August 9
th
Year 1 A.Z.
morning
We felt it safer to keep a careful eye on the monitors, in case the Dead decided that our collective snoring was making them hungry during the night. As such, I was on watch in the very early hours of the morning when I noticed that a small pack of people, hunched over and skittish-looking, seemed intent on hunting and trapping a single Dead that they had cornered. As I watched, realising that these must be remnants of the group from which Oliver and Twist had come, the Dead lashed out and took a chunk of flesh from one of the hunters. The hunter seemed to laugh, then leaned in and took a bite from the Dead's arm, his companions cackling wildly as he did so. When he was done they stuffed a pillowcase over the head of the Dead and carried it off into the shadows.
“I can't see how they can do it,” Twist said from behind me. I hadn't noticed her move. I asked her how her ankle was feeling. “Much better now, thanks! Your mate with her silly song can do some amazing shit.” We spoke in a quiet tone, not quite whispering. “I still can't believe some of the stuff you guys have done, though. Those mutant goannas sound fucking scary...” I laughed quietly, telling her that I was far more scared of the Dingoes, even more so than the Drop-Bears than the Dragons.
“The bigger they are, you see,” I told her, “the easier it is to get around behind them. Those Dragons are quick, but they can't turn for shit. The Dingoes, on the other hand... Let's just say that you don't want to find yourself cornered by a pack of those bastards.” She was clearly digesting my advice, storing it away for later. “Drop-Bears, though, they're still fairly slow on the ground but as the name implies, they like to hang out in trees waiting for unsuspecting people like you and me to walk underneath. Then, well, it's all over.” The others had begun to stir by now, the aroma of baked beans once more filled the air. Opting to skip breakfast (apart from coffee!) this once, I went out into the hallway.
Several Dead milled around, shambling aimlessly. One seemed to want nothing more than to walk through the wall. The noise of my katana sliding free got their attention, however, and they advanced on me, gnashing their teeth as they came forward. The tops of several heads fell to the floor a brief moment later, the rest of the now dead Dead collapsing shortly after.
noon
I went out with Apprentice, Deathwish, The Twin, Tiny and Machete to investigate the place where I had seen the Deadnappers, finding a puddle of blood, presumably from the bitten one, that seemed to corrode the linoleum beneath. A tiny wisp of smoke rose up from the affected area of floor. Deathwish bent down to investigate further, stretching out a hand. “Don't touch it!” Apprentice warned him, snatching hold of his arm. “You don't know what it'll do to you.”
I grabbed a nearby mannequin, removing the arm and dipping the tips of the fingers into the pool of ooze. With a hiss the plastic began to melt, sizzling unnaturally and emitting a fouler odour than usual. I tossed the arm aside. “Yeah, you're probably right. I really don't want to touch that.”
“I don't like it here, guys, let's get back to the office, yeah?” Machete sounded genuinely worried. Considering the kid had been alone when we first found her it would take a lot to concern her. I agreed, though I pointed out the direction that I had seen the Deadnappers leave for later reference. Deathwish quietly crept up closer, ignoring the hissed warnings and admonishments, waving us to go back. He'd explore further, alone. Shaking my head at his departure, I hurried the rest back to the security office.
evening
The office was empty. Deathwish's bag of cans of beans sat where it had been since we arrived, between a couple of the couches. The bank of security monitors were all smashed to bits, glass lay everywhere. Butler's bleeding body crawled towards us, whispering. Apprentice was already at his side, singing softly to him, and his injuries healed. A message, written next to the wrecked monitor bank in Butler's blood, read
We've been watching you, too! You look delicious!
The Deadnappers had not wasted any time, they had to have only just been and done this. Jester crawled out from behind one of the couches, Apocalypse Dog, whimpering in fear, followed him out. “They've only just left. They were talking about eating us all! I grabbed the dog and hid, they didn't seem to be paying any attention to either of us anyway.” Apocalypse Girl, Scout, Oliver and Twist. There was no time to waste, I was out the door again before I knew it, not even knowing who, if anybody, was coming with me.
I was back at the puddle when I realised that everyone had followed me, nothing showing in their eyes but grim determination. As we were about to head down the passage leading to the Deadnappers' Lair a hand snaked out from nowhere and latched around my arm. “Don't go that way!” Deathwish hissed. “They've got so many fucking traps it's not even funny. This way is much safer, follow me!” He disentangled himself from a clothing display and wandered off in another direction.
August 10
th
Year 1 A.Z.
morning
Deathwish led us around the Deadnappers' lair telling us what he had overheard as they dragged Apocalypse Girl and the others back with them. Evidently they knew the moment we breached the door leading to the carpark, they were only waiting for the right moment to strike, when we were separated, the weakest of us alone and isolated while the rest investigated their trapped tunnels. Those of us that died first would be the first eaten, I reasoned.
“Yeah well, none of us are dying today,” Deathwish affirmed. Having seen what their blood could do to simple lino and a mannequin's arm we opted for firearms, giving Jester and Butler a crash course in their operation. As we neared the Lair of the Deadnappers we could hear noises, chanting, howling and hooting sounds, the snarling of wild animals. Drawing closer again I realised that the sounds were being made by the Deadnappers themselves.
Deathwish pointed out silently the lone sentry that guarded this passage, The Twin knocking a fresh arrow to the compound bow she found in a nearby camping supplies shop and a moment later the thing was pinned to the wall by its head, dangling perhaps five centimetres above the floor. “Nice,” Deathwish praised her. “Quick, clean, silent.” She smiled at the compliment.
As we passed by the corpse, I examined it further. Smoke was rising from the arrow as the toxic, corrosive blood ate at the shaft. The skin of the thing was drawn and pale, seeming quite grey as I shone my torch beam upon it. The teeth had become fangs, pointed and broken, though much longer. The eyes, the light of life absent, were a dull yellow where they should have been white and it had weeping sores on its face and neck, presumably elsewhere as well. “That's what you get for eating the Dead, mate,” Machete admonished it as she passed. Tiny just shuddered. The Twin examined the arrow lodged in its brain, decided against trying to remove it and walked onwards.
noon
So intent on the display on the stage before them, the Deadnappers were oblivious to our approach. We quietly got into strategic positions, The Twin up high to cover us with her bow, Machete backing her up. Apprentice remained close to me, in case Apocalypse Girl or the others needed any Healing, probably also in case I did something stupid trying to rescue them. Deathwish and Tiny crept around the stage to one side, Butler and Jester the other. Apprentice and I slipped up the middle.
When we drew close enough I could see what the show was. Oliver, now Dead, chased Twist back and forth as she dodged artfully away from him, to the jeers of the Ghouls watching. Apocalypse Girl hung suspended by her arms above them, gradually being lowered onto the stage. Following the ropes with my eyes, I saw the Ghoul lowering her behind the stage itself. At least she was still conscious enough to kick away at Dead Oliver's head whenever it came into boot range, though I could see blood leaking our of her ear and down her neck.
As I slowly crept forward I noticed something lying on the floor near me. The Skillet that Apocalypse Girl had taken to carrying everywhere with her. Gripping it in my left hand I marvelled at the weight while vaguely noticing that Apprentice had similarly discovered Oliver's Marble Rolling Pin. Both were smeared and soaked in the blood of countless Dead by now, but they'd do nicely for the pair of Ghouls wearing chef's hats that had clearly seen better days before us as they gibbered and slavered while they roasted a few Dead in a large bonfire. The pair of them joined the Dead as they cooked after being knocked on the noggin by Apprentice and I, then we moved on.
One Ghoul spotted us and, an instant before he cried out his warning to his mates, his head exploded as Butler and Jester stormed onto the stage, completely ruining the plan. It did have the effect of surprising the Ghouls encircling the action between Oliver and Twist. An arrow went through the head of one, into another as Tiny and Deathwish launched their assault a moment later.
The Ghoul lowering Apocalypse Girl let go of the crank to join the fray and I ran, knowing I was too late. She landed with a crunch atop Twist and Dead Oliver pounced. I was still amazed at just how fast the Dead can move when they're fresh. However fast the freshly Dead might be, however, Dead Oliver was no match for The Twin as she swiftly knocked and loosed a shaft that stopped him dead in his tracks. When he fell upon the girls he was quite dead.
More gunfire erupted and Ghouls died. Not a one thought to run, only to kill and eat, though it seemed that they had more thought in their heads than the Dead, they still operated under the same principles. Fuck me, they were fast though. Leaping about, clinging to walls and support columns with their taloned hands. One of them jumped up to where The Twin had secreted herself and caught Machete's blade in the knee an instant before an arrow went through his eye.
Ignoring any but those that came between myself and Apocalypse Girl, I climbed up onto the stage, Apprentice immediately behind me. Separating Apocalypse Girl from the corpse of Oliver and Twist as she screamed in agony from her badly broken leg, sharp edged bone sticking out from a shin that should not have been bent at that angle, or indeed at all. Apocalypse Girl clung to me as I carried her away from the stage while Apprentice worked on Twist's leg once again.
evening
Back in the security office, Twist told us that we had indeed killed the entirety of her former group. Her leg was still incredibly tender, but Apprentice could indeed perform miracles. The bone was back in place, the gash where it had broken through the flesh no more than a ragged red line. Apprentice told her she would still have a scar there, though. Deathwish and Butler were taking first watch in the hallway, as there were no more monitors we had no way of knowing how many Dead approached, or where from, so constant vigilance was now required.
Now that we no longer had any Ghouls to concern ourselves with, all that remained was clearing out the Dead while Jester tags any and all equipment for his entertainment system idea. I was not about to leave Apocalypse Girl alone again, however, no matter what. I will not leave her side again. Ever.
August 11
th
Year 1 A.Z.
morning
Apocalypse Girl wanted to let me sleep in, though a certain canine had other plans, slipping his tongue down the back of my shirt in a wet, doggy fashion, so I sat up, fed up with the whole thing. Machete handed me a bowl of baked, beany breakfast that, though I felt like throwing it at the nearest wall and watching in satisfaction as the bowl shattered and the evil stuff glorp down the wall, I thanked her and settled down to eat. I hadn't realised exactly how hungry I was until I was halfway through my third bowl. The really annoying thing was that, despite how many cans we had been through in the last few days, Deathwish's supply seemed in no way diminished by our efforts.
Scout and The Twin had taken Tiny and Apprentice on an expedition, exploration and extermination being their primary goals. Jester had given them a brief list of things to look out for, certain cables, some smaller devices that he needed for his idea. He offered to go with them but we decided that, just in case, the more important of us should stay behind. The Queen wanted him back in one piece, after all.
After a couple of hours waiting I opened the door to the rest of the centre and peeked out. Nothing, at least nothing other than the few corpses remaining from our friends' exit. Closing it behind me I shrugged, saying that there was no sign of anything or anyone out there. Twist looked relieved. Butler and Jester, however, looked concerned.
Sitting back down next to Apocalypse Girl, I extended an arm. She took the opportunity to snuggle in closer than I had thought possible. “They said you were dead, you know.” She told me in a quiet voice. “Those Ghouls or whatever they were. Said you'd run into the trapped passage and gotten yourself killed. I knew better, though. I spat in their faces and told them you were coming for me and that you'd kill them all.”
noon
They're still not back yet. Deathwish went out with Machete briefly, just to the end of the hall, to see if there was any sign. When they returned their only news was that they had seen a trail of dead Dead leading in the direction that the four had gone. “There weren't even that many of them, only a couple of dozen. I could have taken them by myself, easy!” Machete bragged. Deathwish spared her a sceptical glance that he shared with me. I just shook my head, knowing the small blonde girl's capabilities. I hadn't left my sword with her for no reason, after all.
Apocalypse Girl and I took the dog out for a brief walk after a while. He sniffed at a couple of corpses, urinated on one, then moved along and examined everything he could find in his own doggy fashion. Some stuff, he decided, was worth piddling on, some was not. As Apocalypse Dog arched his back to defecate I spotted Scout, solo, running back over corpses, skipping lightly over them. Skidding to a halt, her sneakers squeaking on the lino floor, she smiled at us. “They're all dead, it looks like. The Ghouls are, definitely, the rest of the girls are disarming their traps now. Some of those are pretty bloody nasty, too.”
Breathing heavily, she told us that they had encountered a reasonably sized group of Dead as they left the security office, clobbered as many as they could reach while drawing them away in vaguely the direction of the Deadnappers Lair. All of those were down by the time they reached this site of our little battle with the Ghouls, so Scout was tasked with running back to inform us of the situation and take another small group out in the other direction. I wanted to go with her myself, but ended up sending Deathwish and Twist with her instead. Machete pouted a little about not being asked, at least until I told her that I wanted her with us in case anything else went wrong. There was nobody else I trusted more to help keep Apocalypse Girl safe.
evening
I figured they'd probably be back by now, both groups. Hunger is a remarkable driving force, after all, and I myself was nearing the point of raiding Deathwish's supply bag. Butler got there before I did, however, offering to cook up as much as was needed. That, I must say, was easier. If I have to smell the shit cooking, at least I don't have to be up close and personal with it, too.
As we ate, Scout returned with Deathwish and Twist. A moment later, the other three returned as well. Collapsing onto the remaining couches, the two groups reported that there seemed to be no more Dead plaguing the centre. The few that had remained had been brained, now it was time to leave. Well, one more day, so Jester can tag what he wants the Scavenger Squad to come in and carry out first.
“If it really is that safe, why don't I just go and do it now, by myself?” Jester asked me. I told him that no matter what the rest of the group says, all the Dead in the world could be dead now but there was no way I was going to let him out on his own. Scout backed me up, saying that just because they have scoured the entire centre top to bottom, clobbering any Dead that they found into oblivion, that didn't necessarily mean that there wasn't a couple lurking around somewhere. “Or, on the other hand,” He faked a yawn. “Fuck it, I'm too tired. Let's all go tomorrow!” With an impish grin, he settled down next to Apocalypse Dog, who accepted the company and attention as any good dog would.