by Watts, Russ
“Mac, Jess, Christina, I want you all to stay together, okay? I’m going in first and I’ll draw them out. I’m going to try to go ahead and find the others. Moira and Heidi will be right behind you. We don’t have long. The dead are not far behind and we need to get back to Caterina soon as we can.”
There were nods of agreement and Tom felt the ground underneath his feet change. They were on the Mount now. The ground had been concreted over and they were facing down a street lined with a few houses. There was an information booth to his right with a large signpost pointing the way to the steps up to the castle. He ran past the crumbling weathered houses, rotting bodies lining the street. Lazarus must have had his men take out all the zombies, but they had left them in the street where they had died. Was it a warning? Perhaps some found their way over here occasionally when the tide was out.
None of the bodies got up when Tom ran. Just when he thought he was going to make it to the steps a shot rang out and the tarmac in front of him cracked as a bullet tore its way into the road. Another shot was followed swiftly by another as he zigzagged his way through the estate. Two more shots flew past Tom before a door opened from a house to his left and a tall man ran out.
“Hey, you, stop!” The man fired again and Tom felt the bullet whistle past his ear.
Tom stopped running and turned around to face the man. He was tall with curly black hair and an even thicker beard. “I don’t think so.”
The tall man pointed the gun at Tom and fired. It clicked empty. Tom had counted the six bullets and knew the man was out of ammo. Before he had time to reload, Tom charged at him. He didn’t want to waste his precious bullets at this point. The man was rooted to the spot as Tom flew at him with the pick-axe raised above his head. Tom brought it crashing down on the man and it landed in the man’s shoulder.
Yelping in pain, the man tried to push Tom away, but Tom shoved the man back down to the ground, pulled the axe out, and thrust it into the man’s shocked face. As Tom pulled the axe from the dead man, he heard more doors opening.
“Get them!”
Tom watched as eight men poured from the houses on either side of him. They left Tom alone though, as Mac, Jessica and Christina joined him on the street. Side-stepping the corpses, they fought the men who were armed with swords and knives. Tom watched briefly, reluctant to leave his friends, but aware he had to get moving onwards and upwards.
Mac dodged an old man who tried to run him through with a long sword and buried the sledgehammer in the man’s skull. He whirled around and struck another man who was trying to stab Jessica. Christina was engaged in a battle with another man who was wielding a huge sword. She was keeping him at bay with her spade and Tom could hear the clashing of metal as they fought. He saw Heidi pull the pistol out of her pocket and shoot a man dead who was charging straight at her. Reassured, Tom got up and sprinted up the steps to the hilltop.
As Tom climbed higher, the slower he got. The uneven steps had been crudely carved into the hillside and he stumbled frequently in his rush to get to the top. Many of the granite steps were covered in slippery moss and algae. Thankfully, there was an iron handrail beside them and on more than one occasion, he had to grab it to stop himself from falling back down to a painful heap at the bottom. He could hear the shouting and crying from below intermingled with gunshots. He hoped the gunfire was only from Heidi.
Nearing the top of the steps, the castle began to come into view more. Tom paused to take a breath and an arrow suddenly landed beside him, thudding into the ground at his feet. Tom looked up and saw from one of the battlements a man with a crossbow. The man launched another arrow that flew over Tom’s head. Tom pulled his gun out and took aim. His first shot missed, sending a plume of dust into the air as it hit the stone beneath the man. As he took aim again, he felt a pinching pain in his leg and looked down. An arrow had gone through his left leg and was sticking out with blood dripping down from the tip. He hadn’t even noticed it and yanked on it to pull it out. It had snagged itself on his shinbone though and trying to remove it sent shockwaves of pain to his brain.
Tom ignored it and aimed the gun again, firing at the archer. Tom wanted to cheer when he saw the man topple over and fall sixty feet to the cobbles below. By chance, he had pulled off a head shot and the path to the castle was now clear. Trying to ignore the pain in his leg, he snapped the arrow’s tip off leaving the main body embedded within his leg. He began to run across the courtyard to the castle door. Two men ran out in front of him and Tom stopped. One held a bayonet, the other a dagger. They slowly advanced upon Tom.
“Leave now and I’ll let you live,” said Tom.
“Ha, that’s a good one, Ed,” said the man holding the dagger.
“Sure is, mate.” Ed began circling Tom. “You want to go first, Grayson?
The man with the dagger nodded and lunged at Tom. The dagger tore a hole in Tom’s shirt as he danced to the left, narrowly dodging the sharp blade. Grayson turned around and lunged again, the dagger heading straight for Tom’s chest. Tom swung the axe and as Grayson swung by him, the axe embedded itself in Grayson’s back. The dagger clattered to the floor as Grayson fell, dead instantly. Tom tripped over, only just dodging the dagger once more.
“You fucking bastard, you killed Grayson!” Ed roared and charged the bayonet at Tom.
Tom saw Grayson and the axe lying a few feet away out of reach. The dagger was even further away and Ed was going to be on him in seconds. Tom pulled the gun out and rolled, firing as he did so. Ed fell to the ground, trying to stick Tom with the bayonet. Tom felt more pain as the sharp blade sliced through his arm. He rolled away and then felt nothing more. He expected to feel the full weight of this man on top of him and the bayonet sticking from his stomach, yet when he opened his eyes there was nothing but clear sky. Tom rolled over and Ed was lying next to him, lifeless eyes staring back. Tom had hit Ed in the face with a complete fluke. He had fired aimlessly, hoping to slow Ed down, but he had taken off half his skull.
With the two men dead, Tom stood up and felt his shoulder. The bayonet had sliced through his shirt, but the cut was not deep. Tom heaved the axe from Grayson’s back and tucked the pistol back in his pocket. He headed for the small doorway to the castle that Ed and Grayson had come from. Tom kept the axe ready, prepared to slice and dice his way through whatever lay on the other side of the door.
* * * *
As Tom advanced onward, a figure from above watched. Walker saw Tom in the courtyard kill Ed and Grayson, and on the steps below came more of them, both men and women. Walker rushed down to Lazarus’ room and barged in without even knocking.
“Are they dead yet?” said Lazarus from his desk, not even looking up when Walker barged in.
“No sir. They got past the men down at the base. I gave the gun to John as he said he had used one before. He was supposed to take them out, but…”
Lazarus slowly pushed his chair back, put the papers down, and stood up. “Are you telling me that they got past John? What about the other men you had down there? And Christopher? Ed?”
Walker shook his head. “They’re dead, sir.”
“Are you kidding?” shouted Lazarus. “Well, send everyone. Stop them!”
“The men are spread out around the island, sir, you wanted all angles guarded. Plus, it’s early, some of the men aren’t ready, they’re still asleep. I can try, but we’re pretty thinned out. You said the Mount had to be…”
Lazarus pushed Walker back and pinned him against the wall. “So help me God, Walker, you stop these people or I’ll run you through myself.”
“There’s something else, sir,” said Walker. “They brought the dead with them.”
Lazarus let Walker go and turned to the window, puzzled. He threw the windows back and looked out across the causeway. Dozens and dozens of zombies were making their way across to the Mount. Some were already at the base of the hill and still more were cascading down the slip road at the coast’s edge.
“You said yo
u could contain this, Walker. Get out there and deal with them. Dead or alive, just fucking deal with them!”
Walker left quickly to gather more men, leaving Lazarus pondering his next move. He would be damned if he was going to let them come in here and take whatever they wanted. He slung his black coat on and stormed out of the room. He saw Walker in the main foyer to the castle talking to Norm. As he came down the stairs, they ran outside carrying hammers, blades and small swords. Lazarus ignored them and carried on toward the cells.
Laurent looked up as Lazarus strode down into the cells. He had fallen asleep. He looked over at Rosa’s cell. She was still asleep too. Harry was nowhere around and neither was Norm. “What do you want?” he said as Lazarus stood outside Laurent’s cell door.
Lazarus peered through the cold bars. “Your friends are here.”
“I don’t know what you mean. What friends?” Laurent knew it must be Tom. Harry said he’d come, but where was Harry now? He must’ve left in the night, but why wasn’t he here now? Laurent could see Lazarus held a knife in his hand, but he had nothing to defend himself with.
“They’re making a mistake, you know,” said Lazarus. He was staring at Laurent like a hawk watches a mouse. “Your friends seem to think they can come here to the Mount and to my house, and just do what they like. You know they’ve already killed good men trying to get to you.”
“Good men? Is that what you call your bunch of murderous bastards?” Laurent sat up. “You rape, you steal, you kill...and we’re the bad guys? You are fucked up, Lazarus. Tom is going to kill your men and then he’ll kill you.”
Lazarus laughed and tossed the knife from hand to hand. “Really? You think he’s going to do all that on his own?”
“No, not on his own, Harry will help him...” Laurent stopped, suddenly realising the mistake he had made.
“Harry? I suppose I should have expected it. A shame but I will just have to put him down like I did your other friends. Remember what I did to Lenny? Good times.”
Laurent struggled to his feet and rushed at the cell door. He pushed his hands through the gaps in the bars and tried to grab Lazarus, but he was too slow. Lazarus backed away as Laurent raged.
“If Tom doesn’t kill you, then I will. Unlock this door and we’ll fight like men, like real men. Come on, Lazarus, prove you’re a man.” Lauren rattled the cell bars and Rosa stirred.
Lazarus smiled. “I’m afraid I don’t have the keys, Mr Laurent. Oh well.”
Lazarus pulled the gun from behind his back and shot Laurent at point blank range. Laurent was thrown back into the cell as his chest exploded. He was aware of the smell of burning flesh and he found himself back down on the floor of the cell. He put his hands to his chest and they found an empty cavity where his ribcage should be. He looked up at Lazarus, astonished. “But...but…”
Lazarus fired again and shot Laurent in the head. Laurent’s head rocked back and his body collapsed as his brains flew out and splattered all over the cell walls. Lazarus walked across to Rosa’s cell. The loud shots had awoken her and she had turned over just in time to see Laurent executed.
“What have you done?” she said choking back tears. “What have you done?”
“I truly had high hopes for you, Rosa,” said Lazarus calmly. He looked at her battered and broken body. “Such a waste.”
There were shouts and noises coming from outside, just above the cells in the courtyard. Through the small window in the cell walls he saw feet running past. Lazarus knew the others were getting close now. The fight would be inside the castle very soon. He raised the gun and pointed it at Rosa.
“I’m sorry, Rosa, I wish I had something pithy to say, some barbed witticism to impart, but I’m all out. Any last requests?” Lazarus held the gun pointed at her through the cell bars.
Rosa hugged her knees to her chest and cried. “Please don’t, please...I just want to go home, back to my Jess.” She pictured Jessica, her sweet face kissing hers, the way she brushed her hair behind her ears. She remembered lying with her in bed talking about the future, about what they were going to do. Rosa could still smell her, taste her, feel her warm arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable shot.
Lazarus looked at her for the final time. “You people are so fucking pathetic,” he said squeezing the trigger.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Harry held the sword with both hands and jumped off the last step into the cells beneath the castle. As Lazarus fired the gun at Rosa, Harry flew through the air and the sword sliced through Lazarus’ midriff. Harry fell on top of him with the sword still held firmly in his grip. The gunshot echoed around the small dungeon and as it died away, Lazarus and Harry lay still.
“Rosa! Answer me, are you okay?” shouted Harry.
Lazarus was not moving and Harry got up, drawing the emerald encrusted sword out of the immobile body.
Rosa was crying, but unhurt. “Oh, Harry, get me out of here!”
“Are you hurt?” shouted Harry.
“No, he missed me when you jumped him. Is he dead?”
Harry kicked Lazarus’s body. “I think so.” Harry knelt down and felt in Lazarus’ pockets for the keys to the cells, but found nothing but a knife. “Rosa, where are the keys, didn’t he have them?”
“No. Laurent asked him to release us, but…”
Harry looked over into Laurent’s cell. “Jesus Christ.” Harry couldn’t bear to look at Laurent’s body. It was obvious he was dead. At least he wouldn’t be coming back as one of the undead. Harry said a quiet prayer for his friend and then stood up. There was no time for grieving now. He rattled the cell door, but it was too strong to break down.
“Rosa, I’m going to have to go look for the keys. Here, take this in case anyone else comes down here.” Harry kicked the gun Lazarus had been holding over to her and Rosa picked it up with trembling hands.
“Harry, what’s going on?”
“We’re getting out of here. All hell’s broken loose out there. It’s Tom. He’s brought help. Look, Norm must have the keys. I’ve got to go find him. I’ll come straight back for you.”
Harry ran out of the dungeon leaving Rosa alone. She shuffled painfully to the door of her cell. She wondered if she should put a bullet into Lazarus, but then decided against it. Who knew who else might come down those steps? She would need every defence she had, so why waste bullets on the dead. Listening to the noises coming from outside, it was obvious something was happening. Harry had told her Tom had brought help. She wondered if Jess had come too. There was an aching in her heart when she thought about her. They had been together only a few weeks, but she loved her so much. Twenty four hours ago, Rosa had wanted to die. Now the thought that her friends and Jess were here gave her a new impetus for life. She had Harry’s jacket on, the only thing she could use to cover herself up with. They had taken away the rest of her clothes long ago.
Suddenly, Lazarus coughed. He wasn’t dead! Rosa recoiled into the far corner of her cell, away from him. She watched silently as he struggled to his feet. He stood in the shadows and she was unsure what was going on. He wasn’t doing anything, not speaking, not moving; just standing there. Finally, he took a step forward and she saw his face. His hair seemed blacker than ever before now, dangling as it did by his pale face. He took another step forward and held onto her cell bars. He looked directly at her.
Rosa lifted the gun and pointed it at him. She was amazed he could stand at all. Harry had sliced the sword clean through him and blood still poured from his wounds down his legs. It was trickling down his trousers legs and out over his boots into her cell.
“I’m not dead yet, girly,” Lazarus sneered.
With trembling hands, Rosa pulled the trigger and fired. The bullet ricocheted off a cell bar and whizzed past her into the mattress behind her head.
Lazarus laughed and pointed a crooked finger at her. “My men will win this war, you know. All of your friends are going to die here just like Laurent. Like Jacks
on. You know what I did with him? I chopped his diseased body up and threw him away with the rubbish. I hate people like you. My army will kill all of you defending this place.”
“Really? I don’t think so. You think your men will die for you? They’re not an army, they’re just rapists and murderers. They only hold allegiance to themselves. Trust me, they don’t look up to you, they’re afraid of you. When the first of your men falls to the ground dead, the rest will turn and flee. You’re finished, Lazarus.”
Lazarus cackled nervously. Rosa had been near death yesterday, but now she was full of fire. He spat on the floor. A disgusting great slop of brown and red blood splatted onto the stones at his feet. “I’ll get you, Rosa. I will tear you in half and eat your damn heart.”
He wandered out of the dungeons unsteadily, clutching his bleeding sides. Rosa pointed the gun at him again as he climbed the steps, but she knew she couldn’t hit him. If she risked firing, the bullet could rebound and go anywhere. Frustrated, she sat in her cell, waiting for Harry to come back with the keys to her freedom.
* * * *
Out on the hillside, Harry didn’t know where to turn first. The castle atrium had been empty, so he had run upstairs to see if Norm was up there with Walker. He searched all the rooms, but they were empty. He had gone into Lazarus’ room too, but found no Norm and no keys. There had been some papers on Lazarus’ desk and Harry stuffed them into his back pocket. They looked like they were important, perhaps something to do with the navy as he had begun to hear about the night before, and so kept them to read at a future date.
Harry went back out of the castle and surveyed the scene on the hillside before him. Norm could be anywhere. All around him mini-battles were going on. He saw Christina and Heidi fighting with two other men. Jessica was wielding a saw around, slicing apart anyone who was foolish enough to get in her path. All around them were more of the dead; many of Lazarus’ men were preoccupied with them and Moira was running toward Harry up the path. Tom had brought more than just the group. He had brought a horde of zombies with him too. It was clever. Tom knew they were outnumbered and had brought reinforcements; an undead army to fight the living enemy.
