by Hatchett
“It’s not right, you know? Privileged and elected people saving themselves and leaving the rest of the population to fend for themselves.”
“I know,” Mamba confirmed. “That’s why we’re doin’ it.”
He wasn’t going to mention the gorgeous models he was looking forward to encountering.
“Still, the meek shall inherit the earth,” Mollie continued, as if Mamba hadn’t spoken.
Mamba didn’t know what she was talking about and, quite frankly, couldn’t care less. She was obviously on her soapbox and rambling on about the injustices of the World.
“Why ain’t ya gone down there?” Mamba asked.
Mollie laughed.
“I told you. We have no idea where the entrances are, and even if we did, we wouldn’t be able to get through them.”
Mollie suddenly turned left into a paved walkway and it took Mamba a couple of paces to change direction and catch up to her.
“Here we are,” Mollie stated, pointing to a massive supermarket on her right. “Let’s get you some food and drinks, then we can worry about your other people. I can then introduce you to the rest of us including the Reverend and, if you’re really lucky, old Ernie might be lucid enough to talk to you.”
Mamba didn’t really know what ‘lucid’ meant but he got the drift.
“Ya know,” he said, “ya remind me of someone I met a few days ago. We called her Grandma, ‘n she lived in a supermarket.”
“Really? Where is she now? Still in the supermarket?” Mollie asked.
“Nah, she didn’t make it,” Mamba replied ruefully.
4
Day 20 – 10:45
New Eden
“Help yourselves,” Mollie invited, as she led them through the front doors of the supermarket.
Mamba had noticed a few more people wandering around in the supermarket’s car park and sitting on benches in the square opposite. There were other people bustling between the aisles, but they soon disappeared when they saw the new arrivals. Mamba wondered how many people still lived here, but that could wait until later because he needed a drink.
“Where’s the drinks aisle?” Mamba asked, raring to go.
Mollie pointed and Mamba and his group made a beeline for that aisle.
Mamba was back a couple of minutes later, the rest of his group waiting around at the end of the aisle.
“I meant the alcoholic drinks,” he said, as he approached Mollie.
Mollie frowned and shook her head, and for the first time, Mamba noticed that the man who had been whispering in Mollie’s ear earlier was standing right next to her with a similar frown on his face and he was also shaking his head.
“Oh! We don’t have any alcohol, except for medicinal purposes,” Mollie advised, as if Mamba should have known better. “It’s the Devil’s work after all,” she added, crossing herself. The man next to her did the same.
Mamba was confused.
“What’s the Devil’s work?”
Mollie and the man crossed themselves again.
“Alcohol,” Mollie replied, clearly surprised that Mamba could possibly think otherwise.
“Alcohol is the Devil’s work?” Mamba clarified, smiling sweetly.
Mollie and the man crossed themselves yet again, and Mamba was half tempted to keep repeating ‘Devil’ to see if they could keep up. Maybe later.
“Of course,” Mollie confirmed. “Alcohol is a sin and against the Law. Alcohol turns people into animals. Thieves. Hooligans. Rapists. Murderers.”
Mamba thought it through but was still confused. He didn’t need alcohol to rape, steal or murder anyone, so he wasn’t sure what Mollie was going on about. Alcohol didn’t do those things, people did.
“So, what happened ta all the alcohol?” Mamba asked, still smiling, wondering if this was a wind up and Mollie would suddenly shout ‘got you’ and show him where it was all stashed.
“It was poured away.”
Mamba looked at Mollie as if she’d grown a second head.
“What? All of it?”
“Yes.”
“From every pub ‘n supermarket?”
“Yes.”
“What ‘bout cigarettes?”
“Devil’s work,” Mollie confirmed, crossing herself as the man next to her did the same.
“Just as well I brought my own then,” Mamba stated, reaching into a pocket to find his pack.
“You can’t smoke here,” Mollie admonished him.
“Why?” Mamba asked, genuinely amused. “The Law don’t apply anymore.”
“It’s the Reverend’s Law,” Mollie replied solemnly.
“Oh yeah?” Mamba asked. “’N who is this Reverend? Maybe it’s ‘bout time I met him.”
“All in good time,” Mollie replied. “I thought you and your men wanted a drink and something to eat first.”
Mamba turned and went back to his group.
“I think we’ve got some looney tunes here,” he whispered. “Let’s get a drink ‘n summat ta eat if yer hungry.”
5
Day 20 – 11:00
New Eden
Mamba and his group were sitting outside the supermarket eating and drinking while Mollie and the mysterious man watched. Mamba looked skywards and noticed that the clouds seemed to be breaking up, allowing the odd shaft of sunlight to break through. A few of the people in the square were openly staring at the newcomers as if they were aliens from another planet.
“Where is everyone?” Mamba asked, around a mouthful of tortilla chips.
“Oh, doing the usual things. Some are farming, some are teaching the children, some are playing sports, some are washing and cleaning, some are repairing things,” Mollie replied. “Normal stuff. All sorts of things.”
“What the farmers doin’?” Mamba asked, genuinely interested.
He’d never met a farmer before and wondered if they were the peasants Ahmed had been referring to. The rest of his group were listening to the conversation intently between mouthfuls.
“Some will be ploughing, some are sowing seeds, others tending to the plants already planted,” Mollie replied vacantly.
“Makes sense ta plan fer the future,” Mamba acknowledged. “How many live here?”
“A few hundred,” Mollie replied.
Mamba thought about it.
“That’s not many,” he mused. “With the number of houses, I expected a lot more.”
“There was,” Mollie confirmed, “until Judgement Day.”
Mamba paused chewing his mouthful of tortillas and stared at Mollie in confusion as she continued to enjoy the view. Mamba swallowed his chips and put the bag to one side, surreptitiously keeping his hand close to one of the Bowie knives and the Glock. He gave Ahmed a knowing look.
“What ‘n when was Judgement Day?” Mamba asked cautiously.
“Judgement Day was a couple of weeks ago. A couple of days after the news about the zombie outbreak,” Mollie replied. “The Reverend laid down a set of Laws and those that didn’t want to follow them, or had already broken them, left.”
“Left where?” Mamba asked.
“Who knows?” Mollie replied, enigmatically. “Nearby villages, nearby towns, or maybe they headed for the bigger cities.”
“So, most people left,” Mamba suggested.
“Yes.”
“But why would they leave?” Mamba asked. “It don’t make sense. Surely they wanted ta stay ‘n try ’n make this place safe.”
“It was already safe, and it makes perfect sense,” Mollie contradicted. “The Laws are paramount if we want to survive long term. As I said, some folk didn’t want to follow the Laws and some had already broken them, so they had to leave.”
Mamba was confused and looked at Ahmed with a frown on his face.
“Surely some of ‘em still wanted ta stay?” Mamba suggested.
“Some of them did, but most decided it was for the best to move on.”
“What ‘bout ‘em that decided it weren’t fer the best ta mov
e on?”
“Their pleadings were heard by the Reverend and they accepted their punishments in order to stay.”
Before Mamba could say anything else, Ahmed butted in.
“What are the Laws?”
“What they’ve always been, but often forgotten” Mollie said, “as laid down by the Lord, our God. One, you shall have no other Gods but me. Two, thou shall bring no false idols before me. Three, do not take the name of the Lord in vain. Four, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Five, honour thy father and thy mother. Six, thou shall not kill. Seven, thou shall not commit adultery. Eight, thou shall not steal. Nine, thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbour, and finally, ten, thou shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
“Well, I’m well ‘n truly fucked then,” Mamba said, with a laugh.
“Please do not swear,” Mollie admonished him. “It is the Devil’s work.” She crossed herself, as did the man still sitting next to her, and who still hadn’t said a word to anyone but Mollie.
Mamba stopped laughing and mouthed ‘bible basher’ in Ahmed’s direction.
“It didn’t say nothin’ in ’em ‘Laws’ ‘bout swearin’,” Mamba pointed out. “Or drinkin’ ‘n smokin’.”
“The Reverend has naturally extended the original Laws to bring them up to date,” Mollie explained, as if it was the most natural progression in the World.
“What’s the punishment fer breakin’ the Laws?” Ahmed asked.
“It varies,” Mollie said, “depending on the severity.”
“I think it’s ‘bout time we met this Reverend,” Mamba suggested, “afore anythin’ gets misunderstood.”
“All in good time,” Mollie reiterated.
“I still don’t get it,” Mamba said. “Did hundreds or thousands of people jus’ drive off in a convoy with all their belongin’s?”
“No,” Mollie confirmed. “If they chose to leave, they left with just the shirts on their back.”
“Nah, I ain’t buyin’ it,” Mamba replied. “No one in their right minds gonna do that.”
Mollie shrugged.
“It is what it is.”
6
Day 20 – 11:30
New Eden
Mollie was getting tired of babysitting Mamba and his men, and she was desperate to report back to the Reverend and hopefully earn one of his favours.
“Let me take you to the sports ground,” Mollie suggested. “There’s sure to be a football game on by now and old Ernie is probably there watching. He likes his football; it passes the time.”
She rose to her feet, quickly followed by the man who seemed to be glued to her side.
Mamba looked at Ahmed with raised eyebrows and mouthed ‘football’ questioningly. He was beginning to wonder if he’d just entered the Twilight Zone. Hadn’t these people noticed the World had turned to shit and there were zombies everywhere…well, except here.
He turned to see that Mollie and the man had already set off back in the direction they had come from. Mamba and his men followed but Mamba held back so he could talk to Ahmed without being overhead by Mollie or her leech. The rest of the group followed behind.
“What the fuck’s goin’ on?” Mamba whispered under his breath. “Has that fuckin’ drug done summat ta me head? Am I still dreamin’?”
“Nah, man,” Ahmed replied, “but it is a bit fuckin’ weird, I’ll give ya that.”
“A bit?” Mamba shot back.
“Well, OK, maybe a lot,” Ahmed acknowledged.
“Who the fuck plays football when the whole World’s gone ta Hell?”
“Good question.”
Mamba looked ahead to make sure Mollie and the man hadn’t disappeared and that was when he spotted something else.
“Look!” he hissed.
“What?” Ahmed asked.
“That bloke who follows Mollie like a shadow.”
Ahmed looked but wasn’t sure what he was supposed to see.
“What ‘bout him?”
“Look at his hands.”
The man was walking by Mollie’s side, his arms swinging in line with his steps. It was only on his second step that Ahmed saw what Mamba was talking about.
“He’s only got one hand,” Ahmed stated.
“Yep,” Mamba agreed.
“So?” Ahmed asked.
“So, don’t ya think that’s weird?”
“Everythin’s weird ‘round here.”
Mollie and the man passed the Hunter’s Arms and crossed the road, aiming for Station Road. After clearing the roadblock and just a hundred metres further along they came to the open gate which led onto the sports ground, and there was indeed a game of football just starting. The ground had been deserted earlier when Mamba and his group had first walked past.
“Did ya notice this on the way here?” Mamba asked.
“I saw the ground but didn’t think anythin’ of it,” Ahmed replied.
Mollie entered the ground and double-backed along a driveway which was taking them towards a newish-looking clubhouse situated in the far corner nearest the road. Out on the pitch were two teams and a referee, ready to start the game, but temporarily more interested in the new arrivals.
“This is really fuckin’ weird,” Mamba stated.
“Watch yer language,” Ahmed cautioned, and they both started giggling like kids.
Mollie slowed and looked around before pointing then carrying on down the driveway.
Mamba looked to where she had pointed and saw an old man sitting on a wooden bench twenty metres to the side of the clubhouse.
When they were within thirty metres, Mollie told Mamba and his group to wait while she and the unnamed man headed over to old Ernie. After a couple of minutes, she came back shaking her head.
“I’m afraid he’s away with the fairies at the moment,” Mollie said. “We can come back and try again later.”
“Let me try,” Mamba said, striding towards old Ernie at speed, before he could be stopped.
“Wait…” Mollie tried, but it was no use. Mamba was waiting for no one.
Mamba reached old Ernie and stared down at the old man sitting on the bench. He looked thin and frail with white hair, liver spots on his face and more on the back of his hands as they rested on an ornate wooden cane.
“So, yer ol’ Ernie,” Mamba said.
“That’s my name, son, don’t wear it out,” Ernie replied, staring intently towards the football pitch. “I’m eighty-five you know?”
“Fuck! It talks,” Mamba said. “I was tol’ ya were a gibberin’ idiot.”
“Don’t swear…” old Ernie started, still staring ahead.
“Don’t tell me! It’s against ‘The Law’ ‘n they might smack my arse,” Mamba finished for him.
“No, son,” old Ernie replied seriously, “they might cut your tongue out.”
Mamba laughed until he realised old Ernie wasn’t joking.
“And I’m no gibbering idiot unless it suits,” Ernie added, finally moving his eyes up and around to look at Mamba for the first time. “Boy! You’re a long way from home,” he noted sarcastically.
Mamba could see there was nothing much wrong with Ernie except old age and was puzzled by Mollie’s depiction of him.
Ernie glanced past Mamba and whispered, “Look out, the wicked witch of the West is coming over. Be careful what you say. Don’t believe everything you hear and don’t trust anyone, and I mean, anyone. We’ll talk again.”
Ernie then looked back to the game of football and allowed a little spittle to drool from his mouth as Mollie approached.
“What did he say?” Mollie asked. “I saw him talking to you.”
“Summat ‘bout fairies,” Mamba said. “At least, I think it was fairies.”
“See? I told you he wasn’t in one of his lucid moments. Come on, we better go.”
With that, Mollie headed off. Mamba glanced at Ernie and saw a slight smile on the old man’s frozen face as he stared in t
he direction of the footballers. Mamba turned and trudged after Mollie wondering, not for the first time, what the fuck was going on. Ahmed wasn’t going to believe this latest shit!
7
Day 20 – 12:00
New Eden
“We’re goin’ back fer the others,” Mamba advised when they got to the entrance of the sports ground.
Mollie turned to face him in surprise.
“I thought you wanted to meet the Reverend. In any case, we can send some people to collect them,” she suggested.
“Nah, if anyone but me goes near ‘em they’re gonna get shot…or worse. We’ll go ‘n catch up with ya later but Faruk ‘n Ismet can stay here with ya.”
There was no reaction from Faruk or Ismet.
“Okaaay,” Mollie agreed reluctantly, “but when will you be coming back?”
“Dunno. I guess yer spies will send word,” Mamba suggested and turned to head back towards the station. He stopped after a few paces and turned back around.
“Oi!”
Mollie and her companion turned around and looked back questioningly. Mamba nodded to the man.
“I forgot,” Mamba said. “What happened ta yer mate’s hand?”
“It was cut off,” Mollie replied, matter of factly.
“Who by?” Mamba asked.
“The Reverend’s Enforcers.”
Mamba wondered what she was talking about, but he was sure everything would become clear eventually.
“Why?” Mamba asked.
“Because he was caught stealing,” Mollie explained, desperate to go and see the Reverend and beginning to lose patience.
“What did he steal?”
“That’s irrelevant,” Mollie spat. “Do you have any more questions, or can we go about our business?”
Mamba shrugged, looked at Ahmed with a raised eyebrow, then turned and strode off.
Ahmed watched as Mollie shuffled off with her companion, followed by Faruk and Ismet a few yards behind. They would watch, listen and take everything in and report back later. If needs be, they could look after themselves, and to be honest, he was more worried about the locals. He took a final look around before turning and following Mamba and the others.
“Well, what do ya think?” Ahmed asked, once he had caught up with Mamba.