Family Matters: Season 2 Book 3 (Killing the Dead 9) (6 page)

As we walked along the narrow roads dotted with abandoned cars, cast aside belongings and the occasional set of old bones, we were reminded that our previous months had been fairly easy. In the Lake District, we’d been out of the way of the main hordes of undead and my brother's sanctuary was even further off the beaten path than our own.

Dumfries had not had that same luck. As a rural market town, it had done quite well for itself over the centuries. The local bypass had pulled a lot of traffic from the town centre and as a result, many new and existing businesses had moved out to the fringe, towards the A75 motorway which ran past the town to the east and swung around the northern end of the town to head west towards the coast.

It had prospered and was home to fifty thousand people as well as the students from the university. That hadn’t been a benefit when the undead came.

For anyone who chose to look, the signs were all around. The panicked flight as people jumped in their cars and drove out of the town only to get caught up in long queues of traffic. Stuck there, until the zombies came for them.

The numbers of the undead grew rapidly, people died in their thousands and came back as the very things that had killed them. Some hunkered down in their homes but didn’t last long. Broken doors and windows with dark stains around the frames were indicators that the undead had found them cowering there.

Trampled gardens, gates torn off their hinges and fences pushed down by weight of numbers. The ravenous dead had feasted on the estate we passed by. Many of the undead stood still, staring through those broken windows, waiting with undying patience for the next morsel of food to pass by.

We stayed low, behind the wall that bordered the road and crept past the estate in silence. As we moved inwards, the roads became progressively more packed with cars and other vehicles. Many with bodies still strapped into their seats. The stench of death and decay blanketed the area to the point where we had no real hope of ever getting rid of the memory of that horrendous odour.

Any one of those trapped zombies would raise a cry should they see us. So despite aching backs and knees, we stayed low. Creeping along, from car to car, down below the level of the windows and weapons held at the ready.

At the far end of the housing estate was a roundabout in the road. A van had overturned across it, spilling its load of cardboard boxes across the road that had already seen a shower of shattered glass from its windshield.

The driver's seat was empty, the driver either having escaped or turned and crawled away to join its brethren. Either way, it was an obstacle to traverse.

Gabriel caught my attention with one wave of his hand and pointed to the road that led off to the north-east. I nodded and turned back to the road only to have him grasp my arm and pull. I looked back at him, my eyes narrowed as I flicked my eyes to his hand and he released me before leaning close.

“We need to go that way,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. I could almost feel his fear and a smirk crossed my lips.

“I understood your meaning when you pointed that way,” I said.

He touched the bandage on his neck and a little of his fear drained away, replaced by anger at my mocking tone. He glowered but said little else and with one last grin at him, I turned back to the road.

The van was a barrier that could hide any number of problems. Its spilled cargo, covered the road and would provide uneven footing while the glass that covered its tarmac would crunch beneath our boots and make more noise than I’d prefer. It was an irritant that I could have done without.

Other cars had tried to go around it and climbed the grass verge to either side, getting stuck and by the looks of the empty seats, been abandoned before the zombies reached them. It did make an effective barricade for us and our only way past was across the road.

I readied my knife and set off, each step placed carefully and as lightly as I could. As I approached the van, I pushed aside the closest cardboard box with one booted foot and edged towards the rear.

A glance back to see that the others were following, each as cautious as I had been, and Gregg at least had his baseball bat to hand. Gabriel had reluctantly taken up Gregg’s club but he held it gingerly and I had no real expectation that he would use it when the time came.

My shoulder scraped the roof of the overturned van and I leaned out to catch a glimpse beyond and yanked my head back as quickly as I could. I waved at the others to stop and thought furiously through my options.

“What is it?” Gregg whispered overly loud and I glared as I waved him to silence once again.

I risked another glance, barely poking my head beyond the edge of the van and only enough to be able to see and do a quick count. Too many. Far too many.

They filled the road, pressed together besides the cars and vans. Clothes torn and covered in old stains, remnants of their violent deaths. Glazed eyes staring outwards, as they waited with endless patience for something to draw their attention. The overturned van was the only thing stopping them from moving forward, hiding from view anything beyond, including us.

There was no way I could fight them all, no way I could kill them all and be able to reach the hospital. There were just too many and they blocked the road north.

“Zombies?” Gregg whispered as I reached them and I nodded.

“We need another way,” I said and looked to my brother. He’d spent more time here over the years, I’d need to rely on his judgment.

“The only other way is to head back along the road,” Gabriel said. “Break through the hedge on that side of the road and into the grounds of the university.”

“You’re kidding right?” Gregg said and lowered his voice as he hunched his shoulders, afraid he had been too loud.

“No choice, there’s another road on the other side of the university that goes straight to the front entrance of the hospital,” he paused and looked at both of us. “We just have to get past, you know, any undead on the campus.”

      
      
      
      
      
****

I fell through the hedge and landed in damp grass of the open fields that lay behind the campus proper. A splash followed by a curse indicated Gregg had found a muddy puddle to land in and I held back a smile. At least we had no undead nearby to have heard.

We climbed to our feet and set off across the field. Weapons held ready and voices still lest we arouse the attention of any undead that may be close. In minutes, we were across the field and in amongst the buildings.

The buildings were old, built with red stone and in the main no higher than two storeys. Wide grass covered areas were spread out around the buildings with plenty of trees, flower beds and overly large bushes to provide cover.

Several car parks were dotted around the campus and quite a number of vehicles had been left parked there which didn’t bode well for us.

By far the largest concentration of buildings were on the southern end of the campus which is where I assumed the greater number of undead would be. With the stench of death covering the town I couldn’t tell if I were smelling zombies on the road or around the side of the building. It wasn’t an ideal situation.

I gestured for the others to follow me. If I left them to make their own way they would likely wind up dead or undead. As irksome as it was to have them so close, it was better than having to explain to Lily that I’d lost them both.

After a brief pause at the corner of the building, I slipped around the side and jogged almost silently to the next building. Another pause at the corner and a few choice words for any deity that may be fully intending to torment me and I glanced back at the others.

“Zombies?” Gregg asked and I nodded. “How many?”

“More than a few hundred,” I said as I closed my eyes and leant back against the wall. I exhaled a sigh and gripped the handle of my knife tightly. “They’re spread across the grounds and we can’t go around.”

“Why not?” Gabriel asked. The strain evident in his voice gave away his fear and I felt a grim smile form.

“They’re spread out across the grounds,” I repeated as I waved him towards the corner. An offer for him to take a look himself that he declined with a shake of his head. “Between the buildings and across the lawns. From one end of the campus to the other, they’re just there.”

“Fuck!” Gregg said and for once I agreed with the sentiment. It seemed that the universe wanted Lily to die because it surely wasn’t helping us get there.

“We need to go back,” Gabriel said and when the two of us looked at him he elaborated. “If there’s this many here, then what will the hospital be like?”

“He has a point,” Gregg said and wilted a little beneath my glare. “Well, he does mate. We can’t fight our way through that many and we sure as hell won’t be any use if we die too.”

I glanced from my friend to Gabriel and back again. I felt little for my brother. I’d had no use for him prior to that moment and so had no respect to lose but Gregg was a friend. Someone I had thought I could count on.

“Give me the list,” I said. Voice cold, so very cold.

“Don’t do this,” Gregg said, a touch of pleading entering his tone. “She wouldn’t want you to die like this.”

My grip tightened on my knife, the urge to thrust it through his throat almost overwhelming. I’d been alone once before, thrived as a killer in a world that would hate me for it. Friends, family, and even lovers had been considered a weakness and yet somehow, as the world fell, I had changed. Become weak. Reliant on others. No more.

I snatched the piece of paper from my brother's hand and with a final look of disgust, turned my back on them and walked around the corner.

Chapter 8 – Ryan

Keep low, move from bush to tree, to another tree. Pause, is that zombie looking this way? No, it’s turned back, go! Damn, duck! It’s okay, you weren’t noticed. Head for the building. Stop! Down behind that car, wait for it to pass. Wait, wait, wait… go.

Stop!
I cursed as I slid to a stop on the gravel and almost collided with the zombie that stepped out from behind the tree. My arm lashed out, knife driving up beneath its jaw and silencing it before it could make a sound.

I paused and looked furtively around as I pulled clear my knife.
They didn’t notice,
I thought to myself and exhaled a brief sigh of relief as I set off once again. Jinx a dark blur on the edge of my vision, silent and watchful for threats.

Into the bush, avoid the sharp thorns because the last thing you want is an open cut on your skin when surrounded by the infected. Wait for the two zombies to pass by. Moving so damned slowly. Come on, come on… Go!

The bush rustled as I pulled my way free and set off at a fast pace. Knife held low, ready to strike out should I need it.
Which is likely,
was the thought that came as I reached the corner of a low rectangular building.

Its colour matched the red stone of the other buildings but this one was definitely new. Large windows of clear glass covered the length and wide glass doors were set into the stone. The roof was some form of plastic looking panel that looked cheap next to the older buildings. Several cars were parked before the doors and a large metal bin on wheels was pushed up against the wall.

I rounded the corner carefully, all too aware that I was pushing my luck. Not to have been noticed so far was nothing short of a small miracle and it was only a matter of time before one of the undead caught sight of me.

For a moment I considered checking the cars but decided against it as soon as I realised that even if one of them had the keys in the ignition, the battery would likely be flat and the petrol of no use after several months sat in the parking space. Besides which it would just attract attention.

It was still at least two hundred metres to the road that ran past the eastern edge of the campus and that was in a straight line. As I looked beyond the building where I crouched, I could see that the only way to make it across would be to kill more than one of the damn things.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the claw bladed knife, taking a moment to pull the blade away from the handle. It wasn’t much, but it would help and I’d need all the help I could get. A quick look down to see my furry shadow staring back, tongue lolling and looking for all the world as though she were enjoying herself.
Kindred spirit,
I thought with a grin of my own.

All across the open grounds between the buildings, they walked. Slow, stumbling and more than a little stupid, but dangerous due to the sheer numbers of them. Fat, thin, old and young, men, women, and even the occasional child-sized creature.

They were united in death. Race, religion, and gender, all those things that had once set them apart from the others, held them aloof, was no longer. They were now, all the same. All mindless creatures that would wander the campus until they eventually decayed and died for a final time.

Each and every one of them would have one purpose when I stepped out from behind the building. One thought, one urge, to devour me. My smile was grim as I realised that perhaps this time, they’d manage it.

Not to try though, well that wasn’t going to happen. She relied on me and for once in my life I had a purpose beyond killing. I would do what I needed to do to ensure she survived and if that came at the price of my own life, well for some reason, that didn’t bother me.

I’d always known I would die sooner rather than later. It was inevitable considering my… hobby.
May as well make it worthwhile,
I thought as I readied my knives and sucked in a deep breath of fetid air. As ready as I’d ever be, I stepped out from behind the building.

On silent feet, I dashed across to the nearest zombie and sank my combat knife deep into its skull. It died without a sound but a cry rose from nearby as another noticed my presence. I leapt to my left as a zombie lurched towards me, ducking low beneath the swing of another and lashing out with my knife.

I hopped over its body and kicked away another that dared stumble close, my arm struck out and a third fell. I dropped to the ground and rolled between two undead, rising to my feet behind them, knife flashing out.