by Luke Duffy
Though slightly mentally unstable and completely unpredictable, Steve could rely on Lee as an ally.
He left Lee in the capable hands of Jake to give him a tour and introduction to the grounds and the people there, while he went to see what he could do for Gary.
He sat down beside his friend and watched him for a short while before speaking. “Gary, I'm not gonna waffle shit to you, what happened back there has hurt you, and hurt you badly. I know that and I know Kevin was a good guy. He proved that just by volunteering to come when he didn't have to and you had known him longer than I had, so the loss is hitting you hard.
“All I can say, Gary, is he wouldn't want you to unravel over him now. By all means mate, grieve for him, but there's a lot of people here who need you too. You and your wife are the two that have kept all these people together, and they still need you. I need you. You're one of the strong ones here and there's a lot to get done before we can afford to lose you in grief. Use the grief, as Kevin would want, and turn it against those walking bags of shit out there and wield it as a weapon for the people in here.”
Gary continued to stare, unblinking at the chess board in front of him.
Steve looked up to Karen, looking for a sign in her eyes that he may be getting through; she nodded, encouraging him to continue.
“We need to look at options of getting out of here if it comes to it, Gary, just like you said. You know this place better than anyone. So when you're ready, I could use your thoughts on the matter. Also, any ideas you have on how to keep them things away from the main gate. There's no rush mate, and we will deal with it when you're ready. I'm sorry about Kevin, I truly am. He was a better man than the wanker he gave his life trying to save.
“If you just need a friend to talk to, I'm always happy to share a bottle of whisky and bang the world to rights with you. Just hang in there buddy. I'm sorry for Kevin, and I'm sorry for you, Gary. Anything, anything at all, just let me know.” He gave him a squeeze on the forearm and stood up from the table.
“Thanks, Steve,” Karen had tears in her eyes. “He thinks you're a good man and he needs a good friend like you.”
Steve nodded. “I’ll be here for him whenever he needs me, Karen. I wouldn't have survived today without his help. I owe him. I'm gonna go and see how Sarah is now, but I’ll be back soon.”
He left the table and made his way to his daughter’s room. It was dark and cool in the room and he could see faint figures, dimly lit by lamps that had been turned low. Helen and Claire sat vigil at the side of her bed.
“How is she, has she awoken at all?” he asked Claire as he sat down beside her.
Claire was fighting back the tears. “Briefly, she didn't recognise me.” Her voice broke as she said it.
Steve placed his arm around her shoulders as she sobbed against him. He had to keep himself strong for them both. “It’s okay, Claire. She's in good hands. Helen will take care of her. You should try and get some sleep. Sarah is a strong girl, you know how tough she is.”
She was crying uncontrollably now, “I just can’t bear the thought of losing her, Steve. She doesn’t deserve this. She's just a little girl, our little angel.” Her words were distorted as she tried to control herself but the tears forced their way through.
He led her away and into one of the spare rooms, lying her on the bed and tucking her in as she continued to sob. He stroked her brow and promised her that Sarah would be fine. He didn't know what else to say. He stayed at her side until she fell asleep and then went back to sit with his daughter.
Helen stayed by Sarah’s bedside, refusing to leave and even taking her meals in the same room. She remained there throughout the second day and into the night, watching for any change in her condition.
Steve hardly slept in the forty eight hours since he had returned from rescuing Claire.
His thoughts troubled him and they were full of ‘what if’s’ and worst case scenarios. He neglected everything else around him and devoted his whole time between his daughter’s bedside and his own room, refusing to bother with anything else. He felt lost and spent hours sitting on the edge of his bed, staring out the window into the dark trees as the heavy windswept rain lashed against the glass and the old wooden frames. Tears rolled down his face as he contemplated the possibility that Sarah may not pull through.
Jennifer had come to see him at one point during the second day. “I didn't mention it yesterday, because you had enough to deal with, but I got a phone call from Marcus.”
He turned to her, waiting for the rest of the news. “And?” he asked.
“He's in Turkey. He didn't say much. He said they're all okay but I know Marcus, I could tell they had a rough time of it.”
“Yeah,” Steve nodded as he sat at the edge of the bed clasping his hands together between his knees. “He did mention to me that there was a chance that the border could be closed and heavily defended.”
“Well, he didn't say much, except that they were okay and heading for the crossing at Istanbul. He also asked about the radio we have here. I wrote it down.” She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket on which she had scribbled a series of words. “He said they have something called Codan. Some kind of radio I think, and he wants to know if anyone here knows about high frequency radios and all that.”
“I think Jake is the technical guru here, so we can see what he knows tomorrow. Did he say where he is exactly?”
She shook her head. “No. Knowing him, he probably couldn't pronounce it anyway.” She chuckled.
It was five in the morning when he woke, still dressed and sprawled on his bed. He rushed out of the room and in to see Sarah. He asked Helen if there was any change. Sarah had been sick for almost three days and running a high fever. She had been delirious most of the time and during her brief moments of consciousness, she recognised no one.
“Her fever broke during the night, Steve.” Helen was smiling as she said it, a glint of tears in her eyes. “She still has a temperature, but that's to be expected. She woke a couple of hours ago and asked for water, so at least she's coherent.” She looked at him as she pushed the hair back from her clammy forehead. “You were right, Steve, she really is a tough one and she's fighting it like a Spartan.”
Steve crouched by the bed and looked at the pale, sleeping face of his little girl. “Hey tiger,” he whispered, “you’d better pull through this, or you'll miss out on the big treat. I've already organised it with Sophie and Gary that all the kids, and anyone else who wants to come along, will be doing a full tour of the park, with picnic baskets, while they check on all the animals and you'll even get to pet some of them.
“But you've got to pull through for me, darling. Please Sarah, I can’t...” He pushed his face into the bed sheets and sobbed as he gripped her hand.
“Dad,” her voice was weak and croaky. “Dad, why are you crying?”
He looked up, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Hey buddy,” his voice faltered, “how you feeling?”
“My throat is sore and my legs ache. When are we going to see the animals?”
Steve let out a low snort, a smile stretching across his face. “When you're better, you have to get completely better first. Don't worry. I won’t let them go without you buddy. As soon as you get yourself right, we will go and see the animals.”
She managed a weak smile. “All of them?”
“Yep, all of them.”
“Including the lions and tigers?” she asked.
“Of course, but I don’t think you will be able to feed them. They're more likely to want to bite your arse off.”
Another smile from Sarah. “They wouldn't, because you would be with me and you're bum is a lot fatter than anyone’s.”
Steve was stroking her hair and giggling along with her. Even in her weakened state, she managed to ply him with all the banter he needed. “Righty dokey then buddeo, you get yourself back to sleep and save your strength. When you next wake up, promise me you'll try and eat something?”
She nodded slightly and rolled her head to the side and drifted back to sleep. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you the entire world, Sarah.”
He made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. Karen was making breakfast and hummed cheerily as she worked.
“How’s the wee one this morning?” she asked looking over her shoulder at Steve.
He shrugged between gulps of the hot liquid. “She actually spoke and managed to joke. Her fever broke in the night, so I suppose it’s a good sign. But it’s too early to say. How’s Gary?”
“Oh, he's a tough one, Steve. He's hurting, but he will bounce back. I've seen him like this in the past. He needs you though. You're what will give him a purpose. You're pretty much the leader of the group here and these people are already looking on you in that way. You're a doer and that's what they need. And you don’t take nonsense, especially the way you dealt with that Stephanie.”
Steve looked up as he drained the last of his cup. “Oh, you heard that then?”
She grinned at him. “Listen to me sunshine, I have ears like a shit house rat and there's very little that gets past me. As well as that, I'm very good at reading people and I've noticed the whole Helen and Steve thing that's developing too.”
“Eh? There's nothing going on there, Karen,” he stated, feeling slightly embarrassed and like a kid being scrutinised by his Mother.
“Not yet there isn’t.” She poured him more coffee and winked at him.
Claire entered the room. Her hair was unkempt and her eyes were red and puffy. “Morning, Steve. Listen, thanks for the other day. I should’ve thanked you sooner, but I wanted to get you alone.”
“No worries,” he shrugged.
“I'm serious.” She touched his hand and stared at him. “Thanks.”
He shifted in his seat, feeling a little uncomfortable and changed the subject. “Did you look in on Sarah?”
She sighed. “Yeah, she was still sleeping. Helen told me that she is starting to seem better. The fever has gone and she said that you and her spoke too.”
“She recognised me this morning and even managed a smile. I think she’ll be okay, Claire.”
She tried to feed from his optimism. “I hope so, Steve,” she sighed as she ruffled her hair into some sort of presentable shape.
He looked down at his cup, biting his lip and then back to Claire. “There's something else we need to discuss, Claire.”
“I know. Roy,” she replied without looking up from the table.
“Yeah, Roy. Jake has kept an eye on him but we are gonna have to do something about him soon. From what I know, there's no cure, and every bite is one hundred percent fatal and he will come back, Claire.”
She nodded as she stared down at the table top. “I know, Steve. He may be a coward and self-centered, but I wouldn't wish this on him.”
“I don’t, Claire. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.”
She looked up, flicking her hair from her face. “What do we do then?”
Roy had been made as comfortable as possible and dosed with pain killers and sedatives. Jake and Lee had handled him into one of the spare rooms and took turns sitting watch over him.
His fever had strengthened and he had become delirious and incoherent. He continuously shouted out at no one in particular, and his words could rarely be understood. His arm had swollen to almost twice its natural size and his veins were visible underneath the skin as the infection coursed through his blood stream and around his body.
“He's gonna die soon, you know that, and we need to be ready for it. We need to restrain him. I dunno about you, but I think it would be better to put him out of his misery before the infection gets any worse.”
Her brow creased. “He's not a fucking horse, Steve.”
“I know. I know that, Claire. But it’s too dangerous to let him turn. You've seen what happens and you've seen what they can do. For fuck sake, Claire, remember what they did to Kevin the other day?” He was pleading with her but it came across more as him lecturing and trying to lay the law down at her.
“Yes, Steve, I remember what they did. I had a front row seat remember? But we can’t just start killing people when they get bitten. Or sick. Would you kill Sarah, could you kill her if you knew she would turn?” She looked at him questioningly and accusingly.
Steve raised his voice and spat his words. “Don't even fucking say it, Claire, that's different.”
“Not when you look at it the way that you are. In a ‘not taking any chances’ sort of way.”
He realised her point and backed down with a sigh as he slumped into his chair. “Sarah wasn't bitten, Roy was, and it’s not a dead cert that anyone catching the flu will turn, but Roy will. I just don’t want to take any risks, Claire.”
“Like you said,” she leaned forward and took his cup and raised it to her mouth, “we can keep him separated, and restrained if need be. And when he turns, it should be me that kills him. I owe him that much.”
Her last statement shocked Steve. He had always known she was strong and fiery, but still, it shocked him. He just nodded.
Later in the morning, Lee approached Steve. He looked troubled and he pulled Steve to one side in the lobby of the mansion to speak quietly. Discretion wasn't exactly Lee’s forte and instead of a private conversation, it was more of a loud one, just removed from the rest of the people, who could actually still hear every word.
“Steve, that Jake, is he a bender?”
Steve laughed. “You mean gay? Yeah he is. Why?”
“Fucking hell, I've been spending loads of time with him lately and people may think I'm a sausage bandit too.” He was rubbing his head, clearly uncomfortable and afraid that his masculinity, as well as his sexuality, may be in question.
Steve knew that unless dealt with in a more diplomatic manner, Lee was likely to climb on a chair and begin announcing that he wasn't gay to the whole house. It would be meant in a purely ‘clearing the air’ sort of way to Lee, but Steve knew it wouldn't be taken like that by others. It would offend some, because he wasn't likely to use the politically friendly terms, and others would think him mad.
He placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Lee, no one here thinks you're gay. It’s as plain as the nose on your face that you're straight because since you got here, you've been walking about like a dog with five dicks, drooling over Sophie and Helen.”
“You don’t think he fancies me do you?” he asked with a worried tone in his voice.
Steve was shaking his head and grinning broadly. “Don't flatter yourself mate. Just because he's gay, doesn’t mean he wants a piece of you.”
“Yeah, Lee,” a voice came from behind, “I don’t want to bum every bloke I see you know.” Jake walked past with a mug of steaming coffee, speaking casually between sips. He paused and smiled at Lee. “What's up, did I seem too butch? I can go and put my hot pants on and mince about for you if you want?”
Lee looked at Steve then at Jake, his eyes wide. “Look, I didn't mean to offend you or anything, I just didn't know.”
“Hey mate,” Jake was smiling, “it’s cool. I'm happy with being a ‘bender’ as you call it, and you've nothing to worry about Lee. You're far too ugly for me, even if it is the end of the world.”
Lee grinned, relieved that he wasn't an object of desire for a gay man, and also that it was still okay for him to be friends with someone he had clearly already begun to bond with.
Steve waved Jake over. “Anyway, if you have time Jake, I want to talk to you about the radio.”
“What about it?” he asked as he lowered the cup from his lips.
“Well uh, will I be able to talk to my brother on it?”
“Depends what he is using. Has he said anything about their equipment?”
“Something called Codan? Does that mean anything to you? I’ll be truthful, I don’t know the first thing about that kind of stuff.” Steve was hopeful that Jake did.
Jake nodded slowly.
“Yeah, the Australians developed it for the outback originally. It’s HF,” he looked from Steve to Lee and saw they were no wiser and rolled his eyes. “High Frequency. Depending on the frequency and the antenna types and lengths and times of day, you can talk to someone on the other side of the planet. If it has been supplied by the military though, it could be encrypted and we would be unable to pick it up, at least with the equipment we have here.”
Steve and Lee swapped glances then both looked at Jake.
Steve said, “You've just given me a big bowl of Greek salad there Jake, but you obviously know what you're talking about. Have a play about with the radio and I’ll try and get more info from Marcus on what he's carrying.”
“I’ll have a look at it this afternoon. What are you two gonna be doing?”
“We need to start working on an escape plan for this place and the possibility of blocking off the road to stop those things from wandering up to the front gate. We need to be better organized and start having people doing set jobs around here. Obviously, you're the Bill Gates and Steven Hawking of the group rolled into one, so you're the tech guy.”
Jake raised his eyebrows. “Lucky me eh?”
Sarah began to slowly recover and with each hour, she looked and seemed to feel better, but Helen was adamant that she should remain in bed and under constant supervision. Steve was happy to comply.
As Sarah fought the virus off, Roy deteriorated rapidly. Four days after being bitten and he was close to death.
Lee, Jake, Steve and Gary helped to carry him down and out through the back on a makeshift stretcher, out of sight from the rest of the people of the house. Sophie had been detailed to take the children out the front and to entertain them to prevent them from seeing the almost lifeless Roy as he was brought through the house.
He was placed onto a mattress that had been set aside for him, in an annex that was used as a large storeroom for the mansion. He was completely incoherent and didn't seem to notice his new surroundings. His hands and feet had been bound to stop him from lashing out or being able to move in case he turned suddenly.
