Zombielandia (Book 2): No Safe Harbour Read online

  Chapter Thirty

  It was starting to get dark when Billy led us outside to one of his many out buildings. We had to watch where we stood and struggled to weave our way through the vast array of junk, or should I say materials that he’d been collecting for the past eighty years. Once inside he showed us a canoe that was hanging from the rafters. There you go, he said. The sea looks canny calm out there tonight and I’ve got another one of these stashed down next to the beach. I still like the odd bit of mackerel now and again.

  It was brilliant, we’d be able to paddle to Coquet Island under the relative cover of darkness, but with just enough light to see where we were going and no one would see or hear us.

  Let’s go now I said, I don’t want to wait until the morning; the guys will be worried enough as it is and I don’t want anyone putting themselves at risk unnecessarily.

  I’ll run you down to the beach Billy said, I’ve got the old car in wor Jane’s garage. Jane had once lived a couple of doors up from Billy, so I knew where he meant. There will be no one around here now he said and besides they’re used to seeing me out and about.

  Chapter Thirty One

  Ten minutes later we were dragging two canoes over the beach whilst crushing rotting skulls underfoot again.

  Now, it had been over thirty years and thirty pounds since I’d last been in a canoe. Bizarrely enough we’d actually canoed to Coquet Island and back on one of our many expeditions with the school canoeing club. Now what was our motto again? Oh, yes, Hay Ho, The wind and the rain. Our canoeing instructor had been called Mr Hay. I wondered if he was still living in Amble somewhere too, he’d always preferred the simple life, never owned a T.V. I shrugged it off and bounced back to reality and the job ahead.

  Amy was already bobbing about in the waves just ahead of me. I dragged my canoe into the shallows, climbed in and used my oar to drag myself and the canoe until I was battling the incoming waves. I don’t know if it was because the sense of balance and skills I had learnt all those years ago had never left me, a bit like riding a bike or swimming, or just sheer luck or maybe even the fear that if I actually did capsize I’d no doubt be fish food myself! I soon found myself quite merrily paddling alongside Amy and actually enjoying something for the first time in ages.

  There had always been something about the sea ever since the days I’d gone fishing with Billy that I’d loved. He’d have been in the front of the Warrior navigating and steering us to the next wreck site and I would have been in the back lazing in the sun without a care in the world. It didn’t matter what stress’ I had in life, when I was out on that water they were gone and the only thing on my mind was catching that next fish.

  It felt a bit like that now as we paddled towards the island. It’s like you’re out there and there’s nothing you can do about anything else and no one can bother you, so you may as well just relax and try and forget everything.

  My thoughts soon turned to Babs, Luke and Emily. It was the first time I had time to take in everything that had happened over the past few days and it felt like a dark cloud had fallen over me again. I threw up over the side of the canoe. You okay? Amy shouted over. Yeah, I’m fine I replied, just a bit sea sick I guess. Which was obviously not the reason for my nausea.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  It took us a good hour to get to the island and it was fairly dark by the time we arrived, however our journey passed without any incident. The canoes had clearly been the way forward as no one on the island had heard or seen us coming either and we were pretty sure someone would be up in the light room keeping watch.

  The Gamebird was still moored where she’d been when we’d left that morning. We dragged our canoes far enough in so that they wouldn’t float away, after all, Billy wanted them back.

  We banged on the large steel door before entering, to our relief they were all still there huddled around the fire place. For fucks sake Maddison cried out, I nearly shit a brick. Margaret soon appeared from the light room as well after hearing all the commotion coming from below. Where did you two blow in from she said, you’ve certainly never sailed into here! You should have gone to Spec Savers Lucy shouted out and with that everyone started to laugh. Well if that’s case I’ll make myself useful and put the kettle on replied Margaret. Here take this too I said to her, handing her a pot of Billy’s stew, heat that up too, you lot will be famished, oh, and watch that pot, he wants it back!

  Emily had been sleeping on a sofa snuggled up to Jaffa cat next to the fire, but all the noise had stirred her, so I went to her and hugged her until my arms ached and then hugged her some more.

  We told everyone about how David had gone missing and about the sisterhood and what was going on back at the cresent. We told them that we had arranged to meet Billy back on the beach just after sunrise the following morning and that we were going back to the cresent to try and find out what had happened to David and hopefully bring him and The Hope back along with anyone else that we could get out or wanted to come with us. There was no life for us in Togston anymore I’d decided. There weren’t enough of us to take on the sisterhood and with talk of the Navy hanging around here too; it wasn’t a place I particularly wanted to stay any more. Maybe we would return one day once they had wiped each other out or when we’d strengthened our group again. For now though it was a simple rescue mission. In and out, get David, get the Hope and get away. If anyone else wanted to join us then great, if not, we were off.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  I must have walked a dozen miles if not more pacing backward and forwards that night before finally getting to sleep. I’d probably only had a couple of hours before Amy woke me. I struggled up from the sofa I’d been sleeping on with Emily. I kissed her gently on the forehead and stroked her long brown hair; it was the same as her mothers had been. People had often said that Emily and Luke were just mini versions of me and Babs. Emily was tall and thin with long dark hair just like her Mom. Her deep green eyes being the only trait that she’d took from me.

  Luke was solid and stocky like myself and had what we’d called his little dad belly before the outbreak as I’d put on a few pounds in the years before it all kicked off. Everyone was lean and strong these days, we had to be in order to survive. Strangely Luke had had beautiful deep blue eyes, the only physical trait he’d taken from his mother. He had always been a loving, caring boy, the same nature as Babs. It was Emily who was the fiery one, always getting poor Luke into trouble.

  Come on Amy said, no time for day dreaming today, it’s going to be getting light in less than an hour.

  Margaret had been waiting up for us. Bring him back she said, I’m starting to grow quite attached to the old fella. We’ll do our best Amy replied, we’ll do our best.

  With that we headed out quietly into the dark, dragging our canoes across the sand and rocks and back into the sea again. We had better prepared ourselves this time by taking both the shot gun and a rifle and of course for any close quarter fighting I had my trusty boat hook!

  Chapter Thirty Four

  Amy and I chatted quietly as we paddled towards the shore. Billy had said he’d flash his head lights from time to time so that we had somewhere to aim for in the dark. Sure enough, there he was.

  We chatted about what it had been like before the outbreak. Amy and John had been running the camp site where we had been staying. She was still young for someone with a teenage son, just thirty four now. She said that she had often thought about leaving the group and going in search of the rest of her family, but always came back to the same conclusion that we were all safer if we stayed together. The group had helped protect her, John and Anthony and she had no plans now of leaving it. Eventually we may find ourselves down south again she said, but in the mean time we need to do what we can here.

  She had met John about 20 years ago. They loved working at the caravan site that John’s father had left them a few years back. They had both worked there, only taking over the running of it when John’s father had taken
ill. They worked for ten months of the year during the holiday season, but when it closed for the two months winter maintenance they had had the freedom to travel and do other things and had often spent Christmas in foreign countries.

  She assumed that Anthony would stay with them. The loss of Becky had hit him hard. They had started to make plans back on May. They had wanted to make a home for themselves there and have a bit more privacy and independence. But everything had changed again. We were struggling to keep together the few of us that were left, we had nowhere to call home and what we thought would be our safe haven was gone, taken over by the sisterhood. All we had was each other and we weren’t about to let another one of us go without a fight.

  Chapter Thirty Five

  We followed the occasional flashing of the head lights and made good time to the beach. Fortunately the sea had been calm and our journey was quite uneventful.

  The morning tide had uncovered some fresh rotters, if that wasn’t an oxymoron, I don’t know what is, anyway, we crushed, stomped and chopped our way back up the beach to where Billy was waiting in the old car.

  After the customary greeting he said that he would take us as far as the end of Hauxley road, but we would have to go on foot after that as they would be sure to see a car from the tower if he took us any further. So he took us up the winding beach road, past the nature reserve and on until we got to the junction.

  I’ll wait in for you today, he said, just in case you need me, if not, good luck getting your man back and don’t forget that we can always make room for you back at Hauxley. And with that we went on our way, oh and with a couple of jars of pickled mackerel and some bramble whiskey.

  I want the jars back, he shouted after us!

  Chapter Thirty Six

  We made our way to the water tower via the water works. We were met by a group of local men as we made our way through the allotments. Phil and Derek were amongst the group of men.

  Trying to sneak in again? Phil asked. We’re just looking for one of our group I replied. Derek stepped forward; he looked dishevelled and a lot older than I remembered him. We hugged briefly and then Phil began to talk again. They brought that one in from Amble yesterday; he’s been holed up in the Tower with us overnight. He’s due for his trial later on this morning. Any idea of his name I asked. Yeah, Phil replied, he’s an oldish guy, goes by the name of David if I remember correctly. They picked him up at that boat yard; they say he was stealing fuel from some of the boats down there when they caught him.

  My heart sank. Stealing from who? I asked. That boat yard and those boats have been abandoned since the outbreak.

  The sisterhood claimed it, Phil said, so I guess it’s theirs unless you’d like to try and prove otherwise. She might be able to help, he said looking at Amy, but they’d just capture you and put you on trial as well and she’d probably never see outside of the cresent ever again.

  Can we see him? Amy asked; maybe you could just say he escaped. Then one of us would take his place and I’m fairly sure what the outcome of that trial would be, Phil replied. Your only chance is that if he’s found not guilty, then he’ll be able to escape on his own eventually, especially since he has no one in the cresent to keep him tied to the place.

  He didn’t have anyone in the cresent to look out for, but what were the chances of him being judged innocent?

  What could we do, these guys were our friends and family, we couldn’t attack them and take David because they would just be punished for it. They couldn’t come with us as they had family in the cresent to protect.

  We could try attacking the cresent once he was away from the men, but then there was only the two of us and we risked hurting those inside that were innocent. We felt helpless.

  You two need to get out of site, Phil said, Adele and her cronies will be through this way soon. We can get a message to the Rabbit catcher if you want; we’ve seen you’ve been hanging out there. If he’s found not guilty we’ll let him know when it’s safe to come for him. Normally its a few weeks before you’re trusted enough though and with him not having anyone inside the cresent, I don’t know how it will go even if he is found not guilty.

  I took the opportunity to speak with Derek; it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. He looked broken. I had just destroyed his world by telling him his one and only child and his only grandson were dead. You need to get us out of here he said, you need to find a way.

  Maybe in the past, but not now, there just weren’t enough of us and the guys at the tower were not willing to fight with us, I felt that there was no hope left for us.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  I wasn’t prepared to return to Coquet Island until at least I had an answer to David’s fate. We might not be able to do anything about it, but at least I wanted to know and who knew, maybe it would help change the minds of the guys in the tower.

  It was too risky to get into the cresent and the tower would have been the next best vantage point. We could have used the rifle scope to see what was going on, but we wouldn’t be able to hear anything. We needed to get closer.

  The Toggie I said. The Toggie Club, if we can get on the roof we’ll be able to see and hear everything I told Amy. Also, if we are seen they’ll have to chase us on foot as we’ll be able to slip away into the fields and I’m fairly sure I knew the area better than any of the sisterhood.

  We made our way to the club. The front door was solid and still barred shut. All the windows still had the ornamental bars on them, no longer gold in colour, but rusted over time. They must have been in there Amy said, it would be too good an opportunity to miss and so close to the cresent as well, they’d be crazy not to. I agreed, something wasn’t quite right; this place should have been looted years ago. We went around the back; the cellar was still locked shut as well as all the doors and windows there too.

  We both agreed that there was no quiet way we could break in, so we were going to have to find another way onto the roof.

  The fire exit from the first floor lounge ran down the back of the building, but it stopped ten foot short of the roof. We need a ladder I said and I know where to get one.

  We made our way back to the allotments where I was pretty sure one of the old guys would have had a ladder. It was sad to see what had once been lovingly tendered gardens now overrun with weeds. Greenhouses with their windows long since smashed and sheds raided for anything of use. Luckily the old wooden ladder was still hanging along the back of the shed in the allotment next to Derek’s. We quickly removed it and headed back to the club.

  The ladder gave us just what we needed to be able to reach the roof. As I climbed up I noticed the curtains hadn’t been fully drawn in the small window above the fire door so I peered in. It was quite dark inside with all the other curtains closed in the concert room, but the place full, there must have been up to hundred rotters in there, luckily they were oblivious to us as I’m sure the force off that many rotters would have broken through the old wooden fire door. They all looked like they’d been dressed in their best party outfits and I could just make out the banners above the bar, it had been a wedding reception and sure enough, there was the bride, wondering aimlessly in what was once her beautiful dress, now stained with blood and with her dried blood running down from her mouth and down the front of her dress.

  It was tragic; I couldn’t help but think back to mine and Bab’s wedding reception. It had been in this exact same room and no doubt some of the guests at our wedding were now rotters in this room.

  No wonder it was all locked up still, it would take some doing to clear that many rotters and who knew how many more were in the other rooms too. Or maybe the locals just couldn’t face seeing their friends and families like that, so had just left them be, to rot away eventually.

  Chapter Thirty Eight

  We climbed up on to the roof, doing our best to keep as low as we could in the hope of not being spotted from below or from the tower. We pulled the ladder up behind us as we didn’t wa
nt anyone walking past the back of the club and seeing it and knowing that there was someone on the roof. Amy had grabbed a bit of old tarp from the allotments which she pulled over us to try and help hide us. I was dam uncomfortable lying on the felt flat roof, but the tarp helped a bit.

  As we waited and watched the activity going on in the cresent below, it all seemed very sombre. There was the occasional muted conversation as people passed each other or busied themselves tending to the plants. There were no children playing out in the cresent or in the lanes behind it any more. The noise of children playing used to fill the back lanes and gardens. Togston was a fantastic place to bring up children. Everyone knew each other and looked out for one another. It was a safe place to live and a safe place to bring up children. How different to the scene we were watching now. Members of what I could only assume was the sisterhood would patrol from time to time, not really interacting with anyone and certainly not helping with any physical labour.

  It wasn’t long until Adele and more of her cronies turned up. They rode in on horses which they secured in a small fenced off area at the rear of the cresent where back yards and gardens had once been, then made their way in via a ladder lowered from an upstairs window. They must have been communicating via radio as everything seemed to run so smoothly.

  Chapter Thirty Nine

  Everyone lined up either side of the street in the same way Phil had described the day before. Then David was led in by a group of men and made to kneel before Adele.

  Who is this man? She shouted and why has he been brought before me today? One of the men stepped forward and spoke. We found him at the old boat yard in Amble taking fuel from the boats there, and I believe he had been there before too.