by West, Mark
‘What are you doing?’ the woman hisses.
‘Checking to see if they’ve left. Stay here.’
I step out of the cupboard, relieved not to have her foul breath blowing in my face. I approach the doorway and peer slowly around the corner. I see nothing and hear nothing. I signal to the woman.
‘Follow me.’
She comes out and stops by my side.
‘If I say run, you run. Got it?’
She nods wearily, her body trembling with fear. She won't last much longer before she collapses. I need to get her somewhere safe.
As we step out into the hallway, I hear talking a few rooms back. ‘Quick,’ I grunt and make a beeline for the exit. The woman follows and we pass through the front door, hurrying down the front steps with heavy feet.
‘Stop them!’
Shouts come from inside, raw and frantic. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I turn back towards the house. The woman is only halfway down, gripping the railing and trying not to fall, gasping for air.
‘You’ve got to move quicker!’ I yell.
I swing my gun around and aim for the front door, waiting. The woman reaches the bottom step just as a shape comes into view. I don’t hesitate and fire off a round, clipping the jamb and causing the man to retreat. He yells in surprise. I take another shot, deliberately hitting the jamb again to show I’m serious.
‘Get back!’
Someone curses louder, aiming colourful words in my direction. I check behind to see the woman stumbling through the front gate clutching at her severed arm. It’s bleeding profusely, leaving a trail of dots behind her.
‘Get to the car!’ I scream.
I move back along the path, mindful to keep my gun positioned towards the house, checking the windows for any signs of movement. When we get to the Ford, I yell more orders.
‘Check for keys.’
I tilt my head towards the driver’s side, hopeful they are still inside. The woman shrieks in pain and opens the door, giving me a nod a moment later.
‘Get in!’ I tell her.
I turn back to the house and spot movement in the right-side window. I fire, hitting the glass, shattering it into a million tiny blades.
‘I said, get back!’
I can’t afford for them to get the upper hand; we are like sitting ducks. I fire off two more rounds before running towards the driver’s door, reefing it open and jumping inside. The woman is in the passenger seat already, slumped back on the chair, mouth open. I think she has passed out. Either that or she is dead.
I turn the key and the engine grunts approvingly. A head is emerging through the broken window.
‘Not today.’
I ram the stick into first and drop my foot on the accelerator, spinning the wheels. A bullet pings off the bonnet. I glance back up at the house. The larger man is in the doorway, shouting and waving his handgun in my direction. He shoots again and I duck just as the side window explodes, raining glass down inside the cabin.
‘Dammit!’
Gunfire echoes in the air. I press harder on the pedal, dropping the gear lever into second, then third as we speed down the road.
I turn to the woman. ‘Damn that was lucky.’
She doesn’t respond. Her eyes are now closed tight.
I take a side street and pull over, checking it’s all clear, knowing it won't be long before the Infected arrive, attracted by the noise.
‘Are you dead?’ I ask stupidly and place two fingers on her neck.
Something throbs lightly against my skin.
‘Well, you have a pulse, which means you’re still alive – barely,’ I say morbidly.
I have learned over the year not to become attached to anyone – except my wife and child. The loss of my friends at the Block almost killed me. I fell into a deep depression for months, churning through the motions just to stay alive. I would have given up, but I had to look after Victoria. Depression hit her like cancer, eating away at her until she was thinner than a rake. It took every ounce of strength to stop her from giving up. If it wasn’t for Isabelle, I think she would have.
‘Let’s get you back to our place and see if we can fix you up.’ I drop the clutch again and swing onto the road.
Chapter 17
The calm before the storm
It’s been three days since William met Eden and Cynthia, and every day he finds himself getting more and more attached, especially to Eden who continually shoots him glances, making him feel all warm inside.
The trio haven’t travelled far since escaping the barn. He estimates perhaps fifty kilometres when he looks at a map they found. Oddly, William is finding geography is his strong point, as he navigates them north towards Brisbane.
There wasn’t a lot he was good at school. He usually failed maths and English, not to mention a fat ‘F’ he got for science. But there were a few areas in which he did excel, like woodwork and sports. He could wield a drop saw like a pro, and his father said if he improved his grades, he could perhaps be a builder one day. William had scoffed at this, telling him how he wanted to be an adventure guide – a dream now crushed.
After leaving the barn, the trio trekked through the bush until they saw Gosford in the distance. They decided to stay clear of the main town, agreeing it would be a bad idea, especially at night. So, they followed the Pacific Motorway, stumbling upon an abandoned service station where they camped for the night in a back room.
In the morning, William and the girls woke to heavy rain. The air felt humid and travelling in the deluge didn’t sit well with anyone. So, after a quick discussion, they chanced another night. The service station had been cleaned out, so they scavenged food from nearby houses, surprised to spot only a few Infected. They settled in for another night, only to wake to find it still raining.
‘Far out I’m bored,’ Eden groans, placing down a deck of cards. ‘Got any more games in that bag of yours, Will?’
William shrugs. ‘Sorry, just the cards.’
Eden stands, disappointed. ‘Do you think the rain will ever stop?’
She walks towards the high window to the back of the room and rises on her tippy toes until her nose is over the ledge.
‘It’s raining cats and dogs still. Worse than yesterday.’ She slumps back against the wall. ‘I’m over this.’
‘I think we should leave tomorrow, even if the weather is the same,’ William says. ‘What do you think, Cynthia?’
Cynthia is busy looping rope through an old canvas sack used for holding bundles of cash.
She glances up. ‘Huh?’
‘Will said we should move on tomorrow. What do you think?’ Eden repeats.
Cynthia shrugs, ‘I guess.’ She drops the sack on the ground in frustration. ‘Stupid thing.’
Eden walks over and picks it up, turning it in her hand. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Trying to make a stupid bag. We lost all our stuff back at the barn. We need something to carry our supplies.’
‘We can find another,’ William says reassuringly. ‘A bag that is.’
Cynthia shakes her head. ‘I’ve looked. Not one of the houses we checked had anything useful.’ Cynthia kicks at the rope in frustration. ‘Now I’m stuck with this dumb idea.’
‘I can help you.’ Eden sits down next to her. ‘I’m bored anyway.’ She picks up the rope and begins threading it through the holes. ‘See, it’s half done already.’
Cynthia smiles weakly and turns to Will. ‘And to answer your question, yes, I think we should move on tomorrow. This place gives me the creeps, and I’m worried our luck will run out.’
‘Just what I thought,’ William responds, peering around the room, his eyes dropping to the cardboard on the floor. ‘To think someone else used this place for shelter. I wonder where they’ve gone to?’
‘Dead is my guess,’ Cynthia says morbidly.
Eden nudges her in the ribs. ‘Don’t be such a downer.’
‘Well it’s true, isn’t it?’ she snaps. ‘E
veryone dies eventually.’ She leans forward and places her face in her hands. ‘We’ve just been lucky so far.’
Eden nudges her again, lightly this time, setting a hand on her back. ‘Cheer up. We have Will now. He will help us get to Brisbane. Won’t you, Will?’ Eden gives him a wink.
William feels his face go hot again.
Man, you’re embarrassing yourself.
He looks away and begins busying himself by picking up the cards.
‘I can try.’
He sneaks a glance at Eden and notices she is still looking at him with her ocean-blue eyes.
She smiles. ‘Thanks, Will.’
* * *
Hours pass. The sun falls and night arrives. The station goes dark. It’s still bucketing outside, and every so often the room floods with flashes of bright white light that are followed with rumbles of thunder. There is a particularly big flash and almost simultaneously the room is rocked by a thunderous boom.
‘Whoa, that was a biggie!’ William says excitedly, enjoying the storm.
‘I’d hate to be stuck out there.’ Cynthia puts a can of beans into her handmade bag. ‘I hope it clears.’ She leaves out some clothes for the morning and stuffs in the last of her supplies.
‘So which direction tomorrow, Mr Navigator?’
William pulls the map from his bag and unfolds the pages, laying it flat across his bed. He squints in the dim light and points at a location. ‘It’s a bit hard to tell in this light, but I think if we cut through the bush here.’ He taps the map with an index finger. ‘We can avoid the town and then hopefully join up with the Pacific Highway here. From there we can follow the road all the way north until we get to Brisbane.’ His finger traces along a bluish line. ‘May take us a week or so to walk.’
‘Could we drive?’ Eden questions.
William looks up. ‘Can you drive?’
‘Nah, I can’t. Was kinda hoping you could?’
‘We never got shown,’ Cynthia chimes in.
‘Never had the chance. Dad was always too busy,’ William says, lying. ‘You know … work and stuff.’
His dad had hit the drink hard after his mum died. He was still Dad, just a little more intoxicated.
Eden sighs. ‘Bummer. We could be there in a day or two, depending on the roads, that is.’
‘I guess,’ William says.
The reminder of his parents has William feeling gloomy again. He sits in the dark with the two girls, staring up at the window, watching the storm roll through. The rain is falling so heavily on the tin roof it sounds as if rocks are being thrown from the sky, that or it’s starting to hail.
‘What?’ William yells, cupping hands behind his ears, wondering what Eden has just said.
‘Can I see that map again!’
‘What are you looking for?’ he asks, handing her the map.
Eden grabs the map and lays it on the ground. ‘I want to check something.’
She removes a small torch from her pocket and clicks it on.
William shields his eyes. ‘Whoa!’
Cynthia lunges for the torch, knocking it to the ground. ‘Are you mad!’ She snatches it from the floor and clicks it off. ‘Have you not learnt anything?’ she hisses.
‘I… I…’
‘Everyone knows light at night is the beacon of death,’ Cynthia growls.
Eden is silent.
‘It will be fine, Eden,’ William says over a clap of thunder. ‘The weather is so bad no Infected would be out.’ But not even he is convinced. It was a rookie move.
Chapter 18
Thunder and lightning
Heavy rain plummets from the sky, turning the abandoned streets into a network of rivers. The black dog is running this way and that, its long tail between its legs, frightened by the endless booming and the flashes in the sky. Every so often it stops and shakes the water from its coat.
Its Master trails slowly behind. His clothes are soaked, his boots full of water. But it doesn’t seem to bother him. He stops in the middle of the road and surveys his surroundings. The air is a deathly black, coming to life with each bolt of lightning that splits the sky. Up ahead is a small concrete building with a tall sign at the front. He stares blankly at the structure as if sensing something. He grunts unintelligibly, takes a step forward then pauses again.
The dog watches him curiously, eyes weary, sensing something has changed in its Master. He is not the same person. Nonetheless, the black dog knows he must continue to obey, doing things he thought were not allowed.
One of the windows lights up, going dark a few seconds later. The Master’s cold, hollow eyes widen. He grunts and slaps his thigh, commanding the dog’s attention. The dog reluctantly bounds from the cover it has taken, wary of the distant rumbling, and waits for orders.
Chapter 19
Who is that knocking?
‘What was that?’ William exclaims, sitting bolt upright.
‘Huh?’ Eden says wearily.
‘That noise? Did you hear it?’
‘Go back to sleep, William,’ Cynthia groans. ‘It’s just the storm.’
William glows green as he checks his watch. Six past nine. They hadn’t been asleep long.
‘Please, Will, go back to sleep,’ Eden pulls a blanket over her face.
Rain now patters lightly on the tin roof. There is still the odd flash of lightning, but it’s obvious the worst of the storm has passed.
‘I think I heard something.’
‘You imagined it. Go to sleep, William,’ Cynthia says bluntly.
William lays down, but strains his ears, convinced he had heard something.
Perhaps I did imagine it?
His eyes are just closing when there is a thump from the other room. It had sounded heavy, like something being struck.
‘What was that?’ Eden asks, caution in her voice.
‘I don’t know, but that was no wind.’ William stands and moves towards the back window. He is taller than Eden and Cynthia, so seeing out is a bit easier. ‘It’s so dark outside. I can’t make anything out.’
‘Should we use the torch?’ Eden asks.
William can see her silhouette sitting up in bed.
‘Not worth the risk.’
Cynthia groans again. ‘Guys, what is wrong with—’
Another low thump cuts her off.
‘Something is trying to get in,’ William responds.
‘It sounds like it’s coming from the side door,’ Eden adds.
The thumping grows louder, making the hairs on the back of William’s neck stand up.
‘I think you’re right. Something is trying to get in.’
William can hear the fear in Eden’s voice
Cynthia begins pacing the room. ‘What should we do?’
‘Get your stuff,’ says William. ‘We may have to leave.’ Panic is swelling inside him, but he tries not to let it show.
‘But it’s dark,’ Eden’s voice trembles. ‘Where will we go?’
‘I don’t know. But I don’t think we have a choice.’
‘I vote we stay,’ Cynthia demands. ‘I’m the oldest and I vote we stay put. It’s madness going outside. It’s dark and raining.’
Something scrapes at the ground outside. William peers through the window, hoping to catch whatever it is. But all he can see is shadows.
‘Perhaps we should check it out?’ Cynthia whispers.
‘I’ll go.’ William hands are shaking as he fumbles with his bag and takes out a small kitchen knife. He turns to Eden. ‘Can I borrow your torch?’
Eden passes him the torch, holding her hands around his as she gives it to him. ‘Be careful, Will.’
William leaves the room, shutting the door behind him, his stomach twisting. He stands behind the counter listening, then shines the torch around the store. The main shop is square, four walls with two exits: one to the front and one to the back. Bare shelves line the centre in uniform rows and to William’s left is the glass front, boarded shut making it impossible to
look out.
Thump! Thump!
The fridge pushed against the entrance door shudders with each thump. Frozen with fear, William watches the fridge slowly edging backwards. His feet unlock and he runs towards the fridge, pushing it back against the door. He removes a bar from one of the racks and jams it under the wheel. Vibrations run through his body as the fridge shakes from the pounding on the other side.
He listens carefully. He can hear nothing on the other side over the massive impacts of something trying to get in: no moaning or scraping. It doesn’t make sense.
He decides to call out. ‘Hello?’
The pounding stops. Raspy breathing breaks the silence. It sounds human, but William can’t be sure.
‘Is someone there?’ he asks, begging for answers.
Something touches William on the shoulder, causing him to leap backwards and wield his knife like a sword. There is a scream and he lifts his torch to see Eden.
‘You almost stabbed me!’ she says.
William lowers the torch and switches it off, heart now thundering in his chest. ‘You scared the crap out of me! What are you doing here?’
‘I came to see what you were doing. We heard you call out.’
‘I—’ He suddenly remembers the breathing and places a finger to his lips before leaning back towards the door. ‘I could hear someone,’ he whispers.
But everything is silent again. The breathing is gone, replaced by the patter of rain. William pulls back from the door and turns to Eden. ‘Gone, I think. Where is Cynthia?’
‘Back in the room. She’s keeping a lookout from the window. What do you think it was? Infected?’
William shrugs and jams more metal under the wheels of the fridge. ‘I guess.’
Eden shivers. ‘It’s cold.’
William chuckles. ‘Enjoy it while it lasts. Brisbane is the worst for humidity. You sweat just sitting around doing nothing.’
