by A L Carter
"Later, you'd eat them all at once," She proclaimed.
One that was done though Marie had nothing left to do sit and think. At least sleep gave numbness, blanking out the passing of time.
Eventually, morning came and she could do something as a distraction which blocked out the pain somewhat. Setting off as usual with her usual equipment and company. This time she focused on houses that she had previously been unsuccessful with usually because they were locked. Surprisingly enough the first one she came to the garden gate was open. She looked around for stray zombies, there were none in sight. The garden was empty apart from a large brick outhouse or shed, noticing a low humming noise coming from within. She turned the door handle it was locked so she put that on hold looked towards the open kitchen door. There was an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach, which maybe she should have listened to it but swallowed it down and entered the house. It appeared empty cautiously going from room to room, Dinah mooching behind sniffing. After going upstairs, she entered a large sized bedroom the door was wide open enticing her in. The room appeared to be empty as she looked around, then she sensed something. Simultaneously hearing a low growl from the dog. She began to turn but was too late. In the edge of her vision the door had been quietly pushed away from the wall revealing a tall thin man, he wore round-lens glasses, thin hair in a comb-over. He was also completely naked with an erection and what appeared to be a huge black rubber dildo in his right hand. Worst of all was the manic grin that spread across his face. Then her world went black as she was struck across her head and face. She did not hear herself fall.
Dinah held back and watched, either he had not noticed her or he considered her no threat. The dog's first instinct was to run in straight away and bite whatever she could reach, which was not much. However, he would probably kick her or hit her with the black thing. So she waited for her chance...
This was it he had the bitch, "I do hope I haven't killed you because we are going to have so much fun."
Sweat rolled off him, drool dangled from his mouth. He climbed down onto the floor on all Fours and started to pull at her jeans then he felt excruciating pain in his testicles. Wetness spread down the insides of his legs.
"What?” He looked between his legs and let a high-pitched squeal.
Then he noticed the dog with his testicles in its mouth like a trophy as if taunting him.
"That scummy little dog I'll kill it!" he screamed.
"She's my family," A voice from behind him announced.
He turned dick useless, balls gone, life running away from him, "At least I raped all those little girls," As a last act of defiance, with that wide manic grin.
Marie stood bat ready in front of this fiend, she was shaking as she held the bat. This man more than any of the zombies deserved to die.
"Are you afraid little girl, I'll look after you," he mistakenly took her shaking as a sign of fear.
It was the last mistake he would ever make as she swung the bat, his brains exiting his skull, spattering the wall and floor behind him.
Chapter 15
The siege on the co-op
Sid was head of security at the co-operative supermarket in Ibstock; well what was left of it now as it was hardly open for business was it. It had been nearly two months now since it all started. It had been hard in the beginning; when they did not know what was happening. Not understanding what they were up against. It had been a busy day and the store was full. Lots of customers and even some staff looked ill, but this did not stop them from panic buying food. They were a bunch of idiots and it was a complete madhouse. People were fighting over the last loaf of bread, not having the sense to know that starvation would be the last thing to kill them. He was going around with young Lee; he had only worked there a few months and was green as they come so was of little use as a backup. Asking a bunch of Idiots to leave the store was near on impossible, especially with Lee hiding behind him. Fists started flying at that point so we retreated to the office. Immediately met by the new manager, Trisha some young tart straight out of university. Demanding to know why we could not handle the situation, there was two of us after all. This I laughed at as Lee just stood there trembling. Then she scowled stepping around us and out the office door. He remembered counting but he never reached ten before she was back inside slamming the door and locking it behind her. Then she rang the police which was a waste of time because the line was constantly busy. We sat there just watching the security screens. Then the fights turned into people biting each other, in fact, they were eating each other. This all played out like a sick silent movie. All it needed was some comedic Chaplin music playing to make it even more sickening. He noticed Dawn one of the cashiers fighting back with a rolling pin, procured from the household aisle. She was a well-built girl with a lot of strength; he had seen her lift heavy boxes in the storeroom. At first, her swings were wild drawn out of panic, just knocking them back but having no real effect other than to slow them down. Then after a clumsy shot connected with one of the crazy people's heads, it went straight down blood coming from its temple and it never got up again. Encouraged by her success she continued this technique with further kills clearing a safe area around her. He then looked at a different camera location and it showed one of the people who looked sick from earlier, a regular customer Derek who worked at the brickyard. Sid zoomed the camera in getting a close-up. The man was shaking and covered in sweat, facial expression full of pain. Suddenly he grabbed his chest as if having a heart attack and slid down the wall he was leaning against. His contorted face then relaxed and he slumped to the side. Derek looked like he had just died. Another camera caught his attention, Jenny a staff member tearing out a customer's throat, blood spray actually covering the camera lens giving the view red blurry image. He switched back to Derek, no that could not be right. He had sat back up grey faced looking puzzled and disorientated. Because the camera was still zoomed in he had a detailed view his eyes had also misted over. Then Derek got up suddenly alive again then moved off with purpose.
Sid thought about this, he never considered himself a clever man. More practical, never believe something until you see it for yourself. Well, what he was seeing here was fucking zombies clear and true. He realized then his current goal was survival and staying here would not help in the end. If the store became overrun, he would not stand any chance. His thoughts at present didn't include anyone else, as with all his life he had always been selfish only using women for sex and mates were a source of a free drink, or get his car fixed on the cheap. So what he was to do next was nothing to do with bravery, it was just common sense. He figured that if he did not secure the store, the more infected would just keep coming in making things impossible. Which meant one dead Sid and that was not going to happen. He looked around him who could help him, the boy sat holding himself like a fairy, and the tart Trisha sat crying both of them useless really. Sid went into the back room and found some maintenance supplies, selecting a claw hammer and a crowbar. Back in the office, he shook the lad to get his attention.
"Time to do some work boy," he informed offering him the crowbar.
The boy looked at it like it was a poisonous snake, "Eerrr... What do you mean?" he stammered.
"Are you crazy?" Trisha said trying to show authority in her voice but failing. "We must wait for the police."
"Don't you realise, no fucking police are coming, were on our own," he informed.
"But...." she started then couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Lee come on snap out of it we need to secure this place or were all going to die," Sid spoke softer hoping this tactic will work.
The boy stood up slowly and took the offered weapon but appeared in a daze.
"That's it we'll make a man of you yet," he said encouragingly, turning to Trisha he said. "Lock the door behind us, but be sure to only let us back in okay?"
She nodded in reply as they both ventured out into a world of madness.
The initial idea
was to avoid contact until the front entrance was secure, so they skirted around conflicts until they arrived at the entrance area. This consisted of two sets of sliding doors with a small reception area and the steel shutters on the outside. The plan of no contact until they were secure was now void as he took in the carnage before him. Two people lay on the floor being eaten by three of the infected, which is what he had decided to name them. Then there was a man trying to fend off another infected.
"Boy help him," he instructed.
The boy looked horrified but nodded going in crowbar raised. Sid worked fast, soon on the first one who had not seemed to notice content in its meal. An overhead swing in a downwards arc connected with the top of its head. There was a satisfying crunch as it penetrated through the skull and into the brain cavity sinking in several inches. Its body went limp falling on top of its meal. He quickly pulled out the hammer, which gave a satisfying sucking noise as if stuck in the mud and pulling out brain and bone fragments, along with a geyser of blood. Instinctively he dodged this and immediately moved onto the next one. Again, the same result, he actually smiled finding he was actually enjoying this. Then the third one was down, this felt natural to easy. He turned to see how the boy was doing and was frustrated to find him now flat on his back with the infected on top of him pulling out his intestines and feasting on them. The boy looked up at Sid, terror in his eyes and squealing high pitched. Then he noticed that the man that originally being attacked had picked up the crowbar and began bashing the infected's brains out. For a moment he was mesmerized as the skull cavity completely opened up and the whole brain just dangled out. The man looked horrified. Sid just laughed and went over to the door panel on the wall. He would have to be quick as more were heading towards him from the car park. Turning the key the shutters began their slow descent. They were half way down when suddenly an infected started to crawl through the gap grabbing for his legs. A good wallop from the hammer cured that, kicking it back outside before it got in the way of the shutters. Finally, they closed so he locked the sliding doors for good measure. Realising his back was exposed he spun around quickly finding the man struggling with another infected, he Ignored this for a moment as two more were approaching. Meeting them head on, he quickly dodged to the side of one and simultaneously connected the hammer to the back of its head. Another infected down. Completely circling the next he kicked it hard up the arse, it sprawled face down on the floor. Then he leisurely finished it off with old faithful, the hammers new name. The infected were dumb and as long as he had space were easy to kill. The man still struggled. Sid felt anger towards the man, why was he such a pussy. He felt like killing the man but instead went over and kicked the infected in the side of the knee, which sent it to the floor.
"Now kill the fucker will you!” he jibbed.
The man looked back with a hurt expression but then proceeded to bash the infected’s head in, screaming out loud at the same time. With disgust, Sid noticed more of the infected coming towards them.
"Will you shut up you sissy cunt, you're drawing them to us!" he scolded, contemplating killing the man again.
He did not have time for that, so battled on old faithful swinging, dropping three more infected but was surprised when one dropped before he got to it. As it fell, it revealed Dawn the staff member he had seen earlier.
"Thanks, Dawn for the help," he said smiling as if they had just finished a work shift.
She looked at him bewildered, "What are those things? I've just killed people,"
"Nah don't worry they aren’t people any more, just zombies, but I'm calling them infected," He replied a matter-of-factly.
This seemed to satisfy her for now and she remained quiet. Then sissy walked over to them seeming to have pulled himself together, for now anyway.
"Hi my names Malcolm, do you really think they are zombies?" he introduced, eyes still showing how terrified he still was.
Sid was not really interested who he was, he was still a sissy to him and as for the stupid question, he just nodded.
"Right now let's clear this place out," he encouraged.
They spent the best part of an hour clearing the rest of the store of infected, even smashing the skulls of dead people. Not wanting them to come back. Any survivors were encouraged to help, which speeded up the process. Having finished the sweep they headed for the office.
"Right I'm back let me in!" he asked banging on the door.
"How do I know you're not one of those things?" she demanded.
Sid sighed he kind of knew it would be like this, "For one thing they don't normally strike up a conversation, but you wouldn't know that would you hidden away in safety," he revealed.
"Any of you could turn into one of them you’re all exposed," she informed.
"You have to be bitten first to get infected and all these people helped to make the store safe," He raised his voice anger rising. "Now fucking let us in now!”
"No!" was the reply.
That was it, the first time today he had got really mad. Standing in front of the door he brought his knee up high then kicking hard and impacting just below the lock. The door burst inwards with little resistance and he walked straight in triumphantly.
"How dare you, you'll get the sack for this!" she warned.
Sid stared at her incredulous and then burst out laughing. This was not the reaction she had expected especially when all the people stood behind him joined in, the ludicrousness' of the situation seeming to ease some of the built-up tension.
"You're all sacked!" she slammed.
"I don't even work here me duck I only came in for a loaf of bread," replied a middle-aged bespectacled man who proved himself to be handy with a garden fork.
Everyone howled with more laughter, people had tears in their eyes and were holding their sides as if they would split any moment. Trisha stormed off back to her chair arms crossed sulking. Sid beamed he hadn't had this much fun in well never. Strangely he began to hope things would stay like this, a world where he could say what he wanted and do what he wanted.
Back outside the office leaving princess to stew, he faced the current survivors. Who actually seemed to want to hear what he had to say, looking at him with a level of respect and maybe a little fear. Which was good, as this was his world now and he was in charge.
"Right let's get to business, you all did well surviving that bastard shit storm of infected, but now we need to keep us all safe so that means we can't relax yet," he informed.
"My names Reg, what needs doing boss?" the bespectacled man enquired seeming as jolly as before.
"I want to be sure nobody is infected so Dawn do you mind going into the office and check all the women over, head to toe naked and look for signs of infection bites scratches, also any flu-like symptoms or chest pains, and sorry but there's no room for modesty in there, Oh and that includes princess," Sid asked.
"Okay I can do that," she replied surprised that she had been given the responsibility but began leading the women into to office shutting what was left of the door behind her.
"Right lads you come with me," he instructed leading them off towards the staffroom.
Sid led his crew of five survivors through a connecting door from the store then there was a cleaning store and at the other end of the corridor was a door that led to the loading area. However blocking them from accessing the staffroom was two infected, one was one of the cleaners, Rose. Then the other was a delivery driver he recognized. These details didn't matter though as they were quickly dispatched by old faithful. Truth be known the men behind feeling in awe, intimidated and fearful of his savagery in killing. The staffroom was locked so Sid soon had it unlocked. On the staff sofa sat Derwyn a young Jamaican lad who was doing a film degree and was always pissing about on shift or skiving off somewhere. Now he lay there headphones in and tunes playing from his smartphone, eyes closed head moving to the beat. The air around him had a strong smell of cannabis. On his head was the usual flat cap, which made him look
like the country gent. He was totally oblivious to the group of blood smeared and battle weary men before him. Part of him wanted to be mad at the young lad but really he had done the most practical thing get to somewhere safe and make yourself comfortable. Sid felt himself smile again as he tugged the headphones from the man's ears.
"Hi, guys you the cavalry?" Derwyn asked his white-toothed grin lighting up his face.
Derwyn rose to his feet, "Got room for one more in your end of the world crew Sid?" he enquired.
Chapter 16
Marie’s story continued
She stood there for what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes. To think she had lived here all her life and this monster lived a few hundred yards from her, perving over every young girl that passed his window. How many girls had suffered his attacks? She had been so close to becoming one of his victims. How had she been so careless, she could not make mistakes like this? She took a deep breath and reasoned with herself at least she survived and learned a valuable lesson to trust her instincts. Never to let down her guard. At least she had destroyed a monster something in which she should take pride. Looking down at Dinah she had the man’s bollocks in her mouth.
"Good girl Dinah, you saved me," she thanked bending down to fuss her. "But you put those dirty things down you don't know where they've been."
The dog enjoyed its fuss shaking her tail, but eventually seemed to agree and spat the soggy orb's out. Marie decided to get herself together putting this down to experience and carrying on with her plan. She checked every room first, no more surprises. Then once secured she went from room to room looting. In the living room, the walls were covered in pictures with him in most of them, and children. The bastard was a teacher. Quite clearly, these were school photos, classroom, playground, girl’s hockey team. She then noticed then the bookshelf’s full of albums with the year on their spine and also old video cassettes were lined up the same with dates on them. Suddenly she realized something she was glad today had happened because those kids finally got their justice. When she entered the kitchen she realized she had found a variable gold mine of food supplies, it was organized and packed full. Everything she could want in non perishable foodstuffs. This could easily keep them going for six months, a year maybe. He must have been planning for the apocalypse. She quickly loaded her pack and Dinah looked on eagerly. Realizing that she could carry more she managed to find a large sports holdall and filled that too, it was not that far to carry it home. Done for now she thought that she would lock the doors and come back daily, hoping that nobody else would find her stash. Finding a key board, this was well organized of course, with labels on each, Volvo, back door. She grabbed that, also shed key which stirred her memory and took that too. Locking the back door she checked her security first then opened the large shed. The noise turned out to be a generator it had two of them big jerry cans next to it, she had used generators before and this was by far the quietest. On checking the Jerry cans, one was full and one was half-full. It appeared to be powering a large chest freezer. She opened it half expecting a body of a young girl but was relieved to find it half full of luxury items, prime steaks, salmon, venison and it was all labelled of course.
