Autumn exodus, p.6
Autumn - Exodus, page 6
They scrambled through a copse of trees and emerged outside the service station. ‘Now this looks promising,’ Chapman said.
The building itself appeared surprisingly insignificant, given the acres of carparks and greenery which surrounded it. It was a sullen, angular grey construction with raised walkways leading up to its uninviting entrance. He walked up to the doors and peered inside through the grubby glass. Sanjay stepped up next to him and forced them open with relative ease.
Light seeped in through the windows around an open-plan seating area, but much of the rest of the building remained shrouded in darkness. The muffled quiet inside was immediately disturbed by the sounds of a handful of resident cadavers reacting to the break-in. Chapman dealt with them swiftly before the rest of the group arrived.
Those people who’d had most exposure to the dead world beyond the walls of the Monument base immediately knew what to do. Sanjay, Ruth, Selena, and even Omar went from room to room, space to space, removing corpses and collecting up anything of value. Others began securing the entrances, using tables, chairs, and shop displays to block the doorway through which they’d entered.
David headed deeper into the building. He rattled the door of the nearest cubicle in the large restroom area to bring out the dead. ‘I get all the best jobs,’ he grumbled to no one in particular, and he jumped with surprise when a cadaver lunged at him from around a corner. He gripped it by the back of the neck and smashed its face repeatedly into a stainless-steel urinal bowl until it stopped fighting. He found another one trapped in a locked stall, a third stuck in a cleaner’s storeroom, and one more, butt naked in a shower, bouncing furiously off the walls. He slaughtered them all with nonchalance, barely a thought. He realised he’d long since stopped trying to work out their stories – who’d they’d been, how they’d come to be where they were on the day they’d died. He’d seen too much death to care anymore, and it worried him. The undead were empty shells, far removed from the people they used to be. He’d changed too; but what had he become?
He’d have probably killed Sanjay offhand if he hadn’t stopped him. ‘Jesus Christ, Sanj! What the hell are you doing creeping up on me like that?’
‘I didn’t creep up on you. You were properly in the zone. I’ve been trying to get your attention for the last couple of minutes.’
‘I’ve been busy.’
‘I can see that. It’s a bloodbath in here, mate.’
‘I’ve got a lot on my mind,’ David said, and he slipped past Sanjay and went back to the others.
#
There’d been no opportunity to eat yet today. Until now, nervous uncertainty had meant that food had been the very last thing on most people’s minds, but the adrenalin of their escape from the mall, coupled with the apparent safety and convenience of this new-found shelter, had rapidly altered the dynamic.
Marianne appeared more alive than at any time since they’d set sail from the centre of London. Most of the group had gravitated towards a seating area sandwiched between branches of Costa Coffee and Burger King, and she’d switched back to her old self again: energetically ordering folks about, coordinating the stockpiling of the supplies they’d found, and clearing a whole area so that people could rest and recover from their ordeal.
‘Don’t get comfortable,’ Noah said.
‘We need to rest.’
‘Yeah, but don’t get too settled. We’re not stopping. Couple of hours max.’
‘Who are you to tell me what we’re doing? I hardly even know you.’
‘Don’t be difficult, Marianne,’ David said. ‘You were part of the conversation just now. You know we’re not hanging around.’
‘Yes, but that was before we saw this place. We could make it into a bloody fortress. It’s safer than anywhere else we’ve been.’
‘But still not safe enough.’
‘We might not find anywhere else as good as this.’
‘It’s a frigging motorway service station,’ Noah sighed. ‘They’re everywhere. If you’re that much of a fan, let’s go find you one that doesn’t have thousands of corpses on the doorstep.’
‘There’s no need to be like that.’
‘There is, actually.’
‘Noah’s right, Marianne,’ David said. ‘We can’t stay.’
‘We haven’t even tried,’ Audrey protested. ‘Did you know there’s a hotel here? There’s a Travelodge at the back of us, room enough for everyone... this place is ideal. And anyway, how comes you get to make all the decisions?’
David shrugged. ‘I don’t. I’m not twisting anyone’s arm. If you want to stay, stay.’
Marianne was indignant. ‘I don’t think our opinions should count for less just because we can’t fight as efficiently as you can.’
David shook his head. ‘What are you talking about? Your opinion has always been listened to, Marianne. Many of us wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for you and your opinions. You’re a gobby, opinionated bugger, and we love you for it.’
‘Don’t try and butter me up, David. That’s not what I’m saying, and you know it. We’re out of London now, and we need to start thinking differently.’
‘Out of London, yes, but not out of trouble.’
‘I just think before we start running again, and before anyone else starts talking about Ledsey bloody Cross, we need to stop and think about our situation realistically.’
‘Bit late for that,’ Noah said, observing. ‘It’s the bloody zombie apocalypse. Realism went out the window months ago.’
She ignored him and continued. ‘The problem is, David, and I mean no disrespect, but you’re all still thinking about our situation in terms of your own skills and needs. The reality is we’re not all the same, but there are other, equally valid perspectives to consider.’
‘Let’s hear them, then,’ David said, looking around at everyone else. ‘Come on, speak up. If you want to stay here, say so.’
‘I’m with Marianne,’ Audrey said. ‘We’ve all got something we can contribute. If we all work together, I believe we could do well here. Those who can fight can hold the line, the rest of us will do whatever we need to make our lives more comfortable and secure. Cleaning, maintenance, preparing food, fortifying the building... there’s all kinds of jobs will need doing.’ She looked for a particular face in the crowd. ‘Georgie, why don’t you start going through everyone’s details and identify the jobs they can do. We’ll start drawing up a list of what needs doing and—’
‘And before you know it, you’ll be back in the exact same position you were all in at the Tower of London,’ Sam said. ‘You’ll be cut off. Surrounded.’
Joanne noticed he was soaked and out of breath. ‘Where’ve you been?’
‘Up near the motorway.’
‘And?’
‘And we’ve got company.’
‘Already?’ Marianne gasped.
‘Yes, already. Are you surprised? Have you not been paying attention?’
‘How many?’ David asked, concerned.
‘Enough. Twenty or thirty getting close.’
‘You can deal with that number, can’t you?’ Audrey said. ‘Your lot must have killed thousands by now.’
‘Our lot?’ Ruth said, incensed. ‘What the hell’s that supposed to mean?’
Sam shook his head. ‘You’re missing the point. You’re all missing the bloody point. They follow. It’s what the dead do. One coming this way is as bad as a hundred.’
‘Then all we need to do is stay quiet and wait for them to piss off again, same as always,’ Marianne said.
‘We’re past that point now. It didn’t work in London, and there’s no reason to think it’ll work today. We’re far more exposed out here.’
Concerned mumbles rippled through the group. Sam waited for the low noise to die down, then continued.
‘There’s something else you need to know. There’s a whole other herd.’
‘Where?’
‘There’s another section of the centre just to the west of here. A huge supermarket then a whole load of other stores beyond. After that, massive housing estates.’
‘And?’
‘And they’re closer than the bodies we came here to get away from. They’re already drifting this way.
‘We can sit it out.’
‘I don’t think so. It’s surprising how much you can see from up there. It all looks very different to how I expect it used to. The grass is overgrown, and there’s litter everywhere. No one’s been collecting leaves this year, so there are blocked drains and standing pools of water and—’
‘And what bloody point are you making?’ Audrey interrupted nervously.
‘Because nature’s taking everything back, it’s far easier to see where we’ve been. It’s harder for us to hide. From up on the road just now, I could see the damage Piotr and his cronies caused when they left. Looks like they looted everything on that side of the centre, then split, leaving a filthy trail. Tyre tracks on the road, bits of bodies everywhere.’
‘So?’
‘So, there are still corpses hanging around. There’s a whole load of them just waiting, like they’re holding on for them to come back.’
‘Bullshit.’
‘Go up there and look for yourself if you don’t believe me. It’s three days since Piotr was here, and they’re still out there in large numbers. What I’m saying is, once they know we’re here, we won’t be able to get rid of them. And that other herd already knows.’
‘We really can’t risk stopping here,’ David said.
Sanjay was at the window. ‘Sam’s right. I can see quite a few of them out there already. They look in better shape to the ones we were facing in London. They’re stronger and faster... not as badly damaged. They haven’t been crushed up against massive crowds, haven’t been burnt to a crisp. Seriously, I think we need to go.’
Marianne sat down, defiant. ‘I’m not leaving.’
‘Sounds like we don’t have much of a choice, Marianne,’ David said. ‘If what they’re saying is right then we must—’
‘I’m not leaving!’ she yelled at him, her voice uncomfortably loud. Around her, people cringed at the volume. She paused to compose herself, then explained. ‘I just can’t face going back out there. I’m sorry; I can’t do it. I know what you’re saying is right, but I just don’t think I can go any further.’
‘We might be able to hold on for a couple of hours here if we’re careful, just long enough so that everyone can get their breath back.’
Marianne shook her head. ‘No, David, I’m sorry. It won’t make any difference.’
Audrey put a reassuring hand on Marianne’s shoulder. ‘I’m with you, love. Seems to me that if we walk ‘til the cows come home, we’re never going to find anywhere better than this. If they followed us this far, they’ll follow us to Kingdom Come. I say we stay and spend the time before the dead get here making the place as strong as possible.’
‘Did you not hear me, Audrey?’ Sanjay said. ‘They’re already here.’
‘It’s a pipe dream, Marianne,’ David said. ‘I heard what you said, I understand the lure of a place like this, but consider. The dead will converge, more coming every hour, and soon we’ll be well and truly surrounded. Those nice fields we passed? It’ll look like Glastonbury for the damned. There’ll be no escape for us, ever. The hordes will park it here and won’t be drawn away again. They’ll eventually perish, but they’ll likely outlast us. We have to go now. The situation gets worse with every minute we stay.’
He started getting his stuff together. Around him, more people followed his lead. Marianne remained in her seat. ‘You’re not listening to me, David. I’m not going anywhere. I can’t start running again, not knowing if we’ll ever stop.’
‘Listen to me, Marianne, if you stay here you—’
Vicky grabbed his arm. ‘Fuck it. You’re wasting your breath. Let’s go.’
He shook her off and tried again. ‘If you stay here, you’ll likely not survive. I can’t put it any clearer than that.’
She looked up at him. ‘I do understand. But it doesn’t change anything. I know what my choices are; this is the safest I’ve felt all day, and I can’t go back out there.’
In the space of just a couple of minutes a clear divide had opened in the group. Some people were frantically preparing to leave, but many others clearly intended on staying put. Some began piling furniture up against the windows and doors, herding other folks deeper into the building.
The interior of the service station was alive with movement now. David tried to talk to Marianne again, but Gary blocked him. ‘Just go,’ he said. ‘I know you’re right, but I’m staying too. I’m out of shape and I’ve still got a dodgy leg... I’d just slow you down.’
‘Don’t be stupid, Gary.’
‘I’m not, I’m being sensible. Some of us can’t keep going, and you just have to accept that. I’ll get whoever’s staying organised and we’ll hold the fort. Take as many people as you can and get out of here. Set yourselves up somewhere down the road and send word back. We’ll get there as soon as we can. We survived London. We’ll survive this.’
David nodded but was struggling to find words. He looked over his shoulder and saw the leavers already making their way out of the back of the service station. He winced at the noise again when someone dropped a table against one of the windows, piling up furniture. Through a gap David saw that hordes of advancing cadavers were now visible. They really were a different sort than they’d fought in London; they’d have to hump it just to stay ahead of them.
Gary pushed him away.
‘Go. Now. We’ll sit out the storm then I’ll get them to follow later.’
David nodded and looked around. There was a map on the wall nearby, a simplified diagram of the motorway network. ‘We’ll try and go north. Up towards Cambridge. If we think Piotr’s gone east, then we’ll definitely avoid going that way.’
‘Okay. Leave signs along the way if you can.’
‘Will do. Thanks, Gary.’
‘Don’t thank me, just go. We’ll be with you as soon as we can.’
The first corpses slammed up against the entrance doors, pawing at the glass with greasy fists. Though they’d been conditioned to keep quiet, those people who were staying behind couldn’t help but react. Some moved to pile more furniture up against the windows, others scurried away in the opposite direction, desperate to be swallowed up by the shadows.
Gary held his machete ready to fight. ‘For the last time, go!’
David looked for Marianne. He caught a momentary glimpse of her sitting at a table, watching at the bodies clamouring to get inside. Between the dead flesh blocking the outside of the windows and the barricade being hurriedly constructed inside, the service station was rapidly filling with darkness and fear.
‘Come on, David,’ Sam shouted from near the rear exit. ‘We need to move.’
David reluctantly followed him outside, the last of a line of people moving as quickly and quietly away from the service station as they could. Some were already up on the motorway. He knew they were well spaced out, but Christ, there only seemed to be a fraction of the number of people they’d arrived here with. How many had stayed behind?
He ran to catch up with the others but stopped again when he made it up onto the motorway. From this height he had a clear view of the building he’d just escaped from and the rest of the vast shopping centre beyond.
Fuck.
There were tens thousands of bodies moving towards it, an unstoppable slick. Within the hour, all their exits would be blocked, and the place would be surrounded, encased by death. Eventually, inevitably, the dead would force their way inside. With nothing else to distract them, they’d just keep on coming.
He wanted to go back, but he knew there was no point. He’d drawn as clear a picture as he could, but Marianne and the others had been as determined to stay as he had been to leave. He couldn’t have forced them.
It didn’t compute. Irrespective of the speed of the dead, it had all happened so fast. A huge number of people, lost in a heartbeat.
9
Noah led the remains of the group along the silent M25. He estimated they had about six miles still to walk to get to Brentwood, and whilst he covered that distance each morning in half an hour, safe in his warm motor, they were resigned to a slog through rusting traffic and rotted muck. Close to London, this part of the motorway network had been heavily congested during the morning rush hour grind on the day the world ended. In places it was hard to find a way through the wreckage on foot. There were signs that Piotr and his cronies had managed to get vehicles through, but they’d had fewer people to worry about and had no doubt blitzed through without a care. Sam knew that, for now, this group needed to take it slow and steady. He hoped they’d find the amount of devastation reduced the further they got from the centre of the capital. If things stayed like this, he thought, they’d struggle to get far. At least one thing had gone in their favour. ‘You were right about the number of bodies up here,’ he said to Noah.
‘I’m right about a lot of things. People should listen to me more often.’
‘Who? We listened, didn’t we?’
‘Yeah, but look how many of your lot didn’t. That frigging idiot Piotr didn’t, neither.’ Noah kept his voice to little more than a whisper, conditioned by weeks of living alongside the dead. ‘I was doing alright until that dumb bastard turned up. I mean, it weren’t the height of luxury or nothing, and I had more than my fair share of scrapes, but I was getting by.’
‘Piotr has a habit of fucking things up for everyone.’
‘I get that impression. I heard plenty from Allison and Mihai. They’re not fans, believe me.’
Sam looked back at the rest of the group behind him. Every time he turned around, they seemed to be more spread out. He was worried they’d start leaving people behind at this rate. They were walking in almost complete silence, bunched up in twos and threes or alone, heads down, shuffling slowly...
