Surviving The Ravenous

by King, Christine

  We tried to get on with our chores, but it was difficult with the ravenous outside, most of the time we just stood on the battlements or up in a turret watching them bite at each other or fight newly arrived ones for whatever they were chewing on. Bones covered the ground and some of the ravenous got knocked into the moat. They thrashed about and seemed unable to swim, their skin blistered in the water, and they finally lay still. The first two or three this happened to made us cheer, but Jason pointed out that if many more fell in they would have a bridge of bodies to use and cross the moat, that made us all stop and think.

  I spent the morning helping Jason to plant some seeds and weed an area in the forecourt that we had started to use for crops, Tessa came to watch and when Geeta woke up crying in pain, she brought her outside as well. Adam was tilling the ground and Geeta was so happy to see him that she wanted to help. Wincing in pain, she took the small rake he was using and began to drag it over the dirt. I was so proud of her for not letting her injuries get the better of her, and it seemed to take her mind off her father and brother. After lunch we discussed the growing hoard, ideas were bandied around but one kept rearing its head, decoy. We needed to go out and lead the ravenous away from the castle; the major problem was it would probably be a suicide mission. We talked over where we could go to get them as far away as possible and lessen the chance of more turning up later on. We decided that the first few had probably followed the van and even after we thought we had lost them had just kept going and ended up here. The others had seen their movement and come towards it. Maybe they could hear us or sense us, but we had had no problems before those first ones turned up. We argued for quite a while; it was agreed that the best place to head for was the sea. Back towards the pier and maybe look for a small boat that could be used to go out into the water and escape the ravenous. We hoped with no one to follow back, they would go in a different direction or just stay there by the pier.

  Siam said he would go as he could also look for his brother, but Tessa began to cry and asked why she should lose another son, so Siam sat by her quietly. Mark said it was his idea and he would go, Jason disagreed and argued that Mark had a family here, so it was better he went. Mark stated he was a better runner, Jason said he was a better shot. Lara asked what they were going to do if the jeep broke down halfway to the pier, but they waved her away, intent on their argument.

  Siam calmed his mother and claimed it was his right to go because if it wasn’t for his family, the ravenous would not have found the castle. An uncomfortable silence descended as no one could think of a way to argue with that but after a pause they tried, Jason told him not to be so stupid and I said that we had no proof that the ravenous had followed us back here. Mark wanted to lead by example and Jason wanted to be a hero, I think he felt he owed it to Lance. They began to get up and shout, Ali was crying with her head buried in Geeta's hair and Adam on her lap. I stood up to tell them to all be quiet and to stop being so testosterone driven when Adam said, “Look at all the people.”

  Ali looked over to the window he was pointing at, she yelled “Oh my god!” and we all looked around. Outside, the drawbridge was down, and our jeep was speeding across it. You could see the ravenous out in the fields, walking around and pulling at the grass. Mark looked around at the group and Geeta said, “Lara’s gone out; will she be back soon?” We ran outside as the jeep raced through the sea of bodies. Lara was swerving around them, trying to get to the hill. A few ravenous were coming over the drawbridge and ignoring the car. Jason grabbed the bow that he had left by the door and Siam grabbed a spade. They began fighting the few who had come inside the forecourt. Mark wrestled with the drawbridge controls and the bridge began to rise, knocking ravenous into the moat. The few who were inside were fighting back but I couldn’t stop to help I had to see how Lara was doing. I ran to the top of the battlements, Ali was behind me with Adam and Geeta in tow. We could see the jeep had reached the bottom of the hill. It began the ascent up the next and we cheered a little. Best of all the ravenous were following, Lara had herded them like sheep, and they were all beginning to run in front of and after the vehicle.

  As she got near the top, the jeep abruptly stopped. The others had joined us by now, having presumably finished off the ravenous below. We all started yelling at Lara to keep going, although she was so far away, she couldn’t have heard us. Then we realised the jeep had broken down, Lara was stuck. The ravenous were pounding up the hill, a couple reached the driver door and were flung back with a loud bang. Lara had her gun; another shot rang out and then we saw Lara leap out of the driver’s side door and run up the hill. She reached the crest and stopped to turn towards us. We all looked on with amazement and began to yell again, telling her to “Run” and shouting “What are you doing?” She raised the gun and shot the first ravenous that reached her and then the second. We knew the shotgun only held two shots and I heard myself mumbling, “Reload, quickly,” but she just stood there and for a moment I wondered if she was committing suicide to be with Lance. The ravenous got closer and Lara crouched down. Suddenly the ravenous flew back as loud shots filled the air. A tank crested the hill to the left of where Lara was standing. She ran to it as more shots rang out and we saw guys dressed in army gear appear and begin to wipe out all the ravenous. They had some kind of machine gun, which they used to spray the oncoming horde with bullets. Ravenous fell all around them and as army vehicles made their way slowly down the hill, the path was cleared of bodies. I felt elated for Lara’s escape but terrified of the approaching military; strong men with guns could be great for defence, but even trained army men could go rogue. I also had no idea if these were official army soldiers or a group of people who had stolen their weapons and uniforms, caution was needed. We looked at each other, we were now all on the battlements. No one cheered or even smiled, and I felt my stomach clench with worry.

  Mark said, “That was lucky. I had better lower the drawbridge.” but his voice was flat. I wondered if he was as worried as I was that these guys might be hostile. Jason said quietly, “Sure let them in, with that tank it’s not like we could keep them out.”

  I felt my throat dry up as Mark and Siam headed down. Ali held Adam tight and Geeta held her mother’s hand as we walked down to meet our well-armed saviours. The drawbridge lowered, and a group of the army guys came across, I noticed they all had very big guns strapped to them and many had them in their hands ready for combat. A large older man came forward and smiled as he asked, “Who’s in charge?”

  I shook my head apprehensively, and I saw Jason flinch as Mark said, “I guess I am, at the moment.”

  It seemed we had both had the same thought and seen the same movies, where army guys ask that question and then shoot the first guy who answers and any of the others who speak up until the group realises that because the shooter has a large gun, it means he is actually in charge. Mark looked worried as the older guy stepped forward, but he still put out his hand and looked surprised as it got shook in a friendly fashion.

  “I’m General Grey and these are my badass soldiers,” said the greying gentleman to a rousing cheer behind him, “It’s great to see some survivors and you look like you’re doing well here.” He gestured around the castle. Lara ran over the bridge and hugged Mark, “Did you see?” she squealed. “They saved me; it was fantastic.”

  Mark nodded, trying to smile. “We are very grateful for your help,” he said, facing the General. “Do you have any information about other survivors or about help arriving?”

  General Grey nodded with a grin on his face, “We are taking everyone to the local airport; a small plane is coming to take survivors to a settlement. We have had radio contact with a few other countries and the survivors there are doing the same. That gas hit us pretty bad, but it looks like it didn’t finish us.”

  Mark seemed excited by this information and I felt exceptionally happy at his words of hope, but a sense of dread I couldn’t explain still gripped my heart. “Do you know anything else abo
ut the gas?” Mark asked, and I listened carefully to the General’s reply. “We have no official intelligence about the gas; we believe it was a large worldwide terrorist group working in unison. It would have taken phenomenal planning and coordination; they hit the entire world on the same day at the same time. Countries where the population were awake and active had it really bad, the roads were congested, people panicked. In comparison we got off lightly here, aeroplanes landed, and people only succumbed once they hit the ground and stepped off the planes. Submarines surfaced, and ships docked, but the gas is in the air, the food, the water even; it seems if you are immune then you are fine, but those not immune either die the moment they are exposed or turn into our friends out there.”

  Mark began asking other questions about families and hereditary immunity, but I didn’t want to hear anymore. The gas was here, and the damage was done. Had they meant to kill everyone? Maybe, but maybe not. Either way, it didn’t matter, we were still here and the why’s and how’s couldn’t change that. I listened again as the General said, “Most people died, only a fraction turned into those creatures, that was extremely fortunate or else the place would have been overrun. Most of them are dying off as time goes by, they succumb to infection or the things they eat finally kill them off. They seem not to feel it, but they die just like us.”

  I found hope in this and walked over to look at the tank parked in our courtyard; soldiers were sitting on its hull. Some were having a drink, others a cigarette. All about me, our little group was milling around the soldiers. Jason checked out their weapons, Adam was excited and making shooting noises whilst Lara was infatuated with the tank. She asked lots of questions and the army guys looked nervous, as though she was going to try to steal it. I had to stop myself laughing at the thought of Lara hot wiring the tank and racing away, I could almost hear her delighted screams as the tank rumbled forward. Mark and the General continued to chat sitting on a low wall that ran the length of our tilled ground, I could hear them talking of other survivors and numerous ravenous attacks. The children raced past me, and I saw other children getting out of the army jeeps as they drove in. There was yelling and calls of ‘hello’ as they ran towards us, adults began to emerge as well and stretch their legs and backs, taking in the sunshine. Suddenly Tessa gasped, and I heard a familiar voice. “Hello all, did you miss me?” I turned and saw Del getting out of the army truck with a huge smirk on her face. Tessa ran to her and hugged her awkwardly, “Thank god, is Haliem with you?”

  Del shook her head, “is he not with you?”

  I saw Tessa’s face fall, and she looked like she was reliving the agony of losing her son all over again. Del looked at me, “So, where is Haliem?” she asked with her usual forcefulness.

  I shrugged and said gently, “I’m sorry, after the fire we didn’t find him.”

  Tessa began to sob, and Siam walked to his mother’s side to comfort her.

  “We lost Jarl as well,” I continued trying to get the gravity of the matter across to her. Del looked confused, “What fire? What are you talking about? Oh, I see. Are you all being mean to me because of what I did? It wasn’t exactly a fire, was it? You’re winding me up. I know Haliem is here. I ran off after he said I was being stupid, but I only set fire to the jacket he had given me. It wasn’t like I burnt down the pier. Is he still mad at me?” Tessa was stood with her hand over her mouth and Siam looked as though he was about to punch Del, so although my heart was pounding and my brain was reeling at the thought of Del being so stupid, I stepped in, “My God Del, you started a fire, on a wooden pier? It must have spread, Haliem didn’t put it out; perhaps he couldn’t. We know he tried to get his family out but failed. Jarl is dead and look at the burns the others suffered.”

  Del looked at Tessa again and noticed Siam’s blackened arm. “But…” She began in a confused tone. I turned away from her in disgust and heard Mark say, “You are not welcome here. I suggest you sit in one of the army vehicles until you leave. For your own protection.”

  Del began to cry, “I want to see my sister and my nephew.” Mark looked towards the doorway where Ali stood. She had obviously heard all that Del had said. She grabbed Adam as he ran past and pulled him inside, closing the door. Del began to cry harder but Tessa dragged Siam away and between her tears said, “stay away from what’s left of my family.”

  Del looked around one last time, realising there was no one sympathising with her, and then she turned and ran across the drawbridge. A few of the soldiers tried to stop her but General Grey called out, “Let her go, we can pick her up later if she still wants to come to the camp.” I was amazed at the information Del had just shared and the fact that she didn’t understand the consequences of her actions. Mark went in to see to Ali and came out a few moments later saying, “She is ok, but she wants some time alone.” We all nodded and stood around in shocked silence. Apart from the startling news clogging up my brain, I still couldn’t quite put my finger on why I wasn’t totally happy with the General’s plan. Tessa walked past supported by Siam “Why?” she asked sobbing into his neck.

  Siam held his mother gently. “She just didn’t think mother,” he whispered trying to comfort her, and then to change the subject he looked at the tilled forecourt and said sadly, “I guess we won’t see these crops grow now.” I felt my chest tighten, my brain focused, and I grasped what was wrong, I didn’t want to go to a camp and be one of many faces lost in a sea of survivors. I didn’t want to be separated from my friends and for each of us to end up going our own ways. I needed each of them and here I felt special and felt that maybe they needed me too, in a camp we would be fed, watered, clothed and assigned tasks by someone in charge but it wouldn’t be Mark, it would be someone I didn’t know and had no urge to follow. What I wanted was to stay here with my newly formed family and be free of all that other stuff. Yes, it was dangerous and probably stupid, but I liked it here. Besides it made me feel closer to Mary Jane, If I tried very hard I could still envision her posing for the camera on the steps of the turrets when we visited all those years ago and now and then I thought I heard her singing some old pop song that I didn’t really remember the words of but the tune was stuck in my head. She had sung it all day when we had been here together, I remembered her dancing over the drawbridge, and making me laugh so hard I had to gasp for breath. I didn’t want to leave those memories and the new memories we had started to create here together. I didn’t want to leave behind all the hard work we had put into this place. Soon we could start looking for wood and begin building some fences to mark off areas of land outside the castle. The river would need some work, but it could help us greatly with defence and I had started using old soda cans and other noisy products to make up some early warning systems for the trees. It could be great here and I could see the future stretching ahead, but if we left this place, our new home, then what would become of us?

  I walked over to Mark and General Grey and waited for a lull in their conversation. As they spoke of the castle’s sturdy walls and high turrets I interjected “That’s why I want to stay.”

  Mark turned to look at me and the General looked a little flustered. “What?” Mark asked kindly, so I repeated myself “I want to stay here,” I said forcefully.

  Mark looked thoughtful, but the General laughed. “My dear, we are going to take you to a safe place with food and shelter. There will be lots of people to socialise with and frankly, we need all the help we can get to rebuild our society.”

  I nodded along, “I agree, but I can’t help the fact that I want to stay and build my own society with my family right here.”

  Mark put his arm around my shoulders. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, looking me in the eye. “Please, Mark.” I begged, “I just know we can make a go of it and if we fail, we could always get directions for the camp and head there as a last resort.”

  Mark squeezed my shoulders, “General, I am afraid I feel the same way too” he said encouragingly. “But we will have to ask the others,
it’s their decision, and it is not a light one.”

  The General shook his head in disbelief, but I knew that it was the right choice, I could almost feel the castle begging us to stay and not abandon it to the ravenous again.

  Mark slowly gathered everyone from our little group and put the question to them all. “Ok, before I ask you to answer my question, I just want to say that you owe me nothing, you are all individuals and can decide for yourselves. I think of each of you as family and that will not change based on your answer today. I am not a leader, just a guy doing his best to survive, the General is a leader, and he has come here today with a wonderful opportunity and news of other survivors. It is all much more than any of us could have ever hoped for, but our choice is as simple as this we can stay here with our limited supplies and work hard to make a go of it, I am not sure if we can make it work but I would like to try. Our other option is to head off with the army to an encampment where we have been assured that there is plenty of food and medical supplies, there is also a generator and other luxuries that we will probably never have here. I do not expect anyone to stay that does not want to and although I will be sad to see you go, I will understand and hope that somehow you will keep in touch” I listened to what he said and knew that staying here was probably a ridiculous idea, of course, everyone would want to go with the soldiers to the camp. They had proper food, water, medical supplies, organisation, but most of all protection from the ravenous. Who could turn that down? I hung my head waiting to hear them laugh or call Mark mad, but they just stood in silence. As I looked up Jason stepped across to stand with me and Mark. “I quite like it here,” he said in a hushed voice. “The quiet, the crops, the people. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty darn close.”

  I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him with a giant grin on my face; he understood and felt the same as me. It was amazing, and I had never felt closer to him. Lara spoke next, “I’m not leaving behind my machines,” she said simply stepping over to Mark’s side “I worked hard to get them working.”