The Abandoned Trilogy (Book 1): Twice Dead (Contagion)

by Suchitra Chatterjee

  We found we could identify the Sentinels as we now called them. They walked slightly apart from the mass, how they had taken on this status, we had not yet worked out, but they were, we all agreed leaders of this dreadful walking Twice Dead contagion. It was Seb who pointed out that the Sentinels chose who was to be cannibalized.

  There were no spoken words, but all of us in the Home, other than Percy and Gabe knew Adapted Makaton, and Seb noticed that each Sentinel would slightly move their hand at an angle and small clusters of Twice Dead would turn on a particular person in that group to rip apart.

  We went over this gruesome footage as Phoenix recorded it and we started to notice other small things. Those who were cannibalised were usually the very old, or the very young. We had talked about the Twice Dead who had been sick, dying, elderly or disabled before the pathogen was released, and worked out that whatever the Pathogen was, it reanimated them in the same way.

  And it was these Twice Dead who were the food of choice for the other Twice Dead, but I suspected they preferred their food with a pulse.

  “It’s selective feeding,” Mitch had said recently then he said under his breath, but ensuring he wasn’t looking at me at the time, “And they still leave behind dentures and slippers.”

  I pretended not to hear his last comment, but my lips twitched as I had stared at the footage, “They aren’t as mindless as they appear,” I commented and refrained from adding, “And they aren’t toothless either.”

  With Mitch in town, Seb was working yet again on Lewis in the garage. Eden and Jasmine were outside getting the sun, whilst playing Connect 4 on the bench they were sitting on.

  Cassidy and Stevie had the dogs to look after, Adag was making lunch and after speaking to Phoenix and Paul, I put on my jacket and took a walk.

  Most of the soldiers were on foot patrol in the grounds, Captain Lacks-Renton was drilling four soldiers near to the woods and I had no idea where Wolf was. I had a longing to be away from everyone, even if it was for just for a while. I moved slowly to where the water well was and then slowly up the foot worn path to the summerhouse.

  There was a couple of chairs outside of it and I sat down on one of them and surveyed the land before me, the glimpse of the Home between the swaying trees, the low sound of water rumbling beneath the earth.

  If I closed my eyes, I could pretend just for a moment that the world was the same, not a brilliant place at the best of times, but a place where everyone’s life was the same as it was before.

  Where Seb had rows with the system about his ‘internment’, and Stevie got to see his mum and Dad, even if his sister was ashamed of him, for Paul to be with his family before he died, for Eden to know her parents did love her even if they did neglect her at times, for Phoenix to be able to perhaps eat with the residents once a week however difficult it was for him, for Mitch to harang management for a new coach for the Home, and Adag to see her daughter at least once a month and finally for Cassidy to be valued for what he was capable of, not judged by his meltdowns and constant hunger.

  And what about me? To be able to sit here, outside the summerhouse, with a sketch book in hand and the sun behind me with my earphones in my ears as I listened to my favourite music.

  Ordinary lives, ordinary things, but all those things were gone, wiped out and replaced with something else that didn’t include us, or anyone who wasn’t chosen to live. Anger burned inside of me. Who gave anyone the right to choose who lived and died? As terrible as the contagion was, part of me had a secret feeling of satisfaction. Those who sought our destruction just might possibly have included themselves into the mix.

  My thoughts were eventually interrupted by my name being shouted. I sat where I was, not wanting to leave the solitude of the summerhouse. Eventually though someone came looking for me. Duke. Great. Couldn’t someone else have been sent? Like Satan? Or a horde of Twice Dead?

  “The Colonel wants everyone in sight of the building,” Duke said.

  I got up from my chair, my leg was wobbly and I stumbled slightly, struggling to gain my balance. Duke didn’t put his hand out to steady me. I didn't expect him too, and he didn't disappoint.

  We walked slowly back to the home. I had no intention of speaking to Duke but he was apparently in the mood to talk.

  “You’re lucky I didn’t shoot you the other day,” he said conversationally.

  I said nothing, “You can’t protect him forever you know.”

  “Protect who?” I didn’t look at him then his fingers were griping my elbow tightly, forcing me to stop walking. I opened my mouth to swear at him but before I could do that he said.

  “Don’t play the idiot with me Lucy, or I will really hurt him.”

  “Why did you hurt him in the first place?” as much I hated talking to Duke, I needed to know, “You weren’t included in that pack run, whatever that is so why hurt him?”

  Duke smiled, “I know you like to sit outside each night, near the kitchen, I wondered what you would do if you found him there, how you would react, you surprised me.”

  My stomach flipped in shock. Duke had given Private Salter that vicious beating as a test. A test for me. Shit!

  “You’re not like them,” Duke said.

  I frowned, “Not like who?” I didn’t want to talk to him, but I couldn’t help myself.

  “The others,” it took me a second or two to get what he was intimating.

  “I am totally like them,” I spat, but he just smiled that awful smile of his.

  “No, you’re not,” he replied, “You choose to be like them, but you aren’t.”

  “You don’t know me at all,” I hissed.

  “You’d be surprised at what I do know about you,” he said.

  “Leave Private Salter alone,” I said.

  “Or what?”

  “Just leave him alone Duke, you’ve made your point I think.”

  “Perhaps,” he said and he let go of my elbow and he moved off. I followed him, wanting to take the Glock out of my bag and shoot him in the head. I didn’t though, but it was a nice thought.

  I went and joined Cassidy and Stevie with the dogs whilst we waited for the trucks and Mitch to return from town, not sure what to make of Duke’s words and worried about Private Salter and what else I could do to protect him from Duke.

  New World Succession - (NWS) a new or alternative global, social, political organization, system in which certain nations cooperate with each other rather than foster conflict. Each member group, all continent based, is designated under a letter from the Greek alphabet. Not every country is a member of the New Age Succession but all the countries in the Succession follow a certain ethos and rules. Those chosen to survive the release pathogen are called the Chosen Elite.

  It was a busy afternoon when the trucks returned. They were packed from floor to the roof with non-perishable items, food, toiletries, animal feed, fresh produce that had yet to spoil, like bacon, eggs, and some fruit and vegetables that Adag and I set about making soup with that could be frozen.

  By the end of the day I was sick of the sight of vegetables but it had to be done, sick or not. There were some very ripe bananas I decided to mash up to make banana cake and smoothies. Waste not want not.

  We already had four large chest freezers in the cellar, which were soon filled up with frozen from the local supermarket.

  Percy and Gabe had gone to their café and emptied it of all foodstuffs, including all the dried wild garlic they had, and then Percy had slipped off with Mitch to the Sports come camping store a few doors down from their shop. Percy had been friendly with the owner and had kept a spare set of shop keys for him in the their flat as he did not live over his business and if the alarm went off, he would have to drive 30 miles from his home to reset it.

  The items from the sports shop were quietly put into Mitch’s coach along with items from the other cafes on the road. Next, was the chemist, that had to be broken into, but as Mitch said, did it matter now? Adag had given a list of drugs
that the chemist might have in stock, as it was the chemist the Home used for all the residents who had chronic illnesses. As with the Supermarket Mitch emptied the chemist of everything that might be needed, including some medication for Paul which had been about to be delivered to the home the day after the contagion struck.

  Mitch had then gone to the newsagents and stocked up on his personal vice, cigarettes and tobacco. He also loaded the coach with boxes of chocolate, crisps and sweets from the storeroom which he sensibly didn’t let Cassidy and the others see and hid them in his garage.

  Once one of the trucks was empty it returned to the town with several of Wolf’s people and they bought back a solar powered generator that had been used by the supermarket for their freezers; Wolf put his people to work setting it up so that it could power our freezers should the electricity go off.

  I had a feeling what he was doing, was against all regulations from Epsilon Command. I saw a few raised eyebrows from some of the soldiers, but no one said anything, at least not in his hearing.

  I hoped my plan with Cassidy, Stevie and Eden worked. It was risky, I was relying on the fact that disabled people no matter how smart they are, were often invisible to the able bodied world and the most invisible of all the disabled, were those with learning disabilities.

  Along with the soup, I decided to make cakes and also pancakes to use up the many eggs that had been bought in from the supermarket. Theresa had loved to cook, I was 14 years old, and she had taught me how to bake. She had given me her Grandmother’s recipe for current or cheese scones.

  “Sugar for the currants,” she had said to me, “Salt and pepper for the cheese ones,” On impulse I made a batch of currant scones and a batch of cheese scones. We had a lot of butter to use up as well, might as well start now.

  I got Cassidy and Stevie with Mitch to take some pancakes with bottles of Canadian maple syrup we had picked up from the supermarket over to the soldiers in their temporary billet, having first got permission from Captain Lacks-Renton. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Nothing like making people squirm.

  “Their faces were a picture,” Mitch told me with a chuckle when he got back from his task, “They didn’t know where to put themselves but the pancakes smelt so good and I innocently said it was a thank you for helping get the food for us from town.”

  I laughed as I added eggs to the third batch of cupcakes I was now making. Mitch chuckled as he took a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and put it between his lips, “Stevie took a plate over to Private Jasper, and Cassidy gave one to Duke of all people, I think he was going to refuse it but Cassidy said to him, Lucy made them for you, and he took it off Cassidy, he even said thank you!”

  “Smart move,” Mitch said approvingly to me, “They are as confused as hell, not so much Private Jasper and Corporal Peters, those lads are OK, they tucked in straight away, but the others, they just kept looking at each other, and then Stevie made them laugh by saying pancakes made him burp and fart, and yes, they ate the pancakes, the boys will bring the washing up back later.”

  “Good old Stevie,” I said, “Oye! That is meant for the oven!” Mitch had leaned over and taken a big spoonful of cake mixture from the bowl by my elbow and was putting it into his mouth.

  “Just seeing if it cake mixture makes me burp and fart,” he said after swallowing it and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and I threw a tea towel at his head and told him to piss off to his garage. Laughing he obeyed with a wave of his hand.

  Captain Lacks-Renton came into the kitchen much later when I was taking a tray of banana bread out of the oven. I had enjoyed working in the kitchen despite my “hatred’ of vegetables. I got intermittent help from various people, like the girls, and even Adag but I was enjoying my own company. Honing an old skill, I had thought I had long forgotten.

  The Captain inhaled deeply and said appreciatively, “Smells good.”

  “Want a slice Captain?” I tipped the moist, hot cake onto a metal cooling tray. She shook her head, but I saw her looking at the batch of scones I had made. I buttered a currant one thickly with creamy butter and held it out to her. She hesitated and then took it from me. She bit into it and chewed. I watched as she wiped the crumbs off her face and licked her lips.

  “These are really good.”

  “I have many hidden talents,” I said.

  She smiled at my words, “I don’t doubt it, the troops enjoyed the pancakes.”

  “I’m glad,” I said and I wasn’t lying, in madness there is always method and reason, “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “I don’t suppose you have any coffee,” she said with real longing in her voice, “Real coffee, “I was surprised by the request, but I limped over to the staff beverage cupboard and pulled out a bag of filter coffee and a cafetiere. Their owner wouldn’t be coming back for them anytime soon.

  I handed them to her. She accepted them with a thank you.

  “I need my coffee,” she confessed.

  “I prefer tea,” I said.

  “I have never really liked tea,” she made a face.

  “Take another scone,” I said generously, “Try a cheese one, less calories,” She laughed and accepted the offer, thanked me again and started to leave the kitchen. She hesitated then turned back to look at me.

  “Call me Elise,” she said.

  I didn’t show my surprise at her words, I nodded my head and then said, “I said less calories, however four inches of butter might put it up a tad,” This made her laugh again, she turned to leave and practically fell over Seb who was on his way into the kitchen. She had to quickly side step him and his chair.

  “English Road hog!” she said glaring at him.

  “Bloody Yank pedestrian,” he retorted as he swung into the kitchen.

  I smiled and Seb snorted and then asked for some pancakes. Luckily, for him he asked politely or I would have told him to do them himself. I think he realised that and he set about drying up the cutlery that was draining by the kitchen sink without having to be asked.

  I made Seb some pancakes and then baked a lot of small, but rich butter cream filled cakes. Cassidy was over the moon when I presented him with his owned iced cake, as were all the others, their names neatly written in icing, pink for the girls, blue for the boys.

  “It’s got our names on it Stevie!” he said in delight, “Look!” I made a point of giving Stevie and Cassidy their cakes together. I watched as Stevie helped Cassidy slice up his cake. Cassidy looked up to Stevie I realised. I heard him tell Cassidy not to give the dogs any chocolate, as it was not good for them.

  I had baked peanut butter dog cookies for Jack and Russell so they weren’t left out. Gabe in turn had thoughtfully picked up a load of DVD’S from the supermarket, some of them the latest films to come out, much to the delight of everyone who enjoyed sitting in front of the TV.

  I was ready for bed early that evening, but our food stocks had increased and the solar generator meant that we would have some power when the electricity did eventually go off. I went to bed tired, but feeling ever so slightly more hopeful than before.

  The next day was warm and sunny, so far no rain or bad weather, but it was spring and summer was on the horizon. Once again, I took my sketchbook but this time just sat a bit away from the home on one of the benches. From under hooded eyes, I watched the soldiers milling about and I began to draw them.

  First, the ones I had the most contact with. Wolf, Elise, Private Jasper, Nat, Salter and of course Corporal Peters though he barely looked at me since the incident with Jasmine. I even drew Duke with his cold blue eyes, then the others whose names I had yet to memorize.

  None of us mentioned the Twice Dead infected soldier who we knew was now dead. The TOR Space had been deep cleaned and then boarded over. No one objected.

  As I drew, I let my mind focus on the Twice Dead, the mysterious Epsilon Command and my suspicion that Wolf and his soldiers were being watched by Epsilon Command within their own ranks.r />
  Had any of the soldiers who had been part of the few ‘rescues’ there had been made the connection we had, between the infection of the survivors and their own survival? Was there anyone other than us who realised that what had happened was not just a terrible accident?

  People only see what they want to see Adag once said. Moreover, she was right. I had been like that once upon a time, I had seen what I had wanted to see, drifted through life, not really caring, just existing.

  What had bought me to life when all else had died in the world? What had made me wake up whilst others had “slept?” My pencils flew over the paper on my lap. I did page after page of drawings, my head bent in concentration.

  Only when a shadow blocked out the sunlight did I look up. Wolf was standing in front of me. I shaded my eyes with the palm of my hand, and tilted my head to one side, “What have I done now?” I asked him with a sigh. He smiled and pointed to the space on the bench beside me. I nodded my head and he sat down.

  He didn’t speak for a while; he took a packet of cigarettes out of his top pocket and lit one. He inhaled on it deeply.

  “They will kill you, you know,” I said and then I laughed, “Should tell Mitch that too,” I flicked over a page and began to draw the home, my pencil sliding over the stiff paper with soft defined charcoal strokes.

  “I’m sorry,” Two words. I stopped drawing and turned to look at him. He was staring at the home, his eyes focused on the red brick building with its fine slate roof.

  “It’s not your fault,” I said finally. I decided not to pretend I didn’t understand what he was saying.

  “That doesn’t make it right.”

  “If it makes you feel any better,” I said, “We wouldn’t want to be part of your brand new world anyway,” I regretted the words the moment I said them because he turned his head and stared at me steadily.

  “Why would you call it a brand new world?”

  “Well it is, isn’t it?” I said lamely, “The population has been turned into Twice Dead, all that is left are those that happened to be in a safe place at the time it went tits-up.”