Great Bitten: Outbreak (14 page)

“High Salvington.” Carla offered bluntly, before I could say I’d come out of London.

“Ooh. La-dee-dah. And what made the seafront safer than your nice big house on a hill?”

“My dead neighbour trying to eat my family.”

“You and the rest of
Bennington, love.”

“How many are here?”
she asked, not wanting to get involved in conversation with this man.

“There’s twenty eight of us. We closed the gates before dark. You’re the first living things that have m
ade it here. Well, I say living, we’ve had quite a few bitten folk try to get in. Needless to say, I didn’t welcome them with open arms. That’s why we need to be cautious, you see. I don’t really want to see this joker’s turkey swinging in the breeze. And you don’t seem like the kind of folk that would carry injured. You say that woman lost her husband?”

“Yes.
” Rick offered. “Just down the road, too. Nearly made it.”

“Was he dead when you left him?”

“Nope.” I added tensely. “Might as well have been though.”

Austin searched for my gaze. I met and held it. I knew what he was looking for. I knew the answer he wanted.

“If I was bitten, I wouldn’t even be here. I’d pull the trigger myself.”

He nodded firmly. “I thought so. You seem like the type.”

I bristled, but Carla patted me affectionately on the back. “Well done, big brother. It’s a horrible thing to have to say, but you finally said something right.”

“So the only thing I’ve said recently that you approve of, is me committing suicide?”

“That’s about the sum of it, yeah. But in the nicest possible way.” I snorted. “Oh shut up. I’m trying to be nice. Now let’s get to wherever we’re going. I want to lie down and have a sleep.”

“Can I get an amen?” Rick muttered. It’s not as if I could blame them. I felt like a dead man walking, but I didn’t trust Austin Doughy as far as I could throw him. Given his general girth, that wouldn’t be far at all. He had, however, started wandering off again. I put in some long strides so I could be alongside him. I remembered the hammer, and tucked the shaft absentmindedly in the back of my trousers. I could burn the shirt later; I had brought spares.

“So, twenty eight? Well organised?”

“As well as you can be in a situation like this. Everyone’s petrified. I just happen to be the least petrified person here. Don’t want to be in charge, don’t like it, people just assumed I was.” I doubted that very much. I thought Doughy very much elbowed his way to the fr
ont of the pecking order, and we hadn’t asked who the leader was; he volunteered the information.

“I understand what you mean. Had to hustle everyone out of my sister’s as quick as we could, otherwise I don’t know what would have happened.”

“Here now, you’re not local. I can tell from your twang. Where did you come from?”

“London.”

You could virtually see the cogs in his brain begin to whirl. Pretty much the same as Dan’s had before him, he was wondering whether or not he could trust me, and just how long I had been out of the capital. I rolled my eyes. “First thing this morning. Really early. I mean really. Think I saw one of the first ones out on the street. Cycled down here. Haven’t been bitten. But I do need sleep. And whisky, if anyone thought to bring any with them.”

Austin grinned. “You know, I might actually be able to get to like you.” The feeling wasn’t mutual. “So you just got the batshit out of there, no checking on people?”

“The only family I have is Carla. She’s the only one I was bothered about seeing safe.”

“Her and her boy?”

I shrugged. “Yeah I suppose Rick’s okay.”

“I’m you’re hero, you nonce.”

“Yeah yeah whatever. I always wanted to look up to an unemployed gunslinger.”

“He’s not unemployed, he’s a house husband.”

“You have any idea how gay that sounds Carla?”

“Gay isn’t an insult Rick, have some manners.”

I rolled my eyes, but hoped the playful banter would at least make Doughy lower his hackles enough to let me lower my guard and rest. We came up to a building that was emblazoned with the word “Amusements”. I couldn’t hear any noise coming from within. That was a blessing, though I wondered if we’d be able to keep ourselves entertained on anything. Like a child on holiday, I still coveted the coin pushers, though even in adulthood still couldn’t bring myself to stretch to the 10p ones. To my surprise, Austin headed in the building.

“This is where the majority of folk are holed up. We’ve decided women, children and elderly can stay here. There’s a building at the end of the pier, used to be a nightclub. Neither have windows, so we can keep lights on as long as we like and keep safe from
prying eyes. No point having the lights on outside, might as well advertise a drive thru. The end of the pier, it’s a good vantage point. Flat roof. So the men take turns on watch. Women too, if they like, before your little firecracker has her say. It’s just that the women we have so far have children, and they don’t want to let them out of their sights. I’m not running a dictatorship. I’ve seen what’s going on in the town. We need as many hands as we can get.”

“Then why weren’t you going to let us in?”

“I couldn’t trust that you weren’t bitten. It’s not as if you were being calm about your entrance. And who knows what could have been running up behind you? Whilst I’m on to it, you threatened me with a gun. And that wasn’t the worst of it.”

“And think of it from our perspective. We weren’t bitten. We had vulnerable people with us. We were desperate.”

“Desperation breeds mistakes. You think you’re going to survive this by running around and yelling at people? You need to be a bit more calculated about what you do. But
you
were quiet, weren’t you? I think me you’re going to survive no matter what other people think about you, Warren.”

He virtually spat my name and I knew then that my instincts of trust were right enough.

“Can we rest tonight? I think I’ve been up over 24 hours, napping aside. I’m desperate to properly close my eyes. I’m sure the others feel the same.” Carla and Rick nodded their agreement, and Austin ushered us further in to the amusement arcade.

“I can understand that. Like I said, I’m not completely heartless. We just need to make sure everyone’s safe. I’m sure you’ll be welcome additions to the guard here. Those bags your supplies?”

“They are. We need to break out clothes but we can share with you everything we have, if that makes us welcome.”

“More than. We’re absolutely fine for food – that’s why there’s so many demons in that there restaurant. Accidentally rustled them up
stealing from the kitchens. Plus there used to be a pub here. And they had a kitchen too, so we might be able to cook if we can sort out some kind of supply that won’t get us attention. You might even be fine for your whisky, Action Man.”

“I think I’ll leave it for now. I just want to lie down.”

“Everyone’s in the middle. Furthest from all the entrances, just in case something happens.”

And they were. Huddled near the booth where you exchange expensively-acquired tickets for substandard fairground prizes were a number of lumpy blankets which presumably contained people. There was a faint snoring. It was almost homely. If you didn’t mind having fruit machines and teddy grabbers scattered around your living room.
Austin waved us in the general direction of the floor, and we threw our bags down. I suppose I should have washed myself up at least a little bit, but my eyes were trying to close themselves and my head was hot with the desire to sleep. I curled up, not even stopping to cover myself with a blanket.

I had intended to stand a guard to make sure Austin didn’t deal my back a traitorous blow in the dark. But I’m pretty sure I was asleep before I heard his steps even leave the group.

+++

“
The scars of others should teach us caution” – St Jerome

It
was
nice to wake up without the sound of screaming echoing in my ears. I nearly shit myself though when I opened my eyes and saw a young face directly in front of mine. I bolted upright, from groggy to awake in less time than it normally takes me to fart when I first wake up. The child was startled too, and scooted back to its mother. She looked at me accusatorily, but then told off the kid for being nosy.

“Sorry. Wasn’t expecting that.”

“It’s okay. She should know better. I’m Heather. That’s Macy. She’s at that age, curious about everything. Can’t stay angry at her, she’s too cute.”

I had no opinion on her nosy child’s cuteness one way or the other. Macy had already gone off to prod someone else out of their lie-in, and this seemed to be tolerated by the adults, by and large. “Don’t worry about it. Possibly the best sleep I’ve ever had.” I looked around the cavernous room, trying to figure out whether it was day yet. I didn’t even know what the time was, and asked Heather.

“It’s about 10am. Your friends have already headed outside.”

I swore and went to get up when Heather spoke to me again.

“Bit of advice before you go and join them? There are toilets down the end of the hall, and here’s a bar of soap. There are towels in there. Have a wash. You look like shit. And you stink.”

I grinned
genuinely for what felt like the first time in years. I took the bar of soap proffered to me. It smelt of fake lime scent, and made me sneeze. Straight away she was looking out for her daughter again, so I headed in the direction I thought the toilets would be. As I walked I raised my arm and sniffed under my armpit. It smelt like a skunk had crawled in to my shirt and died. Festivals weren’t this bad. The toilets were marked clearly enough and by habit, I walked in to the men’s. I walked out straight away again as the iron smell of blood overpowered my lungs. Something, or someone, had died in here quite violently. Whilst the mess and been cleared, it was evident the room itself hadn’t been cleaned. I tapped timidly on the door of the ladies and opened it when I didn’t get a response. I looked in the mirror and was disgusted by what I saw.

Dirt and blood was caked in to my stubble. My eyes were sitting in hollow sockets – I looked like I’d been punched. My skin was sallow, and my shirt… I took it off and threw it in the bin. Then I thought better of it, and rolled it up to take back with me. It ha
d infected blood on it. I should really burn it. I ran cold water in to the sink and started working a furious lather from the cheap bar. Shaving could wait. I wanted to smell human again. Not like a corpse.

The cold lashing of the water felt glorious against my tired face. It was more like walking out in to a sunny bracing Christmas morning, rather than a cold slap in the face. I wetted my hair and bent over, working that cleansing goodness in to every pore of my head. Nothing before had felt so good. Apart from sex. Nothing ever feels better than sex, and anyone that ever says otherwise has never had a good shag. I did this four times before I was happy that my head was clean. My shirt had been splattered with so much blood I decided six times was enough for my chest. I thought about cleaning the rest of me, but then thought better of it in the middle of the ladies toilet. I didn’t want to give any small children nightmares. I dried myself off, wetted one half of the towel, and finished my scrub-down in the privacy of a cubicle.

As I came out and headed for the door, another woman walked in. She had her head down and earphones in, and I clearly scared her back to Sunday as she jumped off the floor when she saw me, ripping the white buds from her ears.

“
Whoa what the… oh yeah, the men’s is a no-go. Sorry, you scared me. You the new guy?”

“One of them. My name’s Warren.”

“Lana. Nice to have someone else here to defend the place.”

I cocked my head. “Austin said they didn’t have any women defending. Said they all had kids.”

“Well yeah,” she looked conspiratorially over her shoulder. “Austin’s a cock, if you ask me. He knows what I am and doesn’t like it. So he pretends I don’t exist. In turn, I daydream ways of throwing him to the teeth, when I’m not on watch that is.”

It took me a few seconds to register what she meant. Then my ambling brain took in the short hair, the
eyebrow piercing, the way she was standing. She was holding her weight on one leg, her thumbs hooked through her belt. The stance was so masculine I wondered how I even had to work it out.

“
We’ve already had our run in. You have my sympathy. He seems like someone who is getting used to having his own way here.”

“Isn’t he just. But we’re alive, and I suppose I’m grateful for that. Here, you got any smokes?”

“I don’t. You checked the machines? Don’t they put them in those for prizes?”

“I thought they only did that in the travelling fairs. Good idea. Thanks, man.”

She walked past me without another word, so I left and headed to look for Carla and Rick. Assuming they were together. I wasn’t sure if Carla would risk wandering around alone with men like Austin in charge, but she wasn’t exactly shy and retiring. I found the door and had to shield my eyes as bright sunlight assaulted my vision. The soothing movement of the waves immediately met my ears. This was followed by the harsh cries of seagulls. Perhaps less welcome. I squinted and tried to make out where people were. There was a circular white building up at the end of the pier. This must have been the nightclub that Doughy mentioned, though why anyone would want to get drunk and party on a pier was beyond me. There was a man sitting on a chair on top of it. Very Resident Evil. I wondered if he had a gun across his lap. And possibly a Stetson, along with some cans of beer at his feet.

As that was the
business-end of the pier as it were, I headed that way. I turned to look back at the seafront. Not a lot seemed to have changed. Smoke tendrils reached in to the sky from various parts of the town. How much of it was setting on fire? When would things start shutting down?

I leant over a handrail to check out the lapping sea that was calming me so much. I immediately wished I hadn’t. The tide was low
now, and below me dozens of undead wandered around aimlessly. It seemed like they could hear what was going on above them, but had no understanding of what to do about it. One turned its head to look up at me. One side of the face was exposed skull. The eye was gone. Skin flapped around loosely. Bile rose in my throat, and I retreated to the safety of the middle of the walkway. From that point on, I couldn’t resist looking down through the slats to see if I could spot them walking around under me. When the tide came in, would they just float away?

I bet the French would love a few of those washing up on the beach.

As I took in a deep lungful of air a different scent met my nostrils and my stomach growled to greet it. It was something bland. Nothing more than beans. But food was food, and it had been too long since my stomach was even vaguely full. I headed in the direction of this, and was surprised to see fishing rods poking over the end of the pier, lines taught and out in the deeper parts of the sea. Doughy lounged by one, resting his not inconsiderable weight against the railings. Rick stood with his hands tucked in to his back pockets, looking completely relaxed. There was another man with them, but I had no idea who it was. I was supremely glad that it wasn’t Gollum. They weren’t the ones with the food but Rick happened to look my way and as he’d noticed me, I could hardly ignore him. I waved at all three of them and Rick stood in the centre so I could address all three men.

“Morning, Rumplestiltshit. Managed to have a wash? Thank goodness for that, I was worrying you’d begin to rot or something.”

“Ha ha very funny. Thanks for the shelter, Austin. I needed that rest. Sorry, I don’t know your name?”

“It’s Pete. Oz has already told me about you.” I didn’t like
the tone of that. How much had ‘Oz’ told him before Rick arrived?

“All I good I hope?” I tried weakly. “You’re up early Rick. Did you shit yourself?”

“Couldn’t stay awake with all your snoring. Had to find some food too. You need to eat?”

“Almost as much as I need to breath
e. You managed to get something?”

“No. Oz was just explaining how they’re getting the food sorted here. Then he was going to take me up top. They’ve got some kind of broth going on up there, it’s got me dribbling like a dog I tell you.”

“Can we go get some now?”

“I can’t see why not boys. I’ll come with you. You okay with both the rods Pete?”

“As long as I don’t catch one of those dead fuckers I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Doughy chuckled and led the way to a set of stairs that apparently
took us up to the club. I mouthed at Rick, mystified that he was using Doughy’s chummy shortened moniker. He shrugged and mouthed back ‘when in Rome’. He could take that approach if he wanted. I’m not sure I had that much effort in me. The metal stairs wound around the outside of the grim white building, and the door to an upstairs level was open. The smells were coming out of there, and I followed my nose gratefully.

It was dim
inside. Worse than the dank amusements. There was a mahogany bar and a few skylights that were so covered in muck that most of the seagulls in Bennington had probably taken a shit on them. There were a few forlorn looking bottles still in the optics, and I’m guessing this was where Oz said I could get the whisky. I wanted water first, but I could imagine hitting that later on. Dust was swirling around in the vague light filtering in from the skylights, and positively whirling around in the light from the door. But in front of me was a gas camping stove and the smells coming from it made me forget everything else. There were a few people sitting cross-legged on the floor in little clusters. I saw Heather in one group, her daughter running around behind her. I took a small portion with thin grace, considering there was probably not a lot to go around quite a few of us.

Rick spotted
Carla with one group, and we joined them. I winced as I crossed my legs down to the floor. Aches and pains from the exploits of yesterday were beginning to tell, and I had spotted far too many bruises for my liking during my wash. I was introduced to Andrew and Gaynor, a husband and wife from Bennington town centre. Anna had joined them, and apparently they knew each other. Thomas was nowhere to be seen, and I was too nervous to ask about him. As Rick sat down another face I recognised, Lana, came to join us. Heather spotted us too. She gave me a thumbs-up. Apparently I looked better.

Rick noticed and nudged me with a wink. “It’s not really the time for romance.”

“On the contrary,” Lana said. “I’ve never had more offers for sex. Apparently the apocalypse brought out the lesbian in everyone. Amazing what people want to do when they think the world is going to end.”

Carla
choked on her soup. Rick smiled wanly. I couldn’t help but grin at her candour. It was true. A lot of the country were dead. Or should have been at least.

“What’s actually going on out there? I think we missed out on a lot of news overnight.”

“I’ve been catching up on that actually. It’s pretty fucked up to be honest, brother.”

“Even more than before?”

“Well, you know the nursery rhyme ‘London’s Burning’? London’s Burning 2: We’re All Doomed. There have been no new television reports out of London since last night, and they were all pretty grim to begin with. Social networks are starting to become a bit desperate. Still, you’ve got to love the fact that people are still updating their Facebook accounts.”

“What else have they got to do? It’s not as if people are going to work.”

“You’d be surprised. From what I’m being told, the first waves of infected were practically all drunken clubbers and night workers.”

I thought back to Old Ma Deathly. Had she just been in so very much the wrong place at the wrong time? Why else? It’s not as if she’d have been in a club.

I wondered what my social media accounts would hold. I wondered what Twitter was like. After the videos I had seen on YouTube yesterday, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to confront any of it.

“What’s
Bennington like?”

“Well as it stands, I think we’ve picked the best place in the town. We got no help from police or anything.” Lana snapped. “Half
my street was on fire before I came to town. I can’t get hold of any of my friends. Trains full of those things coming in. Offloading everyone. One. As if they are people any more. And why this town? Fucking train drivers got some sordid agenda going on. Nothing happens in this town.”

“Nothing is
still happening here. It’s just there’s a lot less alive people doing it.”

We all chuckled a little at
that dry sentiment. I’m guessing our theory was true. The towns had been ignored for the sake of the cities. And in the cities, the emergency services had probably all been consumed.

“How did you all make it here?”

“The majority of us, we were on the pier early. Some of us were in town because of the looting. We were panicking to get supplies. Some of us were looking for a way out, some transport. This just seemed like the right place to go, you know? It seemed safe. It’s not as if it’s a popular place at the best of times. We had to throw a few of them off the sides but that wasn’t exactly tough. When we had more than a few coming in, we closed the gates. When we thought they were a bit unstable, we chained them. We put people on watch. We just need guns.”