Dead End

by Monroe, Kady

  Sophie’s mum was now staring at her phone as she held it a little way away from herself and moved it around in the air. Sophie returned with a white fluffy dressing gown and helped her mum put it on.

  “There’s no signal Mum, you might as well give up.”

  “She’s telling you the truth,” Jenny said.

  When the woman ignored them both, Sophie grabbed the phone out of her mother’s hand and threw it on the bed.

  “Hey!” her mother exclaimed in surprise as Sophie went to the window and pulled the blinds open,

  “Look at the street Mum, go on look!”

  It was obvious the woman wasn’t used to this behaviour from her daughter and seemed stuck for words.

  “Go on, look,” Sophie shouted.

  “Shh,” Jenny said, crossing the room and pulling Sophie gently aside. She let the blinds fall back into place before taking a quick glance down at the street. Nothing was moving, yet.

  “Sorry,” Sophie muttered, “I wasn’t thinking.”

  “It’s alright, we’ll just have to keep an eye out to see if anyone heard.”

  Jenny turned to the woman,

  “You should take a look. I’m not sure how you missed it all.”

  “She takes sleeping pills,” Sophie said.

  “Sophie! Don’t talk about private things,” her mother admonished.

  The teenager sighed,

  “Just look out the window Mum, please.”

  The woman looked at Jenny with uncertainty, then flustered, she finally moved to the window, saying,

  “Ok, fine, but if this is a joke...”

  She parted the blinds a little and viewed her street. When she turned back she said,

  “It’s messy, but it was bonfire night last night. And believe you me, I will be complaining to the housing committee about the state the road was left in.”

  “Mum!” Sophie interrupted, “look,” she said, going to the bedside lamp and clicking the useless switch on and off.

  “No electricity, no phone, no TV or radio broadcasts, no police, no anything anymore.”

  Then she burst into tears again, only this time, instead of her mum, she turned to Jenny for a comforting hug.

  Jenny looked at Matt who was standing stony-faced by the door.

  “I think this will take a while,” he said tiredly. “If it’s clear outside, I’m going to get Jack and bring the van into the drive.”

  “What if it’s not clear?” Jenny asked.

  “Then I’ll do what we did before, drive around for a bit, lead them away, then come back here.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Sophie sniffed.

  “No, it’s alright. I’ve got a good idea of the area now,” Matt replied, then headed for the stairs.

  “Jack?” Sophie’s mum asked, “is that the boy you’ve been hanging around with Sophie?”

  The girl didn’t answer, so Jenny nodded her painful head,

  “He’s injured, twisted his ankle when we escaped the shop, that’s why he’s still out in the van. We didn’t know what we would find when we came in here.”

  “What do you mean? Find here?”

  “Jack’s street has been overrun,” Jenny said, and was about to continue when Sophie detached herself from the hug and intervened,

  “His mum is missing and his dad is dead... but not dead...” she sniffed again, “I liked Mr Rowan, he was a nice man, and Jack saw him like that... dead... a zombie.”

  Her mum was staring at her.

  “I thought when we got here, when I saw the street and knew they’d been here... I thought you might be dead or missing too.”

  “Don’t be silly,” her mother said, bewildered.

  Sophie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “Forget it,” she said, “when you see them for yourself, then you’ll understand what we’ve been through.”

  With that she huffed and went out the door, muttering,

  “I’m going downstairs to wait for Jack and Matt.

  Jenny was left alone with Sophie’s mum. An awkward silence ensued for a few moments, then Jenny said, going to the window, peering out and seeing that Matt was backing the van into the drive,

  “I hope you don’t mind if we stay here for a little while. We’re all tired and hungry, and it will give you and Sophie time to decide what you’re going to do.”

  “Do about what?”

  Jenny sighed, “Is it Ok if we stay for a little while, or not?”

  “I’d rather you didn’t. Just look at the way Sophie’s been behaving under your influence. I think you’ve caused enough trouble here already, so I would prefer that you go take your nonsense elsewhere and don’t come near my daughter again, or I will report you.”

  Wearily, Jenny said,

  “Fine,” and started out of the room, then stopped and turned on the woman.

  “I’m going to ask Sophie if she wants to come with us,”

  “Oh no you’re not. How dare you!”

  Jenny put a hand up in front of the woman’s face and didn’t let her continue,

  “If she says no, then fine, she stays, but then Jack will want to stay as well. So you better go put on some warm clothes because you’ll need them when it comes time to run.”

  The woman went to speak again. Jenny moved right up to her face, invading her personal space,

  “But if Sophie says she wants to go with us, then I won’t object because I want her to survive, I want all of us to survive, including you.”

  “I.. I... I’ve heard enough, get OUT of my house, and you leave my Sophie alone.”

  Jenny took a deep breath.

  “I can understand why you think this is all nuts,” she said. “If someone came to my house with this story, I wouldn’t believe them either. But can’t you see how scared Sophie is? Do you really believe if this was a joke she could pretend to be so upset about it?”

  The woman was silent.

  Jenny turned around, heading for the door. Before she stepped through into the hall, she stopped and took a moment to get herself back together. Her heart was pounding. Confrontation was not her thing. Downstairs, Jenny heard the front door open and close again. She could feel Sophie’s mum’s eyes boring into her back. She took another deep breath, then added,

  “I meant what I said about putting on some warm clothes. There’s no heating anymore.”

  Then she closed the door behind her and hurried to the others.

  Matt had his arm around Jack’s waist, helping him across the hall to a room on the left. He stopped to ask her,

  “Everything Ok?”

  Jenny shook her head.

  “Why? What’s wrong?” he asked, depositing Jack in an uncomfortable looking chair, next to a small glass table, between the doors on the left-hand side of the hall.

  Jenny heard the door upstairs opening and the hurried steps that brought the woman to the top of the stairs. She stood there looking down.

  “Don’t you dare,” she said furiously to Jenny.

  “Don’t what?” Sophie asked.

  Jenny held the woman’s gaze, not backing down.

  “What’s going on?” Sophie questioned again, looking back and forward between the two women, “Mum?”

  Her mother tore her gaze from Jenny and said,

  “I’ve told her to leave. Jack can stay, I can see he’s hurt, so we’ll drive him to the hospital if we can’t phone an ambulance. But, the other two have to go.”

  “Hospital,” Sophie said. “Back near the centre of town.” She looked at Jack,

  “What do you think Jack? Should we go back there?”

  Jack looked at her with puffy eyes, then replied, “No thanks.”

  Sophie looked up to her mum, “What is it that Jenny’s not supposed to do?”

  Her mum stared at Jenny again, “I told her to go and never to bother us again. She’s not to dare ever coming back. I don’t want you hanging out with these people Sophie.”

  Sophie turned her head and as
ked, “Jenny?”

  Jenny looked the girl in the eye, “She doesn’t want me to tell you I said you and Jack are both welcome to come with Matt and me.”

  “Oh,” Sophie replied.

  “Your mum’s welcome to come with us too. But if you choose to stay, then that’s Ok. You know the risks, and sooner or later she’ll see them too. And who knows, this house is secure for the moment, maybe you would be safer here.”

  “Uh-huh,” Jack said, without raising his head, “I vote we go.”

  “Mind your own business,” the woman spat at him, “You can go if you like. But as for Sophie and me, that’s nothing to do with you. So keep your opinions to yourself.”

  Matt spoke up, tugging on Jenny’s coat-sleeve,

  “Maybe we should go wait in the van for a little while, give them some time to think things through.”

  “There’s nothing to think about,” Sophie’s mum said, “So you don’t need to wait around, you can be on your way.”

  Sophie ignored her mum and turned to Jenny,

  “You’re wrong,” she said, “without you and Matt with us, then we won’t be safe. Jack’s hurt, and neither of us can drive anyway, so we’d have to rely on her.”

  She looked back over her shoulder at her mum, then continued,

  “If we come under attack while she’s doped up on sleeping pills, then we’ll be either infected or dead.”

  “Sophie!” exclaimed her mother.

  “Yup,” Jack said, “we need to stick together now. Look after each other.”

  This time, Sophie’s mum said nothing. She stood there, annoyed, because she knew she wasn’t winning this argument.

  Sophie brought her gaze back to Jenny, and then Matt.

  “When you leave, I’m going with you.”

  “You are not, Sophie.”

  “I turned eighteen last month Mum, remember? I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”

  Furious again, Sophie’s mum pointed at Jenny,

  “This is all your fault,” and with that she rushed down the stairs, saying,

  “I’m calling the police,” and made her way across the hall to another room.

  Everyone let her get on with it.

  Matt went into the room on his right and checked the window.

  “Still quiet,” he told the others. “I’m gonna step outside for a smoke.”

  “Be careful,” Jenny said.

  He nodded and went out the front door.

  “When will we leave?” Sophie asked Jenny.

  Jenny shrugged,

  “I don’t know. We could all do with some rest, but it depends on what Matt wants to do.” she paused, looking at the doorway the woman had gone through,

  “Plus, we need to get your mum on board.”

  “Good luck with that,” Sophie said, then walked off, “I’m going to see what we have to eat in the kitchen. I’m starving.”

  CHAPTER 9

  Jack and Jenny waited for Matt to come back. Jenny kept an eye out for his return and made sure the door lock was engaged before they headed into the kitchen to join Sophie.

  Sophie’s mum was still in the other room trying to make phone calls on the landline. Jenny was sure, when the woman came back out, that she would have something to say about them still being in her house.

  In the kitchen, Sophie was boiling pots of water.

  “The gas cooker is still working,” she announced happily, “we can have some hot food and drinks.”

  Jenny’s stomach rumbled.

  “That’s great,” she replied.

  Sophie pulled out a tray from under the grill, filled with golden slices of toast. She gingerly put the hot bread onto a dinner plate and plonked it down on the breakfast bar. Side-plates, cutlery, butter and condiments already waited.

  “Help yourselves,” she said with a bright smile, returning to the cooker and placed more slices of bread under the grill.

  Jenny went to help her.

  “I’ll get mugs for drinks,” Sophie told her, “and there’s eggs in the fridge, but I’m not good at making scrambled eggs, so maybe you could do that?”

  “Sure,” Jenny agreed.

  The guys were already helping themselves to toast and choosing which spread to have.

  “Next time we get an opportunity like this,” Jenny said, “you two are cooking and Sophie and me will get waited on.”

  Matt looked a little guilty, and Jack mumbled through his first mouthful of toast,

  “Uh-huh, Ok.”

  She smiled and went back to work on the eggs.

  More toast was ready. Sophie poured boiling water from the pot into mugs she had placed in the sink to save herself from being scalded or spilling water all over the place. As she did that, her mum joined them in the kitchen. Sophie noted the arrival.

  “You didn’t get through to anyone, did you,” she stated.

  The woman remained quiet, but Jenny deduced she was reluctantly starting to see that something was wrong.

  Jenny was nearly done with the eggs, and Sophie was placing the filled mugs up on the counter for people to add whatever they wanted into the water. She had put out the coffee, tea-bags, sugar and a plastic bottle of milk.

  Matt looked at Sophie’s mum and asked,

  “Do you mind if I try the phone? I need to see if I can contact my dad.”

  For a moment, a flash of anger swept over her face, but she relented and replied with a sigh,

  “Fine, go ahead.”

  Sophie decided to make peace, and said to her mum,

  “Come on, sit down. I’ll make you a coffee.”

  Grudgingly, the woman gave in and sat next to Jack.

  While Sophie sorted her mum out, Jenny divided the eggs between five plates and put one under the cooling grill compartment to keep warm for Matt. She served the rest to the breakfast bar and was pleased when she got a quiet “thank you,” from Sophie’s mum.

  Matt returned about five minutes later, looking glum.

  “No luck?” Jenny asked.

  He shook his head.

  “Where does your father live?” Sophie’s mum asked.

  “Harrow Bay. Up north, on the west coast.”

  Jenny finished her breakfast, and got up, telling Matt to take a seat while she fetched the eggs for him. When she had delivered the plate, Sophie’s mum asked her,

  “Who are you two anyway?”

  “I’m Jenny and he’s Matt,” she replied.

  “Hmm, and you knew Jack and my Sophie before this?”

  “No,” Jenny replied, “we only just met when everything kicked off.”

  “But you and Matt knew each other?”

  “No, well, only by sight maybe. He was in the shop where I was working last night.”

  “The shop Sophie said you all escaped from?”

  “Yes. That’s right,” Jenny said.

  “I’m Maggie,” she said, and without further comment, got up, taking her coffee cup and headed out of the kitchen.

  Well, at least she’s not still insisting we go, Jenny thought, watching Maggie leave.

  Jenny boiled more water to do the breakfast dishes and was pouring it into the sink when Matt said,

  “I’ll do that.”

  “It’s Ok, I’ll do them,” she paused, then added,

  “Since it looks like we’re staying for a while, why don’t you get some rest.”

  “I’m fine,”

  “Matt, you’re our driver; and you look exhausted. No pressure, but we need you to be alert when we leave.”

  He sighed, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  His eyes moved to her temple,

  “How’s your head?”

  “Tender.”

  “You should take your own advice and rest up too.”

  “I will,” then added,

  “Are you alright about staying here for the moment? It seems secure. But I understand if you want to get going once you’ve rested.”

  “Well, providing Maggie doesn’t throw u
s out, then it might be an idea to stay here tonight, go in the morning. Jack needs to rest his foot up too.”

  Jack replied, “I’m alright, ready when you are mate.”

  “I won’t let my Mum chuck you out. And I’d rather stay here for now,” Sophie said, “we can spend some time today gathering up some stuff to take with us. That van’s floor isn’t exactly comfortable.”

  “Yeah, Ok,” Matt replied, “It’s settled then, we go tomorrow morning.”

  “Good,” Sophie replied, “I’ll get the spare bedding for you to use, so don’t go upstairs and upset my Mum. There’s a cloakroom off the hall if you need the loo or want to clean up.”

  Everyone nodded their agreement.

  Satisfied, the young woman left to complete her task. Matt helped Jack to the front room as Jenny got on with the washing-up. When she completed her chore, Jenny went into the small cloakroom. It wasn’t much bigger than the toilet back at the shop. She used the facilities and cleaned herself up. The water from the tap was freezing, but with the aid of the provided soap, she managed to rid herself of the dirt on her face and hands. For the first time, she could view the bump on her temple. It was fairly bruised, but as she suspected, the skin wasn’t broken. She noted her reflection showed that she looked as tired as Matt. She needed to sleep, so she joined the others.

  Jenny entered the room and noticed someone had closed the blinds. She went to them and took a quick peek out the window. Thankfully, she couldn’t see anyone wandering about.

  There were two sofas in the room. Jack sprawled across one of them. Matt saw her eyeing the second sofa and said,

  “You can have this one if you like, or there’s two more in the back room.”

  Jenny thought about it,

  “I’ll take one in the other room,” then joked, “I wouldn’t want to wake you two boys with my snoring.”

  Matt’s face twitched into what might have been a smile, while Jack replied sleepily,

  “Nah, I wouldn’t want that either. Night folks.”