Despite his injuries, he moved with a grace that I envied. A savage joy on his face as he plunged his knife and poignard into zombie after zombie. For a brief moment, I understood why his followers believed as they did.
Pressure mounted as the CDF troops from the river finally caught up with the fleeing zombies and the Reaper roared its fury as its forces were assaulted from both sides. With a look of pure hate twisting its face, it began to push its way through the crowd of zombies towards Ryan.
He saw it coming and his grin widened as it picked a Shambler up by the neck, tossing it aside as though it weighed nothing, because it was between it and him. My heart seemed to stop as it swung its claws at him and I held my breath as he stepped directly into its embrace.
Blood flowed and it roared in triumph, a cry of loss and despair filling the air and I realised it came from me.
Chapter 31 – Ryan
My breath caught as sharp bone tore through the leather jacket and into my back. A small price to pay as I slammed my long-knife into its belly and pulled it to the side, slicing it open. The creature roared as someone screamed and I plunged my hand inside.
Clawed hands gripped my throat, lifting me from my feet as I seized hold of the writhing mass that lay in its guts. The claws tightened, piercing my skin and I pulled. It howled but didn’t release me and my vision began to dim.
A cleaver cut straight the Reapers left arm at the elbow and it dropped me with a roar of rage. I nodded my thanks to James as I set one booted foot against the creature’s legs and pulled with all my remaining strength.
The crimson mass tore free, the Reaper falling back, a scream of utter pain coming from it that I’d not heard any zombie make before. I glanced down at the slimy mass of tentacle-like tubes and dropped it.
I pulled my knife free from its stomach and knelt on its chest, pausing a moment to enjoy myself fully before plunging it down through the creatures remaining eye. Laughter escaped me and I looked up expecting to be swarmed but found a ring of acolytes around me.
“My Lord Death,” Samuel said. “Your orders?”
“Kill them all,” I said with a grin. “Every last one of them.”
“As you command.”
****
The battle was bloody and our losses significant but at the end, the only ones remaining were the Living and the Dead. The Scourge of Undead had been cleansed from that area and it was time to tend our wounds and count the cost.
“Twenty-seven,” Samuel said as he sewed together the skin of my back. “It could have been worse.”
“Could have been better too,” I snapped as his needle pulled at my skin. “How many soldiers?”
“Forty-three,” he said.
“Zombies?”
“Rough estimate puts it at around six hundred.”
I shook my head slowly. That wasn’t great.
“We need to improve,” I said. “We lost too many.”
“That’s because you rushed in like an idiot,” Lily said as she approached, Gregg beside her.
She knelt and patted Jinx on the head. The dog looking up at her then me before putting her head down on her paws.
“Glad you survived,” I said with a grin that she didn’t return. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s not the time for jokes. We lost too many people today. Good men and women.”
“You have the shipyards though,” I said. “And warehouses full of food. That should keep your people happy.”
“Still, a heavy price to pay.”
“Undoubtedly,” I agreed.
I watched her carefully, checking for any wounds but while her navy-blue fatigues were covered in gore, none of it seemed to be hers.
“The Admiral wants to burn the bodies,” she said with a thoughtful look at the corpse-filled area. “Might not be a bad idea.”
“Could attract more.”
“Maybe.” She paused and then added, “he’s keeping the body of the Reaper.”
“I hope that he will share any information,” I said as I thought of that crimson mass. I still had no idea what it was, but it was clearly important to the Reaper.
“Of course,” she said and hesitated.
For once, I thought I understood why she was so hesitant. She was getting ready to say goodbye. They had what they wanted. Supplies and the shipyards. There was no need for my group of zombie killers anymore.
“The Admiral wants to speak with you,” she said. “When you’re ready.”
Ah, there it was. The obligatory thank you and goodbye from the man in charge. I resisted the urge to laugh and just nodded politely. She hesitated again before turning and walking stiffly away.
“You’re a prat,” Gregg said and I narrowed my eyes as I looked at him.
“Oh?”
He just shook his head and settled down beside me. He looked at Samuel stitching my back and let out a soft sigh.
“You’re gonna need to recruit,” he said. “To replace your losses.”
“We don’t recruit,” I said. “If people want to join, we let them, but we don’t seek them out.”
“I was thinking…”
“No,” I said, cutting him off.
“You don’t know what I was gonna say.”
“Samuel,” I said.
“Yes?”
“Make it known. This man will never be one of us.”
“As you command.”
“What! Why the hell not?”
I looked at my friend, for I realised that despite anything else, that is what he was. The scar on his face seemed to cause him some pain, and not just physical. I could see how he would think a hood would be a pleasant way to hide away. That wasn’t him though.
“Those who join us are devoid of life,” I said softly. “They have nothing and are already dead, just waiting for their bodies to realise it. You…”
He looked away and I did something that would once have been unthinkable. I reached out and clasped his hand in mine, surprised at myself, considering how much I hated being touched. He turned back to me, tears shining in his remaining eye.
“You, my friend. You are full of life!”
“Huh,” he said. “Could have fooled me.”
“You have a sister, friends and a niece or nephew on the way,” I said. “No matter what you think now, you will also find someone to love too. You are far from dead.”
“With this?” he asked with a gesture to his face and I laughed.
“No, I don’t mock,” I said as his cheeks reddened. “It’s just that, do you think anyone who survives in this new world will be without scars?”
He shook his head, gaze dropping to his lap as his hand tightened in mine.
“I’m gonna miss you, mate.”
“You’re always welcome to visit,” I said and turned my head to speak to Samuel. “He is to be treated as one of us.”
“As you command,” Samuel said. “Welcome, brother.”
Gregg stared wide-eyed at Samuel and then looked at me.
“What does that mean?”
“The Dead will talk to you,” Samuel said.
“And probably never stop,” I muttered. “Chatty bunch when they’re alone.”
“Thank you,” he said and I nodded.
Samuel finished up with my back and patted my shoulder as he watched Gregg walk away.
“That was kind of you.”
“He needs some kindness,” I said. “He lost a good friend a short time ago.”
“It seems… uncharacteristic,” Samuel said and I laughed.
“Yes, that’s true.”
His cloth hood moved gently as he shook his head and he pushed himself to his feet.
“I should check on the others.”
“You do that. I’ll get our goodbyes out of the way with the Admiral.”
Jinx followed me as I moved through the mounds of dead bodies. Their stench was undiminished by death and if anything, was even worse. Feral and Shambler alike, they stank alive or dead.
&nbs
p; The Admiral was stood beside the corpse of the Reaper, staring down at it. Jennings on one side and a stiff-backed Lily on the other. I’d clearly offended her but I wasn’t sure how. Not that it would matter anyway, as she would be away soon enough and I would be back to my undoubtedly short life fighting the endless battle with the undead.
I wasn’t sure how I actually felt about her leaving. Every time I considered it, I had an uncomfortable feeling in my gut and had to think of something else. Not sure what it meant and the one person I’d ask was about to leave me for good.
Like I did to her, just a short time ago, a nasty little voice in the back of my mind seemed to say.
“Ah, Ryan,” the Admiral said. “Your people are well?”
“No infections,” I said with a shrug. “The wounds we have will be treated.”
“We have some medical supplies set aside for you. Not much I’m afraid, but it should help.”
Seemed like a small payment for everything I’d given him, but since I didn’t really care that much I’d take it anyway.
He seemed to be waiting for a response so I just folded my arms across my chest and grinned impudently at him. He wasn’t my Admiral and I had no intention of making it easy for him.
“As agreed,” he said when it became clear I wasn’t about to speak. “Lou’s buildings will remain as the place for you to deliver any people you find. I shall leave a squad there, with supplies and a radio as your primary contact.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
“I was thinking that perhaps Lieutenant Morgan here would like the role,” he said and it was my turn to blink in surprise.
“You were?”
I glanced at her and she stared back at me impassively, no expression on her face though lines were beginning to form on her brow and that wasn’t a good sign. Maybe she didn’t want the job.
“Is that acceptable?” the Admiral asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Very much so.”
His gaze flicked between the two of us and he nodded slowly, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“I may not agree with some of your methods,” he said. “And I don’t think that I’m ready to introduce the rest of my people to you just yet, but the war’s just beginning. We could use you.”
“Oh?”
“The island is secure for the moment but with the changes we’ve seen here.” He nudged the dead Reaper with his toe. “It’s a strange new world and it’s going to get worse. Who’s to say they won’t get over their fear of the water? Our island isn’t that far offshore.”
“For creatures that don’t breathe,” I agreed. “A short walk away.”
“Indeed,” he said. “Think about it. You don’t have to fight your war alone.”
With a gesture, he indicated for Jennings to follow him and he moved away, leaving me alone with Lily and Jinx. She still wore the frown and stared at me with an unreadable expression on her face.
“I can tell him to choose someone else if you don’t want to stay,” I said.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Usually, yes. Not sure why this time.”
“I thought you were dead!” she said. “When you were fighting it! You take no care about yourself, you don’t think about what it would do to others if you were killed!”
“Oh.”
“And I heard what you said, back at your base. The Dead don’t have anyone, they give up everything and have nothing left. Is that really what you think?”
“No,” I said and she paused. “That’s for the others. I’m special.”
“What?”
“You heard me,” I said with a grin. “The rules don’t apply to me.”
“Be serious!”
“Okay,” I said as I took a step towards her. “I don’t care what they think. I thought that I had lost you when I broke my promise. If you’re saying that isn’t so…”
“You didn’t break your promise,” she said. “I just needed some time to realise that.”
“Then?”
“I still love you, weird religious followers and all,” she said. “But the CDF is something I believe in and I won’t leave them. We’re both fighting to save the people of this world, just doing it in different ways.”
“And if I were willing to join forces with your Admiral?”
“That would make me happy,” she said. “Especially since it would keep you alive longer.”
I took another step towards her.
“Which is a good thing?”
“Of course,” she said as she pulled me into her embrace.
“I’d kiss you but you’re covered in zombie gunk,” she said and I laughed.
We’d won, for the moment. A small, perhaps even significant battle, but the war had only just begun. We’d a long way to go before the few survivors were safe from the threat of the undead. I didn’t really care about that though, not when she was in my arms and was willing to stay there.
Despite what I’d said, I wasn’t entirely sure how my followers would take it, but if it all went to hell then I could just kill them all anyway. If I were lucky, I’d do it before they killed me.
Epilogue
The destroyer pulled away from the docks, heading upriver and back out to sea just as the first snow of winter had begun to fall. Ryan rolled over in the bed and looked around the room when he realised I wasn’t there, finally seeing me standing in the shadows.
“What’re you doing?”
“Just thinking,” I said.
In the last few months, the number of survivors getting through the city had slowed to a trickle and then finally stopped. Charlie, with some tech know how that I didn’t understand, had managed to increase the range of her drones to the point where they could survey most of the city. It wasn’t good.
The horde that Ryan had slowed, had arrived. They encircled the city, almost a million strong by rough estimates and the only thing keeping them from moving further in was the river. Worse than that was the number of Reapers that were rising throughout the city.
“Samuel is due in tomorrow,” I said with a fond smile at the thought of the man. As crazy as a box of frogs but a kind man who was utterly devoted to the love of my life.
“Yeah.”
“It was the right idea to move your people here.”
“Like I had a choice,” he grumbled. “Bloody Reaper!”
He would be bringing the last of the supplies they’d had stashed in one of the office blocks and when added to our own, would ensure we were well supplied should we be besieged. Which was likely since the subway system belonged to the undead now.
“Maybe it’s time to go,” I said. “Before the winter weather worsens. I know Gregg wants to meet his niece and so do I.”
“Speak to your Admiral,” Ryan said. “He’s the one who isn’t ready to let us fully integrate.”
“Can you blame him?” I said. “Whether you actively recruit or not your numbers keep growing. Your little cult is becoming a full-blown religion with you as a messiah figure. Who would want to invite you into their community?”
“Thanks. Not my fault what people think.”
“Yeah, sure.”
In truth, it wasn’t. Not entirely anyway. Things just seemed to get out of hand a little and like a snowball rolling down a hill, it just kept getting bigger and bigger to the point where it was unstoppable.
“Come back to bed,” he said. “We’ll discuss it in the morning.”
I held back a sigh and went to join him in the piled blankets that we laughingly called a bed. He may not be concerned but I was. Reapers were rising up everywhere and not just in the city. Mark, using our communications hub that the Admiral had ordered set up, was in touch with several groups around the country.
Things were bad out there and many of them were unable to head north to us. That meant we needed to go to rescue them and while the Admiral was sympathetic, he was having trouble with the new government who were unwilling to allow him to send people.
Perhaps, I thought, that was something Ryan could do. If I spoke to the Admiral and recommended it, I could kill two birds with one stone. Ryan would prove his people to be invaluable and we could rescue people across the country without needing the council approval.
The Admiral would be able to provide some help, so long as his own forces weren’t committed. There was just one minor problem though.
I didn’t know how Ryan would react when I told him one of the first places we’d need to visit would be his family’s sanctuary.
Note from the Author.
And so ends season 2. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have. Ryan and Lily are safe and reunited, and if they are a little battered and bruised, things are looking good. It’s always hard to leave a series, but for the moment, this one is done.
However, as you can clearly surmise, the route to Season 3 is open. If you’d like to see how things progress in the future, then drop by www.facebook.com/KillingtheDead and let me know. If people want a third season and haven’t got Ryan and Lily fatigue, then we can perhaps answer some questions, such as; How will his family react when he turns up with a rescue force? Do they suspect he killed his brother? Will his followers grow in number, becoming the religion of choice for a people who have lost everything to the undead? Will poor Gregg every catch a break and find someone to love who doesn’t get eaten by a zombie?
Feel free to leave reviews and recommend to a friend. Always happy to hear from people and updates are posted to the Facebook Page.
Until next time, thanks for reading this far.
Richard.
Fear the Reaper Page 21