The Undead Day Twenty (34 page)

He stands outside in the shade of the doorway and looks up to Charlie trotting round the precinct. He looks at Meredith still sniffing the ground and thinks even the two animals are putting more effort in than he is. Lenski comes to mind with that stab of insecurity. Lenski has always been cold. She’s just a cold person. She cares and she shows she cares in the things she does but she isn’t warm or loving in the way that Paula or Marcy are. Maddox accepted that but her coldness stood out this time because he wanted and needed comfort, and it wasn’t there.

‘Fuck’s sake…Maddox!’

‘What?’ Maddox spins as Nick storms past holding a huge extension reel found in a cleaning cupboard at the back of the coffee shop. ‘I didn’t hear you,’ Maddox says, almost guiltily.

‘Yeah right,’ Nick says, going into the van to push the plug into the socket. He goes back out and into the coffee shop while pulling his multi-tool from his pocket. Maddox watches him go, wishing again to go after him to see if he can help. He watches Nick rip the wires from the coffee machine from the fixed electrical point on the wall then start splaying them out. Again an urge to start cutting the wires on the extension cable ready for them to be joined.

‘Maddox, eyes out,’
Blowers transmits.

‘Forget him,’
Cookey says back through the radio. ‘
I got eyes out and Charlie’s out there.’

‘Fair one,’
Blowers says.

Nick works fast. Stripping the coating to expose the wiring. It’s a bodge job and not without a level of danger too. He doesn’t know if the fuse in the extension plug will cope with the coffee machine but it’s worth a go. He uses electrical tape to join them then props the joined section on the counter and covers it with trays and heavy pots so no one touches it.

Maddox knows the van needs turning on now to get the power flowing. He could offer to do that. He could take the first step to bridge that gap.

Nick walks past him, unable to even glance at Maddox as he goes into the van, starts the engine and gets the power into the cable before going back into the coffee shop. A nod of satisfaction at the lights coming on. He draws his fingertips over the buttons, murmuring softly as he works out what button does what. Like Roy with a bow, Nick feels a connection to things like this. The mystery of them is exciting and unique. The figuring out of systems, circuits and the mechanics of things. He susses it out and works a way to get the grinder going to grind the beans then where that goes to get the water through as Maddox watches on and Blowers shakes his head for the thousandth time.

‘Is what it is,’ Blowers murmurs.

‘Yep,’ Blinky says, making Blowers aware he spoke out loud.

Like Roy with a bow, like Nick with electrical things, like Charlie with Jess, like Dave with knives, soldiering is what Blowers does. The instinct of it. The feel of it. The hundreds of things that make up what soldiering actually means.

His mind is ever running. Mo is with Paula and Marcy as they source the supplies they need. Mo is highly competent and Dave Trained so that means they are safe. Blinky is midway between them and the door. Cookey on the door. Nick is close. Charlie is outside. The other elders are down the street. The angles are covered. The entry and exit points are within sight.

That same mind also works out where the weaknesses are. The back of the shopping centre will be accessed by the service road that runs from the bend in the main street. That back area will have entrances and exit points and as yet, it has not been checked. That cannot be helped. They do not have enough units to deploy to all points so line of sight is the next safest option.

‘Blowers?’ he turns at hearing Paula call his name.

‘Here,’ he calls back.

‘Mo’s got into the outdoors shop,’ she says, walking into view at the end of the corridor. ‘We’ll get clothing and kit from there…there’s a Boots on the other side. Mo can get into that next so we’ll have wipes and a clean up here before we push on…that okay?’

‘Yeah sure.’

‘Howie still down the road?’

‘Yeah I think so…he hasn’t come up yet anyway.’

‘Nick? You got that machine on?’ She calls down.

‘It’s on,’ Nick shouts back. ‘Be ready in a minute…found long life milk too…I reckon I can make a proper cappuccino.’

‘Yeah?’ she smiles, ‘have a go…’

‘The spoke thing steams the milk right?’

‘No idea,’ Paula says.

‘Yes it does,’ Marcy shouts from further back, making Blowers wish they wouldn’t shout out like that when so much of the area is still unchecked. ‘Long metal bit, put the milk into a metal pot then turn the dial to get the steam going.’

‘Yep, got it,’ Nick shouts back.

‘Sorted,’ Paula says, walking back down the corridor to the outdoors shop. ‘How you getting on?’

‘Yeah fine,’ Marcy says, pulling wicking tops from the display stands. ‘We’ve got enough here for a few days…’

‘I’ll do underwear,’ Paula says, moving off towards the socks and undergarments.

‘Argh,’ Marcy spits and pulls back with a hand rubbing her face.

‘Cobweb?’ Paula asks, coming to a sudden stop as she checks round, up and anywhere that could hide a spider.

‘Third time now,’ Marcy says.

‘Lots of flies,’ Paula says, shuddering again and suddenly wishing to be outside. ‘You okay with spiders?’

‘Me?’ Marcy asks. ‘I bloody hate them…’

‘Same,’ Paula mutters, steeling herself to continue to the underwear selection.

‘I cannot wait to get changed,’ Marcy says. ‘Dry clothes, cold wet wipes and a bucket of moisturiser…and make-up remover, and cotton buds…and hairbands…my skin is sooo dry and sore right now…’

‘Yep,’ Paula says, working fast to shove packets of socks and underwear into a large basket. ‘My thighs are chafing. Are yours?’

‘Oh don’t,’ Marcy says. ‘We should get those cycle shorts things…don’t they stop chafing?’

‘Probably.’

‘Know what else I want?’

‘What’s that?’ Paula asks.

‘Perfume.’

‘Perfume?’

‘Yep, really really expensive perfume…couldn’t afford it before…’

‘Fair enough,’ Paula says. ‘Beats smelling of sweat I guess.’

‘And a diamond necklace.’

‘A what?’ Paula laughs.

‘With massive diamonds…and earrings…and a watch…’

‘Bracelet?’

‘Totally and rings too…proper blinged up.’

‘Innit blud,’ Mo quips from his position at the door, they both smile over at him, at the serious way he holds guard with his rifle slung and his pistol gripped in both hands lowered but ready.

‘Think Howie will mind?’ Marcy asks.

‘What’s that? Getting a diamond necklace?’ Paula asks, moving to grab another basket she starts filling with more kit. ‘We’ll need trousers too.’

‘Over there,’ Marcy says, nodding over her armfuls of wicking tops. ‘Think he’ll mind if we rob a jewellers? Get some diamonds and…’

‘Ha! Put a ring in his hand, stare for a few seconds then just walk off,’ Paula jokes.

‘Oh he’d shit himself,’ Marcy laughs. ‘Should do it for fun…when he’s in a better mood though. But seriously, we’re getting perfume. Nice perfume. And aftershave too. I love the lads but they stink…not you, Mo Mo, you don’t smell.’

‘Thanks,’ Mo says. ‘There’s a jewellers over there,’ he adds.

‘Is there?’ Marcy asks, walking over to peer out. ‘Oh yeah, you think you could get inside it?’

‘Yeah,’ Mo scoffs then coughs to be more serious and grown up. ‘I mean yes, yes I can.’

‘You’re so sweet,’ she says, grinning at him. ‘Paula, we’re breaking into a jewellers when we’ve done this.’

‘Okay, Marce,’ Paula says, smiling as she works. ‘We’ll take everything from here into that Boots and get some wipes, cleaning stuff and get them up in two’s and three’s to get changed and cleaned up.’

‘Roger,’ Marcy says, staring at the trousers. ‘What sizes?’

‘Just grab loads…I’ll sort them in a minute.’

*

'Fuck yes,’ Nick says, holding the metal pot full of long life milk under the spout that spurts steam and churns the milk into a frothy pot of goodness. The first one was awful. The second was terrible, the third and fourth not fit for human consumption but this is the apocalypse, this is the end of days so it doesn’t matter how many cups he uses.

Maddox has even moved inside to watch and as with all young men, he thinks he can do better and bites the urge to make suggestions.

‘How’s it going?’ Blowers asks, walking in to burst out laughing at the sight of the used cups scattered all over the counter.

‘Yep,’ Nick says focussing on the milk in the pot. ‘I’m a fucking barrister…’

‘Barista,’ Maddox says, unable to stop the correction coming from his mouth.

‘Whatever,’ Nick mutters. ‘Is the boss coming up?’

‘Not yet,’ Blowers says.

‘Give him a shout, I’ll get four made up for him, Clarence, Roy and Dave…Cookey?’

‘What?’ Cookey shouts from outside the café by the main door.

‘Come clear this counter.’

‘I’m watching Charlie.’

‘I can see Charlie from here,’ Nick says, turning to look at Cookey then pointing at the windows at the front.

‘Fair one,’ Cookey says, walking through the busted in door. ‘Latte frappuccino skinny sunny side up with a heaped serving of cunt for Maddox.’

Maddox could have cleared the side. Another chance comes and goes. Another shot of stubbornness mingled with an ever-growing sense of dislike for himself that he twists into a dislike for them.

‘Boss? It’s Blowers. You coming up?’

‘Oi,’ Nick blurts, ‘not now for fuck’s sake…’

‘You just said to call him,’ Blowers says.

‘I haven’t made the fucking coffees yet.’

‘Yep, we’ll come up now. Everyone okay?’

‘Yeah fine, Boss. Er…no rush though…’

‘Oh that was smooth,’ Cookey says, shaking his head at Blowers.

‘Fuck off,’ Blowers sighs.

‘No rush?’
Howie asks through the radio.
‘What’s Cookey done?’

‘Eh?’ Cookey says,
‘I haven’t done anything.’

‘
I’ve got a longbow.’

‘Oh Roy’s got a longbow,’ Nick says.

‘Er…okay, Roy,’
Blowers says, looking at Nick and Cookey with an expression of
what the fuck do I say?’

‘I’ll show you when I get up there.’

‘Er great, we’ll er…look forward to that.’

‘You sound almost excited there, Blowers,’
Marcy quips through the radio.

‘Wait till you see it firing,’
Clarence says.

‘Don’t tell them that,’
Roy says.
‘I want them to see it without knowing.’

‘Right,’
Clarence says.
‘Ignore my last.’

‘Now that is a fucking coffee…’ Nick says, pouring the frothy milk into the cup.

‘Where’s the chocolate shaker?’ Cookey asks.

‘Oh yeah, have a look…see if they got those things to make shapes…’ Nick says.

‘We should do a cock shape,’ Cookey says.

‘I’m not serving Dave a coffee with a cock on the top,’ Nick says, pouring more milk into the pot for steaming and making frothy.

‘Got it,’ Cookey says, holding the chocolate powder shaker up. ‘Blowers, put your dick over the cup so I can do a template.’

‘You want me to put my cock on Dave’s mug?’

‘Er…yes?’ Cookey asks.

‘I’m not putting my cock on Dave’s cup.’

‘Use that one in your pocket.’

‘What?’

‘The one you took from Meredith…the one you kept…for stroking at night…that one…use that one…’

‘No,’ Blowers says. ‘I’m keeping that one.’

‘Use a bit of cardboard…’ Nick says.

‘Fucking good idea,’ Cookey says.

‘Fuck’s sake, you can’t put cocks on their coffees,’ Blowers groans.

‘Fucking can,’ Cookey laughs, tearing a section of cardboard from a box under the counter. He pulls his knife and gets to work, slicing a template of a penis with an oversized head and two big balls at the base.

‘Next one,’ Nick says, pouring the frothy milk into the next cup. ‘Hurry up, they’ll be here in a minute.’

‘I’m trying,’ Cookey mutters with the upmost concentration.

‘Blowers, get some hot water in that mug for Reggie.’

‘Which one?’

‘That one…got the peppermint teabag in it.’

‘Got it…er…where’s the hot water?’

‘Put it under that nozzle and push the middle button.’

‘This one?’

‘Is that the middle one?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Then yes, that one you fuckstick.’

‘Fuck you,’ Blowers mumbles, pushing the middle button in and smiling as the hot water comes out.