When There's No More room In Hell: A Zombie Novel

by Luke Duffy

  “It’s obvious what you have to do, Marcus. You, Ian and Stu, and possibly Yan and Sini, need to make a break for it. It’s the likes of me, Eddie and Jim that are fucked.” He saw a couple of confused faces and continued. “As ridiculous as it sounds, your best option is to make your way home across land. There are four new vehicles for our team that arrived yesterday, and we have the keys too. Load up, get as much ammo and rations as you can squeeze in, and bug out.”

  Marcus looked at Paul, then at Ian and Stu, raising his eyebrows. “He’s right you know. That’s about the only option really.” He looked back to Paul. “What about you? What are you gonna do?”

  Paul shrugged. “Like I said, we’re pretty much fucked. Eddie lives in New Zealand and Jim is from America. He could try getting out with the Yank army, but there's a lot of other American contractors about that will want to try the same. Me? I've got to find a way of swimming across to Australia I guess.”

  Jim glanced from Paul to Marcus. “Screw that! I'm coming with you Marcus, I've only got a dog back home and he's a pain in the arse. Besides, I've always wanted to travel Europe. Granted, this isn’t what I had in mind, though.”

  Sini and Yan had both been talking quietly in their native Serbian. They nodded to each other having agreed on a matter, and Sini spoke. “Us too, Marcus. We’re coming with you and we can make our own way home at some point.”

  Marcus eyed the Serb, Sini. Of average height, but with broad shoulders and a shaved head, and a scar along the length of his left cheek which he wore with pride as a trophy from the war in Kosovo, Marcus knew that Sini had every ability to make it home along with his friend Yan.

  “So, what you're saying is that you want us to drop you off on our way home?”

  Sini grinned. “Something like that.”

  The room became silent as every man contemplated what they were about to do. Paul and Eddie swapped nods with one another. They had decided to go their own way, and try a break out together. Neither of them held much hope for making it to their homes, but they had to try.

  Stu looked at Eddie and Paul. “We’ll help you with any prep you need to make, lads, and set you up as best we can. It might be an idea to find out if there are any others from your neck of the woods trying the same; best to try it as a group.”

  “I’d already thought that. I'm gonna go and see what the other Kiwis and Aussies are doing.” They both turned and left the room and Marcus watched them with a feeling of helplessness for not being able to do more to get them home.

  Marcus stood. “Okay boys, we may as well start prepping for our little adventure. Sort your kit out, and we will meet in the briefing room at 13:00, then we can start smashing out the details. Keep it on the quiet, though. I don’t want Mickey and the head shed finding out what we’re planning.”

  The room emptied as the men left for their own rooms to begin working out what they would need to take. Stu remained behind.

  “You got any ideas of how we’ll do this?”

  Marcus shook his head. “Haven’t a fucking clue, mate. Can’t even think straight yet, and I'm still waiting to wake up from this mental dream.”

  “Well, it looks like we’re having the same dream. Hey, maybe there's some kind of synaptic link between us.”

  “Yeah, and next you’ll want to share a shower with me and play hide the sausage.”

  Stu laughed. It was good that they clung on to their sense of humour. “Don't flatter yourself, Marcus, I like pretty boys!”

  That afternoon they began their preparations. Each man was given a list of jobs to do, from preparing vehicles to acquiring ammunition and rations.

  Ian and Jim went to collect fuel and spare tyres. They stole as many jerry cans as possible to store extra fuel and every vehicle now had three spare wheels. They spent the whole afternoon trying to look like they were doing everyday maintenance as they began going over the four new SUVs, stripping out the extra seats and anything that was of no real use. They toiled in the hot sun, covered in sweat, oil and grime.

  Sini had access to the armoury, and he and Yan had decided that they would steal a few spare machineguns and as much ammunition as they could without making it look as if they had ransacked the place. They made four trips to and from the armoury to their rooms, and by mid afternoon, they had enough ammunition and magazines to start their own invasion. Next, they turned their attention to gathering up all the rations they could.

  Marcus and Stu spent the afternoon poring over maps and aerial photographs, studying routes and alternate routes. They knew that unforeseen problems on the road would inevitably force them to deviate, but as long as they planned as much as possible for eventualities, they would have a good idea of where they were going and how to get there.

  They then scrolled through all the intelligence reports of the areas that they would pass through, gaining as much information as possible on the situation in those particular areas. It took a long time, and none of the information, since the announcement of that morning, could still be relied upon. Cities that were considered relatively friendly could’ve exploded into a hot zone in the past few hours, with anarchy and panic reigning.

  On the other hand, areas that had been hostile could well be deserted of all enemy threats on account of them realising that there were more pressing matters to deal with other than blowing up or attacking convoys. The ground and the situation was fluid and it would be flexibility that would see them through.

  They needed to go through their communications equipment. Anything they thought they would need, they would have to steal from Alan, the ‘Comms Guy’. Alan was easy enough to handle; fat and lazy, he rarely ventured out of his office, and if someone needed something, he normally gave the key over, expecting people to get what they requested from the stores before returning the key to him.

  But Marcus and Stu needed a little more than an earpiece or two. They needed spare satellite phones and batteries, vehicle mounted GPS systems, HF and VHF radios, and they weren’t a hundred percent on how to install some of it. They decided on bribing him with a couple of bottles of whiskey in return for his help in setting the equipment up for them.

  Whiskey was hard to come by, and they would lull Alan into thinking that they just wanted to be up and running with full communications for the team and their new vehicles. As long as it didn't affect him in a way that would mean him having to get up too early, or do anything strenuous, then Alan would turn a blind eye with disinterest at the situation and delight at his two bottles of whiskey.

  Three days later, they had everything they needed. All that was left was the fine-tuning and details and the team to go through the overall plan together. It wasn’t just down to the commander to plan; the whole team would have input. All being experienced ex-military from different armies and backgrounds, some would have suggestions that would work better for the task ahead, and Marcus would make any changes as necessary if they all agreed on a certain plan of action.

  Paul and Eddie had teamed up with a bunch of other guys from another company. It was a sad farewell, and the team provided them with as much ammunition and extra weapons that they needed, including a vehicle.

  Once they had everything planned, Marcus decided to give it another five days to see how things would pan out on the world scene. At that moment, everything was unpredictable and not enough overall information was known. In the meantime, they would go over and over the plan, their kit and weapons and ensure that nothing was missed.

  Still, very little was coming from Mickey, and the general consensus was that they would be left to the last minute, if considered at all. The big wigs and powers that-be had taken care of themselves and their interests.

  Marcus decided that it was time to call his brother. Sitting in his room, with the door locked to avoid interruptions, he dialled Steve’s number. It began to ring and Marcus just hoped that the line wouldn’t be unworkable and they could understand what each other was saying.

  “Hello?” Steve sounded
groggy.

  “Steve it’s me, Marcus. Is everything okay? Have you seen the news?”

  “How could I not have? It’s on every channel and people are flapping everywhere.”

  “Roger that, where are you? Are you safe? Do you have Sarah with you?”

  “Yeah, we’re safe and I have her here. I'm gonna keep her with me as well. I've boarded up the door and windows and we’re okay for now. Sounds like the town has gone to shit, though. I've heard nothing but sirens for the last week. I think that the old couple who live next door have turned into them dead things, too. I heard crashing and banging yesterday and the old lady screaming, but now it’s all quiet.”

  Marcus felt a rush of relief knowing that his brother had done everything he could to protect himself and his daughter. “Okay, Steve, listen; Iraq is going under. The military has seized control of the airports, leaving us stranded. We've decided not to wait about and make our own way out. Otherwise we could just be left here and....”

  Steve butted in. “Hang on. Make your own way out? What do you mean?” His voice had a confused tone to it.

  “I mean that some of the lads and me have decided that we will drive, and fight if we have to, all the way home. We've planned and prepped it as best we can and we decided that we’ll make a push in five days. Everything here is in chaos, the city has gone apeshit and it is best that we allow a soak period.”

  “You're gonna drive all the way from Iraq, across the Middle East and Europe to get home? My geography isn’t the best, Marcus, but how the fuck you gonna do that?”

  Marcus sighed. “Doesn’t matter how, Steve, but we’re gonna give it a go. Beats sitting here waiting for things to get worse, which they will soon, I bet.”

  “Right, okay.”

  “What I need from you, Steve, before it gets any worse there, is I need you to get to a safe location. Staying in your flat is okay for the time being, but eventually you could find yourself trapped. I spoke to Jennifer when the news broke and also this morning and told her to sit tight, keep the boys with her and secure the doors. She’s packed a couple of small bags for them, with food and clothes, and they're ready to move as soon as you get there....”

  Steve butted in again, “As soon as I get there? I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.”

  Marcus could feel a pang of anger but he forced himself to swallow it down. “Steve, I've just explained to you that you can’t stay where you are. I've seen reports of this thing from America, and no doubt you have too. If their cities are falling, even though every other person has an arsenal of guns at home, what chance do you think you have with a hammer in your flat? You need to get to somewhere safer and more open and better defended. I dunno where, you’ll have to work that out yourself, but I want you to get Jen and the boys for me and take them with you.”

  Steve was quiet for a moment, then, “Yeah, fair one. You have a point there, bro. I haven’t a clue where to go though. I’m worried about taking Sarah out there, but as you said, here might not be safe for too long. Does Jen still have the four by four?”

  “Yeah, she does.” Marcus wondered where Steve was going with the question. “Why?”

  “I was thinking that, we go to yours on foot to avoid the roads, and then we take the Range Rover. My car is a bag of shit anyway, and I couldn’t rely on it.”

  “Sounds good to me, Steve, just don’t scratch it.” The quip was lost on Steve, and Marcus could tell that he was concerned, yet the cogs were turning in his head and he was willing to do what was necessary.

  “Right then, that’s what I’ll do. It’s too late in the day now though and I don’t want to risk taking Sarah out in the dark. I’ll check the area first thing in the morning, and if it looks good I’ll grab Sarah and head for yours. It’s only a few miles and I’ll go through the nature reserve; shouldn’t be too many people around at that time of the morning. I’ll phone Jen for you and let her know the plan.”

  A smile spread across Marcus’ face. His brother was doing him proud. Gone were the days of the rebellious boy who wouldn’t do anything for anyone and shirked responsibility as though it were a heavy hand on his shoulder.

  “It means a lot to me, Steve, and I owe you the world if you can do this.”

  “Like you said, mate, I've no real choice in the matter and Jen is my family too.”

  “Thanks Steve. I don’t know how much longer we will have comms. If things are going downhill rapidly, the networks could crash too. So whatever plan you come up with, you need to let me know as soon as possible. I’ll need to know where you are and what the situation is.”

  “Will do,” Steve replied.

  “Be careful tomorrow, Steve. Don’t take any unnecessary risks and keep Sarah close. Give her a big kiss for me and tell her, Uncle Marcus is bringing her a tank.”

  “You too, Marcus. Phone me tomorrow.”

  They hung up.

  Marcus felt calm and a sudden confidence in his brother that he had never experienced before. He had grown up and become a man. Amazing how kids change you.

  7

  Steve didn't sleep that night. Sarah lay dreaming and twitching on the couch dressed in the clothes that he had insisted she wear, while Steve stood by the kitchen window, listening to the sounds in the streets below and thinking about what he needed to do at first light.

  On the horizon, through a gap in the barricaded window, he could see the distinct orange haze on the skyline of the town, telling him that a part of it, unsure which, was ablaze.

  The sirens had stopped and it seemed now that everyone had been left to their own devices; the police and the authorities had either too much to deal with, or the infection had spread quicker than he had anticipated and they were all gone.

  Over the last week, Steve and Sarah had sat and watched the TV, trying to gain as much information as possible. Sarah was scared. Steve was scared too, but he had to appear to his daughter that he had things under control and that she would come to no harm.

  The reports had steadily gotten worse. Towns, cities and even small rural villages had been overrun by the virus. Army units in helicopters flew rescue missions to save people trapped on rooftops. Police cordoned off entire built up areas only to be overrun, and it shocked him at how fast the thing had spread.

  Steve paused and thought. Though he didn't live in a particularly large city, there was still scope for a rapid spread. Hospitals, funeral homes and the riots themselves were all tinder for the fire. The flu had been going on for weeks, and the dead, according to the news, had begun to reanimate over a week ago.

  He had seen numerous reports on the TV over the past week about the phenomenon that was sweeping the globe and bringing back the dead. Most of what he had seen was of figures shambling, tripping, and in general looking like they were shit faced. He couldn’t see how it had spread. Though he did reason that he found the whole thing hard to believe, and in a larger scale, maybe that had something to do with it. As well as the general disbelief, he also saw the infected violent flu strain victims and the ‘runners’ as they had become known.

  The violent flu strain, from what he could gather, was the final stage before the people of that particular strain died; taking anyone they could with them. Then there were the ‘runners’. As the reports had said, some of the dead could run after reanimation, all depending on their condition before death. The likes of an Olympic Athlete could probably attack twenty people a day, Steve reasoned, on account of their physical fitness.

  The more he thought about it, the more scared he became. But still, he hadn’t seen hordes of the infected roaming the streets below yet, so as far as he was concerned, he still had the upper hand over the mounting enemy.

  Early next morning the sun rose over the complex of flats that he lived in. Bird song filled the air, and when Steve closed his eyes he could almost convince himself that all was normal with the world. But he had to snap himself back to reality quickly before he became lost in his dream land. He needed to focus on his new si
tuation.

  He pulled out his phone and dialled for Marcus’ wife.

  “Jen it’s me, Steve.”

  She sounded worried but in control and not on the verge of a breakdown. Steve explained the plan to her and told her to be ready to move when they got there.

  He walked into the living room and gently shook Sarah.

  “Oi, sleepy head, wake up lazy bones.” He tried to make his voice as soothing as possible.

  Sarah stirred. She groaned and curled into a ball.

  “Sarah, you need to wake up sweetheart. Remember what I told you yesterday about our special job for Uncle Marcus? Well we’re about to do it and I can’t do it without you.”

  Sarah had always been hard to wake up. Every time she stayed with Steve, he had to keep on at her to get up for school in the morning. He never needed to shout or get angry; it just took gentle coaxing and nudging, then she would suddenly snap wide awake.

  “I need you to listen to me. We have to look after ourselves. Things are bad outside and we can’t trust anyone. Even people who we may have known for years or lived next door to. We have to be sure of everyone. Okay?”

  “Are we leaving Dad?” she sat up and asked.

  Steve smiled and stroked her hair. “Well, we can’t go without breakfast, can we?”

  “Good, cause my belly is touching my bum,” she replied with a sleepy smile.

  Steve warmed up two tins of beans and sausages and they ate the last of the fresh bread together, washing it down with mugs of hot tea.

  “Oh I needed that, Dad. Are we off to see aunty Jen now?”

  “Yup, we are, but I need you to wait here and guard the flat for five minutes while I check the area. Can you do that?”

  Sarah still had a mouth full of bread covered in bean juice, and could only manage a nod and ‘Mmm hmm’ with puffed out cheeks and a thumbs up.