by Ian Woodhead
He spun around and saw his companion being dragged under the car. Talbot left them and sprinted to the car. The only visible parts of Dean were his hands. He dropped the glass shard then bent down and grabbed them. Talbot roared then pulled him out from under the car. Two dead kids came with him, one fastened on the inside of Dean’s thigh whilst the other one had managed to bite off two of his toes.
Talbot stamped down hard on both their heads then picked the groaning man off the floor. He weighed next to nothing.
“Oh fuck,” he said. “What a mess you are.”
Dean opened one eye and gazed at Talbot. “My clothes are totally ruined,” he whispered. “I’ve lost one of shoes as well.” Dean coughed “I’m sorry for letting you down.”
The two he hadn’t yet killed were struggling out of the shattered window display. Talbot then saw that they had yet more company. A dozen of the things had left through the pub’s open door and were making their way toward their location. “You didn’t let me down, mate. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have left you. Look, you just fucking hang on. We’re nearly there.”
“Don’t, Talbot. Don’t you lie. I’m dying and we both know it. I’m going the same way as Mark. I can feel my body falling apart. Just drop me and go before the other’s get you.”
“Fuck no! I’m not leaving you.”
Dean screamed. His body deflated and liquefied. Foul smelling, dark green sludge dripped through Talbot’s outstretched arms. Dean’s clothes stuck to both of Talbot’s arms. He pulled them off him and threw the wet material to the floor then jumped back and watched in mute horror as Dean’s remains flowed down the gutter.
Talbot waited for the last of his friend to slip into the drain before gazing up at the gathering crowd of foul smelling monstrosities. The only way more of Talbot’s kind could be created was by a bite from one of those fuckers and they were the only ones who knew which human would make the grade. Talbot said a silent prayer for Dean and vowed to avenge Dean’s death but first, he needed to eat. He growled and ran away from that crowd.
Chapter Eighteen
Ten minutes had passed since Dominic’s encounter with his boss. His emotional state now settled into a comforting rut of apprehension tinged with a dollop of relief. His relief stemmed from the fact that Bernard had left him alone for the moment.
Dominic suspected that his boss didn’t really mean what he said when he threatened him one more time with that blade. Bernard was just showing off in front of Marlene by exerting his manliness, either that or it was Bernard’s way of boosting Dominic’s moral, bolstering his troops like an army sergeant. Deep down though, Dominic knew that Bernard was probably just being really horrible to him, as per usual.
If his boss did think he was the general, then thankfully Dominic hadn’t been ordered to the frontline.
“It appears my job is to hold Bernard’s weapon.”
Dominic choked back a hysterical sob when he realised what he’d just said.
Looking through the oblong section of reinforced glass set in the door, he watched Bernard weave through the tables heading for the stage. The singer had done a magnificent job in calming down the old folk when the lights failed earlier. He got them to return to their tables and continued to sing. Even without the aid of a microphone, the lad still managed to be heard throughout the club.
He wondered what Bernard was up to. He wouldn’t tell Dominic. All he told Dominic to do was hold the guns and don’t mess with them. That made sense, if he marched across the lounge all tooled up like Dirty Harry, the club would have a stampede on their hands.
Dominic leaned Bernard’s shotgun against the wall and picked up one of the two pistols lying side by side on the step above where he sat. He marvelled at how the weapon fitted so snugly in the palm of his hand, he wrapped his fingers around the handle, it really did feel good to hold it. Without thinking, Dominic grabbed the top bit and pulled it back just like he’d seen in the movies the noise it made sent a pleasant shiver down Dominic’s spine, it was almost erotic.
He shook himself and threw the pistol back down. What the blinking flip was he playing at? The object was an instrument of Satan. It only had one purpose and that was to kill things.
Dominic had to get out of here; he was going to leave whether Marlene came with him or not. He returned to gazing through the door window. Marlene had now joined her boss on that stage; he wished he could hear what they were saying to the old people. Bernard’s smiley, happy features did not sit well on that ogre’s face. Looking around the room, none of the people seemed to see the ugliness beneath. Marlene climbed down and made her way toward the door.
Dominic intended to ask the woman if she still wanted to join him when she opened that door. He’d beg if he needed to. He looked back at those pistols, feeling a little queasy knowing that he’d have to take one of them in case he ran into Douglas.
“How are you holding up?” she asked.
“I feel like a half cooked meringue.” He replied.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He sighed. “I’m ready to collapse at any time. Look, I’ve got something I need to ask you.”
She reached past him and scooped up the two pistols. “We’ll talk on the way to the kitchen.”
She grabbed his wrist and pulled Dominic into the lounge.
“I’m sorry, what’s going on?”
“Bernard wants us two to start putting your pies in doggy bags.”
She let go of Dominic and passed a little lady a bright blue coat, hung over a chair then rushed over to the doors leading into the kitchen.
He hurried to catch up with her. “Did I just hear that correctly?”
“Bernard’s getting them out of the club. He’s using your yummy pies to sweeten their grumpiness.”
“But where are they going to go? It’s dangerous out there. You saw what was happening on the street.”
She opened a cupboard door above her head and pulled out a roll of freezer bags.
“These will do. Look Dominic, the driver will take them back to their homes, they’ll be safe there.”
She threw the roll at Dominic. “Come on, get packing. As soon as they’re gone we can start to batten down the hatches and ride this thing out. There’s enough food stocked up to last us for months.”
Dominic dropped the roll on the surface. “But I don’t want to stay here.” His voice was barely a whisper.
There would be no doubt that Bernard would make his existence intolerable from day one. His boss and his new sex toy would wipe away the hours exploring each other’s bodies in that chamber of shame above Dominic’s head. His role in this would be to serve them food and clean. He would be their Cinderella. Unlike that fairy tale, Dominic would not be rescued by a handsome prince.
“Come on Dominic; quit it with the trembling top lip. In your heart, you know that
Bernard has the right idea.”
He slowly nodded, thinking how long it would be before he threatened to throw, Dominic out to the dead people if he ever started getting bitchy.
His eyes then darted to Marlene. “Oh crumbs! We’ve forgotten about Douglas. He’s still out there in the car park. He’ll tear those poor people to pieces. Where’s Thomas? Don’t tell me that he’s out there too.”
Marlene grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the doors. “Will you calm down? Bernard said that he saw Douglas stumble off, heading into town.” She started to put the pies into the freezer bags. “Now come on, Dominic, just stop and think about our situation, you saw what happened on that street, how long do you think you’d last? At least in here we’re safe.”
He silently placed the last of the pies in the bags and followed her back into the lounge; he gathered that Thomas would be staying at the club too. Dominic tried to work out how he would fit into their ménage a trois.
“Is Thomas outside then?”
She nodded. “Yeah, Bernard’s given the driver some money to take them back home earlier than normal.”<
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Marlene smiled at a gentleman wearing a pork pie hat then looked at Dominic. “They don’t know what’s happening.”
The old people took the plastic bags out of their hands as they trooped past them. Bernard had made his way to the front door and said goodbye to each pensioner with a smile and a promise that he’d see them tomorrow night.
That horrible man didn’t have an honest bone in his body. Dominic came to the decision that staying here, with Bernard, could very well be detrimental to his health and well being, “Marlene, I’m going to go with the pensioners.”
He handed over the last pie to the little lady in the blue coat.
“Thank you so much,” she said, smiling.
Marlene stared at him in astonishment, he found her gaze very uncomfortable. Then she discreetly passed him one of the guns.
“Take it,” she said, “and good luck.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, “You take care of yourself.”
Dominic kissed her cheek, “You too. Take care of Thomas and please, watch out for Bernard.”
She nodded and smiled.
He took a deep breath and got in line behind the old woman. As he reached the door, Bernard eyed him up and down and then, rather unexpectedly, he grinned at Dominic.
That, he didn’t expect. He thought the man would sneer, call him a few horrible names then shout at him for abandoning them. Dominic gently squeezed past the woman and hurried out of the club before Bernard could change his mind.
Dominic rushed past the coach and stared at the dark street beyond the club’s car park, looking for any sign of movement but he saw nothing, the streets were deserted. He shrugged to himself, maybe they’ve all gone home to bed.
He turned and watched Thomas helping the woman up the steps into the coach; he retraced his steps and climbed onto the coach.
“Dominic?” said Thomas, spinning around, “What are you doing here?”
He smiled at the lad, “I’m making sure that they all get back safely.”
Thomas moved out of the way so he could squeeze past him. Dominic wanted to hug the lad until he remembered that Thomas didn’t have a clue what was happening.
“You look after yourself, lad.”
Thomas shot him a quizzical look before climbing off the coach, “You too.” He shouted back.
Dominic watched the lad hurry back into the club before turning to the driver. “Do you go past Lexington Road?”
“The closest I go to that street is Cambridge Avenue, if that’s any good for you?”
Dominic nodded; his house was just ten minutes walk from there. “Are you okay? You look a little pale.”
The driver nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine. I think I’m coming down with something. Now, go find a seat and strap yourself in.”
Dominic made his way to the back on the coach, he saw the old woman clutching the pie he’d gave her earlier and sat down next to her.
“You don’t mind if I sit here do you?” She smiled and patted his knee. “Of course I don’t mind, I could do with the company, I can’t seem to find the lady who sat with me on the way here.”
As the coach set off, Dominic looked down and saw just how prominent the pistol bulge was, heaven knows what the old lady must be thinking about him. He turned in his seat and watched the club’s neon blue sign recede as the coach pulled out of the car park, he wondered if he’d ever see the place again.
Dominic felt the woman tap him on the knees again; this little old lady was getting a bit too familiar for his liking.
“Are you the young man responsible for creating these wonderful pies?”
He nodded but didn’t look at the woman; Dominic’s gaze was locked at the seats directly opposite him. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? He was sure that something had just moved under the couple’s seat, he leaned forward; it was difficult to tell as they must have placed all their luggage under there.
“Well, young man. If you don’t mind me saying, I think your recipe could do with a pinch of paprika, not too much, mind.”
He wasn’t sure if it was luggage, it looked more like a huge bundle of black clothes. Dominic’s curiosity slipped away when he felt the coach slowing down. Then without warning, the vehicle shuddered to an abrupt halt, his head was thrown forward, luckily he had taken the driver’s advice and strapped himself in. The woman next to him groaned. She’d strapped herself in too. She sat back and rubbed her forehead.
Two women at the front of the coach screamed. He unbuckled his belt and stood up. “What’s going on, what can you see?” said the panicked woman beside him.
Oh heavens, this was so not super good. That driver had just ploughed his coach into the side of an abandoned delivery van.
One of the old ladies hadn’t buckled herself in. When the coach collided with the van, she must have been thrown out of her seat and judging by the web-like crack in the windscreen, hit the glass with some force.
The injured woman lay slumped against the window, not moving. Dominic grabbed the back of the seat, intending to go and help when he saw that he wasn’t needed. The driver was already reaching out for her.
“Oh, my God!” he gasped.
The driver placed both hands in her hair and pulled the woman toward his mouth.
When she was close enough, the man bent down and bit into her neck. The whole coach erupted with screams and shouting. Dominic assumed it was because of what the driver had just done until he saw a woman further down the coach getting pulled out of her seat and onto the floor.
That bundle of clothes was Douglas.
Dominic felt the woman next to him grab his shirt and try to pull him down; she said something but couldn’t make it out due to the deluge of voices.
The driver pushed the injured woman out of the way and fastened his hand around the ankle of a weeping man who wasn’t quick enough to get out of the driver’s way.
Dominic glanced down; the woman’s terrified eyes were glued on Douglas. He’d pulled another victim to the floor. She tried to crawl into the aisle; a man jumped out of his seat and grabbed her hand. Douglas responded by pushing his thumb into her left eye socket then jerking her back under the seat, the man lost his grip and fell forward; he turned and screamed as the driver dived on his back.
Dominic grabbed the old woman’s hand; he turned around and saw that the fire escape was only two seats back.
“Come on,” he hissed, Dominic tried to pull her out of the seat. He glanced down and suppressed a scream as he saw Douglas crawling toward him. Dominic heard the woman cry out in pain, oh crumbs. The daft old thing still had the seat belt on. He reached across and fumbled with the buckle fastener, whimpering as he heard his old friend moaning with desire. He daren’t look behind him; he jumped onto his seat and strode over the gab onto the next one. Douglas got onto his knees and growled at the crying woman.
“Oh, god, Douglas, I’m so sorry about this.”
He pulled the gun out of his pocket, grabbed the barrel and smacked the handle into the side of Douglas’s head. His ex friend fell to the floor. He reached over and grabbed the terrified woman’s hand then pulled her toward the fire exit. The driver hadn’t yet seen them trying to escape.
“We can’t leave the others here,” gasped the old woman.
He ignored her and pushed the door open, he turned to grab the woman, and she shook her head.
“I’m not leaving without my friends.”
Dominic could help but notice that she forsaken her coat but still had the pie clutched tightly in her other hand. He looked behind her and saw two of her friends were heading toward them, both were moaning like Douglas had. He got the feeling that they didn’t wish to be rescued. He grabbed the woman’s blouse with both hands then swung her around before dropping her out of the open door. One of the old men reached for him. Dominic stumbled back and fell from the coach.
Hot pain shot up his leg as he fell onto the cold tarmac. Through tear, blurred eyes, he watched the woman staring at the still o
pen fire exit. Two of those things were almost at the open door.
“Don’t just stand there, you silly woman. Shut the blinking door!”
She jumped and pushed it shut. He watched the windows of the coach stain crimson as the rest of the people on that coach were caught and killed. He looked away, ashamed of himself. The woman was right, he could have stopped them, and Dominic looked in disbelief at the pistol in his hand. Oh heavens, he could have stopped them in a second.
“We’d better get back to the club,” he said.
The woman acted as if she hadn’t heard him, she had her back to Dominic, shaking like a leaf. He managed to get up on his feet, wincing in pain when he put weight on his left foot.
“It’s okay, we’re safe now,” he said.
She turned her head and looked him in the eyes, “Safe?” she cried. The woman pointed toward the dark road, at the thousands of people shuffling toward the club. “We should have stayed on the coach; it would have been over by now.”
Dominic stared in horror at that vast crowd heading their way. Then he saw a man desperately trying to outrun them. Dominic limped past the woman and raised the pistol.
“Do you know how to use that?” she asked.
He ignored her. Holding the pistol felt so natural, he felt a thrill course through his body as he placed his index finger on the trigger. He pointed the gun at a young man in a dark hoodie; he was just inches away from the running man. Dominic squeezed the trigger and hoodie just fell to the ground. He fired off two more shots and couple more of them disappeared under the approaching horde. Dominic limped forward and fired again, wondering just how many bullets these guns held. The chased man changed direction and jogged toward Dominic. A teenage boy struggled to catch up, Dominic took him down.
