by Watts, Russ
“Laurent? Lenny? Glenda? Any news? Do we know where they are?” asked Caterina. “Shit, Tom, doesn’t sound like it went well.”
“We have to go get them. I promised Harry I would get them if he failed to show. We have a few guns left. He and Jackson are over on the Mount with everyone else.”
“Not quite everyone,” said Honok. “Your friend, the old man in the pyjamas? You won’t be seeing him again. I’m pretty sure one of your lot got eaten by the zombies out there too. I saw what was left of a man at the petrol station. I think I’ve still got a piece of him on the bottom of my boot actually.” Honok started wiping his feet on the floor.
“Who was it?” asked Heidi. “What did he look like?”
“He didn’t look like anything, girly, he was dead. There wasn’t much left of him, quite frankly.”
“Tell us who you ran into at the petrol station,” said Tom. “Who did you pick up there and take back to the Mount?”
Honok sighed. “Okay, there were two women, one old and one young. There was the old man in pyjamas and one other man. I forget their names. Who cares anyway? The man spoke with an accent. I think he might be French or something.”
“And that was it?”
“Yep. The older woman was passed out. The younger girl, the one with the blonde hair, boy, she’s a looker. She’s going to have a lot of fun with my friends.” Honok laughed despite the pain from his lip that had split when Mac punched him.
“Oh God,” said Heidi. She started crying and ran out of the room, swiftly followed by Christina.
“Jesus Christ, you’re just an animal. What do you mean ‘fun’? Rosa wouldn’t be interested in the likes of you,” spat Jessica.
“Really? She told me she was looking for a man, a big man to satisfy her. She told me…”
Tom grabbed the gun off Moira and smashed it across Honok’s already bleeding nose. He heard the bone crack and Honok bent over, shouting in pain, cupping his bloody nose in his hands.
“You’re going about this all wrong, Honok. Lies we don’t need, facts we do.” Tom pulled Honok’s tied hands away from his face. “You say anything like that again, if I hear any more racist comments, anything at all that I do not like, you’ll have more than a bloody nose.”
Tom handed the gun back to Moira. “You’d better hold onto this. I don’t think I can trust myself.”
“So should we go now?” asked Mac. “Let’s tool up and go get our friends back. This piece of shit isn’t going to help us.”
“We can’t go now,” answered Tom, watching Jessica fight back tears. He had not seen her cry once since they had met. She was so strong he was surprised to see her looking so fragile. “It’s nearly dark out and getting there past all those zombies outside is not going to be easy. Getting across to the Mount isn’t easy either. They know about us and will likely be on their guard.”
“You won’t be able to use the tunnel,” said Honok holding his broken nose. “Lazarus will have it well guarded. You go down there and it’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel. You’ll have to take your chances across the causeway.”
“What’s that?” asked Caterina.
“He means across the beach basically,” said Mac. “At low tide you can cut across the sand to get out to the Mount.”
“So when’s low tide?” Caterina looked at the clock on the wall as if it had the answers.
“Dawn,” replied Mac. “Tom’s right, it’s too late to go now. Damn it.” Mac hit the desk in frustration as he realised they were going to have to wait another night.
“Tom, we can’t wait, we have to go now, you heard him,” said Jessica. “Think what they might be doing to Rosa, Laurent, or Glenda.”
“Jess, we can’t, think about it. I hate it as much as you, but we can spend tonight getting ready. This place is full of things we can use. We’ll go at first light. Hopefully, we can still make that ship tomorrow.”
“Hopefully? Oh God, it keeps getting better doesn’t it,” said Caterina.
“I have to agree with Tom. Whatever happens, whether we make it to the rendezvous or not, we have to get to the Mount. I’m not leaving without everyone else, but we can’t go tonight,” said Moira. “We should go at dawn.”
“Honok, how many men are there on the island?” asked Tom.
“A thousand.”
“A thousand? Is that so? Honok, I’ve just about had enough of your shit.” Tom brandished the pliers and Honok shrunk back into the sofa.
“Okay, okay, thirty. Give or take, there’s about thirty of us.”
“And this Lazarus, who is he?” Tom knew it was better to know your enemy, and be prepared for who the fight would be against.
Honok smiled. “He’s our leader. He is in charge of everything. He will kill you. He will kill all of you.”
“Let’s just shoot this fucker and be done with it,” said Moira hopping down off the table.
“Not yet,” countered Tom. “Honok here is going to tell us much more. He is going to actually answer my questions. I want to know about this Lazarus. I want to know who is on that island and what they’re like, what their skills and their weaknesses are. I want to know the layout of the castle. I want to know where they keep their prisoners, as I suspect that is where we’ll find Rosa and Laurent and the others. I want to know the best way onto the Mount from the causeway, where our best opportunity is to get in unnoticed. Honok is going to be very helpful.”
“Am I, fuck. I’m not helping you. Fuck you, Tommy.” Honok wiped his blood smeared face and looked around the room. All eyes were staring back at him.
Tom sighed. “Fine, we’ll do it your way. Moira, Mac, can you help gather up the weapons. Anything sharp and pointy will be fine. Caterina, I don’t want you exerting yourself, so maybe you can see if Heidi and Christina are okay. Jimmy, you need to go with Mac and make sure the fence is secure. We need to be able to get out to the ambulance first thing tomorrow. Jess, can you gather as many blankets or rugs as you can. We’ll be spending the night here and we need as good a rest as we can get.”
As everyone started shuffling out of the room, beginning their tasks, Jessica paused. “What are you going to do, Tom?”
Tom reached down to Honok and pulled on the ropes Heidi had tied around him earlier. He drew them tight so Honok’s hands and feet couldn’t move. Honok protested, but Tom ignored him. “I’m going to have a chat with Honok.” He placed the pliers in the palm of his hand and looked at Jessica. “Close the door on your way out, Jess.”
She smiled and did so as she left, leaving it open just a crack so she would be able to hear Honok’s screams.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Harry swirled his whisky around in the glass and then swallowed it down, enjoying the burn in his throat.
“It’s good stuff, Harry. Sixteen years old. Just how I like ‘em,” laughed Lazarus.
Harry gave a half-hearted smile, but was in no mood for company, especially that of a deranged, murderous psychopath.
“Come now, Harry, I’m sorry about your friend, but you have to know, once the infection has gotten hold of you there’s no way back. I’m afraid it was for the best. You wouldn’t have wanted your friend to turn into one of those things, would you? He wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last. One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic.”
“No, er, of course not. It’s just hard to accept, you know.” Every muscle in Harry’s body told him to get out. Glenda and Jackson were dead and here he was sitting in the man’s home, drinking whisky with their murderer. He had been forced to put a blade in Jackson’s head and he would never forget it. Harry looked across at the sword leaning against the wall. It still glistened with Jackson’s blood and he felt guilt surge through his body. He should’ve done more. Could he have done more? He hadn’t even found Rosa, Laurent or Lenny yet. He had seemingly gained Lazarus’ trust, but he was no nearer to helping his friends. He was going to have to go along with Lazarus for now.
“Is he going to stand there
all night?” asked Harry.
Walker was standing behind Lazarus, watching Harry intently. Lazarus had insisted that Harry join him for a drink before retiring for the night. He was inquisitive about the newcomer, but still wanted Walker around for reassurance.
“Walker, go outside, will you? We’ll be fine here.”
“What about the preparations for tomorrow, sir?”
“We’re ready, Walker. Everyone is on guard. All we have to do now is sit and wait. They’ll come to us.”
Lazarus watched as Walker left the room and stationed himself outside the door. He was loyal, like a pet dog. If he threw him a bone, Walker would get down on all fours and bring it back in his mouth if Lazarus told him to.
“Harry, you must stay with us. We need men, good strong men, and I think you’ll fit in here. There’s food, shelter...and if you’ve survived out there on the road like you say, then I know you can handle yourself. Hell, I saw how you handled your old buddy Jackson. What do you say?”
Harry thought about throwing his whisky glass into Lazarus’ face. He wondered if that would buy him enough time to grab the emerald-encrusted sword three feet away and thrust it into Lazarus’ heart. He glanced at the pistol resting in Lazarus’ lap and knew it would not. If Harry died now, then who knew what fate would befall Rosa, Laurent and Lenny.
“I’m not sure. I mean I’m not exactly used to this kind of hospitality, you know. Since it all began, we’ve lived on the run, hiding anywhere we could. It seems strange to be able to sit here and relax and not worry about looking over my shoulder.”
Lazarus reached for the whisky and poured himself and Harry another shot. “I understand, truly I do. I used to be alone like you. Always looking over my shoulder, wondering where life was taking me, what the point of it all was. Then the infection broke out. This place, Harry, this island, this rock, it’s everything to me. I have made it strong again, the fortress it used to be. It’s safe here. The men on this island will defend it to the last.”
“What are the men like? I haven’t really met many of them yet and it’d be good to know who I’d be living with.”
“Walker you’ve met, Norm too, briefly. They used to be on the inside, just petty stuff, but enough for me to know they needed a leader. They were rudderless until I came along and gave them something to fight for. The men are an assortment of characters as you’ll see. It’s true some have done time for some serious crimes. But they are fighters and they are loyal to me. Most of them are lawbreakers, hard men: Honok, Shane, Christopher to mention a few. But I don’t care what a man did before he found himself on the Mount. A man’s past is his own. What matters now is the future. Where’s yours, Harry? Are you always going to be on the run, living from one day to the next? What’s the point in that?”
Harry remembered how difficult it had been these last few weeks, going from door to door, scavenging for food, and existing on meagre rations. Then he remembered the ship due tomorrow and what he was here for. If Lazarus wanted to make the Mount his home, then he was welcome to it. Harry’s future involved getting off this island and away from all the death, not staying and looking for it.
“You’re right, of course. I hadn’t really had a chance to stop and think about everything.” Harry could see how men fell under Lazarus’ spell. He was a good talker, easy with his words. He was physically imposing too with his jet black hair and dark eyes.
“You should, Harry. Stop here with us and think about it. You don’t need me to tell you that there is no going back. The human race is changed forever. When you look back now at the things we did, the stupid things men wasted their time on. Take this glass, for example. Have you heard of planned obsoletion, Harry?” Lazarus emptied the glass of its contents and threw it against the wall where it shattered.
“We create things and we destroy them. We build things to amuse ourselves, to keep busy, to find something else to spend money on. Why? We could’ve forged great things, but we kept churning out drivel, useless things that wouldn’t last, things designed to break. We actually created things on purpose and invested our energy and efforts into something that was designed to fail. Just so we could do it all over again, spend more money and keep the merry–go-round turning. What a short-sighted, egotistical race we had become.
“Harry, this life ahead of us is different. There’ll be no more flat-screen televisions, no more holidays in the Bahamas, no more new and improved washing powder, no pizzas, no laptops with even bigger memories or designer clothing with even bigger price labels. We shall exist as we were meant to, living off the land, forging alliances and killing our enemies with our bare hands. We have been given a chance, Harry, another chance at life.
“There is a tale of a man who was resurrected by Jesus after being dead for four days. Do you think he went back to work after that? Do you think he would’ve gone back to the office or the sweatshop and carried on as before? No, when you get a second chance, you take it with both hands. That is what I am doing, Harry.”
Lazarus plucked another glass from a nearby bureau and poured himself another drink. He sat down again, resting the pistol back in his lap, one hand resting on it whilst the other held his drink.
“You’re a very unique man, Lazarus,” said Harry.
“Thank you. I would hate to be just another sheep.”
“How did you know this was the place to come? I mean, I came across it by chance, but I’m assuming you didn’t?”
“I was well schooled, Harry. I have my father to thank for that, at least. That, and my name. My father drummed a lot into me as a child. He was a professor, quite knowledgeable about every topic you chose to question him on. Apart from football – sport was banned in my house, denounced as puerile by my father. He was an intelligent man that’s for sure. I swear there wasn’t a book he didn’t read. He taught me about the Mount. Many times he told me about the island’s history and the battles fought over this place. Its strength is its position. I knew it would be the best place to go to when the zombies started appearing.
“There are thousands out there even just within a few miles. No doubt the cities are overrun, but once the food supply dwindles, the zombies will search further for food. They are in houses, fields, gardens, everywhere. Henry Pomeroy survived a siege here in the fifteenth century - admittedly not against an army of the undead - but if he can do it with lesser resources, then so can I. Nobody is taking the Mount. I won’t break and I won’t bend.”
Harry was relieved when a knock on the door interrupted Lazarus’ speech. He was trying to find a way to excuse himself so he could look around the island and find the others. There was only so much madness he could listen to in one evening.
Walker strode in with another man who was grasping a huge bundle of papers. “Ed wants to see you, sir. I told him you were busy, but…”
“You have to read this, sir, it’s the navy, they’ve...” Ed stopped short when he saw Harry.
“It’s alright, Ed. Walker, would you find a bed for Harry. I think he’ll be staying the night. When you’ve shown him where he can stay, he’s free to do whatever he wishes. Perhaps take him to the entertainment?”
Harry picked up the emerald-encrusted sword as he left, following Walker out of the room and wondering what was so important that Lazarus had to know straight away. The other man had mentioned the navy. Did they know the ship was coming tomorrow? Or was there something else?
Walker led Harry out of the castle into the cool dusk. Harry was already familiarising himself with the layout of the grounds. He knew the path they were on led to the other houses and pub. They passed the stocks and Harry glanced at them. There was no trace of Glenda now, just a smattering of dried blood on the ground.
Harry found himself standing outside one of the stone houses and Walker took him inside. It smelt like a toilet, but there were two beds in the corner.
“This was Shane and Tim’s quarters,” said Walker. “You can sleep here tonight.”
“Thanks.” Harr
y put the sword down on one of the beds adorned with thick grey blankets.
“You won’t need that here. You should put it back,” said Walker. “We don’t need weapons on the Mount, unless you’re on active guard duty. It’s safe here. There is no infection, as you know.” Walker grinned maliciously at Harry.
“Oh right, of course. I’ll take it back tomorrow. I’m just so used to sleeping with a weapon by my side. If I can just keep it for now?”
“Well, take care, wouldn’t want you having an accident in the middle of the night and falling on your own sword.” Walker went to the door and stood in the doorway, letting the cold air sweep into the dark house. “Lazarus said you could enjoy the entertainment if you like. We’ve had our fill today so you’ll probably get her to yourself tonight. If you feel like it, make your way back up to the castle and then down the stairs. First on the left are the cells. Norm will let you in.”
Walker abruptly left, leaving Harry alone. The house was basic, but would serve as a bed for the night. Harry explored quickly once he was alone. There was a bathroom, a small kitchen, and another bedroom at the rear of the building. There was nothing of use and he sank down onto the bed next to his sword.
Entertainment? Walker had said he would get her to himself. Who were these barbarians? He knew Tom would come back for them, but it was getting dark. Harry doubted that Tom would be foolish enough to try staging a rescue at night. What with the zombies and strange creatures out there, they would be lucky to get out of Longrock. Harry knew he was going to have to do some exploring on his own. Lazarus seemed to trust him enough, at least for now. He picked up the sword, but it was heavy and he might need it tomorrow. If he went walking around with it now, Walker would take it off him for sure. He found some rusty cutlery in the kitchen and stashed a small knife in his belt, tucking his shirt over it so it was out of sight. He left the sword lying at his bedside, still coated in Jackson’s blood.
Harry left the house and looked around. In the windows of the houses he saw a few candles burning and figures walking around inside. There was laughter coming from the pub, but he had no inclination to join them. He wanted to take a look around the island whilst he was free. Nobody else was outside. They were all inside in the warmth. Harry intended to retrace his steps up to the castle and check it out, but before then he needed to know if there was anything or anyone else on the island. Was it really safe, truly free from infection?
