Pet From Hell (Infected Series Book 1) (5 page)

BOOK: Pet From Hell (Infected Series Book 1)
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Chapter Ten

 

Sitting there I needed to come up with a way for us to either survive what was coming or to get somewhere safer. At the rate the infection was spreading it wouldn’t be long before the whole country had it and things would get out of control at that point. So with those thoughts at the front of my brain I stood up and went to the kitchen. Looking in the cupboards I saw that we had enough food to last maybe a week if we stretched it. To be on the safe side we needed more and we also needed other stuff. I walked to the bottom of the stairs and called up to Jane.

“Jane we are going to need some more supplies is there any big shops in the area?” I said.

“There is only a small Co-Op in the village and a few small independent shops. If you can hold on I’ll come with you.” She answered.

“No you stay there and rest I think you need it.”

“If you are sure. Do you know where the village is?”

“Yes I am sure and no I’ve never been down this way before.”

“I keep forgetting that. Just turn left out of the drive and follow the road to the next junction. Its sign posted from there to the village. Marc will you please be careful whilst you’re out there?”

“I should be ok, is there anything that you might need?”

“I’m embarrassed to say but could you get me some feminine hygiene products please and some shampoo?”

“It’s ok I’ll do my best. I won’t be long so whatever you do, please don’t let anyone in the house that you don’t know. Or better still if anyone comes knocking just hide somewhere pretend there is no one here.”

“Ok I will.”

I grabbed my car keys and opened the front door stepped outside closing it behind me. I walked over to my car and climbed into the driver’s seat. Turning the ignition the car rumbled to life, looking at the gauges I saw we had just under three quarters of a tank. That should be ok for the time being as long as we didn’t have to go very far. Turning the car round I headed down the drive to the main road and turned left like Jane had said and after about five minutes came to the junction she had mentioned. The sign at the junction point out that to the left was Thirsk and the right was Catterick Army Garrison.

I knew Catterick was close by but I never thought it was so close that made me feel slightly better what with the Army being so close. Taking the left turn I followed the winding country road and came to the outskirts of Thirsk village. I drove into the village square and found a place to park. Everything here looked like normal and everyone looked as though they were going about their daily chores. Looking around I saw that the village had a few small shops ranging from the Co-Op to an opticians. The priority was food so I headed into the Co-Op grabbed a trolley and started to load up on dry and tinned food not forgetting the feminine hygiene products that Jane had asked for. I also grabbed as much bottled water as I thought we might need. Whilst trying to look like I wasn’t trying to horde stuff. I paid for it all and loaded it into the back of the car. Once the boot was closed I looked round and saw an ironmongers and headed over that way hoping they might have the other items we might need.

I pushed the door open and walked inside a dark interior of shelves cluttered with all kinds of items. Behind the counter near the door stood an old man in his fifties with iron grey hair wearing blue overalls.

“Hello young man how can I help you?” He said.

“Oh hi have you got any camping gear?” I asked.

“Camping gear? I think there might be a few items in the back right hand corner. There’s not much but you’re welcome to have a look.”

“Thanks.”

Walking down the in between the shelves I glanced at the items on some of them. His stock seemed to range from screwdrivers to plastic water guns. I could swear that someone had grabbed a hand full of junk and just threw it into the shop. I came to the corner the old man had mentioned and saw only a few items that I thought I could use. I grabbed the two wind up lanterns, a small gas cooker and half a dozen gas canisters. Out the corner of my eye I caught sight of two large old looking backpacks and a couple of sleeping bags. If we had to move from where we were now I knew that we needed all of these things so being the person I am I grabbed them and made my way back to the desk at the front of the shop.

“Haven’t seen you around before.” The old man said as I loaded the things I wanted on to the desk.

“No been spending a few days with a friend just outside of the village.” I replied.

“Looks like you have been watching the news, eh?”

Now that caught me off guard and I couldn’t find the right thing to say.

“Don’t worry young’un. I won’t tell anyone but you might want to think of something to defend yourselves with. Grab yourself a couple of them long handle axes.” He said pointing to an old oil can that had long wooden handles sticking out of the open top.

I nodded and grabbed two handles and lifted out the axes then carried them over to the desk.

“Thanks how much do I owe you?” I said.

“Call it twenty pound.” He said smiling.

“There’s more than twenty quid’s worth of gear here.” I said slightly shocked.

“Yes there is but to tell you the truth if what is happening spreads to far then money isn’t going to be worth shit soon.” He replied with a short laugh.

“If you’re sure.” I said fumbling for my wallet.

“All I ask is that you look after whoever it is with you and keep them safe.” He said as I passed him the twenty pound note.

“Thanks.” I said shaking his hand.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eleven

 

I gathered up the gear and put it into the two backpacks and walked back to my car. Opening the door I threw the two packs on the back seat and climbed in. I hadn’t thought that I might have to defend myself or Jane but the old man had given me something to think about. Driving back to the house was a little bit of hit and miss. I passed the drive before I realised that I had past it and had to turn round in the road and head back. Pulling up the drive I saw a strange car on the paved drive and a man stood at the front door with his back to me, stopping the car I reached into the back seat and pulled out one of the axes and got out of the car.

“Hey mate can I help you?” I shouted.

The figure turned round to look at me and I saw that it was PC Foxton.

“What the fuck do you want?” I asked.

“So it is true that bitch of a doctor managed to help you escape then?” He said looking at the axe in my hand.

“Yeah well what with bent coppers and corrupt business men I was completely screwed wasn’t I.”

“Yeah well they want her to come back they said that she can help sort out this mess you made.”

“Where is your bum chum at then?” I asked.

Looking at the ground I could see his hands clench before he answered “He died last night at the hands of one of those fucking monsters last night. Dr Jackson said it was all your fault because you opened the door to the lab to check on your fat mate.”

“Fuck you dickhead. What would you have done if it was your boyfriend?” I said sarcastically.

“I’ll give you boyfriend.” He shouted as he ran at me.

Stepping to the side I brought the handle of the axe down on his back as he ran past me. Hitting the ground face first his face cracked of the paved drive. Moving quickly I sat on his back and leaned forward to whisper in his ear “Look she isn’t wanting to come back with you, so you can get lost.”

Grunting he said over his shoulder “That’s where you are wrong, she already said that she wanted to come back.”

“What are you going on about?” I said.

“I said I would like to go back.” A soft female voice said from behind me.

Standing up and turned round to see Jane with a small bag hung over one arm.

“Jane if you go back they’re just going to take advantage of you.”

She just shrugged her shoulders and said “Yes I know Marc but we need everyone to try and help get this infection under control I can’t exactly help here.”

“I’ll take you back doctor, and I won’t say anything about this waste of space but I swear to god if we ever cross paths again I’ll kick the shit out of you.” Foxton said standing up rubbing his hands on his trousers.

“Yeah right.” I said.

With that being said Foxton and Jane climbed into his car and they pulled down the drive. Half way down the brake light flared and Jane stuck her head out of the passenger window and said “Marc, I left the keys to the house on the kitchen table. If you leave and decide you’re not coming back can you please leave them under the rock near the front door?”

“Yeah.” I shouted back.

She waved and then pulled herself back into the car as it moved down the drive and on to the main road. I stood looking at where the car had turned for a while before walking back to my car. Grabbing the supplies I had got from the village I walked back into the house and into the kitchen. Dumping everything on the floor I looked round and saw the keys on the table. I walked over and looked down at them and shook my head. It was typical that Jane had left me here on my own, every female in my adult life had left me in one way or another so I suppose this wasn’t anything new. Picking them up and putting them in my pocket, I started to put away everything that I had bought that day.

After everything was put away and I had brought the camping supplies into the kitchen I made a coffee and wen to sit in the living room. On the spur of the moment I turned the TV on and was greeted by images of violence and blood on nearly all the channels. The news was saying that it was no longer riots but some kind of terrorist attack that had infected people. Nearly all the major cities and towns in the UK were now affected and there was rumours that the infection had broken out in mainland Europe and the US. I sat staring at the screen unable to tear my eyes away from it as a list of affected UK towns and cities streamed by on the bottom of the screen. Drinking the coffee I made my mind began to wander with regards to what the government was going to do about all of this. When the telephone in the hallway rang. I stood and walked into the hall and picked it up.

“Hello?” I said.

“Marc, its Jane I’m glad you’re still there.”

“Where else would I go? Your bosses made me legally dead so I don’t exist anymore.”

“Look please don’t be angry, I never did that to you.”

“Sorry, I know you didn’t. So why the phone call?” I asked.

“I thought I would let you know what I found out when I got back here, just in case it might help you.”

“Ok, so what have you found out?”

“They aren’t going to be able to control it. Dr Jackson thinks that this might be what’s called an extinction level event. In other words there is no cure for it. Marc unless you can find somewhere very secure or somewhere it hasn’t managed to get a hold then you may as well be dead.” She said sobbing.

“Aren’t you just the ray of sunshine?” I said starting to get pissed off.

“Please Marc, don’t be like that….”

“Shit! Jane how the fuck am I supposed to be? You ring me and tell me that I might as well just walk in front of a car and kill myself than hope this might end anytime soon.” I said shouting down the phone.

“It was just that I thought I might pass you some information on the creatures before I leave.”

“What do you mean leave?”

“The company are pulling all the staff out and we are getting flown out somewhere safe.” She said sobbing down the phone.

“So you and your precious company get to escape the shit that you have caused and live somewhere safe. Whilst the rest of us mere mortals end up being snacks or something worse. Well fuck you all and tell Dr holier than thou Jackson that if I ever get my hands on him I rip his fucking heart out.” And with that I slammed the phone down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twelve

 

I slid my back down the wall to sit on the floor and I cried into my hands for what seemed like an age. The noise and voices coming from the living room seemed to echo round the house as my sobs heaved in my chest. As the daylight started to wane I started to pull myself back together and I stood up. Wiping my eyes on the sleeve of my shirt I blinked at the gloom slowly crawling up the hallway walls. The TV was still on and was casting flashes of light though the doorway. I walked inside and turned it off then pulled the curtains closed and walked back toward the kitchen checking the front door to make sure it was locked as I passed. I couldn’t remember the last time that I had anything to eat so I grabbed a Pot-Noodle and turned the kettle on and sat at the table waiting for it to boil.

Night seemed to have just dropped like a hammer on the little house and the silence seemed to make the place seem foreboding and sinister. I knew that there was only one other house on the road nearby and that was on the other side and about five hundred meters towards the junction to the village and Catterick Army Barracks. At least that was one thing that I had on my side the remoteness of the house made it more secure than if I was in my flat. The only downside that came with the remoteness was going to be the difficulty in getting any supplies. With it being dark I thought an early night was in order and checked the doors and carrying one of the axes I went up to bed. Putting the axe near the head of the bed I stripped of my clothes and climbed in between the sheets. I lay looking at the light bulb hanging from the ceiling and wondered what I was going to in the morning. I closed my eyes and the darkness behind them pulled me down into a dreamless sleep.

The next day I got up to the empty house and made my way into the kitchen and made some breakfast. The fact that I had so little to do and no one to talk to seemed to make me slightly depressed. I walked into the living room and turned on the TV and got nothing but static from all the channels I could get. Now that didn’t make anything feel right, putting my cup and bowl on the coffee table and went into the hallway to try the phone, only to hear nothing but a busy signal from the handset. Shit this could only mean that things had gotten even worse during the night. I should have stayed up and checked the late news last night. What Jane had said about getting somewhere safe came back to haunt me. Where the fuck was I supposed to find anywhere secure enough? I walked back to the living room and sat on the couch to eat my breakfast. I had food and water and this place was a little off the beaten track and therefore a little safer than most places. Jane was right though I really did need to find somewhere a little more secure than a small house. The only problem that I could think of was where would I find somewhere like that?

I took my cup and bowl into the kitchen and put them in the sink and raised my eyes to the fields behind the house and that’s when I nearly pissed myself. Stumbling across the fields behind the house were four people and when I say they were stumbling, I mean falling flat on their faces only to stand back up and continue their march across the fields. Even from the distance that I was from them, I could tell that they were infected. It wasn’t from any obvious injuries or missing limbs, it was just by their stance and the jerky way that they walked. I slowly moved to the side of the window so that I could look round the side and hide if needed. I didn’t know how well they could see and I didn’t want to chance them seeing me. Standing watching them I got a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach. If I had four walking behind the house then how many might be walking down the road at the front. Getting down on my hands and knees I crawled down the hall and the slowly climbed the stairs. I could have ran up them but I didn’t want to make any noise that could be heard from outside. I opened the bedroom door at the front of the house and went inside.

This room must have been Jane’s parents’ room what with there being a large double bed with a flowery print on the duvet. A large wooden wardrobe, matching set of draws and dressing table with mirror. The window was behind the dressing table and mirror so again I stood to the side against the wall and peered outside toward the main road. Sure enough I could see several heads moving past the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At least luck was with me and none of them had decided to have a walk up the drive, well not yet anyway. Putting my back to the wall I slid down it till my butt hit the floor and just sat with my arms round my legs.

“Come on Marc think. What the fuck are you going to do?” I whispered to the room.

Of course if I had answered myself then I would be going nuts. I decided that the first thing I needed to do was get a pack sorted with emergency gear just in case I had to leave quickly. Standing back up I risked one more quick look out the bedroom window and a small plan jumped into my head. Just outside the window was a small roof over the front door and it was a short drop down to the ground. It would only be a short run to my car which I had parked pointing back down the drive. With that plan in mind I was going to sleep in this room from now on. Going back to my room I gathered my gear and took it downstairs. In the kitchen I laid the backpacks on the table and split all the gear and food into them. Then I strapped a long handled axe to each. My thought was that if I took both backpacks with me then if I had to make a run for it as long as I grabbed one of them I would still be ok. Carrying them both upstairs I put them near them window and sat down on the bed to think.

Now I might have been a little tired, I don’t know but when I woke up and looked at my watch it was just after one in the afternoon. I stood up and risked a look out the window and saw nothing on the main road. I closed the curtains thinking that if I did that it would make it harder for the infected to be able to see me. My stomach rumbled letting me know that I had missed lunch so again I quietly went back downstairs to the kitchen. My mind was elsewhere and because I was wool gathering and watching my feet instead of looking where I was going I didn’t see the two infected looking at me from outside the kitchen window. As soon as they started to moan I bloody well noticed them and looked up. One was a male, at least I think he was a male. He had the left half of his face eaten away and what little muscle left was hardly holding his jaw in place giving his face a lopsided look. His eyes seemed to do circuits in his sockets when he saw me look up. Raising a bloody pulped up hand to strike the window I could see the white bone of missing fingers. The other looked to be a teenage girl and to be honest from what I could see she looked nearly normal apart from a crescent shaped bite mark on her shoulder. The only thing that they both had in common was the green slime or whatever it is, leaking from their eyes and ears.

“Fuck what do I do now?” I asked.

Backing out of the kitchen I closed the door and quickly went back upstairs my grumbling stomach forgotten. I went into the front bedroom and glanced out the window. From where I was standing I couldn’t see any of the creatures. Sitting down on the bed I looked out the window trying to come up with some sort of plan. I suddenly I heard a loud crash from downstairs followed by their moan echoing round the house. I stood up quickly and looked at the door to the bedroom I quickly crossed the room and closed the door it was then that I saw it didn’t have a lock. I could hear their moans getting louder on the other side of the door. I needed to put something in front of the door to give myself a few minutes breathing room. That’s when I saw the chest of draws out of the corner of my eye. I quickly pushed them in front of the door. I knew that it wouldn’t hold for long if there were more than two of them in the house and by the sounds coming from downstairs there was a lot more than two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOOK: Pet From Hell (Infected Series Book 1)
12.03Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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