by Al K. Line
"No idea. Never thought to ask to be honest," said Joe.
"You never thought to ask?" said Ven, staring at him suspiciously. "How could you not want to know?"
"What? I guess I'm just used to people having nicknames is all. You don't pry, you call people what they want to be called. I respected the skinny muppet that much, even if he didn't know it." Joe was welling up, so coughed and began to try to mop up some of the blood covering him from head to toe. He picked bits of brain and bone out from his hair, brushed ineffectively at his clothing, and stared around him as if realizing what had happened for the first time.
"I need a drink, or two," said Joe exhaustedly. "And a big fat cigar."
"I wouldn't mind one myself," said Kyle. "First time for everything."
"Why not?" said Joe, pulling out two cigars from one of his many pockets. He passed one to Kyle and lit them both up. "Used to be no smoking in here. Don't think anyone will mind now."
Kyle coughed and spluttered, but instantly he felt the relaxing nicotine work some kind of magic. He could get used to this. The smoking, not the death and brutality.
"You still staying here?" asked Ven, sure Joe would now be coming with them.
"Yup, but it will take a bit of cleaning up I would imagine. What with fires to put out, bodies to clear away, and I might even get some peace now," he said, looking at Nopad. "Just joking little guy, I will miss you really, honest."
"I am wondering if there is anything to be having to eat," roared Al, shouting so loud that Tomas started wailing all over again.
Bos Bos began to wag his tail tiredly in agreement with Al.
"Al. Al. Al. Stop shouting," said Kyle placatingly. Waving his arms to get him to take notice.
"What?" he roared. "I can't be doing the hearing. I am not feeling well, food for me before things go too funny." Al's eardrum was burst from the recent fight, he couldn't hear a thing and he began to obsessively try to count the bodies. He needed something to focus on, his energy levels were dropping fast. Frustration was building inside him like a bottle of Champagne ready to pop its cork.
"Bloody hell, that's all we need," said Ven. "Al not being able to hear, gonna be fun, fun, fun on Basil bus." She rolled her eyes, although secretly she was very much looking forward to getting the hell out of this place. Returning to what felt like the safety of their little exclusive home on wheels.
No Smoking
"No smoking on the bus," said Ven. "I'm not having you two stinking out the place with your fancy cigars."
Kyle and Joe rolled their eyes at each other. They were onto their second smokes. Kyle was getting the taste for them. Al was resting, eating and getting some energy back after all the exertion. Bos Bos was sat next to him obediently, seemingly forgetting he had been given plenty of food already. But he was a growing boy and he wouldn't mind some of Al's if he really didn't want it.
Outside, the day was still ferociously warm, the heat off the tarmac bouncing up their legs, making them all extremely uncomfortable in the heavier than normal new clothing. The exertions from the fighting had left everyone totally drained. Decidedly unpleasant smelling sweat was still trickling down Ven's back. The close proximity of Tomas meant she had got hotter than the rest.
Now he was sat on her knee, drinking formula happily, down to just his diaper so he could cool off and get some fresh air on his skin.
The rest of them followed to some degree, not getting quite as back to nature as little Tomas. Ven took off her now not so shiny new designer protective jacket, along with the scarf plus various bits and pieces she had stuffed under it for good measure.
Kyle, Joe and Al all did the same: stripping back to t-shirts, basking in the feeling of air on their skin. Even if it was warm it was degrees cooler than wearing the gore heavy protective gear, and Kyle felt goose bumps raise as the sweat, blood and much worse dried or evaporated under the glare of the summer sun.
He was kind of looking forward to autumn, he wasn't used to being outside in such warm weather.
Kyle eyed Joe's bulging muscles, forged over decades not only in the gym but out in the harsh world of protecting very rich and sometimes dangerous men against those that would do them harm. He was tough, no doubt about that. Kyle was inspired to keep up with more regular exercise so he could long continue to be able to protect his son and his friends.
Ven had an eye on Joe's physique too, but she wasn't thinking about doing any exercise alone that was for certain. The gratitude for survival was playing out in a very physical way, even if being soaked in the gore of the twice dead hardly meant any of them were in a fit state for such physical pursuits, however appealing.
"Well, can't say it has been fun Joe," said Kyle, shaking his hand and puffing the last of his cigar. "You are welcome to come with us dude, you know that. I don't get what there is for you here. With us you have company, a lovely dog to lick your face at night, and just, well... friendship. If you want it." Kyle wasn't used to saying such words, Ven was his only true friend before the last few weeks. Apart from all the virtual ones he used to have. He wondered if any of those from the hacker communities were still alive.
"Thanks Kyle, I appreciate it man. But I'm not good with other people for too long. I am mostly best with my own company. And, um, no offense but you guys are a bunch of right misfits, you do know that, right? But carry on doing what you've been doing, it's obviously working for you lot. Really, I'm just sorry we didn't have longer to chat. I kind of get the feeling you have an interesting story or two to tell. Am I right?"
"What? What he say? Joe is coming with us?" roared Al, between huge bites of sandwich.
"No, Al. He's staying."
"Huh?"
"Okay, I get it Joe, we are kind of an unusual bunch I guess. And yeah, we have a story or two to tell, you really don't want to know though, trust me on that one mate," said Kyle, realizing that they probably weren't the best kinds of people for Joe to be cooped up with all the time. "You gonna be alright cleaning out this place though? It's gonna take ages."
"What else am I going to do, sit on my arse and watch the telly? Well, I can't do that now anyway, can I? Maybe I can listen to Nopad's music, not. Nah, I will be fine you guys, I like to keep busy and although it's gross it will be good to clean away the dead and at least they are out of their misery now. I don't know what I was thinking putting all the infected in that room. Guess I panicked, which is unusual for me. I thought I was doing the right thing, but wasn't — obviously."
They walked towards the bus, Joe gave it the once over appreciatively. As they stowed the gear Bos Bos went over to Joe and allowed him to pat his head, just to be friendly. He was that kind of a gracious dog.
This had been one of the longest days of their lives. Battles had been fought in the past, so far they had always overcome, but nothing had been so physically draining, or as dangerous. Hand to hand combat was something only Al had any real aptitude for, so Ven had thought, meaning she was very surprised how well Kyle and herself had handled the onslaught in the weird building. Not that she wanted a repeat of it any time soon.
Bags of weapons, ammunition, clothing item after item, plus countless other invaluable odds and ends, all were stowed away tidily before they were ready for their final goodbyes. Once again Ven had managed to accumulate a lot of items, unsurprisingly the bus was now getting low on storage space.
How the hell can one woman actually fill a bus? mused Kyle. But that was Ven and there was no changing her.
I can't believe how restrained I was with all the clothes and gear, mused Ven. She surprised herself with how little she had been tempted to take.
Let's just say there was a difference of opinion as to what constituted a lot and leave it at that.
Al said his very loud goodbyes and Bos Bos followed him onto the bus. Kyle and Joe stood around chatting for a while. Mostly waiting for Ven to finish organizing the storage racks how she wanted them.
"What about a shower? You guys need it as much as me you
know." Joe wanted to be polite.
"Thanks Joe but we are going to head off, this was only supposed to be a two hour visit for some gear. We can shower on the move now, plus we found a stunning waterfall earlier too," said Ven. She really wanted to put some distance between themselves and this place, it gave her the damn creeps.
"Suit yourselves, only being sociable."
"We know Joe, and thanks for all the weapons advice. I get the feeling it's going to take some time before we get to grips with it all though," said Ven, bouncing Tomas on her hip.
Kyle looked up at him and was glad to see the little man looked back to normal, waving arms and legs as happy as only innocent children can be. Not a sign that he had been so distraught earlier. Kyle wondered if he really had been showing signs of the botnet infection re-surfacing, or if it was merely a normal extreme stress reaction to what was happening at the time.
"Well, okay then. And thanks for all the help back there, it was kind of intense right?"
"Yeah, just a bit," replied Ven. "Kind of intense Joe, and worrying too."
"How so?"
"The bloody guy in the skirt. The zombie that could talk, and plan, and lead the others. That doesn't worry you? And that he got away? He could be around here still. It worries the hell out of me. You saw him, heard him. He said he had wanted to be welcomed by us. But then realized we were worse than the zombies."
"Well, we aren't. He was wrong. And whatever he is I will face him if he wants. This whole zombie thing is bloody bonkers anyway. There are no set rules for what happens to people outside of books and movies, at least I don't think so anyway. Well, I guess we will find out down the line, won't we? At least I hope so, I don't plan on dying quite yet. Take care guys, I'm off for a very large whiskey and another cigar."
With that, Joe walked back to Sec UK, waving over his shoulder, toting his gun, looking all cool and quite the macho man. Sun glinted off the sweat beading his arms. Ven's belly went taut. She sighed at the sight, but a fog of sadness descended from nowhere. She thought back to her time with her husband Paul, and how it had all ended. Responsibility crushing her again, like it had so many times since his death. The things she had done. The things she had seen since the botnet. Her sister and the sadness she must have felt about losing Mike. More than anything she worried for her child's future. Having to survive in the world his mother had created for him.
Still, she admired Joe's bum one last time, just to prove to herself she could still feel something other than despair. It was nice, firm and very grabbable.
Joe was crushing out the stub of his cigar on the sticky asphalt — under a boot he couldn't wait to take off — when out of nowhere there was a flash of flesh. The naked Alpha zombie streaked out from a mass of tall shrubs and headed straight for Joe at speed. Head low, arms wide, slick with sweat and gore, Alfred was intent on his prey.
"Joe, look out!" screamed Ven.
Joe turned his head to the left to look over his shoulder. The wrong way. The naked attacker came from the right — Joe didn't stand a chance.
He leapt at Joe, a sick and demented smile twisted across his face. Legs and arms wrapped around him as Joe crashed to the floor, the man atop him, knees pinning his arms to the baking surface.
Ven could only stare on aghast. She would never reach him in time. Another one lost to her. After all that had happened today it was a sick twist of fate that would see Joe finally brought down by a lone, naked attacker.
Joe didn't even have time to register the attack before he crashed badly to the sticky ground. He cracked his head and went slightly woozy, coming back around in a split second to find his arms pinned, his chest constricted, heaving for air.
The naked man smiled the smile of the totally insane as a thick bloated tongue, black and rancid, darted out and licked Joe's face from chin to forehead, soft spittle and pus from sores sticking to one eyeball as the mouth slithered upward.
"See you around sexy," whispered Alfred.
And in a flash he was gone. Off Joe and running maniacally. Whooping and dancing away, naked and reveling in the freedom he now accepted was his destiny.
"Well, I guess he likes your bum as well," said Ven wondrously as she arrived at Joe's side, panting. "I didn't see that one coming, that's for sure."
"Um, me neither," said a groggy and astonished Joe. Relief washing over him like a nice cool shower. "As well? Cheeky," smiled Joe.
"Yeah, well..."
"You okay?" asked Kyle, running up to them with Bos Bos tracking for any more deadly face-lickers.
"Fine, fine. Gotta say, normally when stuff like that happens it means the death of you. That was one weird ending to one very weird day." Joe still couldn't believe his luck. Now he definitely needed that drink, a very large one.
"Yep, this world carries on getting weirder and weirder," agreed Kyle. "Right, c'mon. Let's go, you said you would cook us our supper Ven, and we are all bloody starving. Right Bos Bos?"
"Woof, woof."
"See, time to make us something lurvely, down by that river I think, so we can get some of the goop off before we eat."
"Fine, fine. But you do know I am just as tired as you don't you? I had the baby to look after, the zombies to fight, and I don't see why I have to be the..."
Joe watched them chatter away as they headed back to the bus. They sure were a funny bunch of people. And he had the sneaking suspicion that there was a lot more going on with them than they let on. He wondered if he would ever see them again. He doubted it.
Right now all he wanted in the world was his boots off, a drink, a shower and some quiet time. In any order that it came.
Nah.
Drink and a smoke first.
Gotta get your priorities right during armageddon.
Cheat
Kevin thought himself a pretty clever dude. He had survived for so long on his own, avoiding what really were genuine, not made up at all, zombies. He managed to just about cope with finding food and shelter, and he was feeling kind of indestructible today. He was out in the warm weather, trying to get rid of the bone-deep chill that had consumed him for days now. His latest hideaway was deep in the bowels of a half burned out factory. Locked behind multiple doors in the dark and the cold. He could still taste the ash particles at the back of his throat.
He dared not risk a light or any kind of heating, that way he could guarantee as much as possible that he would remain safe and undiscovered. The damp chill had brought him close to breaking down and building a fire, but he resisted, thinking of his survival.
Outside, he turned his face gratefully to the life giving sunshine, soaking it in as slowly his body was made his own again. Time passed hazily, all sense of it forgotten as he slowly became warm and a tinge of happiness — totally missing for weeks — began to filter through him as his senses reveled in the glorious beauty of a warm day in England.
Kevin was wrapped up in clothes he could never have afforded to buy in a decade of working his job. It was little solace when you were all alone in the world and spent most of your time cowering like a rabbit down a hole. It's how he felt most days and nights now — like a scared animal huddled in the dark, waiting for enough courage to venture forth once more. Just trying to survive in the miserable world that was all there was left.
His wife was gone, his unborn baby too, ripped from the belly of the love of his life and eaten before his very eyes. He shuddered violently, the warmth leaving him again. He dare not think more of the past, he knew that madness lay buried near the surface of those dark thoughts.
Back to the solace of the sun, he must be able to get warm with it beating down with such intensity. Never mind all the clothes he was wearing.
Kevin's body was in bad shape, a shivering scrawny wreck of a once proud man. What little fat he used to have on his frame, before the world as he knew it was annihilated, was gone within days. Savage fights for survival, lack of food for days on end combined with sporadic sleep at best and the huge quantities of adrena
line almost constantly pumping through his body, meant he had rapidly pared down to flesh and bone and little else over the weeks.
Cold was his only companion, even on days when the sun wanted to hold his hand. Pulled from his reveries by a sudden bone rattling shudder he found himself unable to resume his peaceful sun soaking, he was back in the present, with all its horrors.
Kevin sat outside the factory he had made his hopefully temporary home. He felt too tired to even stand any longer. Amid buried bits of salvaged furniture and chunks of body half rotten and gnawed by wildlife, he felt more despondent than he had for a long time.
He didn't even notice the stench of putrefying flesh any more. It was just the way the world smelled.
Unknown minutes passed.
Kevin eventually staggered to his feet, warmed through by the sun and feeling somewhat better for it. He took a sip from his flask and felt the liquid hitting his empty stomach like a stick on a taught drum. He unwound the scarf wrapped tight around his neck, carelessly the flask dropped and rolled as he did so.
"Shit, bloody thing."
He walked after it slowly, it wasn't as if it was going to go far.
It banged to a halt next to what was left of a body, man or woman it was hard to tell now. Even after everything he had seen he still felt sick to his stomach looking at the sticky remains of what was once a live human being with thoughts, desires, aspirations and feelings. Now just reduced to a gooey mess on the tarmac — alternately baking and cooling through the days and the unfeasibly long nights.
The body was in tatters. Ragged strips of flesh still visible in places, but mostly just putrefying and alive once again, this time with multiple lives. Insects crawled around, flies buzzed incessantly, and rags stuck to oozing flesh, glued, incapable of escape.
The flask was wedged next to what Kevin assumed was a leg, there was something that looked like the stump of a foot at the end of it so it must be. The thigh was just a writhing mass. Maggots and other insects squirmed over it, consuming the foul green protein and fat. Kevin held his breath and bent to pick up the flask, goop melted onto the tarmac held it in place — he seriously didn't want to touch it.
