Holiday of the Dead (51 page)

Lights began to blink on in the village, but interest in the screaming soon faded when it became apparent where it came from, and one by one they disappeared. In the darkness that followed, the fish and chips began to sink into the mud.

THE END

THE LAST TRIP TOGETHER

By

John McCuaig

“Dad … Jack …” her hushed little voice was barely audible over the high pitched, whistling wind. Tip-toeing between the lines of almost identical caravans Katie searched for her family as those rows of metal boxes seemed to draw in all around her. Passing one of those faux white picket fenced gardens her eyes spotted the door of a light coloured caravan slowly creep open. Gingerly, a well aged woman appeared from out of the darkness and descended the three small steps before stopping to stare at the young girl.

That deep groaning escaped from its blood drenched mouth as the pensioner suddenly made her way towards the rain soaked teenager. Edging herself backwards Katie only stopped when she felt a hand grab a hold of her shoulder.

Six hours earlier

“For the last time, can you
please
get yourselves moving,” his voice was booming as he stepped outside. “I want to get over to Hastings before dark.”

Sharing a little look, the sixteen year old twins Jack and Katie watched as their dad Gordon started to pack up the gear from outside their camper van. If the truth be told, they were glad that this would probably be the last holiday they’d have to endure with their father and his rickety old mobile home. Every single year it was the same old thing, they’d head down to the south coast of England, travelling around the quaint little towns for a full, and very long, two weeks. Now however, they dreamed of the delights of the music bars of Ibiza or swimming off one of the Greek islands.

“This stuff isn’t going to move itself,” Gordon attempted to smile to his only children. He failed, he saw the look in their eyes, he knew himself that they were growing up fast and he’d already guessed they were just building up the nerve to let him know.

“Sure thing, Dad,” Jack mumbled as he stood up and folded up the tatty, old table while his sister grabbed the chairs and stacked them up inside. “I take it we’re heading for the usual site?”

“Yeah, of course we are, son. I know how much the two of you love it down there.”

Katie stood right behind her dad; a huge smile spreading across her face. Yeah, they
did
love that site, but that was back when they were about eight and building sand castles down on the beach. Turning away quickly Jack did his best to hide his own little smile from his father.

Soon enough they were back on the road and heading east along the coast to the old fishing town of Hastings. All during the two hour trip the camper van was filled with songs from the sixties as tape after tape was shoved into the slot on the dashboard. The twins shared their I-pod; each had an earpiece in, the fancy little machine was trying its best to block out the sounds of the Beach Boys and the Monkees.

“Okay kids we’re here,” Gordon said as they turned off the main road into the rain swept complex and saw that all was quiet. “Let’s find our slot and get parked up.” Driving straight by the Office they headed for the very back of the site. The owners had let him book online but although he had been a good customer over the years they still wanted his grubby old caravan well away and out of sight. They sure as hell did not want to chance any prospective new customers catching a glimpse of it, even if the sun was just slipping down behind the horizon.

Reversing into their bay right by the rear wall, Gordon set about connecting the park supplies to his van – water, gas and electric. All the while the twins kept themselves dry and warm inside.

“Please Jack,” peering out the window she checked their dad was still out of earshot. “Just keep smiling and try and at least look as though you’re enjoying it. We’ve only got a few days left, and then we’ll be back home.”

“Whatever,” Jack mumbled as he dealt out the faded cards to play a game of patience.

“Will sausage and beans be alright for now?” Gordon shouted as he ran back inside and quickly removed and shook off his well drenched coat. “We haven’t got much else; I’ll need to pop down to the store in the morning.”

“Sounds good, Dad,” Katie said as she kicked her brother in the shin under the table.

“Yeah, that’ll be just fine,” Jack shouted out as he glared at his sister while rubbing his throbbing leg.

It was Katie’s turn to wash the dishes while Jack dried them up with his usual enthusiasm. Huddled around the cramped little sink they watched as their father spread his map out on the table, no doubt already planning the next day’s adventures.

“Do you hear that?” Jack whispered, grabbing hold of his sister’s arm and stopping it from splashing around in the water. “There’s something at the door, sounds like a dog.”

On hearing the light scratching behind them, Katie wiped her hands dry. “Well then you big scaredy cat, are you going to see what it is or do you need a little girl to have a look instead?”

Chucking the damp towel at her face and grumbling under his breath he made towards the door. Flicking over the lock he’d only managed to open it an inch before it flew open. It was however no dog; a balding middle aged man dressed in grubby blue overalls thrust himself in through the opening. Grabbing a good hold of Jack by the collar they stumbled backwards towards the sink.

“Dad … Help us!” Jumping up on the man’s back Katie screamed as she wrapped her arms around the rabid attacker’s neck while Jack pushed his snapping jaws away with all his might.

Instinctively grabbing the frying pan up from the draining board Gordon smashed it into the head of the man that was attacking his children. The force of the blow sent the twins and the man sprawling across the floor towards the bedroom. Jack was first to his feet.

“What the fuck’s up with him,” screaming he pulled up his sister and dragged her away.

“Watch your mouth, boy,” Gordon said as he looked down at the unmoving man. With the frying pan still tight in his hand he got himself a little closer. “It’s Conner Hobbs; he’s the handyman around here. I’ve known him for years.”

“And what’s that all over his face and hands? He’s covered in fucking blood!”

“I said stop the swearing, Jack!” Grabbing him by the shoulder Gordon looked at his son right in the eyes, and then he lowered his voice. “Will you please get on that fancy phone of yours and call for an ambulance, and you’d better get the police over here as well.” Going over to Katie he kissed her head gently and moved her even further away from the still body. “Come and sit over here, love, there’s no need to worry about him anymore.”

“No damn signal,” Jack muttered as he slid the lid of his phone back down. “What can you expect in the arse end of civilisation?”

Before Gordon could berate him again all the lights in the caravan blinked out. Katie grabbed hold of her father, just in time to hear the moans, the low pitched moans coming from deep in the darkness. The handyman Conner was slowly getting back up on his feet.

“Get behind me Jack,” Gordon stood up and held the frying pan high and waited for Conner to get close. He found it hard to see him in the dark but he could sure hear him approach. One more swipe sent him sprawling back down to the floor, but Gordon did not stop there this time. Again and again he rained down blows onto the skull of the man who had dared to threaten his family, only stopping his attack when he heard his daughter’s screams. Spinning around he saw she’d hid her head in her hands, unable to watch her Dad as he smashed in the brains of another man.

Dropping the weapon to the floor he sat down and wrapped his arms around his girl. “I’m sorry love, but I had no choice. I couldn’t let him harm you or your brother.” Rivers of tears soaked into his t-shirt as she buried her face deep into his chest.

“Dad …” Jack was peering out of the window. “You’d better get over here and have a look at this.”

Breaking free from his daughter’s grip he joined his son. Pulling the curtains slightly open they saw two men in their thirties staggering down the gap in the caravans. Even at distance and through the heavy rain, the moonlight shone on them just enough for Gordon to see they were not quite right. Like Conner, they were soaked through in blood. A woman out walking her little terrier bumped right into them as she came hurrying around the corner, no doubt trying to escape from the rain. Pouncing on her as soon as she appeared they pulled her to the ground and tore at her flesh with their teeth and hands. The screams of her pain and desperate calls for help brought another half dozen more men to the scene. But they were not coming to her aid but to join the party, to join in on the feast. Even that yapping, little excuse for a dog was picked up and devoured by one of the eager monsters.

“We need to get the hell out of here now, Dad,” Jack whispered. “It’s like we’re stuck right in the middle of some frigging zombie movie.”

“For the last time,” Gordon snapped back. “Will you quit it with all the swearing?”

“Please tell me you’re kidding me on,” Jack just stared at his father in disbelief. “We’re watching someone being eaten alive, you’ve just brained a man with a frying pan and all you’re worried about is my shitty language?”

“What’s going on out there, Dad?” Calling out from the seat, Katie tried to break their angry eye contact. After the last couple of years of them locking horns she had become an expert at breaking them up.

“Don’t you worry honey,” he said as he pulled the curtains tightly closed. “Just stay nice and quiet please.”

“We need to go now,” Jack carried on as soon as his father turned back to face him.

“It’s not that easy son,” Gordon slumped back down on the seat and stared at his kids. “They shut the gates after dark for security; they don’t want anyone sneaking out with one of their caravans. The only way to open it is from inside the Office itself. If we drive over there we’ll never get out, you saw how quickly they appeared when there was some noise.”

“So what are we gonna do then? We can’t just stay in here.”

“You and your sister will be staying right here. I’ll sneak over to the office, open up the gates then get back so we can all drive out.”

Staring at each other; the twins could not believe what he was saying.

“I’ll only be gone for about twenty minutes,” Gordon said as he put his heavy coat back on. “Just keep quiet and out of sight and you’ll be just fine, trust me.” Opening the kitchen cupboard door he tripped out all the little circuit breakers. “Just in case the power comes back on,” his eyes glanced up the lights.

“I’ll come with you, Dad,” Jack grabbed his own coat. “You’ll need someone to watch your back.”

“No son, I need you stay here with your sister. I promise I won’t be long.”

Without another word he peered out the window and made for the door, silently opening it and soon disappearing deep into the rain and darkness.

“Where the hell is he?” Jack’s glare was still stuck on the outside. “He’s been gone for over an hour.”

“Do you think they got him?” Katie whispered.

“I don’t frigging know sis,” he snapped back. “But I do know I ain’t hanging around here just waiting for them to find us.” Standing up he grabbed his coat again. “I’ll be back in about five minutes, just gonna have a little look around and then come back.”

“No … please Jack, don’t you
dare
leave me alone.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”

“Yeah, that’s what Dad said.”

Katie sat alone in the darkness for nearly another hour. They had both now left her and not returned. On hearing the beasts mulling around outside with their deep moaning filling the air, she knew it would only be a matter of time before they found her. And she knew only too well how that little meeting would end. Throwing on her own coat she peered out through the frilly curtains again. The blood and rain drenched beasts still wandered up and down the lines of caravans searching out fresh victims. She would never be able to get out the door without being seen, she needed to find another way.

Squeezing herself out of her father’s little bedroom window, she gently dropped down onto the heavy mix of mud and grass. Inch by inch, yard by yard Katie worked her way through the maze of metal trying to get to the Offices while keeping out of sight of the undead. Dozens of them lumbered to and fro as they peered through the windows of the caravans and fumbled away at the doors in a usually futile attempt to get inside. The surrounding storm provided Katie with the cover of noise from the thunder and poor visibility through the rain.

Peering ahead she saw them, her father in that well worn yellow windcheater disappearing around the side of a caravan and following about a dozen feet behind was Jack. Both her heart and her legs sped up as she hurried to catch them, Katie called out but she was too loud, the old zombie inside the caravan had heard her.

Moving itself towards the girl the undead woman’s eyes seemed to widen with delight at finding some fresh meat, but it too stopped for a second as it saw its prey being grabbed.

“Keep quiet,” Jack’s voice whispered in Katie’s ear. “Just keep frigging quiet girl. I’ll deal with her.”

Marching forward he swung the lump of wood in his hand down on top of the woman’s skull. Just like he had watched his father do earlier, he pummelled his weapon down again and again on their attacker’s head as it lay twitching on the ground.

“Where’s Dad gone?” Katie said as she joined her twin, trying not to look too closely at the mashed up brains that were gently oozing out over the ground.

Grabbing her arm he pulled her away before the noise attracted any more company. “I’d almost caught up with him when I heard you. Come on, we’ll find him again.”