As the Light Dies (55 page)

“
Ok then
,”
said Dean
,“
how about we all aim to leave in the morning? If we get to stay the whole night that is
.
”

Gavin nodded in agreement and Ann said that it sounded ok to her.

“
Good
,”
said Dean looking at Ann
,“
you and Keith both live close together over the east side of town, so me and Gavin could take a little detour with you two to help you both get at least halfway home ok
.”
He glanced at Gavin who nodded in agreement. He looked back at Ann and continued
,“
W
e’
ll be stronger and safer in a group, strength in numbers and all that, then when we get so far w
e’
ll split up and head off in our own different directions and go home
.
”

“
What about thos
e
thing
s
whatever they are
?”
blurted Keith
,“
how are we gonna deal with them
?
”

“
W
e’
ll figure something out
,”
said Gavin.

“
Hmm
,”
said Keith screwing his face up, he was
n’
t too sure about that nor was he sure about staying out here in the Relaxation Suite. He did
n’
t like it but he went along with it for the time being, and set to work with the others barricading the doors by Reception....

After hours sitting in silence cooped up inside the big orange capsule swaying in the wind, Steve was the first to risk talking. The noise from the deranged figures had all but stopped. Only the occasional clicking gurgle sound could be heard over the wind, so in a hushed tone he said
,“
That was fucking mental! What the hell do you thinks happened
?
”

He looked at the other two. Katie glanced at Ken and he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. She looked back at Steve
.“I’
ve got no idea
,”
she said
,“
but what I just saw is
n’
t natural! This just should
n’
t be happening! People changing colour, looking like the
y’
ve been tie-dyed with charcoal, and the
n
fuckin
g
eating each other! Who fucking knows? Something very bad has happened somewhere. On
e
bi
g
pile of shit has hit the fan somewhere
.
”

“
What if it is the ash
,”
said Ken
,“
I mean, I know that if it is, then we must be immune or something and the radio operator guy back in the lounge...
.
”

“
Well ther
e
wer
e
other people that were
n’
t infected, if tha
t’
s what they are. Infected you know
!”
said Katie. Ken nodded and said
,“
Going by what the radio guy said...
.
”

“
Sandy
,”
said Katie.

Ken nodded and carried on
,“
Going by what Sandy said there were quite a few people in the canteen that were
n’
t infected or whatever. At least they were
n’
t infected right away, but then they were attacked
.”
He paused for a moment thinking about it and then said
,“
God, I ca
n’
t believe
I’
m even saying this. Infected people killing other people on the rig. I
t’
s like some shitty horror movie or something. This shit just does
n’
t happen in real life for fuck sake! God only knows wha
t’
s happening on shore
?
”

“
Do
n’
t even go there
,”
said Steve
,“I’
ve got a wife and kids back home
.
”

“
So do I. Wel
l
,
I’
ve got a kid anyway,
I’
m separated
,”
said Ken.

Steve sighed, and started to slide his boots off.

“
What are you doing
?’
said Ken.

“
I
t’
ll minimise the sound of me moving around
,”
said Steve, and before Ken could protest he got up and started making his way up to the entry hatch. He had to push off the seat backs almost using them like a ladder because of the pitch of the lifeboat. He reached the hatch and looked through one of the little portholes there but it was no good, the angle of the lifeboat would
n’
t let him see the rig. All he saw was a wall of ash. A strong gust of wind shook the capsule nearly knocking Steve over, he was
n’
t ready for it. He reached out fast and grabbed a handle just managing to stay up while the other two held on to their seats.

“
Jeez
!”
he said
,“
that was close
!”
and he sat back down on the seat that was closest to him, wanting to avoid it happening again.

“
See anything
?”
said Katie as she passed him his boots.

Steve took them and shook his head
.“I’
m gonna take a look out of the hatch. Try and get a better look. Were at the wrong angle here for me to be able to see anything
.
”

“
Is it wise to do that
?”
said Ken looking worried and doubtful.

“
Do
n’
t worry,
I’
ll be quiet...
.
”

“
Yea but
,”
Ken started to cut in, but Steve raised his voice and spoke over him.

“
They could
n’
t get us in here earlier, and they wo
n’
t now. And besides the whole beauty of this thing is that if it gets too rough, then all we need to do is pull the lever and w
e’
re outa here
.
”

“
So why do
n’
t we just do tha
t
no
w
and head for home
?”
said Ken.

“
Because there might be other survivors
,”
Steve snapped
.“
Ther
e’
s at least one that we know of stuck down that corridor remember? Someon
e’
s stuck down there with those fucking monsters banging at the door
.
”

“
Yea I know, but you saw how many there were earlier when they called to each other, most of the rig must be infected
.
Or dead
!
Going back out there is suicide
!
”

Steve did
n’
t answer. He ignored Ken and headed for the hatch.

Katie got up and followed him
.“I’
m coming with you
,”
she said.

“
Katie
,”
he started and Katie shot him a look that told him it would be a bad idea to even suggest that she stay behind.

“
Ok
,”
he said changing his mind quickly as he dug out one of the twin filter gas masks from one of the lifeboa
t’
s safety packs
.“
Grab one of these
,”
he said.

Katie nodded and went searching for one, and as she did she looked over at Ken.

“
I notice yo
u’
re not volunteering
.”
she said
.“
You should be coming too
.
”

She found a mask and set to adjusting the straps to fit her.

“
Uh uh, no way
,”
said Ken shaking his head
.“
Like I said, its suicide going back out there. We were damn lucky to make it this far in one piece the first time around
.
”

“
Someone out there needs our help, and we know it for a fact
,”
said Katie.

“
No
!”
said Ken in defiance
,“I’
m staying here.
I’
ll be ready with the hatch for you guys coming back
.
”

“
W
e
don’
t
need this particular lifeboat Ken. We can jump on any one, yo
u’
re just being a coward
.
”
“
No
I’
m not,
I’
m keeping base is what
I’
m doing
,”
he said and then stuttered realising what Katie just said
.“
Uh! What do you mean you can take any lifeboat
?
”

“
W
e’
ll jump on the first one we can if we have to
,”
she said
,
“an
d
it might not be this one
!
”

Ken looked at them both, worried and swallowed hard. Katie looked at Steve
,“
He should come with us
,”
she said pointing at Ken.

“
Ca
n’
t force him
,”
said Steve, then he reached up and started turning the locking wheel on the back of the hatch not wanting to waste any more time.

“
This is
n’
t over
,”
said Katie
,“
how are you going to feel sitting next to that person when we get back, with them knowing that you would
n’
t help rescue them. And like I said, tha
t’
s if we even make it to this lifeboat. You might be on your own
.
”

Ken said nothing, instead he started rummaging through the survival pack under his seat looking for something to eat now he was sure it was ok to make a little noise, even if only for the time being.

The hatch lock clicked open. Steve looked at Katie and nodded, she nodded back and he pushed the hatch open just enough to peer out. The walkway the
y’
d come along was clear as far as he could see. He opened the hatch a little more trying to look further along the other way. It was clear as well. He looked down at Katie and said
,“
I
t’
s clear as far as I can see
.
”

“
How far
?”
she asked.

“
Five feet, maybe six, max
,”
he said and then he pushed the hatch all the way open and stepped out and climbed down quietly on to the walkway and waited for Katie. He looked down through the grating at the platform below and quickly looked away fighting the urge to gag.

He saw several bodies laying there motionless, most were face down with the backs of their heads missing, broken open like a boiled eggs and hollowed out. The ones laying face up had received the same treatment, but did
n’
t have faces. The
y’
d been ripped off by gouging fingers and gnawing teeth. One face was still nearly intact but it was stretched and twisted like a waxwork gone wrong, lying beside its previous owner tethered by a tiny thread of skin attached to the forehead. Another deformed face, if tha
t’
s what it was (Steve was only guessing) blew in the wind. The hollowed out heads were gradually filling up with black snow, collecting it as it fell. Clothes had been torn off and the bodies beneath mauled and devoured. Morsels of flesh clung to exposed bones that were never meant to see the light of day. One man had an open wound in his chest cavity like a meaty window in to his sole. Steve saw something lying semi exposed poking out of him, it looked to Steve like a half eaten lung. The mostly intact face was looking up at him with a look of pain and terror and utter confusion.

“
Steve are you...
.”
Katie started to ask and he waved a hand at her and placed a finger over his mask indicating to her to be quiet. She nodded. Then he pointed down while shaking his head, he did
n’
t want her looking down and seeing that. She nodded again understanding exactly what he meant and they started back along the platform in search of the open door the
y’
d passed earlier.

As they passed the other lifeboats and made their way along the ghostly platform they heard noises. Steve imagined that they were chewing, eating noises. He looked down before he knew what he was doing, unable to stop himself and saw that h
e’
d guessed right. He saw three people face down moving around on their hands and knees. He knew they were infected because of their terrible wounds. A shoulder blade was visible on one and some of its upper spine and it was missing both ears
.
They all were
!
It turned its head slightly and Steve saw that all the flesh down one side of its face had been torn away exposing its busy jaw. He saw it moving greedily as it pulled meat from the body beneath it and shoved it in to i
t’
s already full mouth. The next one along was showing most of its hip bone and the base of its spine where it had been mauled along with the left side of its stomach. Steve looked at the third figure and saw entrails hanging from its open stomach trailing behind it as it crawled over corpses looking for more pickings. A piece of its stomach moved like a fat sack of cream held in by a papery thin overstretched membrane. It caught on the grating and simply opened up spilling its cloudy white contents out where it ran through the grating and fell to the sea below. Tha
t’
s when Steve looked away, just managing to hold it together and no more.