Killing the Dead (Book 7): Burden of Survival Read online

  My hand reached for the door handle and turned it slowly. The door opened with a soft click and I paused waiting for some response to the sound. When nothing came I pushed it open and slipped inside.

  We’d not bothered to board over the windows on the second floor of the house so in the moonlight that filtered through the curtains I could make out a shape on the bed. One of Marcus’s men sleeping peacefully.

  The roundhouse had enough bedrooms that with Marcus sharing with Amy and a couple of people on guard, the others could have a room to themselves if they wanted. That worked in my favour since I really didn’t want to have to try it with two people in the same bed until I absolutely had to.

  I crept over to the bed, keeping low so as to avoid notice if my target woke up. I crouched before him for almost a minute as I just watched him sleeping. He seemed younger than I’d expected. Unshaven face and wild hair at odds with his peaceful expression.

  It was hard for me to see the young man before me as a monster that needed putting down. Hard to reconcile what I had to do with my natural desire to help and protect people. I didn’t want to kill him, I hated the need to do so, but I would.

  My left hand covered his mouth as the knife in my right sliced cleanly through the carotid artery in his neck. Thank you Ryan for showing me how to kill quickly I thought as the young mans’ eyes opened wide in pain and terror.

  He bucked beneath me and I threw all my weight across his body to hold him down as his warm blood sprayed across both me and the room. I wanted to retch, to scream and weep as the crimson fluid covered me.

  Eventually he lay still and I moved my trembling hand away from his mouth before wiping it on the bedspread. I cleaned off the knife and the hand that held it so that my grip wouldn’t slip when I needed it.

  Death seemed to surround me, embracing me and filling me with its darkness. It struck me then, this was how it was to be Ryan, to kill. I couldn’t understand his pleasure, the joy he found here in the darkness but oh how lonely it was. How lonely he must be, surrounded and filled with the darkness that I had just barely touched upon.

  I would bring him out of the darkness; that would be my resolve. I would show him the world could be a place of light and beauty rather than one purely of death. I wanted desperately to let him know that I truly understood how he must feel all of the time, how much I wanted to fill that emptiness inside of him with life and love.

  But not yet, that couldn’t happen while the monsters roamed the world. It couldn’t happen while Marcus and his people held mine at the end of gun. I would finish my task.

  With determined steps I left the room and moved to the next. With ear pressed once again to the door I listened for sounds of movement from within before slipping inside. Another man asleep in his bed, another life waiting to be taken.

  He died as messily and silently as the first and I was bathed once more in the blood of another. Three lives taken, five more to go including the traitor, Harry. I left the dead man in his bed and went to the next room.

  Once again I heard nothing from the room and slipped inside only to stop. The bed was empty, the covers thrown aside as though someone had been sleeping there. I quickly scanned the room but saw nothing.

  I turned to leave and saw him staring at me with shock as he left the bathroom. Harry, big and muscular, imposing and slightly threatening even when I considered him one of my people. As an enemy he terrified me.

  Soundlessly I leapt forward swinging my arm. He howled as a thin red line crossed his face from chin to eyebrow. I swiped at him again with the knife but his hand closed painfully on my wrist. I tried to pull free and kicked out at him but he swatted aside my leg.

  A door opened close by and I realised I’d screwed up, they were alerted and it was all over. As Harry pulled back his free arm, I yelled at the top of my voice.

  “They’re coming.”

  His fist came at me and darkness engulfed me.

  Chapter 27

  Ryan

  Well I was still alive, that had to count for something. No one had crept up into the loft and eaten me as I slept and it was still daylight outside judging by the thin beams of light coming in through the gaps in the wall. I couldn’t say I felt especially refreshed and I had a gnawing hunger clawing at my belly.

  I shoved the boxes out of the way of the ladder and climbed down, making sure the barn was empty of zombies first. Once down, I crept to the door and peered out. A few of the undead still stood in front of the house, at least one of them was looking in my general direction though it didn’t seem to have seen me yet.

  A quick count and I ducked back into the barn. I could possibly kill them all and then go search the house for food, though if any zombies were inside the house or even close by, my killing the few outside would alert them and I would be in the same position as I was when I arrived.

  No. Much to my dismay, I would have to avoid killing and sneak away. With a bit of luck I could be back at Lake Windermere in a couple of hours. Of course I would have to explain what had happened to everyone else which would take some doing since I had no idea where they were or if they were alive. Still, I would cross that bridge when I came to it.

  I left the barn through the rear entrance and set off across the fields. It didn’t take long to see groups of the undead wandering around and I quickly moved to the wall that bordered the fields and stayed low.

  Having to remain hidden meant that it took me longer than expected to make it to the trees that would provide me with more cover. It was somewhat concerning to see so many undead wandering around.

  They seemed to be moving up from the south and I guessed something must have either led or driven them this way since they tended not to wander for the pleasure of the scenery. It was something I’d need to discuss with Lily since it could very well leave us trapped on the island.

  The zombies had slaughtered the inhabitants of Coniston with no real problems and they had five or six times more people than we had. Of course we had the island and the protection of the lake but we still needed to come to the mainland to scavenge.

  Add to that the potential for pollution of the lake with any zombies that found their way into it… well, our food source could well become contaminated. I know they tended to avoid water where possible but they were pretty stupid. It wasn’t hard for them to fall in and get carried away.

  I needed to get back to the pigs, to butcher them and feed them to someone. I needed to be sure that the food we ate was safe even if the animals had eaten infected flesh. Of course, finding someone willing to eat it would be hard and Lily had frowned at my suggestion of testing it on unsuspecting members of our group.

  Ahead of me I could see another farm across the fields. Nothing unusual about that but what did get my attention was the number of undead clustered around it. Something or perhaps someone was inside.

  It was unlikely to be any of my friends unless they had been forced this way after we separated. No, it was possibly someone new, someone no one at my island knew about. I decided to investigate.

  By the time I reached the wall that surrounded the farmhouse it was clear to me that I couldn’t possibly kill all the zombies by myself. They crowded around the house three or four zombies deep at some points. The stench was horrendous.

  The windows had been firmly boarded over and the door must have been barricaded to keep them out. It was fine work and did the job. The zombies couldn’t get in but anyone in there couldn’t get out either.

  As I turned to leave, movement in one of the second floor windows caught my eye. It was a woman waving to get my attention. Dark hair that framed a round face. I didn’t recognise her and couldn’t help even if I wanted to so I shrugged at her and continued on my way.

  “Bastard!” she screamed as she flung open the window. I guessed that she no longer worried about alerting the zombies to my presence. “I have kids here.”

  That gave me pause and I stopped. I disliked peo
ple and cared little if they lived or died. My promise to Lily meant I couldn’t just outright kill someone who she would consider innocent but it also didn’t mean I had to save them. Children though… well, I had a soft spot for them.

  I was so close to home too. To the east I could see the hills that I would need to climb to see the lake on the other side. No one would ever know if I left them to die or not.

  With a sigh I stood up straight. The wall was old stone with weeds growing at the base and the stones green with moss. It wouldn’t last long against the mass of undead I saw but I would have some time.

  “What do you want me to do?” I called back.

  The response from the zombies was immediate as the nearest turned to me with ruined voices raised in hunger. They began to stumble my way, first a few and then more. They came in a wave to crash against the wall, arms outstretched as they reached for me.

  “Please,” she called. “I don’t want to die.”

  “No one ever does,” I muttered as I slammed my knife through the skull of the closest zombie. Arms coated with all manner of foul stains reached for me with grasping hands. I shoved them aside and stabbed down into the head of another.

  From around the house more and more zombies were coming, drawn by the calls of their brethren. Their prey inside the house was forgotten as they sought to reach me. As I killed a third and then a fourth, the wall began to buckle.

  “Good luck,” I called. “If you get the chance come to the island in the lake to the east.”

  She watched me with wide eyes as I dispatched two more in quick succession before the wall crumbled beneath their weight. I flashed her a quick grin as I turned and jogged away, slowly enough to draw them with me but not so slow as to let them catch me.

  They fell over themselves as they came through the breach in the wall. Eager to reach me and taste my flesh. I had no intention of letting them. I glanced back and saw that most were following me though a few from the back of the group had lost interest and stayed by the house.

  The woman would have to deal with any stragglers, I couldn’t do everything for her and I was already doing far more than I’d intended.

  I led the zombies out across the field and when I came to the wall that edged it, I clambered over with a distinct lack of grace and stood on the other side panting slightly as I waited. Once again they came up against the wall, spreading out along its length as they sought to reach me.

  My blade struck again and again. The zombies died quickly and easily, one after another. One, two, three, five, seven. By the time my blade sank into the brain of the tenth the wall collapsed and I leapt back only just managing to keep hold of my knife.

  Despite my kills the numbers were still far too high and so I turned and ran up the hill, pushing through the low scrub brushes and heather. As I climbed higher I glanced back to see the zombies following me tirelessly, in many cases pulling themselves upwards with their hands.

  Without pause I reached the top and set off at full speed across the hill. It was nearly a thousand metres and I was winded by the time I reached the other side and the slope that led down to the lake.

  I slid down most of the way, the hillside being too steep to get down quickly by walking. I was soon on the road at the bottom and turned to the south. Above me the zombies could be heard as they reached the top and tumbled over.

  With a great deal of annoyance I saw them slide and roll down the hill to land on the road behind me. On broken limbs they crawled after me and I sighed as I set off at a jog. They were relentless and until I was well out of sight they’d just keep on coming.

  After five minutes of solid jogging, a stitch in my left side and the firm belief that my lungs were collapsing, I saw the island. The tall trees that surrounded it stood up proudly around its borders. Home.

  I was so busy concentrating on the island that I didn’t see the zombies until they noticed me and raised a clamour. I skidded to a stop with hands pressed to my sides as I gasped for breath and watched the group approach.

  With those behind me, the ones ahead and a steep hill to my right I was pretty much screwed. I was in no condition to fight them without at least a couple of minutes rest and even then, there were far too many for me to survive.

  The island wasn’t far. A few hundred metres across the water was one of the smaller islands, just a raised hump of dirt and rock that stood out in the water. Beyond that was the island itself. With little choice I waded into the lake.

  Angry moans rose behind me as the water reached my waist and I fell forward, arms striking out to pull myself through the freezing cold water. I didn’t care about the cold, the wet or how exhausted I was. Lily was close.

  I stopped briefly on the tiny lump of dirt and rock to get my breath but the cold was robbing me of what little strength I had left, so I set off through the water. Irked that no one had noticed my plight and sent a boat.

  Shivering from the cold and dripping water, I pulled myself ashore on the island. Even the mud and fallen leaves felt better against my skin where I lay than the mainland ones had. I hadn’t realised just how much the island home meant to me.

  It was a strange feeling indeed since I had never felt any attachment to a place before in my life. As I pushed myself to my feet I wondered if perhaps it was because of who I would find on the island that gave it the feeling of being somewhere I wanted to be.

  The chimes were still hung between the trees and I climbed over them without caring about setting the tin cans rattling or not. I stepped out from beneath the trees and shaded my eyes as I studied the round house.

  Something was wrong, the doors were closed and no one was out working. I glanced to the roof and saw a shape that I guessed to be the person on watch. It was hard to see but I raised my arm to wave. Always a good idea to let them know I was a friendly.

  Pain blossomed as something hit me and I stumbled back into the trees as the distant sound of the gun firing reached me. I collapsed to the muddy ground wondering why they had shot me.

  Chapter 28

  Lily

  I ached everywhere but the worst of it was my back and buttocks. Each fresh blow of the leather belt raising welts on my naked flesh. Occasionally the belt buckle would split the skin and despite my desire not to, I would scream.

  My people watched, afraid to look away as Marcus struck me again. His rage at the deaths of his men had increased at my refusal to beg for my life. I caught Becky’s eyes on me, full of pity and sorrow. I wanted to say I was sorry for failing, for not protecting them.

  By the time I’d regained consciousness, they’d retaken control of the house. Four more of my people lay dead with gunshot wounds though one of his was wounded. He’d ordered them gathered together as I was dragged down the stairs by my hair, great clumps of it ripped out bloodily.

  His men had kept their weapons trained on the crowd as Marcus held me. Amy wielded the knife that had cut away my clothes leaving me naked before them all. Anyone who looked away was struck with the butt of a rifle or kicked.

  They hadn’t needed to bind me with ropes, words had been enough. Marcus had stood behind me, his breath hot on my neck as he spoke.

  “You will be punished,” he said. “Beaten and abused until you beg me to stop. Fight me, struggle even and I will kill your people one at a time.”

  His threat had been enough, I knew he meant it. Harry stood close by with the knife I’d cut him with in his hands and hate in his eyes. He just needed an order from Marcus and he’d use it.

  I held out as long as I could before I screamed for the first time. I like to think Ryan would have been proud of me. As soon as I screamed though it seemed to excite him and he redoubled his efforts. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t keep it in.

  Someone was weeping and I realised it was me, sobbing messily as I curled up as best I could on the floor. I cowered beneath each blow, my blood flowing freely and pooling around me. Marcus was growing noticeably excited by it a
ll and I dreaded what would come next.

  It took me a moment to realise the beating had stopped. My back was burning from the blows and I raised myself up on trembling arms, hair falling around my face as I tried to look up at him. If he was going to take me then I wouldn’t make it easy for him.

  “Find out what that was,” Marcus ordered and I blinked. Something had happened.

  “Will do,” Lucas said as he set off running up the stairs.

  “Don’t worry sweetness,” he said as he turned back to me as he reached for his zip. “I haven’t forgotten you.”

  “Maybe you should wait,” Amy said. Her eyes as they met mine were full of contempt and envy?

  “Why?” he demanded. “He’s probably just bored.”

  “What if it’s her friends coming back?”

  “If it was them it would have been more than one shot,” he snapped back at her.

  One shot? The sentry on the roof, he’d fired at something. That was what I’d missed as I screamed. It wasn’t much but maybe it was enough. I glanced around as I tried to concentrate through the haze of pain that surrounded me.

  Harry had moved to the door that led to the stairs, Amy and Marcus were behind me and Harry had gone to check the sentry. If I could get my knife back from Harry then I would have a chance to die fighting at least.

  Several more gun shots were fired from up above and then the unmistakable pop-pop-pop of an assault rifle being fired. All eyes turned to the stairs that led up as the guns fell silent. I pushed myself to my feet glad for the distraction and tried to run towards Harry only to collapse on the floor. My legs trembling from the exertion.

  Harry laughed and looked at the knife in his hand. He tossed it to the floor just beyond my reach. “That what you want?”

  A scream sounded from above before I could answer and Marcus snarled.