Survival: After It Happened Book 1 (3 page)

“Morning Old Bean!” shouted Neil from outside Dan’s caravan, banging on the hatefully thin wall. He groaned inside his sleeping bag. Bad idea to have finished the whole bottle of single malt but the apocalypse waits for no man; Dan struggled out of bed and stumbled outside.

Neil already had the camp cooker going and had rescued bacon to go with the eggs. Deciding that some greasy food was definitely the way forward, he drank water from a bottle and clumsily retrieved his toothbrush to try and get the feel of dead cats out of his mouth.

“Morning, Happy” croaked Dan “Keep the noise down, please?”

“If you say so Boss!” he replied, loud as ever. “Today, we’re going to have a look around local. There’s an industrial estate over there” he said, pointing past the petrol station

“I’m going to find what I can. You coming, lightweight?”

Neil stood there with a grin, waiting for his baited hook to catch Dan’s cheek.

Dan refused to be goaded, and mildly agreed that the idea was a good one. Visibly disappointed, Neil raised his voice louder and adopted and new character – that of the USMC Drill Sergeant from Full Metal Jacket. Before the repertoire got too loud for Dan he held a hand up to stop the tirade.

“Ok mate, take a minute and we’ll set off after breakfast” Neil said, relenting.

Over their bacon and eggs, Neil listed what he wanted to find.

“We need a pump to get all that diesel from the petrol station, and either a tanker or plenty of cans to put it in. I want to find a seven and a half tonne truck to load up with the longer lasting stuff – because it stinks in there and I don’t want to have to suffer that every time you sleep in and I have to fetch my own breakfast…” that got a warning eyebrow raised by Dan, but nothing said.

“We need tools, vehicle tools too. Or at least know where to get them, and a couple of Stihl saws – can’t be faffing about like you do for ten minutes opening a door” He continued, slightly more softly this time. We need more spray paint so’s people know where to find us too.”

Dan agreed, and they set off for the industrial estate in one Land Rover, after moving nearly all the kit to the caravans. They found a car garage, with all the tools Neil needed and he reckoned he could even get the tyre machines working with a generator. Definitely one to note for the future.

Dan perked up when they found a small unit marked ‘Shooting Supplies’. The doors took some beating, but eventually they were in. The teenage boy in both of them came out, and a large selection of knives were added to the shopping list. They selected a decent folding Kershaw knife and a fixed blade each and attached them to themselves, looking ever more the Mad Max characters. Neil still had his Glock in the back of his waistband, not being able to bring himself to wear the ‘poser’ leg holster.

Handguns being what they are in Britain – highly bloody illegal – there were no alternative holsters for Neil’s weapon readily available. Dan made a note to hit an army surplus soon and get some kit for them both.

Not knowing what the future would hold, they took an armful of twelve bore shotguns, six boxes of cartridges and Dan insisted on a crossbow and a competition bow. “Ammo will run out one day, and on that day you’ll be glad you know Robin Hood here unless you want to be vegetarian?” teased Dan.

Before they left, Dan stopped and stared at something under the glass counter. Neil went over and saw that he was looking at a two-foot-long curved machete, like a cross between a kukri and a broadsword. Dan helped himself to it, and fixed Neil in a serious stare.

“You don’t think Zombies will…” he started.

Neil stared back at him for a long time. “Nah. No chance, that’s just films mate” Then helped himself to a similar tool as they left.

Neil found the truck he wanted to start loading with supplies; 7.5 tonne, hard sides and a working tail lift. It started easily enough, after they broke into the unit and luckily found they keys on a hook and not in the pockets of one of the bodies there.

They hit the builder’s merchants and got two large two-stroke disc cutters with spare blades– much quicker at opening doors than a key – and some petrol cans to fill up later. Neil went off to find the stuff he wanted for the fuel pump, muttering to himself and seemingly working it out on his hands as he went, which left Dan free to wander around. He found three petrol generators and went to retrieve them. After trying to lift the first he decided it would be better to wait for Neil.

They loaded the three generators, with difficulty, and the other stuff into the 7.5 tonner and headed back to the supermarket. Neil had a plan for pumping out the fuel into jerrycans, which he’d got about twenty of, which should give them weeks of fuel. He said he still wanted a fuel tanker – just a little one – and that Dan should keep his eyes open.

He seemed to be busy sorting the fuel side, so Dan said he was going to head out past the Land Rover garage because he knew of a specialist 4x4 place where he hoped he could find some of the good stuff for the Defenders. They agreed what to do if Dan didn’t return by dark; Neil would try the radio, if nothing happened he would set off to the garage at first light and try to find him.

Dan checked his Glock, climbed into his Land Rover and called out to Neil

“Just keep an eye out – not everyone may be as friendly as me”

Her feet hurt. She wasn’t used to walking and didn’t own any hardwearing boots or appropriate trousers. She’d settled on flat shoes instead of her normal small heels and was already in pain. A teacher of over twenty years, nearly and soft, Penny was not happy with this turn of events. Her car had been blocked in by a crashed van in the road where she lived, and it simply did not occur to her to steal a replacement, let alone move the dead driver of the van. She had called 999 only to get a dead tone until the phone lines went down completely.

She still thought of taking a vehicle as looting or theft, not survival. To her these were still the possessions of other people and should be respected as such. She’d stayed at home for as long as she could bear waiting for the authorities to give direction.

As she walked, she reasoned with herself that she really had to find something to eat, and a way of getting home to sleep that night preferably without walking. A faint sound permeated her thoughts, it sounded like a lawnmower being started and she found that distinctly strange; why would anyone not affected by whatever this was be cutting their grass at a time like this?

She decided to walk towards the sound and ask the unlikely gardener precisely what they were doing.

It took a long time, but by following the sounds she could make out the clear tone of an engine running. Rounding a bend on the footpath, she found the source of the noise to be coming from a petrol station but it wasn’t coming from a car. She was startled to see a man fighting with some hosepipes and other items which he was trying to fit on what looked like a generator.

Penny straightened herself, attempted to make herself more respectable by running her hands through her hair, and made a confident approach to the man. He did not hear or see her coming as he was engrossed in his task, and jumped in fright when she called hello to him.

The man stood there panting with a hand on his chest for a few beats and the other behind his back until he took a deep breath and drew himself up.

“Hi there, I’m Neil. Are you ok?” he said whilst reaching for a bottle of water that he handed to her.

“P..P..Penny. Thank you” she stammered, accepting the water before she straightened and replied far more confidently

“I’m Penny. I can’t say how glad I am to see another person who isn’t…” she trailed off, the words were too difficult to say yet.

She walked towards Neil and extended her hand which he shook. She opened her mouth to speak, but didn’t know what to say. Tears threatened to overcome her so she quickly closed her mouth. Neil switched off the generator and invited her to come back to where they had set up camp.

Penny followed autonomously, until it dawned on her what Neil had said.

“We?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes” said Neil “My mate Dan is off shopping at the moment but he should be back soon. Do you want any food? Drink?” as he turned, Penny saw the clear outline of a gun under his t-shirt where it was tucked in the small of his back.

She instinctively stopped, unsure whether to question or challenge this new discovery. She decided that in good conscience she must ask him about it.

“Neil, may I please ask if you are armed?” she said properly.

“Yeah, we just don’t know who is friendly and who isn’t. Don’t worry about it, honestly”

It was as much explanation as she expected really. She decided that she probably needs people like these men nowadays, and she shouldn’t be squeamish.

“It’s ok, I apologise for my tone. I’m just not used to these things you see?”

Neil said he understood. He went into one of the two caravans and came out with a bag and arms full. He put this into the back of a big car and started a camping cooker and poured water into an old style tin kettle. He told her the story of how he met Dan two days ago, and how they came to be where they are. He told her about his wife and boys, how he spent a day digging in the garden to bury them before making his way. He said this all in a flat tone, staring off into space. When he finished, he shook the sensations away and forced a smile. In a broad Belfast accent he asked, “Noy Penny, can aye get you a cup of tea?”

Dan pushed the Defender hard on the way back south, testing its limits and capabilities long before he had to find out the hard way. He drove systematically, clinically, like he’d been taught to for so many years.

He passed the Land Rover garage they’d visited the day before and glanced in as he passed at speed. He pushed on until he reached the place he wanted. One look at the building and he knew this wouldn’t be easy to get into; all the windows were barred, the rear gates were solid and high and the whole shop front had heavy horizontal anti-ram barriers. A quick assessment looking for the least resistance way in, and he stopped. Out loud he said to himself, “Fuck it; it’s not like I’m paying for the damage”

The heavy chain he’d picked up and attached to the rear bumper was looped onto the bars of the front door. The Defender’s torque didn’t struggle at all to rip the doors out, leaving the horizontal bar in place. He looped the chain back onto the spare wheel on the back door of the Rover and climbed inside.

Over the next half hour, he posted out the things he wanted, more speed jacks and tow ropes and a set of five big off road wheels and tyres, completely filling the boot space, before having a good look around the warehouse in the back. Mental note; use Defenders and clear this place out ASAP. Neil would need a well-equipped garage but he could keep a few Land Rovers going for years with this stuff.

After trying to cover up the worst of the damage to the door he made his way back towards ‘base camp’, this time at a little more of a relaxed pace.

He passed the Land Rover garage again, this time he thought that something wasn’t right. As soon as it dawned on him he slammed on the brakes, causing his new looted kit to crash around. He slammed into reverse and backed up at speed, skidding again to a stop in front of the garage.

Where the daytime lights of the X5 were shining straight at him.

He got out and drew the Glock, holding it behind his right leg. Creeping over the smashed glass he called out, “Hello? Is anyone there?”

A glance inside the BMW showed rubbish and empty bottles on the back seat, like someone had been sleeping in the car. A sound made him turn, and he saw a young girl frozen in fear with headphones in her ears and a biscuit halfway towards her open mouth.

Dan turned his left shoulder slowly forward, hiding the gun behind his back. “It’s ok, I’m not going to hurt you I promise” he tried. She didn’t move other than to swallow hard and stare at him.

“I’m Dan. You were here yesterday, weren’t you? You ran away”

The girl stayed still for a while longer before popping the biscuit into her mouth and chewing fast and removing her headphones.

“I’m Leah” she said.

“Hi Leah. How old are you?”

“Twe.. Fifteen” she lied unconvincingly. “Why do you have a gun?”

Dan slowly holstered the Glock and held both hands up to her, palms out.

“It’s to protect me and my friend. He has one too. You saw him yesterday.”

“Ok” she replied “I tried to drive your car to Morrisons but I crashed it backwards. Sorry”

Dan laughed “It’s alright, I didn’t really like it anyway! Too flash for me!” he studied her carefully before he decided how to word the next sentence.

“Look, I know you aren’t supposed to go anywhere with people you don’t know, but I’d like it if you would come back to our camp so you’re safe and protected. I really think its best. We have hot food and you’d have your own brand new caravan to sleep in which you can lock with your own keys if you want”

Leah studied him with her head slightly cocked, “For a minute there I thought you were going to try and offer me sweets” she replied with an uncertain smirk.

Dan was taken back slightly that she had given him sarcasm already. “I’m not one of those people, I’ve got…” he trailed off, eyes suddenly glazing over before he tried again.

“There are people out there who wouldn’t be kind to you, we’re not those people”

Leah thought about it for a while longer before nodding.

Dan told her “Jump in then” and climbed into the driver’s seat. He was very wary not to seem like he was fussing over her too much; caring instincts might come across wrong to her at the moment so he decided to treat her like she was a bit older than she looked.

Leah just looked out of the window on the way back. Dan drove carefully and just kept the uncomfortable silence. He decided that he’d have to make a trip to get her more appropriate clothes. Maybe later, or tomorrow.

He pulled back into the car park, passing the fuel station where he expected Neil to be. The generator looked abandoned and the pipes were a mess. He hadn’t cut the top off the reservoir tank yet. It looked wrong.

Accelerating towards the caravans he feared the worst, but as he came to a halt in front of their makeshift cooking area he was speechless to find Neil sat drinking tea with a woman he guessed was a little older than him.

They, in turn, looked equally shocked to see Dan return at speed with a confused young girl sat in the passenger seat.

Then there were four.