Dead & Alive (Book 2): Sacrifice (6 page)

HANGING

The decaying skin hung from its face, most of the teeth were missing. Its clouded eyes were dead and the nose had rotted away. The few strands of hair it had left was hanging down stained in blood, it grunted as it dragged its feet along the pavement. Other Zombies roamed the street, oblivious to each other.  Its head turned as a shining blade came through its eye, the blade disappeared and the body fell to the ground. Jack stood behind holding the machete; he looked around, as the other zombies were now aware of his presence and changed course to his direction.

Jack walked with a slight limp; he had been in pain since being hit by the car. As he walked along the street, several more Zombies changed direction to head towards him. He held his machete in his hand, when the walking dead approached him; he immediately swung out aiming for the head, making short work of killing those approaching him.

Jack found himself being overrun by the dead, so decided to head for cover. Looking around for a safe place to hide he noticed a bicycle lying in the middle of the road.  Moving towards the bike, a tall dead figure approached him, it was over six and a half-foot. Jack’s eyes widened as he looked at the monster towering over him, “Oh shit,” he uttered. Looking it up and down, he kept thinking ‘how the hell am I going to reach that.’ Jack simply shrugged his shoulders and swung his machete across the towering dead leg, his blade sliced half the leg off. As the monster tumbled to the ground Jack made no attempt to kill it, he grabbed the bike and rode off towards the end of the street, weaving in and out of the dead in his path.

Riding down the street, he stopped at a tourist station that had a map on the side of the building. Scanning the map looking for a Trinions car park, he found it and realized he was very close. He looked for the best route and would have to pass a shopping center on his way; Jack realized it would be a great place to wait to make his move. He set off towards his target.

A big gray truck stopped outside a large shopping center, two large men got out and walked towards the entrance. One stayed outside keeping watch while the other went inside, he was inside for only a few moments when he returned.

“How many?” the other man asked.

“Going to need all of them,” he replied.

They walked to the back of the truck and opened the double doors, two women, a man and a child, were tied up and gagged in the back. One of the men grabbed a long hunting knife from his side; he climbed in and dragged the young male child out holding the knife to his neck.

The other man spoke out, “Try anything, my friend here will slice the little bastard’s throat.”

The three adults in the truck did not make a sound they struggled to their feet. Their hands tied behind their backs, they crawled to the edge of the truck. “Come on,” one of the men screamed.

The two men escorted their prisoners into the shopping center.

From a distance they were being watched, Jack stood watching the men unload the tied up people and leading them into the building.

Anger grew in Jack’s eyes; he looked at the truck and recognized it as the vehicle that crashed into the house.  Leaving the bike behind, he held his machete and started his walk to the doors and towards the enemy. He slowly pushed open the door, he crept inside slowly, he heard talking and loud groaning. The sound was now a familiar one, he walked down a small walkway that led into a clearing, he suddenly stopped and looked in shock at the image in front of him.

The look in Jack’s eyes was one of pain, in front of him gathered dozens and dozens of zombies all reaching up. None of them seemed interested in Jack, who just stood there looking at the horror in front of him.

The zombies reached up towards the second floor balcony, screaming could be heard echoing out. Half-eaten bodies were hanging by their legs from the balcony, Men, Women and children. Some of the hanging bodies had turned and were now zombies themselves. The bodies were hanged just within touching distance; this drove the dead below crazy as they reached for the living that hung down. Jack focused his attention on the body of a child, hanging from its legs, the arms were torn apart from the elbow down, and the head was half missing. Flesh hung from the open hole in the head.

At that moment, Jack realized something, the crates in the museum, which were filled with children. This was to be their fate; the true evil of the enemy’s actions hit him hard, the look in his eyes changed. Standing there looking he made a decision, “They want evil, wait till they meet me,” he uttered in disgust. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed movement. Two large men escorted prisoners to their fate.

A child cried, as a large man tied a rope to his feet, the gag in his mouth made it hard for him to breathe. The three adults tied up tried screaming to help the child, the second big man kicked the gagged woman in the face. Dazed, she was unable to move, her eyes locked on the young boy about to be hung from the balcony. Time seemed to slow down at that point, blood suddenly sprayed across the woman. She looked round to see a man standing there with a machete in his hand, one of the large men was dead, his throat sliced open, blood poured out on the floor. The second man attacked the machete wielding man, he dropped the machete punched the man in the throat. Struggling for breath the large man tried to escape, but was stopped. He was taken to the edge of the balcony and thrown over the edge to the zombies below. His screams echoed throughout the shopping center.

The woman looked as the man picked up his machete and cut the ropes on the child, a tear ran down her face as she watched the blood stained man who stood before her.

With everyone cut free, Jack warned them all they had to move. They moved to an empty store unit, Jack pulled down the security gate to keep them safe and so they could talk. Turning to face them, they all huddled together scared in the corner of the store watching as Jack approached them. They were scared of him; they had just watched him easily kill two men without mercy. The blood stained Jack spoke to them, “My name is Jack, I’m not going to hurt you. But I think you know the people I’m going to kill,” he said in a calm voice. They stared at him in horror.

They all remained silent for what seemed like forever, finally the woman spoke up, “I’m Alice, thank you for helping us,” she struggled to say.

“I don’t want your thanks, they needed to die,” Jack replied.

Alice stepped forward from the others, “Don’t hurt us, please,” she spoke with emotion.

Jack gave out a sigh and a half smile; he sat down on an empty box. He sheathed his machete, and looked up to this red haired, pale-skinned woman called Alice, “I don’t hurt the innocent, but I do kill the evil. You have nothing to fear from me,” he replied softly.

Glancing back at the others, Alice spoke again, “The kid is James, the lady is Rosita and he is Eddie,” introducing the others.

Jack waved at the others, the long haired kids instantly waved back; Rosita was a middle-aged woman who just gave a hint of a nervous smile. Eddie, shocked Jack; he had a big cheesy smile on his face and a bald head. Eddie was Down syndrome and Jack could not help but think how he had survived this long, but instantly felt guilty for thinking it.

“I need to know where they held you?” Jack asked.

“We were kept in a dark truck most of the time,” she was saying as Eddie interrupted her.

“A car park, it was a big car park,” he laughed.

Jack smiled, “thank you,” he replied to Eddie.

Alice moved closer and kneeled down in front of Jack, “There are too many, you cannot beat them,” she told him softly.

Jack looked to the ground, “They took my friend, and they hurt people, they need to be stopped,” he replied.

Staring at him, she told him, “You can’t do it alone.”

Giving a half smile, “I’m not risking anyone else, this is my fight, my friends are waiting for me when I am finished,” he told her.

Rosita stepped forward, “You are a soldier?” she asked in a thick Spanish accent.

Jack replied with a nod of the head. “Then you are here to help us,” she spoke.

He looked at them and the way Rosita held the child, “The truck outside, you will take that and I will give you directions to where my people are waiting for me,” he replied.

Alice looked shocked, “You don’t even know us, and you are willing to help us,” she observed.

Knowing he could not reveal everything, the secret he kept was starting to get heavy on his shoulders. These people were abandoned by the people who were meant to protect them, deep down Jack felt a responsibility to help. “That is why I am here, I was sent with the others to help survivors,” he lied, knowing it would reassure them.

Before anyone could speak, James screamed out in fear.

A banging and groaning noise sounded out, looking around at the security a handful of Zombies had found them and was now bashing against the metal gate trying to get to the living. Jack jumped to his feet, pulling his machete clear; he looked around and realized there was only way out, the way they came.

Jack wasted no time in getting ready, “OK, we are going to make a run for it, you stay with me, move when I move,” he told them.

They all looked concerned, “HEY, THERE IS NO TIME FOR PANIC, JUST DO IT!” he shouted at them.

He approached the security gate; he grabbed the handle at the bottom. He looked round to the others, “NOW”” he shouted. Pulling up the gate the Zombies wasted no time in advancing on them all. A rotting corpse grabbed for Jack, but the machete sliced the front of its face off, the brain was visible and cut in half. The body collapsed to the ground, as a zombie got past Jack and rushed for the others. Quick to act Alice pushed it away; Jack quickly grabbed it from behind and threw it into the path of the other zombies.

“MOVE!” Jack shouted.

Running out of the store, Jack swung his machete into the throat of another; its head fell half off, but still hung down being attached by just a few strands of flesh. The others quickly ran behind him, they reached the stairs and ran down and zombie walked up, Jack kicked out sending the dead rolling down the stairs. As he reached the bottom, Jack stamped on the Zombie’s head, smashing it into the floor.  As they ran for the door they entered through, Alice screamed out, Jack turned to see the kid James was grabbed by the dead. Running back to him, Jack grabbed the zombie shoving his blade through its brain, James backed up in fear. Jack looked in horror as he backed straight into the path of another zombie. Before he could get to the kid, the dead took a bite into James face, pulling the flesh from clear of his skull. Alice attempted to run back, Jack grabbed her arm. She glanced at him, “It’s too late,” Jack quietly told her.

James screamed out in pain as the zombie continued to eat away, he sheathed his machete and pulled his sidearm out. He aimed at James and in one shot put James out of his misery; Jack looked deflated, but also knew he had to carry on. He dragged Alice away, guiding her and the others out of harm’s way. Reaching the outside, Jack shut the door behind him.

Outside there were zombies roaming the street, Jack quickly got everyone in the truck and drove away? A short distance later, he pulled over, “OK, drive straight down this road and you will come to a building covered in scaffolding. Go past and turn right, look for a large car park that leads into the back of a row of stores. My people are in one of them, it is a furniture store, if I know them, they will be looking out, just look for them,” he told them as he got out of the truck.

Alice was quick to jump out too, “You’re going back?” she asked.

“I have some unfinished business,” he replied.

“Well, I am coming with you,” she told him.

Jack gave out a small laugh, “No you’re not, this is my problem,” he replied.

Alice grew in anger, “You think you’re the only one who has a problem with them, they still have my husband,” she told him sternly.

Jack rubbed his face in frustration, “Rosita,” he shouted out. She stuck her head out of the truck window, “Can you drive this?” he asked.

Rosita simply smiled and nodded.

“OK, you know the way; don’t stop for anyone along the way. When you get there ask for Elle, she will look after you both,” he told her.

Before he could walk away, Rosita grabbed his arm. He looked at her as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you,” she whispered.

Jack smiled, as he began to walk away Eddie waved out of the window.

As they drove away, Alice looked at Jack, “So we should go,” she told him.

“Listen, this is going to get bloody. I’m not interested in taking prisoners, I’m going there to kill the bastards,” he told her straight.

Alice placed her hand on his shoulder, “You kill them, and I will save the innocent,” she smiled.

“We better move, I want to go in when it gets dark,” he replied.

They both began to walk away towards the coming battle.

Evil to The Core

The sun was beginning to set, as Alina and Kane walked onto the open roof of the car park. The screaming of a woman echoed through the fading sun, Alina looked at one of her followers as he walked towards them while buttoning up his jeans. On the ground behind him lay a young woman, half-naked and beaten.

The groaning of the chained Zombies surrounded them, “Now you have upset our guests,” Alina joked as she walked towards the young woman.

Kane laughed aloud as the man walked passed him; he patted him on the back. The man left the roof, leaving the young woman alone with Alina and Kane.

Grabbing the young woman’s blood soaked hair; she dragged her to her feet. “I hope you were nice to my friend,” Alina teased the woman.

Alina looked into the deep blue eyes of the woman, holding her tight Alina grew annoyed. “Answer me,” she screamed.

The woman spit in Alina’s face, “Fuck yourself, you ugly bitch,” she built up the courage to say.

Alina gave a smile and then within a second head butted the woman she hit the ground hard. Wiping the spit from her face, she glanced at Kane, who simply stood watching with excitement in his eyes. Alina pulled a small knife from her belt, “Ugly bitch, you think I’m ugly. Hmm, wait until I am finished with you,” Alina told her with anger in her voice.

The woman stayed on the ground, Alina climbed on top of her, pinning her down with her weight resting on her chest. She ran the knife softly along her own cheek as she smiled in an evil sort of way and suddenly Alina began to sing. “There may be trouble ahead,” she sang.

She moved her face closer to her, with the knife in hand she slashed across the woman’s face, a deep cut opened up and gushed with blood. The woman screamed as Alina continued slashing her face, “whose fucking ugly now,” Alina screamed as blood sprayed on her face.

Alina spat in her face, “Now what about that pretty blonde hair,” she laughed.

Taking the knife, she ran the blade across her scalp, she pushed the knife deeper scraping against the bone. Pushing the skin back like an Indian scalping an enemy, Alina screamed in enjoyment as Kane approached.

“You moaned at me for playing with the toys,” he stated to Alina.

Looking up and smiling like a child in a candy store, the blood soaked her face. Alina stood up and walked to Kane, not saying a word she grabbed him and pulled him close for a powerful kiss.

“Surely I’m entitled to some fun too,” she told him.

As the sunset and the night sky appeared, the woman crawled along the ground, leaving a blood trail behind her. Her hair hung by loosed skin from her head, her face was covered in deep cuts, tears rolled down her face, stinging her as they ran into open wounds. She looked up to see the chained zombies groaning and reaching out. She pushed herself up to her feet, glancing back to see Kane and Alina kissing.  She looked back at the zombie and uttered, “I am free,” as she walked into their path. The dead immediately bit into her shoulder, as she screamed in pain, Alina looked to watch as the dead tore her apart. Looking close Alina could make out she was smiling. As the flesh was torn from her bones, the woman for the first time since the outbreak felt free.

“Shame, she was fun to play with,” Alina muttered under her breath.

Kane showed no emotion, “We have new toys to play with. Come on,” he told her.

Together they walked back towards the stairs.

Frank still hung from the chains; blood continued to drip to the floor the wound on his hand that was now missing two fingers. Zarina was still naked and shook from the cold.

“We are going to get out of here,” he reassured her.

Zarina did not move, but uttered a response, “We’re dead.”

Frank looked at her, “are you in pain?” he asked her seriously.

She glanced at him, “What do you think,” she snapped in reply.

Frank was in agony, he had lost two fingers and his face was swollen, bloodied and bruised. “Good, he replied.

She looked at him in anger, she wanted to shout at him, but what was the point.

“A friend I serve with once told me that if you feel pain, then you’re still alive, if you’re alive then there is hope,” he told her.

She struggled to give a smile, “There is no hope, besides, who told you that shit,” she softly replied.

Swinging his body round on the chains to face her he started to talk, “The same man who is going to kill all these bastards.”

She gave a grunt as she replied, “Then he is stupid, he is walking into hell and we are already dead.”

Frank gave up, he hoped deep down Jack was OK after he was hit by a car and that he was leading the team out of the city. He closed his eyes, thinking of his team, thinking how much he wanted the chance to be the leader they needed. However, Frank knew they were better off in Jack’s hands, after all, he was the one with the skills, and he was the one crazy enough to thrive in this new world. Selfishly, he hoped he was wrong; he did not want to die here today.

The noise of people walking back in the area made Frank alert, he opened his eyes as a blood soaked Alina approached him.

She leaned into him and whispered into his ear, “I want Jack.”

Staring at her, he simply replied, “The day is coming, when you are going to beg me to kill you.”

Before she could answer, Kane pushed Alina out of the way and punched Frank in the face again, this time a tooth fell to the ground followed by a bubble of blood. As Kane attempted to his him again, Alina grabbed his arm. “Stop, there is a better way to get this idiot talking,” she told him.

Alina slapped Zarina across the face; she loosened her chains and grabbed her hair as she pushed her head towards the Zombie chained behind them.

“You are going to talk, or you are going to watch this pretty girl have her face eaten in front of you,” Alina demanded to know.

Zarina screamed, as she was forced closer to the zombie in front of her. Her eyes filled with tears as the stench of the rotting corpse got stronger. Her screams were like a dagger in Frank’s heart, he did not know what to do. The open jaws of the corpse were inches from her face, when Frank shouted out.

“OK, just leave her alone!” he shouted.

Alina pulled her back, “I’m listening,” she replied happily.

“MI6,” he sadly said.

Kane looked at him, “He is lying,” he spoke out.

“The code 3174, we have been here for months, watching and collecting data on the virus.  We are part of a fifty strong team, military and scientists,” he told them. Alina and Kane looked at him, waiting for him to continue. “Great Britain is abandoned; there are no plans for anyone coming back. We were due to leave in a few weeks, so Jack will be there. He will now be leading my Section out of this country,” he finished.

Kane smiled wide, “Then we are the rulers of this country now,” he spoke happily.

Alina looked less convinced, “King Kane don’t get too excited yet,” she remarked.

“Oh come on, I will send a team to check it out tonight,” Kane told her as he left the area.

Alina looked at Frank with a puzzled expression, “If you’re lying, no more games I will just kill you,” she told him sternly.

Alina placed Zarina back in the chains and quickly left to join Kane.

“Thank you,” a scared voice whispered.

Frank glanced at Zarina, “Don’t thank me, all I did was postpone the inevitable,” he replied.

They both went silent.