Zed Days (Book 3): Zed Days III

by Harland, Nick

  Track was the first to speak, ‘Fuck yea, now that’s what I’m talking about. We can trash the place and block the isles leading to the tins section with whatever we can find, and distract the Zeds while we load up. We have loads of booze, so if we can get to that section we can use the spirits to start fires around the sections we need to keep the looters safe in.’

  I could see everyone’s adrenalin flowing freely as they fidgeted and gripped their various weapons, and I admit mine was too, but I could also see the practicalities of the exercise. Esme wasn’t wrong, but we still needed a plan and I said so, ‘Ok, that sounds good, but we still need a plan or it could go sour really quickly. If the plough leads there will be rubble in its wake and trollies don’t like rubble. I agree organised mayhem to cordon off the tins and pasta isles should work, but we won’t have time to carry tins out by hand, and this plan relies on speed or it’s too risky. We will need at least two or three people to follow the mayhem makers in and make a clear path for the trolleys out of the shop. We’ll need one or two people waiting to load up what the trolley runners bring. That’s doesn’t leave many of us to do the fighting and organise the mayhem.’

  ‘We can do this, but it’s not what we’re used to and it’s pretty high risk, even for us. One person needs to be in charge of constantly evaluating the situation and needs to be able to make the call to run it gets out of control. They should probably climb onto the top of a shelf to be able to see more. It would be so easy for one or two people to get stuck fighting in an isle and get overwhelmed or surrounded without others even knowing they needed help. We need two people teams, and if it’s looking bad, those teams need to call it in. Although this is a smash and grab with extra mayhem, it also has to be as organised as we’ve ever been or I guarantee not all of us will make it back alive.’

  Eve took over, ‘Brad’s right about this, it’s like a maze in these places and if we’re having to split into teams to safely cordon the tins isle, people could get trapped. I can’t fight well with my injury but I can get onto a shelf a call the shots, and shot anything I think is a threat. If I say run, run. Don’t grab just one more can, run or die. No screaming when you fight or you won’t hear me. Brad and Esme will be team one, Track and Tom you’re team two, Bob and Max you’re team three, and when they get out of the plough, Ben and Izzy you’re team four. Everyone needs to be ready to fight though, and the carpark isn’t completely clear, so those clearing and loading probably aren’t going to miss out on the fun. Remember your team numbers so I can give you instruction. If anyone doesn’t do what they’re told and still manages to make it out alive, which is unlikely, I’ll kill them myself, understand?’

  There were nods from everyone and I was glad to see the eagerness had gone from most of their eyes. Esme broke the atmosphere by saying, ‘Right, let’s do this thing, time is not on our side.’

  Chapter Ten – Smash and Grab

  Lulu definitely sounded the worse for wear as we drove the short distance to the supermarket, but Eve said she was handling and breaking OK, so we hoped we’d avoided anything too structural. I sat in the back so Esme could ride up front and after we got going Eve said, ‘You were fantastic back there Esme. I love it when you take control and you seem quite talented at it, first with sex, and now this. Brad’s starting to look surplus to requirements.’

  Before I could answer she carried on, ‘But there is the whole Zombie sense thing, having blood that can save mankind, saving all our lives more than once, bringing us together and leading us, thinking of the base, and that lovely always hard plaything of his.’

  Esme giggled and it was nice to hear something familiar from her, something young and free. ‘Yes, there is that I suppose.’

  Then she bowed her head fractionally and said, ‘You didn’t mind too much did you, me disagreeing with you. It’s led to a pretty high risk plan, and now I’m crapping myself that I might be wrong. How do you cope with the responsibility?’

  I couldn’t help but smile, ‘No it’s fine, and I’ve said it before, I need everyone to chip in and I’m not always going to be right or have the best plan. That’s how I cope with the responsibility, knowing that everyone knows that and having evidence that people will speak up if they disagree. You’re not responsible for what happens at the supermarket, we all are. We have all knowingly agreed with the plan, having heard various options, and we all know the risks. If it goes tits up, no one is going to blame you, of course we’ll all be dead but…’

  Eve intervened, ‘Now Brad, be nice. None of us are going to die today, I won’t allow it. I’m far too fucking horny for us to die today.’

  Then she laughed and said, ‘Did you ever see that film Hacksaw ridge with that religious soldier guy who rescued loads of people from a battlefield that had been taken over by the enemy. He said, ‘just one more’, every time he went back to almost certain death. It’s kinda like that, except it’s just one more night with you two.’

  Esme was the first to lose it and laugh and I wasn’t far behind. Thinking of other famous war film titles I said, ‘Or is it, a supermarket too far?’

  Esme joined in, ‘Or, Bridge over the river Tees. We’ve certainly pulled off The Great Escape a few times.’

  Trying to sound cross but unable to entirely hide a quaff of laughter Eve replied, ‘You know what you two are being right now, Inglorious fucking bastards, but I still want to fuck you both.’

  We had only just composed ourselves by the time we reached the supermarket and even though we hadn’t been gone that long, Ben and the plough had managed to clear one full row of cars so there was a wide lane from the edge of the carpark to the front door. There were still some Zeds hanging around, but they didn’t seem too eager to engage us while we were in the vehicles.

  The first hurdle was smashing through the front of the shop. We wanted to attract any Zeds, and especially any freaks, from inside, so we could try and use the vehicles to deal with them. We knew that even with the noise of the plough smashing into the building, at least some would stay put, but then charge when they saw us on foot.

  We organised the cars ready for a quick escape and because Lulu had two broken windows and had been in the wars, one of the other four by fours took point on trying to kill any Zeds that came after the plough retreated. We hoped the plough would move some of the wreckage it would make far enough into the shop that the other car could drive a short distance into the shop in its attempt to create road kill. We had some concerns the plough might collapse the front of the building, but Ben seemed confident and was willing to take the risk, Izzy by his side as always even though there was barely room in the cab.

  As Ben drove towards the building the mayhem teams got out of their respective cars and onto the roofs of nearby cars to try and attract the Zeds still wandering around the carpark. Nearby Zeds were attracted at the sight of fresh meat but there were enough of us in positions of vantage that they weren’t a problem. I even had time to turn and see Ben hit the front of the store and watch the shattering glass. Apart from flattening the doors and taking out both large plate glass windows either side of them, one or two windows either side of those also shattered. It was quite something to watch. It wasn’t quite glass exploding outwards in thousands of tiny shards like from some explosion in a movie, but it was quite something none the less.

  The building stayed up and Bens beeping reversing was our cue to head inside. The people who had been assigned loading and clean up duty could handle any more carpark Zeds that came too close, and two of them had rifles. One of the cars was carrying a few petrol bombs so each team had one to use as strategically as they could to block an isle and restrict access to the isles we most wanted to be in.

  As Ben cleared the building, his reverse gear painfully slow, we could already see a small horde surging through the hole and some were already climbing onto his cab. The moment there was space the elected four by four accelerated into the gap, its smaller plough hitting the centre of the horde before it too we
nt to reverse out, also collecting a few hitchhikers. Any Zeds outside the building and where we could see them were good, so I was pleased.

  The four teams were quick to follow the vehicles and help clear off the ones attached to them. We let the four by four come to halt from its reverse run before killing the ones that had managed to get and stay on-board. They were so busy just managing to hang on they were easy kills, and we had to mind our toes as the rather enthusiastic driver screeched forwards again before the last Zed fell off. When I looked back at the numbers still coming from the shop, I was glad though.

  A charging Beefcake then thankfully only one Sprinter made things interesting, but Eve was behind us by then and shot the Beefcake allowing us to manage the Sprinter. I think it was Bob out of the hockey guys who baited the Sprinter and let it jump him. Although he didn’t manage to twist and land on top of it, he took the hit well and with others close by it was easy to finish it. Eve shot a few of the more threatening Zeds as we fought outside and seeing there was no loading or clearing to do until we had dealt with the first wave, the others helped as well. Within a few minutes there were only a few stragglers and we headed into the shop.

  Blocking the large isles running along the front and back of the shop that would allow Zeds to access the isles we wanted to be in was the first priority. Esme and I headed left as we entered the shop. The hockey guys were better at crowd control than we were so they headed up two isles towards to the back of the shop to try and block the isle running along the back. They had the most dangerous job and I worried for them, but Esme and I had our own problems.

  As we jogged past a couple of isles, Esme lighting the petrol bomb as we went, we got the attention of at least ten Zeds. Esme hurriedly threw the bomb which exploded well, lighting up the aisle. There were too many and I shouted at Esme, ‘There’s too many.’

  Before she could reply I heard Eve’s voice, ‘Climb onto a shelf and quickly.’ Then there were a couple of shots but none of the Zeds charging us dropped so there must have been even more danger elsewhere, which wasn’t encouraging.

  Supermarket shelves are wide and secure but they still aren’t the easiest things to climb, mainly because they’re crammed full of stuff. There are fridge isles and freezer isles and isles with things hanging rather than shelves, but we found ourselves in an isle of shelves. There was no time to choose and I headed for the nearest one I could get to. The shelves were full of small electrical goods like coffee makers which weren’t too bad. I shoved the boxes off the shelf trying to push them behind me to make it more difficult for the Zeds, then I scrambled up the shelves to the top. Zeds hit the shelf behind me and one grabbed my foot before I could get stood up, but a quick heel in the face shook it off and I was, temporarily at least, safe.

  I took a moment to look at Esme who was undoubtedly more nimble than me. She was also safe and already kicking the contents of the top shelf onto the Zeds she had attracted. The shelves were high and it wasn’t easy to headshot the Zeds so I picked up boxes and started doing the same. Some had a little weight and if the whole situation hadn’t been so dangerous, it might have been fun seeing them reel as a heavy coffee maker box hit them in the face.

  I was just wondering what to do next when Eve’s voice boomed across the space again; she could really project when she needed to, ‘Still too dangerous for the loaders, make some kills, I’m low on ammo.’

  I could see the other teams on their respective shelves, except one of the hockey teams that I think had ended up in a freezer isle. I assumed they were ok or Eve would have called it in. I wasn’t sure how best to get to a level where I could headshot the Zeds underneath me, but Esme solved the problem for me. She got onto all fours on the top of her shelf with her batting arm free and started bashing away. It was a little undignified and it wasn’t an easy position to generate strong hits from, but by the time I had assumed the position she had floored one.

  I followed suit and within a minute we had both thinned out our guests. Eve’s voice boomed again, ‘Keep them busy. Loading crews in, now!’

  I glanced over the store to see two teams doing a trolley dash into the tins isle that was one isle behind us. I thought things were going well but then Eve’s voice came again, ‘We’re out of here in two minutes. Those fires are burning down and we’ll get overrun the moment they do.’

  Esme jumped down into the two Zeds she had left, knocking one over as she did. She had killed them both before I even reached the ground and killed one of mine for me. Without hesitation she ran into the tins isle grabbing some reusable bags from a display by a checkout as she did. I took a moment to appreciate the look of her, the efficiency of her movements, and particularly the curve of her tiny waist.

  In return she glowered at me holding one of the bags open underneath a low shelf the trolley teams had missed, ‘Get a move on!’

  I rushed over and swept the contents of the shelf, tinned fruit that I hated, into the bag. Leaving the bag where it was we moved to another and we were repeating the process when Eve’s voice came again, ‘Times up, run or die, no one’s coming back for you.’

  I grabbed the bag we’d just filled and Esme grabbed the other one. We waited for the two overflowing trolleys to get to us and helped steer them towards the exit. Glancing over my shoulder I saw the horde of Zeds behind the dying fire surge forwards as it went out. Although we had a good lead, we were encumbered to say the least, and far from safe.

  We passed the two hockey teams fighting a retreat down their respective isles, kicking and knocking things off shelves to hinder the approach of the Zeds harrying them. I looked around for Eve and saw her running painfully towards us, at least ten Zeds not far behind her; the situation was verging on becoming a nightmare.

  With all my attention on our tenuous escape and without any room to pay attention to what was happening outside, it scared the shit out of me when the plate windows just behind us exploded and the plough crashed headlong into the shop. How the driver managed to time it so well I don’t know, but it narrowly missed us and careered straight into the main group of Zeds chasing us.

  As we steered the trolleys through the gaping hole where the doors had been there was a loud crunching creaking sound as someone from the carpark grabbed the trolley from me. I turned to see the section of wall and roof above the plough collapse on top of it, and although the beeping sound of it reversing started, the plough didn’t move.

  Ben was quickly at my side, ‘That’s Imran from the people with the hockey guys, he had some HGV experience and I briefly showed him the ploughs controls. There’s no way he can reverse out of there but he might be able to go forwards.’

  I went to step forwards but a hand grabbed my arm to restrain me. I turned to see Eve holding her side and wincing with the effort of holding me, ‘We can’t help him, there must still be at least fifty Zeds in there and more of the roof could collapse at any time. He’s safe in the cab for the time being. He’ll either work it out and get free, or not, but there’s nothing we can do.’

  Someone’s voice cut Eve off and I heard the sound of a trails bike at the same time as the shout, ‘Sprinters, Run!’

  We all whipped our heads around to see the Hybrid on her bike flanked on each side by three Sprinters rapidly approaching from the dual carriage way. She stopped her bike at the low barrier between the road and carpark and not far behind her was a massive horde, a few Beefcakes breaking free from it as we watched.

  The Sprinters launched themselves over the barrier but I didn’t see anything more as Eve and Esme manhandled me towards Lulu. As I bundled into Lulu I glimpsed the chaos as everyone else dashed for their cars. Eve jumped behind the wheel and Esme shoved me into the back then got into the front. I hadn’t shut the door when Eve hit the gas and we were off, vying for position amongst all the other vehicles. I think it was as much luck as judgement that there were no collisions and despite the panic, the drivers of the other cars let the ones with ploughs go first. I thought of Imran stuck in the
tiny cab of the plough covered in raging Zeds trying to get at him and eat him alive; it made me feel sick.

  Eve cornered sharply around the exit road throwing me across the seat and something hit our side as Esme shouted, ‘Get it together, we need you. And put your a fucking seatbelt on.’

  I forced my mind through whatever haze surrounded it, grabbed the seat belt, and watched as the Sprinter that had hit the side of the car bounced off. Unfortunately it was closely followed by another that somehow managed to get its head and one arm through the broken window beside me. Its failing arm knocked Seven out of my hands and I was just about to start elbowing it in the head when there was a single shot and I saw Esme with one of Eve’s guns. Forcing a smile for a moment she handed me the gun then turned back to the front.

  We were lucky the Hybrid had collected it’s horde from further down the estate towards the camping shop, and that the exit road from the supermarket came out at a roundabout a little further up the road. We all made it out before the horde but there was no way back to the base without going miles out of our way.

  Esme’s radio crackled into life and an unfamiliar voice said, ‘He made it out, Imran fucking made it out.’

  I turned to look but we were the second lead car and I couldn’t see. Eve didn’t slow down at all but I wasn’t willing to give up on one of us yet. I said in a tone that didn’t invite argument, ‘Go another mile so we have a few minutes thinking time, then stop.’ Eve nodded and Esme relayed the message on the radio.