We got up early that morning around nine and sat down to breakfast. This time the food wasn't made by Earl's mum. It was cereal and coffee. We had everything packed up but we seemed to have a lot to carry down to the car.
"is there a rubbish shoot near." I asked.
"yeah just like a door away why?"
"we are going to send your stuff down. I'm fucked if I'm doing three trips up and down that lift. It is too risky."
"would you send your stuff into a skip full of rotten food."
"OK look we will double bag then."
"I don't know."
"you can use my washing machine if it gets on your clothes OK."
"OK ok."
So we agreed I was starting to get the feeling Earl is a clean freak. I'll work on that. I smile to myself I think this is going to be fun.
We got all the bags down the shoot in about fifteen minutes. We started walking back to the lift the same noises came from the doors. We got to the lift. While we were waiting I noticed the door to stairs was just to the side.
"does this lift always take this long."
The stairs door bumped. I looked quickly through a long slited window on the door. There was a woman at the other side of it. She had dry blood all down her front and mouth like John had. She saw me and let out a god awful shreek and lunged at the door. It swung open and hit me and bounced back it knocked me back a step she pushed it again. This time I pushed back trapping her fingers between the door and the frame. Earl threw all his wait on me. Knocking the wind out of me. Her fingers hit the floor by my feet. She started banging at the door. There was a ping and the lift doors slid open.
"go!" I shout to Earl. He released me and I could breath I waited ten seconds. With the woman still hammering on the door then dived into the lift myself she burst through. Just as the doors were closing. They fully closed just in time. I was winded and was trying to catch my breath and wheezing said.
"when we get out we run like scalded cats to the van and stop for nothing."
The lift stopped and the doors opened. We ran but had to stop for the automatic doors. My god they were slow. They got open wide enough and Earl was first. My god he was fast he got to the van and had it unlocked. He was in with the key in the ignition before I had got in.
"right let's get your stuff and go."
We drove round to the back of the building and got all the bags. Earl wanted to take the outer bag off so he didn't make his van stink. I refused and won the argument that it was not the right time to mess about we had to go. We set off and decided to go on roads that had as little population as possible. We got back to mine quicker than it had taken to get to Earl's. That is not to say that it was not interesting though as well as dogs we saw people wandering around as well. But they were acting strange. When one saw another they went to each other and sniffed like dogs do for a grating. Not each others arse's but just around there head hight. Also it looked like they were curious about the van. I'm not sure if it was the noise of the engine or what. I made a mental not to experiment on what got there attention.
When we got back to mine there was carnage on the street. Cars that had been parked had dents and scrapes down the full length of them on alternative sides of the road. Before we got to mine we could see a car parked in my garden. My garden wall had been knocked down. Before Earl had stopped I was getting out and running to the wreckage. The cars engine was still revving. The front of the small car was off the ground and the wheels were spinning at a rediculess speed. As I got closer I could see the shape of someone slumped over the stearing wheel. The door catch must have broken in the accident and was open slightly. I opened it and pushed the woman I could see now back, and turned off the engine. Earl came jogging up beside me.
"is she OK." he asked
"I don't think so look at all the blood that has come from her nose. Let's get inside and ring for the police and ambulance"
We got inside and Earl rang nine nine nine he didn't speak just hung up.
"the phones not working." I tried and got silence like it was trying to contact then just a a loud beeeeep.
"it looks like we are on our own for now." I say.
"what about going to the town hall. Like the news said."
"I'm still thinking that will be bad look at what is happening to people and animals. I feel as though the more populated an area the more dangerous it is for us. I'm not going to stop you if you want to go."
"I think I might try." my heart sank and I started to well up we had been through so much in a short time and I liked him. I walked over to him and gave him a hug. I never hug anyone I can't stand being touched but it felt like we both needed one. I wished him good luck and told him that I will wait until the morning if there was no joy there. Then told him of my plans to go to several farms where I no the owners that I was going to try. They live out in the sticks. I gave him all address and the order I was going to them in. We shook hands and he left.
I sat down and cried I have never felt so alone as I do right now. I managed to pull myself together and went out the back door to have a fag and check my pickups oil water and fuel levels. They were all good. I flicked my fag over the back wall and went next door through the back. I had a suspicion that Mrs jesop might have changed from the old woman that I new and was not going to be able to hurt her. When I went in the back to the kitchen my suspensions were right. The living room door was closed but I could hear her moans at the other side of the door. I got a roll of bin bags and started huridley packing all food cleaning products and medicines and bandages. She started banging the door. When each bag was full I put it straight outside so I could get out and then load them into my pickup. The hole operation took ten minutes I was only carful not to miss anything not to be quite. The more noise I made the harder she banged. I thought that was interesting. I left and got my pickup loaded. Then realised that I had packed all my food and had nothing to eat handy. I got a drink of water and went back to my living room I looked out of my window to look at the wreckage the woman was gone from the car. What the fuck is happening it's like something you see in a film people don't come back to life.
I don't know why but I started to think about val from the pub she had been ok. I got my bike helmet and jumped on my vespa and went to the pub, and instantly regretted it. I parked up outside the door was open like a normal day. Apart from being early that is. I walked in taking off my helmet. Val was laid on the floor blood everywhere and a man on top of her eating her organs. I put my helmet down quietly and picked up a bar stool. Bad idea number two. I grabbed the stool legs and held it over my head and braught it down on the man's head. Splinters of wood went spraying everywhere, and he just turned to look at me. He sniffed at me then sprung up roaring like a dragon. I jumped over the bar looking for a weapon. He seemed unable to climb over to get me just walking at the bar ars out. I new this man it was Chris vals husband. I saw a bin full of empty bottles and grabbed one. I jumped over the bar and knocked him down. I got the bottle by the base and forced the neck of the bottle into his eye. The sound was like putting your finger in jelly. His body lost all strength. I could see that there was nothing I could do for val. So I went behind the bar got a couple packets of crisps and a shot of vodka. I downed the vodka and crushed up the crisps so I could just pour them into my mouth. After my healthy dinner I went home. I got a couple of planks and rode my bike into my pickup bedand strapped it down. I went inside and went to bed it was early but I was exhausted. Sleep did not come on. The images of val and Chris would not leave my mind. It was no good I went back down to my living room and put Netflix on. It didn't work a message came on the screen network down please try again later. I was missing Earl as well I hoped that he was OK. Such a gentle good man. He saved me earlier. I didn't believe in God. Even after my dad used to drag me to church every Sunday until the brain tuma made him too ill to. But I sat there in the dark and prayed. I prayed for Earl's safety and that whatever was going on would be over quick. I'm not sure if it was a prayer or a wish but I did it all the same and finished with ah men. I got out my supplies of weed speed and e's, and rolled a joint more weed than tabaco. I sat smocking and looking at my dvd's and could not choose. The weed relaxed me but didn't clear my mind. Poor val she didn't deserve to be eaten. I started to cry again in the comfort that know one could see me. I don't know when it happened but I fell asleep.
I woke up like a man coming up from a deep dive with no oxygen. What had woken me up. Then my answer came loud knocking on the door."SID OPEN UP PLEASE FOR GOD'S SAKE PLEASE"I got to my feet the knocking constant and impatient. I unlocked the door. A man pushed past me knocking my back. It was Earl he sat on my sofa breathing heavy."it's OK man I'm hear." I put a hand on his shoulder and he started to wail tear streamed down his face."put your head between your legs and breath slow in through your nose and out of your mouth. In and out. In and out."he did as he was told I got him a drink of water. He sat back and drank like he hadn't drunk for a week. He threw his arms around me. I rubbed his back like you would a child that had skinned a knee." your OK now buddy. "" don't let me do anything so stupid again please promise me. Slap me if anything so stupid comes out of my mouth again."
We got up around nine and ate breakfast a bacon sandwich with ketchup for me brown sauce for Earl. "We have a new companion as well as more supplies." "what do you mean we have a new companion. The supplies I can understand straight away. But companion what." "come with me. You need to meet her." "ooh her what's her name." "Jessie" "sounds cute." "she is very." I knew I was getting him excited for the wrong reason. But it was too easy. We went out to the kennels. "what's she doing in there." Then the penny dropped. "she is a dog." I couldn't help myself I started laughing. His face was a picture. "sorry mate it was too easy. JESSIE COME ON GIRL." Jessie came bouncing out of her shelter and up to the gates of the kennel. Earl stepped back away from the metal gate. Jessie was jumping around in circles barking happily. "SID how do we know that she is safe." "seriously look at
Know one was feeling great this morning. We all held our heads at the table. Gaz got up and went to a cupboard in the kitchen. I watched to see what he was doing. He got a box of pain killers out. "I don't think any of us should do that." "Why" A rough one-word answer it annoyed me but I swallowed it down. We were in his house after all. "Do you have an unlimited supply?" "No." Again with the one-word answer. At least this time he sounded like he was thinking. "So do you know how long it will take before life gets back to normal?" "No, you don't have to go on about it. I get it we might run out if we don't start rationing." He put the box of pills back. How do we get rid of this hand over then? I got up and poured a jug of water and put four glasses on the table. Everyone was looking at me expectedly. " Let's have a bacon butty and make a plan." Lucy was the first to speak.
It was five in the morning and the sun was coming up. It was still dark but getting lighter. I was absolutely knackered. A few hours sleep would not go a miss but I needed to keep going. I went to my supply of speed I had hidden it away alongside my other drugs. I didn't tell anyone I had them. Looking around to make sure no one was watching I took a small amount to keep me going. I made myself a cup of coffee and sat down outside and had a fag. I was shocked to see a zombie walking through a field about one hundred metres away. I was concerned about seeing one so far away from any other houses. I saw an axe at the end of the house next to a pile of wood. I picked it up and walked to a metal gate that led into the field. The zombie didn't appear to have noticed me at this point. So I got the axe and banged on the gate softly. It stopped moving I was shocked at how sensitive its hearing was. I tapped again no louder than the first time. It looked to be sniffing the air. So tapped aga
I was woken by the sound of the others down in the kitchen. My ears were still ringing from the shotgun the other day. I went downstairs after getting washed and brushed my teeth."Morning everybody.""Morning." everyone spoke in unison."Has anyone had any more thoughts on what they think we should do.""Sit down Sid. We have been talking already. Lucy has said that she is worried about the water we are fed from a natural spring at the moment.""Ok, that's a good point Red. What does everyone else think.""Well, I have suggested that Lucy gets on the Internet before it all goes down to find ways of distilling water and storing electricity. Gaz is worried about the fuel for all the vehicles.""OK has anyone had ideas about that.""Gaz has suggested that he and Earl go round the filling stations and fill containers.""And what about you Red.""Me personally I think that they are all great ideas but who am I to say.
The day before had taught us all a lesson about being quiet. We saw how much they are attracted to sound. We all wanted to say thank you to Itchy Coo."So what do you know about Itchy Coo then Sid"gaz had a massive cheesy smile on his face. Like he thought I was going to tell them something good."I don't know him I've met him a few times when I was younger. I used to go up on the moors to pick mushrooms to sell. I never dabble in hallosenagenics. Whereas Itchy eats mushrooms like sweets. People call him Itchy Coo because he lives in a tank and doesn't have a bath or shower so he stinks and is always scathing. He's about sixty at guess. That's all I know about him. "We talked for a bit longer and decided that me and Gaz would carry on with the fencing and the others would go for more supplies. This time we all went out armed and heavily clothed. It was just me and Gaz at the farm when we heard a car horn. We dropped everything and went to see what it wa
The last few days work had really got cracked on. We had built a good fence around the barns and house. We had got netting over the buildings and land inside the fence so we didn't have to worry about the birds as much. We had a strong gate at the end of the drive and we had enough food and ingredients to last the nine of us and Jessie at least five years. I'm not going to say that we are completely safe the fence needs strengthening and I have plans for traps. The girls were our main hunter-gatherers now it made sense until this place was properly fortified. Red and Earl had made water stills so we had safe water. They had been working on solar panels to power the house when the power eventually went down, but not got it worked out yet. It was around ten-thirty in the morning everyone was out doing their allocated jobs. Me and Gaz were out in the fields with the three-sixty mini digger. It wasn't ideal but it was better than using a shovel and pick to dig a large deep hole. We were
Everyone was up now. There was nothing during the night to speak of. We were all getting on with our jobs but keeping on our side of the fence as much as possible Gaz had a trials bike that we now took out with so we could catch anyone who was near quickly. We were all on pins though and after having no sleep me and Gaz were tetchy, to say the least. Me and Gaz were the only ones outside the fence still digging pits and setting traps we smashed up a load of glass and cemented the shards on top of the walls near our boundary. We had been working all morning. It had been harder without Jessie with us to spot and catch the birds. We were fully kitted out so they couldn't get us but we had to keep stopping to kill them. We went back to the farmhouse for some dinner. Everyone was there. We got sat down to eat when the power went off. It was daylight but the kettle went off the clock on the cooker went off but worst of all the burglar alarm started to go off. Gaz managed to get the alarm
The night has comeWe were making our way into this tiny village of the dammed. I wanted to leave Bob behind but he started spouting a load of shit about you dot tell me what to do and I can keep up with the best of you. Blah blah blah. We were using parked cars for cover and so far so good. We hadn’t seen a zombie or a person yet but we can’t start counting chickens yet.Colin came up behind me and whispered in my ear.“You see that house there. The one with the black door.”I looked over to where he was pointing and had described. From what I could see it looked empty and unremarkable.“Yeah what about it?”“I saw something move.”“Something? Like what?”“Not sure could have been a Z.”“Ok keep your keen eyes peeled. Let the others know when you can.”That pissed on my bonfire. We had only just come into this place of death and decay. Already the dead had ben seen. The shop was close. Maybe only two-fifty. Three hundred meters away. It could still be empty when we get there if we ge
Night of the 1stIf I’m to be honest I didn’t think about the time when we set off to find Sid. In my head, we might find him on our way to here. Unfortunately, we didn’t. Now the light of day is going to soon fade and night is now a dangerous time for the living. Wright and the others were getting out of their vehicles and coming towards me and Bob. I climbed out.“Look we are going to have to camp here in our cars tonight unless you guys have a better idea. You know we can’t go running around in the dark anymore.”Red spoke first in his fucking posh voice that went through me like a hot knife through butter.“Yes, we agree with you on the fact that we can’t go out at night but. We have very little in the way of food and drink.”He was right. When he said we had very little he meant we had fuck all. James might have a chocolate bar in his pocket but that wouldn’t even see him through the night.Earl stepped forward.“We passed a small village back there. I know from back when I was a
1st November“Bob where the fuck is Sid. I don’t give a shit about your rules about swearing now. You had best get talking or I’m letting April loose.”“Gaz? That’s you right?”“Yes now get on with it I need to help my friend.”Bob was a scary motherfucker and I hated him with a passion but right now he was my only way of helping Sid. All the others got out safe and we are now in an empty school. We worked together to clear it of the dead over the last two days after two days of travel. On the way we kept leaving markers hoping Sid would spot them. Lucy wasn’t taking it anywhere near as easy as she should have been but what do I know as she keeps telling me? Bob was talking and looking at me like that was where he fired his knives from.“He ran and I was under the car where he shoved me. I closed my eyes and prayed that I wouldn’t be seen. It felt like a lifetime under there trying not to breathe or make a sound. The zombies just kept suffering along. Could I get a drink of water plea
27th part 5As predicted we broke through the last few walls and we’re now stood in the last house. This house had not been loved by the previous occupants or the looters. It was a proper shit tip. Rubbish covered the floors. Wall paper was black with mold and peeling. In one room the ceiling had come down. My first impression was that this place had been abandoned for decades. There was a calendar on the wall that was from this year blowing my theory out of the water. Bob took great pleasure in pointing out my failings in deductions.“Yeah Sid it must have been empty since the fifties at least. Look at the LCD. Must be at least one maybe two years, old.”This pleasure went on for several minutes. As Bob spoke his tone changed into a higher pitch than normal just to show me how sarcastic he was being. At one point he started valuing things like an auctioneer. Looking at labels and sell-by dates on food and appraising it like it was an antique. By this point, I was getting ready to wal
27th part 4It didn’t take long to find a claw hammer. Not the best tool for the job but it will do for now. I crouched next to the deciding wall in the loft and laid my hand flat on it.“You see this wall Bob. It’s out way out.”“Catch me up lad I'm lost.”“These houses were built in the sixties. These blocks are very weak breeze blocks. On top of this bonus the wall is only one skin up here. When I say one skin. I mean that this is all that stands between us and next door. With this hammer I can make a hole big enough to fit through in about fifteen minutes. There is going to be five more until the end of the terrace. By the time we get there I reckon that the zombies will be far enough away for us to make our escape and we will be on the opposite side of the building to the dogs and five doors away. What do you think?”“I think you should shut up and start making a hole.”So I did. As I thought the blocks were weak and once I had made a small hole it was easy. The whole got bigger
27th part 3Before I could react Bob had one of the beasts flying through the air towards his face. In the blink of an eye, he had skillfully put a knife through its temple. The dog dropped to the floor limp and lifeless. The dark brown almost black blood trickled from its new wound.Now wasn’t the time for me to admire Bob's handy work. He had a dog bounding towards him and I had one flying through the air like a bad superhero. It would have amused me if it was wearing a mask and cape. It wasn’t it was covered in blood mattered hair dirt of all kinds and was like all other things that were dead rotting.With a powerful blow the thing hit me and hard. As I was going down the weight of it shifted to my left. One knife handle sticking out of it’s eye. Bob's hands were empty and there was another dog on his way and more we’re coming from other directions. There was nothing for it. I had to carry Bob and run. I doubt he is going to like this but tough shit if he wants to live.“Bob hand n
27th part 2The sound was getting louder and louder. The moans and groans. Shuffling sounds of the dead coming. This was the sound and smell of death walking and I didn’t need to experience this again. Not now. My radio crackles to life and the voice of Write comes through.“Sid this is bad. Huge conga line of zombies coming your way and they look like they are tied together.”“Ok get yourselves out of here spread the word. I will get Bob and meet you.”“No that’s suicide. There are hundreds of the things coming your way.”“You haven’t seen Bob in action. I think. No I know we can do this.”I lied. I was no way I was as confident as I was trying to show. There was a definite chance I was going to die. Had I just had enough and this was my way of going without a bye. My hand clicked off my radio.The herd wasn’t in sight yet but this looked like my only chance to leave this house. The place looked deserted. Normal people had vanished almost completely but zombies were coming on mass no
27th OctoberPositions were taken. We had walkie talkies to communicate with each other. I was the one nearest to where Mr Stainburn was going to be meeting me. Gaz Earl and Write had taken up sniper positions giving me a bit of protection. Itchy was parked close by in his tank waiting for a signal off anyone to drive in and pick me up if it all went to shit. The girls and kids were in two cars parked about ten miles away hopefully out of harms way. Colin was acting like a messenger to run between us if anything went wrong with our radios. Red was holding back with rounds of ammunition so that if the others got caught they would only lose limited supplies. If Red was caught as well then we were fucked. Now Bob was missing. He told me he would do what was needed and that I didnt tell him. The grumpy old cunt just got in his car last night and fucked off.I was in a house opposite where I was meant to meet the biggest prick on the planet. It wasn’t an easy mission to accomplish. To get
26th part 2The plan was sort of in my head now and while everyone was here I thought it was a good time to start saying it out loud.“Colin. I have a little job for you. Make some drinks. I’m going to get water-hungry. The word escapes me right now. You know when you need a drink?”“Thirsty?”Colin answered me looking unsure of what I was talking about.“Yeah, that’s the word. Now everyone listen up get a pen and paper if you need. Are you all ready?”They all nodded except the old guy. He put his hand up.“Yes errr…. What’s your name? I haven’t asked yet.”“I'm Bob. Can I go to the toilet before you start?”“Fuck me Bob. Yes go be as quick as you can though.”“I asked you not to swear around me and told you you don’t tell me I tell you. That’s my last warning to you all.”He left after his few words. Gaz got really angry again.“Who the fuck is this old guy to talk to any of us like that. He has no say in what happens. We don’t know him or fuck all. He has only just told you his fuc