Zombiestan (13 page)

'I'm afraid I can't offer much hospitality. We found this two room affair a day ago- small but very defensible. Also, I'm afraid we may not have much to make the little one comfortable, but you'll be safe here.'

Abhi was nestled between Mayukh and Swati, and Mayukh realized just how much the boy had adapted, much like the others. After their escape from the bookstore, there had been no diapers or milk, but as if sensing the situation they were in, he had not complained once, and when he had needed to go to the bathroom, had told Swati, who had muttered.

'So, all we needed to do to toilet train this brat was to bring about the end of the world as we know it!'

'Why does uncle carry bottles? Are you very thirsty?'

Purohit laughed at Abhi's innocent question.

'Yes, son, I do like to drink. And I like to mix drinks, which is why my old friends call me the Bartender.'

His curiosity satisfied, Abhi proceeded to walk through the small apartment, and emitted a squeal of delight when he found a small book in a corner. He ran back to Mayukh, his eyes gleaming.

'I got Bob!'

Mayukh looked towards Swati for help. She smiled indulgently at Abhi.

'Since he's adopted you as a guardian, you should really brush up on kid's movies and books. That's from Bob the Builder, a cartoon on the Disney Channel.'

Mayukh had never seen the show but played along with Abhi, reading the book with Abhi till the boy tired and went to sleep on Hina's lap. Hina whispered to everyone.

'It's amazing what one kid can do. With him around, it doesn't feel like we're living from one day to another.'

Finally Mayukh asked Purohit as to how he thought the creatures could be killed. Purohit unslung a bottle from his belt.

'The word is Biters.'

'What?'

'That's what they are being called by everyone.'

David interrupted Purohit.

'Everyone? You mean there are others like us out there?'

Purohit looked at David and smiled, as if sharing a big secret.

'There are hundreds in this neighbourhood alone. People just hunkering down and hiding, too scared to come out at night or day. And then there are those taking advantage of it all- gangs raping and looting at will. What those damn Biters won't do, we'll do ourselves to finish it all off.'

Hina lay Abhi down on a pillow and came over.

'So there is hope that sometime this will go away.'

'I wouldn't go that far. As you've seen yourself, the Biters are learning and evolving as well. They don't yet act with any cohesion, but the moment they do, there will be a whole new nightmare.'

Mayukh felt a hand slide into his in the darkness and looked to see Swati next to him. He pressed her hand back, and held it as Purohit continued.

'I'm called the Bartender because I found out that one way to kill the Biters is through fire. That's why me and my friends have these Molotov Cocktails with us at all times.'

A voice called out through his walkie-talkie.

'Margarita here. The Biters are coming!'

***

Hina moved Abhi to the second room, which was away from the street, and David took up position at the window, saying that with his night vision optics, he'd be in a better position to spot any intruders. Mayukh was about to go the stairwell when Purohit called out to him.

'Just stay in the second room.'

David said without turning to face Purohit.

'Mayukh's part of my squad. He can take care of himself. Let him stand guard at the stairwell.'

Purohit came up to Mayukh, handing him a bottle and a lighter.

'It's simple enough. Light the cloth at the end and throw it. Just remember to let go within three seconds or so, otherwise you'll be the one fried.'

Mayukh saw that two of Purohit's friends were also crouched in the stairwell while one, the bald man called Margarita was at the doorway. He suddenly called out.

'The Biters found the family hiding next door!'

Mayukh could hear the anguish in Purohit's voice.

'I told them to join us or to move away, but that stubborn old man wouldn't listen.'

The screams were blood curdling but mercifully brief as Margarita ran up the stairs, much faster than Mayukh would have expected an old, overweight man like him to move.

'They're here!'

Mayukh saw several shadows crowding the doorway but before any of them could even get in the door, one of the men next to him lit his Molotov and threw it straight through the open door. The bottle smashed against the ground, spewing the kerosene around in a growing inferno. Mayukh could hear high-pitched screams from the Biters as they scattered.

They heard the sounds of carnage from nearby houses but clearly the Biters had learnt that this particular house was out of bounds. Mayukh saw the flames flicker outside the door, and saw a body wrapped in fire. As the flames consumed the body, within minutes it seemed to collapse upon itself and dissolve into ashes. He heard David call out.

'They seem to be leaving for now.'

There was however no question of being complacent. They kept up an uneasy watch through the night, not wanting to be taken by surprise. After a couple of hours, Mayukh decided to go to the second room to see how the others were doing. Abhi was fast asleep, with Hina next to him. Swati was lying in a corner, but sat up when Mayukh walked in.

'Hey, it's just me.'

As he sat down, she moved next to him and he took her hand. She realized that his hands were shaking and she held them tight. Her head was on his shoulder and as Mayukh turned to say something to her, his face brushed hers. He could now feel her breath on his face, and he paused. What was he doing? Was there any chance of a future with her in the middle of all the chaos where they couldn't predict whether they'd live from one day to the other?

Ultimately, as they sat next to each other, those thoughts seemed less important than simply knowing that they were not alone, that they had someone they could turn to for support. Mayukh leaned over and kissed her. A tentative first kiss, but when he reached over and kissed her again, she did not move away, but kissed back. Mayukh whispered.

'You do realize I haven't brushed my teeth in three days?'

Swati murmured back.

'Neither have I. Since one kiss hasn't killed either of us, I guess we should be okay for more.'

They held each other, and sat that way till daylight came.

Mayukh had just finished washing his face in the bathroom, a welcome feeling of cleanliness after three days of living on the run, and had come out to check on Abhi when he bumped into Hina.

'You two make a good couple.'

Mayukh started to protest, especially when he saw that Swati was within earshot.

'Hina, don't let your romance novelist's imagination get the better of you.'

'You know, I wasn't as fast asleep as you may have thought last night.'

Mayukh saw Swati redden a bit and he walked to the other room, mumbling something about talking to David, and leaving Hina cackling in delight. He found David and Purohit in a huddle. Purohit had a small box in his hand, and he seemed to be cranking a handle. He then held up the box to the window, but all that came out of it was the hiss of static.

'We'll try again later, David. You never know when the damn thing will speak again.'

'I wonder if anyone is left out there. My tactical radio hasn't picked up anything other than some recorded message saying we should stand by for orders.'

Mayukh sat down next to them and asked them what they were doing. Purohit answered as he put the box inside a duffel bag.

'I have an old radio and David has a new fancy one in his backpack- but the result is the same. We were trying to see if anyone's transmitting, but so far it's all quiet out there.'

'What's your plan for today?'

Purohit answered David with a shrug as he got up to put on his belt with the Molotov Cocktails hanging from it.

'The usual routine. We'll fan out and look for other survivors and pass on the word about how to kill the Biters and see if we can get a bit more organized in our defence. The problem is most people are too scared to worry about fighting back. Then we scrounge for food and drink.'

David, conscious that they had doubled the number of mouths Purohit had to feed, told him about all the supplies they had left behind at the bookstore. They quickly agreed that David and one more man would go out in the SUV to pick up whatever they could find at the bookstore. Purohit would have asked for volunteers, but he didn't need to. Mayukh said that he would go along with David.

'You said you'd tell me a story about the brave boy again.'

Abhi, refreshed after his sleep and on a sugar high after having eaten a breakfast of a chocolate bar had bounded into the room and landed on Mayukh's lap with a jump that would have done an Olympic athlete proud. Then he grimaced in pain.

'What happened, Abhi?'

'I hurt myself.'

Abhi lifted up his leg to show where the bite mark was still visible.

'Abhi, how did that happen?'

As Abhi started to respond to Purohit, David cut in.

'He fell down while we were on the run.'

Hina and Swati were now in the room, and Mayukh could see the growing fear on Swati's face as Purohit signaled with one hand for David to be quiet.

'Let the boy answer, David. So Abhi, what happened to your leg?'

Abhi, playfully tugging at Mayukh's shoelaces, answered innocently.

'One of those not nice uncles bit me. They were chasing us, and then we shot them. Bang! Bang!'

A sudden silence descended over the room, and Mayukh could feel the tension in Purohit's voice as he stood up and took a step back. Mayukh had not even seen them near the doorway, but he now sensed the other three old men standing behind him, and he heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.

'Purohit, have you lost your mind?'

David was on his feet, and was reaching for his rifle, when Mayukh saw that Purohit had raised his pistol.

'David, please don't. I don't doubt you could kill me even if I got a shot in, but you won't be able to take all four of us. Why didn't you tell me this boy was bitten by one of the Biters?'

Mayukh stood up, and advanced towards Purohit. He had his own gun drawn.

'Look, let Abhi and the others move to the other room and we can talk.'

Purohit tried to raise his voice.

'That boy...', but he could never finish his sentence as Mayukh roared with an anger he had never felt himself capable of.

'That boy is in my care, and if you even think about touching him, nobody will walk away alive here! So calm the hell down and listen to us!'

Swati, Hina and Abhi moved to the other room, but stayed by the door so they could hear everything as Mayukh told the story about how Abhi had been bitten but not infected. Purohit put his gun aside and sat down.

'I'm sorry. After all that's happened, I didn't want to risk one of us turning into a Biter. But this is unbelievable. The boy would be first person ever to have been bitten but not infected.'

All the old men were looking at Abhi now, and afraid of the sudden attention he was getting, he ran to Mayukh and buried himself behind him. Purohit reached out and tousled his hair.

'Abhi, do you want another chocolate?'

Abhi's face lit up, all the anxiety gone, and he wolfed down the chocolate bar that Purohit handed to him.

As Mayukh and David were about to leave for the bookstore, Mayukh quietly handed his gun to Swati.

'Keep it in case you have to use it.'

She hugged him close, whispering in his ear that he better get back soon. The trip to the bookstore was uneventful and David and Mayukh were thrilled to find that their food and supplies were largely untouched, including Abhi's diapers and formula. They loaded them into the SUV and as they drove back, they began to see more signs of people. A young couple peering out from a window; two young men armed with cricket bats roaming the streets; a family foraging for food in the remains of a restaurant. The initial terror had given way to thoughts of survival and people were now coming out in the daytime to look for food and supplies. And also to prey on others.

Mayukh saw three men on bikes ride up to the young couple. A gun blazed and the man fell inside, and the three men started to pull the woman out. Mayukh felt for the gun at his belt and remembered he had given it to Swati. He turned and saw an evil glint in David's eye, a look that would have frightened any man.

'Those bastards! After all that's happened, one would think we'd learn to help each other.'

As the woman tried in vain to hold off her would-be rapists, David stopped the SUV and put his rifle to his shoulder, selecting single shot mode. One assailant fell to the ground moaning in pain as a bullet slammed into his thigh. Another twirled around and fell against the window, as a bullet caught him in the shoulder. The third, seeing his friends fall to an unseen attacker, ran to his bike. He never made it, a single bullet catching him in the knee.