Thirteen Roses Book Three: Beyond: A Paranormal Zombie Saga (19 page)

She led the way again, trying to slow herself down so the others could keep up. Ed came first and stuck beside her. She gave him a smile and he looked at her like a wounded puppy, all wide eyes and open mouth.
 

‘You okay?’

‘Yeah, just a bit, you know.’

‘Yeah. At least you’ve had a sleep.’ She wondered why she’d said that. She didn’t need a sleep. She didn’t even need a rest. They piled against the wall beside the exit and she peered out. The trucks were still lined up in front of Tesco. The bright sunlight stung her eyes. She’d forgotten what normal daylight looked like.
 

There were no soldiers in sight. She raced out with the others close behind. She ran straight for the nearest truck and yanked the door handle. It opened so easily she nearly landed on her arse, but she kept hold of the handle and scrambled up into the cab.
 

She knelt in the foot well and peered under the dash. Sure enough, a device was taped there and she ripped it off, shoving it deep into her pocket. Part of her was thrilled at finding it. But she couldn’t escape the fact that it would run out at some point and that she could be surrounded by zombies when it did.
 

The others reached the truck and she gave them a nod. ‘I’ve got it. Shall we get the others?’

Jackson grunted and stomped off towards another of the trucks. Within a few minutes they had a device each and couldn’t quite believe how easy it had been. They piled into the back of one of the trucks, finding narrow boards down both sides which they perched on as they talked.
 

‘So we’ve actually completed that part of the mission. We’ve got the devices.’ Bayleigh beamed at them and Alex and Ed smiled back. Jackson grunted again. ‘Now we go get the ladies.’

‘I wish you’d stop calling them that.’ Alex said.

‘You wish a lot of things, little man. Shame you can’t back up your wishes with actions.’

‘Oh come on, stop acting like we’re in the playground, an—’

‘We are in the playground. Didn’t you notice? The guys in there are the bullies. They’ve got the guns and think they’re all that. We’re the other kids, the ones left out. Only they don’t know we’ve got the head teacher on our side.’

Alex groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. He looked up again and gave Bayleigh a despairing glance. ‘Look, until the plague’s completely gone, we can’t do anything, anyway.’

‘Screw you, I’m going back in there now. The plague’s run its course. We wait any longer and the soldiers are gonna be forcing themselves on those ladies.’

‘And what’s the difference between them and you?’

Bayleigh had been wringing her hands in her lap, but now Ed’s hand crept in and grabbed a hold. She gave him a reassuring smile as Jackson left his bench and crouched in front of Alex. ‘What are you saying?’ His voice was horribly low and made her shoulders rise. ‘Tell me what you mean by that?’

‘We rescue the hostages. Then what? Do you think they’ll want to screw you any more than those guys in there? What happens when they say no?’

Jackson stared at the floor and Bayleigh tensed, her hand gripping Ed’s tightly. Jackson’s shoulders shook and she held her breath. Then a laugh escaped him, quiet at first before it turned into a full blown belly laugh. He shook his head and pretended to wipe his eyes.
 

‘Man, you’re funny. The ladies in there are all these cute little white girls. You really think they won’t want some of me?’

Alex stared like he’d just claimed to be the king of England. ‘Really? You really believe they’ll go for you?’

‘Hey, when you’re the only competition, I don’t see they got any choice.’

‘But that’s the point. It’s their choice. They might not choose to go for anyone.’

Jackson shook his head, mirth gone. ‘That’s not a choice they get to make. We all gotta do our part.’ He turned to leer at Bayleigh. ‘Everyone’s gotta take part or the human race is doomed. Even you, little man.’

He gave what he probably thought was a conspiratorial wink at Ed. He shrunk back in his seat and pressed closer to Bayleigh. She wasn’t sure which of them was squeezing harder.
 

Alex shook his head. ‘No one can be forced into this. You know that, right?’

Jackson sniffed and stared at him. They locked eyes and Bayleigh waited with baited breath for the explosion. It didn’t come though. Jackson turned away and muttered something about ‘waiting around’ then stalked out of the truck.
 

‘Oh crap, what now?’

Alex shrugged. ‘Let him go. If we’re lucky he’ll get himself shot.’

Jackson’s head thrust back through the door. ‘They won’t get me. God will save me.’

Alex jumped and went pale. Then the door thumped into place and they listened as Jackson’s feet thudded away across the pavement. ‘The Father doesn’t give a crap about him.’

‘Of course he doesn’t, he’s barmy.’ She said.
 

Ed giggled. ‘Barmy.’ He stopped laughing. ‘Yeah, he’s mad alright. And creepy.’

She couldn’t disagree with that. ‘So what now?’

They sat in silence for a moment before Alex let out a long breath. ‘We have to go back in there and get the hostages. That was the plan. The longer we leave David and Krystal with the machine, the more in danger they are.’
 

Bayleigh nodded and looked at Ed. ‘You stay here, right?’

He shook his head vehemently. ‘Not a chance. What if the soldiers come back?’

‘They won’t kill you. The worst they’ll do is take you captive and bring you back into the cathedral. I’d rather you were safe out here.’

‘No way. It’s not safe out here. It’s not safe anywhere. I’m coming whether you like it or no—’

He was cut off by a sound that could well have been St Paul’s collapsing. Bayleigh shrieked and leapt from the truck. Across the street in front of the Cafe Rouge restaurant, a car had just exploded and pieces of metal rained down onto the concrete. Jackson charged towards them with a huge grin on his face.
 

‘We need a distraction.’

There was something so entirely crazed about him she almost laughed. Then he yanked open the petrol cap of the nearest truck, pulled a box of matches from his pocket, lit one, tucked it into the box and tossed it into petrol tank. After that, she didn’t think about anything at all.
   

David

The voice stopped, but the echoes came back to them from the far side of the cavern. He couldn’t take his eyes from the phone as it tumbled down and down. It struck the top of the cathedral and shattered, pieces flying everywhere. His breath caught in his throat, but the noise was tiny, barely more than a soft cracking sound. The soldiers far below would have missed it entirely.
 

He tried to watch every piece, to see whether any of them went over the edge.
 

‘Did anything go over the edge?’ He asked. Krystal was biting her lip so hard it bulged beneath her teeth, bloodless and pale. She shook her head and released her lip from its prison, letting out a long breath. ‘Don’t think so.’

They paused for a moment, then she thumped him on the leg. ‘How bloody stupid can you be?’

‘It surprised me, that’s all. Who was it?’

They took their eyes off the tiny pieces of phone and peered around the sides of the dome. The soldiers were still spread around the cavern but there were more now and a couple of men in robes stood on the shelf at the far end. ‘One of them, I’m guessing.’

‘They’ve not got white robes on.’ He said.
 

‘Nah, dirty grey more like. But they’re wearing robes so that’s close enough for me.’

One of the men stepped closer to the edge and cupped his hands around his mouth. ‘There is no escape from the cavern. There are only two ways in and out. We will find you. So give yourselves up now.’

He stepped back and exchanged a look with his companion. David turned away and stared at the cavern wall. ‘We’re going to die, aren’t we?’

‘Speak for yourself. I have every intention of living a long and happy life.’ She gave him the long-suffering look and he gripped tight to his knees. She was so… contained. So not sixteen. She had nice eyes as well. Her hair was too short for his tastes and she needed to put some weight on, but perhaps in the coming days… He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned.
 

How could he be thinking of that? How could he think of it in this situation and with a girl who was such a brat. She was sixteen. He was thirty two. God, he didn’t deserve to get out of here. Was this part of the damage Luke had done to him? Had he removed his ability to censor those parts of himself that were responsible for most of his troubles thus far?
 

He chuckled. It would be a fitting punishment. ‘If we aren’t going to die, how do we get out of here?’

‘Why do we get out? The others’ll be back soon and we leave with them.’

David shook his head. ‘That’s not happening, come on, be honest. What are the chances of them making it out?’

Krystal grabbed his hand. ‘They’re coming back down here and getting us out, you understand?’

‘It’s a lovely thought and I’m not saying I don’t like it. But we can’t rely on it, that’s all.’

Her hand shook in his and he blinked. Maybe she was just a sixteen year old girl after all. He groaned. That meant he was supposed to be in charge, and be the responsible one. The thought would have been funny if he wasn’t so broken. Instead it was just tragic.
 

‘Look, sorry, they probably are coming back. But that guy up there is going to make them search every nook and cranny of this place and they’re going to find us are you a virgin so we need to find a way out.’

She dropped his hand and shuffled away around the dome.
 

‘What?’ He said.
 

‘What did you just ask me?’

‘I didn’t ask you anything. I’m just saying we need to figure out an al—’

‘Yeah, I heard that. I mean in the middle, you asked me something.’

He shook his head. What was she talking about? She was staring at him like she stared at Jackson. The sympathy was gone. ‘What’s wrong?’

Her forehead creased and she shook her head. ‘Nothing, just, stay there alright, not too close?’

‘Sure, fine, whatever.’ Her hair wasn’t that bad actually. It suited her face. She had pretty little lips that looked like they might taste nice. ‘We need to get out of here.’

‘Yeah, yeah we really do.’ She replied.
 

She half stood, then seemed to realise where she was and sat. She was still shaking. What was wrong with her? He frowned and peered around the dome again. Half of the cavern was blocked from view but he could see the robed men making their way down the steps. When they reached the bottom, the search would be on again. The soldiers were congregating in the middle of the cavern.
 

‘We have to go now. We’ve got a minute, come on.’ Without waiting for an answer, he turned onto his front and slid until his feet stuck out over the edge. His eyes were fixed on his hands as he clung on. Krystal watched him, but didn’t come any closer.
 

‘Any help?’

She crept forward then hesitated, keeping back for a while longer, before finally reaching out and taking his hand. He slid further until his waist reached the edge and he bent, legs kicking in the air.
 

‘Why are we doing this?’

He stopped, staring at her. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Why are we getting down. We’re here because it’s safe. They aren’t going to find us, why are we going down?’

‘Because they will find us. They’ll search everywhere in here.’

‘But they just searched.’ She pulled her hand back and he flailed in the air. His stomach lurched and he clawed at the stone until he found purchase. ‘Help, I’m going to fall.’

‘No you’re not. Man up and climb back up. We aren’t going down there.’

‘We have to.’

‘We bloody don’t. I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re mad.’

‘I saved your life.’

‘Yeah, but why? What are you going to do to me now? You go down there and get killed, I’m staying here.’

David pressed his face against the stone. His arms ached and his muscles felt stretched, like he’d been doing chin ups for hours.
 

He was going to fall.
 

He tried to get back up but too much of his weight was over the edge and he succeeded only in making his shoulders squeal in pain. Or maybe that was him.

‘Help me, I’m going to fall.’

‘Use your legs. Get them onto the windowsill.’

He snarled at her but dragged his legs in from where they kicked and flailed about. He got his toes onto the windowsill and put his weight on it. The relief was amazing. He panted as he stood for a moment, trying not think of the long fall beneath him.
 

He lowered himself further, gut dragging over the stone, and got his other foot onto the windowsill. He gripped the edge of the roof as tight as he could and shoved his legs through the window. When they were as far in as possible, he made a clumsy attempt to push himself further then let go of the roof. For a brief moment he was in mid air and falling.
 

David bit his tongue and tasted the blood as his back struck the window sill. He teetered, gravity deciding which part of him had the advantage. It chose his legs and he slid through the window, t-shirt riding up as the stone took all the skin off his back. He landed in a heap inside the tiny walkway and sobbed, checking he hadn’t wet himself on the way in.
 

Content that his trousers were dry and his tongue still attached, he turned onto all fours and knelt face down, taking deep breaths. He couldn’t stay here for long. The soldiers would be back any second and he had to be out of sight before they arrived.
 

He wriggled along the passage to the stairs and scrambled down them, then around the inside of the dome to the next set of stairs. They looked even steeper from up here and he swallowed as he started down. He reached the bottom without falling and stood on the last step until his legs stopped shaking. It took longer than he anticipated but the cathedral remained silent and he finally got moving again.