The end of everything
Book 9
Christopher Artinian
The End of Everything: Book 9 © 2020 by Christopher Artinian. All Rights Reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Cover designed by Christian Bentulan
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Christopher Artinian
Visit my website at www.christopherartinian.com
Dedication
To those who will never give in to tyranny.
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Chapter 1
The black smoke billowed from the heart of Inverness as the fire continued to spread. Flaming ribbons rose high into the air, and the loud cracks and bangs played an arrhythmic accompaniment to the choir of the undead as they sang their eerie dirge.
“This was an ingenious way to get around the city, Wren. Your sister told me you were clever, but I thought she meant by her standards, not mine,” Mila said as she climbed off the long aluminium ladder that acted as a bridge between two buildings.
“Hey! Cheeky cow!” Robyn replied.
Wren let out a little giggle. “It took some work setting it all up. I had a few close calls.”
Mila wiped the sweat from her brow. “No doubt. And today was no exception.”
“Yeah. Can’t say it really went to plan, but at least we made it out.”
“We’re not out yet,” Robyn answered. “How many more of these do we have to go over?”
“Another two and we’ll be there,” Wren replied.
The three of them walked across the flat roof to the other side. Waiting for them was a taut rope. “Oh God, I hate these things,” Robyn said.
“I know, but after today, you won’t have to even think about the rooftops of Inverness ever again.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. If you really don’t want to do this, we can get down to the street from here. That was how I first discovered this roof. There’s an electrical shop below. I used to pay it a visit from time to time.”
“An electrical shop? Yeah, that’s really useful in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Get yourself a nice widescreen TV did you?”
“Duh! No. But I got plenty of batteries.”
Robyn looked at the rope again then towards the street below. “It looks clear, but that doesn’t really mean much, does it? I suppose we’re better doing it this way.” She started to climb over the safety railing.
“Stille!” Mila cried.
“What is it?”
“Quiet, Robyn. Just listen.”
Robyn sighed and angled her head up. “It’s the fire. It’s making—Oh shit, what is that?”
“I know exactly what that is,” Wren replied as the high-pitched buzzing that they were now all hearing got louder and louder. She began scanning the city skyline. “Oh crap! Over there.” She pointed, and the other two girls followed the direction of her gaze. “It’s a drone.”
“A drone?” Robyn and Mila replied in unison.
“Trust me. That psycho I told you about in Loch Uig used them. I know a drone when I see and hear one.”
“Okay, but what’s it doing?” Robyn asked.
“Well, it’s not working for Google Maps, Bobbi. That’s pretty much right where the lorry is.”
“Scheisse. It’s them. They’ve found us.”
“Them? The people who held you?” Wren asked.
“There is nobody else it can be. They were very well organised. It doesn’t surprise me they have technology as well as manpower.”
“Oh crap!” Robyn said. “So what do we do?”
“I don’t know. I’m guessing when they saw what we did to the other lorries they decided they weren’t just going to let it go. I suppose the smoke’s a bit of a giveaway that something’s going on in the city, isn’t it?” Wren said. The three girls looked back towards the black tower rising further and further into the sky then turned once more to watch the hovering drone. “I don’t understand what they’re going to do. I mean it’s not like the drone can do anything, and it would be mental to head into Inverness for a bunch of escaped prisoners.”
Multiple shots suddenly echoed, and seconds later, the drone began to falter. “That must be that Rod bloke,” Robyn said as they all watched the drone disappear from view.
“But what now? They’re probably positioned on the outskirts of the city just waiting for us to leave.”
“Look! First thing is first, yes? Rod is smart. He might have a plan. We will get across there and join them. Hopefully, together we will find a way out of the city safely,” said Mila, looking at Robyn then Wren in turn.
“I suppose you’re—” For the second time in as many minutes, Robyn broke off. “Whatever that is, it’s not a frikkin’ drone.”
“Nein, nein, nein. It cannot be.”
The sound got louder until a huge red-and-white coastguard’s helicopter appeared at the far end of the city. It made a speedy approach towards the rooftop where the drone had been shot down. More rifle reports sounded and the helicopter weaved and waned skillfully before a continuous volley of gunfire began to rain down. The chopper banked a little, and the three girls could see multiple weapons pointing out from the open side door.
“Holy crap! They don’t stand a chance,” Robyn cried.
Seconds later, half a dozen armed men abseiled down. Wren, Robyn and Mila could not tear their eyes away from the unfolding events. More gunfire sounded, but this time it was muffled.
“They’ve followed them into the building. They must have been trying to get away and they followed them in. Oh God! Those poor people,” Wren said.
“We should get off this rooftop fast,” Robyn said.
“What do you mean?” Wren asked.
“I mean the helicopter might spot us.”
“I suppose we shouldn’t take any risks.”
They both looked towards Mila to see tears streaming down her face. “He was a good man. He watched out for me.”
“Oh God, we’re going to have to tell Izzy,” Wren said.
“Well, let’s make sure we get to break the news in person.” Robyn placed a reassuring hand on Mila’s back and guided her across the rooftop to where Wren had levered open a skylight. Below was a waiting stepladder. Robyn and Mila climbed down first, followed by Wren, who carefully nudged the thick Perspex back into position.
A shuddering breath left the back of Mila’s throat as she flopped down on top of a boxed washing machine. They could still hear the distant sound of the chopper blades as the assault continued. Wren and Robyn perched on a chest freezer opposite Mila, and for a few minutes, they all sat in silence.
Eventually, the sound of the helicopter faded, but still nobody moved, and nobody said anything for several more minutes until Wren stood and walked across to where Mila was sitting. “I’m really sorry about your friend, but we should probably think about making a move.”
Mila looked up at her. Tears still streaked her face, a
nd she hurriedly wiped them away with the heel of her palm. “It will never end, will it?”
“What won’t?”
“This,” Mila replied, gesturing around her. “Even though humankind has been almost wiped out, we still find reasons to fight … to kill. Es ist Wahsinn … it’s madness.”
“What made you think the end of the world would change human nature? Man raped the planet, burnt down the rainforests, poisoned the seas, all for profit … all for himself. Those kinds of people, they’ll never change. They still want the world to bow to their will, but not everyone is like that. There are still good people out there, and it’s up to them and us to try to put things right.”
Mila sniffed loudly and wiped her nose. “You are an idealist. Robyn told me this.”
“I’m not an idealist; I’m a realist. When we get to Safe Haven, you’ll understand.”
“Somehow, I doubt that.”
“Hey, look. I don’t know what this Safe Haven place is like,” Robyn began. “I mean if they could put up with my sister for so long without kicking her out, they must be pretty tolerant people. But you don’t have to believe it’s some kind of magical place where everybody dances around holding hands. You just have to believe it’s somewhere that we can start again. Not everything is bad in this world.”
“So now you have been drinking from the same cup as your sister?”
Robyn climbed down off the chest freezer and walked over to stand by Wren’s side. “No … look, I’m really sorry about your friend. Do I believe we’re never going to feel pain again? No. Do I think we might find some happiness? Yes. I’m back with my sister. I’m back with my best friend when just yesterday I thought I’d never see either of you again. What just happened was horrible, but let’s make sure Rod didn’t die for nothing. Let’s get out of here. Let’s get back to his sister and take her to Safe Haven with us. Let’s at the very least make sure we do that for him.”
Mila let out a long, sad sigh. “You are right. You are right; we should go,” she said, climbing to her feet.
Wren took hold of the German girl’s hand. “I promise you; things will get better.”
Chapter 2
The three girls negotiated the remaining two rooftops and finally arrived at the scene of the helicopter attack. Several bodies were strewn around as were lots of shell casings. Mila walked from body to body looking for Rod before finally heading to the staircase. Robyn retrieved the torch from her backpack and flicked it on. The three of them went down the stairs together. Even though it had all happened some time ago now, their well-developed survival instincts kicked in. Robyn nocked an arrow, Mila readied her hand on one of her swords and Wren grasped her makeshift spear tightly as they all waited for someone or something to lurch out of the darkness towards them.
“Bill,” Mila almost whispered as she came to a standstill on the staircase. The beam of the torch shone towards an older looking man who lay in a foetal position on the small landing between the flights. Blood pooled around his head, and a coppery smell lingered in the air.
“Another of your friends?” Wren asked.
“I didn’t know him until today, but he seemed like a decent man.” She continued down the stairs to see more dead; then the three of them stepped through the fire door, which had been wedged open by the corpse of a young red-haired woman.
Several more bodies were scattered around. Bullet holes painted their backs red. “Is he here?” Robyn asked.
Mila was about to say no then she caught sight of a figure who was missing half of the back of his head. Her stomach churned a little as she knelt down, and she placed a hand on his shoulder just to make sure he was real. “Rod.”
Robyn crouched down beside her. “I know it’s not much of a comfort, but the chances are that he was dead before he hit the ground. He wouldn’t have suffered.”
The morose expression remained carved on Mila’s face. “He had suffered plenty before then.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Mila!” It was a man’s voice, and all three girls jumped.
“Dean?” Mila asked incredulously as she ran across to the bloodied figure near the door.
“I thought it was them until I heard your voice.” He struggled to speak, and he had turned chillingly pale.
“Can you get up? Come, we will help you.”
“No,” he replied weakly. “They got me good. Everything’s starting to fade.”
“Nein. If you are breathing, there is still a chance—”
His lips peeled back into a sad smile, and he put his hand up to stop her. “You never let up, do you? Listen, it’s too late for me. They took three of the girls.”
“What?”
“I don’t understand it either. They took three and—” He started coughing and clenched his eyes shut as the pain overwhelmed him momentarily. When he finally stopped spluttering, he looked as though he’d aged another five years. “They killed everyb— ”
“Dean? DEAN?” She stared down at him for several more seconds before Robyn helped her to her feet.
“I’m sorry, Mila.”
Mila turned towards her friend and flung her arms around her. It was several minutes before she stopped crying. “I’m really sorry about this, but we really need to get going,” Wren said.
“Yes. You are right,” said Mila, sniffing.
They proceeded back up the staircase and retraced the route that Wren and Robyn had taken earlier in the day. Before long, the three of them were back on the road heading out of the city.
“This was the guy we got the gun from,” Robyn said as they approached the body of the soldier who had shot Wren.
“He was one of the bikers. He ran out on us when the horde came.” Mila spat on him as they walked past.
The noise of the expanding fire bristled behind them as they carried on their journey towards the bridge. “I’m really not looking forward to breaking the news to Izzy and the others,” Robyn said.
“No, me neither,” Wren replied distantly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“About what that man said … Dean.”
“What about it?”
“Well, like he said, why would they take three of the women? Just three of them? What’s the point?”
“I still don’t get you. You know what the Loch Uig men did with women. What makes you think those guys were any different?”
They finally reached the bridge, and all three of them turned to look towards the city. In addition to the black smoke, giant orange flames could be seen now as multiple buildings became fully consumed by the fire. In addition, the sun had disappeared and a seemingly endless bank of dark grey clouds was shifting towards them as a gentle breeze gained pace. They resumed their journey, and Wren picked up the thread of the conversation once more.
“Okay, say you’re right. Why just three? They could have taken more than that just as easily as killing them. And why now? Why would they suddenly turn them into sex slaves when they’d had them as … what was it you called them, Mila?”
“Zeefs—zombie fodder.”
“Yeah, them.”
“Err … I don’t know. Maybe they didn’t have enough room on the chopper or something,” Robyn replied.
“That was a big helicopter. I’m pretty certain it could have taken more of them.”
“What are you trying to get at?”
“I’m not trying to get at anything. I’m thinking out loud. I just don’t understand it, that’s all.”
“You’re giving me a headache. I don’t know why they did it; I just know they did it. I don’t really want to think about what they might do to those poor women. All I want to do is get back to the farm and tell everyone what happened, quickly as well. I want it to be like ripping a plaster off. Get the pain out of the way fast and then get the hell out of there, put this place and this day behind us.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
&n
bsp; “Too right I’m right,” Robyn replied, rubbing her hand over her face.
The three of them carried on in silence over the bridge, occasionally glancing to their left. The storm clouds were getting closer all the time, and they could see rain already falling in the distance.
“It is a strange thing,” Mila said quietly.
“What is?” Robyn replied.
“Inverness is like a city in the wilds. I have lived in cities all my life. Rain came and went with no thought of where it arrived from or where it was going. It is not until I moved to the country that I saw how storm clouds could approach. In a city, you don’t know you’re in trouble until it is right on top of you. In the country, you get to see trouble coming from a long way off.”
“That’s a cheery thought. Not exactly happy-go-lucky you Germans, are you?”
“I am merely making an observation.”
“No, please, carry on by all means. With my sister babbling away with her weird questions and you harping on about trouble and gathering storm clouds, you’re both really putting me at ease. God!”
“I wasn’t babbling, it just didn’t make sense that’s all,” Wren snapped back.
“Err … hello. Dead people get up and walk around trying to kill the living. We have to climb up drainpipes and walk over rooftops to get around a city without being eaten. Weird bloody vegans kill people and turn them into sausages. What does make sense these days?”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right. I’m right, and I’m hungry, and I’m tired, and I want to get off this bridge and out of this place once and for all.”
“Well, at least we’ve still got some food back at the farmhouse.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you remember? I told you about my emergency stash in case things didn’t work out in Safe Haven.”
“Oh God, yeah. Your stash of tins of beans and peas and probably a load of other things that make you a contender for the gold medal in the fart Olympics.”
The End of Everything | Book 9 | The End of Everything Page 1