Viro (Book 4): Viro

by Taylor, Barnaby

  ‘Shoot the little shit! Put a bloody bullet in his stupid little head.’

  I ran faster. My legs got stronger. The ground sloped down to a stream. I kept running. There was a crack. A bullet flew over my head. I reached the stream. I ran across and up the other side. I saw more trees and ran towards them. I heard the policemen shouting.

  There was a big tree. I hid behind it. I had to get my breath back. I listened. The men were still shouting. They fired another bullet. It was not near me. Then PC James shouted.

  ‘We’re not going to bother chasing you, you little shit. It will be dark soon and you’re far too dumb to survive for an hour on your own without your mates. We’re going to make a nice cup of tea and stay in the warm instead. Enjoy yourself, Dumbo.’

  House

  I waited behind the tree for ages. I knew the two policemen would not look for me. They thought I was too stupid. They thought I would get lost or eaten or hurt myself. They didn’t think I could survive. But I could. I knew how to live. I knew how to fight. It was all I knew now.

  I needed somewhere to rest. My arm was killing me. I needed to find somewhere warm to sit and think. I was going to rescue everyone from the policemen. I just needed to work out how.

  I followed a small path. It went past the trees. The path stopped at a track. The track led away in the distance. This was the way. I started to walk. I was tired. But I had to find somewhere safe.

  I walked for ages. My feet really ached. My bad arm felt terrible. I was nervous. It was really quiet. There was nothing around. All I saw was empty fields. And lonely trees.

  There was a house in the distance. It was bound to be full of viros. Or friends of the policemen. But I couldn’t stay outside. I had to hide somewhere warm. I needed food as well. I had only eaten soggy crisps for two days.

  The track was dark and muddy. I expected to be jumped by viros at every second. It took me ages to get to the house. I kept slipping everywhere.

  The front door was open. I stood still. I listened. There was nothing. Only a lonely owl hooting somewhere. There was a walking stick by the front door. I grabbed it. I stepped inside.

  It was dark. No one grabbed me. There was no viros. The house was empty. I shut the front door. There was a bolt. I locked the door. I was in the front room. There was a settee. It was all ripped. There was an old fireplace. It was full of ash. There was a door ahead of me.

  I stepped into the kitchen. Small moonlight came through the window. I tried the tap at the sink. The water was cold. It tasted very clean. I did a big drink. It felt really good. I had more water. I looked in all the cupboards. There was no food.

  I went up the stairs. The shadows were really big. I thought someone might see me. I moved very slow one step at a time. The carpet felt soft under my feet. There was three doors at the top. I opened the closest door. I was ready with the walking stick.

  I saw a big bed. It was all covered in dirty sheets. There was a very nasty smell. It was a bit like the viros. I guessed someone had died. Or was maybe killed. I stepped out and closed the door. There was two more. I opened the door opposite the stairs.

  Hair

  It was a small bedroom. There was someone sleeping in the bed. I could see them under the duvet. I held my stick ready.

  ‘Hello. Are you alive? My name is Jake. I’ve hurt my arm.’

  The person didn’t speak back. I stepped closer. There was a head on the pillow. It was an old lady. There was white hair. She smelled a bit but looked all peaceful. Like she had been sleeping forever.

  I felt safe here. The dead lady made me feel all calm. I didn’t know why. It didn’t matter. I was really exhausted. There was a big blanket on the floor. I picked it up. Then I heard some crying. It was not in the house. It was far away. It sounded so sad. I didn’t like the sound. It made me feel scared. There was a wardrobe by the bed. I opened the door. It was dark inside. I went in. The blanket was warm around me. I pulled the door shut.

  It was later when I woke. The old lady was still dead. It was getting light outside. My arm was so sore. I went to the bathroom. I found headache tablets in the cupboard. I took some. They were chalky. I drank from the tap.

  I really wanted to have a bath. It would be so nice. I wanted to wash and feel warm. My hair was thick and sticky. But what if I got caught? I had to keep moving. I needed to rescue the others.

  I went back to the kitchen. I found some pots under the sink. There was nothing to cook in them. The fridge was broken. The door was hanging off. It looked very sad. All the cupboards were full of dust. People must have stolen everything a long time ago. The old lady upstairs couldn’t stop them.

  I sat on the stairs to think. How was I going to rescue my friends? I couldn’t fight the policemen. They were too strong. They had all the guns. I had a walking stick and a bad arm. They would kill me quickly. I needed another idea.

  Then I had a picture in my head. It was a rescue picture. I would find as many viros as I could and lead them to the policemen and their silly state thing. They could fight each other. They would all be busy. I could rescue my friends.

  Sweet

  My idea was to follow the track. It had to lead to a road. I would look for viros everywhere. If I was lucky I would find a swarm. That would be best. The swarm would chase me. I could lead it to the policemen.

  My plan was funny. We spent all our time hiding from viros. Now I was a viro hunter. I remembered how scared I was at first. Meeting Ellis and the viros by the shop. The army trucks and the machine guns. It was so long ago. I was a baby then. Now I was a real man. I had killed and everything.

  I searched the house. There was nothing useful. The only thing I took was a blanket from the old lady’s bed. She had loads. Her sleep was keeping her warm. She wouldn’t mind. I thanked her as I took it. I put the blanket over me. It was like a superhero cloak. I went out the house.

  The track led over a hill. I picked up some stones along the way. It was cold but the daylight was bright. I saw green fields and trees. I guessed I was on a farm. This made me look out for other buildings. There had to be viros somewhere round here.

  The track went around a bunch of trees. I could see a roof. As I walked I could see a big metal shed. It was where the cows would be milked. As I got closer I smelled bad things. It was sticky in my nose. I smelled sweet rot. I felt all ill in my mouth. My sick came up.

  I stopped by the gate. There was blood everywhere. It was huge stripes all over the ground. There was movement inside. It was viros. I knew it was. I looked all around me. There were none outside. I went closer. The blood got all over my shoes. I had my stick ready.

  I stopped by the big door. It was terrible. There was a big pile of cows. There was a bigger crowd of viros all eating them everywhere. Some cows were still alive. I could hear them crying. It was just like last night. This was what I had heard in the old lady’s bedroom.

  Film

  There was loads of viros. They were everywhere. They were chewing and pulling. It was really loud. They were covered in blood. Viros were eating the guts of cows. Viros were biting bones. Viros were fighting each other for legs and stuff. I saw one big viro drinking blood from a cow’s neck. It was disgusting. It was like watching the nastiest film ever made. But it was real life not pretend.

  I knew I had to stop them eating and follow me. The metal doors gave me an idea. I banged one with my stick. It clanged. I banged again. Clang. It was hard to make the viros hear.

  Bang.

  Clang.

  Bang.

  Clang.

  Bang.

  Clang.

  One viro stopped chewing. It was a small kid. It looked at me. I saw something in its eyes. The viro knew it wanted to eat me. The viro’s mouth moved. A strange noise came out. This noise made other viros stop chewing the cows. They all looked at me as well. I shouted out.

  ‘What are you waiting for? Come with me and I’ll give you real people to eat!’

  More viros started to look at me. More
and more. This was my swarm. I had enough to lead to the policemen. They could fight the viros. This would let me rescue Ellis and the rest.

  Last time I herded viros I fell over and nearly got eaten. I got Ellis hurt as well. This time I was real careful. I looked all around. All the viros were in the shed. There were none outside. I looked back at my army of viros. I was their general. I was in charge.

  ‘’Forward march, let’s go to war.’

  The viros groaned and shrieked as they followed me. I knew the sound of their song. It had always scared me before. Now it was like our battle cry.

  Army

  The viros followed. We went back down the path. It was easy to keep them following. They wanted to eat me. Sometimes I threw a stone at them. It made them mad. But they could not run. All I had to do was be careful.

  We soon got back to the dead lady’s house again. I wondered if she wanted to join my army. I didn’t have time to ask her. The viros were still singing. It sounded so terrible. I hoped the policemen could hear it. We were coming to get them.

  It was a lot later. The woods were up ahead. The track went alongside them. That would be easier for my army. They would get all tangled up in the trees. I turned to see what was happening.

  I guessed there was over two hundred viros. They were angry and hungry. They wanted to eat humans not cows. That made them perfect. I didn’t need to sneak back to the tennis place. I just had to let the viros find it. They would do the rest. I guessed the policemen had made the toilet house their base. That was where we should go.

  The track led right round the trees. As we followed it I saw the policemen’s base. I didn’t see them. I couldn’t see the tennis court prison. That was hiding behind another bunch of trees. Everything looked perfect.

  The viros were still right behind me. I went on ahead. I had to make sure the viros attacked the base. I stopped at the back of the base. It was near the broken window. I had a big idea. I hit the window with my stick. I shouted loud inside.

  ‘It’s me, Jake. I’m back and I’ve brought my army with me.’

  I heard voices inside. It was the policemen.

  ‘Look out, Ken, Dumbo’s back and he’s brought his army.’

  ‘More like he got scared out there on his own and wants to beg us to let him re-join the Free State.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s more like it.’

  I heard footsteps. PC James put his head of the window. He looked at me.

  ‘There you are, you little moron. What’s the matter, you got all scared on your own?’

  PC James looked behind me. He saw my viro army. He stopped laughing at me.

  ‘Holy shit, Ken. This isn’t good. Dumbo has brought a herd of those monsters with him.’

  Hungry

  The viros attacked the base. I got out the way. The viros were really angry. Or hungry. They wanted to eat us all. I went back into the trees. I wanted to find a way around the viros. I needed to see my friends.

  I heard the policemen firing their guns. I knew that they could not win the fight. There was too many viros. PC James was shouting. He sounded scared. That made me feel good.

  There were some slow viros in the trees. One tall one had a really crooked leg. It was limping all weird. It looked like a broken bird. It saw me and opened its mouth. I knew it would eat me if it could. I didn’t have time to die. I had to save my friends.

  Another viro was crawling in the mud. It had no legs. It was once an old lady. Now it was just a muddy stump. It was still angry like the others. The viro’s mouth was snapping like a turtle.

  I came round the back of the tennis court. I could see my friends. They were still handcuffed. Vinnie and Abe were trying to get free. Then I saw the other policeman. He was walking to the gate. He had a rifle. There was a crowd of viros behind him. He turned and fired his gun. The bullet broke a viro’s head. The policeman tried to unlock the gate. He shouted at my friends.

  ‘We’ve got to get out of here. Your stupid friend led these monsters on to us. We need to regroup elsewhere otherwise the Free State is doomed.’

  Maggie shouted back.

  ‘Unlock us all right now or we’re all dead.’

  The policeman looked worried.

  ‘I’m trying, lady, I’m really trying.’

  Then a huge viro hit the policeman from behind. He fell over on the path. The keys went into the bushes.

  Keys

  I saw where the gate keys went. I had to get them. I shouted at my friends.

  ‘It’s me, Jake. I’m over here.’

  Ellis saw me first. She was scared.

  ‘Jake, you need to get those keys. Otherwise, we’re all going to die.’

  Some viros were eating the policeman. He was screaming real loud. Luckily I couldn’t see him die. He was buried beneath a pile of them. They were churning and chewing. Amber was watching. Abe shouted at his sister.

  ‘Don’t look, Amber, don’t look.’

  Amber started to scream. Some viros were banging on the fence. It was wobbling.

  ‘They’re right behind me. I’m next.’

  The viros would get through real quick. I ran around the other side. There was loads of them everywhere. They must have finished with PC James.

  The keys had fallen in the grass. I could see them. I knew it was dangerous. But I had to do something. Most of the viros were staring at my friends. There was one viro standing by the keys. It used to be a kid. I ran towards it. My stick swang through the air. It hit the kid viro. There was a loud crack. The kid viro fell over. I went for the keys.

  The keys were in my hand. I stood up. There was another viro behind me. It was massive. I saw dirty red teeth and dead black eyes. I heard Vinnie shouting.

  ‘Jake, throw the keys over the fence. You need to get out of there.’

  The fence was near. The viro was nearer. I put the keys in my bad hand. It was hard to hold them. Then I waved my stick. The viro did not move. I hit the viro in the tummy. It shouted out loud. This was my chance. I turned and looked. The viros were right at the fence. I stepped closer. The big viro was trying to grab me.

  I put down my stick. I got the keys in my good hand. I threw them over the fence. They went high in the air. Vinnie shouted.

  ‘I’ve got them. I’ve got the keys.’

  Then the big viro hit my head with its hand.

  Brains

  I fell on the slippy ground. My bad arm got banged. It made me shiver. The big viro trod on my leg. It had heavy boots. I tried to get up. It was hard. My bad arm didn’t work. I kicked the viro with my other foot. It moved.

  I crawled backwards. The big viro came towards me. I knew there was others around. They were everywhere. The big viro had a nasty smile. It stared at me. I knew it wanted to rip out my guts. I had no chance. The viro lunged at me. I shut my eyes tight. I heard a bang. The viro fell down next to me. I felt wet all over my face.

  ‘Quick, Jake, get up.’

  It was Vinnie. He was holding the policeman’s rifle. He had shot the viro in the head. I was covered in its brains. Then Abe was next to me. He grabbed my good arm.

  ‘Come on, Jake. We’ve got to get you out of here.’

  I was dizzy. My legs were wobbly. Abe dragged me into the tennis court. Vinnie fired the gun again. Another viro’s head blew up. We all went through the gate. Abe locked it.

  I saw the others were all there. Ellis ran over to me. She had a towel. She wiped my face. Amber hugged me. Maggie smiled. It was all good again.

  But we were surrounded.

  The viros were banging the fence. It would not hold. Vinnie was pointing the gun. It was not enough. He could not shoot them all. We all walked backwards. Abe was shouting. He saw something. He ran to the other side. He was pointing.

  ‘I saw it the other day. I knew there was no way I could reach it handcuffed.’

  We all looked. Some of the fence was ripped. There was a gap. Vinnie was in charge.

  ‘Quick, Maggie and Abe, you need to pull the fence open.’r />
  They started pulling. I was watching the viros. They were still shaking the fence. It was going to break. We had no time. I was scared.

  ‘We’ve got no time. They’re coming through.’

  Abe cheered.

  ‘You beauty!’

  Maggie was bossy.

  ‘Right everyone, get through and meet us behind those trees. And stay out of sight. If they can’t see us then maybe they’ll get bored and go back to eating the policemen.’

  House

  Vinnie was last through the fence. The viros were nearly through the other side. He was being careful. He ran in the wrong direction. I thought he was going wrong. There was some more gun shots near him. But Maggie understood.

  ‘Vinnie knows the viros are watching him. He’s deliberately misleading them.’

  As we watched, the viros left the fence. They were walking where Vinnie had run. Later Vinnie came back. He was puffing.

  ‘I ran as far as I possibly could in the opposite direction. I ran into a field and crossed over a stream. I fired the gun a few times to keep them all interested. I waited behind a tree. The last I saw, the swarm was churning the mud around the stream. Hopefully that’ll keep them busy for the next while.’

  Ellis was pleased to see Vinnie. And I was too. Maggie shivered.

  ‘We need to get somewhere warm before night falls. It’s going to be freezing tonight.’

  I had my thought. I said it out loud.

  ‘The old lady. We can use her house.’

  Abe asked me a question.

  ‘What old lady? Would she let us use her house?’

  I nodded.

  ‘She won’t mind. She’s kind looking but she’s dead. I found her laying in her bed. I slept in her cupboard one night.’