I Dream of Zombies (37 page)

“Shush,” said
Tommy.

‘
The road narrows between the trees. Be careful in this area. Do not make any noise. Drive straight. When you reach the facility there will be guards. Do not be afraid and wait. We have food and we offer protection. Violence will not be tolerated and gangs will be dealt with strongly. Every newcomer will have to be quarantined. If there are any survivors…’

“Turn it off,” said
Tommy.

Ellen
glanced up. “Why?”

“Best to lower the noise…
”

“But the car is louder,” Barney pointed out.

Marla grinned to herself. The boy had a point, but she turned off the radio anyway.

“How old do you think the message is?” asked Ellen.

“No idea,” Marla replied.

Ellen bit her lip. “Do you think the government still exists
even? Could the message be fake? It’s been a week since Eric left that note for us.”

Ma
rla swallowed and glanced at Tommy. She saw a flicker of fear travel across his face and then he hid it. “The good stuff is what we’ve got to think about,” he said. “I’ve had enough of the bad.”

Ellen smiled. “Okay, sorry. S
omething good has gotta happen, hasn’t it?”

“According to the rules of karma, I’d say yes,” said Marla.

The road continued to eel its way through the closely knit trees until it turned right and then opened up as the foliage became less dense. On either side fields stretched out as far as the eye could see in the fading light. There were no buildings at all and no structures except for a series of structures that spun in the breeze. And no figures moved anywhere, to Marla’s relief.

“
Cool! Windmills,” remarked Barney, “and nice empty fields.”

“Except for that,” said
Tommy as a huge construction came into view in the near distance.

As
he drove closer, it became apparent that the tall building was surrounded by fencing. Marla guessed it would be electrified and topped by barbed wire. The nearer they got, she estimated it to be about twenty foot high, and it covered some area. As the car drove up the rough gravel road, she noticed a group of people. “This is weird,” she remarked. “Anyone could be inside there and we’re outnumbered. I keep thinking of that gang who attacked us.”

“True,” said
Tommy. “But my gut instinct is telling me to trust it. Eric said to come here.”

“Really?” asked Ellen. “There’s wire up there. How
will we get out if it’s dangerous?”

Tommy
did not respond. Drawing nearer to the high fencing, he parked the car and turned off the engine. The silver Citroen drew up behind them and stopped. Beyond the wire stood men dressed in army fatigues. Right in front of the Mini Cooper was a huge double gate, which looked to be made of metal. Marla and Tommy sat there in silence for a few minutes, turning various scenarios over in their minds.

“There are cameras on the fence,”
said Ellen, pointing upwards.

“Yep, they’ve seen us by now,” Tommy deadpanned.

“Are we okay with this?” asked Marla. “Because we can always go back…”

Ellen shrugged. “
Back where? What’s the alternative?”

Without
replying, Marla gripped her gun.

“
They’re coming out,” said Barney, pointing.

Marla spun round
in her seat. Sure enough, the double gate was opening ever so slowly. Slipping his handgun into his pocket, Tommy sat still and waited. Bob jumped up and started to bark as the gap in the gate widened and six men stepped out, armed to the teeth and wearing bulletproof vests, helmets and visors. They took up positions at equal distances apart and waited, their eyes fixed on the two vehicles.

Tommy
undid his seatbelt. “I’m going to get out.”

Marla sighed. “
What if…”

“Instinct tells me they’re okay. I’m going to talk to them. Anything happens, you drive away.”

Marla scowled. “I’m not leaving yo–”

“If you have to, you have to. I’d leave you if…”

“You serious?” asked Marla, flinching.

“Nah, but hey,” Tommy replied with a grin. Getting out of the
Mini Cooper before she could say another word, he stepped on to the gravel and slammed the door shut. It locked immediately. Bob barked even more loudly, pressing his paws against the car window.

“Should be fine,” said
Ellen.

Marla shrugged as she concentrated on the scene ahead.
Why can’t I trust this? Because I’ve been surrounded by the dead for too long, that’s why.
She watched Tommy walk up to the nearest of the six army men and say something. Then he pointed to the car and said something else. The stranger motioned to his handgun. Tommy nodded and handed it to him.
“Shit,” mumbled Marla under her breath.

The soldier nodded and tapped Tommy on the back. Marla exhaled and smiled at Ellen, who grinned. Everyone watched as their friend strode back to the car, looking cheerier than he had done in weeks. Marla lowered the window.

“It’s fine,” Tommy told her. “It is definitely a government facility and we’re free to stay. They asked if anyone has any bites and I told them no. He could see that I’m fine. There are hundreds of survivors here. We hit the jackpot.”

“That’s great,” said Marla. “Greater than great even. I can’t believe it. We’re finally safe?”

“So we’re staying here?” asked Barney as Bob looked from face to face, wagging his tail.

“Yes,” Tommy replied. “What are you all waiting for?”
Turning, he walked over to the Citroen and waved at Billy to get out. Harold and Peggy emerged from the back, and stretched their legs.

“All good?” asked Billy, walking around to the boot.

“Yep, it’s fine. We’re safe, man,” Tommy added with a smile of relief. “But leave the bags. They’re going to bring them in for us.”

Ellen
opened the car door and stepped out holding Ruth, followed by Barney and the dog. Marla picked up her bag, slung it over her shoulder and got out of the vehicle, gripping her handgun. Slamming the car door, she turned to Ellen who had a bright smile on her face as she hugged Ruth, who was still sleeping. Jemima was sandwiched between them.

“Welcome
to Rickslaw and this place is nicknamed Haven,” said the soldier with whom Tommy had been speaking. “I’m glad you made it here. Good timing as it’s going to be getting dark soon, although we don’t see many living dead make it all the way up here.”

Marla glanced at him.
The man had a sturdy build, reddish-blonde short hair and hazel eyes, and she guessed he was in his late twenties. His friendly smile was infectious. “Thanks,” she told him. “So it’s safe?”

“Government building. We’re legit. Look, here’s my ID.”

Marla surveyed it and smiled.

“You need to give me your handgun though.”

“But…”

“You can have it back if you leave.”

“Um, okay,” said Marla, “but I’m used to protecting myself and my sister here.”

“I don’t make the rules,” the soldier replied, “
and I don’t know you from Adam.”

“Who’s Adam?” asked Barney.

“It’s a figure of speech,” the man explained, but the boy only frowned harder.

Shrugging, Marla reluctantly handed over the
Glock. “That one’s my favourite,” she said. “Take good care of it.”

The soldier raised an eyebrow.

“Ex-army,” she explained with a hesitant smile.

“That explains it,” the man
replied. “Respect to you. But… whoa, you have a dog?”

Tommy
bristled. “Is that a problem?”

“Well, except
for a couple of military working dogs we have here, he’s going to be the only one.”

“I thought people’s pets were being moved?
” asked Ellen.

The guy
made a face. “Yeah, but that’s still being coordinated. They’re probably fine, but in various places.”

“
Probably?” echoed Tommy.

The soldier shrugged.
“It’s not my job.”

“So,
is he going to be a problem? I can’t leave him.”

“Nah, well, h
e’ll have to go into quarantine with you and I’ll check with the commander. It’s up to him, after all. He’s a nice looking dog.”

Tommy
eased up a bit. “His name is Bob.”

Marla put her a
rm around her sister’s shoulder. Barney noticed and grabbed Ellen’s free hand. She grinned down at him. “Everything is going to be okay now, Barney. We’re safe here.”

He gazed back up
at her with the hint of a smile. The soldier, along with two others, led the way through the metal gates. Behind them, two of the other men began to check the vehicles as the sixth one stood guard. As soon as they had passed through, the entrance closed automatically with a loud clang. Inside, the facility was huge with about ten levels. All around them the wire fencing stretched. Several warnings of electrocution were fixed to it.

“Don’t touch this,” instructed the soldier, glancing down at the boy. Dotted here and there on top of the fence were cameras. They moved as the
visitors walked across the gravel area. Rows upon rows of military vehicles and two black-painted, double-decker buses, of all things, were parked inside and there were petrol pumps.

“It’s huge,” said Ellen as Ruth stirred in her arms.

“Big,” the little girl mumbled.

Ellen smiled. “Yes, we are staying here tonight.”

“Home?” asked Ruth, making Jemima jiggle in the air.

Ellen nodded. Tommy walked beside them, not taking his eyes off the soldiers.
“Look!” he said, suddenly pointing. “Isn’t that the coach we were on earlier? Hey, Robert, did that coach come in about a week ago? There was a soldier on it called Simon and the driver was a guy named Eric…”

Robert thought for a second and a look of realisation
flickered over his face. “Yes, I reckon it did come in then and there is a new soldier by that name…”

“Great. They made it. I’m looking forward to catching up with Eric.”

“I’m so glad,” added Marla. “All this is the best news we’ve had in a long time.”

The group
passed between the rows of parked cars and armoured vehicles until they reached yet another wire fence, which was again electrified. A soldier opened the wire door from the other side and they entered. Stepping across the way, the daunting brick building loomed.

Marla imagined it stretched back quite
far. “How long has this been here?” she asked.

“Quite long,” replied the soldier, not giving anything away. “It was an army base.”

Tommy furrowed his brow. “I was in the army and I never heard of it.”

“Government secret, but we have no secrets now.”

“Do you know what’s causing the virus or whatever it is?” asked Marla.

“I can’t say,” the soldier replied.

“Ah,” remarked Ellen, glancing at her sister. “Why not?”

The soldier turned. “I’ll leave that to the scientists.”

“Scientists?” asked Marla.

“They’re trying to find a cure.”

“Is that possible? Those things came back from the dead.”

The soldier shrugged and did not reply. Marla assumed it was because he didn’t have one.

“Are there many survivors here?” asked Billy.

“Yes, hundreds,” said the soldier, brightening. “We’ve been able to save a lot of people. The announcement on the radio goes out 24-7, and a lot of folk have made it up here. Some, who were bitten, we couldn’t take in, unfortunately, but most we could. We go out scanning the immediate area most days, trying to find people, and…” Glancing at Barney and Ruth, he paused. “We’re clearing the area gradually.”

“We didn’t see any on our way up,” Marla remarked.

“That’s good to hear, but it’s quietest during the day.

“They like the night,” added Ellen, cringing.

“That they do,” replied the soldier. “Are you hungry?” he asked, kindly changing the subject.

The girl nodded. “We’ve got some stuff left in the car.”

“But what do you crave most?”

“Bacon butty,” chipped in Harold, smiling at his wife.

“Roast beef dinner,” added Peggy with a smile.

Barney thought for a moment and replied, “Eggy soldiers.”

Ellen thought for a moment. “A cup of hot chocolate with cream.”

The soldier chuckled. “You’re easily pleased.”

She blushed and grinned, while Tommy burst into laughter.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh like that in weeks,” exclaimed Marla, nudging him.

“Well, let’s hope it continues,” said the soldier. “My name is Robert, by the way.
This is Haven and as the name suggests, you’re safe here.”