by T. L. Frost
“How does it look?” She asked.
“Pretty secure.” He replied “It’s remote enough and has a good fence all around. Water might be a problem though, the pressure is almost non-existent and no signs of any natural sources.”
“Plenty of booze.” Replied Sally nodding towards the still sleeping young men.
“Yeah that’s one problem I can easily fix.”
Carter stood up and walked behind the bar, taking some bottles he started removing the caps and turning them upside down in a small sink there, letting the contents drain away. There was a small storage room behind the bar. He checked inside, more boxes of drinks but not much else. Searching around behind the bar more thoroughly he found a key which locked it, which he did, pocketing the key. Sharron woke and walked over, seeing what he was up to.
“Jack and the others won’t be too happy.” She said.
Carter just nodded, trying the tap, it was the same as the other, almost no pressure, the water dripping out slowly.
“How long has the water been like this?” He asked.
“Oh it’s been getting worse for a while now.” Said Sharron taking the glass which Carter passed to her.
The others began to wake, slowly, groggily. Jack stood up and yawned, walking over to the bar as the other two woke and saw Carter and Sally for the first time, looks of surprise on their faces.
“Who the hell are they?” Asked one of them, a slim ginger haired man, maybe nineteen, Carter guessed.
“New arrivals Lee.” Said Jack, still yawning “If you two weren’t such lightweights you would have seen them last night.”
Lee made an unenthusiastic expression and shook the shoulder of the other one, Rob, who was struggling to rise. Jack walked over to the bar, grabbing a bag of potato chips.
“Pour me some water would you man.” He said to Carter “My head is aching.”
“What do I look like, your mother? Get it yourself.”
Jack looked at Carter for a second, then walked behind the bar, picking up an empty glass and seeing the upside down bottles in the sink.
“What the fuck are you doing!?” He yelled as Lee and Rob rushed over to see.
“What a waste man.” Said Rob, shaking his head slowly.
“Party’s over boys.” Said Carter in an unfriendly tone “You all need to sober up and get your acts together.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are!?” Asked Jack “This is our place, our…”
“I’ll tell you who I am you little shit, I’m the one who’s going to kick your arse if you don’t sort yourself out.” Snarled Carter poking his finger into Jack’s chest “You have a pregnant girlfriend, living on bar snacks, which are almost gone, in a place where the water is running out.”
Jack took a step back, glancing at his two friends but they were staying clear.
“You’ve all been lucky to survive this long, as soon as you see how things are out there in the real world now, you’re all going to thank your lucky stars that I arrived in time to help.” He poked Jack some more in the chest, backing him up “Make no mistake about what’s going on, if there were just you three useless arseholes here, I’d take everything you have and leave you here to rot.”
Glaring at all three of them once more, Carter relaxed a little.
“Now since I am here, we can help each other. Sally and your girlfriend need medical supplies, we all need food, water, whatever else we can find.”
He looked all three of them in the eyes, seeing the fear there, the uncertainty. Trying to sound a little friendlier he added “If we work together we’ll be ok. You’ll be ok. It’s safer to be in a group.” Sometimes, he said to himself.
Lee and Rob looked to Jack, ready to follow his lead. Carter noticed that and stared him straight in the eyes, raising a questioning eyebrow.
“Ok, I suppose so…” Said Jack glancing at his friends.
“Good!” Said Carter loudly before they could have a change of mind “Pull yourselves together and be ready in five minutes. Quickly now, you there pull your boots on, you fasten yours. Jack you look after them and then get everybody a weapon.”
“A weapon?” Asked Jack uncertainly.
“You heard me, take the legs off one of those tables, they look heavy enough. You need something that will smash a zombies head in, destroy its brain.”
Jack looked on for a second as the words registered, a slight tinge of green to his features as he struggled to keep his already rebelling stomach from doing a back-flip. Then he nodded and started hurrying the other two to get ready before turning over a table and starting to unscrew a leg. Carter walked over to Sally.
“Too much?” He asked.
“No, I think they needed it.” Replied Sally with a grin.
Chapter 4
Jack stood outside with Rob and Lee, all three clutching their make-shift weapons tightly and looking uncertain. Carter stood in the doorway next to Sally.
“Keep this door closed and locked until you see us return, just in case.” He said.
Sally nodded, kissing him before closing the door. Carter walked to the others, holding the large iron bar he had brought with him.
“What now?” Asked Jack, nerves evident.
“Now.” Sad Carter “We get the medical supplies from the infirmary here. The compound is pretty safe but it’s dangerous having any of those things inside, if they escaped everyone could die. Just follow my lead, do what I say and everyone will be alright.”
The three of them nodded and Carter lead the way to the infirmary’s entrance.
“Stay quiet now, avoid the windows, we don’t want to rile them up.”
He stood at one side of the doorway, gesturing for Jack to stand at the other side.
“Now you two clear away all this junk. Do it quietly.” Whispered Carter.
Rob and Lee nodded and slowly started taking away the boxes and other items blocking the doorway, they looked scared and Carter didn’t blame them, this was life and death. When the area was clear, Carter waited, listening. There were low, almost inaudible moans coming from inside, an occasional footstep. He signalled the two who had cleared the doorway to get behind him, then tried the door handle, turning it slowly. A slight click and the door opened a fraction. Carter looked at Jack and nodded, then pushed the door so it swung slowly inwards, before stepping back out of sight. They waited. A few more moans sounded, a strong stench of rotting flesh coming from the doorway, getting stronger as it swung open a little more. Jack put his hand over his mouth, coughing a little, trying not to gag. More shuffling footsteps could be heard, then a hand appeared, gripping the doorframe. A moment later an arm reached out, dead, decaying flesh and a torn camouflage sleeve covered in old, blackened blood, a louder moan. Carter waited. The zombie stepped out, arm stretched before it, eyes staring blankly. Then he swung, putting all of his strength into the blow, the long iron bar smashing towards the head, which turned towards him at the last moment. The bar glanced from the head smashing into the zombie’s shoulder, breaking bones and ripping flesh as it drove down. It turned and staggered sideways, one arm still reaching as it sought out Carter. A clatter of metal on concrete caused Carter to turn, seeing Rob and Lee running away, their weapons discarded.
“Watch the doorway!” Yelled Carter to the terrified looking Jack, still waiting on the other side “There’s at least one more in there!”
Jack didn’t look like he was going anywhere, his wide eyes staring at the zombie advancing on Carter, who took another step backwards, then swung again. This time the zombie had its arm up and the blow smashed through it with a sickening snap. Still it came forward, mouth opening and shutting, teeth snapping. Carter caught a glimpse of movement behind it, another shape stepping out of the doorway, then he swung a third time, a weaker blow this time, he was tiring quickly, but still it rocked the zombie, smashing its head against the wall of the infirmary. He managed a look at Jack, seeing him backing away from another zombie, both of its arms outstretched as it tri
ed to reach him. He was using the table leg to push it away, trying to keep some distance. Then he went down, the zombie snarling as it leaped forward.
“NO!” Screamed Carter, raising the iron bar and hammering it into the side of the first zombie’s head again as it tried to push away from the wall.
Again and again he swung, until he hit brick and the zombie slid down the wall, a trail of brains and blood marking its path. Carter leaped over it, adrenaline forcing him on. The other zombie’s back was to him as it crouched over Jack. Carter kicked it in the side, sending it toppling to its back and, to his surprise, Jack stood up, unharmed. His weapon, another of the metal table legs had been jammed into the zombie’s mouth as it fell onto him, breaking teeth and sinking into the decayed mouth. It started to rise.
“Step on the table leg!” Said Carter moving to the other side.
Jack did as he was told and the zombie fell again, its head pinned to the ground by the table leg stuck firmly in its mouth. Carter took several breaths.
“Let’s get out of here!” Shouted Jack, close to panic.
“You stay right there!” Said Carter as he lifted his iron bar.
Gripping it with both hands, he drove the tip down, into the side of the struggling zombie’s head. It punched through the side, into the brain and broke though the other side with a dull thud, the zombie’s flailing arms and legs dropped, like a switch had been flicked. Taking a deep breath, Carter changed his grip, placed a boot on the top of the zombie’s head and pulled. It came out with a wet sucking sound. Jack turned and threw up.
“Well done kid.” Said Carter with a tired grin “You survived.”
Jack glanced at him, saw the zombie again and his empty stomach heaved some more.
Chapter 5
When they got back to the officer’s mess Sally came running out and threw her arms around Carter.
“You ok?” She asked, concern on her features “Those other two came back a few minutes ago, I was just about to come looking…”
“I’m fine.” He replied dropping a small bag he was carrying and gripping her waist “Tired but in one piece.”
They held each other for a moment more then went inside. Rob and Lee were sitting in front of the fire again, looking up shame-faced.
“Sorry man, it just all happened so fast, I…” Began Lee.
Carter held up his hand, waving them to silence “It’s over, we’re all ok and I’m too tired to care right now.”
Sharron was making a fuss over Jack, who looked very uncomfortable at all of the attention and still a little shell shocked at what he had seen. He placed the bags he Carter had been carrying onto the bar top, then sat down with a large sigh, shaking his head.
“There are anti-biotics and clean dressings in the bags.” Said Carter “We even found some army rations in a backpack.”
Sally opened the bags, taking the medical supplies out and piling the rations on the bar top.
“Enough for a couple of meals each anyway.” Said Sally.
Carter nodded and looked at Rob and Lee.
“You two get the fire going again, they’re dried rations so we need boiling water. Make yourselves useful if you want to eat.”
Rob and Lee jumped up, one preparing the fire as the other went for more wood.
“What now?” Asked Sally as she checked the clean bandages carter had wrapped around her arm.
Carter was relaxed. He had eaten two of the meals at once and couldn’t remember being as full as he was now, for quite a while.
“We’ll take it easy for the rest of today.” He said thoughtfully “We could both do with another night’s sleep, and those three might do better when they’ve slept off their hangover. We’ll go out tomorrow.”
Sally looked at the three young men sitting together, talking quietly about the day’s events.
“Were they any help at all today?”
Carter shrugged.
“They’ve been hidden away in this place since this whole thing started, they hadn’t even had any time for training, that’s why they were left behind.”
Sally took his hand and leaned into him.
“I’ll come too next time, safety in numbers.”
“You’ve still got a bit of a fever.” Said Carter feeling her forehead “You stay here and look after the girl.”
Sally nodded.
“Where will you be heading?”
“That hotel to the north of here looks promising, fairly isolated location, like this place.” He said “We have to get more fuel at the very least, we won’t get far with what we’ve got and this place is no good long term. Water running out, no food, nothing much useful left.”
Sally nodded again and started to fall asleep against him. Carter stood, laying her down gently on the small sofa and joined the others.
“Don’t look so disheartened.” He said “It’s a scary world out there now.”
Jack nodded and Carter studied them all. They were a miserable looking lot right now, spirits low, hope all but gone.
“We’re going out again tomorrow, no choice.” Said Carter “We can’t live on just fresh air.”
Rob and Lee looked at each other miserably.
“You’ll be ok, learn from today and move on. That’s what the world is like now, you adapt and survive, that’s the only choice.”
Carter could see they were all thinking about what had happened, the blood, gore, savagery. Thinking too much wasn’t always a good idea, he thought.
“Rob, Lee. You two go out and do a perimeter check, stay out of sight if there’s any movement outside the fence. Anything else come tell me immediately.”
They stood, looking uncertain.
“Take weapons.” Added Carter “Hurry up now, before I find something less pleasant for you to do.”
They started dismantling another table and left quickly.
“Jack, you can get more firewood, keep it warm, it’s getting chilly at night now.”
Jack nodded and went out to gather more wood.
“When they’re done, we’ll all have an early night. Save our strength for tomorrow.” Carter said to Sharron.
“Will we be alright, do you think?” Asked Sharron quietly, her hands on her swollen belly “How can we be safe anywhere with those things out there, how will my baby…”
“We’ll do whatever we need to, one day at a time, and so will you.” Said Carter sitting beside her and putting his arm around her shoulder “That’s all you should focus on now.”
Chapter 6
The hotel was just to the north of the compound. It’s sign high up and visible from the motorway, which was the way they were heading. The ground directly between the hotel and the compound was too overgrown for Carter’s liking and he had decided on a frontal approach. They all felt immensely exposed after the relative safety of the compound, with its high fence and barbed wire. The world suddenly seemed a bigger, more dangerous place. At least the motorway was still quiet, thought Carter as they walked up it, voices hushed, his three helpers jumping at every sound.
“Relax.” He told them “This is the easy part.”
The raised, overgrown verge on the side of the motorway gradually lowered as they approached the turn-off leading to the hotel. At the last bit of cover they all crouched and waited. Carter watched and listened for a while but it looked pretty quiet.
“Looks dead.” Said Lee crouching behind him, which earned him a punch on the arm from Jack.
“You were told to be quiet.” He hissed.
A few minutes later a zombie appeared to the right, moving slowly across the road which led to the rear of the hotel, it bumped into the fencing marking the perimeter of the property, then turned and disappeared the way it had come. A low moan sounding as it was forced to change direction.
“There’s at least one or more on that side, I’ve seen them from the compound now and then.” Whispered Jack.
Carter nodded.
“Left it is then, we’ll do quick perimeter che
ck first. Ready?”
All three nodded, gripping their weapons nervously.
“Any problems and head back this way, we don’t want to lead any of them to the compound.”
Carter moved first, moving fast but quietly, eyes scanning ahead and to the sides. He reached the corner of the big square building, and after a quick look down the side, waved the others to join him. Carter gave them a minute then jogged down the side of the building to get a look at the car park at its rear. The others were right behind him and he had to signal to get them flat against the wall. He watched for a minute then moved back a few paces.
“Good news and bad.” He said “Good news is there’s an army truck there, probably from the same place you are. Might mean it’s still full of fuel. Looks like it hasn’t been moved in a while.”
“What’s the bad news?” Asked Jack.
“No sign of the people who drove it here. Maybe they’ve set up camp in the hotel, sitting this thing out, but I doubt it.”
“Why’s that?” asked Rob, shifting from foot to foot.
“Because they would have come for the rest of you?” Replied Carter “At least they would have grabbed everything they could and returned to the compound, more secure than this place.”
“What now?” Asked Lee “If they couldn’t survive, what chance do we have? We should go back, it’s too risky.”
Carter looked at him, he looked like he was ready to run at the slightest thing, they all did. He shook his head.
“We can’t go back with nothing, we’d have to do this tomorrow, or the day after. We’re here now, let’s get on with it.”
