by Thomas Hall
‘…a great thing…’ he said.
Dale found it difficult to follow the speech. He looked for Beth amongst the faces but couldn’t see her.
‘…we should be grateful to these brave men and women…’
She was still angry with him, he thought. He didn’t blame her, he’d just thought… he wasn’t sure what he’d thought. He’d hoped that she would forgive him and that they could be friends again.
‘…lost a dear friend…’
He turned to look at the other Patrol Men. They had lined up behind him. He had become the defect leader. It wasn’t a position he was sure he wanted but none of them seemed willing to take it from him. He didn’t know if he would be able to measure up to Solomon.
‘…a lot of clearing up to do. We will tighten our security and not allow this to happen again. Harmony should be a safe place. Somewhere that we all feel secure. We should be grateful that we have dedicated people who are willing to put their lives at risk to protect us but we must not accept this as something that can happen.’
When the speech was over Dale tried to make a quick escape. But Wesley wasn’t having any of it. He wanted to introduce him to people and make a fuss of him. He didn’t seem to consider the fact that Dale was exhausted and that there would be more work to do in the morning.
He followed Wesley towards the village hall. There was something that he needed to discuss with Dale. He refused to say what it was. The other Patrol Men weren’t needed for this piece of business.
The lights were already on inside.
Wesley closed the door behind him and Dale realised that he was on his own. Wesley hadn’t followed him in. Then he heard footsteps and knew that he wasn’t on his own.
Beth stopped in front of him. She didn’t say anything. She looked into his eyes and then her arms were around him and her lips were pressed against his.
‘I was wrong,’ she said.
‘Wrong?’ Dale said.
She didn’t let go of him. ‘I would rather risk losing you than never having you in the first place.’ She kissed him again.
Dale kissed her back. He picked her up and kissed her again.
Outside it sounded like they were having a party.
‘We can get out of here if you want?’ Beth said.
Dale nodded. They went out the back way. She led him along the narrow avenues and alleyways to her house and after everything else that had happened, he finally got to stay over.
CHAPTER 11
DALE CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND HIM BUT DIDN’T lock it. The sun was warm on his face. He could smell barbecue on the breeze. Although it was just ten o’clock in the morning plenty of people in Harmony preferred to cook early and eat cold food for the rest of the day.
He nodded to Oscar as he passed. The large man smiled at him and hurried along to whatever business he had planned.
There were people in the market. None of the stalls were open for business but it was a habit for locals to congregate there. Dale could hear them talking. Several familiar faces turned to smile and wave at him as he passed. He smiled back and wondered what he had done to deserve a place like this.
He walked the long way through the village. He liked to take in the small paradise in full but that was not the only reason. Dale walked through the narrow streets and past the houses that backed directly onto the road. At the top of the hill, he turned right and found himself at Beth’s house.
‘Dawn, are you ready?’ Beth called from inside. He found himself smiling at the sound of her voice.
The younger sister mumbled something in response but Dale didn’t hear it clearly.
‘Hurry up then or you’re going to be late,’ Beth said.
Dale knocked on the door. He might have considered waiting outside and surprising her but nowadays jumping out at people who weren’t expecting it was liable to get you shot.
The door opened and Beth smiled at him. ‘This is a nice surprise.’ She stepped out of the house and pulled the door behind her. She leaned up and he leaned down. They kissed. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be meeting Wesley?’
Dale shrugged. ‘I’ve got plenty of time. I wanted to see you first.’
‘That’s sweet. Do you want to come in?’
She turned and pushed open the door. No one bothered to lock them in the village. Dale followed her inside.
‘Dawn, are you ready?’ Beth shouted as they walked past the stairs. ‘Dale’s here.’
They went into the kitchen. The kettle was whistling on the stove.
Dale heard what sounded like Dawn falling out of bed upstairs followed by hurried footsteps across the landing.
‘Do you want some coffee?’ Beth said. ‘I’ve just boiled water.’
Dale nodded. ‘Thanks.’
She took the kettle off the heat and took two cups out of the cupboard. Dale sat down at the table and watched her graceful dance around the kitchen.
‘What are you seeing Wesley about?’ Beth said.
‘Probably just about the patrol. Last night he wanted us to go out to the ruins.’
‘The ruins? Why did he want you to go there?’
‘You know what he’s like.’
Beth brought two cups to the table and put one down in front of him.
‘Thanks,’ Dale said.
‘I wonder if he’s heard something,’ Beth said. She was frowning and didn’t sit down.
‘Like what?’ Dale said.
‘Coffee?’ Dawn said. Dale looked up and saw her standing at the door. She was the spitting image of Beth but more than a decade younger. ‘Where’s mine?’
‘You’re not having coffee Dawn,’ Beth said.
‘Why not?’
‘Because there’s hardly any left and you’re late for school.’
‘Not fair.’
‘Doesn’t matter. Get your breakfast and let’s go.’
Dawn stood in the doorway and pouted for a moment. Then she turned to Dale and smiled. ‘Good morning Dale.’
Dale smiled. ‘Hi, Dawn. You ready for school?’
She rolled her eyes. It was the sort of thing he remembered teenagers doing when he’d been one. It was unsettling to see the gesture now. ‘I don’t even see why I should have to go to school.’
‘You’re going to school Dawn,’ Beth said. ‘Get some breakfast.’
‘Why, though? Grandad’s the Mayor or whatever. It’s not like I’ve got to work or anything.’
‘We’re not going over this again Dawn,’ Beth said. ‘Now hurry up or you won’t have anything to eat.’ She turned towards Dale and spoke without lowering her voice. ‘She thinks it makes her royalty or something just because Wesley’s in charge.’
‘I can hear you,’ Dawn said.
‘But I can’t hear you making breakfast.’
Dawn sighed dramatically and went to the cupboards to start looking for something to eat.
Dale followed Beth out of the house. He pulled the door closed behind him. It was no warmer now than it had been when he’d first come out. The winter was setting in. Before long there would be frost on the ground.
‘Are you coming to the school?’ Beth said.
‘I should probably go and see what Wesley wants,’ Dale said.
A few metres ahead Dawn stopped walking. She turned around to look at them. ‘We’re going to be late,’ she said.
Beth ignored her. ‘Will I see you tonight?’
‘I hope so.’
‘If he asks you to go out again tell him you won’t do it.’
‘I can’t do that. You know it’s important.’
‘Did you find any last night?’ Beth said.
Dale shook his head.
‘What about the night before?’
Dale shook his head again.
‘He’s just scared, he can’t send you out every night. Tell him to wait until someone reports something. Like you used to.’
‘I’ll mention it.’
Beth put her arms around him and looked up with puppy dog eye
s and a pout that he knew was fake but couldn’t help falling for. ‘Please. I’m starting to forget what it’s like to spend the night with you.’
Dawn made a retching sound that was as fake as Beth’s pur. ‘You’re being gross Beth.’
‘Please?’ Beth said ignoring her sister.
Dale smiled. ‘Yes, okay. I’ll speak to him.’
She kissed him on the mouth and then turned to catch up with Dawn. Dale watched until she was out of sight and then went to find out what Wesley wanted.
The market was empty and he couldn’t hear anyone talking. Dale found himself slowing down. He tried to remember if this was normal for the time of day but he was sure it wasn’t. The village felt abandoned.
He followed the path to the town hall. He expected to see or hear signs of life but everywhere he looked the streets were quiet and the buildings appeared empty. He couldn’t work out what was going on.
The road circled around to the village square. There was a statue of an old woman in the middle but the plaque identifying her was gone. Her features had been smoothed by the weather and every time Dale saw it he wondered how long it would be before she was gone as well.
He saw the town hall ahead. There was car parked in front of it. Dale stopped. He backed away.
He didn’t recognise the vehicle. It was a rugged 4x4 without any identifying features. The side windows were tinted black to match the paintwork and there was no number plate.
Dale wondered if this was what Wesley had called him to see. One of his expeditions might have found the vehicle in the wilderness and brought it back for him. Although what use it would be without petrol Dale didn’t know.
A man got out of the drivers seat. Dale’s heart sank. The man was dressed in full military body armour. He walked around to the rear passenger door and opened it. A woman dressed in a business suit with bright red hair got out. The driver opened the other door and an old man dressed entirely in black got out. Velma and Harold.
Dale slunk away from the building. Habit had taught him to hide well. He tried to work out how Velma and Harold had found this place. Or had they always known it existed? They had lied to him about plenty of things, why not this as well?
He watched them walk to the door of the village hall. The door was opened for them from the inside. Then they were gone and Dale was left alone to wonder what was going on.
The village square remained empty into the afternoon. Dale found an abandoned building with a clear view of the village hall and hid in the darkness. He shivered. He wondered why Wesley had asked him to come and see him that particular morning and hoped that the answer he kept coming up with wasn’t the correct one.
As the afternoon became evening, Dale grew hungry and tired as well as cold. A few villagers walked past the window but none of them saw him and none of them stopped. The unmarked 4x4 that had brought Velma and Harold back into his life didn’t move.
The soldier who had driven them was still in the front seat. Probably with the heating on, Dale thought, probably asleep. Dale wondered if he might get away with sneaking across the road and inside the village hall. He was desperate to know what was going on inside. But the risk seemed too great. The cost of failure too high.
Eventually, the door opened again. The driver was already getting out of the car. But it wasn’t Velma and Harold who came out.
Wesley turned up his collar against the wind and put his hands in his pockets. He nodded at the driver who had already started to get back into the car. Wesley walked across the square and Dale followed.
There were no electric lights in the village. Even the few houses that had generators had better uses for them. Consequently, the darkness came quickly and completely. Dale crept out of the abandoned building.
Wesley didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Dale caught up with him almost at once but he chose not to reveal himself. He hoped that he could still trust Wesley but he didn’t trust Velma or Harold not to have had him followed. If they really were looking for him, it would be the logical thing to do.
Harmony was usually quiet in the evenings and tonight was no exception. Wesley passed few people but those he did he met with a nod. None of them saw Dale, creeping through the darkness just a few metres behind him.
Wesley lived out in the sticks. At a meandering pace, it took them more than twenty minutes to reach his house. The last five were spent walking across an open field of grass that had begun to grow too long for comfort. One day someone would have to cut it or the house would need to be abandoned. It was already long enough for a small zombie to hide in. Without a petrol mower or even an electric one, it would be an unenviable job.
Dale waited until Wesley reached the front porch of his house. His footsteps echoed on the wood. The white paint was already beginning to fade and peel. Dale wondered how much maintenance somewhere like this had required before. The regular houses were standing up to the neglect much better.
He made no effort to disguise his footsteps when he climbed onto the porch. The sound stopped Wesley at the front door and he turned around. Dale could see that Wesley was on high alert, his hand already reaching for the pistol he carried in his jacket pocket.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Wesley said.
‘Have you got something you want to tell me Wesley?’ Dale said. They stood about three metres apart.
‘Did you follow me here?’
‘What were you doing with Velma and Harold?’
They stared at one another. Each willed the other to break first and start answering questions. Dale couldn’t see Wesley’s face clearly but he guessed it was red and angry.
Wesley sighed. He turned back to the door and unlocked it. ‘You’d better come inside.’
Dale looked around as if he too might have been followed. Satisfied that there was no one there he followed Wesley inside.
Wesley took him to the living room. The house was too large to be occupied by only the two of them. It still felt abandoned. When Wesley was alone, it must have felt as if he wasn’t there at all.
‘Take a seat,’ Wesley said.
Dale looked at the red striped sofas in the middle of the room and remained standing. Despite its size, the place felt cluttered. The belongings of the previous owners were everywhere.
‘Do you want a drink?’ Wesley said. He took the glass stopper out of a bottle. Without waiting for an answer he poured two glasses of whiskey. He turned around and handed one of them to Dale.
‘What’s going on Wesley?’ Dale said.
Wesley walked around the coffee table with the empty bowl in the middle and sat down. He leaned back and took a large sip of the whiskey.
Dale watched and waited for him to reply.
‘Sit down Dale,’ Wesley said.
This time Dale sat. The cushion was stiff and uncomfortable but probably very good for posture.
‘You saw them at the town hall?’
Dale nodded.
‘They were early. You were late. We were supposed to have time to discuss this beforehand.’
‘Discuss what?’
‘They’ve taken the village Dale.’
For a long time the words didn’t make sense. Dale stared at Wesley and tried to work out what he meant.
‘They contacted me a week ago,’ Wesley said. ‘Said they could offer us protection.’
‘They aren’t interested in protecting you,’ Dale said.
Wesley held up a hand to stop him. ‘I know that,’ he said. ‘They’re here to look for you. Why do you think I’ve been sending you out on patrol every night?’
Dale shook his head. He didn’t see how sending him out on patrol would achieve anything.
‘I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me what you’ve done to make the army so interested in you?’
‘I can’t,’ Dale said. He’d already told Wesley everything he intended to about his time in the compound.
‘I didn’t think so. She was pretty vague about it as well.’
‘Did you tell them I was here?’
‘Of course I didn’t. I told them people come and go all the time, we don’t keep a census.’
‘And what did she say?’
‘She said she’d like to stay and take a look for herself. So I said fine and sent you out looking for zombies every night until they’d searched the whole village. I’ve known this was coming for a while,’ Wesley said. ‘Big military base sitting over the hill. It was just a matter of time before they took an interest in us. I suppose finding you is just an excuse. You going to drink that?’
Dale handed him the glass.
‘They’re in charge now. Couldn’t say no. It’s going to make it difficult for you though.’
‘Don’t worry about me,’ Dale said.
‘Oh I’m not son, not anymore. Now I’m worried about my granddaughters and what will happen if the army finds out they’re hiding you.’
‘Hiding me?’ Dale said.
‘You can’t go home Dale. I know it’s not a long term solution but you need to be somewhere that we can protect you. I figure Beth’s house would be convenient?’
Dale wondered why he didn’t suggest his own, much more spacious, building. Perhaps Wesley liked being by himself.
‘So I’m supposed to just hide? How long for?’
‘How long is a piece of string?’ Wesley said. ‘As long as you can stomach it, I suppose.’
‘And then what?’ Dale saw the hospital bed and the room with the big glass window. He saw not being able to leave.
‘I don’t know,’ Wesley said.
‘So you’ve just let them take over? You didn’t even fight?’
‘How can you fight the army?’ Wesley said.
‘But this is your town Wesley. You built it.’
‘I found it,’ Wesley said.
‘You brought people here. You protected them. And you’re just going to let the army take that away from you?’ Dale stood up.
‘I don’t see that I had any choice. The important thing is that people are protected. You included. Whether that’s by me or the army doesn’t seem to make any difference.’
