Killing The Dead 9 (Season 2 | Book 3): Family Matters Read online

  Chapter 2 – Lily

  Death wanted to take me, a dark shrouded being reaching out its skeletal hands. The undead that walked the world were his agents. When they had failed to take me for him, a young deaf girl had taken their place. Eyes full of hate, fear, and regret as her hand flashed forward. Searing pain and a descent into darkness for the first time.

  Darkness became light, became darkness once again as I drifted in and out of consciousness. A hazy recollection of being on a boat at sea, disjointed sounds, smells, and images that soon faded back into a seemingly endless night.

  Movement, fresh pain from my gut where I had been stabbed and an aching need to scream out as heat filled me, burning me, yet despite that I couldn’t stop the shivering. I was dying. Ryan where are you?

  The world was on fire, no, that was just me. Shivering as I burned from the inside out. My throat was dry but I had no voice to call for water to quench my thirst and the very thought of drinking anything made my stomach heave in a way that only worsened the pain.

  I could hear them talking. My friends, my family, my lover. Endless words that were absent of any real meaning to my ears. Sounds that washed over me, ethereal and hard to cling on to. I was lost in a sea of darkness that wanted to drag me beneath those dark waves to where death waited to embrace me.

  A flash of light and the world came into focus. A striking woman staring down into my eyes, a frown marring her face as she shone a too bright light at me. She seemed familiar though I’d never seen her before.

  “What do you think?” a male voice asked from somewhere behind me. A voice I thought I knew or should know.

  “Fever for sure,” the woman replied as her hands pressed down against my stomach. I sucked in a deep breath of air and didn’t even try to stop the scream that drowned out the rest of her words.

  “…infected,” she continued. “…medicine we don’t have.”

  “…can’t let her…”

  “…Not much I can do…”

  The words kept fading in and out of my hearing, hard to understand though I knew they were talking about me. Ryan, I need you.

  “…Is this her…” a new voice, older, comforting. I clung to it as fingers probed the inflamed flesh around my wound, until another scream drowned out the voices and their words.

  “…Waiting…”

  “…Won’t listen…”

  “…So angry…”

  “…Who is she to him…” I saw the woman's lips move as she asked the question to someone I couldn’t see. An answer came and her frown deepened. “Not possible,” she said as she looked back down at me.

  “…I swear…I saw…”

  “...Bring him here…”

  Then silence followed by the distant sound of a door closing and the woman watched me, face full of sorrow and fear that deepened as someone entered the room.

  “Wait…” she said and I felt a hand take mine, holding me gently as though afraid that I would break.

  “Can you help her?” a voice, Ryan, so cold though and distant. I struggled to focus, to hear what they were saying.

  “I don’t know,” she replied and flinched at what she saw in his face.

  It was the hardest thing I had ever done, just moving my head enough that I could see him. My Ryan, my love. His eyes were dark, the man I loved gone and the killer in his place. She had seen the killer like I did and it scared her. Who is she?

  He felt my hand move against his and his gaze dropped to mine, the killer retreating and the man returning. Too slow! As though the killer refused to leave.

  “Hello Lily,” he said and I heard the strain in his voice.

  I tried to answer, to reassure, to tell him I was still here, fighting to stay alive but nothing came. He saw my struggle though and saw my pain, saw that I was dying.

  “Save her,” he said as he looked at the woman and her eyes widened at the sound of his voice. It wasn’t a command, wasn’t a request, it was a plea and the first I had ever heard from him. Then darkness swept me away.

  Chapter 3 – Ryan

  The door slammed closed behind me and I stared into the faces of my friends as they each looked back at me with hope clear on their faces. I clenched my jaw and willed my fists to uncurl before I pushed past them without a word.

  I stalked along the corridor, their voices raised with questions I couldn’t answer, drowned by the thunderous beating of my own heart. A shiver ran through my body and my breathing deepened as I pushed through a plain wooden door at the end of the hall and stepped into what had once been a gift shop.

  Glass cases full of useless tat that commemorated the visit to the castle, filled the walls while metal stands with shelves full of stuffed toys, ornaments and the usual magnets with a crude image of the castle on it, dotted the floor.

  She’s dying! My hand trembled as I raised it to press against my temple. A headache was coming and a need was growing within me.

  It seemed such a betrayal. That one thing I had enjoyed more than anything in my otherwise miserable life was marred by her. She had changed me in such a way that I had restricted myself. I had moved away from being me, from being the killer. I had been becoming something different, perhaps even something better. Now she was dying and I couldn’t find any joy in that.

  The urge to sweep up the nearest stand and use it to wreak total and utter destruction on the grinning animal soft toys around me was almost overwhelming. To hear the shattering of glass and breaking of wood. To mindlessly destroy something that others cared about as I unleashed the rage that seemed to twist my insides. To allow me to feel something other than that nameless feeling that surged through me when I thought of her dying.

  A whump of warm air hit my hand as my dark furred shadow pressed her muzzle against me. I glanced down into those dark eyes that stared back with an apparent understanding of my pain. For once, I appreciated the gesture and scratched absently behind her ear as I pushed back that weakness that threatened to overcome me.

  “Ryan?” Cass said gently as she laid one hand on my shoulder.

  “Leave me alone,” I commanded as I used all of my will to keep my hand away from the knife on my belt.

  “No.” Her voice was low but firm. A simple refusal to do as I said in her tone and so reminiscent of the one Lily would use. I was almost undone.

  “She’s dying,” I said.

  “I know.”

  “This is new to me.” I refused to turn, to look into her eyes and see the pity she must be unable to hide at my pathetic emotional response. A response that would have never happened before I’d met her. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “There’s nothing you can do,” she said. Her voice barely above a whisper as a tremble ran through my body. I hoped she was alone, if anyone else was to see my shameful response, I would kill them all. “She needs medicine, antibiotics. Without them, the infection will win and we don’t have any.”

  “Less than ten miles.”

  “What?”

  “The distance between my grandparent’s home and the hospital in Dumfries,” I said. “They went once when my brother had a fall. I remember the signs along the side of the road.”

  “What does it matter?”

  “There might be a chance that the drugs we need are there.” I turned to her and saw a brief look of hope appear on her face before it quickly faded once more.

  “No,” she said as she wiped at the tears that shone in her eyes. “The hospitals were the worst places to be. All those sick people who turned there at the end. Add to that the population of the town along with however many more zombies have arrived up the A75 road.”

  “It was on the southern edge of town,” I said. My tone was insistent and I could see she was starting to consider it by the way her nose crinkled and her brow furrowed.

  “You should stay with her, be here for her for when…“ She couldn’t finish and a sob escaped her as the tears fell.

  “No. I can’t do that,” I said and hated the emotion that c
oloured my tone. Emotion, that less than a year ago I hadn’t even comprehended that I would ever be able to feel. “I need to do something. To try.”

  “Even if you made it there, found some medicine and made it back in time, there’s still a chance it will all be for nothing.”

  “I have to try.”

  She stared at me, her eyes boring into mine and something she saw there finally caused her to nod her head. “Fine then, we’ll try.”

  ****

  Cass left and returned a short while later with the rest of my friends and without preamble, I explained what I needed to do.

  “Shouldn’t we talk to Gabe?” Becky asked, her eyes wide and fearful.

  “I’m in,” Gregg said and was echoed by Pat.

  “You need to stay here,” I said and raised one hand to forestall any objections. “You too Cass.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Try and make me,” Pat added.

  “Someone needs to stay here with Lily,” I said and looked directly at Cass. Lily would kill me if she found out I had been the cause of anything happening to her friends and that was something I wasn’t going to risk. “And you’re the best choice.”

  “You,” I said as I swung my gaze to Pat. “Need to stay here to protect them because from the little I’ve seen of these defences, anyone serious about getting inside the walls will do so without any problems.”

  “What about me?” Becky asked. Her fingers tapped out an impatient rhythm on the backpack she held close. The one that contained her brother's data and samples.

  “Stay here,” I said. Not much use to me anyway. “If all else fails, you still need to travel north.”

  “Just you and me then mate,” Gregg said with a grin and I shook my head then spoke as his smile faltered.

  “One person will have as much chance as two, possibly more so because I will only need to look out for myself.”

  “Screw you,” he said with a rising heat. “She’s my friend too.”

  “You can’t go alone,” Cass interrupted before I could speak. “I understand what you’re trying to do. I really do. But you need someone with you.”

  “Why?”

  “What happens if you get hurt?” she countered. “Speed is of the essence and two of you means that if one falls, the other can still make it back.”

  “Three,” Gabriel said from the doorway. All eyes turned to him as he stepped into the room from the corridor, a tall, attractive woman beside him.

  “You’re not coming,” I said flatly.

  “Oh I think I am laddie,” he said with that infectious grin I hated so much. “Tell him sis.”

  “I’ve cleaned the wound as best I can,” Evelyn said. Her voice was mellow and she ran her hand through her dark shoulder length hair, a habit she’d had as a child when she was thinking. “I’ll try and bring the fever under control but whatever was used to stab her wasn’t clean. There’s a definite bacterial infection started there and without proper supplies and care, she won’t make it. I’m sorry.”

  She paused and her eyes met mine. I recognised the understanding I saw there and something else besides. “If you really want to try and get those supplies then I’ll get a list but the more who go, the more you can bring back and we need a lot.”

  I opened my mouth to tell her that I didn’t care what she wanted, just what Lily needed but Cass caught my eye and shook her head. “That’s fine, three will be ok,” she said as I fumed silently.

  “She already gave me the list anyway,” Gabe said and I glowered at him to little effect.

  “Then this is happening,” Cass said with a long exhalation of breath before looking to me. “Look after my brother.”

  “Look after Lily,” I countered and she managed a fairly feeble smile.

  “You know I will.”

  A huge hand caught my shoulder and I was swung around to be engulfed in a bear-like embrace from Pat. “Be safe and come back to us pal.”

  “Erk!” I managed as he gripped me tightly. When he released me, he turned away quickly with one hand wiping at his eyes.

  As the rest of them made their goodbyes and I waited impatiently to leave, Evelyn crossed the room towards me. I paused and stuck my hands in my pockets as she neared and looked away.

  “It’s good to see you Ryan,” she said.

  “It is?”

  “Of course,” she said and smiled as I looked up to her. “When you get back, we need to talk.”

  “About what?”

  “You’re different,” she said and her eyes narrowed. “Everything I thought I knew about you told me that couldn’t happen. I’d really like to understand it.”

  I shrugged, unable to think of anything to say. Hoping that the conversation would end but she continued anyway.

  “She is the cause of it, I’m sure of that at least.” I shrugged again and turned away but her hand caught my arm. “It’s a good thing.”

  “Time will tell,” I said as I looked back at her and grinned. Her eyes widened and she released my arm as she stepped back. Whatever she saw in my eyes was enough to shut her up.

  “You going to see mum and dad before you go again?” she asked as I walked away from her towards the door. I didn’t bother to look back again as I answered.

  “No.”

  Chapter 4 – Ryan

  The urge to leave immediately was strong but I forced myself to wait for the others to gather themselves together. I strode through the hallways of the half-ruined castle, back towards the boat that had brought us across the moat and kept my hands well away from my knife.

  I wanted, no I needed to kill someone. If I wasn’t careful then I would end up doing something rash that would mean no matter the outcome, I would lose Lily in one way or another. Of course the most worrying of all was that I had changed enough that such things mattered to me.

  As a way to distract myself, I ran a mental checklist of my belongings that I would be taking with me. I still had my backpack which contained a two-litre bottle of water, some food rations, spare clothing and bits of odds and ends. It still had plenty of space for anything I picked up from the hospital but if needed, I had no issue with ditching everything to make space for the medicines she needed.

  My waterproof jacket was thick enough to provide an extra second or so of protection should a zombie bite down on my arm. It was also warm and provided some padding at the shoulder beneath the straps of my backpack to prevent chafing.

  Jeans, walking boots, the claw bladed knife Lily had given to me and of course my steel combat knife comprised the rest of my stuff. It wasn’t much by anyone's standards, even mine and I had never been especially materialistic. It was enough though in this new world.

  “She coming with you?” the older man who had rowed us across the moat earlier asked. I followed his gaze and found Jinx sat on her haunches behind me, tongue lolling. I shrugged and turned back to him.

  “Guess so.”

  “Just the two of you then?” he asked.

  “Couple more on the way,” I said as I looked at him properly for the first time.

  He was busy preparing the inflatable dinghy to ensure it was ready for another trip across the water. His clothing, while worn, was well mended and clean. He had a faint stubble on his chin as though he had shaved several hours earlier and his eyes were clear.

  “Where you off to?”

  “Why do you want to know?” I asked, suspicion evident in my voice judging by the way he shook his head and waved.

  “No offence lad, just passing the time with some idle chatter.”

  “Dumfries,” I said after a moment's thought. “Anything I should be aware of?”

  “Nay lad, just the usual.” He scratched idly at his nose as he thought and nodded to himself. “Follow the road from here to the river, it turns north towards the town and will take you straight there. Biggest problem will be Glencaple.”

  “My grandparents lived there,” I said. “My… family were there when the world fell, I as
sumed it was infested with the undead now.”

  “Oh aye, some of them on and off, but a few families decided to stay there and hold out. They’ve turned it into an armed camp.”

  “Dangerous to outsiders?”

  “Not so much. If you leave them be, they’ll leave you,” he scratched his head and shrugged wide shoulders. “They’ve no interest in leaving the village so we’ve had no problems so long as we stay away.”

  “They know you’re here?”

  “Oh aye, we asked them to come with us when we left.”

  “Then they are a threat to your sanctuary,” I said with a frown forming. “When they run low on supplies or need something you have… they’ll come for you.”

  “Nay lad, nay. They’re good folk, just wanted to stay in their homes until this is over.”

  “It won’t be over. You realise that right?”

  The older man shrugged and I had the faint impression that he disagreed but was uncomfortable with arguing. I almost sighed as I realised exactly how much I had relied on Lily to interpret this sort of thing for me.

  With nothing else to be said, we waited in silence until Gabe and Gregg came out of the rear doors to the castle's main – and only fully intact – building. Their faces were set, expressions grim and they looked for all the world as though they were walking to their deaths. Which, to be fair, they likely were.

  “Ready?” I asked and Gregg nodded as he shifted his weight restlessly.

  There was nothing else to be said and in silence, we climbed into the inflatable dinghy. It was a squeeze with the four of us and I was forced to have the dog sat on my lap. She at least seemed to be enjoying herself, her tail wagging as she panted.

  We climbed from the boat when it reached the banking and Gabriel shared a few words of thanks with the man who had rowed us across while I stared out at the surrounding trees and considered options.

  The splash of oars hitting water sounded and the others climbed the bank to join me. Gregg opened his mouth as though to speak but instead shook his head and muttered something beneath his breath before waiting quietly. Gabriel had no such patience.