Then Allen saw the people; small and seemingly insignificant figures scurrying amidst their burning home. It reminded Allen of watching an ant’s nest in panic. Some of the figures moved slowly, some were on fire. The camp was overrun.
Surely you made it out of here, Adam? Surely you were sharp enough and quick enough to get out of all this…
Crowe placed a hand on Allen’s shoulder and pointed down the beach, his line of sight following the Fence. It was on fire, like a flaming snake winding its way through the dunes. Their options for escape routes were becoming slim.
“The boats,” said Crowe pointing to the east. Small harbor in the distance. “Look, if the others have any sense, they’ll be heading there.”
“Lead the way.”
Crowe set off down the sand dune until they were hugging the Fence, the fire still a good hundred yards or so behind them. “We follow the Fence, should be there in five minutes.”
They thrust hard through the dry sand. The Fence ended by a wooden walkway that suddenly stretched out over the sea. A series of jetties jutted out from the long walkway, many boats of various sizes and shapes bobbing on the indifferent sea.
To their right, chaos again entered the world. Fire, people running. The sound of heavy gunfire. Sharp, small bursts. Who was shooting who?
Allen looked over the boats, trying to find a suitable craft. He stopped dead.
Crowe was shouting at him, “Look, its Jack, Andy, the others!” Crowe was pointing back out towards the holiday camp, but Allen didn’t turn to look. He could hear their shouting; shouting his name, telling him to go, to get on a boat, but the words only danced around Allen’s consciousness.
Allen was instead focused on a small motorboat pulling out of the harbor. In it, two people - an adult and a child, both with shocks of blonde hair.
Dalby, and Adam.
“Adam,” said Allen quietly. He walked towards the jetty the boat had pulled away from. “Adam!” he shouted, and broke into a run, the fastest he had ever run. His feet thumped on the walkway. The boat’s engine took on a high pitch, and Allen watched in dismay as the bow rose and the boat accelerated out of the small Tulloch Bay harbor.
“Adam!” he shouted as loud as he could. Allen fell to his knees. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw his son turn and look back. He stared at the open space where a few seconds ago the boat containing Dalby and Adam had been.
A hand grabbed Allen by the arm and pulled him up roughly. “Come on Sir,” said Crowe. “No time for tears, let's get in a fucking boat.”
Chapter 27
Adam stopped at the top of the rise. They had been climbing the large hill for the past hour, and Ellie’s back was aching from carrying Eddy in the sling. The little man was growing, despite the world around him. He was small though, given the lack of proper nutrition. She had noticed that of post-Fall babies; no big bright, bubbly baby fat that she saw in the little ones during the days leading to Eddy’s birth. How different she had imagined her life back then. It seemed like a hazy dream, a world that only existed in films, books, her mind. The reality of her past life had long since faded to nothing.
“Here will be good,” said Adam, standing by a large rock.
The top of the hill was scattered with such rocks; colossal blocks of granite. A few windswept trees bent over like old men dotted the hilltop, which offered a view over the holiday park below and the sea. Tulloch bay town was equally visible to the east. The other side of the hill dropped to a valley, before rising again to more large hills in the distance.
“A little exposed don’t you think, Adam?”
Adam shook his head. “We can see what’s coming. We’ll only be here for a few days anyway.”
Although previously happy to let Adam make the decisions, she was awakening from her holiday park and Dalby induced slumber. “What happens if there is no attack, Adam? We can’t stay up here for long. Not only zombies I’m worried about, what about the weather?”
Adam looked thoughtful for a moment. “What do you mean?”
“We get a storm in from the sea, or weather from the hills, and we’ve got no shelter.”
“There’s the rocks,” said Adam.
Ellie shook her head. “Not good enough. We need to be down in the valley.”
“But then we won’t see the attack when it happens.”
Eddy was kicking against her belly. He was hungry. She could argue with Adam about their accommodation woes later. Maybe tomorrow. First things first: get some rest, get fed.
“Ok, let’s set up the tent by the rocks, the other side from the sea,” said Ellie, testing the wind. “We can stay here tonight.”
Adam looked pleased, and ran over to the rocks, pulling out his tent quickly. Ellie took one last look around the hilltop, expecting to see several slumbering figures lurching, clicking, moaning.
She saw nothing but the green grass, the rocks and a rabbit at the edge of the hill scurry from one burrow to another.
She sat down next to Adam as he put up his tent, and pulled out a can of baby food for Eddy. She looked at the date on this one. One month ago. It would have to do. She figured Eddy would be on solids by the time the little jars of mashed-up-whatever got terribly out of date.
Once the tents were up, Ellie got Eddy down to sleep, wrapping him in a thermal kid’s sleeping bag that she and Mac had found the first week of their wanderings in the Wild. A specialist camping superstore had provided them with most of what they had needed. Apart from hope, of course, That one they had to find themselves.
As darkness came, the three of them settled together in the four-man tent. Cozy enough to share warmth, big enough to preserve personal space. Adam was asleep before her, his gentle snoring a surprisingly soothing sound. Ellie lay awake in the dark, unable to sleep. Her mind was alive and racing. Maybe the fear of change again. Uncertainty now that the safety of the holiday camp had been removed. The certainty of Dalby, and his protection. That’s what she wanted, wasn’t it? That’s why she had stayed with him. She needed to justify it to herself, for suddenly she could see him clearly. His violence, his evil…
She dozed off.
Bursts of noise in the night, like distant fireworks, split into her peace. Without thinking she leaped out of the sleeping bag and out of the tent. She was clutching her baseball bat even though she didn’t remember picking it up.
There it was again. She ran out onto the dark hilltop and stopped, staring towards the westernmost promontory that bookended Tulloch beach. The top of the cliff was glowing in a bright red and yellow. Cracks and bangs - gunfire - were accompanied by short, sharp stabs of light coming from the edge of the cliff top.
“A gunfight,” said Adam, suddenly standing beside her.
“I think you might be right.”
“It’s the attack.”
It could be. It could be lots of different things too. An accidental fire, or a purposeful one, looking to burn out the horde Adam had seen by the fence earlier that day.
It could also be the attack.
“Come on, let’s go,” shouted Adam, his voice feverous with excitement.
She placed a hand on his shoulder. “We need to wait until light.”
Adam shook his head, “No, we have to go now!”
“No, Adam, we can’t go down this hill in the dark. We won’t be able to see any zombies. Not with that horde around somewhere. It’s too dangerous.”
“But…” Adam’s eyes were open wide, his face contorted with confusion. “My Dad! It’s my Dad!”
She stared at the hilltop. Maybe Adam was right, maybe it was her Dad, fighting Dalby and his soldiers. Perhaps it was the end of Dalby and another chance for Tulloch Bay. A chance to start again and have a safe place for Eddy. Maybe.
“Ok, Adam,” she said slowly, still not sure she was making the right decision. “Let’s pack up.”
Heading down the hill. The one they had just climbed earlier that day. Up and down, round and round. Find yourself a place to
stay, it gets fucked up, and you move on. The same shit every day, was it really worth it?
Of course, it’s worth it, said Ellie to herself, hugging Eddy tight against her.
They moved as quickly as they could. Adam took the front, scanning the darkness. But if any came, what could they do? Luck. That’s what it all came down to.
They passed over a small creek, Ellie stepping carefully on the large stone that someone had laid a long time ago to make a little bridge. She reached the other side and Adam held out his hand to steady her as she jumped onto the bank. The ground took a steep rise. The morning was coming, the trees allowing in the gentle calm blues of sun’s first light. Rustling and bird calls herald the day’s arrival.
Behind it though, was a rhythmical rustle. Steps. Ellie squinted to the space behind Adam and emerging slowly, was the figure of a zombie. It moaned, then started to click.
Adam sighed and shook his head before walking towards the zombie.
“Careful, Adam,” said Ellie.
“Easy peasy,” said Adam.
And it was. He raised his crossbow and fired a single effective bolt. It hit the zombie dead in the forehead. It stopped, monetarily stunned. Then it fell. He turned, a smile on his face, “See?” His smile then turned to terror. Eyes wide open, mouth wide open, “Ellie!” he shouted.
Ellie turned. It was almost on her, just a shape in the shadows, but one that smelled like rotten meat and huffed and breathed and wheezed and clicked. How had it got here? A stupid thought to have when you have seconds to live. Ellie took a step backward and fell. Eddy started crying as she hit the ground hard. Was that to be her last memory, Eddy crying? Surely Adam would get to her in time.
But no, the zombie fell forward and landed on Ellie. She screamed, get away from him get away from him - was she shouting or was that just a voice in her head? Her hands seemed weak and useless against the dead weight of the zombie. It opened its mouth. Centimetres way from Eddy’s head.
An explosion of blood. Thick and black and warm squirted over Ellie’s face. She screamed, blinded by the blood in her eyes and all over her skin. No no no no no, “No! No! No!” She was ready to die. It was all ok if it took her now.
But there had been a sound. Just before the blood. A sound. A huge sound; one that split the morning open, and if she listened carefully it was still ringing in her ears.
The weight of the zombie was suddenly gone. Eddy was crying. He was still alive, oh God, he’s still alive. She didn’t want to look at what was left of her little boy, her poor little defenseless boy.
“See, you’re fucked without me, aren’t you?”
Ellie stopped breathing. Was she dead too? Was she dreaming?
“Don’t fucking move,” said the voice. There was a click of a weapon being readied. “Or I’ll shoot you down as quickly as this fucking zed. Drop the crossbow, boy.”
Ellie wiped the blood from her eyes. A figure was standing over her. A tall silhouette that should have been nothing but darkness, but the figure’s head glowed in the early light, blonde hair.
It leaned down and grabbed her, pulling her up. Dalby.
“You never should have left, you know that? You can see that now?”
Ellie glanced to her left, Adam was stood still, his hands empty. He looked like a coiled animal, ready to spring into the woods. Please don’t go, Adam, please stay.
“You dropped this,” said Dalby, holding out a small blue teddy bear. It was Eddy’s bunny. He held it out to her. As she reached her hand up to take it, he threw it over her head. It splashed into the creek behind her.
Eddy was crying. She held him tighter. She wanted to run herself, but she knew there was no escape.
“I’ve told you before, shut that fucking baby up,” said Dalby, his voice low and steady.
Ellie started to rock backward and forwards. She was helpless, why was she helpless with Dalby? She was terrified, that was why. Not for herself, but for Eddy. “Ssshhh,” she said gently against Eddy’s ear. “Ssshhh.”
“Shut him up. He’ll attract all the zombies. You know if it wasn’t for that fucking kid then we’d still be together. We should still be together you know? I’ve just proven it haven’t I? That you need me. Without me, you’d be dead now. You owe me your life.”
“Be quiet little boy,” said Ellie gently into Eddy’s ear, but he kept crying. Getting louder and louder.
“That’s right, be quiet little boy,” said Dalby. “Put him down.”
Ellie shook her head, “No,” she said.
Dalby, in one quick and violent movement, placed his gun hard against Ellie’s head, “PUT HIM DOWN!”
“No!” she screamed, pulling Eddy tighter.
Dalby shifted the gun from Ellie’s head to Eddy’s.
“You have five seconds, One, two, three…”
What could she do? Time crawled. Two seconds to make the most important decision of her life; the only decision that ever mattered. She untied the sling. Eddy clung onto her shoulder. She eased his hands off her, her eyes thick with tears, her muscles fighting against every movement she made.
“That’s it, good girl. Sensible girl,” said Dalby. “Over there, on that rock.”
She placed Eddy on the rock. It was like she was in a dream. Think, think, you didn’t come this far for it to end like this. Not like this. She would rather die than it finish like this.
“Now step back,” said Dalby. Motioning with his gun.
Ellie couldn’t move. She stood staring at her child. It’s face screwed up in tears, his hands reaching up to her. She couldn’t move.
“STEP THE FUCK BACK,” shouted Dalby, his voice loud and terrible.
But Ellie didn’t step back. Instead, she leaped for Dalby. Surprised that she actually reached him, she grabbed his neck and squeezed. She wasn’t sure if she heard a gun go off or not, but suddenly everything went black. She knew no more.
Adam ran. He clutched Eddy tight to his chest, the little boy a surprising weight. Adam’s feet somehow danced their way over the forest floor, avoiding branches and roots and tangles of vegetation and rocks.
Was Ellie dead? She had fallen. He didn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. He had to get Eddy out of there. Ellie would thank him. If she was alive.
There had been a gunshot. Dalby was the only one with a gun. Maybe Ellie was dead.
Eddy was crying and kicking against Adam. “Mama,” he was shouting. He didn’t know many words, but he seemed to be putting into practice one of the few he knew right now. How did Adam keep Eddy quiet? No point in hiding. Eddy would give them away in an instant.
Just keep going. Focus on the road ahead. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. The only failure is giving up. When there’s only one path to take, take it.
Adam stopped. He looked up to the trees, looked back the way he had come, to the edge of the forest. Nothing; no moving figure darting through the woods. Clear sky above the trees hinted at a fresh and warm day to come. A gentle breeze wafted through the damp air of the woods. The smell of salt hung on the breeze. Follow the wind to the sea, to Tulloch Bay holiday park. To Dad.
Adam set off again. His arms were aching. He couldn’t run anymore, he was walking as fast as he could. Eddy was hitting against his shoulders, on the side of his face. Some of the blows really hurt, and Adam had to use all his willpower not to throw the child to the ground, to make his own clean escape.
Just one heavy step after another. Dad must have gone through tougher times than this in Iraq. Probably carried another soldier through the desert for miles. Never mind a baby through the woods. Adam laughed to himself, he was carrying Eddy all wrong. He braced himself then flung the child over his shoulder into a fireman's lift. Much easier. Adam broke into a jog again. Eddy’s crying bounced as they ran, but eased a little. “Mama,” he mewed quietly. Don’t worry young man, we’ll get you safe.
The forest broke, and Adam ran into a dipping field. It led d
own to the main road separating the holiday park from the field. Adam stopped.
Flames roared from the woods to the side of the holiday park, all the way up to the cliff tops. The western side of the holiday park was alight, each chalet its own bonfire, throwing thick black smoke into the sky. Gunfire erupted above the deep rumble and crackle of the fire. Shouts and screaming drifted on the air. Like something out of Lord of the Rings thought Adam. Mount Doom.
And there were the dark armies; hundreds of milling figures mindlessly but purposefully heading towards the fire of the holiday park. The zeds from miles around, drawn by the light and cries of anguish. All the fields and roads visible from Adam’s elevated viewing point crawled like an ant’s nest, thousands of the bastards heading into the holiday park. It was ok to swear sometimes when the situation called for it.
Eddy let out a scream. Adam spun around, something suddenly not right. Dalby stood twenty feet away, his gun raised and pointing at Adam.
“Put the baby down, Adam.”
Adam shook his head. He gripped Eddy tighter.
“We haven’t got time for this. You see what is happening. Now put the baby down, or I will take him off you and shoot.”
Adam had no weapon - he had left his crossbow back at the creek. He had nothing to attack Dalby with. Dalby was twice Adam’s size. It didn’t matter the size of the dog in the fight, just the size of the fight in the dog. But somehow, Adam didn’t quite believe that one right now.
Adam lowered the crying child to the ground, Eddy’s little brown eyes wide open and staring into Adam’s eyes. Almost like he knew what was happening. Why are you putting me down, Adam?
“Now, walk,” said Dalby, motioning towards the scene of biblical chaos below.
The Fall Series (Book 3): The Fence Walker Page 39
