The Undead. The First Seven Days (102 page)

The man steps back to look up, but the outer wall blocks his view.
  ‘It will reduce our range yes, but we can fire from there, if that’s where you want us.’
  ‘How far will you be able to fire to, from the top of the inner wall?’ Howie asks.
  ‘Hmmm, now that obviously depends on the type of bow, we’ve got a few different ones here, but I won’t bore you with all that. I’d say most of us will be able to reach just past the first embankment.’
  ‘That’s great,’ Howie remarks, looking at Clarence, who nods back sincerely.
  ‘There won’t be any degree of aiming from that distance though, we’re working on the principle of there being a mass target and just firing into them, really.’
  ‘I think you’re probably right, but would you be able to get a fire arrow into that ditch from the inner wall,’ Howie asks, pointing out towards the last embankment.
  ‘Ah, now fire arrows have far less range and they’re a bugger to aim over any distance. But if you just want it into the ditch that will be easy enough.’
  ‘Good, can you make sure that you all have the ability to do that, when the time is right,’ Howie asks.

‘Okay, we can do that. We saw them being filled up with explosive material, are you relying on us to ignite them?’
  ‘I think we will be, is that okay?’
  ‘Yes, of course, is it okay to go up now and work out the best position?’
  ‘No problem,’ Howie replies. ‘Nick and Curtis are with our vehicle, speak to them and let them know what you’re doing.’

The man nods and joins the line of others walking back into the Fort.

Howie and Clarence turn to see the vehicles have now stopped and Chris is walking towards them, looking tired and drawn.
  ‘You look like shit, Chris,’ Clarence rumbles.
  ‘You too,’ Chris smiles back at him. ‘Mr Howie still looks fresh as a daisy though.’
  ‘It’s the easy living I had before all this,’ Howie jokes. ‘Honestly though, I am fucking knackered.’
  ‘We all are, Howie, we’ll need to rest when we can - otherwise we’ll all be falling asleep mid-battle,’ Chris replies, rubbing his beard.
  ‘So how is it?’ Howie asks, now yawning after the mention of being tired.
  ‘It’s all done,’ Chris replies. ‘First ditch filled with spikes and covered with the grass. You can still see it, but it’s quite well covered.  The... flatlands are completely covered with the caltrops...’ He trails off, seemingly losing his chain of thought.
  ‘I saw the deep ditch being filled,’ Howie takes up where Chris leaves off and nods to the area of the ditch. ‘We’ve got the archers ready to fire into it.’
  ‘Let’s get inside…’ Chris says, as the radio clipped to his belt comes to life with a hushed transmission:
‘Point north, point north, contact, I have contact.’
The voice is quiet but clear, the speaker holding his mouth close to the radio.

Chris scrabbles for his radio, pressing the button and speaking quietly.
 
‘Fort to point north, receiving you, what do you see.’
  ‘Zombies, lots of zombies all coming our way.’
 
‘How far out is he?’ Clarence asks, turning to look back up the road to the estate.
  ‘A few miles I think, Dave said,’ Howie answers.
  ‘
Fort to Point North, how far out are you?’

Silence follows Chris’s transmission.
 
‘Fort to Point North, how far out are you, I repeat how far out are you?’

Silence, then a sound of movement comes through.
  ‘Maybe he can’t transmit if they’re too close,’ Howie says, as they all stare at the radio.
  ‘Fort to Point North, hold down your transmit button twice if you cannot speak,’ Chris says quietly, the radio remains silent, then bursts to life with the sounds of struggling and the raised voice of a man shouting in desperation.

They all stare at the radio in silence, listening to the struggle and the shouts coming through, then the sound of growling, followed by a sickening, tearing noise and a scream.
  ‘Fuck,’ Howie mutters in horror, then the radio goes silent.
  ‘
Point West to Fort, I heard that, I’m bugging out.’
  ‘Fort to Points West and East, Roger that, come back, I repeat come back.’
 
The radio bursts to life with the sound of static and a high pitched squealing, they stand listening unsure who is transmitting.

The static and squealing fade but the line remains open.

One word is transmitted by a voice that only sounds part human.
 
‘HOWIEEEEEE.’
  ‘Fucking hell,’ Chris says in shock at the awful stretched out sound, looking at Howie.
 
‘HOWIEEEEEE,’
the same voice again.

Howie stares at the radio, his heart beating faster and faster and his stomach dropping.
 
‘WE’RE COMING HOWIEEEEEE,’
  the goading tones are loud and clear.

Chris and Clarence both stare at Howie.
  ‘Let’s go,’ Chris says, all signs of tiredness gone and his voice full of authority again.

His voice springs them to action as they turn as one. Chris runs ahead and pulls the gates wide open to get the vehicles back inside.

Clarence and Howie go straight through into the Fort, as Howie grabs his radio and holds it close to his mouth as he marches through the gates.
 
‘Howie to Dave, did you hear the last.’
  ‘Dave to Howie, Roger we heard the last, making ready now.’
  ‘Howie to Dave, I want all the people with weapons on the top of the inner wall, archers too, get Nick on the loudspeaker.’
  ‘Dave to Howie, Roger that
,
on it now.’
  ‘Howie to Malcolm.’
  ‘Malcolm receiving, go ahead Howie.’
  ‘Malcolm, can you get all the ammunition to the top of the inner wall and let the triage and hospital points know what’s going on.’
  ‘Roger that Howie.’
 
‘Clarence,’ Howie shouts across to the big man. ‘We need that fuel tanker in the estate, find the driver and get it taken in, use a car to bring the driver back.’
  ‘Roger,’ Clarence replies, before darting off into the camp.
  ‘
Howie to Dave, where do you want the fuel tanker placed?’
  ‘Dave to Howie, on the central road close to the edge of the estate
,
by the flatlands.’
  ‘Howie to Clarence, did you receive that?’
  ‘Clarence to Howie, Roger got it.’
  ‘ATTENTION PLEASE, ATTENTION PLEASE,’
Nick’s voice booms out over the loudspeaker on the Saxon. ‘CAN ALL THE PEOPLE WITH FIREARMS REPORT TO THE TOP OF THE INNER WALL, CAN ALL ARCHERS REPORT TO THE TOP OF THE INNER WALL,’ Nick repeats the message several times as Howie ploughs through the edge of the camp towards the police office.

The camp erupts with a sudden frenzy as the few closest to the radios hear the transmission, then they see Clarence and Howie running in and then the request made by Nick.
  People start running about, fearing the attack is taking place.

Parents grab children, as men and women alike grip their hand weapons - mayhem ensues and the volume inside the Fort is instantly raised.
  Howie makes it to the police office, bursting in to see the room now empty of people. The Sergeant sits behind the desk, Terri and Sarah next to her - all of them staring at the radio.
  ‘Oh, Howie,’ Sarah says, putting her hand to her mouth. ‘That was awful.’
  ‘Yeah, not very nice was it,’ Howie replies. ‘Any news on the boats?’
  ‘Nothing yet,’ Terri replies.
  ‘Get the children at the back and ready to load as soon as they get back, where’s Ted?’ Howie asks, looking around.
  ‘He went to the front,’ Sergeant Hopewell says.
  ‘I was going to ask him to go with the children, and err, maybe you too, Debbie, they’re going to need some strong people with them.’
  ‘Me? With children? Are you joking?’ Sergeant Hopewell blurts out.
  ‘Oh, is that a bad idea then? Just look at what you did here in a couple of days, Terri and Sarah too,’ Howie adds.
  ‘Sending the women and children away eh?’ Terri flares up, ‘Why can’t we stay and fight too?’
  ‘To be honest, because we’ll probably lose, and yes women and children need to be saved, those kids will need strong people and you’re it at the moment.’ Howie replies, with a firm voice and fixed expression.
  ‘As much as I hate to say this, I agree,’ Sarah says, looking to the two other women. ‘Howie’s right, three more out there fighting is not going to make a difference, but being with the children and mothers does make a difference.’
  ‘So, we run away while everyone else stays and dies?’ Terri says, indignantly.
  ‘If nothing else, we buy you time to get away,’ Howie says. ‘It’s up to you, but it makes sense to me, I’ve got to go.’
  Howie leaves the three women discussing the idea and marches back into the camp, heading towards the north wall.
  ‘Tucker, where have you been all day, mate?’ Howie says as he collides with the large recruit.
  ‘Mr Howie! I’ve got all the stores sorted; they were a bloody mess…’ Tucker replies.
  ‘Bloody hell mate, have you been doing that all day?’ Howie smiles at him.
  ‘Well, they had the wrong food types mixed together, no regard for the dates or perishable items, and some were stacked on the floor! So, I took one look at and thought, Roy, this won’t do. Even if that zombie army come tonight I want them to find nice, clean stores,’ Tucker explains, with genuine zeal.
  ‘Well done, mate, good for you, talking of food though,’ Howie says, still walking towards the north wall and realising how hungry he is.
  ‘Ah, now that is sorted, Mr Howie. I knew you’d all be hungry… so I’ve got some food already prepared.’
  ‘Really? Wow Tucker, that’s impressive mate,’ Howie says, looking with admiration at him.
  ‘It’s nothing special though, Mr Howie, just all the stuff we needed to use up. High energy food though, lots of carbs, you see I found loads of pasta and tinned meat and then there were vegetables that were going off, so I thought…’
  ‘Tucker, mate, it sounds great,’ Howie stops him as they reach the top of the vehicle ramp and walk towards the Saxon.
 
‘Clarence to Howie, we’re on our way now,’
Clarence’s deep voice comes over the radio.

Howie moves to the edge of the inner wall and looks down to see the tanker being driven down the road followed by a small car.
  ‘
Howie to Clarence, yeah I can see you now, be quick mate. Howie to points West and East, we’ve got a vehicle going to the estate now, we’ll be there for a few minutes only if you can make it back.’
  ‘Point West,’
a heavy panting voice says.
‘I’m not far away, I should make it.’
  ‘Point East to the Fort, likewise I’m running like a lunatic, no sign of the army from my position.’
  ‘Howie to Points West and East, Roger that, Clarence did you receive the last?’
  ‘Yeah
,
I heard it, keep running gents, because  we ain’t stopping for long.’
 
Looking up, Howie sees Nick gripping the GPMG and staring hard towards the estate and Curtis standing by the side of the vehicle, scanning with binoculars.
  ‘See anything, Curtis?’ Howie calls over.
  ‘Nothing yet, Mr Howie,’ he replies with the binoculars stuck firmly to his face.
  Howie looks about to see men running towards the waist high wall and finding positions, leaning down to rest their rifles and start scanning ahead.

The archers split into two groups, left and right, and concentrate on fixing strings to their bows and placing piles of arrows down at their feet.
  All along the line, men and women make ready and Howie notices some of them shake and tremble as they work with their equipment. Faces pale and drawn; the tension palpable.
  He moves along to see Dave at the far end, next to one of the cannon and speaking to a group of people. As he walks closer, Howie notices the heavy looking bundles stacked on the ground to one side, long ramrods being held by some of the men and powder bags ready to be loaded.

Howie stops as the group break apart, chatting amongst themselves.
  ‘Dave, how’s it going, mate?’ Howie asks as Dave steps over to him, the small man looking exactly the same as he did a week ago, with no sign of strain or tiredness.
  ‘Good, Mr Howie,’ Dave replies, with his usual refrain.
  ‘I think we’re about as ready as we’ll ever be,’ Howie says, looking back at the long line of people standing along the top of the inner wall.
  ‘Yes, Mr Howie, I think so.’
  ‘The cannon? Are they ready?’ Howie asks, looking down at the bags and piles of equipment.
  ‘Yes, although we don’t know the distance yet. Single shot can go quite far, but cluster or grape shot like this reduces the distance significantly.’
  ‘Like a shotgun then,’ Howie says.
  ‘Exactly like a shotgun, more spread but less range.’
  ‘Well, I guess we’ll find out in a bit.’
  ‘Yes, I guess so - I’ll try a test fire on each, when Clarence gets back in.’
  ‘So that tanker? Do you think it will go up well?’
  ‘Yes.’
  ‘But aren’t they designed to withstand heat and pressure?’ Howie asks.
  ‘Yes, but I put loads of grenades in it,’ Dave says, still devoid of expression.
  ‘Oh, well that’s good then. So have you ever fired cannons before?’
  ‘No, well… no not really.’
  ‘What do you mean?’
  ‘I’ve not fired a proper cannon before, not an old one like this.’
  ‘So what was it then?’
  ‘Similar.’
  ‘Similar? Similar how?’
  ‘I made one.’ Dave answers flatly.
  ‘You made a cannon?’ Howie asks incredulously.
  ‘Yes, although it was a one-time use only.’
  ‘Did it work?’
  Dave looks directly at Howie as though the question need not be asked.
  ‘Fair one,’ Howie says. ‘Tucker’s getting some food up for us,’ he adds.
  ‘Good, we can eat, then sleep,’ Dave says, with a nod.
  ‘Sleep? How can we sleep?’ Howie asks.
  ‘They won’t come yet,’ Dave answers, firmly.
  ‘We heard them on the radio, they said “…we’re coming for you Howieeeee,’ Howie tries to imitate the voice, making himself laugh as he does it, but trailing off when he looks at Dave’s deadpan expression.
  ‘They’ll wait at least a few more hours yet,’ Dave continues.
  ‘How on earth can you possibly know that?’
  ‘They’ve covered a long distance on foot, so they’ll be weaker now, plus it’s still light and we can see them coming, they know we know they’re here, so they know we’ll be ready for them,’ Dave explains. ‘So they will wait a few hours to rest and either attack during the night when we’re at out lowest ebb or first thing in the morning, when we’re all tired.’
  ‘Oh, yeah I guess that makes sense,’ Howie says reluctantly. ‘I hate it when you’re always right like that, in fact I want them to come now, just so you’re wrong,’ Howie says, smiling.
  ‘Maybe they will, Mr Howie,’ Dave concedes.
  ‘But you don’t think they will?’
  ‘No.’
  ‘You’re certain of that?’
  ‘Yes Mr Howie.’
  ‘How certain?’
  ‘I don’t understand.’
  ‘If you’re wrong, you have to sing a song on the Saxon loudspeaker,’ Howie says, trying to keep a straight face.
  ‘I have to what?’ Dave asks.
  ‘Sing a song on the Saxon loudspeaker, but only if you’re wrong.’