Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 8): August

by Dave Rowlands

  It almost worked, maybe would have if not for another Dead, unseen by anybody but those of us watching in the security office. It crawled under a rack of shoes, dragging its entrails behind itself. As it reached out grasping, taloned claws to snatch at its unfortunate victim, she threw back her head and shrieked, loud enough to hear from up here. The shriek turned to a scream of agony and despair when the Dead's teeth broke through the flesh of her ankle.

  Her partner, all attention drawn to the now bleeding, screaming dinner bell, began belabouring Dead about the head with a rolling pin he had picked up somewhere. The way he was holding it, the way it caved Dead skulls in, it must be heavy. Gunfire erupted somewhere beneath us and the Dead on the screen exploded. Apprentice ran onto the screen, diving through the smallest of gaps between the Dead, finally laying her hand on the girl's ankle. A moment later, the screen went dark. The result of a stray bullet, Jester reasoned, fiddling with what he could reach.

  Nearly a minute later, on another monitor, Deathwish carried the girl, Apprentice still holding onto her wounded leg. The way her mouth was moving, she was likely Chanting her little Healing song already. Scout and The Twin brought up the rear, Tiny bolting past everybody with the injured girl's partner, each of them clobbering any Dead on their way back here.

  noon

  I don't think I'd ever seen anybody as ravenous as these two, and I've been chased by thousands of hungry Dead just wanting nothing more than to taste my flesh at least a couple of times now. The way the former street kids not only wolfed down Deathwish's beans, but shyly asked for more before greedily chowing that down as well put me in a vaguely Dickensian frame of mind...

  I asked Oliver if I could have a look at his rolling pin, he smiled, handing it over. The fucking thing was made from solid marble and weighed nearly as much as Apocalypse Girl's Skillet. Taking a couple of practice swings, I could truly appreciate the crushing power that it possessed. I gave it back to him, turning to Twist to ask about her ankle.

  “It feels fine now. I didn't want to have to chop it off,” She smiled her thanks at Apprentice. “I've seen that happen a couple of times, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Whatever your friend did while she was singing that silly song, I have no fucking idea, but before she started that my ankle was on fire.”

  “Have you seen anyone else in here?” Oliver asked us. “We were part of a much larger group before...” He looked vaguely guilty. “Anyway, we busted in here, trying to get away from the Dead. So, before too long there's way too many of them, way too many of us and so we,” he motioned to Twist, “decided to get the hell out. They were talking some pretty fucking crazy shit, dude, like talking about eating people to stay alive. The last thing I heard before we left the big meeting, someone was suggesting eating the Dead.”

  “That was when we had to leave. They had a pretty well fortified area, lots of weapons and stuff. Access to a butcher as well. It was all groovy for the first couple of days, but then the fresh food went bad, then we started running out of everything else.” Twist put her bowl on the floor next to her. Apocalypse Dog wasted little time. “A couple of people went missing, just disappeared, you know? Then they said they found some fresh meat. About a day later they had the big meeting.”

  “Yeah, we've seen them a couple of times since then.” Oliver shuddered. “They're not human anymore, that's for damn sure.” He and Twist had both paled visibly. “I don't know whether it's because they started eating each other or because they started eating the Dead and I don't want to know. Just, when you're done here, promise that you'll take us with you, alright?”

  Jester asked them how long they had been hiding out inside this complex. Twist shrugged and told him that she had no idea, just that they broke in on New Years' Eve. Having seen a few Dead-eaters in my time, I was loath to encounter these. The first few we encountered had only been at it a week or two at most and they looked, smelled and felt wrong to the point that The Colonel had felt the need to exterminate them utterly. I dreaded to think of the damage that seven months of dining on the Dead would do...

  evening

  Thanks to the gunfire and rushing around saving Oliver and Twist the Dead knew where we were now. I had already been out with Machete a couple of times to clear out the hallway leading to the security office. Fortunately we had cameras, so we knew when to act, but Oliver pointed out a few things in nearby shops that we could easily acquire and put to good use as barricades and traps for the incoming Dead. Anything that impeded their progress kept us all alive a little bit longer, after all.

  Oliver and Twist both took a pistol each from the weapons locker, Apocalypse Girl giving them the basics on how to hold, aim, load and fire the weapons, gently squeezing rather than jerking, and for practice they had plenty of slowed down Dead to choose from. Neither was a particularly wonderful shot but together they were both learning and keeping the number of Dead encroaching on our little office down.

  When darkness finally fell, we all took turns to tell our newest friends all about world events. Apocalypse Girl told them about the world powers ever-so-intelligent decision to just nuke all the larger population centres in an attempt to eradicate the Dead, then Jester and Butler told them what befell Adelaide, its fall to the Dead and The Queen's resurrection of a dead city. The Twin amused them with the tale of a blood-soaked couple landing on the doorstep of her commune and our flight from the escapees of the local jail. Tiny told them of the early events in Queensland, then I told them of our encounters with mutated koalas, goannas and dingoes, not to mention the echidna. Ending my tale with the news of a secondary moon and a couple of encounters with Fluffy and some strange Shadows, Oliver and Twist sat, patiently listening, assimilating the information as best they were able. Seven months of that sort of news all at once is a lot to deal with, after all.

  August 9th Year 1 A.Z.

  morning

  We felt it safer to keep a careful eye on the monitors, in case the Dead decided that our collective snoring was making them hungry during the night. As such, I was on watch in the very early hours of the morning when I noticed that a small pack of people, hunched over and skittish-looking, seemed intent on hunting and trapping a single Dead that they had cornered. As I watched, realising that these must be remnants of the group from which Oliver and Twist had come, the Dead lashed out and took a chunk of flesh from one of the hunters. The hunter seemed to laugh, then leaned in and took a bite from the Dead's arm, his companions cackling wildly as he did so. When he was done they stuffed a pillowcase over the head of the Dead and carried it off into the shadows.

  “I can't see how they can do it,” Twist said from behind me. I hadn't noticed her move. I asked her how her ankle was feeling. “Much better now, thanks! Your mate with her silly song can do some amazing shit.” We spoke in a quiet tone, not quite whispering. “I still can't believe some of the stuff you guys have done, though. Those mutant goannas sound fucking scary...” I laughed quietly, telling her that I was far more scared of the Dingoes, even more so than the Drop-Bears than the Dragons.

  “The bigger they are, you see,” I told her, “the easier it is to get around behind them. Those Dragons are quick, but they can't turn for shit. The Dingoes, on the other hand... Let's just say that you don't want to find yourself cornered by a pack of those bastards.” She was clearly digesting my advice, storing it away for later. “Drop-Bears, though, they're still fairly slow on the ground but as the name implies, they like to hang out in trees waiting for unsuspecting people like you and me to walk underneath. Then, well, it's all over.” The others had begun to stir by now, the aroma of baked beans once more filled the air. Opting to skip breakfast (apart from coffee!) this once, I went out into the hallway.

  Several Dead milled around, shambling aimlessly. One seemed to want nothing more than to walk through the wall. The noise of my katana sliding free got their attention, however, and they advanced on me, gnashing their teeth as they came forward. The tops of several heads fell to the floo
r a brief moment later, the rest of the now dead Dead collapsing shortly after.

  noon

  I went out with Apprentice, Deathwish, The Twin, Tiny and Machete to investigate the place where I had seen the Deadnappers, finding a puddle of blood, presumably from the bitten one, that seemed to corrode the linoleum beneath. A tiny wisp of smoke rose up from the affected area of floor. Deathwish bent down to investigate further, stretching out a hand. “Don't touch it!” Apprentice warned him, snatching hold of his arm. “You don't know what it'll do to you.”

  I grabbed a nearby mannequin, removing the arm and dipping the tips of the fingers into the pool of ooze. With a hiss the plastic began to melt, sizzling unnaturally and emitting a fouler odour than usual. I tossed the arm aside. “Yeah, you're probably right. I really don't want to touch that.”

  “I don't like it here, guys, let's get back to the office, yeah?” Machete sounded genuinely worried. Considering the kid had been alone when we first found her it would take a lot to concern her. I agreed, though I pointed out the direction that I had seen the Deadnappers leave for later reference. Deathwish quietly crept up closer, ignoring the hissed warnings and admonishments, waving us to go back. He'd explore further, alone. Shaking my head at his departure, I hurried the rest back to the security office.

  evening

  The office was empty. Deathwish's bag of cans of beans sat where it had been since we arrived, between a couple of the couches. The bank of security monitors were all smashed to bits, glass lay everywhere. Butler's bleeding body crawled towards us, whispering. Apprentice was already at his side, singing softly to him, and his injuries healed. A message, written next to the wrecked monitor bank in Butler's blood, read We've been watching you, too! You look delicious!

  The Deadnappers had not wasted any time, they had to have only just been and done this. Jester crawled out from behind one of the couches, Apocalypse Dog, whimpering in fear, followed him out. “They've only just left. They were talking about eating us all! I grabbed the dog and hid, they didn't seem to be paying any attention to either of us anyway.” Apocalypse Girl, Scout, Oliver and Twist. There was no time to waste, I was out the door again before I knew it, not even knowing who, if anybody, was coming with me.

  I was back at the puddle when I realised that everyone had followed me, nothing showing in their eyes but grim determination. As we were about to head down the passage leading to the Deadnappers' Lair a hand snaked out from nowhere and latched around my arm. “Don't go that way!” Deathwish hissed. “They've got so many fucking traps it's not even funny. This way is much safer, follow me!” He disentangled himself from a clothing display and wandered off in another direction.

  August 10th Year 1 A.Z.

  morning

  Deathwish led us around the Deadnappers' lair telling us what he had overheard as they dragged Apocalypse Girl and the others back with them. Evidently they knew the moment we breached the door leading to the carpark, they were only waiting for the right moment to strike, when we were separated, the weakest of us alone and isolated while the rest investigated their trapped tunnels. Those of us that died first would be the first eaten, I reasoned.

  “Yeah well, none of us are dying today,” Deathwish affirmed. Having seen what their blood could do to simple lino and a mannequin's arm we opted for firearms, giving Jester and Butler a crash course in their operation. As we neared the Lair of the Deadnappers we could hear noises, chanting, howling and hooting sounds, the snarling of wild animals. Drawing closer again I realised that the sounds were being made by the Deadnappers themselves.

  Deathwish pointed out silently the lone sentry that guarded this passage, The Twin knocking a fresh arrow to the compound bow she found in a nearby camping supplies shop and a moment later the thing was pinned to the wall by its head, dangling perhaps five centimetres above the floor. “Nice,” Deathwish praised her. “Quick, clean, silent.” She smiled at the compliment.

  As we passed by the corpse, I examined it further. Smoke was rising from the arrow as the toxic, corrosive blood ate at the shaft. The skin of the thing was drawn and pale, seeming quite grey as I shone my torch beam upon it. The teeth had become fangs, pointed and broken, though much longer. The eyes, the light of life absent, were a dull yellow where they should have been white and it had weeping sores on its face and neck, presumably elsewhere as well. “That's what you get for eating the Dead, mate,” Machete admonished it as she passed. Tiny just shuddered. The Twin examined the arrow lodged in its brain, decided against trying to remove it and walked onwards.

  noon

  So intent on the display on the stage before them, the Deadnappers were oblivious to our approach. We quietly got into strategic positions, The Twin up high to cover us with her bow, Machete backing her up. Apprentice remained close to me, in case Apocalypse Girl or the others needed any Healing, probably also in case I did something stupid trying to rescue them. Deathwish and Tiny crept around the stage to one side, Butler and Jester the other. Apprentice and I slipped up the middle.

  When we drew close enough I could see what the show was. Oliver, now Dead, chased Twist back and forth as she dodged artfully away from him, to the jeers of the Ghouls watching. Apocalypse Girl hung suspended by her arms above them, gradually being lowered onto the stage. Following the ropes with my eyes, I saw the Ghoul lowering her behind the stage itself. At least she was still conscious enough to kick away at Dead Oliver's head whenever it came into boot range, though I could see blood leaking our of her ear and down her neck.

  As I slowly crept forward I noticed something lying on the floor near me. The Skillet that Apocalypse Girl had taken to carrying everywhere with her. Gripping it in my left hand I marvelled at the weight while vaguely noticing that Apprentice had similarly discovered Oliver's Marble Rolling Pin. Both were smeared and soaked in the blood of countless Dead by now, but they'd do nicely for the pair of Ghouls wearing chef's hats that had clearly seen better days before us as they gibbered and slavered while they roasted a few Dead in a large bonfire. The pair of them joined the Dead as they cooked after being knocked on the noggin by Apprentice and I, then we moved on.

  One Ghoul spotted us and, an instant before he cried out his warning to his mates, his head exploded as Butler and Jester stormed onto the stage, completely ruining the plan. It did have the effect of surprising the Ghouls encircling the action between Oliver and Twist. An arrow went through the head of one, into another as Tiny and Deathwish launched their assault a moment later.

  The Ghoul lowering Apocalypse Girl let go of the crank to join the fray and I ran, knowing I was too late. She landed with a crunch atop Twist and Dead Oliver pounced. I was still amazed at just how fast the Dead can move when they're fresh. However fast the freshly Dead might be, however, Dead Oliver was no match for The Twin as she swiftly knocked and loosed a shaft that stopped him dead in his tracks. When he fell upon the girls he was quite dead.

  More gunfire erupted and Ghouls died. Not a one thought to run, only to kill and eat, though it seemed that they had more thought in their heads than the Dead, they still operated under the same principles. Fuck me, they were fast though. Leaping about, clinging to walls and support columns with their taloned hands. One of them jumped up to where The Twin had secreted herself and caught Machete's blade in the knee an instant before an arrow went through his eye.

  Ignoring any but those that came between myself and Apocalypse Girl, I climbed up onto the stage, Apprentice immediately behind me. Separating Apocalypse Girl from the corpse of Oliver and Twist as she screamed in agony from her badly broken leg, sharp edged bone sticking out from a shin that should not have been bent at that angle, or indeed at all. Apocalypse Girl clung to me as I carried her away from the stage while Apprentice worked on Twist's leg once again.

  evening

  Back in the security office, Twist told us that we had indeed killed the entirety of her former group. Her leg was still incredibly tender, but Apprentice could indeed perform miracles. The bone was bac
k in place, the gash where it had broken through the flesh no more than a ragged red line. Apprentice told her she would still have a scar there, though. Deathwish and Butler were taking first watch in the hallway, as there were no more monitors we had no way of knowing how many Dead approached, or where from, so constant vigilance was now required.

  Now that we no longer had any Ghouls to concern ourselves with, all that remained was clearing out the Dead while Jester tags any and all equipment for his entertainment system idea. I was not about to leave Apocalypse Girl alone again, however, no matter what. I will not leave her side again. Ever.

  August 11th Year 1 A.Z.

  morning

  Apocalypse Girl wanted to let me sleep in, though a certain canine had other plans, slipping his tongue down the back of my shirt in a wet, doggy fashion, so I sat up, fed up with the whole thing. Machete handed me a bowl of baked, beany breakfast that, though I felt like throwing it at the nearest wall and watching in satisfaction as the bowl shattered and the evil stuff glorp down the wall, I thanked her and settled down to eat. I hadn't realised exactly how hungry I was until I was halfway through my third bowl. The really annoying thing was that, despite how many cans we had been through in the last few days, Deathwish's supply seemed in no way diminished by our efforts.