by I. J. Smith
Adam still held the guard and pushed him towards the hut. Sarah, Kat, Jacob, and Brad rushed ahead. Sarah grabbed the rifles and threw one to Jacob.
Adam stood with a rifle hung over his shoulder; he looked at his prisoner.
“OK! Now where?” he asked.
The prisoner looked at the dead bodies of his comrades, his face turned white with fear. Adam was growing impatient, “WHERE?” he demanded to know.
The prisoner looked to the door in fear, knowing his fate was sealed. He pointed, “There. Inside there is an elevator.”
Sarah gripped her rifle and looked at Jacob. He quickly opened the door as Sarah rushed in with her gun raised. She looked around. Inside was nothing but the grey doors of the elevator. She stepped back outside and looked at Adam. “It’s clear.”
The prisoner looked at Sarah and then turned to Adam, he was met with a knife to the throat. Blood sprayed over Adam’s clothes, as he twisted the knife and tore into the man’s flesh. The others all looked on, just the noise of Jacob being sick echoed out.
“Feels like Jack is here!” Jacob muttered to himself.
Adam walked forward; he checked the ammunition in his rifle. He looked at everyone, “Right! Kat, you stay here with Craig, Taylor, and Brad.”
Kat got angry, “Fuck you! I’m going!”
“No, you’re not!” Adam quickly replied.
Adam went to move, but was grabbed by Kat. “That’s my brother down there, I’m going!”
Looking into her eyes, Adam knew he could not stop her. “OK, Jacob you stay here and be ready for our return.”
Jacob tilted his head in acknowledgment. He watched as Adam, Sarah, and Kat walked into the hut and pressed the button for the elevator. He walked over to the boys. Craig spoke out, “You think they will find them?”
Jacob nodded, “You saw the way they both climbed the fence like Spiderman. Nothing is gonna stop them!” He paused for a moment. “Now come on, let’s get one of the vehicles ready to leave when they come back.”
∞
“Shit, what level do we want?” Adam said looking at the three levels below.
Sarah and Kat glanced at him. “Perhaps you should have asked before cutting that guys throat out!” Sarah replied.
“Fuck it!” Kat suddenly hit level three.
Sarah just smiled as Adam looked gob smacked. “Oh well, guess we have to start somewhere!” Adam said with a hint of fear in his voice.
As the numbers counted down on the elevator display, Adam pulled his sidearm and handed it to Kat. “Here! You’re gonna need it.” With a smile, Kat took the gun and took a deep breath. A sudden beep echoed out, they had arrived.
As the doors open, Adam pushed forward to make sure he was first out. His gun was raised high as he stepped out of the elevator.
Slowly stepping out, Adam led the way closely follow by Sarah, and then Kat. Looking down a long hall, the doors were all closed. There was a second corridor that led to the right, at the far end it split into different directions.
“We should split up,” Sarah suggested.
Adam glance back with a frown and quickly said, “No! We stay together!” Sarah nodded in response.
As they walked, a slight beeping noise could be heard. They passed a large glass door that was covered in frosted glass. Suddenly a bloodied hand touched the glass, a face pushed against the glass.
“What the fuck?” Kat mumbled. They looked to see several zombies appear.
The sound of a door unlocking made them jump, they turned to point their guns at a large man in a white jacket. With his crooked tie and thinning hair, the man looked terrified. Adam aimed his gun directly at his head. The large man suddenly spoke out in fear.
“Jack, you’re looking for Jack, right?”
Sarah frowned as she pointed her gun at him. “If you’re playing us, you are the first to die!”
The large man nodded, “Banks, my name is Dr. Banks!”
Kat grabbed him by the jacket. “We don’t care, just take us to Jack.”
“OK, there is a guard in the room, and he has a gun.” Banks told them.
Adam snarled, “and I suppose these are water pistols.” While gripping his gun.
Banks slowly moved away and led them to a room at the far end of the corridor, Kat noticed a sign on the door saying ‘Recovery.’
As Banks touched the handle Adam grabbed him, “Remember one word and your first.”
Slowly Banks opened the door and walked into the room. The guard, dressed in all black stood next to the door. “Hi!” Banks said to him. Before the guard could reply, Adam rushed in, punching the guard in the throat. As he fell forward, Adam grabbed him and snapped his neck. As the body fell to the floor, Raven stood from a chair.
“Raven!” Sarah said out as she rushed to hug her friend.
Holding her friend tight, Raven was excited to see her. Kat stepped into the room as Adam locked the door behind her. She noticed the bed and the man with a bandage around his head.
“Jack!” she muttered.
Before anyone else could say anything, Kat pushed Banks against the wall and held the gun under his jaw, ready to shoot. “What have you done to him?” She asked angrily.
Raven rushed from Sarah’s side and grabbed Kat. “NO! He saved Jack, he saved both of us!”
They all looked at her confused.
“He is coming with us!” Raven added.
“Not a chance.” Adam replied.
Raven swung around and looked at Adam furiously. “Listen, Jack trusts him. I trust him, he is coming.”
Before Adam could reply, Sarah spoke out. “What’s wrong with Jack?”
Banks stuttered, “H…He needed surgery.”
“Then he is going to need looking after. So yes, he comes with us!” Sarah told everyone.
Raven gave a smile to her friend.
“I will need supplies; this place is well stocked.” Banks told them.
“Let me guess, we need to go somewhere for them?” Adam said in an untrusting voice.
Banks looked at him. “No! Everything I need is in the unit over there. I just want to make sure you will not shoot me if I go over there!”
Adam rolled his eyes and gestured for Banks to go ahead. Banks grabbed an empty pillow case and opened the unit. He grabbed medicines, drips, bandages and all sorts of supplies, until the pillow case was full.
Sarah noticed Raven was barefoot and wearing ripped clothes, she walked over to her. “Are you OK?” Raven looked at her and placed her hand in hers. “I am, thanks to Jack!”
They rushed to get Jack, “Are we going to have to carry him out of here?” Sarah asked.
“Yes, we will have to carry him.” Banks replied.
“Why? Can’t you wake him up?” Kat asked.
“No, due to the surgery I had to put him under. I cannot risk waking him now.” Banks replied.
Kat looked at Jack and looked upset. “What happened to him?” She desperately wanted to know.
Raven placed her arm around Kat, “I promise I will tell you everything, but we need to go, now!”
Adam and Banks lifted Jack from the bed. Sarah cracked the door open. “It’s clear.” She told them. They slowly crept out and walked back towards the elevator, they once again passed the zombie filled lab.
“DON’T MOVE!” A male voice shouted out.
Everyone looked back behind them. Groves stood with Kelly and several guards. Everyone was pointing their guns towards the escapees.
Sarah held her gun up, ready to fight her way out.
“Have you got hold of him?” Banks quietly said to Adam.
Looking at Banks, Adam looked confused; he gave a nod in reply. Banks let go of Jack and shouted out.
“THANK GOD! PLEASE HELP ME!” He yelled with his hands up.
Groves stepped forward. “Come on Doctor, you’re safe now!”
“I AM, BUT YOUR NOT!” Banks replied. He rushed to the lab door and entered the number 17546 on the security pad.
>
“NO!” Groves shouted.
The lab doors swung open, the dead began to fall out; towards the living. Banks rushed back to the others. “Now would be a good time to rush!” He told them. Grabbing Jack again, they all hurried towards the elevator; as Groves and the Guards dealt with the zombies. Gunshots echoed throughout the corridor as the elevator doors opened. They all rushed inside, as Kat rushed to press the button she was grabbed on the arm by a zombie. She looked up to see a zombie with half its skull missing and brain exposed. She reached out and pushed her spare hand into the skull and pulled at the brain, the juice and flesh ran through her fingers as the body dropped. Kat kicked the body out of the way and pressed the button. As the doors shut, a bullet hit the closing door.
With the elevator moving Adam asked. “Everyone OK?”
Everyone muttered.
∞
Back outside, Jacob had organized the boys. They had hot-wired a 4x4 and were waiting for their friends, with the engine running. Craig was standing with Jacob on opposite sides of the elevator doors. Taylor and Brad waited inside the 4x4.
“Do you think they found him?” Craig asked.
Jacob glared at him. “That is the twentieth time you asked me that, I don’t know!”
A sudden ding from the elevator made them both jump, Jacob held his gun ready to shoot. As the doors open, the look of relief was clearly visible on Jacob’s face.
He rushed towards them and noticed Jack was being carried. “What the hell?”
“We need to move, they are right behind us!” Adam told him.
They were loading Jack into the 4x4 when a sudden shot was fired behind them. Still holding Jack, they turned to see Groves walk from behind the building. “You don’t think there was only one way in and out did you?” He joked.
He had his sidearm pointed at them; Adam chuckled, “Don’t be an idiot, you’re out gunned!”
Groves walked forward with a smile. “Yes, I know. But then again, I only need to kill one of you. I only need to kill Jack. My life is not important.”
“Fuck you!” Kat said.
Grove suddenly fired again, this time hitting the ground in front of Jack. “Little girl, you are playing games with the wrong guy!”
They all began to slowly lower their weapons as Groves moved closer. “Now is that not better!” Groves joked.
A noise from the fog distracted him. A growling sound echoed through the air. Then suddenly, she appeared. Paige raced through the mist, jumping on Groves and knocking the gun from his hands.
Adam and Banks loaded Jack quickly into the 4x4. Adams grabbed his gun and began to walk back towards Groves, when the sounds of the guards echoed from behind the building. Taking one last look at Groves, Adams rushed into the 4x4 and joined the others.
Taylor was in the driver seat and put his foot down, the wheels spun as he raced towards the main gates. The silhouettes of the zombies appeared in the mist, he tried to avoid them but one hit the car and the windscreen causing it to crack. Blood obscured Taylor’s view. Eventually he was able to see again and raced through the open gates. He glanced back into the rear seats to see it was overloaded with people.
“I told you we should have taken two!” He told Jacob.
“Oh, Shut up!” Jacob replied.
They disappeared into the fog.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE!
The waves of the ocean crashed against the beach, the wreck of H.M.S Albion reflected the setting sun. Ryan walked across the sand to look closer at the wreck, and then turned back towards the road. He walked towards the rusty old camper van. The side door was open, he watched as Zoe talked with Tommy.
Ryan put his head down, looking at the sand he walked on. He was lost in his thoughts, the guilt of leaving Bray and the others at the fort. He thought about Jack and Raven, he wished they would all be safe. He kicked a small stone that rolled across the sand, it stopped when a red shoe stepped on it.
Looking up he looked into the most beautiful brown eyes, the bright red hair and the sweetest smile he had ever seen. He watched as Zoe approached him, her every move made him excited. He kept thinking ‘how was he so lucky?’
Zoe had found a large green fleece jacket in the van, she wore it even though it was far too big for her. As she reached Ryan, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head into his chest.
Kissing the top of her head he asked, “You OK?”
She lifted her head to look at him. He looked as her eyes filled with tears. “I’ve had enough. I am so tired of fighting for a life I can never have!” She said with the lowest of emotion.
Ryan ran his hand across her face, moving her hair behind her ear. Then at that moment, he said the simple words that warmed her heart. “I love you.”
For a moment, there was pure silence, she looked him in the eyes. She was a little shocked, but so happy to hear him say it. She placed both her hands on his face and moved to kiss him, uttering the words, “I love you too!”
They embraced in a long sensual kiss, blocking out the world around them.
A sudden noise of the van horn broke their hold. They both looked at the direction of the noise. Tommy was leaning over the driver’s seat, pressing the horn. He looked through the window and waved in the direction of the road. Ryan and Zoe looked to see a black 4x4 approaching at speed.
“Get in the van and start the engine!” Ryan quickly told Zoe.
As she rushed off, Ryan walked into the middle of the road, right in-front of the 4x4. As it skidded to a stop, as the rear door opened Adam climbed out.
“RYAN!” He shouted, looking confused. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Stepping forward, he greeted Adam half-way. “This was the only place I thought we might run into you.”
Adam frowned, “You know how dangerous this place is? Groves will be looking for us!”
Ryan’s eyes lit up, “You found Jack and Raven.” Adam simply smiled in reply.
“Oh, thank God, look things have gone bad at the fort.” Ryan told him.
Ryan rubbed his face in relief, “But now Jack is back, we can sort it out.”
Adams expression suddenly changed. “What?” Ryan asked.
“Jack is in bad way. He can’t help us right now!”
Zoe appeared at Ryan’s side. “You all made it!” She said excitedly.
Adam looked around at the 4x4, “Come on, from here we take this van.” He pointed to the camper van.
Zoe and Ryan watched as Jack was unloaded from the 4x4. Still unconscious, he was carried to the van.
“Maybe we should take both vehicles?” Craig asked.
Sarah slapped him on the arm. “They will be tracking this one stupid!”
Everyone transferred to the new van, Zoe greeted the newcomers. Kat was busy checking on Tommy.
Ryan walked back onto the beach with Adam at his side.
“What the hell do we do now?” Ryan asked.
Adam glanced around, he watched as everyone was piling into the van. Paige barked as they loaded Jack into it. She would not leave his side.
Adam placed his hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “It’s up to us now, we need to find a safe place for Jack to recover and to regroup, Then WE Survive!”
Ryan nodded, they both turned back to climb into the van.
The van slowly drove away to an unknown destination, towards an unknown future.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
BROKE
The rain poured heavily over Fort Brockhurst. It was a gloomy dark day and the ground was a muddy mess. People still worked, Bray had been ordered to clean the fire pit in the middle of the Fort. As he removed the burnt metal and wood from the dead fire, he came across a bone. He pulled it clear from the ash and held it tight. “Eddie.” He muttered to himself, the guilt grew deeper inside him.
The sudden commotion by the animals caught Brays attention. He looked up to see Gabe, Brandon and Celine along with some of their soldiers hitting a young ma
n.
“You lied to us!” Gabe shouted as he punched the young man to the ground.
Bray stood up and slowly walked towards them, his intention was to past them and not interfere. As he walked past he glanced at the young dark haired man looking at him as Gabe kicked him in the stomach repeatedly. Bray locked eyes with the man. He was crying in pain as they punished him.
Bray was about to walk off when he turned and raced for Gabe, grabbing him by the arm he punched Gabe in the throat. Brandon grabbed at Bray, but was kicked away. Bray gave a brave stand but with the odds stacked against him, he was taken down.
As Bray was beaten to the ground, Gabe struggled for air as he rubbed his throat. As everyone in the Fort watched, Jennifer rushed towards her father. She pushed through the soldiers, Celine quickly grabbed and held her tight, and making sure she could see her father beaten.
“STOP!” Gabe shouted out, to the surprised soldiers.
Bray was bloodied and gasping for air.
“Pick him up and follow me.” He snarled and as walked away. “Bring the girl too.” Everyone watched as Bray and Jennifer were carried into the storage room.
As the door closed, two of the Preachers’ soldiers held Bray up. Gabe quickly kneed him in the stomach. Jennifer cried at the sight of her father being beaten.
“SHUT UP!” Gabe shouted while pointing his finger at Jennifer.
Brays face was a bloodied mess, his eye was swelling shut. Gabe walked over to Brandon and pulled the knife from his belt. He turned back to Bray.
“You just don’t listen. I guess I am going to have teach you the hard way!” He said in a calm voice.
Gabe pushed Bray, face down over a table, the soldiers held him down. Gabe slammed the knife into the table, right next to Bray’s head. Bray looked at the blade, wondering what Gabe had planned. He could see his daughter still being held by Celine, she was crying uncontrollably.
Gabe leaned over him and touched the knife, he slowly pulled it free.
“So, what is it gonna take?” Gabe began to talk as he held the blade over Bray’s wrist. “Maybe I take your hand?” He said while pushing the blade gently on Bray’s wrist. Gabe ran the blade gently along his arm to Bray’s ear. “Maybe an ear?” Gabe laughed. “Would that break you?” Bray remained silent. “No! I don’t it would. I think we need to go deeper, very deep!” Gabe said in a spooky voice.
