by D G Leigh
“That won't hold them long.” The armed choirboy turned on his toes. “We've lost this side. Head for the hatch.” Leslie branched off away from the valley. “Where're you going?”
“To get Jo and the kids.”
William's enforcer shook his head. “You'll never make it back in time.”
“Without them that won't matter.” Leslie lost sight of the sentry as they both went their separate ways.
--- Six ---
Locked as many doors as possible without wasting too much time. There'd be more than one way to reach the mess hall impossible to bar all routes. Leslie sprinted to the kitchen down deserted corridors. Behind him, very close, too close, thousands of undead sprawled into the facility.
Jo had the Beretta trained on the door as Leslie appeared white as a ghost.
“Whoa! It's me!”
Jo had heard the klaxon.“What's happened?” Didn't lower the weapon, Leslie obviously running from something shocking.
“They got in!” He couldn't hear his own voice, blood pumping inside his ears. His stinging lungs about to explode.
“How?” The question unimportant.
Leslie words gasped in-between huge gulps of air. “I think James had the same idea as us and bolted. Left the shutter up? F**king idiot.”
“Where's Eugene?” Jo checked over Leslie's shoulder. “That's why you went back.”
Shook his head. “Have you come across anywhere else we could hold out?” Prayed Jo had alternatives, they'd been exploding this relic. Her tears his answer.
“It's okay, don't worry.” Leslie locked the kitchen doors. Pulled a cabinet against it. Nothing they could do about the severing hatch. He'd slay the Zaks as they climbed through, as many as he could.
“Mr Leslie, are the strangers coming?”
“I'm afraid so.” No sugar coating the fact. They'd two gun between them. He'd have to kill the kids, Jo could never do it. Painless and quick.
“Captain Trips knows a really good hiding place.” Susan took his hand. “This way.”
Leslie didn't follow. “This isn't a game darling.” Perhaps they could swivel the freezers against the wall, harbour inside?
“I know that silly!” This time Susan reached for Jo. “It's a secret. The best hide and seek spot ever.” Bent down opened a utensils cupboard.
Jo sick with fear. “We can't fit in there!”
“Not inside! Look.” Susan said impatiently. This row of lower kitchen storage units didn't have backs on them, a frame with cupboard doors attached to the wall. An air vent behind the shelving. “Through there.” Ducting barely large enough to fit a man. “Took Akamu ages to find me.”
“That's because you're a cheat!” Akamu accused. “You know we're not allowed outside.”
“I didn't cheat.” Defiantly placed her fists on her hips. “It's safe there's no red stuff, dummy.”
“What did you say?” Squabbling kids got Leslie's full attention. “This leads to the outside?”
“I'm sorry.” Susan believed that she's in big trouble. “There's more tunnels, no doors just lights and a climbing frame to the top.”
Leslie kicked the shelving away. “You're my number one Agent. Lead the way.”
“Not so fast!” Jo pulled her back. Conflicting with Leslie's wishes. “Stay behind me.” Her Beretta took point.
Akamu entered after Susan followed by Leslie. The racket of mass movement, tables and chairs being overturned came from the mess hall. The locked door rattled followed by an uninfected Eugene flying through the serving hatch onto the kitchen floor as Leslie was closing the cupboard from within.
Eugene's EOD overalls had saved him from bites but slowed his pace. Shed the bulky clobber once partially clear in favour of speed. The sentry had told him that Leslie was last seen heading back to the cafeteria.
“In here soldier!” Leslie ordered. Disappeared. How's that possible?
Eugene didn't hesitate. Blindly wiggled into the chute as riled Zaks poured into the kitchen.
--- Seven ---
A hurried scramble fed into a larger ventilation tunnel. Leslie grabbed the Corporal's wrists, pulled him clear. Raging zombies clawed the shaft in pursuit. Too narrow to let more than one through at a time. Fighting to get in. Eugene waited for the first, had felt it behind him grasping at his boots. Impaled its protruding head with a knife. Its narcotic body blocked the pipe. The blade wedged by suction, wouldn't come free. Eugene left it and ran.
Travelling inside the filtration network the kids able stand but Eugene, Leslie and Jo needed to crouch or risk banging their heads on support beams. Susan weaved her way through the dimly lit warren quickly putting distance between the horde and them.
“Do know where you're going?” Leslie's following an eight year old and her stuffed toy. Susan took each fork direction in the maze without indecision.
“Sure do, Mr Leslie.” Confident.
Eugene brought up the rear. Spent more time glancing behind than looking forward. “Not though I'm complaining, where're we going?” Anywhere better than a room full of Zaks or a church brimming with explosives.
“The surface.” Bamboo free Leslie hoped.
After so many twists and turns Eugene didn't know where. “The valley? Without gear we'll be exposed.”
“No, Captain Trips said that there's no plants. A place where it hasn't rain yet?” Sounded too good to be true.
“Who's Captain Trips?”
“Susan's unicorn!”
“Oh! Okay! When was the last time the unicorn was there? You know the rate these bastards grow.” Feet working faster than logic.
The passage opened out over a vast hollow. Clear water dripped from the ceiling. The adults arched their backs, a pleasure to be able to stand straight.
United on a corroded gantry. “We're here.” Susan announced excitedly. Beneath them an enormous empty steel vat, due for refilling. Pipe work rising from the lid. “It's not as high as it looks, really.” Beyond the reach of caged engineering lights their daunting escape route faded into the gloom. “Don't be scaredy cats.” Noticing the expression on their faces. “I'm only tiny and I can do it! There's more lights near the top and a door.”
Fanned air from the ventilation tunnels carried the putrid smell of Zaks, all the encouragement needed for the group to start climbing. Jointed sections of tubes bolted together created hand and foot holds. Susan's climbing frame.
Eugene delayed his ascent. Handed Leslie a fist size lump of valley wall. Remained on the causeway. Began tinkering with something from his pocket.
“What're you waiting for Eugene? Air Force One?” Leslie joked. “Move your ass.” Already metres above of him.
“I'm wiring the C-4.” Eugene didn't want to be disturbed. Divided the explosive into a smaller size. “I'm going back to blow the tunnel so Zaky-boy can't follow us.”
“Hold on, I'll cover you.” Leslie went to help.
“I won't be long.” Eugene waved him on. “Keep climbing. Look after that sample, don't drop it!”
A single Zak sprung from the passage. Caught Eugene off guard. Grappling the pair fell from the elevated platform onto the fresh water tank. The hollow cavity thudded from the impact like a huge drum. A dinner bell for any wandering plantdrones to home in on.
Eugene didn't have a weapon to fend off the biter. Leslie drew his gun but it was too late. The carnivore Zak tore a chuck out off Eugene's left shoulder. The first more athletic moving zombies ahead of the lumbering legions delayed due to the cramp confines of the underground shafts emerged from the tunnel's mouth. Leslie read Eugene's mind as their eyes locked. Infected, Eugene felt his humanity slipping away, couldn't recall his mother's face? Detonated the C-4.
--- Eight ---
A blinding flash followed by blustering fireball consumed all the darkness. The explosion ripped a gaping hole in the cylinder's roof. Whirling fragments of twisted metal whizzed everywhere. Hot shrapnel entered Jo's leg. Her cry went unheard in the deafening thunder of the blast.
The c
ontained shock wave shook the guts out of the whole chamber. Brought loose fitting crashing down from the busy network of aged conduits overhead. Falling debris came dangerously close to knocking Susan off. Compounded the already unstable causeway. Support beams buckled. The gantry gave way, dropped striking the ruptured lid. Bending under strain, a worst sound than all those hideous monsters put together, bowed then failed completely. Plummeting the mezzanine floor and accompanying zombies two hundred and fifty feet to the tank's drained bottom.
All access to the pipes Leslie, Jo and the kids were clinging onto for dear life blown away. Nothing left at the ventilation shaft's exit but a wide open void. Continued shuffling from the mass behind kept rows of zombies helplessly toppling over the edge one after another into a writhing pit of a thousand undead far below.
Eugene died a hero's death, fighting to save others.
--- Nine ---
The climbers finally reached the top. Somehow they'd survived. A pungent chemical smell lingered on their clothes from the detonation. Jo concealed her injury, hobbled out of sight of Leslie.
Once through a lockable service hatch the pipes went one way while Susan took off in another. Leslie never once questioned her judgement, she'd gotten them this far. Must still be part of Stanswick's military bunker the lights had power. Finally reached the end. Entered a windowless machinery room.
Forgotten technology from the forties laid dormant. One time highly important monitoring constantly took place but now registering peak needles sat inactive behind dust covered dials. Today's modern world had gone the same way. Fallen in less than four days. Daily routines, closing deals, school runs and remembering to drop off the dry cleaning now obsolete. Priorities reduced to just one, the rudimentary task of survival.
Susan's previous presence marked a trail to the strong triple locking point door. Leslie check outside. Sunlight, real glorious sunlight. Its brightness stung his eyes. Astonishing no red vegetation. Flumes from the active volcano farther south formed a lingering noxious sulphur smell. Lightly coughing, Leslie secured the door.
“See, I told you it's the best! The strangers won't find us here.” Susan took out Captain Trips began playing.
Noticing Jo leaning against the room's ancient machinery for support. Her leg bleeding badly. Was she bit? No, she would've turned. Leslie relieved her of the supply pack. “When did this happen?”
“At the explosion.” She winced as he inspected the wound.
“Why didn't you say anything?” He'd seen a fair share of building sites accidents, power tools mostly. The cut short but deep. Nothing vital nicked. Just needed to stop the bleeding.
Embarrassed Jo confessed. “Didn't want you to leave me behind.” Susan stopped what she was going. Came over to check. “I'm alright, sweetheart. Carry on playing.”
Leslie kissed Jo's forehead. “I'd never do that you muppet!” Looked around for something to use for a tourniquet. The straps on the backpack ideal. “Whatever caused this went straight through and out the other side.” Akamu interrupt, handed Leslie a rusted green metal box with a red cross on the front. “Excellent! Good lad. Where'd you find that?”
“On the wall.” Stayed to watch.
The vintage kit dated back to the Second World War. Everything needed for injuries sustained on a jungle battlefield. The labels brown and faded with age. Iodine swabs, gauze and field dressings. Remarkably Leslie pulled out a snake bite treatment package, clamp and antibiotics.
“Hey! Wait a minute is any of this stuff safe?”
“It's military grade stuff it'll be fine. Even if the antibiotic gone bad it'll won't kill you but an infection will!” Leslie scissored away her jeans. “This is going to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.” Readied the iodine. It hadn't lost any of its potency.
“Your bedside manner is lousy.” Jo grabbed his hand. “Whatever happens promise me you'll get the kids to Pohakula.”
“I promise.”
--- Ten ---
After her cut had been thoroughly washed out and decently bandaged Jo tried to stand against Leslie's orders. Failed, sank back down to the floor not weak from the injury but drained from the constant tension from attack.
“How long has it been since you slept?” Leslie made her comfortable.
Jo shrugged indifferent. “A few hours here and there.” Not surprised by Leslie's interest, especially if she looked half as bad as she felt. “Last night worst. Worried about you locked outside.”
“Let's move out tomorrow. Give that leg of yours time to rest.” Unzipped the holdall, passed her another bottle of water. “Don't want to exacerbate any damage.”
“I'm fine. We should go while we still can.” Jo finished off the bottle in one go.
“You're exhausted. Oxygen at this elevation is thinner. Pohakula barracks is higher still. It won't take much for you to be overwhelm with fatigued. It's not gradual it's like hitting a brick wall at a hundred kilometres an hour. Wallop!”
Jo disagreed. “I've kept up with you so far?” Played as hard as any boy. “I'm not noodled armed yet!”
“That's before you hunt your leg. Can't risk you bleeding-out half way up a volcano. This is a good place. We'll be able to sleep safe.” Nobody slept sound any more, always with one eye open. “Mistakes happen when you're tired. Let's gather our senses. Be fresh and alert for the hike in the morning. Give me time to fashion you a crutch.”
Jo wasn't cold, she snuggled Leslie not for warmth but for companionship. Akamu had already nodded off. Jo fell asleep almost immediately as he talked, speculating about the algae. “I think the plume emissions are keeping the rain at bay? Perhaps that's what's soaked into Eugene's rock?” Stroking Jo's hair Leslie wasn't far behind her falling asleep, he'd been running on empty for days.
When she was ready Susan lay Captain Trips beside Akamu. Crept in-between Jo and Leslie. Slept there loved.
* * * * * *
Zero Day + Four
--- One ---
Two adult protectors, guns drawn picked their through the healthy forest. Jo used a staff to aid with walking. “Am I still asleep? Is this a dream?”
Around them normality. The smell of fresh air. Green trees, flowers and life. Untainted by the sickly red intruder that had stolen everything wholesome.
Finally she'd giving Susan and Akamu, after much whining from the pair, a little freedom to run among the flush woodland. Children's laughter the best morale booster.
Tracking higher the forest's denseness thinned until eventually they climbed above the treeline plateau. Five days ago this would've been an idyllic scenic view. Lush tropical jungle sweeping up from an azure sea forming a collar of deep green around soaring slopes of a mighty prehistoric shield volcano but now a vile blood red alien cocoon of impregnable foliage descended level to conjoin with the boa-constricting algae membrane that covered the once free ocean.
Jo's first sight of Hell. “It's over. This really is the end for us. That simple plant has taken over.” Her willpower instantly ripped from her body.
Leslie lovingly squeezed her hand. “Are you kidding me? By tomorrow evening I'll have you back surfing but first we need to follow this ridge line round. Pohakula lays on the other side in-between Mauna Kea and Loa. Hook up with Saddle road, that'll take us right to the fort's front door.”
--- Two ---
Hawaii's belt route 200 linked the East Coast to the west dissecting the island in two. Snaked its way through the middle of two colossus sister volcanoes. Unbelievably the highway was deserted? Leslie expected the road to be jammed solid, bumper to bumper. Cars either disabled by the EMP or gridlock from monumental numbers.
His worst fear had been stumbling across all the people that might've been trapped in queues as the infection leapt from one vehicle to another. Touchpaper spread so rapid that perhaps nobody even survived long enough to drive this far or had the army destroyed the highway out of Hilo to protect inland communities?
The group, one lame, ambled down the road's central reservation. A
lonely high noon stroll towards their final showdown. On the horizon something large approached. Too fast for Zaks. Drawing nearing the regular sight and sound of traffic. Leslie, Jo and the kids moved to the side, off the hard shoulder and watched amazed from the embankment. Jo took the opportunity to sit.
Using all available lanes a convoy sped towards them. Luckily engines that had been switched off during the EMP pulse still worked, revved along. Wonderful to see so many survivors but stone cold fear at their motivation behind this new rush hour time slot. Horns blasted as they raced past. Not a friendly honk but a dire warning.
A stolen dealership car pulled over, the price still written on its windshield. Three traumatized children in school uniform huddled in the back. The front seat home for a vital piece of travelling kit, a blooded baseball bat ready for action. “I've only got room for your kids.” The female school teacher impatient. Eyes fixed on her rear view mirror.
