I Dream of Zombies (Book 2): Haven

by Vickie Johnstone

  “Yeah, fine. I was looking for Marla and wondered if you’d seen her.”

  “No, not since yesterday. She was going back out on patrol today. Didn’t you go with her?”

  Tommy shook his head. “Not today. She should have been back by now.”

  “Don’t worry. She’s probably in the gym or one of the cafeterias,” she assured him, hugging her book to her chest. “You’re worried because of what happened the last time she went out when she fell?”

  “Yeah, ever since then I can’t help but worry. This is the first time she’s been out since that day. She’s only just fit enough and I didn’t want her to go, although I didn’t tell her that.”

  Ellen smiled. “Don’t worry. What happened was an accident and she’s got the whole team to look out for her.”

  Tommy bit his lip, wanting to say more, but he couldn’t as Marla had not told Ellen the truth about that day and Will Acre’s actions.

  “Maybe you should tell her you’re worried,” Ellen suggested. “She might listen to you.”

  “Maybe…”

  “But you shouldn’t worry. To be honest, I’m not, so that should be a sign!”

  “I guess,” he said, smiling slightly. “I’ll just head off. See you later.”

  “Okay. Tommy?”

  He turned. “Yeah?”

  “You’re going to check the entire building, aren’t you?”

  “No, I’m not that obsessed!” he replied with a chuckle.

  As Ellen closed the door of her room, Tommy paused and leaned against the wall. You’ve got it bad, he thought to himself. No, I’m just worried about her after everything that’s happened. I’m not sure who to trust here. That’s realism, not paranoia. Shaking his head, he sighed and headed towards the lift.

  ***

  Footsteps outside in the corridor made her sit up straight on the narrow mattress. She blinked in the white glare of the single bulb hanging from the ceiling. Whoever was there had decided to walk away again. Standing, she strode towards the metal door and peered through the tiny round hole in the centre, almost eye level if she bent slightly. Squinting, she stared hard, but there was nothing to see except the empty corridor with its eerie blue light.

  She wished they would just get it over with. Games were for amateurs; she hated playing them. Cards out on the table; that was the way she liked things, where she could see them in the crisp glare of the day.

  Folding her arms, she wandered back to the bed and sat down again. The cell was cold. Tapping her boots on the concrete, she shivered and stared at the brick wall. What she wouldn’t give for a big woolly jumper and a good book right now; just something to relieve the boredom. Outside, the footsteps returned and she jumped up.

  “Hello?” she called out, her voice cracking as she hurried towards the door. “C-can you hear me? Where am I?”

  The footsteps stopped and she peered through the peephole again, seeing no one there. “How long are you going to keep me here? What are you going to do?” she asked, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. It was best not to demand anything or anger them, even though she was dying for a drink of water and her stomach growled from hunger.

  Whoever it was walked away again.

  Games. Games. What was the point? Just tell me what you are going to do with me. Get it over with instead of leaving me here. Don’t I deserve to know?

  She sat on the bed and held her head in her hands.

  Marla, you really screwed up. You should have waited. What use are you in here now?

  ***

  Ellen jumped at the knock and answered her door with a grin, half expecting it to be Tommy again. Instead she came face to face with Miss Evender, the administrator, and Doctor Baker. Surprised to see them both, Ellen was struck dumb for a second.

  “May we come in?” asked Miss Evender in a soft tone.

  “Erm, of course,” Ellen replied, stepping backwards to give them space to enter. Grasping her book against her chest, as if it were a shield, she closed the door. She continued to hug it as she waited for them to speak.

  “Ellen, please sit down,” said Miss Evender.

  The girl frowned and perched on the chair by her desk. Feeling the eyes of the therapist upon her, she wished to tell him to stop. It was making her uncomfortable.

  “I, I mean we, have something to tell you,” the administrator continued. “I thought it better to come here rather than ask you to come to my office.”

  Ellen nodded, perplexed. “What is this about? Have I done…”

  “No, no, it’s just… well, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but there has been an accident. Your sister was…”

  Ellen stopped listening at the word sister. She dimly heard the rest of the sentences that followed as they rolled through the mist of her consciousness, but she was no longer there. The book shielded her and her mind took her elsewhere, to a place of quiet where these two people did not exist.

  “Ellen, would you like us to fetch someone?” asked Doctor Baker.

  She looked up to see the man staring at her from behind his glasses. Wondering why he had let his beard grow so long, she fixated upon it while she bent the pages of the book back further and further until they would move no more.

  ***

  “Hello, Mr Armstrong, sorry to disturb you, but may we have a word, please?” asked Miss Evender.

  Tommy glanced from her face to that of Baker, the therapist, doctor or whatever he called himself, standing next to her. They both looked solemn. With a shrug, he opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Sure, come in, and it’s Tommy. Place is a bit of a mess though. ”

  “Not to worry,” said the administrator as Tommy closed the door behind them.

  “Sorry I can’t offer you a strong drink,” he joked. When his guests looked at him blankly, he folded his arms across his chest, feeling slightly awkward. They didn’t speak immediately and he shifted on his feet. “Well, is there a problem?”

  “Would you like to sit down, Mr Armstrong?” Miss Evender asked.

  “Tommy…”

  “Sorry, Tommy.”

  “No, I’m happy to stand. You can sit though,” he added, pulling his jacket off the chair by the desk and hanging it on a hook.

  Miss Evender sighed and continued in a softer voice, “Mr… Tommy, there is no easy way to tell you this…”

  Her expression was so peculiar that Tommy felt his stomach sink. Frowning, he leaned against the door. Something bad had happened. He sensed it.

  “...but there has been an accident. I thought it best to tell you here, somewhere private.”

  Tommy felt his patience depart as a feeling of dread permeated his bones. “What accident? Who?”

  “I’m sorry to have to tell you, but your friend, Marla, has been killed.”

  “What?!” he exploded. “Is this some kind of joke?”

  “No, Mr Armstrong, please calm down,” said Baker. “I know this is difficult…”

  “Difficult?” Tommy gasped. “What the hell are you talking about? I saw her yesterday. She went out on patrol today. How could she have been killed? You’re mistaken.”

  “No, I’m sorry, our information is correct. Marla has passed away.”

  “Passed, my arse! Where did you get this from?” Tommy demanded and then another thought entered his head. “Have you told this to Ellen?”

  Miss Evender nodded. “Just now, before coming here.”

  “This is fucking bullshit!” Tommy shouted, punching the door of his wardrobe, oblivious to the impression he was making on the other two people in the room, who took a few steps back. “I’m not listening to this.” Tugging open the door of the room, he stormed out and headed in the direction of the stairwell.

  “Mr Armstrong?” called Miss Evender, who had stepped into the corridor.

  “Fuck you!” he yelled as he swung open the door of the stairwell and vanished inside. He ran down the stairs quickly and out the door on the first level. Without pausing, he hurried along th
e corridor, taking deep breaths, feeling his head was about to explode. A pressure had descended around his shoulders as though something heavy was pushing them down and he had the impression of being able to hear his heart pounding in his ears. In no time at all he reached his destination and he shoved the door wide open without knocking.

  Caballero looked up in surprise from the papers he was reading. “Tom…?”

  “Tell me what the hell is going on!” Tommy shouted at him, approaching the desk, scowling.

  The commander stood up, so the two men were on eye level. “Calm down!”

  “Calm down? Fucking calm down? What the fuck?” Tommy brought his fist down on the desk. “Tell me now where she is or I’ll…”

  “Ah, Marla,” said Caballero as realisation dawned on him. “You mean Marla. I’m sorry, Tommy, but you’ll have to calm down. Please sit.”

  “Sit?!”

  “Shouting isn’t going to solve anything and I will not tolerate this, no matter the circumstances. Sergeant Mayer, stand down.”

  Tommy turned around to see a middle-aged soldier standing in the doorway looking concerned.

  “This is my new deputy, so to speak,” Caballero explained calmly. “Tommy, please sit down.”

  Reluctantly, he sat with a single glance back at Mayer. The sergeant entered the room quietly and closed the door. He stood almost to attention with his back to the exit.

  “I can tell you everything you need to know, but first let me tell you how sorry I am about Marla,” Caballero began. “I liked her and she was a very brave woman, admirable. She also saved my life once. We owe her a debt.”

  “She saved many people’s lives,” Tommy stated bluntly. Leaning his right arm on the chair rest, he rested his head in his hand and didn’t speak for a while. Once he felt calm enough, he said, “Tell me what happened.”

  The commander opened a file. “I have several statements from the soldiers who were with her at the time. Jeremiah, Parsons…”

  “I don’t know them.”

  “…and Green who…”

  Tommy leaned forwards. “Is his first name Simon?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “He was on the coach with us when we were travelling from London. I remember him.”

  “Green was with Marla, Jeremiah and Parsons at the time of the incident,” Caballero continued. “Are you sure you want me to tell you the details?”

  Tommy clenched and unclenched his hands before nodding and resting his head again. He focused on the wooden floor between his feet and listened while the commander spoke.

  “The patrol was sent to Pewsey. They left Haven at 9 a.m. sharp with plans to return by 2 p.m. at the latest.” Caballero paused. “I’m sorry. It was my decision and I take responsibility for it.” Tommy didn’t speak and the commander went back to reading the file. “Mayer here, he was in charge and went out with the patrol. There were three vehicles, each with three soldiers, and the bus, as usual. Marla was in a Land Rover with Green and Jeremiah. On reaching Pewsey, the patrol checked a supermarket and pharmacy for provisions. At approximately 12.13 p.m. there was an incident.

  “At this point the soldiers had split up. Some stayed with the trucks. There was a sighting of a lone survivor and Smith followed him into an alley off a main street. He was ambushed by several undead. Unfortunately, he did not survive. The undead were killed and the soldiers searched the alley, which led to an industrial estate and a few houses.

  “The survivor was sighted entering one of these houses. Parsons knocked, but he did not get an answer. Marla wanted to go in anyway and speak to him. There was a disagreement with Mayer. Green agreed with Marla. Mayer wished to explore the industrial buildings. Most of the guard went with him while Green, Jeremiah, Parsons and Marla stayed. Mayer had agreed to this split, telling them to catch up.

  “Parsons knocked on the door of the house several times. Jeremiah looked in the windows – there were gaps between some wooden boards, he said – and he was certain people were living there. It was decided to check the back of the house. The back door had been broken and boarded up, as were the windows. At that point they heard cries from the neighbouring house, so they rushed over. The back door was ajar and they went inside. First Parsons, and then Marla, Jeremiah and Green.

  “They checked the ground floor, finding two undead, and a young girl with fatal injuries. Next they checked the second floor where they found the body of an elderly woman. There were a series of rooms joined together, but the layout was unclear and they were ambushed.” Caballero paused and glanced up. “Do you wish me to continue?”

  Tommy kept his eyes on the floor and simply nodded in reply. He covered his mouth with his hand.

  The commander coughed and cleared his throat. “Parsons and Jeremiah were set upon first. Green killed the two undead that attacked Jeremiah and Marla saved Parsons. The number of undead are vague. Estimates vary between six and eleven. It was an entire family, by all accounts. The team heard more screams coming from the attic, up to which a ladder led. Marla was the first up, but it was dark and full of the dead. When Green got up there, he said he could not help her. She had tried to protect two young girls who had gone up there – he assumes it was to escape. Marla had been bitten when he got there.”

  When Caballero stopped talking, Tommy finally looked up, his eyes glazed. “Then what? Did they just leave her?”

  The commander looked away. “Green shot her.”

  Tommy flinched. Gripping his hands together, he stared at them for a few seconds, hesitating before asking his next question: “Did you bring her… her body back?”

  Caballero shook his head. “No. I’m sorry.”

  “Why?”

  The commander looked crestfallen and stumped for words. At length he closed the file and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t think I can answer.”

  “But I need to know. I need to know everything.”

  “Tommy, there wasn’t a body to bring back.”

  Wednesday, 14

  The metal door clanged. “You have a visitor!” a male voice called out.

  Marla opened her eyes and stared at the brick wall, dismally remembering where she was and discovering that she was shivering with cold in her vest. Raising herself on the single mattress, she put on her black hooded top, swung her legs and stood up on the concrete. The bulb hanging from the ceiling lit up and she covered her eyes with her right hand. Wondering who the visitor was, she took a step forwards, but stopped when the door began to open. A soldier entered carrying a rifle.

  She blinked until her eyes adjusted to the light and put her hand down. Her body felt hot and sticky, and she imagined that she stunk by now. “Who are you?” she asked.

  The man did not reply, but seemed to be waiting. Perplexed, Marla glanced at the door again as a familiar figure entered. He nodded to the soldier for him to wait outside the cell. No one closed the door.

  “I wouldn’t think of trying anything,” said Jakob. “He has orders to shoot you if you do.”

  Marla scowled. “How long are you going to keep me here?”

  “That, my dear, depends on you.”

  “I’m not your dear.”

  “Mmm, to my dismay,” he answered with a smirk. “So how are they treating you here?”

  “You’re funny. You didn’t answer my question.”

  He laughed. “You’re not really in a position to be asking questions. Had any visitors?”

  She shook her head, knowing he knew the answer.

  “Ah, everyone seems not to care what happens to you. That’s a shame.”

  She bit her tongue and chose to simply endure the man’s presence until he left.

  His eyes took in the worn, dirty mattress, and metal toilet and sink. She followed his gaze to the toothbrush and paste they had given her, which rested by the taps. Apparently, they didn’t want her to get any cavities, she thought wistfully. She’d rather have a fresh set of…

  “I imagine you’d prefer some more clothes and your t
hings,” Jakob stated, as if reading her mind.

  She took a step back and frowned.

  “I can organise that for you if you are… mmm, cooperative.” He smiled.

  Marla did not smile back.

  “Do you want to cooperate with me?” he asked.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Who knew you were going to nose around the basement? Who helped you?”

  “No one,” she replied.

  “I see, so none of the soldiers, scientists or anyone? None of your friends? You just used my pass and came across my lab purely by accident?”

  She nodded. “There were dead-lookers down here before, so I wondered what else.”

  “Oh yes, I’d forgotten what you call them. Pleasant. In fact you don’t look as attractive to me today as you normally did? Have you changed something?”

  She ignored him and focused on a speck of dirt on the wall by his head. If only she could knock his skull against it.

  “You know, if you’re willing to be nice to me, I could get you out of here.”

  Marla looked him solidly in the eye. “You are kidding me?”

  “Do I look as if I am? No one cares, Marla. I’m the only one who cares about you and whether you ever leave this cell. No one knows you are here,” said Jakob, crossing his arms with a look of superiority.

  “My sister?”

  “She has no idea.”

  “What have you told her?” Marla asked and then she felt annoyed for allowing herself to be riled by him. Everything he said was unreliable anyway. He was relishing this.

  “But, as I said, if you are willing to cooperate, I can help you.”

  “I have cooperated. No one else knew. I want to speak to Caballero.”

  “There’s only me to talk to. And you know what I’m getting at, Marla. It must be getting lonely for you in here…”