The Reanimated Dead (Book 1): Into the Cotswolds

by Wakefield, Trevor

  ‘Bryan!’ I turned in Kev’s direction as I wiped my mouth on the arm of my leather jacket. ‘Hands up Bryan.’ Eh? He wasn’t talking to me. I stepped around the side of a trailer tent and could see Kev, pistol raised and Bryan with MP5 slung loosely across his chest, snap light swinging on a string around his neck, the yellow spooky light illuminating his missing throat and blood-soaked chest. His vacant eyes staring in Kev’s direction, his arms swinging around by his sides while his infection over-ridden brain decided what to do. ‘Stay Bryan! Mate! Just stop!’ Kev knew damn well that Bryan was no more but must have been hard losing a best mate like this. ‘Stop!’ Zombie Bryan had now decided he wanted to munch on Kev and stepped forward raising his arms. ‘Arghh! Fuck it!’ Tap! Tap! The 9mm pistol recoiled between each burst of flame and the 9mm pieces of lead it spat out in zombie Bryan’s direction. I couldn’t see impact points but did see the back of Bryan’s head part company with the front. Bryan fell back with a thud. Kev stood over him for a moment with his head bowed, then bent down and removed the magazine from the MP5.

  ‘I heard the others firing a few moments ago’ I said. ‘Did they not radio you?’

  ‘I think I left the radio in Craig’s van, and Bryan doesn’t have one or his pistol.’ He did have blood around his mouth and flesh in his teeth along with two bullet holes in his chest though.

  ‘Do you think he got the other guys?’ I asked. My answer came almost instantly as I was pushed to the floor, the pump action left my grip as the air left my lungs. Suzuki guy was on top of me, arms flailing and teeth snapping towards me. I gave him two punches as hard as I could from being flat on my back. His head snapped back each time as the lead loaded knuckles added a bit more punch behind the punch and dribble oozed from his mouth onto my tactical vest.

  ‘Hold him up and I’ll drop him.’ Kev instructed. Suzuki guy kept snapping as I grabbed him with my left hand under his chin and raised his head. No shot came but I could hear Kev struggling just a few feet behind me. With Suzuki guy’s head held up I reached for my shot gun pistols, but his legs were straddling me, preventing me from getting to them. A foot, Kev’s or whoever he was struggling with, caught me in the right ear and I saw stars. Suzuki guy’s head momentarily came forward and we were nose to nose. My mouth was clamped shut, I didn’t want any blood or dribble getting into my mouth. I could now feel warm blood trickling behind my ear and around to the back of my head. The kick must have started off the capillary bleeding from earlier on in the explosion. Feeling around for a weapon or anything I could use as such I found a six-inch wire tent peg. Grabbing it in a fist I hammered it into his temple and gave it a damn good wiggle. As I pushed the lump of meat that was once a friend off of me, I got another kick in the ear. This time it was definitely Kev as he shoved his sheathe knife up through a jaw and into skull and brain.

  As I stood up, with my hair matted for the second time in twenty-four hours with my own blood, I could see his opponent was stubble. He still had a knife in his kidney area, possibly from the fight with crocs earlier on.

  ‘Well that’s John and Bryan down.’ Kev sounded almost defeated.

  ‘We don’t know they got Simon though.’ I said trying to reassure Kev. Shots rang out from tower four and three simultaneously, possibly at the same target. We had reached a point where the other three had gotten to. Zipped up tents and writing on caravan doors showed they were on the same page as Kev and me.

  ‘Over there!’ Kev pointed

  ‘To what?’

  ‘The glow stick.’ I squinted my eyes and saw what he meant. A glow stick, same as we were wearing was moving in the direction of the toilets/meeting hall.

  ‘Oh yeah, I see it. It’s certainly moving, don’t think it’s a zombie!’

  ‘It must be Simon!’ Kev exclaimed excitedly. ‘You ready?’

  I checked my pockets. Three cartridges. Five in pump action and four in my pistols. ‘Got twelve shots then I’m down to the cross bow and my knife.’

  Kev pulled his magazine and the one-off Brian and did a bit of swapping around. ‘I’ve got one full mag and twelve extra for the MP5. Shit or bust eh?’ We made to follow Simon and Kev turned towards me. ‘I still can’t believe those two sick bastards did this to us on purpose!’

  ‘Well it’s the way all the evidence is pointing mate, one hell of a coincidence them trying to escape out of camp otherwise.’

  As we reached the disabled ramp into the sports centre, we could hear Simon on the radio. ‘For fuck sake! Has no one heard from them since then?’ The reply was mumbled, and I couldn’t make it out. Simons head popped around the corner. ‘Thanks mark, I’ve got them now, cheers.’ He saw the blood pissing out of the side of my head. ‘Are you guys okay?’

  ‘Better than John and Bryan when we last bumped into them.’ Kev replied.

  Simons head lowered. ‘That fucker that tried it on with you the other day.’ He looked at me. ‘Got the jump on us out of nowhere. Bastard might only have half a tongue but bites like a mother fucker!’

  ‘Are you bitten mate?’ Kev asked Simon.

  ‘No. Bruised up and torn clothes but no bites. What about you guys?’

  I replied this time. ‘No, this is from earlier today in the 90. Capillary bleeding just started up again. How many have you dropped do you think?’

  ‘Probably five or so. Recognised most of them unfortunately. You?’

  ‘Twelve or so I think, not too sure.’ I laughed and looked at Kev. ‘Oh, and a zombie cat!’

  We all had a chuckle about that. Kev was next. ‘I lost my radio, how’s everyone doing?’

  ‘The odd one here and there, everyone who got to the towers are ok.’

  ‘The tennis courts?’ I asked concerned as that’s where I sent people.

  ‘As far as I know, no zombies but three bitten and they have been quarantined.

  ‘So what are we doing here outside the sports centre mate?’ Kev enquired.

  ‘Christopher, nicely safe in his locked building, reported seeing people heading into the meeting hall a few minutes ago. I need to sort either way if they are TRADs or survivors.’

  ‘Fair one mate.’ Replied Kev.

  ‘Any ideas of numbers?’ I enquired, knowing ammunition was lower than a tortoise’s balls.

  ‘Afraid Christopher wasn’t that helpful.’ Simon chuckled.

  Kev looked at Simon. All he had was his 9mm pistol. ‘How many rounds have you got left?’

  ‘Three.’ Kev and I looked at each other.

  ‘Three?’ I questioned. ‘How did you plan to take them all on if they are TRADs?’

  Simon smiled and pulled out a can of lighter fluid and a petrol lighter. ‘Burn the place down around them!’ He said matter of fact.

  Kev patted him on the shoulder. ‘Twat.’

  I dug into my pocket and took out the three cartridges I had and gave them and my pump action to Simon. ‘What’s that for?’ He asked.

  I patted my sides. ‘I’ve still got these. Four shots and then I’m onto the crossbow and then if shit really hits the fan, I’ve got my machete.’ They both looked at me. ‘Well you guys are the professionals and every round is going to have to count I reckon.’

  ‘Okay…’ Kev had a plan. ‘The old bar is locked, and doors and windows boarded so we know that is clear. The function room is the same, the sports hall/meeting room has got fire exits but they are locked and boarded as they lead out of the compound with only the main entrance there.’ He pointed to the end of the corridor. ‘And the other entrance through the men’s toilets and showers.’

  ‘So?’ I said.

  Kev continued. ‘We clear the women’s toilet and showers and tie the main entrance closed with my MP5 strap. Then clear the men’s and somehow secure that door. Then it’s up the stairs, clear the landing then we have a shooting gallery below us. Plan?’

  Simon and I replied in unison. ‘Plan!’

  ‘Right Brian, I want you to make sure no one can come out of the men’s. Simon, come with me and we
will clear the women’s.’

  Off they went. I got to the men’s door and slowly and quietly held the handle. The door was shut but I was making sure the handle couldn’t be pulled down to open. Kev and Simon came out of the women’s loos. ‘Pine fresh and clear.’ Kev said. Simon stood guard and Kev approached the doors. He did the same as me, checking the doors were completely shut then unclipped his MP5 sling and wrapped it around the handles, effectively locking it.

  They came back to me and I let go of the handle. I got the crossbow into the aim, looked at the other two and they both nodded. I turned the handle and pushed with my foot. This room was definitely not pine fresh. We had company.

  As we stepped in, we could hear shuffling but also a slapping/splashing sound coming from the shower. The closer we got to the shower, the louder the slapping. I indicated that I would go in and they were to cover should the shuffler show. The floor of the shower was soaked in diluted blood. The slapping noise was coming from a naked bloke with no throat and coils of stomach beside him. I raised the crossbow and fired. The bolt hit him in the top of the head and disappeared. The bloke’s body stopped twitching and slapping straight away. I reloaded and stepped out of the shower. Kev pointed silently in the direction of the scuffling noise in the bottom right corner. By the door to the Sports Hall was the maker of the scuffling. A locker had been knocked over trapping this stinking meat bag in a mini corral. From the look of him he was an early zombie, weeks old and definitely from van zero and definitely the stench maker in this room.

  Kev and Simon secured the door as I lined up a bolt and let loose. It hit him above the right eye and his head whipped back, cracking open and releasing a crimson pulp as he slid down the bank of lockers.

  We were done here. Another re-load and back into the corridor. It was as we left it. The door to the stairway had blood on it but then so did most of the walls. Kev took point with the MP5. There was the odd spot of blood here and there, but it looked fresh rather than old congealed blood. At the top of the stairs we saw a woman with her back to us.

  ‘Identify yourself.’ Kev requested, not shouting but in a slightly raised voice.

  The woman turned around, a large chunk missing from her upper left arm. She was clutching it with her other arm.

  ‘How long ago were you bitten?’ Kev asked.

  ‘Over an hour ago now. I’m already getting cramps and a burning sensation in my head’.

  Kev looked back at Simon and me. There was nothing any of us could do and the woman knew it too.

  ‘Are you going to kill me?’ she asked.

  ‘Not at all, at least not until you turn’ Kev assured. ‘Once out of here we would make you as comfortable as possible. We don’t kill our own!’

  ‘Until I turn of course.’ She clarified.

  ‘Well yeah, but none of us take pleasure in it. Do you have any family?’

  She shook her head. ‘No, I turned up four days ago and not really met anyone.’

  Kev looked behind himself to us then back at the woman. ‘Would you mind taking a seat?’ He motioned to a table and chairs. ‘We’ve got some work to do over the balcony – it will get a bit noisy.’

  She nodded and walked to the table and we made our way to the balcony. Over the edge were 22 zombies. What with the estimated other 20 or so already dealt with that was over 30 people we had lost tonight plus the poor bastards bitten.

  Simon spoke. ‘Up to you then Kev, the MP5 is more precise than the shot gun from up here.’

  ‘If they don’t hold still, I’d soon be out of ammo and we’ll have to do them by hand’.

  I pulled the mask off my tactical vest. ‘You remember I said these were a secret weapon?’

  Kev nodded. ‘I’ve used these cannisters before and they stand stock still. It temporarily kills their sight and smell. They just don’t seem to be able to function. We make noise to lure them close and bunched up, drop a canister then you turkey shoot them.’

  ‘Okay. And you are sure this works?’

  ‘I’ve used this trick twice now and it’s worked like a charm every time’, I assumed him.

  ‘Right, Simon can take … sorry, what’s your name? He turned to where the woman was sat but she wasn’t there. She was at the end of the balcony climbing over the edge. Kev shouted but she was over and gone. We all rushed to the edge to see her land heavily and her ankle twist in a very non-natural direction. She screamed her head off and all the ambling zombies stopped and turned towards the newly rung dinner bell.

  I shouted to Kev. ‘Get your mask on! Simon, you best get to the stairs.’ I got both cannisters out of my vest and placed them on the balcony. The woman’s screams intensified as the zombies closed in. Within moments most of them were on her. I pulled the pins and flicked off the spoons then dropped them off the side. They bounced, span and rolled as they spewed out their gas. I ripped the mast off my vest and put it on. Kev was amazed.

  ‘Fuck me they just stopped still!’ Kev exclaimed.

  Unfortunately, not soon enough for the poor woman – her choking screams filled the room as they stopped halfway through pulling out her entrails.

  Kev took her out first, too late maybe but the room was now quieter. Kev kicked off in earnest. Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Each tap was followed with a slump. The zombies reacted to each shot with a twist of the head, their hearing was the only sense that worked, but their body never followed. The tap, taps continued as did the slumping bodies. Kev stopped and reloaded.

  ‘Last 12 shots!’ he announced. A few more tap, tap’s and he was done.

  My head was thumping! The shots reverberating around the hall made it much worse. Looking over the balcony revealed one corner of the hall to be a carpet of bodies and swirling yelling gas. The place no doubt stunk of cordite, like a firing range but couldn’t smell it with the mask on.

  We wordlessly walked to the door leading to the stairs and Simon opened it for us. We took the masks off and started down the stairs.

  As we stepped out of the Sports Centre onto the disabled ramp we were hit with light from the sunrise. The tower lights were off as were the lights in the main building. We were the only ones out here. At least at this end. We leant against the railings.

  ‘What’s the situation Si?’ Kev asked.

  Simon walked a few steps away and started chatting on the radio.

  ‘I’ve got 2 rounds left in the MP5.’ Announced Kev. ‘We are going to need more help if that wasn’t the last of them.’

  Simon turned to Kev, thrusting the walkie talkie at him. ‘The guys are itching to help and mop up.’

  ‘They must be as tired as we are.’ I said. Kev took the walkie. He pressed the button. ‘Okay guys. Thanks for the help last night. For the extra light, rifle cover and help with the general population. We wouldn’t have made it without you all. Turns out from what we can gather that the two guys killed trying to go over the walls last night left a red LDV van full of TRAD’s that escaped and caused all of this shit. Unfortunately, we must have over 30 bodies, several tents and two motor caravans that need clearing up. Can all the survivors be taken to the canteen too?’

  Upon releasing the button he got a series of acknowledgements from the towers. He pressed again. ‘Please keep tower cover even if it’s one guy per tower. It’s not pleasant down here guys so be prepared. Thanks.’

  He handed the walkie back to Simon and turned to me. ‘Better check on our one-legged mate don’t you think?’

  Chapter 25

  We got to Croc’s van. The two dead kids grotesquely modified by our weapons were still stock still under the van. The door was still closed, and our writing was undisturbed. I listened at the door. ‘I can hear heavy breathing, not sure he’s in a good state.’ I said as I stepped back from the door. Kev grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. Crocs was still there handcuffed to the passenger seat. He looked pale and breathing really heavily but was still human. He looked at us, blinking in the morning sunlight.

  ‘You okay bud?’ Ke
v asked him.

  ‘So much pain in my leg!’ His face was screwed up in agony. Kev undid his hand cuffs and we helped him into a sitting position. ‘Have you seen John?’ He was in pain, but still concerned about his mate even if they did fight and he stabbed him. Us humans are strange creatures.

  ‘Sorry mate, John is dead… and then dead again.’ I replied whilst now helping him stand up between myself and Kev. ‘We are going to take you to the doctors room mate, you are going to need some proper medical care and pills for infection and painkillers for your stump.

  As we got him moving between us, he piped up. ‘I know I’ve been an asshole, but I’ve got to thank you both. Anything I can do for you from now on just ask, honestly.’

  ‘Well, I’m going to call you Croc from now on.’ I said smiling.

  He looked at me blankly as we sat him down outside the doctor’s room in the main building that Christopher had now unlocked. I looked down at his only foot. It took a moment and then it dawned on him. He nodded. ‘The only shoes I could grab before my brother tried to eat me the day this all started.’ Everyone had a story I knew but some people you just don’t think about it. Kev got the medical staff up to speed with what we did with Croc and what they may have to deal with the next day or so.

  We left Croc to his experience of the new style NHS and wandered towards tent city again. It was heaving with people moving the dead, taking down tents, clearing and moving vans etc. Simon came over. ‘As soon as it was light and safe to release people from the tennis courts, they all wanted to help us clear up.’ People waved at us as we walked past. I saw Camouflage moving the red LDV van whilst wearing white paper throw away overall and face mask. I approached the drivers window and extended my hand.

  ‘Cheers for the cover last night mate. I never saw him coming, without you I’d have been toast!’

  ‘You’re welcome mate.’ Camouflage looked closely at my eyes and said. ‘Though with a hangover and vomit breath like you have I’d hold off on any celebratory drinks for a day or so!’