Fighting Darkness: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Thriller (Fighting to Survive Book 2)

by Alex Knightly

  “Okay,” Annie said, squeezing her temples. “Okay. Did she at least tell you where he lives?”

  “I’m afraid not. All she knows is he lives in one of the estates on the east of the town, close to the motorway. We still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

  Terry

  Friday

  “This is the last thing we needed. There’s still no sign of them.”

  Terry looked across the table at Dan. He didn’t know how many days had passed since the others left. Time seemed to have slowed down. It didn’t help that he’d been jacked up on painkillers that made him sleep through whole days at a time. He’d had so many delirious dreams since they got to the farm that he no longer knew what was real and what wasn’t.

  “Who?”

  “Annie and Clive.”

  “Oh,” he said, nodding and immediately regretting it. He couldn’t stand the oblivion anymore, so he’d stopped taking his painkillers as of that morning. His mind was already less cloudy, but the pain was almost more than he could take.

  “You thought I was mad too, right? When all the others were looking at me thinking how is he so wound up about the neighbours?”

  Terry laughed, immediately wishing he hadn’t. His whole body felt raw. Olivia had told him several times that he was lucky to be alive. He’d nodded and smiled, not wanting to stress her out by telling her he felt anything but lucky.

  “I haven’t been thinking much of anything, to be honest. Olivia’s had me so full of painkillers that I couldn’t even tell you my own name most of the time.”

  Dan frowned. “You sound pretty lucid to me. Have you stopped taking them?”

  Terry would have shrugged, but he was learning that it was best to stay as still as possible. “Only until they get back. How long has it been?”

  “Four days.”

  Terry grimaced. He hadn’t realised it was that long. “I thought they were going to be there and back in a day.”

  Dan glanced back towards the bedrooms. “Perhaps they were saying that for Olivia’s benefit.”

  “Don’t worry. I think she’s having a rest. Deserves it, poor thing. Can’t have been easy looking after me.”

  “I hate to say it, but that seems to have kept her calm. The way Annie talks about it, she was in quite a state before you left London.”

  Terry closed his eyes. It had been one hell of a week. Thanks to the injury and the painkillers, it was all a bit blurry now. Which was good in a way. Because there had been a time when he wasn’t sure he’d ever get over what he’d done. Now when he thought about shooting one of those kids who’d surrounded him, it was in a strange hazy sort of way, like he was remembering a TV show.

  “I’d better go patrol again,” Dan said quietly, standing up and stretching.

  “Why don’t we take it in turns?”

  Dan shook his head. “No. Look at you. You’re still injured. Olivia said there’s a risk of infection. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the company, but you’d be better off in bed.”

  “I can’t stay in bed. Why don’t I come with you? Keep you company when you’re walking? If I have a funny turn you’ll be there to help.”

  “No. Are you mad? You can barely walk without wincing in pain.”

  “That obvious, eh?”

  Dan shook his head. “Look, we can’t leave her alone. If you’ve got to be out of bed, at least you’re here to keep an eye on things while I watch the neighbours.”

  Terry sighed. He felt like he’d slept through most of what had happened and he was still trying to catch up. “What the hell is wrong with those people? I’d have thought they’d be glad to work together. What they need is a few days on the road. Then they’d see what we’re up against.”

  Terry moved slowly to the living room. His back was starting to ache thanks to the rigid backs on the kitchen chairs. It was hard to find a comfortable position. He moved to the shelves above the TV table, scanning the titles of the books.

  It was all he could do not to go and get a painkiller. The boredom was almost as bad as the pain. Maybe he should? He turned and looked around.

  He sighed. Maybe he was getting too caught up in Dan’s paranoia. That might be it. He looked at the books again. Nothing leapt out at him, but he had to do something. He couldn’t keep staring at the wall. He reached up slowly and took one at random from the closest shelf. He turned it over to read the back.

  His eyes glazed over almost immediately. It wasn’t his cup of tea. He flicked through the first few pages and they only confirmed his first impression. The writing was tiny; spaced too close together. How did people get any pleasure reading things like this?

  He walked over to the couch but thought better about sitting down on it. It was low and squishy. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to get out of it again if he sat down.

  There was a commotion somewhere at the back of the house. Terry spun around too quickly and roared in pain. Dan was right, he thought, as he staggered towards the door. He was probably still too poorly to patrol outside, but what else could he do? He had to make sure everything was alright.

  The door burst open before he’d even reached it.

  “Dan, it’s you,” he gasped. “Good. You’ll never believe what I thought. Here I was…” he stopped, taking in the look on the man’s face. Terry wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen anyone look so worried. “What is it?”

  Dan stood frozen in the doorway, staring at him like he wasn’t even really seeing him. “They’ve smashed up the traps.”

  “Eh? What traps?”

  “The rabbit traps. I set them up around the land. We need all the meat we can get.” He shook his head. “Well that’s that plan out the window. The cheek of them. The absolute bastards.”

  “Oh come on now,” Terry said, moving over to him. “Maybe it’s not them at all. Who knows. It might have been… a fox wanting to get at the rabbits.”

  Dan shot him a look that was full of scorn.

  “I don’t know, do I? I’ve lived in the city my whole life. All I’m saying is maybe it was a bigger animal.”

  “Oh, it was a bigger animal alright. I’ll show you.” Dan turned and walked out the door, and through the kitchen.

  Terry followed him at a snail’s pace, not knowing what to say.

  “There,” Dan said, opening the back door and standing aside. “I carried them back here because there was really no point in leaving them where they were.” He grimaced. “Though I probably should have left them because now they’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that I found them.”

  Terry was about to tell Dan he maybe needed to stop thinking so damn much, but he stopped when he reached the door and saw what was outside.

  The traps were bent and misshapen. The wooden bottoms had been broken into several pieces. Terry didn’t know anything about traps, but he didn’t need to in order to see that someone had used a great deal of energy to pulverise these ones.

  “I reckon they took a sledgehammer to them,” Dan snapped when he’d shut the door and locked it. “I’d like to take a sledgehammer to them.”

  “Calm down,” Terry said. “Why the hell would they do something like this?”

  “I don’t know. I just don’t know. First the sheep, then the cattle, then the rods, now this. It’s like they’re trying to destroy all our means of getting food. Or trying to send us a message. I don’t know. There’s no need for this. There’s plenty of food to be taken from the land for everyone.”

  Terry thought about the twisted metal. He’d never tasted rabbit, but he didn’t think it could be that bad. It’d be a whole lot better than getting one of those diseases people got when they didn’t get enough nutrients into them. “Can you fix them? The traps?”

  Dan shook his head. “You saw them. They’ve been pulverised. Whoever did this has some kind of anger issues, because there was no need to do this. It’s just…” he threw his hands up. “I don’t understand it, but I’ve had enough of this bullshit.”

  “Cal
m down,” Terry said. “Please.”

  “Whose side are you on?”

  “Yours. Annie’s. Ours.” He sighed. “Look. Now is not the time to do anything. You said it yourself, I’m too weak to be of use and Olivia’s… well, she’s a brilliant nurse but she’s not going to be much use in a fight.”

  “We can’t just sit around and do nothing. Don’t you see? It isn’t just the rods and the traps. It’s everything. The vegetable garden.” He groaned. “The well. How do I know they haven’t sabotaged those and we just can’t see it?”

  Terry looked out the window again. It seemed perfectly peaceful out there, but he knew now that was only a facade. Beyond that hill were people who were filled with malice. He could understand stealing food if they were hungry, but this was a different thing. Why ruin someone else’s chances of getting food?

  “Maybe they know the others have gone and that’s why they’re trying to make you react.”

  “Maybe I should react,” Dan snapped.

  “What? Don’t be mad.”

  ‘Why? They’re fucking with us.”

  “Now’s not the time.”

  “When is the time? I’m sick of this. I should have shot them days ago before the others left.”

  Terry sighed. He prayed the others would get back soon. Whatever was going on here, they had nowhere near enough manpower to deal with it.

  And if Dan lost it and decided to go over there, Terry wasn’t in any position to try and stop him.

  Pete

  Pete was almost as bored now as he’d been when they were locked in that horrible shed at the warehouse. They were getting nowhere. They’d spent the past four days watching the mechanic’s house. That’s where they were now, sitting in the car a few houses down, just watching. They’d hunched as low in their seats as they could and nobody passing by seemed to notice them.

  “This is bullshit,” Josh muttered. “They’re not coming here.”

  “It’s the only lead we’ve got.”

  “Wait a minute. What’s that?”

  Pete stared at him as if he had two heads. “What’s what? It looks the same out there as it did yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. Nothing’s changed.”

  “Listen, will you? I hear a car.”

  Of course now that Josh said it, Pete couldn’t hear anything over the sound of his own breathing and Josh’s.

  “Stop breathing so loudly.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You are. Just shut up.” He held his breath and listened. He couldn’t hear anything.

  Then it registered with him. There was a faint drone in the background. His eyes widened. “Josh! Do you think it’s them?”

  “I don’t know.” Josh’s hands bunched into fists in his lap. He stared down at them numbly. “We still haven’t decided what we’re going to do. You know, if we find them.”

  “Yes we have. We’re going to take them to Harry. If there’s more than four of them, we’ll tie up the last one and come back for them. Or put them in the boot. It doesn’t matter. It’s the girl he wants.”

  “Can we, though? It’s… you know what’s going to happen.”

  “Shut up,” Pete muttered. “I’m trying to think.

  The drone was definitely getting louder. It felt like his whole body was buzzing with energy even though all he’d eaten the day before was dry Weetabix. This was it. This was the moment that would decide the rest of their lives. Was he ready for it? He didn’t know.

  “Maybe we should move further away. What if they see us?”

  He gripped the steering wheel as panic washed over him. No. They should have done that hours ago if they were going to. But what if Josh was right? “They won’t see us.”

  “Yes they will. We’re only a few doors down.”

  “So? There are tons of cars parked around here. We’ll blend in.”

  “What if we don’t?”

  “I’m not moving, okay?” he snapped. “It’s too late for that. If they see our car moving, they might freak out. Maybe they suspect people are after them, I don’t know. We’re staying put.”

  Josh muttered something he didn’t catch. Pete didn’t ask him to repeat it. Instead, he stared in the rearview mirror, waiting. The engine of the other car was loud and clear now. It was only a matter of seconds before it turned onto this street.

  He waited, transfixed. It was a crappy, drizzly morning. It didn’t seem like the sort of day where something significant happened. But it was. It had to be them. The only cars he’d seen around were the ones Harry had commandeered for his boys.

  “It’s blue,” Josh whispered, glancing over his shoulder.

  “I can see that, you daft twat. Stop moving. Stay low.”

  “All I’m saying,” Josh said. “Is that—”

  “Shut up!” Pete hissed. He couldn’t understand why Josh was still talking, when the other car was so close it disappeared from view a moment later.

  “Wait, what?” Pete frowned when the blue car had pulled up alongside them. A moment later, the passenger window cranked down and Pete saw a face he recognised.

  “I tried to tell,” Josh muttered.

  Pete ignored him and worked the window lever until his window was half-open. “What’s happened?”

  “Harry needs you,” Ian said. “Back at the house. Now.” He wound up his window and the blue car sped off before Pete could ask him anything else.

  “They probably can’t stay here too long in case any of the neighbours see and suspect us.”

  “I know that, Josh,” Pete spat as he started the car. “I wonder what Harry wants.”

  He was waiting for them on the steps of the house. Pete was relieved. He didn’t want to go back into that place.

  “I thought I told you two to find her.”

  “We’re doing our best. We’ve been staking out the mechanic’s house and the garage.”

  “I didn’t ask you to catch them at the house or the garage. Can’t you use your heads? I asked you to catch them full stop. And by ask, I didn’t mean it’s optional, just in case you didn’t understand that.”

  “We know, Harry. And we’re working on it.”

  Harry sighed “Luckily for you, some of the others have been thinking on their feet.”

  “Oh?”

  “Some bloke over in Wesleygate. He’s been questions about me.”

  Pete tried to look like he cared. “Right?”

  Harry was looking at him like this meant something. That annoyed him. Why couldn’t he just get to the point instead of going off on a tangent. It was just like Harry to threaten him one minute and then keep him from doing what he was supposed to do. Pete wondered if it was some kind of scare tactic.

  “He doesn’t see the significance,” Harry said with a heavy sigh. He took a step closer. “Let me spell it out. My mate found it interesting because he knows the guy. Knows he has a stepdaughter with mad coloured hair. Never put two and two together before because why would he, but this seemed just a little bit coincidental.”

  “What? You think it’s her?”

  Harry smiled sarcastically as if the answer was obvious and Pete had taken ages to get to it. “Oh, I know it’s her. Steve went back to talk to the stepdad. Turns out she works at the garage.”

  “Where is she now then?” Pete asked, his heart racing. “Did he get an address?”

  Harry turned to the big guy behind him and laughed. Pete was disappointed to see that he looked just as bulky as before. Maybe Harry hadn’t spared the steroids for his trusted bouncers.

  “Of course he got an address. Do you think he’s stupid?”

  “No, I—”

  “She lives at 30 Bessboro Crescent. She’s on her own. The guy didn’t know anything about other people.”

  “So you want us to bring her in?”

  “Of course I do. What do you think I want?”

  “No, I mean you said there were others. What about them? I thought you wanted them all.”

  Harry pinched
the bridge of his nose as if he was in pain. “Just get over there. She’s the one Zane really wants. Kicked him when he was down, he said.” His expression softened for a fleeting moment. “They killed three of my boys, lads. And Zane’s not out of the woods yet. Don’t fuck this up, you hear?”

  “We won’t.”

  “You’d better not. Do you have any idea how important this is to me?”

  Pete swallowed. “We’ll get her, Harry. Don’t worry.”

  They would. What choice did they have?

  Clive

  “Maybe we should split up,” Annie said. “You know. Cover more ground.”

  “No,” Clive said immediately. “No way.” It was a rough spot. It didn’t matter that it was daylight or that it’d take them twice as long if they stayed together.

  “Come on. It feels as though we’re getting nowhere. We’re starting all over again. We wasted so much time in Wesleygate when we should have been looking here.”

  Clive sighed. He knew how she felt because he felt the same way. It was frustrating. “We can’t let our impatience get to us. That’s when mistakes happen. Trust me. This is the best way. Slow and steady. We’ll find them.”

  She didn’t say anything, but he knew what she was thinking. Would they find them in time? He knew because he was plagued by the same worries.

  “All we can do is move as quickly as possible while being as careful as we can be. Come on. Let’s go.”

  Part of him was confident. The fear in that woman’s eyes at the library the day before… he’d rarely seen anything like it. People around here were bound to know about Harry. And Clive was going to coax and cajole them until they told him what they knew.

  They hurried on as fast as they could without being too conspicuous. They’d left the car in an underpass that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Under normal circumstances, it would have been the type of place that drew all sorts of undesirables, but now it was safer than the residential streets. They’d had no choice. It was one thing to speed down a street, quite another to park up and start knocking on doors. They might as well draw a huge target on their backs if they were going to do that.