The Undead Day Twenty (4 page)

‘Morning fucktards…what the…actually I need a piss,’ he runs off for the downstairs toilet.

‘How many of us?’ Paula asks, pausing to squint while sorting the mugs. Howie and Clarence exchange glances. Shaking heads and shrugging.

‘Twelve?’ Howie suggest.

‘Thirteen?’ Clarence offers.

‘Fourteen,’ Paula says, resuming the placing of the mugs. ‘Lilly is upstairs…she doesn’t have sugar does she?’

‘Er,’ Howie says.

‘Um,’ Clarence says.

‘We’ll just put a sugar pot out,’ Howie says.

‘No she doesn’t have sugar,’ Paula says, nodding to herself. The two men watch as she deftly adds spoonful’s of sugar to mugs, one in this one, two in this one, one in this one, miss one, one in this one.

‘Do you actually know who has what?’ Howie asks.

‘Yep,’ Paula says, hesitating with a glance back at the row of mugs then resuming confidently.

‘No way,’ Howie says, he steps over and points at a mug, ‘who’s that for?’

‘Nick, white, two sugars in the morning, one sugar the rest of the day but he will drink it black and without if need be.

‘Fuck,’ Howie says in genuine admiration. ‘What about this one?’

‘Marcy. No sugar, only a dash of milk or half a portion of those little pots…’

‘This one…’

‘Roy, no sugar, normal milk or one portion.’

‘She’s a witch,’ Howie whispers to Clarence. ‘We should burn her.’

‘We should,’ Clarence whispers back.

‘Idiots.’

‘How do you do that?’ Howie asks.

‘It’s in order of us…’ Paula says. ‘I mean in order of us in my head…don’t you do that?’

‘Er, do what?’ Howie asks.

‘So it starts with you,’ Paula says, tapping the first mug. ‘So…Howie, white or black, one sugar prefers milk and actually doesn’t like instant coffee but will drink warm piss if it has caffeine in it. Then me, white no sugar. Clarence, he prefers tea but goes with coffee and likes it white with one sugar, Dave black no sugar, Blowers white one sugar but will do black no sugar and he does like tea but only if we have milk and he likes his tea strong. Nick white two sugars, same with tea but he can drink both without, Cookey white two sugars but will take black without and he prefers it milky so I always put two or three portions in his. Er…Charlie, white no sugar and loves herbal tea but will do black. Blinky, black for tea and coffee, no sugar. Mo Mo is the same as Cookey and has two sugars and likes it milky. Roy no sugar with only a dash of milk. Marcy, no sugar and only dash of milk or half a portion pot and Reginald has herbal tea…so er…oh and Lilly of course, who doesn’t have sugar.’

‘Oh,’ Howie says simply.

‘Needs burning,’ Clarence whispers again. ‘I don’t know how you do that, Paula.’

‘Magic,’ Paula says.

Upstairs, Lilly moves down the hallway but stops at the bathroom door on hearing movement inside. She goes to retreat in the way of good manners and the etiquette of not being caught waiting for the toilet.

‘Hey you,’ Marcy says, having detected movement outside with her hearing of a bat and opening the door to peer out with her toothbrush in her mouth.

‘Morning, Marcy,’ Lilly says politely. There are degrees of connections and even though Marcy is one of the group, Lilly hardly knows her so she retains the polite formality.

‘Need a wee?’ Marcy asks, not detecting or simply just ignoring any sense of formality.

‘I can wait,’ Lilly counters, still polite.

‘Pah,’ Marcy says and waves the bathroom. ‘Go on, I’ll wait out here.’

‘Er,’ Lilly hesitates. Marcy is in her bra and knickers and completely unbothered at standing in the hallway in such a state of undress. ‘Honestly I can…’

‘Go on,’ Marcy says, pulling the toothbrush out to smile with a level of natural warmth that makes Lilly feel more comfortable. She goes inside while Marcy hums and brushes her teeth.

‘Thank you,’ Lilly says, opening the door.

‘Anytime,’ Marcy goes in to rinse and spit, using a bottle of water instead of the tap. She was infected so whatever might be in the water cannot harm her but the thought of rinsing or drinking with tainted water revolts her. She glances at the door to see Lilly hesitating as though suddenly unsure of something. ‘You okay?’ Marcy asks, moving towards the girl. ‘How was last night?’

‘Oh fine. Yes fine. Thank you,’ Lilly says, still prim and proper.

‘No no no,’ Marcy draws her back into the room and closes the door, sealing them in the bathroom. ‘What’s up? You okay?’

‘Um,’ Lilly pauses, the mask of cold ruthlessness slips as she suddenly looks the sixteen year old girl she is.

‘Hey,’ Marcy pulls her in, rubbing her back. ‘It’s okay…you’re okay. Was it your first time?’

Lilly nods. Her eyes filling with tears. She doesn’t reply but she doesn’t need to reply.

‘It’s okay,’ Marcy says softly, rubbing Lilly’s back. She remembers her first time with a man. It was awful and horrible and seedy and drunk. All she wanted was her mum but Lilly doesn’t have that. Lilly doesn’t have anyone now. ‘It’s okay,’ she says instead, rubbing and soothing. She pulls back to kiss Lilly’s head with an act that brings the tears flooding from Lilly’s eyes to roll down her cheeks. ‘What’s wrong? Did something happen? You can say, Lilly…’

‘No no, it’s nothing…’ Lilly sobs the words out, half crying half smiling. ‘It was so nice.’

‘Oh bless,’ Marcy’s own eyes fill as she pulls her back in for another hug. ‘Had me worried then…christ, there’s not many girls that can say that…It’s just emotions coming out…did it hurt a bit?’

Lilly nods, ‘Nick thought he hurt me…’

‘No. No he didn’t. It happens to everyone. Bit of blood too?’

‘Only a bit…he was so gentle…’

‘It’s Nick,’ Marcy says as though that explains everything. ‘He’s a keeper alright. So nothing hurts now does it?’

‘No no, I am fine. Honestly. I do apologise.’

‘Oh don’t be silly,’ Marcy says kindly, ‘you’re lucky. I remember my first time. God it was awful. I was so drunk and he was a disgusting pig.’

Lilly snorts a laugh and gently pulls back.

‘It’s easy to forget how young you are,’ Marcy says, examining the girl closely as she smooths Lilly’s hair back. ‘It’s normal. What you’re feeling now I mean. Your hormones will be all over the place for a few days but it’ll settle. Nick adores you, you know that. Don’t doubt that for a second. We all adore you.’

Lilly nods again, the composure coming back steely and cold.

‘Good girl,’ Marcy says, seeing the look coming into Lilly’s eyes. ‘New world now. New rules. With us it’s safe but fuck everyone else…you are so beautiful, Lilly,’ she smiles warm and sad, worried and full of hope all at the same time. ‘We’ll go soon. Howie won’t stay here, you know that right? Nick will want to stay here with you but he won’t. He’ll go with Howie the same as the rest of us but that doesn’t mean Nick doesn’t want to stay with you…’

‘I know,’ Lilly says quietly. ‘Nick said how many you face sometimes…’

‘It’s insane,’ Marcy says, meaning every word. ‘Howie needs Nick…but…what you did before, you do that again if you need to. If you have to kill then do it. Don’t hesitate. Don’t let it get bad enough that you can’t react.’

‘Okay.’

‘Good,’ Marcy says, holding a serious expression that melts as she smiles and winks. ‘Now, did you use a condom or are we all having babies in nine months?’

Two

The boat glides gently onto the beach, the hull scraping on the soft sand. Dawn and the night is still lifting but the promise of another scorching hot day is there to be seen.

Maddox goes first, leaping over the front onto the sand and turning quickly to grab the front of the boat to hold it steady. He offers a hand.

‘Thank you,’ Pea says, taking his firm grip to drop from the boat.

‘Sam?’

‘I’m fine,’ Sam says coldly, avoiding eye contact to clamber from the boat herself.

Maddox shows no reaction but offers his hand to the next person instead, ‘Joan?’

‘No thank you,’ she says brusquely.

‘Kyle?’ Maddox says, looking at the craggy face. ‘Want me to take that?’

‘Ah now, that’ll be a kind thing of you,’ Kyle says, passing the basket over before jumping deftly down onto the sand.

‘You move well for an old man,’ Joan says with an arched eyebrow.

‘You move well yourself,’ he says, smiling kindly as he takes the basket from Maddox.

‘I don’t overeat,’ she says stiffly. ‘Shall we? No point in dilly-dallying here all morning. I cannot abide dilly-dallying.’

‘Oh I like a dilly dally now and then,’ Kyle says easily.

‘Are you being rude? I cannot abide rudeness.’

‘Ah you’re a feisty woman so you are there, Joan.’

‘Do not use that Irish brogue on me young man.’

‘Irish you say? My accent is not Irish.’

‘Your voice is Irish. You are Irish. I tell it like it is.’

Pea pulls a face at Sam who shrugs and scowls at Maddox trying to smile at her. She’s got a rifle on her chest and a pistol on her hip. Joan and Sam the same. Maddox might be armed but he’s outnumbered and so the confidence is there to show overtly what she thinks of him.

They thread round the piles of goods on the beach to gain the road. Walking down towards the lone figure of Dave standing like a sentinel with his legs planted and his rifle held ready but lowered.

‘Morning, Dave,’ Joan says, her tone as blunt as ever.

‘Morning,’ Dave says, his tone as blunt as ever.

‘Are they up yet?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good. We’ll take over watching. You can go and eat. Tell Lilly everything is fine in the fort. Billy slept soundly. The children are all fine and the rest will be over once they’ve finished eating.’

‘Dave,’ Maddox nods respectfully once Joan finishes issuing her instructions.

‘Maddox. You will not come into the house.’

Maddox holds still, his face impassive while he thinks quickly. ‘I’ll wait,’ he says.

‘You will wait outside. You will not provoke my team. You will not speak to Mohammed. Do you understand?’

‘I understand, Dave.’

‘You will address Mr Howie as Mr Howie. If you pose any threat or risk to my team I will kill you. Do you understand?’

‘I understand.’

‘If you point your weapon towards any members of my team I will kill you. If you show anger towards any member of my team I will kill you. I am only not killing you now because Mr Howie has not told me to kill you. If Mr Howie tells me to kill you I will kill you.’

‘Fuck me,’ Sam mouths, wincing at the dull tones that sounds so much worse for the absolute certainty projected within the words.

‘Good stuff,’ Joan says, nodding at Dave. ‘I like a man who speaks straight. Needed to be said. Chest straps,’ she says, holding a bag out for Dave.

Dave nods, takes the bag and starts walking towards the house.

‘Kyle has bread,’ Joan says after him.

‘Kyle is trusted. He can come into the house.’

Joan looks at Kyle sharply, raising yet another eyebrow as he smiles back, toothy and full of mischief.

‘Will you look at that now,’ he chuckles, following Dave.

‘Irish,’ Joan says.

‘Maybe I am…or maybe not…’

‘Irish,’ Joan says, watching the old man enter the house and go straight into the lounge then switching her gaze to look at Sam and Pea. ‘Stop that grinning right now.’

‘Such a flirt,’ Sam says.

‘Flirting? Women my age do not flirt. We converse.’

‘That was flirting,’ Sam says, pointing at the front door.

Joan tuts, huffs and stands stiff. ‘It was no such thing.’

‘Someone coming already,’ Maddox says, staring up the road as three women move out to see a white van coming towards them. ‘I’ll take this one. You get coffee and…’

‘You are not in charge here, Maddox,’ Joan cuts across him, her tone biting in delivery as she strides out to motion at the driver, telling him where to stop. Maddox hides the flinch at the sharpness of her tongue and walks across the road. It will take time to win them over again. He knows that.

The white Ford Transit stops next to Joan who takes in the adult male driving and the adult female in the front passenger seat. A sliding door on the side. Pea and Sam hold their rifles as taught by Joan, ready but lowered. Maddox stands back, his rifle also held ready and lowered as he fixes his eyes on the sliding door.

‘Welcome,’ Joan says in that curt tone. ‘How many of you?’

‘Er…’ the woman hesitates, looking at the man. ‘Was it six we picked up?’

‘Six,’ the man says with a nod.

‘So six…seven eight…nine…ten…ten of us,’ the woman says, nodding at Joan. ‘The rest are in the back…’

‘Obviously,’ Joan says, pulling the sliding door back to look inside. She counts the people, reaching ten and nodding once. ‘We’ll need to check you all. Out you get…’

‘Is that the fort?’ The woman asks.

‘It is,’ Joan says, leaning into the van to take in the six exhausted filthy looking children. Three white kids, three Indian kids. ‘Your children?’ Joan asks.

‘God no, we found them,’ a woman in the back of the van says. ‘About twenty miles back…the two older ones were pushing the rest in a wheelbarrow. Said they’d been attacked all night and had to run for it…bless ‘em, half delirious. Keep talking about that actor, Paco Maguire?’

‘Paco,’ a small voice murmurs.

‘What was that?’ Maddox asks, striding towards the van.

‘Tired children,’ Joan says. ‘We’ll have to…’

‘Did you say Paco?’ Maddox asks, cutting across Joan to lean into the van.

‘Yeah,’ the woman says, shrugging and lifting her hands. ‘They’re exhausted…’

‘About Paco,’ Maddox presses.

‘That one,’ the woman says, showing confusion on her face and pointing at a little Indian boy.

‘Hey,’ Maddox says softly, touching the boy’s shoulder. The boy mumbles, opening his eyes that close again as he drifts back off to sleep. ‘Wake up,’ Maddox nudges him gently, holding a soft tone.

‘I think they need rest,’ the woman in the front of the van says.

‘Hey, wake up,’ Maddox nudges a bit harder, the boy blinks and looks with wide eyes at Maddox. ‘Hi, what’s your name?’

‘Rajesh,’ the boy says, clearly frightened. He looks round for his big sister, reaching out to grab her arm. ‘Subi…Subi wake up…’

‘What?’ Subi says, blinking awake to look in shock at Maddox.

‘You said Paco?’ Maddox asks, ‘Paco Maguire? The actor right?’

Subi nods, her face showing fear. ‘He got us here…and Heather…’

‘Get Howie,’ Maddox says, calling out to Sam and Pea.

‘Whatever is…’ Joan starts to say.

‘Now. Get Howie now,’ Maddox says. ‘Heather?’ He asks, looking back at the Indian girl.

She nods, wide eyed and moving to shield her little brother.

‘You’re safe now,’ Maddox says. ‘You’re at the fort…who is Heather?’

‘She found us,’ Subi says. ‘With Paco…’

‘Are you sure it was Paco Maguire?’

‘I am sure,’ Subi says.

‘What on earth?’ Joan snaps, furious with Maddox for interrupting and talking gibberish about an actor.

‘They got the dog from Paco,’ Maddox says, running towards the house. ‘She killed him…’ he goes through the door as Blowers steams from the lounge door slamming him back outside.

‘Fucking prick,’ Blowers growls, pushing Maddox away, his face twisted with hatred.

‘I need Ho…I need
Mr
Howie,’ Maddox says, still holding his hands away from his body.

‘You need a fucking spanking,’ Blowers seethes. ‘You fucked with Lani…you locked her in the hospital…the boss said on you, Maddox. Remember that? He said that. He said on you…’

‘Blowers, I need to…’ Maddox words cut off as the punch hits him full in the mouth.

‘He fucking said on you…’ Blowers says, pacing after Maddox scrabbling back. ‘Come near us and I’ll kill you…’

‘Easy now, son,’ Kyle’s hand comes to rest gently but firmly on Blowers shoulder.

Maddox stares up at Blowers then past him to Cookey and Nick both hard faced. Two girls he doesn’t know, one blinking furiously and the other with a huge cut down one side of her face. Lilly strides out. Her face a mask of composure.

‘That’s enough,’ she says, her voice cold as ice.

‘Yes, Ma’am,’ Blowers stands down instantly, showing Maddox that Lilly has authority. He even turns to nod at her, giving respect with that discipline.

‘What the fuck?’ Howie asks after rushing down the stairs and now staring between Blowers standing over Maddox and Maddox lying on his back. ‘Maddox? What…fuck me…is that bread I can smell?’

‘Kyle made it,’ Cookey says.

‘Smells so nice,’ Howie says, ‘morning, Kyle.’

‘Morning, Mr Howie.’

‘Maddox, what you doing down there?’ Howie asks.

‘I tripped…’

‘I hit him,’ Blowers says without apology.

‘Fair one,’ Howie says, ‘you pulled the punch then?’

‘Just a bit,’ Blowers mutters.

‘Paco…the kids in that van said Paco got them here,’ Maddox says, rushing the words out.

‘Do what?’ Howie says.

‘Paco Maguire,’ Maddox says, still on the ground and wanting to get up but sensing that getting to his feet right now might not be the best tactical move. ‘They said Paco Maguire got them here…with a woman called Heather…said they were attacked all night…twenty miles from here…’

‘Paco’s dead,’ Howie says, ‘get up…Blowers, don’t punch Maddox again.’

‘Roger that.’

‘Can I?’

‘No, Blinky.’

‘Sir.’

‘Where are these kids? In that van?’

‘Yeah,’ Maddox says, moving slowly back to his feet while holding his hands away from the pistol on his belt. ‘Can I pick my rifle up?’

‘Eh?’ Howie asks, ‘er yeah sure…don’t point it at anyone’

‘What’s going on?’ Paula asks, coming out and sniffing the air. ‘Is that bread?’

‘Kyle made it,’ Cookey says again.

‘Smells so nice. What’s going on? Maddox? Who hit you?’

‘I did.’

‘Christ, pulled the punch then,’ Paula says, blinking quickly. ‘He’s still alive. Bloody hell that bread smells nice. What is it…if anyone says bread I will be cross.’

‘Bread rolls,’ Cookey says.

‘Ooh get me one, Cookey. Howie? Want a bread roll?’ Paula says.

‘Yeah, yeah I’d love one cheers.’

‘Want jam?’ Cookey asks.

‘He’s brought jam?’ Paula asks. ‘What flavour?’

‘Dunno…Kyle?’ Cookey asks, turning round to see Kyle has gone back inside. What flavour jam is it?’ he calls out.

‘Blackcurrent.’

‘Blackcurrent,’ Cookey says.

‘Ooh yeah, yeah bread and jam,’ Paula says, pulling her hair back then tutting on realising she doesn’t have a hairband.

‘Here, Paula…’ Charlie says, sliding one from her wrist.

‘Thanks, Charlie…er…I can’t let it go now…’

‘I’ll do it, ponytail?’

‘Yeah please, nice and tight…thanks.’

‘Boss? You want jam on your roll?’ Cookey asks.

‘Yeah please, mate. Everyone else having jam?’

‘I’m having jam,’ Clarence says, walking out. ‘Blowers?’

‘Yeah, cheers, Cookey.’

‘What the fuck? I’m not making everyone’s.’

‘I’ll help you,’ Charlie says.

‘Fuck yes! Best day ever. Maddox got twatted and me and Charlie are gonna fall in love making jam rolls.’

‘Right so…oh yeah, Paco?’ Howie asks, finally turning back to Maddox. ‘Paula, some kids in that van said Paco got them here.’

‘Paco Maguire? I thought the dog killed him.’

‘She did,’ Clarence says.

‘Can’t be then,’ she says obviously.

‘Go and ask,’ Howie says.

‘Me?’

‘Yeah, you’re good with kids…’

‘You want me to ask if a dead Hollywood actor brought them here?’

‘Yes.’

‘The same bloke you all saw being killed by Meredith.’