Smithy frowned. “You’re still here. Aren’t you dead or something? How come you didn’t go up in smoke like the others?”
“I’m a wraith,” said Angela. “Similar to what Damien was, but not quite. Someone in Heaven must like me, because they dragged me out of Hell to bring me back to Earth. I didn’t pass through a gate like I told others I did, I just materialised suddenly outside of Kielder. My release was conditional on me helping to defeat Crimolok. Hopefully this counts as mission accomplished. I suspect I’ll be here forever, wandering the Earth like a big saddo.”
Addy turned grey. “Will that happen to us, after we die?”
Angela shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. All bets are off. Whatever rules used to apply to life and death are null and void. Let’s just see what happens.”
Mass finally felt strong enough to stand. At the edge of the hill, he went and stared at the broken road where the gate had been. Mankind was saved, but the universe was broken. The tapestry, whatever that was, might no longer exist. Crimolok was in Hell, but not dead. Did he still present a threat – if not here, then somewhere else? Would tomorrow arrive safely?
Mass looked up at the dawn sky, enjoying the warmth on his face. After a moment, Smithy and Addy got up and stood beside him. He reached out and placed a hand on each of their backs. With a smile, he had only one thought on his mind.
Forget about tomorrow. Just enjoy today.
22
“All right, yow lot, move it! We ain’t got all day.”
Mass chuckled. Frank might have been small, but he was mighty, and nobody ever dared chat back to him. It would take a whole lot longer to get things done without Frank.
The last thing Mass had ever expected to be was a farmer, but he found he enjoyed it more than anything he had ever done before. The work was so strenuous that he had packed on hard, slender muscle that was far stronger than the inflated fibres he had grown before in the gym. He was a brute, and it felt good. Even in the drizzling winter rain, it felt good.
It had been three months since the demons had been defeated, and for a while people had lived cautiously, doubting that it might finally be over. They had assumed more gates would open, or that groups of demons would emerge and devour them. But nothing had come. Mass and Cullen had led numerous missions to seek out the enemy, but the enemy was nowhere to be found. The war was over. Mankind was saved.
It had barely survived.
Less than ten thousand people had survived in Portsmouth, leaving the city feeling empty. People were finally able to mourn and feel sorry for themselves, which was why what Mass was doing was so important. He was building a tomorrow. He was creating hope.
The Urban Vampires had put down their weapons and picked up tools. Today, they were building a wooden fence around a field north of the city. The ground was hard and the work was harder.
The population had moved away from the docks and were now living on the coast to the north-west of the city. There were lovely houses for people to live in, and spaces to walk and breathe. Nobody missed the paved ruins that had once kept them safe.
The new wooden fence was necessary to house the twenty-nine cows that the Urban Vampires had managed to rustle during the previous weeks. With the demons gone, wildlife was easier to spot, and cows, pigs, and chickens roamed everywhere.
“Oi,” Frank shouted, “get your fingers out your shitter and help us set this pole. Bloody moron.”
Mass chuckled again. He was due a break, so he headed over to the old tractor where people liked to sit and catch a breather. They all agreed that its over-stuffed foam seat was the comfiest thing in existence.
When he reached the tractor, he found Smithy and Addy. They were snogging each other’s faces off like teenagers. Mass grimaced. “Seriously, you two. If Frank catches you, you’re both dead.”
Smithy broke away from the kiss but kept both his hands on Addy’s waist. “I will fight any man for the right to love my woman.”
Addy rolled her eyes. “Frank would eat you for breakfast.”
Smithy grinned at her lecherously. “Why don’t I eat you for breakfast.”
Addy shoved him away, a smile on her face. “Okay, I’m going back to work. Good to see you, Mass. We playing poker later?”
“Klein will put out a warrant for our arrest if we don’t go.”
Addy laughed. “We’re still using the old church, right?”
“Yeah, Klein seems to find it amusing to gamble there for some reason. He hasn’t got any less strange.”
“Strange is good.”
Addy left and Smithy went to follow, but Mass put his hand out and stopped him. “Stay and chill for a while. If Frank comes, I’ll protect you.”
Smithy shrugged and leant against the old tractor’s massive back tyre. “Sounds good to me, man. All this work is too much like hard work for me. I think I might open a nightclub or something. I’ll just kick back with a drink while the DJ plays.”
Mass chuckled. “Luckily, there’s an opening for just about every business you can name right now.”
“Record unemployment, right? What a world we live in.”
Mass folded his arms and leant on the tyre next to Smithy. “You and Addy seem to be moving pretty fast. It’s going good, yeah?”
Smithy beamed, no cheekiness in his smile, only genuine happiness. “So good, man. I love that woman. Toughest bird I know.”
“Don’t let her hear you call her that.”
“No way. She scares me even more than Frank. Anyway, big man, how are you?”
Mass nodded. “I’m all right, yeah.”
“Wow, you sound delirious with joy.”
“No, it’s not that. I’m happy. Of course I am. I can’t believe we made it. It’s just…” He shook his head and sighed. “I suppose I don’t know where I fit in now. Before the demons invaded, I was nothing. Now they’ve gone, I’m worried I’ll go back to being nothing.”
“Are you soft in the head? You helped save the world. There’s no going back to being nothing after that.”
Mass shrugged. “I never did a thing with my life before. One year of fighting doesn’t change who I am.”
“We were all different people before because the world was different. It controlled us and kept us down. Only people like Thomas did well in the old world, but tomorrow is up to us. You really think the fighting is over? No way, man. The battles ahead are going to be even bigger than those behind us. We get to help shape mankind. You honestly saying you don’t want to be part of that?”
Mass looked over at the two dozen men busily working to erect a fence. They were working hard to make things better, not just for themselves but for each other. How long would they hold on to that? How long before mankind turned selfish again?
“I guess the least we can do is try, right? Who knows what good we might do.”
“Exactly. Don’t forget to find a little happiness for yourself too, while you’re at it? You earned it, man.”
Mass huffed. “No argument there.”
Someone else walked over to take a break at the tractor. It was Maria, one of the women Mass had helped rescue from Nas’s farm. She’d been helping out for a couple of months now, eager to work hard. When Smithy noticed her coming, he gave Mass a sly wink and started walking away. “Like I said, mate, find a little happiness for yourself. I’ll get out of your hair.”
Mass punched his friend on the arm and then smiled at Maria. Maria smiled back.
Dr Kamiyo felt guilty even for taking an hour to himself, but if he didn’t catch some fresh air and scenery, he would go insane. Hundreds had been injured in the battle with Crimolok, and in the early days many had been lost to shock or infection. Then had ensued a period of dutiful watching and regular treatment to help as many people as possible recover from their injuries – which had ranged from broken bones and flesh wounds to damaged organs. A couple of hundred more souls had been lost, but Kamiyo had saved as many as he could with the limited means and medicine at his disp
osal. It was the worst period of his life, and he was glad to finally be coming out the other end of it.
The small clinic they had cleared out in the village was still full of patients, but few were seriously ill. There was a bout of influenza he needed to keep a close eye on, and a patient with a broken hand, but most of the beds were full of people getting over simple illnesses or minor injuries. For the first time in months, Kamiyo felt able to step out and take a break.
Winter was in full swing, rainy and cold most days. Today was slightly milder, and the rain was only a drizzle. It felt good against his face, a simple pleasure to enjoy. With the demons gone, food was plentiful if you knew where to look, and the village was partially powered by solar panels, batteries, and petrol generators. The elderly and the vulnerable were provided with heaters at night or given homes with open fireplaces. The local pub was open most of the day and part of the night for people to indulge their newfound freedom. Life was still a wretched, vulnerable existence, full of threats and hardships, but it was improving every day. They were building a future together. There were no enemies or rivalries – at least not yet – and for now, peace was total. It was a golden age for mankind, and Kamiyo enjoyed being part of it, despite the amount of death he had witnessed to get there.
Perhaps mankind was better off being reset. Even without the demons, it had seemed to be on a collision course with disaster. This was their chance to do better.
Kamiyo headed to the village square where there was a circle of grass with benches and a rockery. On one side was the pub, and on the other was a small Anglican church. He had been intending to visit the pub – an old coach house called the Hartlebury Inn – but instead his attention was caught by something at the church. It had been opened up as a communal space, and people often gathered there. Not because they wanted to pray or worship, but because a church was an intrinsically welcoming place. It was a relaxing space with lots of happy memories – weddings, christenings, et cetera.
People were gathered in the graveyard outside the church, so Kamiyo went to go see what was going on. Many had been buried in the last few months, but due to the number of bodies, a majority had been burned on pyres. People did their best to make things ceremonial, but the smell always reminded them that death was never beautiful – especially now that people knew there was no afterlife to pass on to. When you died, you just… stopped. It was depressing, and yet at the same time it caused people to appreciate their lives and make the best of things. It was a blessing and a curse. Perhaps it had always been that way.
He found Angela in the graveyard along with Scarlett and a few others. Nancy and Alice were there, too. The mother and daughter were inseparable, and it was nice to see a family intact. When they saw Kamiyo, everyone smiled warmly.
Angela welcomed him. “Doctor, we’re just honouring our dead. It would be good if you could join us.”
“Oh, yes, of course. I would be glad to.”
Scarlett kept mostly to herself these days, so it was nice to see her. She seemed a little less sad today. “You never really knew Sorrow,” she said, “but he meant a lot to me. Because he was a demon, his body…” She sighed. “Well, it kind of went poof. It’s been hard not being able to speak to him any more. For so long, he never left my side. He saved my life, like, a lot.”
Kamiyo nodded. “I understand.”
Angela put a hand on his shoulder. “People need to grieve. They need a place where they can have a conversation with the people they’ve lost. I told Scarlett that graveyards have never been for the dead. They have always been for the living. Nancy, too, had the same problem.”
Nancy nodded, a little sadness in her eyes. “Damien left me to put himself on the line. He died helping to save us all. I never got to say goodbye – or thank you.”
Angela waved a hand. “The dead should be remembered whether we have their bodies or not. What do you think?”
Kamiyo looked at where she was pointing and saw several nondescript blocks of stone. They had been roughly carved and etched with messy capital letters. They were beautiful in an understated way. Solemn. Simple. A few of the stones had names on them listed in columns. Two of the stones, however, were reserved for single names. One tombstone read: Damien Banks. Saviour. The other read: Sorrow. Demon. Protector. Hero.
Kamiyo looked at Nancy and then at Scarlett. He saw the sadness and joy on their faces and realised how much these names carved into simple blocks of stones meant to them. “I like it,” he said. “I really like it. I have names of my own I would like to add.”
Angela motioned to a large group huddled around several more roughly carved stones at the rear of the graveyard. “So do a lot of people. Let’s not forget our heroes just because we have so many.”
Kamiyo thought about Ted, Hannah, and so many others. With a smile on his face, he said, “I look forward to building a world where heroes aren’t needed, but I never want to forget the people who died so that I can live.”
Angela patted him on the arm. “Amen.”
Maddy rubbed her hands together and blew on them. It wasn’t particularly cold, but she felt a chill. She was stressed, anxious, and entirely unsure of what she was doing. Two years ago, she had been a married paramedic. Now she was in charge of the last human settlement in England – although it was no longer really England. The survivors from Portsmouth were a mixture of regions, nationalities, and race. Old identities were gone. The loss of so much history and pride was sad, but it felt like a step forward for civilisation. Her biggest fear was that, once you accounted for the elderly, there might not be enough people to repopulate. It took more than just Adam and Eve. She was captain of a ship that might sink no matter what she did.
There was a knock at the door. Maddy sat down at her desk. “Come in.”
James entered the room and stood to attention. “Ma’am, you requested me.”
“Commander Tosco, how is our fleet doing?”
“Fishing yields are up, especially now that our warships have been repurposed towards the task. Our smaller vessels are continuing to scout the coast. Yesterday, they found a small group of survivors hiding out in Bristol – nineteen people. That’s over a hundred survivors in the last month.”
Maddy smiled. “Gives me hope that there might be more of us out there. We need to bring them all home. This place needs to grow.”
“It will. Now that people realise it’s safe, they’ll come out of hiding.”
“Are we safe, James?”
He frowned and stood at ease. “Maddy, everything is good here. You’re doing a great job, and everyone is working hard to make the best of it. It’s time to relax.”
“You know I can’t do that. Not yet.”
“Capri?”
Maddy leant back in her chair and sighed. “I have a call scheduled with him right now. He won’t stop until the entire continent is under his fist. Since the demons left, he’s gobbled up Portugal and whatever is left of Spain. There’s no stopping him.”
“We thought that about the demons. Then we kicked their butts.”
“This is different. Capri has an army. We don’t have a single bullet left. Our ships have swapped their guns for fishing nets.”
James strolled forward and put his hands on her desk. He gave her a hard stare. “Maddy, this isn’t you. When Thomas took over Portsmouth, you dealt with him – and you’ll deal with Capri. He’s just another arrogant old man with an ego as big as his pecker is small.”
Maddy cackled. “You do make me laugh, James. We still on for a drink tonight?”
“Of course. Alice and I found a lovely little spot today on our walk. There’s a pond there with fish and birds, a perfect place to get rat-arsed.”
“Ha! Have you been working on your slang?”
He grinned. “I heard one of the guys say that earlier. Did I use it right?”
“You did – and this pond sounds lovely. I can’t wait to see it. Being alone with you is the only time I ever stop worrying.”
&n
bsp; James stood back at attention. “Glad to be of service, ma’am.”
The radio at the side of her office crackled. A green light blinked.
“That’ll be Capri.” Maddy stood and straightened her blouse. “Here goes nothing.”
James reached out and took her arm. “Hey, just remember who we are and what we’ve done. No one gets to push us around, big or small.”
Maddy went over to the radio and accepted the communication. “This is Maddy, spokesperson for New Hope. Who am I speaking to? Over.”
A woman’s voice replied, clipped and accented. “Chancellor Capri wishes to speak to whomever is in charge. Over.”
Maddy rolled her eyes. “That would be me. Put him on the line. Over.”
“Please await the chancellor.”
Maddy exchanged a look with James and mouthed the words, Can you believe this guy?
“Guten morgen, spokesman, this is Chancellor Capri.”
“It’s spokeswoman,” said Maddy. “What can I do for you, Chancellor?”
“I believe we spoke one month ago, and my demands have not changed. Commander Klein, his crew, and his nuclear submarine must be handed over to the German Confederation immediately. An expeditionary force will soon be dispatched to the British coast. He may hand himself over then, peacefully.”
“You do not have permission to send anyone here, Chancellor, and I—”
“I do not need permission, young lady. The German Confederation has taken guardianship of mankind’s survival. It exists to secure—”
“Your own fucking agenda,” Maddy snapped. “New Hope will not become part of your empire, Capri. I consider every part of this island to be sovereign territory. I suggest you stay off our property.”
“How dare you speak with such insolence, you foolish girl. You are in no position to make threats. The people of New Hope will not thank you for your truculence. The German Confederation is responsible for their welfare, and—”
Hell On Earth (Book 6): Rebirth Page 34
