October

by Dave Rowlands

  It wasn’t long before another of Viking’s jeeps joined us, driven by Giant, with the rest of my squad riding with her. Scar’s grin made his face horrendous to behold, Maori leaping out to berate me for leaving them behind. Giant silenced them, turning to me with a salute, which I returned.

  “Sir,” She seemed concerned. “We respectfully request to join you. Someone needs to look after your arse, after all…” She glanced not quite in German Doctor’s direction. “Not everybody is necessarily here to help you and your missus.” Wall kept watch on the horizon as she spoke. “Besides, we’ve got word of a pretty sizeable group of Dead to the south-west, figured you could use some backup.”

  I told Giant that refusing their help would be the single stupidest thing I could possibly do. Welcoming them into our little group, we prepared to head out once again. Giant obviously didn’t trust German Doctor, who was keenly aware of the situation. She looked guilty every time she spoke to Criss-Cross, or looked askance at The Kid, both things she spent a great deal of time doing.

  evening

  Wall, Scar and Maori were always on alert, watching for Dead, Ghouls, other Living, any mutated wildlife or anything else that might present a hazard. All of them kept their distance from The Kid and Criss-Cross, almost to the point that we had to have two campfires. As a result, the pair of outcasts began to spend more time together, often whispering to one another with their heads conspiratorially close. German Doctor clearly feared The Kid but braved his presence in order to make another attempt to learn more of Klee-vics culture from Criss-Cross after we ate.

  Apocalypse Girl rested her head on my lap, Dog resting his head on hers, as we spoke of times past, before the world went arse up. German Doctor had once had a family in Munich. They, she assumed, were now long dead. She shed a tear for her four-year-old daughter as she recounted her birthday party, how her husband had baked a cake abominably badly, but that it had tasted wonderful.

  Giant told jokes, most of them incredibly inappropriate, that had us all howling in laughter, apart from Scar, who was keeping watch most diligently. Apocalypse Girl laughed so hard she had to excuse herself, Apocalypse Dog barking as he followed her. They returned a moment later, she with an amused, slightly sad expression on her face, he still barking softly.

  The soldiers kept watch, standing sentry with Criss-Cross skittering silently around the perimeter. They’d get some rest tomorrow on the road. Apocalypse Girl asked me where we were going, I couldn’t really tell her. I hadn’t thought much about it, other than some curiosity as to how Perth was handling the end of the world. That meant traversing a largely empty void of desert that may or may not be swarming with hungry Dead. I remember driving to Perth once, with my family… The Nullarbor was long, hot, dry and fucking boring. It could only be worse now.

  October 5th Year 1 A.Z.

  morning

  I awoke to a strange chittering sound, almost in my ear. Criss-Cross was leaning over me, bending down so that his head was level with mine. Holding me down with one powerful limb, he whispered that he needed to speak with me away from the rest of the humans. I casually nodded, gathering up my katana and quieting the Dog as I carefully stepped over Apocalypse Girl’s softly snoring form. Giant and Scar still held their positions at the edges of the camp in the morning gloom, though I could see Giant beginning to fidget; one of the first signs that she was getting tired. That woman was practically unstoppable.

  German Doctor slept in the jeep, having nodded off while taking notes about something. Probably my new alien friend. The Kid was nowhere evident, though he was easily able to fold up his bulk and hide in the most unlikely places.

  Criss-Cross led me to a large rock behind which sat my young mate, huddled up to appear smaller; no doubt to put me at my ease. His all-too human eyes staring at me from his mutated visage didn’t help. I am ashamed to admit that I actually had to remind myself that he is, and always has been, my friend.

  “Something is coming.” The Kid greeted me. “I can’t tell you what, but there is a massive group of Dead that seem…” He had a very strange expression on his face. “The fuckers seem worried, scared a little bit, even. The Dead are scared of something.” I wondered how that could be, not realising that I’d spoken aloud until The Kid replied. “I don’t know. I’ve never felt any emotion from them before, nothing but hunger. There’s a group heading this way that are running away from something. That’s the only way that I can put it.”

  “This could be the reason that The Rangers have not been contactable. I suggest getting onto the radio and warning your friends on The Elephant.” Criss-Cross’s advice was sound. “I wanted you to hear this from your friend directly. Nobody else would likely believe him.” I was about to call bullshit but realised that the alien was correct; The Kid was too inhuman now, too close to Dead. Apocalypse Girl might listen to him, but the others…

  I thanked him for his advice, receiving a Klee-vics salute in return. “You are my Commander now. It is my duty to advise.” He sounded a little disturbed that he would need to explain this.

  The Kid grinned up at his new mate from beyond the stars. “This isn’t a military gig any more, dude. He’s in charge, sure, but you don’t need to salute anymore.”

  Criss-Cross’s scales ruffled in irritation. “This concept of yours, this ability to change who you are and what you do, this I think is the biggest difference between our species.” The Kid chuckled slightly. “We Klee-vics are born into a role; taught nothing but that role for our child period. I was a soldier before I even hatched.”

  I told him that I’d been a soldier on and off for the last six or seven months. The poor Klee-vics raised his head to the sky and bellowed; it was an unearthly sound that raised the hackles on the back of both my neck and the Dog’s, but when he lowered his face, he wore the Klee-vics equivalent of a smile. “I will adapt. I have no choice. You are my Commander.” With that, we returned to the rest of the group.

  noon

  I took Criss-Cross’s advice, telling Static that I needed to talk to Viking urgently. When he came on the line, I told him what I had heard; something was coming that was driving a horde of Dead before it in fear. He was silent for almost a minute, then; “Fuck. Thanks for the update.” The radio then clicked off. A few minutes later I watched The Elephant move into a more defensible position, the ramp leading to the garage area of the massive lumbering technological beast lowered and pointing in our direction. Viking rode out to meet us, Valkyrie seated behind him.

  I told Giant to get onto Maori and Wall, ordering their return. She looked a little confused at the command but obeyed immediately as I went to confer with my friends.

  I waved Criss-Cross and The Kid over, Apocalypse Girl already greeting Valkyrie with a hug.

  “Do we have an ETA?” The first words out of Viking’s mouth were straight to business. I shook my head.

  The Kid, nervously, piped up. “They’ll be here in two days, three at the most. They’re close and moving faster than they usually do. Not as fast as you could, running, but faster than the Dead you’re used to.” Viking and Valkyrie knew about his particular talents, but that didn’t stop the blonde giant couple from shuddering in unison at the reminder.

  “And you’re sure that they’re running from something?” The Kid just nodded. “That’s good enough for me.” Hideously deformed mutant that he was, he just looked like a shy teenager that has been praised by his idol at that moment. I clapped him on the shoulder, as high as I could reach.

  “We should send out runners to the nearest settlements, just to warn them.” Apocalypse Girl put forward. Viking nodded, waving one of his lieutenants over and issuing the order.

  I suggested building defences that would funnel them around us. Viking laughed and told me that he’s got The Elephant prepared for the sort of numbers of Dead that are coming. Plenty of bullets, plenty of blades. Anything that comes near us is not going to be moving for very long, he assured me.

  I glanced at The K
id, who simply shrugged. Criss-Cross was even less help, with his inscrutable alien-ness. I asked our Klee-vics companion if he had anything that he could share about what was coming, other than the fact that his superiors had deemed the west unsuitable. I wondered aloud if it could be the Mutators; the mysterious extraterrestrial people that were providing the Meat-Beasts that littered the landscape, and genetically altering other creatures to create Drop-bears and Dragons.

  “It is unlikely to be them.” He had nothing more to say. Discussion turned to defence, then, but I resolved to continue my discussion with the Klee-vics later; I felt that he knew something that he wasn’t telling me, though he was not deliberately withholding information. I was his Commander, after all.

  I suggested that we send someone out into the horde, glancing pointedly at the Klee-vics. Criss-Cross understood and immediately volunteered, as his species was not on the list of dietary requirements of the Dead. I asked if he could carry me with him. He appraised my size and bulk and nodded once. Kneeling so that I was more easily able to mount him, Criss-Cross suggested that the sooner we were off, the sooner we would be likely to return.

  evening

  It was a matter of just over an hour on the back of a Klee-vics warrior before the horde was visible. There were so many of them. It seemed as if their numbers stretched out into infinity. Criss-Cross allowed me a moment for the scene to sink in, then he dove towards them. “You wished to know what it is that drives them, yes?” I agreed, though my heart was not really in it. It was located in the vicinity of my throat at that precise moment.

  There were more Dead surrounding me than I had seen in any one place since Melbourne emptied the majority of its shambling former citizenry out into the direction of The Think Tank. Klee-vics blades flashed and I was covered in gore in a moment. Criss-Cross was not trying to thin their numbers; there were way too many for that. He was simply clearing a path through the Dead so that we could see what they were so afraid of.

  These Dead were all fully clothed, or at least most of them were. I surmised that they were likely the inhabitants of the western coast that had died and risen before stepping out for a bite to eat. Then, they were surprised (as much as the Dead can be) by whatever it is behind them.

  As Criss-Cross and I passed through them, I began to feel their dread. I could tell that the Klee-vics warrior beneath me was suffering no effects of this scouting run, and for that I was grateful. The sun, though it had set already by this time, seemed to loom large on the horizon as we charged through the ranks of terrified Dead.

  Suddenly, we were through them. It seemed the reverse of a normal horde; usually you’d find the bulk at the leading edge, ravenous and devouring everyone in sight and the slower ones with limb damage bringing up the rear. This time it was the swifter ones leading that were scattered, with the bulk at the rear of the horde clumped up in a rush to escape.

  Shadows lengthened, lending an eeriness to the already disturbing atmosphere. Fear mounted within me, turning from dread to terror. I gazed at The Flame on the horizon in awe, seeing its majesty, the beauty of the destruction that it wrought. The last thing that I remember is falling from Criss-Cross’s back, a Klee-vics hand catching me. Then I blacked out from the experience.

  October 6th Year 1 A.Z.

  morning

  Apocalypse Girl’s face loomed over me, concern showing in her eye. My mind still felt engulfed in fire, The Flame that awed and terrified me for no discernible reason. Criss-Cross was resting, compound eyes closed and emitting a chittering noise that I soon realised was actually Klee-vics snoring. German Doctor came over to check me for any internal damage that I might have sustained; she declared me free and clear in short order.

  Giant informed me that she’d been in contact with Viking, that his scouts had returned with news that the fleeing horde would strike our position within the next 48 hours but that they were moving too erratically for any more precision at this point. This fit with the ETA that The Kid had given me. I suggested that we begin to prepare to be overwhelmed.

  “We’re probably best up on The Elephant…” Apocalypse Girl sounded vaguely dismayed at her own thought. “But it might also be better if we’ve got a wider firing line. If we can clear a corridor through them as they hit us, the majority might just go around. It depends on how scared they are of this fire.” She sounded sceptical, but a shudder ran through me at the mention of The Flame That Devours. I glanced at The Kid. He knew.

  I nodded my agreement of her plan. We found a rise in the terrain around which the Dead would have to swarm, Giant ordering the squad into action. Maori set up a number of explosive traps whilst Wall and Scar dug some pits and lined them with as much spare sharp bits of metal as Viking could spare. German Doctor took the opportunity to radio The Elephant and ask Viking to send out some of his men to assist in the firing corridor.

  The blonde giant could be seen on the bridge of The Elephant, ordering his subordinates around with a great deal of gesticulation and probably, knowing him, a great deal of swearing and shouting. I could almost hear him, in fact… Then I realised that I was hearing Apocalypse Girl on her phone. She could only be talking to her mother, The Boss of AR-18.

  noon

  “She can’t help us.” Apocalypse Girl kept repeating herself. It was beginning to grate. The Righteous, or what remained of them, had mounted another assault on the gigantic ancient complex that her mother had discovered under Uluru, or Ayer’s Rock. “And we can’t help her.”

  The Kid appeared, almost out of thin air, directly next to me. “We need to talk, my friend.” His too-human looking blue eyes seemed sad. I followed him outside of the camp, nodding at Wall as he stood guard, vigilant against anything approaching us from behind.

  “I have to leave. This Flame that you saw, I’m already starting to shit myself. I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold my shit together if it gets too close. I hope you understand, I really do. And I hope you guys all pull through this.” I told him that he’d always have a place with us and to look for us when it was over. He nodded, but in his soulful gaze I knew that he felt he was looking at me for the final time.

  He then turned without a further word, vanishing into the gloom almost as swiftly as if he’d never existed in the first place.

  I returned to the camp alone. Wall looked mildly surprised at The Kid’s absence, and a little troubled. He shut his eyes for a moment, glanced up at the sky, back to me. A weight had been lifted, and the man smiled. “If we meet our ends today, may we meet them well. It has been an honour serving under you.” He saluted, and I passed him.

  evening

  Static informed me that the leading edge of the approaching horde was several kilometres wide now, as The Flame also appeared. Trepidation filled me as I thanked her and switched the radio off. Viking had brought all the guns in the world, it seemed, so we were not lacking for firepower. Or manpower, for that matter. Over a hundred Mech-Techs called The Elephant home and every last one of them had plenty of experience combatting both the Dead and the Living.

  Criss-Cross seemed a little agitated, sliding his forearm blades in and out of their sheathes repeatedly, emitting a loud snapping each time they returned home. He chittered impatiently. I clapped a hand on him and one of his blades dove for my throat, stopping bare millimetres away from my skin.

  “Apologies. Even among my kind I am a little anxious for battle. I should be out there,” he gestured with a wave at the darkness to the west. The sun had gone down a while ago, yet a faint glow still shone. I hoped that it was the sun, still. “I can do some good against the Dead.”

  I told him that I needed him close, and that I wanted him to make sure of one thing for me; if we are overrun, get Apocalypse Girl out of there. Take her back to AR-18, or to Melbourne. Anywhere as long as it is safe.

  “I will protect her as if she were my own Matriarch,” The Klee-vics warrior solemnly declared. He then realised that he still had his blade at my throat. His scales ruffled in what
I can only assume was embarrassment, and he retracted his blade with a snap. Now that he had orders, he seemed a little less prone to randomly murdering one of us.

  As we lay awake, knowing what was coming in the next couple of days, Apocalypse Girl snuggled into my arms.

  “I heard you, you know. With the Klee-vics.” She sounded angry. “I would’ve wanted us to die together, you know.” She then took my hand, placed it on her stomach. “But just us two. Not all three. Thank you.”

  October 7th Year 1 A.Z.

  morning

  Viking had scouts out through the night, reporting in regularly with updates as to the progress of the approaching horde. Their speed was phenomenal, as they were driven towards us by The Flame. All reports agreed that they’d arrive shortly after dawn. Thinking about that gigantic blaze, I felt trepidation. Apocalypse Girl stroked her rifle as she gazed to the west. The one good thing in this situation, at least we’d have the sun at our backs.

  The closer they drew, the more fear I began to feel. It was like nothing I’d experienced, apart from the other day, seeing The Flame for the first time. Even that first night, in the hotel.

  The first Dead shambled into view, hundreds of them, loping forward in an almost comical fashion, many falling over one another. Snipers began firing from atop The Elephant, though their aim was off; every bullet struck the flesh of the Dead, tearing through several ranks of rotten flesh, but few were actually put down.