Hamsikker 2 (11 page)

“Enjoy being dead, Peter,” she said as she re-entered the warehouse, and locked the door behind her. She made sure the office was the same as earlier, and pushed the filing cabinet back into place. “So fucking easy,” she said to herself as she made her way back to her bed with Javier. She was supposed to be on watch for another hour, until Pippa and Dakota replaced her and Peter, but she saw no reason to stay up any longer. There were clearly no zombies outside, and who was going to come looking for them in the middle of nowhere?

* * *

Barely fifteen minutes later, and Erik woke up. He looked at Pippa next to him, still asleep, and couldn’t make out what had woken him. He saw Freya’s bare feet sticking out and pulled down her blanket. Peter’s bed was empty, so he must still be on watch. The noises almost sounded like screams, and he sat up, concerned. As he listened, he realized he was listening to the furious sounds of fucking from above. Cries and groans accompanied the clattering of some metal railings, and it sounded more like fighting than lovemaking. Erik turned over and put his hands over his ears. It was clearly Gabe and Mara. They didn’t sound like a married couple at all. Even honeymooners wouldn’t make such a racket. He was surprised they had the energy or desire at a time like this. He looked across at Dakota and Hamsikker who were sound asleep. How had they found time to get pregnant in all of this? Erik closed his eyes and shut out the noise from above, forcing himself to sleep. It would be sunrise soon, and then there would be no rest for any of them.

* * *

Javier traced his fingers down Rose’s back as he admired the tattoo she had between her shoulder blades. It was a red rose, surrounded by small stars. Anyone else like her would have got a skull or a snake, but Rose had to be different. She had come back from watch and practically jumped him. Not that he minded. It had been a while since they had been together, and it was always good with Rose. No one else he had been with could summon up as much energy as her, and rarely had he found a woman who would willingly submit to all his demands. Faint moonlight came in from a window, highlighting Rose’s nakedness, and he imagined that they might even do it again while they had the chance. Killing Peter had got Rose worked up, and he had to admit he was turned on too. Knowing she had taken someone’s life only minutes earlier excited him, and it hadn’t taken either of them long to get into it.

They decided to make their bed away from the others on the upper floor in the corner of the catwalk. They all decided it would be safer in case of attack, and nobody suspected Javier chose it because he wanted to be able to keep an eye on them.

After they’d fucked, Rose fetched a bottle of water, and when she came back she told him that she’d bumped into Pippa. The woman suspected nothing and believed Rose when she’d said Peter had gone back to bed. Javier looked at Rose as she stared down at the sleeping form of Freya.

Rose smiled. “You think we’ll find your brother soon? If he’s got a safe place, we could stay there. No more running. No more scavenging and looking for a bed for the night. It’d be good for Freya too. She needs a home. Look at her. Her brother is dead, her mother is weak, and her father is a cop. What chance does she have?”

Javier knew that Rose had hardly spoken to Pippa, certainly not enough to make a judgment on her. She just wanted Freya to herself, and that was probably why she wanted the girl’s family gone first. “Hamsikker tried talking to me earlier. He said some of the others were a little uncomfortable with us, what with not really knowing who we were. They’ve been together a long time, so it’s natural to be wary of strangers.”

“What did you tell him?” asked Rose.

“Nothing. I told him we were just looking to find a way through this nightmare like everyone else, and that we would do whatever it took to protect the group. I said you were upset at losing the clubhouse, and I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to protect you. Then I started to choke up.”

“You didn’t? Really?” Rose looked at Javier with amazement. Had he really been that worried about her?

“No, not really. I faked it. Made him feel guilty, and he let me be. I was through being buddies with him. I didn’t want him asking too many questions. Besides, he thinks we’re on his side. It’s the others we have to watch out for. That old woman and the cop are the ones who we need to win over.”

“I hate that pig,” said Rose. She looked down longingly at Freya.

“You know, we could do with checking the ammo situation. Before they realize that Peter’s missing, why don’t you ask Erik to help you take a checklist of everything we’ve got in the van?” asked Javier. “I’m sure he’d understand that I wouldn’t send Mara out there alone to do such an important job. It’s not safe out there.”

“Why do I have to go?” asked Rose. “With him?” She lay back down beside Javier and kissed his sweaty chest.

“Rose,
listen
to me.” Javier sometimes wondered if he was speaking in a foreign language. Was she not getting it on purpose or trying to wind him up? “It’s not safe out there. Anything could happen. The dead are everywhere. If, say, one of those dead, nasty motherfuckers sneaked up on you and Erik whilst you were out there, well…”

Rose looked deep into Javier’s eyes, reached up and kissed him. “So if only one of us were to come back…”

“It’s just an idea. You be careful, Rose. He’s not as dumb as his boy.” Javier kissed Rose and cupped her ass. It wouldn’t be difficult getting Pippa on her own, and he would kill her while Rose took care of Erik. Javier wanted to slim down the little traveling party he had got together, and Erik was expendable. He was just too dangerous to keep around, especially now his son was gone. With Peter gone, and Erik and Pippa on the way out, the next one on Javier’s list would be Mrs. Danick. Terry was annoying, but he could be useful up to a point. The old woman was a serious pain in the ass. She never quit haranguing him, and it was as if she knew he wasn’t who he said he was. All those questions at the clubhouse about the photographs, and all the insinuations and snide comments she made had to stop. She needed to be made to stay silent, forever. Old people could suffer from any number of things. Heart attacks, for one. They died in their sleep. Perhaps it was time for Mrs. Danick to meet her maker after all.

Javier had originally planned to only have Erik and Hamsikker go with him to Canada, and now it was time to tweak that plan. If it kept Rose happy, Freya could tag along too. He knew Rose too well though. She would get fixated on something and want it so much that she would do anything to get it. Ultimately, she would tire of her new toy, and when she was bored, it usually ended up with him having to get rid of it. So he’d let her have the girl for a while, until she decided she’d had enough, and then he had no doubt who would have to finish her. He had no compunction in killing children; it was just another part of life that he had forced himself to get used to long ago.

“How long have we got?” asked Rose. “Maybe I can take Erik out later. Literally,” she giggled.

“He can wait. We’ve got long enough,” said Javier smiling. Apart from Hamsikker’s axe and the gun under his pillow, Javier knew all the weapons were in the campervan. Erik and Mrs. Danick held onto their guns, but Javier was sure they were empty. Hamsikker and his idiot friends could wait. “Long enough,” Javier said again as he caressed Rose’s neck, and their bodies began to intertwine.

* * *

Hamsikker was woken an hour later by Dakota.

“Honey, you awake?” she asked him as she rubbed his back.

“Sure,” he said groggily. “What is it?”

“I’m supposed to go on watch with Pippa now, but…”

Jonas sat up. Pippa was stood waiting, and he felt shattered. The blankets kept them warm, but the ground was rock hard, and it felt like someone had been walking up and down his spine all night.

“Could you go with her? I feel so sick, I don’t think I can do it,” said Dakota rubbing her belly. “Every time I get up I get a head-rush, and then I get all dizzy, and…”

“It’s okay,” said Jonas as he got up. “I’ll go. Get some rest.” He kissed Dakota as she lay back down and walked over to Pippa. “You seen Peter and Mara? Anything going on out there?”

“I think Peter’s in bed, but I haven’t seen him. I saw Mara earlier. She said everything was quiet, and she was just getting some water. Said she was exhausted, and all the walking around had made her thirsty.”

“Right, well, let’s go then, the sun will be up soon so we may as well check things over and get ready. It’s going to be a long day.”

Jonas and Pippa began walking around the warehouse, listening to the others slowly wake. Jonas doubted anyone had gotten much sleep, but some was better than none. He chatted amiably to Pippa, but all he could think about was how they were going to fare as they journeyed north. He remembered when they left Erik’s place and how that day had turned out. They had spent hours running around Jeffersontown, not knowing where to turn. Some of them had died in the process, and he could sense it happening again. He was going to lay everything out on the table once they were all up. They needed a plan, something to hold onto; something to help drive them forward. Running around like headless chickens was a sure fire way to get killed. Everyone needed a clear plan, and if everyone was pulling in the same direction, it would be so much easier. They wouldn’t make the same mistakes as before. They would have a clear and defined path. It was time to get to Janey and to get everyone to safety.

“I understand,” said Pippa as they approached the office at the entrance of the warehouse. “Erik mentioned to me about heading for Canada. About Janey? We’ll come with you.”

Jonas rested his arms on top of the cold filing cabinet and looked at Pippa. “I should’ve known the big guy couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

Pippa smiled. “Don’t worry. I think it’s a good idea. We can’t keep hanging around here. Sounds like a good idea to me. You think Janey’s got a place for us to stay?”

Jonas began tugging on the filing cabinet as Pippa pushed, and they slowly moved it out of the doorway. “I hope so. She lives in a small town surrounded by forest and a lake to the east. There wouldn’t be as many of the dead up there. Who knows, we might be able to settle down, and…”

As Jonas pushed open the door, he heard a knocking sound. It was coming from outside but was unmistakable. “Pippa, stay behind me. There may be someone out there.” Jonas gripped his axe firmly and stepped into the small office. Through the small window in the door, he saw the head of someone.

“You think they need help?” asked Pippa. She crossed the room behind Jonas full of fear. “You think we should let them in?”

Before Jonas could answer there was a bang as the body threw itself against the door. “I think it’s one of them. I just hope it’s alone, or…”

Another crash against the side of the office indicated the zombie was not alone. Jonas rushed to the side and looked out of the dirty window. He swept back the beige blinds, and he shivered with fear. Across the yard, in the street, were at least dozen zombies, all heading for the office. What had brought them here? He looked down at the body that was throwing itself against the office. It had fallen to the ground and was slowly standing. As it got to its feet, Jonas stared at the thin figure of a young man. The man still had his backpack on, strapped over a scrawny frame, with bite marks all down his arms. His face had been ravaged, and there was a large black, bloody hole in his neck.

“Shit.”

Jonas let the blinds close and stepped back into the office, unable to believe what he was seeing. How had they gotten so close? There hadn’t been any zombies around earlier, yet now their number was growing. If they didn’t leave soon they were going to be trapped here. They were going to need every weapon they had just to get out as it was, and…

“Shit,” said Jonas again, and he raced to the door. What few weapons they had were in the campervan. He looked out through the tiny square window in the door. The van was still there. With his axe and Gabe’s gun they might just be able to reach it, but he wasn’t sure if anyone else had brought their weapons in with them. The dead body outside threw itself against the door, and Jonas flinched. He looked out of the window at the zombie by the door, and then he realized he knew who it was. Fear was replaced by confusion. He hoped he was wrong, but something inside of him told him he wasn’t. What had the boy done? Erik and Pippa would be crushed. Jonas needed to make sure Pippa didn’t look outside.

“Pippa, we need to get the others up, quickly. There are more of them out there. Don’t ask me how they got here, but we need to move fast.” Jonas went to the doorway and stepped into the warehouse. He would help Pippa get the others and make sure they armed themselves with whatever they could lay their hands on.

“Hamsikker, what is it?” Pippa looked terrified, and she approached the tiny square window. “You’re not telling me something. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Pippa, just…”

It was too late. She stretched herself up onto her toes and peered outside.  Jonas knew she had recognized Peter the second she opened her mouth. His heart sank, and Pippa’s scream reverberated around the building. Jonas looked at his feet. “Pippa, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, but we’ll find out. I’m…”

Jonas heard the jangling of keys and looked up. He was expecting to find Pippa crying, perhaps slumped to the floor, perhaps running to him, running to Erik, running away from her dead son, but instead, she was fumbling with the keys in the door, frantically tugging on the handle.