watching the gruesome replay of the tragedy at the Palmerston North stadium. Sparrow turned the television off, finding the scenes too depressing.

  'Nearly curfew time,' said Sparrow.

  'Waste of bloody time,' said Landers. 'Me and Carlos riding round and bloody round looking for possums. Another one of Bendicot's stupid ideas.'

  'If this curfew goes on much longer I'll be out of business. I know that much.'

  Landers nodded. 'You and a few others. In my opinion, anyone who can walk and carry a gun should be armed and we go in the bush and just kill the bastards.'

  'Rather you than me, Nigel,' said Carlos. 'Anyone that's tried that has come to grief.'

  'That's because they go in twos and threes. I'm on about hundreds of us going in during daylight. Maybe even thousands of us.'

  'That's a recipe for disaster, if you ask me,' said Sparrow.

  'Well, I didn't ask you. Come on, Carlos. Some of us have a job to do.'

  In the car park, Landers got in the passenger seat and Carlos took the wheel. Landers flicked the switch on the army issued radio. 'Landers and Davro reporting in. About to start possum patrol, over.'

  'Got that, over,' came the reply.

  By midnight, the continuous driving round and round the deserted streets looking for non existent possums had Landers wound up tighter than an old clock spring. Carlos pulled up outside Landers' house.

  Landers got out and said, 'Not a bad night, weather wise. Be a good night to get out there and shoot a few possums.'

  'Don't you be doing anything stupid, Mate.'

  'Hmm. You're as bad as that pussy Sparrow.'

  'Look, Mate. If we can get a dozen or so to go out there in the daylight, I'm with you. Anyone going out on their own at night is just asking for trouble.'

  'Fair enough. I'll make a few phone calls in the morning. See who's up for it.'

  'Good on yer, Mate. Let me know how you get on. See you later.'

  Landers watched the car drive away. Before going indoors, he looked up at the clear night sky. 'Yep. A good night to shoot possums.'

  Next morning, Landers realised nobody else shared his enthusiasm for going out into the bush with guns, even in daylight. The carnage at Palmerston North stadium in graphic, televised images had angered the whole nation. Blame was rife, accusations were flying and fingers were pointing. Mostly at anybody in authority, especially the Prime Minister.

  Services were being held in churches nationwide in remembrance of those killed and injured at the stadium. Everyone Landers called was going to the services and had no intention of adding to the statistics.

  Landers slammed the phone down. 'Just me then. That's cool.'

  Chapter 98

  A cold southerly whipped through the Wellington streets and the ominous grey sky reflected the sombre mood of the people. The cathedral was full. Prime Minister Vincent Carlisle and the entire government filled the back pews, listening to the eulogies and the relatives of the deceased giving tearful accounts of the lives of their loved ones. Men and women cried unashamedly. They all stood for the hymns and the choir's sweet voices helped in the grieving process. It was at that moment Carlisle's phone chimed out. Ignoring the looks he got from those around him, he checked the text message and turned the phone to vibrate.

  Major Burns and Professor Morton sat in the back seats in the army helicopter. Several anxious minutes passed then the pilot gave them the thumbs up, started the engine and had them airborne.

  At a one mile distance from Palmerston North stadium, one hundred drones rose as one into the air. The images they sent went straight to the laptop computer Morton was holding.

  'It's working,' said the professor.

  Burns stared at the computer. 'Stand by, everyone. Wait for my command.'

  'So many of them,' said Morton.

  'Not for much longer.'

  Morton stared at the images of the super pack on the stadium roof. 'Come on, you bastards.'

  'Professor?'

  'Not yet, Major. Wait. They're diving in. It's all on.'

  'Are they all in?'

  'Almost...now.'

  'Operation payback possum. Operation payback possum. Go, go, go.'

  * * *

  The possums had been driven crazy by the blood. The slaughter houses had been delighted to supply the offal. The possums went for the eyes first, teeth and claws finding no resistance from the blood covered shop mannequins placed in the middle of the pitch. Pieces of plastic were spat out by the confused animals.

  There was enough bovine liver, lung and intestines for the possums to eat, so with nothing to stop them, they settled down to devour it. Most continued to eat even when the three choppers whirred into view at one end of the stadium. A few started to panic, running away from the thundering noise. One more chopper appeared from the other end and the flamethrower flared out into the super pack. The smell of burning flesh and melted plastic filled the air with black acrid smoke.

  The possums tried to take cover in the stands, under the new roof. There was no hiding place for them as the flame thrower torched the entire stadium. The killing was relentless, and the whole stadium was ablaze. Still the flames of death blasted out, until the stadium was reduced to charred timbers and ashes.

  'The drones aren't picking up anything escaping the stadium,' said Morton. 'We got the lot.'

  'Mission accomplished,' said the Major. 'Clear the area, everyone.'

  As the drones and and choppers left the scene of devastation, the fifty fire appliances that had been waiting their turn, mobilised into action to put out the fires.

  Chapter 99

  Carlisle felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took the phone out and stared at the message on it. It simply said, job done. Burns. With a huge grin on his face, Carlisle stepped out into the aisle and walked to the alter. The congregation changed from singing hymns to murmuring amongst themselves. The choir stopped singing as the conductor froze and all eyes were on the Prime Minister.

  'Ladies and gentlemen. Forgive this interruption, but you will want to hear this. Like you, I've had little to feel positive about. But I have just received confirmation that the super pack has been completely destroyed.'

  There was a moment of absorbing that information and then came a cheer loud enough to rattle the roof.

  Carlisle let the people enjoy the victory for a moment, then asked for silence. 'Okay. Credit for the idea must go to Professor Angus Morton. He pointed out the obvious that we were chasing our tails going after the possums. What we needed was for the possums to come to us. A trap was set and meticulous planning by the army have given us the result we've all been praying for. The only down side is that we are going to have to build a brand new stadium in Palmerston North. I'm happy with that. People. We have our country back.'

  Chapter 100

  'Where the hell are you, you little shits?'

  Nigel Landers had had enough of pussy footing about. Completely unaware of the events at Palmerston North stadium, he had parked up and was striding into the bush, gun loaded, his pockets crammed with ammo. There was no sign of possums, mutated or otherwise. After one hour of fighting his way through the undergrowth, Landers had had enough. He headed back towards the car but was stopped dead in his tracks before he got there.

  'I see you.'

  The possum was on its own, as still as a statue on a branch of a tree. One well aimed shot and it fell to the ground. Landers kicked it to make sure it was dead. It was. He noticed something strange about the animal. On a patch where no fur grew, was a number. P117Bx117C.

  Thank you for reading my story and I hope you enjoyed it. At this moment in time, New Zealand still has ninety five million possums. My home is close to the Tararua Ranges, south of Palmerston North, surrounded by open farmland with plenty of trees. I just hope those pesky possums out there aren't hungry. G
ary Weston.

  Other books by this author include:

  The Amazing Abbey Jones.

  Starlight Army.

  Dusty Miller

  All Mixed up, the complete series.

  One Way to Mars.

  Strange Dimensions.

  The Fix it Lady.

  Griffin's Witch.

  Beyond Our Love.

  Fix a Broken Life

  And many others.