I Dream of Zombies (Book 2): Haven (27 page)

Tommy kept his eyes on the floor and simply nodded in reply. He covered his mouth with his hand.

The commander coughed and cleared his throat. “Parsons and Jeremiah were set upon first. Green killed the two undead that attacked Jeremiah and Marla saved Parsons. The number of undead are vague. Estimates vary between six and eleven. It was an entire family, by all accounts. The team heard more screams coming from the attic, up to which a ladder led. Marla was the first up, but it was dark and full of the dead. When Green got up there, he said he could not help her. She had tried to protect two young girls who had gone up there – he assumes it was to escape. Marla had been bitten when he got there.”

When Caballero stopped talking, Tommy finally looked up, his eyes glazed. “Then what? Did they
just leave her?”

The commander looked away. “Green shot her.”

Tommy flinched. Gripping his hands together, he stared at them for a few seconds, hesitating before asking his next question: “Did you bring her… her body back?”

Caballero shook his head. “No. I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

The commander looked crestfallen and stumped for words. At length he closed the file and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t think I can answer.”

“But I need to know. I need to know everything.”

“Tommy, there wasn’t a body to bring back.”

Wednesday, 14

The metal door clanged. “You have a visitor!” a male voice called out.

Marla opened her eyes and stared at the brick wall, dismally remembering where she was and
discovering that she was shivering with cold in her vest. Raising herself on the single mattress, she put on her black hooded top, swung her legs and stood up on the concrete.  The bulb hanging from the ceiling lit up and she covered her eyes with her right hand. Wondering who the visitor was, she took a step forwards, but stopped when the door began to open. A soldier entered carrying a rifle.

She blinked until her eyes adjusted to the light and put her hand down. Her body felt hot and sticky, and she imagined that she stunk by now. “Who are you?” she asked.

The man did not reply, but seemed to be waiting. Perplexed, Marla glanced at the door again as a familiar figure entered. He nodded to the soldier for him to wait outside the cell. No one closed the door.

“I wouldn’t think of trying anything,” said Jakob. “He has orders to shoot you if you do.”

Marla scowled. “How long are you going to keep me here?”

“That, my dear, depends on you.”

“I’m not your dear.”

“Mmm, to my dismay,” he answered with a smirk. “So how are they treating you here?”

“You’re funny. You didn’t answer my question.”

He laughed. “You’re not really in a position to be asking questions. Had any visitors?”

She shook her head, knowing he knew the answer.

“Ah, everyone seems not to care what happens to you. That’s a shame.”

She bit her tongue and chose to simply endure the man’s presence until he left.

His eyes took in the
worn, dirty mattress, and metal toilet and sink. She followed his gaze to the toothbrush and paste they had given her, which rested by the taps. Apparently, they didn’t want her to get any cavities, she thought wistfully. She’d rather have a fresh set of…

“I imagine you’d prefer some more clothes and your things,” Jakob
stated, as if reading her mind.

She took a step back and frowned.

“I can organise that for you if you are… mmm, cooperative.” He smiled.

Marla did not smile back.

“Do you want to cooperate with me?” he asked.

“What do you want to know?”

“Who knew you were going to nose around the basement? Who helped you?”

“No one,” she replied.

“I see, so none of the soldiers, scientists or anyone? None of your friends? You just used my pass and came across my lab purely by accident?”

She nodded. “There were
dead-lookers down here before, so I wondered what else.”

“Oh yes, I’d forgotten what you call them. Pleasant. In fact you don’t look as attractive to me today as you normally did? Have you changed something?”

She ignored him and focused on a speck of dirt on the wall by his head. If only she could knock his skull against it.

“You know, if you’re willing to be nice to me, I could get you out of here.”

Marla looked him solidly in the eye. “You are kidding me?”

“Do I look as if I am? No one cares, Marla. I’m the only
one who cares about you and whether you ever leave this cell. No one knows you are here,” said Jakob, crossing his arms with a look of superiority.

“My s
ister?”

“She has no idea.”

“What have you told her?” Marla asked and then she felt annoyed for allowing herself to be riled by him. Everything he said was unreliable anyway. He was relishing this.

“But
, as I said, if you are willing to cooperate, I can help you.”

“I have cooperated. No one else knew. I want to speak to Caballero.”

“There’s only me to talk to. And you know what I’m getting at, Marla. It must be getting lonely for you in here…”

“Not that lonely.”

He ignored her. “I’m not going to force you to do anything. Where would the fun be in that? Think about it. If you want to leave here you only have to say yes.”

She
gaped at him in disgust. “Over my dead body!”

He laughed.

“But then you seem to like that kind of thing,” she added.

Jakob
glared at her for a second before striding out of the cell. The metal slammed behind him.

Alone again, Marla sank down on the mattress. It finally dawned on her that they might never let her out at all. She
had assumed they would question her and release her, or transfer her to another facility at worst, but allow her some contact with her sister.

Tommy. What must he be thinking?
He warned her, but she didn’t pay any attention as usual.

Surely he and Ellen would go to Caballero and demand to know her whereabouts? They would ask. He would
demand an answer. But they would lie to him, she realised. Tommy would never know. They could tell him and her sister anything they wanted. She was powerless.

Marla rested her head on her knees. There was no one at all who could help her now.
No one, except Jakob.
He still wanted her and she could use this need of his as a bargaining tool. But if she relented to what he wanted would he keep his word? The thought revolted her. She drew her knees up against her chest and considered it for an endless time. Finally, she lay down on her stomach facing the door.

Ellen, Tommy, I’m sorry
. I screwed up.
If only she hadn’t taken Jakob’s security card.
What a stupid, stupid idea.
Why was she so stubborn, impatient and reckless? The events in the library would have scared off any normal person.
But
I’m not normal, obviously.

Gazing down at the marked and dented concrete, she watched a black spider scuttle towards the exit. There’s really no way out, she thought, as it paused halfway.

Friday, 16

“This is it,” said one of the men as the rumble of the engine died.

“But this ain’t Salisbury,” the other one pointed out.

“There’s no way I’m driving there. It’s overrun, man. The last patrol there turned back. Why should we take any risks?”

“But we have orders…”

“Who is going to know? You tell me. She won’t last a minute.”

The other man didn’t
answer again. Marla heard the clink of keys and smelt cigarette smoke.

“This is where you get out
. Guess you’ll be getting out right
now
.”

The tape ripped across her mouth, stinging
, and she gasped the air into her lungs. “What are you going to do?” she asked, trying to calm her erratic breathing.

“Me?” asked the man with a
gruff edge to his voice. “Nothing, unfortunately. I have orders to leave you here at this time, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

“Where am I?”

“You’ll see soon enough and the sun will be going down soon, so I don’t fancy your chances. Shame,” he spat.

Marla sucked in a breath. “So
, tell me where I am, please.”

“
Amesbury,” another man cut in. “Population 9,000, so you’ve got a good few thousand rotting corpses to look out for here.” He chuckled.

Marla swallowed, not recognising either voice. “You’re
dumping me here? Why?”

“Apparently you’ve been sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, but someone has a soft spot for you, because I’m allowed to give you your gun and your knife. Guess that way you’ll last longer than five minutes.”

“But don’t even think of coming back to the facility. You’re on the wanted list and not in a good way,” added the other guy, laughing loudly at his own joke. “You wanna do the honours, mate?”

As Marla
moved her head around blindly, she felt herself being dragged along in a sitting position. The cords around her hands were released and she grasped her fingers together in front of her. A door opened and a cool breeze slapped her cheeks. She inhaled the fresh air and stumbled forwards as her feet hit the ground. Arms caught her and steadied her. Luckily, her ankle held. Shuffling her feet, she raised her arms to feel for the blindfold.

“Wait
!” the man instructed. “Don’t take it off until you hear us go, or I’ll shoot you where you stand. And think yourself damn lucky we didn’t harm you.”

She flinched and did as she was told, her heart thumping in her chest. If night was coming
, they might as well kill her now, but clearly, someone thought it amusing to dump her here, helpless and alone. It wouldn’t surprise her if Jakob and Acre were watching from somewhere, simply to see how long she lasted. Behind her, an engine roared into life and she listened as the tyres sped away. Once the sound had faded away, she pushed the blindfold over her head. It dropped to the ground.

Marla blinked
against the dying sun. At her feet lay her trusted Glock and knife in its sheath. With a sigh, she bent down and picked them up, placing the knife in her pocket. Turning the gun over in her hand, she checked the magazine. It was full. Seventeen chances and that was it.
More than a cat’s nine lives.
Her watch said 8 p.m., so she had less than an hour to find somewhere safe.
Not long.

Sighing again, she
looked around the empty street. How had she got herself into this mess? Would she ever see Ellen and Tommy again? She knew the answer and stripped it from her mind. Gripping the gun, she hastened away and turned the corner.
Porton Road.
The name rang a bell and she remembered it from the only other time she’d been here. If she remembered correctly that was.

Quickening her pace, Marla glanced
to either side of her. To the left there was nothing but empty concrete – clear as day – but to the right was a thick mass of trees. She kept her eyes peeled and headed on swiftly until she reached a roundabout. Remembering the way from previously, she turned right on to London Road. The endless green continued on her right-hand side while a car park opened up on the other. Vehicles were parked neatly in their designated spaces, seemingly incongruous under the circumstances, but they had clearly been abandoned. She wondered what the huge buildings were, but made haste, maintaining her alertness while the blood roared in her ears. In a way she dared not breathe, but the lump in her throat was a constant reminder of the fear that threatened to break out and render her weak.

Stopping for a moment, she turned and surveyed the
rows of cars. One idea would be to take one and drive somewhere else. She wondered if there was time enough to do that or whether it made more sense to find somewhere safe for the night and then plan what to do in the morning. She peered up at the sky, as if it held the answer, and then stared up and down the road. It was too silent; unnerving. Every shadow seemed to swim across her vision. It appeared safe, but she knew otherwise; nowhere offered that advantage any more.

Gripping her gun, she stepped over the small
, concrete wall and approached the cars slowly. Ahead something moved and she froze. Holding her breath, she listened, hearing nothing.
False alarm.
Marla took a few more strides and then turned towards the nearest cars: a Skoda, a BMW, a battered-looking Beetle and a Ford. Peering into the windows of the latter, she pulled on the door handle, but it didn’t budge. Next she tried the Beetle – same story. She headed on to the BMW, hoping against hope, and then it moved again; something at the edge of her vision. Turning, she raised her gun and took a step backwards, listening. As she stared, eyes wide and heart racing, they appeared; three of them, once human and now almost skeletal. The skin on their faces had long gone and the muscle looked to have been worn away. The skulls beneath peered back at her through dark pits for eyes.

Marla turned and ran.
Knowing they would follow, she did not stop until she was past the car park and alongside the next building. Its wall, long and continuous with nowhere to hide, gave her an opportunity to catch her breath, resting her hands on her knees. She could have sworn there were shadows among the trees, but perhaps she was seeing things.

Straightening up, she pushed up the sleeves of her
black, hooded top and walked briskly onwards, focused on finding somewhere safe. Out of the corner of her eye something shifted, but she ignored it and pushed on. Whatever it was chose to stay beyond the tree line. She wondered if it could be as afraid of her as she was of it, but then she remembered they were devoid of emotion.

Crossing the road that turned down to the left,
Marla headed straight and spotted a signpost for the supermarket where Caballero had placed a poster on the way to the church that day. Cursing him beneath her breath, she observed the industrial estate and car park to the right. It looked vacant and once again there were many vehicles, but she would need something to use to break into them if they were all locked. With a grimace, she wished Tommy was there to open one and hotwire it. How she wished she’d asked him to show her how to do it, instead of goading him for his choice of life skills.

A couple of homes sat on their own
to the left, their gardens neat with fragrant rose bushes. Even in the dimming light, they looked beautiful, Marla thought wistfully. Another industrial estate and car park loomed ahead, this time on her side of the road. Reaching a bus stop, she paused for a second to scrutinise the map inside the metal shelter. Come morning, if she made it, she intended to come back and unscrew the frame with her knife and take it out, so at least she would be able to find her way around town.

Eyeing the
houses, Marla weighed her options.
Go in or not? What will I find inside?
She sucked in a breath and steadied herself. Darkness would arrive soon and she was running out of time. There were the industrial buildings, basically warehouses, or there were homes. The warehouses had the advantage of being bigger, but the houses offered a smaller space to check, locks on the doors and windows, and curtains to hide behind. But then her scent… she would have to conceal it somehow.
Nine thousand people.
She shivered despite herself. 

The murmur made her jump and she did a full turn to survey the street. A line of grey blurred in the distance. It was moving. Although she could not make out their details, they were already too close. Turning, she ran past the two houses and across Holders Road, towards the industrial building.
Where to stop, where to stop?
She couldn’t keep running, but there was no one to cover her. She was alone. There was no one.
No one!
And soon… No, if it came to that, she would shoot herself. There was no question of it. She was prepared to do it, if it came down to it, to never become one of those…
One of what, Marla? They’re like you – they’re all like you.
Shaking her head, she kept running until the warehouse was behind her and a mass of dead-lookers blocked the road ahead.

Marla stopped with a jolt and panted for breath.
This is it! Fuck!
There was nowhere to go, and the bastards knew it when they dropped her here. There was simply not enough time to find somewhere safe. There was no time. It had already run out when they drove away. All around her, on both sides sat houses, their dark windows staring out like forbidding eyes and every door sealed shut, concealing who knew what, but she had to choose one. Sandwiched in the middle of the dead, she had to choose.

Marla raised her gun and stepped ba
ckwards. She peered over her shoulder, only to learn what she already knew: the walking corpses in front were closer than the ones to the rear. To get to the nearest side road, she would have to run forwards, straight into them, and she only had seventeen shots.
Seventeen lives; better than a cat.
The dead drifted closer as she considered her options and time seeped once more, sinking like sand into the cracks in the road, weighed down by the sky that appeared to be sinking lower towards her skull. Her instinct was to scream in hopelessness, anger and frustration, but it would be to no avail and bring the grisly horde upon her.

The mindless groan carried towards her through the otherwise silent air.
They knew.
They had already smelt her before she saw them and now she was visible. Marla could almost sense their elation, their appetite, their need for her as she stepped backwards. The only escape route she could fathom was the warehouse. Drawing a deep breath, she dipped her head and sprinted down the side of the building, hoping her ankle would hold. Skidding to a halt by a black-painted door, she hopped slightly on her other foot and turned the handle, but it did not budge. Almost crying out, she tugged on it again and again, but it was useless. Resisting the urge to kick it, she blinked back the wave of panic and ran on further, towards the place where the wall ended. She turned the corner and ran straight into him.

He raised his head and his mouth seemed to shift into a grin, except he could not have smiled
, so bereft of any emotion, as he was. The blood congealed in a lump across half of his face was swarming with flies, eating away at it, laying their eggs in the dead life. Marla stepped back, almost tripping. She stuck out her left hand against the safety of the wall to balance. The creature groaned and she turned around, only to bang into something solid that lived without breathing, the maggots writhing right in front of her face.

Marla
swallowed to stop from screaming. Ducking, she raised her gun and fired at the second dead-looker. Blood and brains splurted over the top of her head, soaking her hair and streaming down her face. Arms pawed at her back, seeking to rip the flesh from her bones. Spinning around, she fired again. Nausea swept through her as the creature collapsed on to the pavement, its head an inhuman mess. Feeling her way along the wall, Marla peered around the corner. They had come.

The car park yawned wide open behind the building and she raced across it, her breath coming in
quick bursts.
So many vehicles, but no time.
Her choice would have to be a house. She would just have to go into one. Try the doors until one opened. Fifteen chances left and then her knife, and then… Swallowing, she kept on running, not the least bit curious to look back. She knew what was coming, sensed them, felt them. Insatiable and relentless; always, they would be there.

A movement caught her eye and she paused. It was ahead, yet
going back was out of the question.
Shit!
She stopped. The horde was here. They filled all the space she could see on the other side of the building. There was no time. None. She was out of time. Whatever was there, she’d have to go past it.

Gripping her gun, Marla started to run again,
sweeping past the rows of cars and onwards. There were two directions to choose from. The road going to the right was signposted The Drove, but the other route to the left was narrower, basically an alley, and it led back in the direction she had just come. A line of huge double bins lined it, like an obstacle course. She checked the other way.
The Drove. It’s residential. I can find a house.
It was an easy choice. Taking a breath, she stepped towards it as a hand grabbed her own and pulled her back. Cold fear overtook her as she turned. A pair of eyes stared out from a dirty face, half concealed by a dark blanket patched with skin. The man drew it down and smiled at her.