Storm of the Dead

by D. P. Sloan

  They stood up and ran as fast as their legs could take them, round the side of the school. As they got nearer and nearer to the main entrance doors, they began to notice that there was no army task force at the entrance and certainly no Lomax to save them and protect them. No Army vehicles.

  “What the Hell?” Katy muttered.

  “Katy,” Rosie began, “Where’s the rest of the help?”

  Katy shook her head, “I don’t know. We all heard Lomax on the radio. He said he would meet us here.

  “Well he did send in his troops!” Cody began.

  “Yeah fat lot of good that done!” Rosie chimed in, “they are probably all dead by now anyway. Those, those things seem stronger than humans.”

  “Look let’s just get out of the school grounds,” Katy told her schoolmates, “we will go to Gregg’s house. He’ll know what to do.”

  “Eh Katy!” Rosie spoke up.

  Katy turned to her friend, “Yeah what?”

  “We better go now,” Rosie said pointing behind Katy.

  Katy turned and looked. Her eyes went wide with fright.

  As pouring out of the main entrance, tumbling out of the smashed windows, were the dead. School pupils, soldiers, teachers and members of the general public – all dead. All coming towards the teenagers.

  “RUN!” Katy yelled, “NOW!!!”

  They all began running, running as fast as they could. Running as if their lives depended on it.

  The dead didn’t walk slowly behind them. They ran and they ran fast.

  The teenagers looked over their shoulders as their feet pounded the pavement.

  They ran and they ran not stopping, not giving in, and not taking a moment to catch their breath. They were running to survive. Running for their lives.

  They got out the school gates and turned left running down Kinfauns drive, running passed the dead bodies, the ripped torsos, and the headless corpses that once were normal humans before this storm carrying the virus turned everything on its head.

  They made it to Gregg’s tenement block and ran up the stairs to his flat. Katy pounded on the door, “Gregg, babe it’s Katy. Let us in.”

  It took Gregg a few moments as Katy heard him move things away from the front door. Then she and her friends heard the clicking of the door locks. The door opened slowly as Gregg peered round the side of the door before opening it fully and ushering them in. He then closed the door, double locked it and then pushed all the furniture back against the door. He then turned and stared at the group in front of him. A sudden whoosh of relief fell over him as he stepped forward and grabbed hold of Katy and gave her a hard hug before kissing her passionately.

  “I thought you were dead babe!” Gregg told her pressing both hands against both sides of her face.

  Katy smiled, “I thought you were too! Ever since the phones went down, I thought I would never see you again.”

  “Is it just you three?” Gregg asked looking at Rosie and Cody then back at Katy.

  Katy nodded, “Yes. The soldiers they came into the school after Mr Roberts spoke to the man in charge a Mr Lomax. They -,”

  She was stopped short by Gregg.

  “Wait. What? How did Roberts speak to the army? I’m confused the army has taken charge of this outbreak! Actually, you know what, it doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen enough movies and played enough games like this to know the army is never far away!”

  “The teachers had a walkie-talkie,” Katy began, “they kept it hidden but I exposed them to the rest of the students. Lee-Ann and Charlene, well we all decided it was time to break out of the assembly hall. It was supposed to be around five of us but Lee-Ann decided it would be best for just her and Charlene to go. Sadly, they didn’t come back or get out. The dead broke through, the soldiers came and this guy Lomax told us to get to the main entrance. We did but the rest didn’t make it but here’s the kicker – there was no Lomax or any other soldier there to meet us, to protect us. There is something strange about it all. But I’ve tried my best to keep from breaking down babe but my dad, he’s……he’s –“

  Gregg grabbed hold of her and held her tightly, “Sssshhh, ssssh, sssh. It’s okay babe. I know what you are going to say.” He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead then tilted her head so he could look her in the eyes, “Whatever is going on here in this town, we will get to the bottom of it. But come on I’ll make you all something to eat.”

  They all went into the kitchen and Katy fetched some plates and cups.

  “There’s not much,” Gregg began, “but under these circumstances I think that’s understandable.”

  “Gregg,” Rosie began.

  Gregg turned, “Yeah?”

  “What’s going on,” Rosie continued, “I mean what really is going on? We heard that a virus was released into the atmosphere mixing with the rain causing what is happening now.”

  “I don’t know personally,” Gregg began, “but once we are finished here, I think we should just take our chances and leave here and get out of this town.”

  “Aren’t we safer in doors?” Cody.

  Katy took a bite out of her sandwich then answered her friend, “Look what happened in the school Cody? We weren’t safe in there and I’m with Gregg, as long as we have weapons of any sort, we can make a run for it and get out of this town.”

  Cody smiled, “As long as we have weapons.”

  Gregg reassured him with a hand on his shoulder.

  CHAPTER 19

  DECEMBER 11TH – 0531HRS

  Michaels pulled the car up to the side of the road just on the outskirts of Drumchapel. About five hundred feet away from the turning onto Kinfauns Drive.

  “Dad why are we stopping?” Mads asked.

  “Well,” Michaels began, “we aren’t going into Drumchapel that’s for sure. Look.”

  They all looked out of the car windows at the huge metal structure that stretched right round the perimeter of Drumchapel. From Spey Road all the way round Old Drumchapel Road and down through the grassy playing fields right through the Bluebell woods cutting off any entrances at the top of the forest and then all the way down to Drumry roundabout cutting Great Western Road in half. It walled in Drumchapel tightly not letting anybody or anything out and certainly not letting anyone in.

  “Guess we just head to the airport then honey?” Michelle asked.

  Michaels shook his head, “No babe sorry. I promised to myself I would speak to Maria’s family and I will do that so we get in some other way.”

  “Honey,” Michelle began, “be serious, it looks like they’ve done this for a very good reason.”

  “Yeah, ‘they,’ being the right word!” Michaels began, “this isn’t some little virus outbreak. This is big very big. That’s the army that’s securing Drumchapel. Did you notice on our way here apart from the destruction all over the city, there were no zombie roaming the roads leading here! I think they are inside.”

  “What?” Michelle.

  “I think the dead are inside and possibly along with survivors,” Michaels replied, “I think the army and probably even the Government know what’s going on!”

  Michelle looked at him, “I can see what you mean babe. But really? The Army and Government know what is going on? The Army and Government are helping us. Protecting us from these…..these zombies. I think -.”

  Michaels cut her off, “Protecting us? Really? How much death and destruction have we all seen since this outbreak began? Too much! And where were our Army and our Government when this took hold? When innocent people were being -,” he paused. Took a deep breath and then continued, “They were being eaten alive. Eaten alive Michelle. This isn’t some movie where we find out that the guys at the top have a cure and will save the day. There is just something weird about this. Drumchapel is shut off from the rest of the city. No dead wandering outside this town. I mean for God sake there is barbed wire at the top of the fencing Michelle! Barbed wire. No one is getting out of there. But I’m getting in there. Even if there is
one slight hope that Maria’s family is safe and well and not dead. Then I’m getting in there to tell them about her.”

  Michelle shook her head, “Honey I’m not going in there and I don’t think the kids should go in too.”

  Michaels nodded, “I understand babe, I truly do. But if you do stay on this side of the wall then I need you to hide.”

  Michelle nodded.

  “When I go in there,” Michaels began, “I won’t be able to contact any of you when inside. So, let’s agree on a place to meet up and once I am back out we will meet there, okay?”

  Michelle nodded, “Okay. So where will we meet?”

  For a few minutes Michaels sat silent thinking where they could meet up. Then it came to him, “Stanley Street. There is an abandoned building there called the Gray Dunn biscuit company. Been shut for years now, it’s about a twenty-minute drive from here if you turn around and head over the switchback road. As soon as I see Maria’s family and I hope to God they are still alive. I will try and get them out. But if I can’t, I will get out myself and I’ll meet you all there okay?” He leaned over and gave his wife a long lingering kiss.

  In unison both Maddie and Max said, “Yuck get a room you too!”

  Michaels and Michelle both laughed before parting ways.

  I’ll see you soon. I love you all,” Michaels told them all before closing the drivers’ door over and stepping back onto the kerb. He watched as his wife climbed over into the drivers’ seat, smiled at him and then turned the car round and headed towards the meeting point in Stanley Street.

  Michaels watched as the disappeared into the distance and then he scanned the barricaded area of Drumchapel. From Spey Road, all the way through the trees, cutting off Canniesburn road from Drumchapel road. A huge ring of steel with barbed wire on top. Michaels started thinking, thinking of how to get in to Drumchapel unnoticed; he looked across the road and saw the school, Colquhoun primary. On its left was a football pitch with a simple low fence to keep cars out only.

  He smiled to himself and crossed the once busy road making sure that the guards at the main gate didn’t see him, He climbed over the small white steel fence and walked the length of the pitch checking each segment of the metal fence, noticing that this section of the fence was different from the rest, it was more of a chain link fence. But still covered in barbed wire.

  He walked back and forth studying the fence, occasionally touching it, looking for a break in the chain. Then there right at the base of the fence was his entry point, a cut just above the ground. He bent down and began to bend the fence upwards, making a space for himself to entry Drumchapel. He crawled through and stood up, looking around him. The death and destruction that was on the outside of Drumchapel was also inside Drumchapel.

  Bodies lay strewn across the place as soldiers guarded the fence. Patrolling up and down, checking the perimeter, watching for any sort of movement – living or dead.

  Michaels kept to the shadows so he wouldn’t be seen and made his way through the trees and down towards Kinfauns drive. He pulled out Maria’s payslip and looked at the address:

  Flat 2/1

  48 CLOAN AVENUE

  DRUMCHAPEL

  GLASGOW

  G15 6AB

  Michaels looked up and across Kinfauns drive and saw the sign for Cloan Avenue. He breathed deeply and began making his way over the road still making sure that the soldiers weren’t watching him. He ran across the road still sticking to the shadows and made his way up Cloan Avenue towards Maria’s house.

  Then he saw them, shuffling towards him down the street, at least twenty of them. Michaels began running looking on the left at the close numbers. Forty, forty-two, forty-four, forty-six, forty-eight. He dived up the stairs two at a time and into the close of Maria’s house. He heard the dead groan louder as they got to the foot of the stairs. Michaels stood up and watched as the dead climbed the stairs.

  “Aw fuck this!” he cried as he turned and took the landing stairs two at a time, then he heard it – gun fire from outside the tenement block, he turned and looked down the stairs and saw the camouflage uniforms of the soldiers storming the dead, shooting them left, right and centre.

  “Aim for the head! Boss says any that run we kill. We keep the dead contained!”

  Michaels listened to the soldiers, in between the bullets firing into the skulls of the dead. But as he stood up, he lost his balance and fell against the cold concrete wall causing a slapping noise as his hands hit against it.

  “Did you hear that?”

  “Nope. I’m too busy killing dead people. Ha-ha!”

  “There’s someone up there!”

  “Well here’s hoping it’s my ex-wife!”

  “Well let’s find out.”

  Michaels listened as he heard the heavy-duty boots hit the concrete floor heading up to meet him. He stood up and began moving up another flight of stairs.

  “Here if it is your ex-wife, can I have dibs on blowing her kneecaps off?”

  “Ha-ha! No problem, I’m blowing her brains out – well I’ll have to find them first!”

  Closer. Closer and closer. Michaels edged up more stairs until he was standing outside flat 2/1 – Marie’s house!

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out Marie’s front door keys. He fumbled for the lock, turned the key and pushed the door open.

  Thud. Thud. Thud. The heavy boots ascended the stairs.

  Closer. Closer. Closer.

  Michaels entered Marie’s house and closed the front door over quietly just as the camouflage uniforms came around the corner. He breathed a sigh of relief but knew he wasn’t safe yet. He backed away from the door making sure he didn’t make any noise.

  “In there. I can guarantee there is someone in that house!”

  “Ready to play knock knock?”

  “Ready as always!”

  Michaels knew they were about to kick the door in. So, turned and started looking for a place to hide.

  “One, two, three. Knock, knock!” the two soldiers shouted in unison before kicking the door open.

  Michaels opened up a cupboard in the main bedroom and slid inside closing the door over quietly.

  “Hello this is the army. Is there anybody in here? If so make some noise.”

  “We have been ordered to shoot to kill. Come out come out wherever you are!”

  “What you saying that for?”

  “What?”

  “We’ve been ordered to shoot to kill. Why would you say that?”

  “To warn them before we blow off the top of their heads.”

  “Ahhh good point.”

  Michaels held his breath as he heard the soldiers make their way through the flat.

  “Hello. If you are in here make yourself known. If you are my ex-wife, please come out so I can put a bullet in your head.”

  “You’re fucking nuts!”

  “Some call me a psycho. But fucking nuts will do!”

  Michaels continued to listen as the soldiers went from room to room searching for the intruder, searching for him.

  “Last room. Listen we know someone is in here. Make yourself known to us, unless you’re a dead fuck then – well stay still so we can pulverise your head.”

  “Oh, I like that! Pulverise, such a great word.”

  “I know right!”

  They entered the room he was in and he watched through the gap in the cupboard door.

  “Are you behind the curtains?” The other soldier said as he pulled back the curtains. “Nope.”

  Both soldiers looked at each other, smiled and pointed to the bed.

  “Are you under the bed?” One of the soldiers said ducking down to have a look.

  Just as he got down on all fours and the other soldier was standing guard over him, a creak of floorboards came from behind them.

  The guarding soldier turned around, “Gotcha!” but as he turned, a middle-aged woman came shuffling towards him, before he could lift and aim his gun, she was on top of him, scratchin
g, biting, clawing at his skin. The other soldier began to get up off his knees but was forced back down again as a man knelt on his back. Pushing him back down.

  Screams echoed loud as Michaels looked on, watching the soldiers get mauled to death, get eaten alive. He couldn’t watch any longer, he pushed open the door and raced to the two soldiers, too try and save them. He picked up one of the guns, pointed it at the woman that was eaten the soldiers face and as she bent down to tear more flesh off his cheekbone, he fired the gun causing the bullet to fly through the air and enter the back of the woman’s skull causing bone and head meat to spray everywhere. The soldier below her was screaming in pain, followed by his partner who was still being attacked by one of the dead. Michaels cocked the gun again, turned to the dead man, pointed the gun directly at the dead man’s temple and fired.

  The head exploded sending blood and bone all over the soldier. The soldier below the dead man screamed in pain and started coughing as the dead man’s fluids entered his mouth. Michaels lowered the shotgun and looked at the soldiers.

  “Please, please help us,” the soldier with no face stuttered as he pushed the dead woman off of him so he could try and sit up.

  The other soldier that had been attacking by the dead man, tried to hold a tear in his stomach closed as the dead man tore it open to get to the organs inside. “Please mate, help us.”

  Michaels shook his head from side to side, muttering under his breath. He cocked the gun, aimed it at the soldier with no face, “I’m sorry but you are going to become one of them.” He pulled the trigger and blew a hole in the soldiers’ face.

  The other soldier screamed loud as he watched his partners’ face explode, “What the fuck are you doing!?!”

  Michaels cocked the gun again, “It’s in your system, the virus. It’s in their blood. I’m sorry.” He raised the gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew directly into the soldiers’ mouth, shattering the jaw and then entering the brain.

  Michaels sighed a sigh of relief. He then started looking around the rooms. He knew he was in Maria’s house but wondered who were the man and woman.

  He looked about for identification and found it eventually in a top drawer in the living room with household bills and passports. It turned out it was Maria’s mum and dad that attacked and literally killed the soldiers.