Fall of the Cities: Planting the Orchard
Page 41
“Yes, busy, I heard you. How many have been hurt? What happened?”
“We’ve got five in here with holes in them. None that will kill them straight away but we need lots of disinfectant and bandages and recovery time. I don’t know about over there.” Casper waved at the opposite house, then pointed to the barricade. “Look over there first. We’ve been redecorated.”
“Hang on, let me tell the others that the place is still standing.” Harold used the radio to do so then stepped onto his box, still here, and looked over the boundary. “What the... heck happened?” There were hundreds of bodies, starting almost at the barricade and stretching right across the caravan park.
“A bloody great mob gathered on the caravan park over there. I didn’t fancy annoying them but you’d said to get the sods to fire if possible. Toby did it with that little rifle. He must have hit something since after the second shot some of them started shooting back. Then another mob came down the road and past the end here, heading for the bypass.” Casper gave a little smile. “About four million of them according to my quick count. I screamed cease fire to everyone so we didn’t annoy them.”
“Harold.” He turned and had his arms full of Emmy. “Ooh, I really need this.” She stepped back, smiling. “I’ll get a full breakdown soggy-hug later.” Emmy turned to Casper. “Have you told him about the explosions?”
“Not yet Emmy, because we were rudely interrupted.” Casper grinned at her, then sobered and turned to Harold. “The Army were shooting at those in the caravan park, shooting the ones with weapons. We could see well enough from here because that light was on them. Meanwhile there was firing from up there towards the bypass. I reckon the four million opened fire.”
“Four million? You counted? Sorry, carry on.” Emmy waved up at number two and beckoned.
Casper carried on. “If they did it was a mistake. There was this bloody great boom.”
“Tank, Casper. That’s when I nearly messed myself.”
“I’m pleased I’m not the only one because I need to check my undies as well.” Casper grinned.
Emmy looked to the side. “You’re just in time, Holly. They’re checking undies.”
“Ooh good. Will you check mine please, Harold?” Holly stopped, mouth open as the other three turned and stared. A bright scarlet blush crept up her neck and covered her face. “Er, um, I mean. Oh.” She turned and fled.
“I blame the excitement. That was decidedly un-Holly like. Though if you are checking undies I’ll let the girl’s club know?” Emmy raised an eyebrow.
“Not until Casper or you finally tell me where all the bodies came from, and why the garages seem to be mostly knocked down?” Harold hoped that the invitation was just the excitement and a slip of the tongue. Seventeen year old Holly was still mourning her boyfriend and definitely didn’t need to be getting sudden crushes on twenty year old ex-soldiers. Not the sort that invited knicker inspections.
“The tank, as I now know, did something bloody awful to the crowd going up there. Some of them were actually fighting to get back, away from it.” Casper was still impressed by that idea.
“Was there an explosion?”
“No?”
“Think of that tank gun, then think of one of your shotgun rounds blown up to that size. One thousand nasty little bits of metal someone once told me.”
Casper went pale “Crap.” He swallowed. “Anyway, the Army got fed up of shooting those in the caravan park one at a time. About then they started using something a lot worse. I think some were machine guns, lines of tracer like on films. The others were tracers but exploded. Not big ones but men out in the open were being torn to bits.”
Casper had a minute to recover and take a drink after that memory. Harold left him to do so because that would have been bloody, and shocking. Then the big man took a deep breath before continuing. “The big gun went boom again and suddenly the mob at the end of our road were all trying to get away. A lot turned up here. I yelled for everyone to open fire. We sort of slowed them up but it wasn’t going to be enough. Then one of the tracer things that exploded ripped lumps out of the garages, the road, and the crowd coming at us.”
“Light cannon, probably on a personnel carrier or an armoured car.”
“Whatever it was is terrifying and I’m glad they were accurate.” Casper waved at the house. “I hope you can make refills for the weapons because apart from the little rifles we used most of it up. That didn’t take long which is worrying. I shouted for everyone to get their heads down because bullets and arrows were coming at us and even our crossbow bolts were getting a bit short.” Casper glanced at the barricade. “We could do with nipping over there and getting some back.”
“Not a good idea tonight. Maybe tomorrow depending on the Army?”
“Definitely up to the Army because I’m not annoying them. There were some big explosions out there. When I peeked there were heaps of bodies on the main road. Those cars parked over there in the gardens? Well, you’ve seen them, they’re scrap.” Casper looked around him. “There was stuff pinging off everything so we kept low and waited. Several houses down there on the main road caught fire eventually. I was worried something would hit one of our houses.”
“Something did back there. Twice and we’ve lost at least one person but I couldn’t see who.”
“Oh, the rotten bastards.” Casper looked towards the bypass where a searchlight still illuminated the main roadway.
“Not really, in the cold light of survival. Without the Army chucking big stuff we’d all be dead, Casper. There were more than I imagined. Christ, this was a small mob, can you imagine that big one?” Harold was angry about the deaths as well, but he wanted the residents thinking rationally about the two shells. He looked at the swathes of bodies on the approach road and they would have swamped the barricade. “Shifting that lot is going to be a lousy job.”
“Leave the bastards to rot.” Casper stopped. “We can’t, can we? The stink would be appalling.”
“Not to mention flies, scavengers, and possible diseases. Let’s hope we’ve got enough people fit to shift them all.” Harold turned to the other house, number one. “Come on, let’s find out.”
* * *
“Shit, shit, crap and I really want to Army swear.” Harold went to his knees next to the body. Barely marked except for the hole on his forehead. The mess at the back of his head was disguised by the bundled jacket.
“He was really proud you know. That you trusted him with the rifle, and let him stand with the rest of us.” Sal had a hand on Harold’s shoulder. “Toby was doing what he wanted, Harold. He was at the window, shooting as fast as he could.”
“It’ll kill his Mum. Oh crap, I’ll have to tell Faith.”
“I’ll get one of the girl’s club to do it.”
“No Sal. This really is my job. Anyone else?”
“Chris. One of the big group that arrived with Conn and Bess. He was hit in the chest with something big that came clean through the plywood. He only survived a few minutes. We’ve got three wounded but they’re all wrapped up and not bleeding much now. They’ll be all right until they can get to Patricia. One needs an arrow digging out.”
“They’re all walking?”
“Ours as well.” Casper shrugged. “I reckoned it had to be the height of the window sills. Nothing came through the walls so everyone got hit above the waist.”
The door burst open and Holly came in “Oh, no, not Toby. I didn’t know. He was so young!” She came across to look at Toby and then buried her head in Harold’s shoulder. Nobody smiled this time. After a while Holly raised her teary face and then went scarlet as she looked at Harold’s face. “Oh, er.” She fled.
They heard her clattering down the stars. “Hello what’s the matter?” The voice on the stairs was Hazel’s and Sal was immediately moving to catch her at the top, on the landing. Before she saw Toby.
The voices were clear through the almost closed door. “What have you got, Hazel?”
“That’s great, Hazel. Just what we need to keep us going.”
“Is everyone all right because fifteen, the one in Meadow Lane, has been all blown up.”
“Nobody was in there Hazel. Off you go.” Sal came in with the coffee and tears were starting to trickle down her cheeks. “I couldn’t tell her.”
Harold straightened his back and braced his shoulders. “I’ll do it when I get home. Will Holly be all right?”
“Yes. She just forgot you were there.” Harold kept looking and Emmy sighed. “Any other time this would be funny. We make jokes in the girl’s club. Holly made a girl’s club joke but you were actually there.”
“Jokes about, er?” Harold felt the blush work up his face. “Oh.” Because there were those sorts of jokes in the Army, about certain girls that the men fancied and didn’t expect to get near to. He turned and went to the door. “I’ll check on the wounded, to thank them. I’ll come back for Toby in a minute, and take him home.”
Harold went across to the other house after talking to the three wounded, and spoke to the wounded there, and the rest of the defenders. Nothing profound, just agreeing the whole night had been bloody awful, and thanking them all for standing firm. He explained the tank and napalm to those who wanted to know, and the light cannon that had chewed up the garages and the attackers. “How’s Toby?”
“Come over with me, Alfie, and you can see him.”
Alfie looked around. “Will that be all right? I don’t want to leave this house short-handed.”
“No problem. That mob is broken for tonight, and maybe forever. The Army blew the hell out of the houses where they were gathering, then burned them.” Harold gestured at the two-two. “Leave the rifle.”
Alfie propped the weapon against the wall and took a box of rounds out of his pocket and put them with it. “It’s the only gun with ammunition, except maybe a few for Casper’s shotgun.” Alfie followed Harold across the landing and down the stairs. “I really need to sort out that bow. It’ll be a lot faster than the rifle. For me at least.”
“Not the same range though, or accuracy at range.”
“I’m useless at range anyway as yet. Toby is a lot better.” They were outside now and Harold turned and took a deep breath.
“Not any more, Alfie. Toby didn’t make it.”
Harold watched that sink in and caught the young man in both arms for a solid hug before releasing him. Enough for support without offending his budding masculinity. “He was at the window, doing what he was supposed to. Shooting that little rifle like a maniac. He’s upstairs in number one.” Alfie headed that way in a sort of daze and Harold walked alongside.
“But how? Why? If he was behind the plywood? It’s not right. Toby was better than most of the men with his rifle.” Alfie cleared his throat as a warble came into his voice. “He really liked that rifle. He was going to be, er.”
“I know. A soldier. He would have made a damn good soldier. In fact he already was one.”
“How?”
“Toby stood on the line, and he defended his people, and he died doing it. You can’t get any nearer.” Harold sighed. “If he’d been older the Army would have been lucky to get him.”
“Oh no, he wanted to, well, be a soldier here. Protect everyone.” Alfie stumbled over the words, and now he stumbled over the stairs a little and scrubbed at his eyes.
“Let it go Alfie. Cry. It’s not wrong, and I cry when that’s what I need. I will cry over Toby, probably a few times before I’m done.” Harold still expected Alfie to hold it in because of his age and sex, but hoped he’d let the grief out later. Emmy put her head out as she heard feet on the stairs, and spoke over her shoulder.
As Alfie reached the top the room’s occupants came out but Harold caught hold of Sal’s arm. “Stay please, because mine is the wrong shoulder. He won’t accept it.” Sal’s eyes opened in alarm and Harold gave her a sad smile. “Your turn kiddo.”
“OK.” Sal watched Alfie go through the door and her face softened. “Fair enough. Though I’ll want a shoulder as well sometime.”
“Won’t we all after this, Sal.”
* * *
Harold waited outside until a red-eyed Alfie came out. He saw Harold and straightened up. “What so you want me to do now, Harold?”
“Go back over there, and tell everyone to sleep in turns where they can. We’ll stay here until morning and then see what happens.” Casper came out of the other room with the walking wounded following. “Casper will organise sleep shifts.”
Harold tried to lift Toby but the wound in his leg wouldn’t allow it, so in the end he pulled the door off the airing cupboard. Harold put a sheet from the airing cupboard over the lad and his stick alongside him, and called for assistance.
“I’ll do it. I’ve known Toby for the last year so better than a stranger.” Billy glanced at Emmy and Sal who had both volunteered. “No offence meant. You’re not strangers but.” He gave an uncomfortable shrug.
“I’ve only known most of you for a few weeks and none of you are strangers, but I understand.” Emmy produced the ghost of a smile. “A soldier should have a couple of big rough blokes anyway.”
Billy glanced at her but Emmy wasn’t taking the mickey. Emmy and Sal did help to get the improvised stretcher down the stairs, then stayed in the house as Harold and Billy took Toby home.
The news had spread because there were people on the side of the road with their heads bowed. Louise, the reclusive graphics designer who was a long-time friend of Toby’s Mum followed them up the road. By the time they turned up the path Liz was waiting to open the door, and Hilda arrived and followed Harold inside.
When Harold left, fifteen bruising minutes later, Faith was surrounded by five women she knew. Karen had just come in. As he left Harold could hear the same question again, the one he couldn’t answer. “Why Toby? He’s only a boy, what was he doing facing those men with a gun?”
This time Harold heard a clear calm answer, from Karen. “He was protecting his Mum, Faith. What else could he do?”
Harold spent the next few hours working up and down the line between the boundary houses, checking how everyone was. Two dead at the gate, one in Matthew’s strongpoint, three where the mob came through the wall the first time, two in the shelled house, and Sue. He sent the wounded to Patricia, and Sharyn home to the kids. He also sent Pippa, Olive and Suzie, Sue’s sister, up to the big house to look after their children. The last three had all arrived over the last couple of days, but had stood on the boundary to do their part.
* * *
Since more batteries had been sent to the gate, Harold now had his little communicator back. Which meant that Casper could pass his worries along. “I think you need to get your soldier ass up here. There’s big engines revving up on the bypass.” Harold could soon hear the noise as he headed that way and had a good idea what was revving up.
At least the limping was easier after Patricia and her team had stuck a proper bandage on Harold’s leg. He would be pleased when he got home to change because he’d lost the bottom half of his jean’s leg in the process. Patricia had found a diversion for Faith’s grief. The entire group of women had been seconded as nurses, along with Hazel and Veronica. According to Patricia, in a quiet aside to Harold, it would help them get through the night.
“What are they doing, Harold?” Casper might have slept, but he looked haggard so maybe not.
“I reckon those are tanks. Tell everyone to put their weapons on the floor and do not pick them up. We’ve nothing that can scratch one, and if you annoy the driver he’ll run over the house.” Harold met Caspe
r’s incredulous look. “Not over, but right through will do the same job. Tell anyone with a loose mouth to shut up this time.” Casper headed into the house on the run and Harold went to the other one.
“Who’s in charge?”
“You are, I hope.” Emmy was trying for cheeky but was a bit rough looking as well. The strain and lack of sleep wasn’t doing anyone any favours this morning.
“Silly sod. In here I mean because big rough soldiers surrounded by armour are coming to call and I don’t want them annoyed.” Harold glanced at her crossbow. “Put that down and the spear for starters. Then get everyone to do the same until I tell them different.”
“We could offer them a bottle of beer? Blow kisses?” Emmy frowned. “No, because if any of them took me up on it I’m too knackered.” She sighed. “I’ll tell the rest.”
“Tell them seriously. All and every weapon on the floor and don’t even look too hard at the soldiers. I’m going to be stood on that box and hopefully talking to someone and really don’t want them nervous.” He smiled. “Resist the impulse to shout this time, please?” Harold looked round. “The beer is a good idea. Where is it?”
“Here, there’s only a couple of bottles.”
“Perfect. I want them happy, not drunk.” Harold headed outside and stood on his box.
The engines were growling closer now. Even though he expected it, sort of, a full sized battle tank crunching and clanking past the end of the Orchard Close entrance road was a bit of a shock. Harold had the same feeling as he’d had in London. Those things shouldn’t be allowed in builtup areas. The armoured personnel carrier that turned up the road towards him was almost an anti-climax. It stopped twenty feet away and the hatch popped open.
“Who are you?”
Harold weighed up the lieutenant and decided on playing down the Army part. “Harold Miller.”
“Are you the gang boss, or head of security, or whatever?”