Dead Winter

by Aline Riva

  “I was going to tell you, when the time was right!” he protested, “Believe me, Joy, I would have explained later!”

  “You had two people killed in cold blood.”

  “Yes I did, Joy – murderers with more blood on their hands than I'll ever have on mine!”

  “All this time, you've been a double murderer and you never thought to explain?”

  His eyes flashed with fury.

  “IT WAS A TURF WAR!” he yelled.

  “And what is that turf worth now? It's crawling with the living dead!”

  “I didn't know the apocalypse was coming!”

  There was a soft tap on the window. They cut the quarrel short as they both glanced around to see River standing there. Joy slid down the window.

  “Sorry about the delay.”

  River glanced to the transit van. Sage was looking on impatiently.

  “Hurry up!” she mouthed, thumping the wheel, her voice muted in the vehicle with its tightly closed windows.

  River looked back to the car window.

  “We don't care what this is about,” she said, “But there's a time and place and right now is neither. Can we get moving, we want to load up and leave!”

  Joy looked to Mickey, who said nothing, then she turned her head and spoke again.

  “The chopper on that roof might belong to his sister. And he forgot to tell us before we came all the way out here, that his sister hates his guts!”

  River gave a heavy sigh.

  “Mickey, is she likely to be armed?”

  He nodded.

  “And she will have people with her. It's probably my sister's men who looted the town and burned the corpses.”

  “Can we make a deal with her?” River asked.

  Mickey could feel the jewellery weighing heavy in his pockets now.

  “I think I can, but we won't get away with even half of the weapons we hoped to load up,” he told her, “Worst case scenario, she takes my jewel stash and fucks off leaving us with nothing. It's a gamble, I don't know which way this will go!”

  River slowly nodded.

  “I'll talk to the others. You two wait here.”

  As she went back to the van, Joy turned angrily to Mickey.

  “We came all this way out, away from the cities, away from the closest route that could have got us food supplies, because you said you had a weapons stash waiting! People have died along the way!”

  Hurt reflected in his eyes.

  “You can't blame me for that, we take a chance every time we step outside! There are very few safe places left, maybe none are safe any more! You can't blame me for the state of the world. Or are you trying to blame me for the zombie apocalypse now? Because that's taking it too far!”

  Joy looked away, saying nothing. She glanced back to see River was now in the van, talking with Chris and Sage. Moments later, Sage turned down her window and leaned out.

  “We're going to turn back and wait at the end of the road,” she said, “You've got one hour, Mickey – and you're going alone. It's too risky for us, we don't have much ammo and we have limited supplies on board – and we have Poppy in the back! Joy, get in the van.”

  Joy glanced at Mickey.

  “You'd better go, I'll take my chances,” he said.

  Joy leaned out the open window again.

  “I'm going with Mickey. See you guys in one hour!”

  Sage looked stunned as she sat in the van, staring back at Joy.

  “Just go, I'll be fine!” Joy called back.

  The van reversed and drove away.

  “Are you insane?” exclaimed Mickey as he looked wide eyed at Joy.

  “No, I'm just mildly pissed off now it's sunk in and I know all your secrets but, it's a different world now. And I'm not letting you go in there alone. If that is Flora and her people, you're going to need back up and I'm firearms trained.”

  He looked like a bundle of shattered nerves as he sat there wrapped in his long thick coat, his face was pale and he had broken into a sweat at the thought of what lie ahead, but now there was a spark of hope in his gaze.

  “Does this mean I'm forgiven?” he asked hopefully.

  “Shut up Mickey. My people need guns as much as you do,” she replied, then she started up the engine and they drove off, passing through the gates and taking the road that led to the heart of the complex.

  There was a sharp turn up ahead and Joy couldn't see what lie beyond it. Maybe they would die in hail of bullets, maybe this was the most stupid decision she had ever made. They were heading straight into the unknown and this time, the threat didn't come from the undead, but the living – and perhaps that was what made it worse: The orderly world had ended. Joy had seen enough crime and violence in the old days, but now? Anything could happen, humans had always been the deadliest animal and now, the very worst who survived would turn out to be as dangerous as those stumbling corpses. Or maybe there was no competition there, the undead had a basic need to hunt and kill and eat. But the living? They had to be far worse, people could be devious, having much motivation to devastate and destroy that went far beyond the simple need to satiate hunger... Joy held her breath as the car turned the corner.

  Chapter 9

  Mickey had grabbed his weapon and barely felt the sharp turn as the car took the corner and made a turn. His nerves were in shreds and he felt almost numb as he prepared to face the only person who had the power to intimidate him. His sights were set on the tall, slender woman clad in black and wrapped up against the cold in padded designer winter wear, despite the fact that the world as it had once been had crumbled to dust. She stood there in leather boots with spiked heels, her long black hair in girlish bunches that didn't seem to blend well with the deep lines etched around her eyes. She had even put on thick black eyeliner and bright cerise lipstick. She had hung on her long, heavy silver wishbone earrings. Flora had got through this mess looking just like she always did... Mickey caught his breath, feeling the resentment of more than just the way she had used him to eliminate rivals and screwed him over in the process. This was the sister who had grown up loathing him, hissing Stupid little shit, Daddy's little favourite, as she kicked the back of his weak leg and spat on him as he fell to the ground... She looked as demented as ever as she glared across the yard, flanked by men with guns as the cold air whipped up the ends of her bunches. Joy stopped the car a short distance away, leaving her machine gun on the floor but keeping her loaded hand gun holstered beneath her padded jacket.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  Mickey was staring through the wind shield as Flora stared back.

  “Not really, no,” he replied, “You have no idea how crazy she is – and the world falling apart has made her think she owns it, I can see it in her eyes. Don't anger her. Let me deal with her.”

  Mickey reached for the door handle.

  “Are you sure you can?” she asked.

  He glanced at her.

  “I've been struggling to handle Flora all my life, Joy. Please don't get in the way. I don't want you to get hurt.”

  Mickey got out of the car, then as Joy did the same, he stepped forward as Flora stood there staring at him with a wild look in her pale blue eyes. Then she looked to the armed guard who stood beside her.

  “That's my brother! My fucking brother's not dead yet?”

  She sounded disappointed as she looked back at Mickey, who stood his ground, trying to push out thoughts of growing up with a bully and having his adult years dictated by her power struggle.

  “I'm glad you're okay, Sis,” he said cautiously, “I came up here to check the stash was intact – I wanted to find you. I was hoping we could get through this nightmare together.”

  “What?” Joy exclaimed.

  Mickey turned his head, giving her a brief, apologetic smile.

  “Sorry sweetheart. But blood is thicker than water. This is where we part. Get in the car and go.”

  Joy shot him a look of disbelief.

  “I said, go!�
� Mickey repeated.

  Joy looked back to Flora and the two armed men that flanked her. Two more were up on the roof now as a fifth loaded weapons into the back of a small lorry.

  “No, whatever this plan is, I'm not doing it, you need me!” she hissed.

  “Maybe I mean what I say.”

  “Bullshit!”

  She said no more as he turned away. Flora was striding over to him. He took a couple of steps forward, meeting her in the middle of the yard as she glared at him, leaning in as she sucked in a furious breath and started to speak.

  “I see the world had to end before you found yourself a woman who would put up with your shit!” she glanced at Joy, “Not that she's much to look at. Desperate, were you, love?”

  Joy said nothing, keeping her hands at her sides as she stood motionless. Mickey had known this nasty piece of work all his life, surely he knew how to handle this situation. He had told her to go. Maybe he was expecting it to turn ugly. Or maybe he did want to get in that chopper and clear off with her. It made sense, in a cold and calculating way she didn't want to think about, but maybe, he was like that. She just didn't know him well enough to decide... There was something almost robotic about the way Flora tilted her head as her bunches blew back on the icy wind, her stare was striking, and not in a good way. She was looking at Joy as if she was transparent. Then she snapped her head back sharply to her brother. And Mickey flinched. It was only for a second, but Joy caught that as a single thought ran through her mind: Shit, if he was scared of her, they really were fucked...

  “You came here to steal my stash!” Flora spat venomously, “You wanted to run off with the guns – MY GUNS – and leave me with nothing!”

  Mickey was shaking inside. He had been capable of many things in his career as a criminal, but he had always turned to a bullied wreck when it came to standing up to Flora...

  “No, it's not like that! I've seen so much death and destruction, I needed to find you! The past doesn't matter, Sis! We need to stick together. All the bad times, even when we were kids, I don't care about it any more! I just want to get on that chopper and fly up to the cliff and sit this shitty year of hell out with you, in comfort.”

  She flashed a smile as her eyes stayed cold.

  “Of course you do!” her expression changed to a stony glare as she beckoned to a guard then glared at Mickey.

  “You're dead, Mickey boy!”

  Joy made a move to lunge forward, but a strong arm wrapped around her throat as an armed man held her back. She raised both her hands, not needing to fake terror as she saw Mickey pushed to his knees. He hit the ground painfully as the other guard stood over him with a gun jammed at the back of his head.

  “I'm not armed!” Joy lied, making no attempt to struggle, “Please don't hurt him!”

  She was ready to fight back, the minute the guy relaxed his grip on her neck – any sooner, and the one who stood over Mickey would squeeze the trigger. She needed to call for back up. But there was no back up. There was no help coming...

  Mickey's eyes were wide as he looked up at his sister.

  “Sooner or later this zombie shit will end, and you will need me again! I'm worth more to you alive, Sis! You will need me when life gets back to some kind of normality and people want guns brought in and you need my contacts!”

  “Your contacts are probably dead!” she stated as she stood over him, “As dead as you will be any minute now! I can't afford to have loose ends, Mickey. The new world needs people like me, not you!”

  Flora drew her boot back and slammed it into his side. Mickey fell to the concrete, gasping for air as he curled up in a ball. The gunman was still standing over him, waiting for the command from Flora. She glanced up at him.

  “Not yet, I'm having fun!” she said as her eyes blazed and she glared down in fury at her brother.

  “You've always been a waste of space!” she ranted, “The money I spent keeping your activities covered and the cops still managed to have you as a suspect! You would be in jail now if not for the dead rising up! You should have been zombie food a long time ago, WHY are you not dead yet?”

  She kicked him again as he coughed and Joy felt the arm around her neck tighten further as a handgun was pressed to her back. She froze, looking on as two other men came over and were joined by the guy from the roof, they stood back nearby, looking on to be sure of no trouble. Joy blinked back tears. She would get a bullet if she moved, and Mickey was about to get one no matter what she did. Flora kicked him again.

  A short distance from the entrance, the van was parked as the others sat waiting, off the road and up tight against a crumbling wall as the temperature dropped inside the van and River closed the window.

  “Maybe we should keep it open,” said Chris.

  “There are fields all around us,” she reminded him, “And Flora's people would have gone in with guns. If there were any corpses around, they would have taken them out. You don't need to listen for trouble. We'll all hear the shots if this goes wrong and it's the living we have to worry about now!”

  Sage looked towards the open gates as worry reflected in her gaze.

  “Why are they taking so long?”

  “Because Mickey is probably making a deal with his sister. Maybe it's a good thing he stole that jewellery, maybe Flora's willing to negotiate for a few guns.”

  “But you said they hated each other,” Chris reminded her, “And there's nothing stopping her from killing him if she's got the upper hand.”

  Sage felt torn as she gripped the wheel and the keys sat in the ignition. She wanted to go in there, she needed to know Mickey and Joy were okay – but Poppy was in the back and they didn't have enough ammo for a heavy shoot out. She wasn't even sure how they would stand up to the living, she had only shot zombies, and zombies didn't shoot back. Now she was thinking and her own thoughts were disturbing her, but she couldn't unthink it...

  “What if we come up against trouble, from the living, I mean?”

  “You'll have to fight back, we all will,” River said honestly, “And while we're on the subject, I need to learn to shoot. This world isn't going to get better overnight and I don't want to be a burden here, the only one who can't fight back in a crisis.”

  “Can I have a gun?” asked Poppy as she peered between the seats from the back of the van.

  “No!” Sage said sharply, “It's bad enough adults need them these days. There's no way, Poppy!”

  Then she paused for thought and looked to River.

  “I can teach you, when we get the chance to stop off somewhere quiet, if such a place exists.”

  “I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it,” River told her honestly, “I can handle shooting those creatures, but what if I come up against hostility from the living? I've devoted my life to healing the sick, I don't want to blow holes in people! And we don't even know how many of us are left alive, humans could be in the minority, I don't want to start wiping out the living.”

  “But unfortunately there could be living out there who want to wipe us out,” Chris remarked, “It's a different world now, River.”

  It was a different world, full of lurking dangers - especially the danger that was creeping up on them as they sat there parked near the wall, as through the crumbling gap, the undead began to stagger out, sights set on the van up ahead. The living inside were looking to the fields in front, and Poppy was watching the adults and listening to their conversation. Had she looked around, she would have seen them coming through the back window of the van. But she didn't turn around as the undead approached slowly creeping and no one saw them coming - with the windows closed, Chris didn't hear them, either. They were minutes away from being swamped and they didn't know it...

  While those in the van were unaware of the creeping danger, as she stood in the yard outside the warehouse unable to break free from the gunman as Mickey was kicked again, Joy was only too aware of impending doom. Flora would have Mickey shot and then have her shot, too. She hadn't expected her
life to end this way but she wasn't capable of fighting off five armed men and his loony sister. She didn't want to see Mickey die, but as much as she wanted to close her eyes, she couldn't do it, because as long as they were both breathing there was a chance, and she would grab it with both hands as soon as she could move a muscle - any chance to stay alive was worth fighting for. But suddenly, it was all over.

  “I'm done,” said Flora, looking to the gunman who stood over Mickey, “Kill him.”

  He raised the gun once more. Then a sound cut through the air, the unmistakeable lock and load of a weapon. Flora's eyes darted left and right as she tilted her head.

  “Who did that?” she said in confusion.

  Then shots rained down from the rooftop as the guards were punched with bullets. The gunman standing over Mickey took a shot to the head as blood and brains exploded and as more shots rained down, the other man let go of Joy as a shot hit his shoulder, then blew a hole in his chest as he staggered back. She ran and dived to the ground, grabbing Mickey and rolling with him to a brick wall as bullets peppered the second gunman and his body jerked and fell. The others standing by had raised their guns but they were showered with more shots, falling as their weapons clattered to the ground as they bled out. Joy raised her head just as Mickey began to pull himself up from the ground. She was up quickly, he grabbed the arm of her jacket and leaned heavily on her as he clutched at his side, then as she reached for him, he pushed her hand away. His sights were set on the stairway that ran from the floor to the roof of the building as rage burned in his eyes.

  “She's not getting away with this!” he said angrily as he grabbed at his side and headed for the stairs.

  Spiked boots clattered on metal steps as Flora scrambled upwards, then slipped, falling hard. She gave a scream of absolute rage as murder shone in her gaze and she looked upward.