by I. J. Smith
Kelly looked at her boss. “Yes sir!”
“Dismissed!”
Kelly left the room.
Groves sat back in his seat. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a file. Opening it up, he looked at the pictures a several dead people, all stamped with a red stamped. ‘CONFIRMED KILL’
“Who the fuck are you?” He muttered to himself.
CHAPTER FOUR
ALBION
Adam led the team on foot for three days. They had made their way to the abandoned H.M.S Albion location. Jacob had moaned about wanting to take a car and saving time, but Adam refused. Adam walked ahead followed by Jacob, who happily chatted away with his four-legged friend, Paige.
Sarah and Kat walked behind them.
“You think we will find them?” Kat asked Sarah.
Sarah glanced at Kat, as she picked a flower from a nearby bush. “I would not be here if I didn’t,” Kat mumbled.
“Is there a problem?” Sarah asked.
“They’re both dead by now. We are just slow on catching up,” Kat answered wearily.
Sarah stopped and grabbed Kat, pulling her backward.
“Listen to me! Stop it right now! I know losing your grandfather has hurt you, but don’t you dare give up.” Sarah said, trying to calm Kat down.
Kat looked at Sarah with an angry face. “I’m here, but giving up on them might be the only option!”
Sarah touched Kat’s arm gently. “I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about you giving up!”
Kat shrugged. “I’m just in the way. Jack fights, you fight, everyone else fights... and me? I just wait to be rescued. Sure, I can kill a zombie. But I was useless against those men who killed.…” She stopped talking as she as she started to cry.
Sarah reached over and gently touched Kat’s chin and lifted her head up. Suddenly Sarah slapped Kat hard in the face.
“You wanna be a victim, go ahead! But my father told me told me something once and I live by it. “NEVER BE A VICTIM! ALWAYS A FIGHTER! Only you can choose!” Sarah told her firmly.
Kat held her face.
“WELL?” Sarah asked.
“A fighter….” Kat muttered.
Sarah placed her arms around Kat. “Then I can teach you how!”
Jacob looked back at the girls. “OH GOD! IS THIS THE TIME OF THE MONTH?”
Paige barked as they looked at the girls. Sarah walked past Jacob and pet Paige.
“You better hope not, we out number you!” she joked.
Paige walked ahead, with Sarah and Kat.
“Traitor!” Jacob yelled, watching Paige as she was wagging her tail.
Adam was now on the beach ahead of the rest of the group, he stood looking at the beached ship. The others caught up to him in a few minutes.
“So, are you going to tell us?” Sarah asked.
Adam looked at her, “About what?”
Jacob touched him on the shoulder, “The truth. You said Jack covered for you.”
Shrugging Jacob off, Adam went to move forward, when Paige stopped in front of him and began growling.
“What is with this dog?” Adam yelled.
Kat smiled, “She loves Jack, like the rest of us.”
Adam shook his head as he looked at everyone. “OK!”
“Captain Jenkins sent me in when she believed Jack was dead. She was working on exposing the truth about the outbreak. I was sent under the illusion of helping others escape but, in truth, I was looking for proof of what Oasis did.”
“Oasis?” Sarah asked.
“We don’t know exactly what Oasis is, but we do know it was responsible for the virus. Jenkins needed proof to show other countries and to try to get them to help us!”
“What other countries? I thought the virus was worldwide?” Jacob asked.
“Russia has a small government in power; they managed to survive on ships and small isolated areas. In America, they have survived on their ships, oil rigs, not to mention the outer smaller islands. China, Japan, France all still has some power in the world. But it is limited; but in order to get them to help us, we need proof.”
Jacob, Sarah and Kat looked on in horror.
“Anything else?” Jacob asked jokingly.
“Yeah. The cruise ship we were hiding on must have been attacked. When I came here, I lost contact with them. On that ship, there was a metal case with vials of the virus. If we find Oasis, we might be able to prove they created it,” Adam added.
Sarah placed her hands on her hips and walked in a circle.
“So, they took Jack and Raven, thinking Jack knew all of this?” she asked.
Adam nodded, “Yeah, I never had a chance to tell Jack any of this, and if they have his record they would assume he was the one sent to find the proof. Plus, they want the vials of virus back too.”
Sarah went to slap Adam, but was stopped by Jacob.
“NO!” Jacob yelled at Sarah.
Suddenly Jacob turned and punched Adam in the face.
“You should have told Jack, and you should have told us! Now get your ass up and let’s get moving. You bought us to the Albion for a reason!”
Adam held his bleeding nose. “OK! Follow me.”
Adam led them towards the side of the ship where there was a long ladder hanging down. One by one, they all climbed up. With the ship tilted, everyone held onto the railings.
The main deck of the ship was covered in blood stains, birds were pecking at a decomposing body. Sarah could see the body was in a sailor uniform. She could also see the bullet holes in its chest. Sarah reached back and grabbed Kat’s hand tightly. Adam held his rifle high as he guided everyone into the hanger of the ship. Materials and boxes were all smashed around the hanger; he moved towards a hatchway.
Walking inside, blood stains covered the walls. The bodies of dead zombies still lay in the corridors rotting away; the smell brought tears to their eyes.
“I hope you know where you’re going?” Sarah asked.
“Radio room,” Adam replied.
They walked for a while until they found it. The door was stiff but Adam managed to push it open. Thousands of flies filled the air.
Kat turned away suddenly, throwing up. Jacob looked into the room and quickly joined Kat in hallway being sick. Adam and Sarah saw a decomposing man, sitting in a leather chair with a bullet hole in his head; another man lay on the floor with a pistol in his hand. Adam stepped back, locking the door behind him.
“Not going to find anything in there!” Adam said and turned away.
Adam continued to walk along the corridor to the Captain’s office. Walking inside, they could see that the place was a mess, papers were scattered everywhere.
“In here! It’s clear!” Adam told the group.
Looking around, Adam saw some papers on the desk that caught his eye and started looking through them. Sarah noticed two Japanese swords, mounted on the wall; she pulled them off and looked at them closely.
“Kat, look at these swords! Samurai warriors used these; they are deadly weapons, much better than any gun.” Sarah handed both swords to Kat.
“Here, these are yours. I will show you how to use them. Remember, never a victim, always a fighter.”
Kat took the swords and closely examined them. She looked at Sarah and threw her arms around her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Come on, I don’t want to leave Paige alone outside for too long!” Jacob told the group.
“BINGO!” Adam shouted.
Everyone joined him. “What is it?” Sarah asked.
“Coordinates, but it’s coded. We need to find a book shop!” he told them.
Jacob looked around, “So does that mean we can go now? This place is creepy!”
Kat smiled, “You afraid of ghosts?”
Jacob shuddered and walked out of the room, the others quickly followed. Adam was holding and looking at the small piece of paper, when Sarah asked him, “You really think that is it?”
Adam glanced at her
. “It’s coded - it has to be it. I know it’s coordinates!”
Sarah looked concerned.
“What is it?” he asked.
“How do you know what book it would need? It could be anything.”
Adam smiled. “Trust me, I know what is needed!”
They all started their journey off the ship.
CHAPTER FIVE
BOO!
“Jenkins told you about the case, we know she sent you here. So just tell me!” Groves said angrily.
Jack was tied to a chair, two soldiers stood either side of him. The chair was attached to a small metal bar. Behind him was a large tin box filled with water.
“Jack, just tell me something, anything!” Groves begged.
Jack smiled, “OK! MY HEART WILL GO ON!” He sang with a laugh.
Groves tipped his head to the soldiers; they quickly tipped the chair back, submerging Jack backwards into the water. Jacks hands were tied, he clenched his fists.
They kept him under the water, for what seemed like an eternity.
Groves gave the sign to bring him up, when Jack was sat up, he spat out the water from his mouth, coughing loudly.
“Oh come on Groves, you could have warmed the water up,” Jack joked.
Losing his temper, Groves punched Jack in the face, reopening his wounds. Blood trickled down his face.
“Come on baby, show me what you got!” Jack said loudly.
Groves continued to punch him more and more. The more Jack smiled, the harder Groves hit him. The door opened and Kelly walked in.
“I thought you said we couldn’t kill him?” She asked Groves.
Groves pulled his fist back, his knuckles bloodied. Jack’s eye began to swell up, but he continued to smile.
“Did you bring him?” Groves asked.
“Yes. Dr. Steven Banks is waiting outside.”
“What fucking good is he out there?” Groves snapped.
“Banks, get your fat ass in here!” Groves yelled.
Dr. Banks walked in and looked at the beaten Jack tied to the chair.
“You call him a fat ass, I remember you being a right fat fuck!” Jack mumbled.
Groves, in anger kicked Jack in the stomach.
“Banks, I want this man to feel pain!”
Banks carried a small plastic case, be knelt down next to Jack and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
He opened the case and removed a vile of yellow liquid, with a syringe he drained some and it injected into Jack’s arm.
“How long?” Groves asked.
Suddenly, Jack began to scream out in pain, tears formed in his eyes. His organs felt like they were on fire. His screams echoed out.
Raven sat on the edge of the bed and listened to Jack’s screams. She cried, hearing her friend in so much pain was killing her.
For thirty minutes Jack screamed, but the pain dulled eventually. Sweat and blood poured from Jack’s face as his head hung down.
Groves grabbed him by the throat. “I don’t want to do this, we were friends. Please just tell me, where is the case?”
While Groves was waiting for an answer, Jack lunged out biting into Groves’ face and tearing a large chunk of flesh from him.
“I’VE GOT A LOVELY BUNCH OF COCONUTS!” Jack sang.
Groves kicked Jack back into the water. Kelly stepped forward and gave the men the signal to bring him up.
Groves grabbed Banks. “Inject him again!”
Banks looked scared. “I can’t, not for 24 hours another dose will kill him.”
Kelly told the soldiers, to “Take him back to his room!”
Banks handed Groves a cloth for his bleeding face.
The soldiers untied Jack and dragged him away, opening a door they threw him in, onto the ground. Raven rushed to him, she could see the pain in his eyes.
“Just tell them, please!” She begged him.
“I do that and they’ll kill you!” Jack replied.
She helped him to the bed, she grabbed the medical supplies they had and began to tend to his wound. Jack took her hands.
“Thank you, you’re my angel, Elle!” he told Raven.
Raven frowned but figured he was just confused because of the pain.
Groves was getting stitches on his face.
“I swear, the moment I get the chance, I am gonna cut his heart out!” Groves moaned.
Kelly laughed and replied, “He would fucking kill you with one hand, you’re nothing to him.”
“You sound like you admire him?” Groves asked.
“You have to admit, any man who can take that is worth admiration!” She replied.
Banks stood there, putting the plastic case away, listening to every word.
Raven stroked Jack’s head.
“You need to sleep,” she told him.
“I’m sorry. I killed so many, so many people!” he muttered.
Raven frowned.
“You had no choice, the world went bad and you had to fight back,” she said softly.
“No, before that! I did so many bad things, Elle please I need you to forgive me!” he begged.
Raven suddenly was scared, as she watched him. The door opened up again, a large man walked in.
“Erm! Hi! I am Dr. Banks, I just need to check on him,” he told her.
She stood up and rushed at him, she grabbed him by the shirt.
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?” Raven demanded.
“The effects will pass, I promise.” Dr. Banks replied.
Suddenly Jack jumped up and rushed for the back wall and began yelling, “GET AWAY! GET AWAY! FRANK, YOU NEED TO GO! LEAVE ME PLEASE! SAVE THE OTHERS! FRANK, THEY NEED YOU!”
Banks and Raven watched as Jack started to bash the wall.
“FRANK RUN! PLEASE RUN! I’M NOT GETTING OUT OF THIS!” Jack kept yelling.
Raven approached him slowly, when suddenly he grabbed her hand and pulled her down next to him.
“Elle, I had to leave! I had no choice! You will be safe!” he told her.
Jack began to cry, Raven cradled his head against her chest.
Banks stood stunned in the doorway, watching.
CHAPTER SIX
PREACHER
While Bray drove the bus, Rain kept the children occupied. Ryan and Zoe looked all cozy in the back talking. Bray kept glancing at them in the rearview mirror and could not help chuckling to himself. Eddie sat alone looking out the window, he looked lost and lonely. Bray kept thinking about how Jack had a way with him. Eddie knew everyone looked at him as disabled. But Jack didn’t, he saw a young man with a pure heart; Bray always believed Jack was envious of Eddie’s innocence.
Looking through the window, Bray noticed signs along the road they were travelling down. Signs of peace, offering shelter and food. The road was clear and clean, zombies were chained along the street like guards.
“RYAN! UP HERE NOW!”
Ryan and Zoe rushed forward; they looked in shock at the clear road ahead.
“STOP!” Tommy shouted.
Bray slammed on the brakes, Tommy moved to the front of the bus and pointed at a large, painted sign. Opening the bus door, Bray, Ryan, Zoe, and Tommy exited the bus. They all stood, looking up at the message on the large billboard, ‘HAVEN IS AHEAD, FOR THE PURE OF HEART,’ written in black paint in large letters.
Bray looked at the large arrow pointing towards the end of the road. The chains rattled from the groaning dead, wanting to feast on the living.
“What do you think?” Bray asked.
Ryan and Zoe glanced at each other. “We follow you now,” Ryan said in reply.
Bray looked scared for a moment, “I’m not Jack, I’m not Frank!”
Zoe touched his shoulder, “And now it’s you, so choose and we follow.”
Bray looked around the street.
“What the hell, no harm in looking is it?” Bray decided for the group.
They all climbed back onto the bus and Bray wasted no time in heading down the road. As they approached the end of t
he street, a large clearing appeared. Overgrown grass obscured the view a little. Then, a large, medieval fort came into view. As they drove closer, they could see more of the fort that was surrounded by a large moat, and a long bridge as came into sight. Bray drove towards it, and two large black gates appeared. Above the gates was the sign, ‘FORT BROCKHURST.’
On the fort, the sides were covered in grass. Old-fashioned brick openings were visible, these once had cannons pointed out from them. At the top on the gate, men stood looking down at the bus, they had no visible weapons and even looked clean in appearance.
Bray stopped the bus several feet from the gates. He sat and waited for a moment, looking ahead, something about it worried him.
Bray said to the group, “Everyone, stay here!”
Bray opened the doors and began to exit the bus, when Ryan appeared behind him.
“I said wait!” Bray told Ryan.
Ryan looked at Bray and told him to, “SHUT UP!”
Bray shook his head and together they exited the bus. A small door open from the main gate, a clean shaven young man appeared, a young blonde woman right behind him.
“Hello, I am Brandon and this is Celine!” the man said introducing themselves.
Ryan looked at the blonde man and strangely wondered how his hair was that clean.
Brandon looked at the concerned men in front of him, as Celine stepped forward.
“It’s OK! You are welcome here, this is a place for survivors of the plague. You can bring your bus in, but the one rule is your weapons must stay onboard!” Celine informed them.
Bray became even more worried.
“Actually, if it makes you happy and safer, please keep them! You will soon find out that they are not needed here, this is a place of peace!” Brandon added.
Ryan gripped his baseball bat that he had strapped to his belt.
“OPEN THE GATES!” Brandon shouted.
The gate opened, Bray and Ryan were stunned.
People walked around laughing, their bellies full, their clothes clean, with no blood on them. Zoe jumped in the driver’s seat as Bray and Ryan walked ahead. Crops were growing on the edges; huts were holding chickens and cows.
Bray noticed that nobody carried weapons.
