by West, Mark
‘Joseph? Can you hear me?’ she cries out, but the figure doesn’t answer her questioning call. Without warning Joseph springs up, sprinting towards the girls. Like a primeval dog, Joseph runs on all fours. Dust clouds engulf him. He disappears for a moment before reappearing less than a metre away from Piper. She screams as Joseph’s enraged body leaps into the air, snatching at her legs and dragging her back into the darkness like a trapdoor spider.
It all happens in a blink of an eye. Before Victoria or Amy can react, their friend is enveloped in a cloud of dust. The girls frantically scurry backwards, knowing if they wait around they will be next. They listen as the screams continue, unable to do anything to help.
Amy spots the torch lying on the ground. She races over, snatches the fallen torch and aims it towards the corner. The light beam, bouncing around in the dusty air, shows nothing but unrecognisable shadows that move and twist erratically.
‘I can’t see her!’ Amy screams.
‘I just need a shot.’ Victoria points the barrel towards the dust and waits patiently as the struggling begins to slow and the dust starts to settle. She knows her friend is dead, but waits anyway; now there could be two Infected to deal with.
‘Look!’ Amy points the torch at an indistinct shape that has appeared.
Without questioning, Victoria fires a round. There is a thump of bullet hitting soft tissue, followed by an aggressive growl. Perspiration is falling into Victoria’s eyes, but she keeps the gun held at the ready as the shape turns into a figure and then a person. It’s Joseph and he’s leaning over Piper’s fallen body. Piper’s blue top is torn to shreds, exposing what is left of her life-sustaining organs. Anger wells up inside Victoria, clouding all sense of pity for the man and she begins shooting, round after round, until he falls to the ground and the gun has nothing left to fire.
Amy steps over, placing a hand on the warm barrel and gently pushes it down until Victoria drops the gun.
‘What should we do?’ Amy asks, reaching her arm around Victoria’s shoulders and pulling her in tight.
‘There is nothing we can do, because she’s dead! The whole world is dead! So we need to deal with the dead as they become dead! Okay?’ Victoria snaps unexpectedly, causing Amy to jerk back.
Victoria’s heart feels like it’s about to burst from her chest, and she wonders if it will ever slow down.
‘I hate this. I hate these stupid infected humans. I hate all of it. I just want to go home.’ she screams, collapsing in a heap.
Chapter 20
LOAD AND LEAVE
Our mission is to grab as many non-perishable items as we can carry, keeping in mind the expiration dates that they display. I avoid the fridges and freezers and search for something in the line of canned goods. It kind of feels like Christmas, walking around grabbing whatever I want knowing it’s free at the end of the day. It almost feels normal at one point, like a normal shopping day, until I run into a dead body spilling bodily fluids across the floor at the end of an aisle. ‘Pesky customer,’ I hiss, stepping around the body to continue my spree. If only it were a normal day.
I eventually find the aisles with canned items and pack as many as I can fit in the trolley, along with packets of mixed nuts and other foods with a longer than normal expiry date. The others pass by at times. I check their carts and see medical supplies, toiletries and hygiene products. I’m surprised but pleased and keep moving along through the store.
Not long into our scavenge, I hear laughter coming from the back of the store. I run over, annoyed at the stupidity, to see both Rohan and Doug holding a bottle of Jack Daniels in each hand. I had no idea there was a bottle shop in the corner of the store and scold the pair for making so much noise, reminding them of the seriousness of the situation.
‘It’s just a bit of fun, Jackson,’ Doug complains, holding up the bottles.
‘C’mon mate, you know you want a beer or two from in here.’ Rohan implores. ‘I bet they have Millers.’
‘We’ve a strict list guys, and little time before we need to leave. Stop fooling around and get moving.’ But when they leave, I duck back in, grab a case of beer and hide it under some bags of pasta. I’m only human.
Around thirty minutes later we have filled eight shopping carts and are ready to load up our trucks and bug out. We go to the front of the store and peer out at the road to see a gathering mob outside. Lincoln pounds his fist on the cart’s handle in frustration. ‘Dammit, we took too long.’
I begin counting the Infected, weighing up our options. I stop when I reach twenty and shake my head. ‘As soon as we move these trolleys outside on that concrete surface, they’re going to go bananas from the noise. We can’t take them all on, and honestly I don’t think I want to.’
‘Let’s cut them down,’ Doug says, flapping his hands together. ‘I can take them on.’
‘Hold your horses, Rambo,’ Lincoln says. ‘No one is cutting anyone down. Let’s just think about this for a moment, before we do anything rash.’
Rohan turns to Doug and slaps him across the back of his head, making him yelp in fright. ‘That’s right, you idiot! If you go out there all guns blazing, you may end up like the rest of those dead chumps. See this guy for instance.’ Rohan points to one of the dead bodies just inside the door. ‘I bet that guy tried to do something stupid before delivering groceries. Tried to be a hero.’
The dead body lay sprawled across the ground, uniform ripped apart. His face was covered in gouge marks. I wonder at how we missed it when we first came in. Doug furrows his brow, leaning his head to one side as he inspects the body. ‘How do you know he delivered groceries?’
Rohan indicates the small tag hanging off a torn shred of material. The word Jacob, followed by Delivery Service, are written in blue writing. ‘See, it reads Delivery Service,’ he says, smugly.
‘Will you guys shut up. Seriously.’ I growl.
The Infected continue to grow in numbers, milling around the car park as if they’re waiting for us to step outside and yell ‘surprise!’
‘Wait. What did you say Rohan?’ asks Lincoln.
‘Don’t get them started again.’ I say, running my hands through my hair in frustration. It feels oily from all the sweat I have produced. It’s in need of a good wash.
‘Hold up, Jackson.’ He raises his palm up in front of my face.
Lincoln is the only friend I would take such disrespect from. The years we have spent together help me to tolerate his arrogance. If it were anyone else I would have slapped their hand down and possibly hit them.
‘Rohan, what was the last thing you said?’ he continues.
‘Delivery service?’
‘That’s it! Delivery service!’ The pitch of Lincoln’s voice has gone up an octave in excitement.
‘Huh?’ Doug shrugs.
I’m also confused with what he is trying to say.
‘Delivery service,’ he repeats. ‘The dead guy is a delivery driver.’
‘Lincoln are you on drugs again?’ Doug asks, placing his hands on his hips.
He raises his arms as if he’s about to come in for a bear hug. ‘Don’t you get it? The guy delivers food. So, if he’s here then …’
‘His van!’ Doug beams.
‘Exactly.’ Lincoln points firmly at Doug. ‘If I’m right, his truck should still be out back in the loading dock.’
I was slowly catching on. The idea may work. I glance back at the Infected milling around.
‘But I didn’t see a truck when we came in?’ Rohan says, shaking his head.
‘Did you look in the enclosed area?’ Lincoln asks.
‘Well no, but—’ Lincoln places a hand directly in front of Rohan’s face and cuts him off. It seems to be a habit he is developing. I roll my eyes.
‘Well, what’re we waiting for then? Let’s check his pockets.’ I push my way through and search the body. But I find no keys, only a wallet and a dirty hanky that I flick away in disgust when I pull it from his pocket.
�
��Must be outside with the van,’ Lincoln suggests, rubbing his chin.
‘Let’s go then.’ Rohan shoves Doug out the way and strides off through the store.
We get to the small storeroom leading to the dock. There are a few pallets of packing crates, a stack of old newspapers and two computers sitting on a small, simple white desk. In the corner next to the external doors is a large sign written in bright red letters. It’s old, with some of the letters beginning to fade, and I suspect this isn’t the first store it’s been in. When is the time for safety? ALL THE TIME! it reads. Wise words.
I approach the back doors and can see they run on an electric locking mechanism. I walk over and flick the lever that controls the doors. Seconds later a pale green light turns on and a motor begins to hum just off to the side. I push on another lever in the centre of the doors and release the latch, nudging the door to test if it’s unlocked. The door still feels jammed for some reason, so I gesture for Lincoln and Doug to come over and give me a hand. We all push on the door and slowly it begins to open.
Once it is open enough for a head to fit through, Rohan peers out and checks the area. ‘All clear as far as I can see through the cloth,’ he whispers. ‘They’re still gathering in a group, but none of them have noticed us.’
We continue to open the door, locking it into position with a latch that clicks into place. I inspect the area to see the loading dock is fully secured. Along each side fence mesh covered in green shade cloth obscures our view to the parking lot. I take a step outside and place my face up against a small section where the cloth has been torn. Around fifty or so Infected are massed together in a large mob, milling around slowly like animals waiting for food.
Rohan walks up beside me and peers though another tear in the cloth. ‘I think we’re safe,’ he says, turning back to the others to give them a thumbs up to come outside.
The dock is mostly empty, with a couple of cars parked off to the side in the staff parking bay. To the left are a few piles of loose pallets, and to our right is a skip, half-filled with cardboard boxes. Towards the end of the fenced area is a pair of metal gates, open and leading out onto a small road. And there it is. Just off on the right-hand side is the delivery van with its back doors wide open.
I take a few steps towards it and see a couple of crates of food. I can smell the rotten food and crumple my nose in disgust. No way am I removing that. I glance back at the boys. I walk around the van and peer inside the cabin to check if it’s all clear. It is, and I open the driver’s door to find a pair of keys in the ignition. I turn the key until the lights on the dashboard glow and the fuel indicator displays a full tank. We are in luck.
‘How’s she looking?’ Rohan whispers in anticipation.
I give him thumbs up. ‘Full tank and ready to go.’
When the van is loaded, it’s time to execute our escape. It’s simple in theory. Doug will drive the van out the gates, creating as much noise as possible and hopefully drawing the Infected away from the parking lot so we can recover our vehicles. Somewhere up the road, when it is all clear, Doug will pull over and wait for Rohan, while Lincoln and I continue on to Canberra. Lincoln isn’t too pleased about leaving his truck behind, but I assure him we can collect it on the way back through. I’m already dreading the trip after what I have seen, and driving alone would only add to my anxiety.
‘You ready?’ I ask Doug. His hands are twitching uncontrollably.
‘Ready,’ he says, giving me a doubtful smile.
‘You remember the way?’ Lincoln asks.
‘Yep. Turn left, then right, then straight line down the road from there. I’ll pull over when I’m clear and wait for Rohan before hitting Dry Plains Road.’
‘Too easy,’ Rohan says, lightly tapping the side of the truck. ‘Good luck. I’ll see you soon.’
Doug turns the key and the engine fires to life. The van shakes a few times before the engine settles into a slow rumble as it warms up. I look over to check the horde, thankful there is no movement. Luckily the van is fairly quiet. Doug pushes the lever into drive and edges the van forward.
Lincoln scratches his chin as we watch Doug drive through the dock and out the gates. ‘It seems pretty quiet.’
‘Bloody hell,’ Rohan huffs. ‘He’s going to be gone soon and not one Infected is following.’
‘Damn. We’ve no way of communicating with him.’ I pray he makes some noise.
It’s as if my prayers are answered. I’m about to give up and move to a new plan, when his horn blares out and he yells ‘Hey you!’ The honking continues. ‘Come on you lot!’ He sporadically waves his arms at the horde, motioning them to follow. ‘Come and get me!’
A few heads begin to turn in his direction. They snap to attention and then growl. The rest start to join in like a herd of cattle calling for food.
‘It’s working!’ I shout, getting all excited.
Lincoln claps his hands. ‘Bloody oath it is.’
Doug continues to scream profanities for a few more minutes until the Infected are just metres away, then his head slips back inside the cabin and the van begins to move again.
‘I can’t believe it’s working.’ I grin, watching the van drive down the street.
‘Well it is, and it isn’t,’ Rohan jumps in. ‘Check that guy out. He hasn’t moved one bit.’
I follow his gaze to see a man in a blood-splattered trench coat standing still as the pack passes him. He is facing away from us and towards the road where Doug is travelling, silent and showing no interest in moving with the others. He almost seems normal, except for the fact he is mingling with the enemy. He stands watching and waiting until the last of the group walks away and disappears in the distance.
‘Did he just move?’ Rohan asks, peering through the cloth.
Lincoln raises his eyebrows. ‘I don’t think so.’
I continue to stare and spot the man’s head twitch slightly.
Rohan elbows me in the side. ‘Look, he moved again.’ He’s determined to get his point across.
‘I saw that one,’ I answer, watching the man intently.
The man’s head begins to jerk and then slowly swivel in our direction. ‘Shit, he’s looking our way.’ I can hear the concern in Lincoln’s voice. ‘Can he see us?’
I shake my head. ‘Surely not. We’re hidden over here.’ But I believe I’m wrong.
The man’s head turns fully in our direction, his frame remaining still and his feet bolted to the pavement. Shadows flicker across his face as the clouds pass by, and I can just make out a pair of sunken eyes that appear to be looking in our direction before another cloud rolls over and his face goes dark again. His face reappears, and I have no doubt in my mind he is watching us, or maybe just me.
‘He’s definitely looking this way.’ Lincoln comments.
‘This is creepy.’ Rohan anxiously taps the fence mesh. ‘How long are we going wait here for this bloke to move? Why don’t we just go and kill him?’
His gaze drills through the shade cloth for what feels like an eternity. I suggest we are casting a shadow on the other side of the cloth. We all freeze.
‘Did he just grin?’ Rohan asks softly.
‘What?’ I peer at the man.
The sun re-emerges from behind a cloud. It shimmers on his face momentarily. I see no smile.
Lincoln’s lip curls. ‘Nah. Don’t think so.’
Rohan gestures again. ‘He is grinning. Look!’
The clouds open back up, throwing light onto the man’s face. I see his eyes burn. But what haunts me most is his smile. Bright white teeth glimmer unexpectedly. The clown-like grin catching me by surprise. My heart skips a beat and a chill runs across my back, but somehow it’s kind of soothing.
Lincoln’s body jerks away from the fence. ‘What the hell?’
I sense something is about to happen. I feel drawn to the man like a magnet to iron. I watch intently and am about to speak when he opens his mouth and begins to scream. It sounds like a pig being sla
ughtered and it grates on my ears like fingers down a chalk board.
Rohan’s jaw drops. ‘Jeez.’ He looks through the fence once again.
The man turns from our direction as the scream dissipates. I feel shaken and don’t know what to do. And then the man begins sprinting down the road in the direction of Doug. A minute later he is gone.
Lincoln bangs the side of the fence. ‘I’ll say it now, and I’ll say it again many times, but holy shit that was messed up!’
‘Holy shit indeed, my good friend. That bloke is one messed up individual,’ Rohan says. ‘I for one am glad he’s gone.’
Lincoln spins round to Rohan. ‘Yeah, gone in the direction you’re about to go.’
‘Relax.’ Rohan smiles casually. ‘By the time I’m down that way he’ll be long gone, the way he was running. Besides, if he wanted to attack us, he would have, right?’
I thump the fence which gains everyone’s attention. ‘I knew something was up with some of those damn Infected.’ They watch me intently. ‘In there, in the store, they seemed different. They’ve changed from when we first encountered them. It’s like they’re getting smarter somehow. Evolving.’
‘Infected don’t get smart.’ Lincoln says, tapping his head.
But he hadn’t experienced that feeling I just got. How the hell would he know.
Lincoln’s still speaking. His tone is arrogant. ‘They’re dumb. They die then come back to life and find the next available thing to eat. Haven’t you seen the movies? What we saw was an anomaly. A rare and unusual occurrence that for some dumb luck we’ve witnessed twice.’
I shake my head. ‘Twice too many. And you’re missing the whole point here.’
Rohan butts in. ‘Well, what is the point?’
I sigh and take in a deep breath. I can’t believe no one is getting it.
‘The point is, if they start to run and think, well, we’re all screwed, aren’t we?’
No one answers, and I take it from the glum expressions on their faces that my words have hit home. Lincoln stomps the floor, rubber shoes slapping the concrete surface. He breaks the silence.
