by Ryan Casey
Steve wasn’t supposed to be laughing at him.
It wasn’t supposed to fucking work like that.
Gav pulled out his knife. He leaned down towards Steve. Pressed the knife against his neck.
“I’m gonna cut your throat and I’m gonna fucking enjoy it—”
“No. No, you aren’t.”
The voice came from behind Gav. Somewhere right behind him. It was a voice he recognised.
When he turned around, he saw Matt holding his iron bar out at him.
Gav smirked. He shook his head and looked around at the rest of his group. “So this is what we’ve come to, is it? So done with trust that we don’t even trust each other?”
“He knows where the extraction point is,” Matt said.
“Does he fuck.”
“Well I believe him. And I know other people here believe him too. And you know, I’m starting to wonder if maybe he is leading us off the tracks.”
“Then why are you still following him?”
“I’ll follow him to the end. But I’m not sure he wants you around anymore.”
The rest of the group lifted their weapons. Gav saw their faces turning. All over again, he felt like that kid. That bullied kid on the playground. The kid that got teased—got the piss taken out of him, for his size.
He stood there. Raised his hands. Gripped onto his knife. “Then do it,” he said. “Kill me.”
“We don’t want to kill you.”
“Well you’re gonna have to. Or I’ll slit this fucker’s throat right here. Then we’ll see how lenient you are. Then we’ll see just how well you cope on your own.”
Matt shook his head. Lifted the iron bar.
Gav stared back into his eyes and for a moment, just a moment, as Matt tightened his grip on the bar, he felt afraid. He actually felt afraid.
“Wait.”
This voice didn’t come from any of his people. It came from behind them. From up the road.
It was, however, a voice he recognised.
A voice he didn’t think was possible, but one he recognised.
One that made his skin crawl.
The group turned around. All of them looked back, open-mouthed, at the person approaching.
And when Gav saw who was stumbling down the road towards them, blood smeared all over his T-shirt, makeshift bandages wrapped around his fingers, he felt the grip on his knife loosen.
“Don’t do this,” he said. “Nobody… nobody has to kill anybody here.”
Cody was alive.
Cody was fucking alive.
And he was walking towards them.
Chapter Ten
Cody held his blood-soaked hands in the air as he stared at Gav, Steve, and the other seven surviving members of Maryam’s group.
He hadn’t just been beaten to a pulp by Gav.
He hadn’t just dislocated his shoulders, which had killed to dislocate but killed even more to get back in place.
He’d been bitten by one of the Uglies. The tips of four of his fingers had been gnawed at.
“What in the name of fuck are you doing here?” Gav barked.
Cody took a deep breath. “I’m here to make sure Steve gets back to that extraction point. Back to his family. Safely.”
Gav’s eyes narrowed. Matt, who’d held a weapon at Gav, just moments before Cody announced his presence, looked back at Cody now, a glimmer of hope on his face.
“I told you to stay the fuck away,” Gav said.
“And I could’ve done. I very nearly died back there. I could’ve given up. But I didn’t. Because more than anything, I owe it to Steve to get him back to his family. And I owe it to everyone here to help them to their extraction point.”
Gav shook his head. Standing in the middle of that circle of people who he truly believed were his, he cut a lonely figure. A dejected figure. “Why don’t you just grow the balls to kill me?”
“Because I don’t want to kill you.”
Gav smiled. “Really?”
“Well, I do want to kill you. I’d love to see you die for what you did to me. For what you did to Steve. But part of me still thinks you aren’t as angry and as messed up as you make out to be. I’ve seen a better version of you. I know you can be a good person.”
Gav shook his head and chuckled, knife in his hand. “You really are full of it, aren’t you?”
“Nobody has to die here.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Cody. That’s where you’re fucking wrong. Because I don’t trust this man. I ain’t walking right into whatever trap he’s got planned for me.”
“Then turn around and walk away.”
“I won’t walk away from my people.”
“We’re not your people,” Matt said.
Silence followed Matt’s words. There was a tangible tension in the air.
Cody stepped closer to Gav. His hands and fingers ached and throbbed with pain. He knew he had to be direct. “There’s something you need to know.”
“You’re a fucking lunatic?”
“I’ve been bitten.”
Cody saw the heads turn then. He saw the group tighten their grip around their weapons. He saw the spark of joy and relief on Gav’s face and the paleness of Steve’s.
“What?” Gav asked.
Cody raised his hands. “Back in the building you left me in to die. I managed to get out. Nackered my shoulders in the process. But when I got down the stairs, I was attacked by some of the Uglies.”
Gav lifted his knife. Walked towards Cody. Nobody tried to stop him. “Then you need dealing with—”
“I will die,” Cody said, holding his ground. “I know damned well what lies ahead for me.”
“Then why don’t we get to it?”
Cody looked past Gav and right at Steve. “Because I made a promise. I made a promise to get a man back to his family. I made a promise to Maryam that I wouldn’t give up on anyone here. And I don’t plan on giving up on that promise for a few little bite wounds.”
Gav stopped. Shook his head. “You’re mad. You’re actually mad.”
“I want to get to this extraction point as much as you do. I want to believe there’s something better out there. I know… I know I won’t see that world now. But I at least want the people who pulled me up when I was on the verge of death to see it. I want Steve to see his family again, and then he can go back to his job of gathering more and more people to get out of this country. And I want you to see it, Gav. I want you to see the world again. To start from scratch. To forget all this nastiness and move forward.”
Gav stared into Cody’s eyes. His eyelids twitched. “Why are you so…”
“So what?”
“So… so fucking good?”
Cody smiled. He swallowed the coppery taste down. “Because I believe in the goodness of people. The inherent goodness of people. And despite everything bad I’ve seen in this world, despite everything bad I’ve been through, I’ve not given up on it. Not yet.”
More silence followed.
Then, “I’m with Cody.”
Matt walked up to Cody’s side. Nodded at him.
“Me too.”
More of the group. More of them, until eventually, all of them were standing behind Cody.
As Gav stood there, alone, knife still in his hand, Steve took the opportunity to climb back to his feet. He snooked past Gav and joined Cody and the others.
“Me too. If you don’t mind, of course. And for what it’s worth, we are on the right track.”
They stood there, the nine of them, with Gav opposite them, alone.
“Come on, Gav,” Cody said. “I know we don’t get on. I know we’ve never seen eye to eye. But what else is there now? What else is there but to trust each other? To move forward? For… for Maryam.”
Gav looked away from Cody and down at the ground. “If I do, then at least give me the privilege of killing you when the time comes.”
Cody smiled. “I couldn’t think of anyone better.”
There was a dryness to his words. But there was sadness, too. A strange sadness that they’d finally seen eye to eye on something so dark, something so inevitable.
On a certain death that awaited him.
Cody turned. Looked at Matt. Looked at the rest of the group. “You ready?”
They all nodded.
He looked at Gav.
“You ready?”
Gav stared at the ground. Then, managed a little nod.
Cody turned to Steve. “And are you ready?”
Steve smiled back at him. “Of course.”
“Then lead the way.”
“Is that him?”
“Definitely him.”
“You sure—”
“I’m fucking sure, okay? I remember the fucker too well.”
“Alright. Alright. Then whaddo we do?”
A pause. Silence, as the pair of them watched the group walk along the road, through the trees, police issue semi-automatics in hand.
“We make ’em pay.”
Chapter Eleven
Chloë might’ve trained herself to be more trusting of others.
But that didn’t stop her feeling like certain situations were just… off.
And following this boy called Spud through the woods towards his “cabin”… well, it felt off.
The darkness was thick. Rain had started to spray down from above. Kesha, who Jordanna held in her arms, was crying. She never cried this much. Not even when the pair of them had been starving together, out in the woods for days. And although Chloë knew it was stupid to pretend like a baby knew what was going on, it still made her feel weird and uneasy about everything.
She didn’t trust Spud.
“How much further?” Riley asked.
Spud glanced back. “Should be there soon.”
“And this place,” Jordanna said. “You’re absolutely sure it’s safe? ’Cause in case you haven’t noticed, we’ve got a baby here.”
Spud looked at Jordanna, then at the baby. Even though it was dark and the moonlight was their only guide, Chloë swore his cheeks went pale. “Sure. It’s safe.”
They followed Spud further as the trees opened up again. The silence was painful until Chloë realised she had to speak.
“Why were you out there?” she asked.
“Hmm?”
“Why were you out there at this time?”
Spud glanced into Chloë’s eyes. Rain drenched his thick, curly hair. “I… I got lost.”
“You got lost?” Riley asked.
Spud nodded. “But then I found where I was. And then I found you.”
Chloë wasn’t convinced.
But she felt like anything was better than being stuck out here in the darkness.
“Are you alone?” Chloë asked.
Spud hesitated. And it was a long enough hesitation to make her feel uncomfortable about all this again. Then, “Yeah. I… My mum. And my dad. They died.”
“How’d they die?”
“A… a bad man,” he said. “He killed them.”
“And you’ve been alone ever since.”
Spud seemed to be caught in a mind of his own. He looked down at the muddy grass as he walked onwards. In his back pocket, there was a knife. He didn’t seem to be making much of an effort to hide it, which Chloë guessed was something.
“Anyway,” he said. “It’s here.”
Chloë wasn’t sure where Spud was talking about at first. Not until she saw the little wooden shack opposite. It was tiny. One of those wooden holiday home places like Centre Parcs. It wasn’t ideal, and it definitely wasn’t “safety.”
But it was shelter. It would do.
Spud pulled open the door. Jordanna went in first, with Kesha. Then Riley. And then, by the door, Chloë stood.
“Chloë?” Jordanna asked.
Chloë looked into Spud’s eyes. She wanted to be tough with him. She wanted him to know that if he tried anything—anything—she’d kill him.
They sat down in the middle of the cabin. It was creepy in here. There were dusty, cobwebbed mirrors hanging from the walls; portraits and classic pieces of art decorated around the place. There was a strange smell like something had died.
Spud moved around the room like he didn’t really know what he was doing. He seemed worried about something.
“You okay?” Jordanna asked.
Spud rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I just… you can just stay here. Stay here and rest.”
“What’s upstairs?” Chloë asked.
Spud’s eyes widened. They looked right into Chloë’s. “Nothing.”
Chloë wanted to tell him he was a liar. She wanted to tell everyone he was a liar.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she waited.
Just sat there and waited for the right moment. Because the right moment would come. She was sure of it.
After a drink, it took at least an hour for Kesha to quieten down. At that point, Jordanna and Riley were asleep. Spud was asleep, too. Or at least, everyone had their eyes closed. Chloë wasn’t sure whether they were really asleep, or whether they were just pretending.
It didn’t matter. She was still going to take a look upstairs. All her time alone had taught her how to be quiet, how to be sneaky.
She stood up. Crept across the old wooden floor. She heard a few of the floorboards creak under her feet, then eased the pressure on those and walked around them. She kept on going until she got to the bottom of the stairs, then stood there and looked up. There was something up there. Something waiting for her.
She had to know what it was.
She had to know it wasn’t going to threaten her and Kesha.
She took a step up the stairs.
Heard movement in the main room.
She froze. Then she turned. She looked and saw it was just Riley. He’d rolled over. He was having some kind of bad dream.
The fact that he was asleep scared Chloë because it made her feel even more alone.
She kept on going up the stairs. She took it one step at a time. As she got higher, that dead smell got stronger, the taste of rot got thicker. She heard nothing but the rain hitting the roof of this cabin. No movement inside. Nothing.
But she felt it.
She felt a presence.
Again, all that time alone had made her know what it felt like when she wasn’t completely on her own.
She reached the top of the stairs. Looked back down through the banisters to make sure she was still clear.
Jordanna slept. Riley slept. Kesha slept. Spud slept.
Good. She had things to do. Places to explore.
There were three doors on this corridor. The first one was on the left. She walked up to it, peeked inside.
It was a bedroom. A small bedroom, like a child’s room. There was a cot in there. A mobile that was completely static. Toys all spread around the carpeted floor. She wondered who’d live in a place like this. Must’ve been some kind of holiday home.
When she peeked through the railings of the cot, she saw blood.
She swallowed a sickly lump in her throat and moved towards the next room. When she stood outside the door, she smelled that nasty rotting smell stronger than before. She knew that whatever was rotting, it was in this bathroom. It was waiting for her.
She held her breath, listened to the buzzing noises in her head and opened up the door.
When the door creaked open, she saw right away what was causing the smell.
It was a bathroom. White tiles. Thin white blinds.
The bath was full.
There was water in there. Only in the light of the moon, it was green and grimy, like it’d been there for a long time.
In the bath, there were two people.
A woman, whose skin had completely greyed.
And in her arms, under the water, a kid.
The kid—no older than four—wasn’t still, though. The kid was moving. Snapping its teeth as it moved around under the water.
A faint hint
of red to the water. Blood.
And a little bite mark on the kid’s neck.
Chloë thought of Kesha. It could’ve been her if she didn’t have the cure inside her. How lucky she was that she was still alive.
She started to step back outside the bathroom when she heard footsteps in the third and final room.
She froze.
Held her breath.
Listened closely.
Nothing.
She crept out of the bathroom. The kid made little splashing noises now. She looked down at that final room. At the open door, the suffocating darkness beyond it.
She could walk away. She could go back downstairs. She’d seen what was making the smell now. And the creaking must’ve just been the wind. Spud wasn’t lying. He really was just alone here.
But Chloë had to check.
She walked slowly down the corridor. The longest, most stretched-out steps she’d ever taken. She felt sickly inside as she heard the kid splashing around some more, the kid whose mum had tried to drown it when it’d been bitten only to fail to kill it at all.
She wanted to go back there. Finish it off.
But more than that, Chloë wanted to know nothing was inside the last room.
She stepped right up to the door. Held her breath. Her heart pounded, fast and heavy.
And then she looked around the corner.
There was nobody in there. Nothing in there at all. An old master bedroom completely emptied out.
She let go of her breath. Felt a sense of relief. She could go back downstairs now. She could get some sleep. She needed some.
When she turned around, she saw someone standing opposite her.
It wasn’t Spud.
It was a man. A tall man, with dark hair. He was dressed in a black jacket and black trousers. He was very thin.
“Who…” Chloë started.
“I’m Kane,” he said. “And I’m very, very honoured to finally meet you. Chloë.”
Downstairs, Chloë heard a scream. Jordanna’s scream.
But before she could do anything, before she could get away, Kane pulled out a machete and walked in Chloë’s direction.
Kane felt the urge to deal with this one himself building up. The desire to finish her filling his body while Spud finished the other three downstairs.
