Authors: M.D. Woodham
As the others changed down the shops aisles beside the racks of clothes the new guy with the baton introduced himself. He said his name was Sebastian, and he was a security guard for the Eastgate Centre and its multi-storey car park. He told everyone within hearing distance how h
e’
d been stuck in the centr
e’
s car park unable to get back up in to the main building after the power died and all the doors auto locked and the security keypads stopped working. H
e’
d been eating out of the vending machines by the lifts trying to find the courage to venture out after seeing dozens upon dozens of people brutally attacked while they tried to re start their cars or escape. H
e’
d seen it happen all around him.
“
The rabid people
,”
he said
.“
They came out of nowhere, from everywhere. All at the same time, making that strange sound! And they were all a weird greyish kind of black colour. Like rotting fruit, and their eyes were black
!
”
The others were nodding between trying on clothes as he told them what had happened to him.
“
I did
n’
t know what to do. My radio would
n’
t work. The phones would
n’
t work, I was stuck down there alone, apart from those damn people with rabies. And it all happened so fast, too fast for me to do anything. I mean, I came running around the corner hearing the screams and there were dozens of people being attacked by their cars
.
Dozens of them
!
There was blood everywhere! It was over the cars, it was pooling across the floor. I just did
n’
t know what to do so I hid
.
I hid becaus
e
I just didn’t know what else to do.”
Dean saw that he was working himself up and he said
,“
W
e’
re all in the same boat buddy, do
n’
t worry about it, at least not right now. Nobody knew or knows what to do
.
”
Everyone listening nodded and voiced their agreement.
Sebastian nodded gratefully and continued
.“
I was starting to think I was stuck down there for good. I did
n’
t think I was ever going to get back out. I mean, I live with my old man and h
e’
s not well if you know what I mean. He needs a visit from a carer on the days
I’
m working you know and I thought I was gonna have to leave him to fend for himself
.
”
Sebastia
n’
s voice started to waver a little. He stopped and coughed to clear his throat before he carried on.
“
That is until just now when I heard you guys coming. And tha
t’
s when I decided it was now or never, and I hoped that I migh
t
actuall
y
be able to help someone. Maybe even get home to dad
.
”
Gavin told him that the
y’
d all do what they could to help him get back home and how grateful he was that h
e’
d been there when he was.
“
If you were
n’
t there
,”
he said
.“I’
d be dead right now, no question about it. You saved my life
.
”
Sebastian nodded blinking away tears and said
,“
I only hope that my da
d’
s safe
.
”
He only just managed to finish talking as his voice tailed off and the tears started to flow.
“
W
e’
ll help you get home
,”
said Gavin
,“
do
n’
t worry about that
.”
And he ran through the getaway plans with him.
*****
After Ann finished helping Sarah change in to her new clothes leaving her looking like she was going on a skiing trip Sarah sat beside Sam holding on tight around his neck quietly crying as Ann joined the others and finished changing. Sam licked her cheek, relieved of his muzzle, then he drank some water out of the upturned mountain climbing helmet Dean had utilised using one of the shops plastic bags pushed down inside it to stop the water from pouring out through the ventilation slits, and then he ate an energy bar that Dean had opened and thrown over for him.
“
Listen to that
,”
Leann said to Andy, hearing the infected calls echo through the shopping centre.
“
I do
n’
t think we have much longer
!
”
Andy shook his head
.“
Me neither
,”
he said. Then he cleared his throat and raised his voice and said to everyone
,“
Take anything and everything you think yo
u’
re likely to need out there. Think for the long term. Think like yo
u’
re going to have to live out there for a while. Ther
e’
s camping food and bottled water over there
,”
he said pointing.
Leann stood up and said
,“I’
ll show them
.”
And she walked over to the two brothers as Ann joined them and they each set about packing rucksacks working as fast as they could as the morbid echoes grew louder. Dean packed a rucksack for Gavin while he pulled on a support for his ankle.
Andy looked at David as he finished packing a rucksack and asked
,“
Where are you and your niece heading? W
e’
re heading for Lean
n’
s place up in Birchwood Estate to pick up her mum and maybe some more supplies before we head over to Colli
n’
s place where he lives with his grandparents in Culloden. They sound pretty well stocked up and the
y’
ve got room to spare by the sounds of it
.
”
David looked at Andy utterly bewildered and suddenly realised he had
n’
t thought about where he was going to go. Where he was going to take Sarah to keep her safe?
After all he had
n’
t planned on even leaving the shop.
“I’
m not sure
.”
he said
.“
We were
n’
t going to leave where we were. We, uh me and my niece were staying in the flat above my shop. The pawn shop on Castle Street you know
?”
Andy nodded.
“
I let these guys in with their dog when they ran through my backyard escaping from a group of infected people
.‘
I thought they were looters at first. But anyway, I did
n’
t think w
e’
d have to leave the shop. I hoped the government would get things back under control you know. Seeing as they had a heads up with Norway and the rest of Europe you know
.
”
Andy nodded and wondered how many other people felt the same way, and were holed up right now oblivious to what was really happening, and for how long this might actually go on for.
“
I had no idea what was going on outside, at least not really
.”
said David
.“
Not with the infected people and that, or whatever they are. I know that Dean and Gavin are planning something similar to you guys. The
y’
re gonna drop Ann off with her family then head home themselves, to their parents near Cromarty someplace I think
.
”
“
What about Sara
h’
s parents
?”
said Andy.
David shook his head
,“
The
y’
re down in Aberdeen. My sister and her boyfriend went down for some last minute Christmas shopping
.”
He looked at Andy and nodded towards Sarah and whispered
,“
I have
n’
t heard from her since they dropped her off with me yesterday morning
.
”
Andy nodded. He knew by the look on Davi
d’
s face that he knew there was very little chance h
e’
d ever see her again and he said
,“
Maybe you could both come with...
.”
then he was cut short by the sound of breaking glass.
Everyone froze as an enormous crash echoed through the shopping centre.
Andy jumped out in to the aisle looking back the way the
y’
d come.
The primitive gurgling calls rose up loud jumping a hundred decibels at once!
“
We need to go, an
d
NOW!
”
he said, as he unfolded his ice axe.
“
Leann, Collin
,
everyone,”
he said
.“
We need to get out of here
.
”
Sam joined Andy outside the shop and trotted along the aisle a little way ahead of him with his head down and his hackles up. He growled quietly looking in to the darkness.
David grabbed Sarah and finished zipping her new jacket up for her and tightened her backpack that Ann had packed for her
.“
I
t’
s ok
,”
he told her
.“
Just do
n’
t panic ok, panic is bad ok
?
”
She nodded.
Collin joined Andy with his ice-axe in his hand.
“
Do
n’
t wait with me
,”
said Andy
,“
start moving,
I’
ll catch you up,
I’
m just keeping watch
.
”
Collin nodded about to answer Andy when something crashed loudly down the aisle!
They both looked in to the darkness, rigid with tense muscles.
The calls were clearer than ever, they were louder. Closer!
Something else crashed somewhere.
“
Where do you want us to go
?”
said Collin as Sebastian emerged unrecognisable in his new clothing. He heard Collin and said
,“
I know where ther
e’
s a staff fire exit that leads up on to the roof. From there are several options we can take to get back down to street level
.
”
Now that he had an escape plan to follow the others to a certain point before heading off on his own, Sebastian seemed more with it, energised even now that he had a valid way of getting back home to his dad.
“Good,”
said Andy
.“
Take the others with you.
I’
ll follow you.
I’
m just waiting until everyon
e’
s out of here
.”
Sebastian nodded and started off down the empty aisle leading the others as they rushed out of the shop pulling on packed rucksacks and zipping up new jackets. Dean was last out making sure no-one and nothing was left behind. He told Andy the shop was clear and called Sam who spun around and ran to join him. Andy turned and joined him in running after the others as one singular gurgle droned above all the others vibrating along the aisles behind them.
They both stopped and glanced back with their hearts in their mouths, it sounded close, too close! The aisle was still clear. Relieved, they hurried along behind the others and caught them up.
The group ran along the dark aisles aided a little by the frequent lightning that shone in through the roof-lights. They followed Sebastian turning corners left and right checking it was safe to do so first before exposing themselves.
“
How far
?”
said Collin.
“
Not too far now
,”
said Sebastian keeping the pace up until they reached a cross junction where their aisle crossed paths with another one. They stopped to check the joining aisles were clear.
Dean took the left corner and Sebastian took the right. Dean indicated that his side was clear with a silent thumbs up. Sebastian nodded and returned the gesture, and the group started to cross the void. Suddenly Sam lurched in to the mouth of the left aisle and started barking. Everyone jumped and Leann yelped out without meaning to. Sam looked down the aisle Dean had checked barking hysterically. But when Dean looked, it was clear. He could
n’
t see what Sam was barking at. None of them could.