One of Us

by Samie Sands

  I pulled on the straps and hoisted my heavy rucksack higher on my back, before changing up to a sprint as I weaved in and out of the wrecks. I came out the other side and looked back again. I couldn’t see any sign of the bandits but at the same time couldn’t be sure I had lost them.

  I moved out of the street and stuck to the shadows for the last stretch, hoping to make it to the building before they caught up. I came to a stop just outside the heavy iron gate with sweat pouring down my face. Taking one last check back I pushed through, making sure to close it behind me. I approached the front door and my heart dropped as I saw it swinging freely on its hinges.

  Hurriedly I threw my pack down and took out my flashlight and knife. I switched the light on but made sure to keep its beam pointed toward the ground so as not to give away my position. Slowly I made my way up the steps.

  Something hard crunched beneath my shoe and I froze, holding my breath and listening hard. I looked down and noticed the floor was littered with shards of glass and debris. I moved on taking extra care to avoid making anymore sound. I paused at the entrance and raised my flashlight an inch or so to allow the light to illuminate the dust-covered lobby.

  Suddenly a shriek pierced the air behind me. I spun around bringing my knife up too late as she crashed into me. I crashed to the cold floor, losing grip on my weapon and watching helplessly as it skittered away across the tiles. She descended on me and I jammed my flashlight into her face trying to keep her at arm’s length. Blood dripped from her lips as she bared her teeth and snarled.

  I turned my head away as the stench of rotten flesh washed over me. The strength in my arm was beginning to fade as I reached out in desperation with my free hand, scrabbling for some kind of weapon. A large shard of glass cut into my palm as I closed my hand around it. I brought my knees up under her and with my remaining strength I kicked out, pushing the woman back before staggering to my feet.

  I readied myself as again she came at me unleashing another chilling scream. I struggled to force down the bubble of fear building in my stomach as I waited until she almost had me before dodging to one side and driving the glass into one of her milky eyes in one fluid motion.

  She let out a shriek of pain as discolored blood poured from the wound, splashing to the floor; I took advantage and grabbed a fist full of her once blonde hair before driving her head into the front desk, smashing it down again and again into the marble.

  I realized I too was screaming, all my fear forcing its way out on a tide of adrenalin. I relinquished my grip and she collapsed to the floor unmoving, her face a pulp of blood and bone.

  I awoke with a start. I was shaking, my heart pounding hard against my ribs. I sat up and surveyed the area around me. I was sat under a bridge between two of its concrete supports. It was cold, dark and raining.

  I lay back against my pack and pulled my poncho tight around me. It was not uncommon for me to wake suddenly from horrific nightmares but something seemed different this time as if it were important or had held some kind of message.

  I lay there a while longer gathering my thoughts when there was a rustling sound followed by a clatter. I shot up and reached for the knife at my side, trying to keep as quiet as possible. I could hear my heart in my ears as I swallowed hard, eyes sweeping everywhere.

  Another clatter came from my left and I scanned frantically in that direction, squinting through the darkness until my gaze was met with two large green eyes. They blinked twice slowly, and then disappeared as the fox they belonged to turned and fled. I sighed, annoyed at myself for being so easily startled. I saw nothing to be gained by staying beneath this bridge any longer so I sheathed my knife and shouldered my pack, before walking out and up onto the streets above.

  It was just before dawn and a grey mist lingered between the houses. Visibility remained good however as every so often the clouds would part, allowing what remained of the night’s moon to shine down and reflect off the moist cobblestone.

  I hunched up against the rain and walked on, following my usual route through the winding streets and down towards the main gate. I arrived at a checkpoint that separated the main streets from a large military-turned-refugee camp. A tall man dressed in tattered army gear pointed his flashlight at me as I approached before holding his hand out to stop me.

  I knew this ex-soldier. He was one of only a handful of men who stayed behind after the rest of the military moved on to continue the massive building operation that saw many of the largest cities around the world split into living areas or ‘zones’ which were then walled off by huge perimeter walls leaving the center of the city as a quarantine area.

  I was born around eight years after the last chemical strike brought the world to its knees by unleashing a deadly toxin that turned all who received it into mindless corpses, and so did not witness the terrible early days or the building of our zone. That left me to rely on stories told by the older survivors in the community, of which this man was one.

  I stopped and looked up expecting some form of conversation but instead, he just handed me a folded-up piece of paper, nodded, and sent me on my way. I walked between the sandbags and stopped to read, shielding the paper from the rain;

  “More bandits have been spotted watching the walls these past few days, so be careful sending any of your runners out there until we can figure out what they are up to. Might be worth posting extra men on the watch, especially at night”

  Then, added in a scribble at the bottom of the page; “Too many refugees. No water. Send Ghost”

  I looked up at the long line of tents on the other side of the street, then back again at the soldier. He just stared at me before nodding again and turning away. I set off, tucking the note into my pack. I shivered as my mind focused on one thing.

  Bandits.

  Bandits were often dangerous refugees who failed to abide by the rules of society. They were subsequently cut free from the safety of the walls and cast out to make it on their own. It is human nature to survive, however, and those who were cast out would find others before arming themselves and traveling in groups.

  This situation finally got out of control during the uprising, in which a large gathering of bandits tried to take control of another zone in this city, one where I was living with my family at the time.

  With the military all but gone the bandit force seized the opportunity and broke through the main gates just as a runner was returning from a scavenging mission. I remember the fire and shouting, the screaming even, as people were slaughtered while those who could fight tried to rouse a defense. I remember running through the resulting mayhem, the blood soaking the streets beneath my feet as bullets whizzed past me, some hitting brick and exploding it into dust while others ripped with a dull thud into flesh. Bodies dropped in my peripheral vision as I ran.

  Though the bandits thought their victory was assured, it was the dead who would triumph that day. They swarmed into the zone midway through the attack having been attracted by the noise. They fell upon refugees and bandits both, ripping into them with their jagged teeth and adding their reanimated bodies to the legions of dead that chased those retreating from the fight.

  This last part had to be told to me in the years after by the very few survivors of that battle because by the time the dead arrived I was nowhere to be found. I had run out into the central quarantine area.

  I spent the best part of a year scared and alone out there, dodging bandit groups and the hordes of corpses while surviving on whatever I could find in the ruins.

  I was taken into my current zone as winter rolled over the city. I was found lying in the road sick, freezing and on the edge of death by a runner named Black. He fed me and gave me something to drink before he escorted me back to this very refugee camp.

  He was a good man, an ex-soldier from before the outbreak who had volunteered to be drafted back into the military and help out struggling communities like our own.

  He taught me everything about being a runner, how to scaven
ge effectively, how to divide supplies among the needy and the greedy and which areas to stay away from as well as useful techniques I should use should I ever find myself having to fight the dead. I was selected to replace him as the zone runner after his disappearance a few years ago.

  I arrived at the big main gate and rested for a few minutes, checking my pack and resting my hand on the knife at my waist. I waited a while longer to see if the weather would relent but the cold rain just kept falling. With one last look back and a wave from the guard, I swung open a hatch and stepped out onto the windy streets of the quarantine area.

  I waited until I heard the bolt slide back into place on the other side before dropping into a squat-run and moving over into the shadows. I took out the note and scanned its contents. This was going to be a difficult run as the only source of water even close to our side of the city was a pump in the square outside city hall. This was a well-known and highly dangerous area, one which most runners made a point of avoiding.

  A large group of bandits had taken control of it in the years after I was born and had been there ever since. They were known to set up ambushes with snipers on the rooftops and shoot down or capture anyone who dare stray onto their land.

  My eyes drifted over the page and back again before settling on the warning; “More bandits spotted...be careful sending any runners.”I stuffed the note into a pocket and set off, keeping the message fresh in my mind and my knife at the ready.

  It was about a half mile to the pump which should not have taken long but having decided to stay off the main streets and dodge between the darker alleyways it took twice the usual time.

  I made my way through the ruins of the long-neglected town buildings until I spotted a possible vantage point, a roof had collapsed and lay like a ramp against the side of the building next to it, allowing easy access to the higher ground. I moved quickly, checking side to side as I went and taking extra care not to be exposed as I climbed up the slope.

  Arriving on the roof I dropped my bag silently and settled myself against the chimney. From my position, I could see right out across the town center, a big paved square surrounding a ring of marble with the pump in the middle doubling as a sundial. Approaching looked to be damn near impossible. The big open area offered little to no cover and this combined with the threat of snipers on the tall buildings around the edge did nothing to make the task more appealing.

  I sat and watched the world for some time. A group of dead shambled along the ground beneath me. They continued right across the open ground and out of my sight. I began to think of the stories the older citizens would tell. They would say that some of the dead could remain in control and stay almost exactly as they would in life, not driven by the need to kill and feed. Others would talk of these dead as terrible leaders of the roaming hordes, using their superior knowledge of the city zones to guide their fellow corpses in deadly attacks on the living. I, however, had only ever seen shuffling corpses, not unlike those that had just passed below me moments before.

  My wondering mind was snapped back to reality as something else caught my vision. I could see someone moving in the shadows. I lay flat on my belly and pulled myself to the edge of the roof, hoping to get a better view.

  The unknown stuck to the dark expertly and moved with fluid accuracy in the direction of their goal. The shadow-clad figure stopped just under the great steps that led up to the entrance of City Hall. I squinted to try and get a better idea of just who this person was as I was not yet certain if they would be a threat should they spot me or should I choose to approach.

  As I began to move back towards my pack the morning sun crested the rooftop behind me and reflected off something positioned on the building opposite. My heart skipped a beat. Sniper. I tensed and held my breath. I knew that if they had seen me I would be dead already. I could only assume they were watching the progress of the person below. That was not good.

  My very soul was screaming at me to get the hell out of there but I couldn’t. I knew I had to get some kind of warning to whoever this person was. I made the decision to hide my pack inside the chimney to collect later, reasoning that it would be easier to move quickly and silently without the added bulk.

  I crouched down and moved as fast as I dared to the edge before climbing down the broken roof ramp. I took care to remain unseen and as silent as possible without sacrificing speed. I reached the bottom and took a deep breath before rounding the corner below.

  Into a world of pain.

  I yelled out as something solid connected with my jaw, knocking me sideways into the wall. I stumbled to regain balance as again the solid object sent me reeling. My vision began to blur as blood fell from my mouth. A hand grabbed my throat and forced me upright. I was face to face with a bandit. I shot a hand down toward my knife but no sooner had I moved than a rifle was thrust into my face.

  “Not a wise move kid” the bandit sneered. “Take him to the pump with the other one” he ordered.

  I glanced over his shoulder and could see they had caught the other runner and had him knelt at gunpoint in the center of the town square. The bandits’ grip relented and another blow fell hard across my face. I fell forward and two men took me roughly under the arms before dragging me to the center.

  The sun had grown strong and beat down on me as I knelt next to the other captured runner. The group of bandits were deep in discussion leaving one leaning against the pump watching us with a rifle. He would occasionally run the water before taking care to drink it as slowly as possible, his pleasure at our torment plain to see on his bearded face.

  I looked to my right, at the runner. He was of slender build and wore a mask concealing his features. From what I could tell he was also wearing a military-grade sneaking suit, all in black. He didn’t look back at me the whole time I looked him over but just remained stone still, staring at the floor. I shook my aching head and looked back towards the group of bandits. It seemed they had come to a decision regarding our future.

  The big man who had held me in his grip earlier strode forward, obviously some figure of authority. He squatted in front of the other runner.

  “Now then, my little friends,” he said, shooting a glance in my direction. “The choice I place before you is a simple one. Join us, we could use sneaky filth like you, or die right here right now.” he smiled, revealing a mouth full of rotted and broken teeth.

  The runner remained staring at the ground. There was nothing but silence.

  The bandit looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow before turning back. “Didn’t you hear me!” he yelled, ripping the mask from the head of the runner.

  A cascade of deep brown hair fell over soft womanly features, causing me to catch my breath.

  “Well now!” the bandit shouted, turning to his followers with his arms spread victoriously; “Looks like we have struck gold here today gentlemen” Turning to the girl, he pressed his head right up against hers. “Don’t worry darlin’, we will take good care of you?” he said before licking her cheek.

  “Leave her alone!” a voice yelled. It took me a few seconds before I realized that voice was mine. The leader looked at me, seething. “You heard me, leave her alone,” I said, gritting my teeth to keep my fear suppressed.

  “You are a brave one, aren’t you,” he said, striding over and bringing his face level with mine. “And what do they call you, my little heroic friend?”

  “Ghost.”

  Gunfire erupted from across the square. “We’ve got dead approaching!” came a shout.

  The big bandit spun around. I quickly scanned the scene, my mind racing. I could see the corpses emerging from every direction and the group of bandits trying to organize a defense. This was my chance. I jumped up, drawing my knife as I went.

  The bandit turned just in time to deflect my first attack with a sweep of his massive arm. He came at me fists flying. He was of huge build but slow, and I ducked the attack before thrusting upwards with my knife arm.

  The ma
n screamed as my blade sunk deep into his eye socket. He fell to the floor with his massive hands covering his face, blood spurting between his fingers. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun around bracing myself for the blow but instead came face to face with the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.

  It was the runner. “Come on!” she shouted over the sound of chaos all around us.

  The dead had reached the town square and the remaining bandits were running for their lives. Knowing it would soon be us on the menu I looked for any kind of cover that could shield us from their sight. There was nothing.

  Panic bubbled up in my stomach. I looked to the girl and saw she was kneeling, rifling through her pack. I watched as she brought out two square-shaped bundles and what looked like a trigger.

  Before my mind had time to grasp what she was planning I caught sight of a bandit preparing his weapon to fire. Without a moment’s hesitation, I positioned myself between him and the girl and felt the pain tear through me.

  An enormous explosion ripped through the air, throwing me forward. Debris fell all around as the floor beneath me began to crumble.

  “Over here!” I turned in the direction of the shout and saw that the girl was hanging from a rope tied around her waist, reaching her hand out towards me.

  I steeled myself against the pain in my body and climbed to my feet, struggling to balance on the shifting ground. I ran as quickly as I dared with my eyes set firmly on her outstretched hand. I knew I was going to have to jump and fingers of dread gripped me.

  The floor was quickly disappearing all around. Bracing myself I sprinted for the edge and launched myself with everything I had left out into the void.

  “No!” I heard her shout as my fingers brushed hers before gravity took me, her wide eyes the last thing I saw before everything turned to darkness.