She squinted and took a step closer to the store’s window. She was sure she could see a head. She shouted towards the counter, not knowing if Baldwin was there or not and walked back outside, her eyes not moving from the person shaped thing a hundred yards away. It was why she did not hear the patter of bare feet before the arms crashed into her.

  CHAPTER NINE

  BALDWIN

  The scream pierced Baldwin’s thoughts, making her almost drop the keys she was holding. She ran out of the small back office, vaguely aware of the shifting shadows and scuffling sounds beyond the large glass store window, which then shattered as a body fell through it.

  Ignoring the stinging shards which covered her face, she leaped onto the flailing corpse on the tiled floor, her knife tearing away at the back of its skull as it struggled to get up.

  Without warning it spun around, grabbing her wrist and with a strength she couldn’t withstand, pushed her back through the gaping hole, taking the remaining panes of glass with them both. She tumbled backwards over the lip at the base of the wall, twisting her body so her skull wouldn’t hit the concrete, and managed to land on her side as the thing’s mouth snapped at her face. Only being partially aware of the flurry of movement around her, she slammed her blade into the base of the thing’s head, driving the blade upwards, and for a moment she feared the effort was insufficient, but it arms fell to its side, and she pushed the dead thing away.

  The undead were everywhere. Manic blurs which flitted and surged in all directions. Through the melee she tried to make sense of where the others were, tried to see through the bodies if the truck was still parked near the pumps, but it was gunfire that drew her attention to her left.

  The undead had the same reaction, flocking towards the entrance to what appeared to her to be a small fire station. With no radio she had no way to communicate with the others, but another burst of gunfire came with shouts.

  She ran towards the building, but stopped abruptly on being confronted by one of the animated corpses. A woman, with ripped pants and t-shirt, large lacerations obvious across her midriff. Their eyes, despite being pure white were fixed on Baldwin as she inched her way along the wall of the store, then without pause the creature surged forward. Baldwin pivoted at the last second, pulling on the creature’s wrists and dragging it with full force into the bare brick wall, where its skull cracked on impact, its distorted features then tying to turn back around to have another lunge at the still breathing being by its side, but Baldwin slammed the blade into the side of its neck repeatedly, until the head fell limp on the thing’s chest, the rest of it collapsing to the concrete.

  She continued with her original plan and ran to the back of the building, looking for any way in, and quickly saw the single red door, which flew open before she got within a few feet of it.

  Lauren and Ron staggered out, the former bleeding from various places across her arms and face, but it was the older man that appeared to be in more trouble. Baldwin ran forward, lending him a hand. “We can’t get to the truck!” she shouted.

  He nodded without replying, seemingly out of breath.

  “They’re coming!” screamed Lauren as a torrent of bodies emerged from the front of the lot, streaming in their direction.

  The roar of a heavy engine overwhelmed even the sound of a few hundred boots and feet on the concrete, and they all spun around to face a semi-truck, minus its trailer smash directly through the middle of the wave of undead that was about to fall upon the group of three, sending limbs flying while crushing torsos and bones beneath its wheels.

  It screeched to a stop beside them, as Lucas and Kelly jumped down.

  “Get him up here!” shouted Marge while flicking her attention to the side mirror and the image it contained of zombies getting back to their feet, while others continued getting closer.

  Helping Ron into the rear cabin, everyone followed, with Baldwin dropping into the passenger seat as Marge pushed down on the gas, the vehicle turning in a wide arc, knocking down other walking corpses that were trying to grab hold of the chrome fender and blood stained grill.

  It bumped back onto the road, accelerating away from the horde which had stopped chasing.

  “Where we heading?” said Baldwin.

  “South. We’re now closer to the farm than the camp.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  CLARA

  Clara’s eyes were closed as she stood on the wooden walkway, listening to the birds chirping in the pines. No images of horror were imprinted on the inside of her eyelids, and she absorbed the moment, enjoying the cool morning air and sound of the crashing water over the rocks some ten-feet below. She wiped away a tear as the sound of footsteps came upon the boards.

  She turned around to face a woman of slightly older years than hers, that she had already met a few times and who had gotten all the newcomers a tent to sleep in.

  Despite the gloom cast by the towering rock faces above, Harper’s smile was obvious beneath her red baseball cap. Her brown ponytail sticking out of the back of it.

  “I see you’re an early bird as well,” she said.

  “More a case of not being able to sleep. Nightmares…”

  Harper nodded, looking out to the tumbling river that cascaded down the ravine. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like to…” She could tell Clara did not want any prompting to relive her past week. “Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, that we’re building another set of shacks today. You and your friends will be welcome to some of them.”

  Clara smiled with a nod.

  Harper looked at the surrounding forest. “As you can see, we’re not short of building material or space. The problem is just manpower. Which is why I go along with Ron and Marge’s policy of bringing people here, even if it’s initially against their will, and then letting them make up their own minds, whether they want to stay or not.” Harper noticed Clara’s reluctance to agree. “I know, I know. I get it why you might not be onboard with that, and at the beginning I wasn’t either, but most of the people who are here, would not be if we had just asked them to come. And you can ask them all, they are glad we forced them.”

  Clara nodded, although she still didn’t agree. “What about Ron’s idea about going back to the facility on the island?”

  The older woman turned away, facing the river. “The siblings are in charge of bringing people to the camp, if that’s what they think is best.”

  “They might be able to get the vaccine.”

  Harper turned back. “No offence, but how do you know it truly was the vaccine that saved you? How do you know there wasn’t something else going on?”

  Clara didn’t. Confusion began to creep up from somewhere deep in her memories. “Look, even if there wasn’t a vaccine, saving those women is still something we should do.” She looked away. “Some things are worse than death…”

  “Maybe. Or maybe we will lose what we have here.” Before Clara could respond, Harper began to step backwards. “Breakfast will be soon, in the dining area.”

  Clara watched her walk back into the woods, along the trail, then looked upon the glistening rocks once more, and sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was return to the island, and she didn’t really care if the vaccine was real or not, but each time the fear of going back made the hair on her neck stand erect, she got angry. Angry at what the fake old man was doing to the people there, and she was sure of one thing, he had to be stopped.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  FORBES

  Duncan Forbes looked through the glass at the tubes protruding from the colonel, laying in the hospital bed. By Forbes’ side was another, older, man, one he didn’t particularly care for.

  “Why even keep this guy alive!?” enquired Michael. “Should have put the poor bastard out of his misery!”

  “He’s a useful experiment to see how much damage a human can take and still come back. He was also the last person to get close to the girl and those protecting her.”

  “He’s well past the point of no return, Duncan… but if that’s what you want, we will see what we can do. We’re pumping him full of a variant of the latest vaccine. Accelerates the lifeform growth throughout the system, but keeps it away from the brain. Basically steroids for it. If that doesn’t fix this guy, nothing will. But um…” He looked at Forbes. “No guarantee, what you’re getting back is going to be…fully human.”

  “I’ll take what I can get.”

  “Any idea of where they took the kid?”

  Forbes looked at the man with the obvious plastic surgery across his stretched features. “You’re talking to me about someone who’s gone missing?”

  Michael turned away with a frown. “You don’t know how difficult it is to vet people. It’s not like it’s the end of the world, right? I can’t go on the internet and find out about people! We have to use who we can to run this place. It doesn’t run itself! And if those in Cali want to…”

  Forbes had had enough of the former CEO turned cult leader and was already walking away, before he had finished his thought. He made his way down the corridor of the former care home for the elderly, then down the main stairs, passing several women all dressed in white, who smiled at him, then out of the building, where he stood for a moment on the wide stone steps, breathing in the cool morning air. A twin engined helicopter was sitting on the large lawn area, while every inch of other exterior space had become a small town of tents and buzzing machinery, all with soldiers milling around them.

  A rugged looking individual in fatigues came up to him.

  “Anything?” said Forbes to sergeant Boone.

  Boone shook his head, while running a hand over the bristles on his chin. “The Australian knows what he’s doing. Woodland is thick out there. There are a few maybes on the thermals from the UAVs. Yules is going over the recordings, but other than that, they could be anywhere within a four-hundred mile radius by now.”

  “And the woman?”

  “Paterson and Kenning are closing in on her location. Shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Good. Bring her to me as soon as you get her.”

  Boone nodded then looked at the building. “How is…”

  “He still might be useful.”

  The sergeant nodded again, turned, and headed back towards one of the tents, one that had a series of thick cables running from the back of it to a light-grey, steel plated box which hummed.

  Forbes walked to his own base of operations which was more austere. A small tent with a desk, laptop and single camp bed. It reminded him of his room on campus back in his university days. He moved inside, sat at his desk and brought his laptop back to life, then put in the passcode. A icon was flashing red. An incoming request for a conversation he did not want to have. He let out a breath, then clicked on the small red bell image, a large window then coming into existence with a stern looking woman, staring intently at the camera.

  “Where have you been!”

  “I was checking on the colonel’s con—”

  “Who cares about that idiot! He’s responsible for this mess! Tell me you know where the girl is?”

  “We have an idea of where…”

  The women pulled back one half of her flowing dark hair, over her ear, and leaned forward a little, her eyes shifting left and right before focusing back on the camera in front of her. “Do I need to remind you, that for you and your people to get the vaccine and stand any chance of surviving east of the wall, you need to find this kid?”

  “I know. We all know.”

  “Good, because Manter obviously didn’t. All of you out there, are never going to be allowed on this side of the wall. Your only chance of survival is the vaccine, and you getting that, is dependent upon us being able to synthesise more of it from the girl.”

  “I’m fully aware. We will find her.”

  The woman sat back a little, perhaps satisfied in the response. “You’re also not alone out there. We are receiving intel that there are at least three other ops teams in the vicinity. If they find her first…”

  “They won’t.”

  “Good.”

  The screen went blank and Forbes sat back, sighing again, feeling but ignoring the pains across his back.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  JOE

  Joe lay on the single bed, awake but afraid to move. Not because the movement would bring him pain, but in case it did not. He had come to accept his situation. That he might not be able to walk, but the previous night his ability to move his legs and feet had returned, albeit with a heavy amount of pain, and with it, brought a full night’s rest and hope that perhaps he would be fully mobile again. But hope could give you the worst kind of pain, and he had no capacity left for anymore disappointment.

  Grace was already up and out. Somewhere amongst the rooms of the large farmhouse, and from the voices, others were too, some outside the building, including what sounded like Tia and Owen, and Rain, who let out the occasional bark. He needed to be up. He needed to be involved. He had no doubt the military was scouring every inch of these mountains and woods, with the resources they had available, which meant despite the idyllic setting, he and the others couldn’t stay. They needed to head north, skirt along the border and then figure out how to get across the deadzone.

  He pulled back the sheet and inched his feet to the right, until they hovered in the air, and then with some effort and tolerable pain, pushed himself upright, swinging his legs around, so his toes then heel touched the rug on the floorboards. Holding the side of the bed, he stood, making the boards creak and waited for the pain to cascade down from his hip, but instead only a mild tingling spread along his leg.

  He looked around the room for something to act as a cane, but nothing was apparent. Shaking his head, he took a step forward when the bedroom door opened, Grace standing in the doorway, then rushed forward to lend him a hand.

  “Small steps!” she said as they made their way to the door.

  “Where’s Liz?”

  “Downstairs in the kitchen area. Whoever owns this place, keeps it well stocked.”

  Pain was beginning to return to his lower back. “I think I need to sit down.” He sat a little heavily on an old single wooden chair near the door to the landing, smiling.

  “You’re making good progress, but if you—”

  “I know. I’ve been through this before. I won’t push things unless—”

  Shouts came from somewhere outside which were accompanied with the sound of someone running on the dry dirt, and doors opening.

  He tried to get up, but the pain was too great. “What happening?”

  “Wait. I’ll find out.” She disappeared before he could ask her to help him get downstairs. Instead, he scanned the room again, quickly giving up, but as muffled conversation continued elsewhere in the building, he saw what he needed on the landing. An old stick, perhaps four-feet in height, with a fork at the end. Ignoring the pain as best he could, he stood, and quickly grabbing the weathered piece of wood, lodged it beneath his left shoulder and made his way along the landing, listening to the sounds below. The talk was of a truck approaching on the north road, moving in their direction. Aiden had spotted it while out, keeping watch. They had maybe two minutes before it got to them.

  Awkwardly, he descended the stairs, towards the group standing near the entrance which was open.

  “Is it the military?” he enquired.

  Liz came out from the kitchen, being shocked at seeing her husband. “You’re walking?” she said, her voice trembling a little from emotion.

  He continued to the bottom step. “Not sure if I would call it that.” He looked at the others for an answer to his original question.

  “Didn’t look like it,” said Aiden.

  Aaron looked towards the yard outside and the road beyond. “They might pass us by. It’s not possible to see any of the vehicles from…”

  The sound of a heavy engine drifted from beyond the trees.

  “Shit,” said Heather who appeared behind Liz from the kitchen. “What are we going to do?”

  Greg came from the same direction. “We hide. And if they stop and try to come in, we shoot them.”

  Grace, near the door, frowned. “They might be able to help us!”

  The engine noise grew louder. The truck was at the top of the road and would see the house within seconds.

  Aaron swore, pulling the door closed. “Everyone, get out of sight, in case they look through the—”

  The air brakes groaned as the semi slowed to a halt, its doors quickly opening.

  Aaron hid to the side of the entrance, trying to peek through the door’s glass at who was inside the vehicle, but all he could see were men he did not recognise, who were confidently approaching the building. “They’re coming this way!” he whispered.

  Joe was keeping low in the kitchen with Liz, Tia, Owen and a few others, all crouched below the counters in case the men moved around the rear of the property but instead there was only silence. He peered down the hallway. Aaron had gone from behind the door.

  The sound of a key sliding into its lock came from the other side, and Joe realised he was about to meet the owners. But as he braced himself to stand, gunfire erupted from outside.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  JENN

  The dashboard shook from the still rumbling engine. Jenn, who was crouched in front of her seat, shook her head, causing fragments of the windscreen to fall from her hair. She had seen the old man with the one hand, raise a rifle from the upstairs window of the farmhouse, before the others that were left in the truck’s cabin.

  “Shoot those fuckers!” shouted the slightly older woman, by her side, equally huddled beneath the large wheel. Gunfire filled the air again, but Jenn doubted any of it was making any difference. Without being given permission to do so, she pulled the latch down on the door, pushing it open as the cracks of bullets continued, some pinging off the exterior of the truck, then dropped down onto the tufts of grass at the side of the road as Marge tried to follow, but the General had other ideas. She quickly moved along the side of the vehicle, as the shooting from both sides subsided, and taking the chance ran from the rear of the truck into the woods, being careful to watch the windows at the side of the building for any other rifles poking out of windows. Seeing none she continued, keeping low but walking quickly through the undergrowth, until she was parallel with the back of the property, and made her way to a fence…