Iain McKinnon - Remains of the Dead

With one hand on the electrical cable and the other on the makeshift hook, he started swinging his arm. Ali tested the weight of the metal bar he’d bent to form a massive fishing hook. When he felt confident about his throw he let the hook slip.

The hook sailed out the window and down to the throng, snaking a trail of electrical cable behind it as it fell.

Suddenly the cable stopped uncoiling as the hook hit the ground. A wave of moans lifted up from the zombies who had spotted the objects descent, and when Ail peered from the window a further surge of moans rippled out.

Ali gently tugged on the cable and started pulling. Hand over hand he drew the cable back, testing it for the snag that would indicate he’d caught his prize.

The cable came up unimpeded.

Ali pulled up the hook and cast it out for his second try.

Fire

“Ryan,” Cahz called as he and Cannon returned to the office.

“What is it?”

“We need to make plans to leave,” Cahz said.

“Building next door’s on fire,” Cannon added before Ryan had time to ask why.

“Christ.” Ryan ran a hand through his hair. “Now we’re surrounded?”

“I know, but we’re going to have to come up with something.” Cahz marched over to the stack of crates. “First thing, we need to get organised.”

“What you looking for, boss?” Cannon asked, watching Cahz ransack the supplies.

Cahz paused and looked back. He shrugged. “Honestly, I have no fucking idea. We need to gather what we can while we can.”

“There’s not much of use among this stuff-I mean if we’re moving out,” Ryan offered. “There’s medical supplies and camping equipment, but if we’re getting picked up in a few hours we’re not going to need any of it.”

“ If we get picked up,” Cannon said in a flat voice.

Cahz stopped his rummaging, but kept his attention on the contents of the crate. After a long pause he spoke. “Our time in country is dependent on two things: Luck and ammunition. Since we can’t depend on the first, then we’ll need to rely on the second.” He looked up at Cannon. “How much ammo have you got?”

“About eight hundred,” Cannon answered. “And that includes rounds for the pistol.”

“We’ll concentrate on living long enough to get picked up,” Cahz said. “If it doesn’t happen, we worry about it then.”

Ryan and Cannon looked dumbstruck.

“We okay with that?” Cahz asked.

“I guess that’s all we can do,” Cannon said.

Ryan was less convinced. “What if we need some of this stuff? Shouldn’t we take it with us just in case?”

“It’s going to be tooth and nail out there,” Cahz answered. We can’t afford to carry any dead weight.”

“But we’ll need some of this stuff if we miss the pickup,” Ryan complained.

Cahz sat down on one of the closed boxes and looked up at Ryan. “Cannon, what’s the survival time of a downed team in country?” he asked.

“Ten hours,” Cannon quoted.

“Ten hours,” Cahz repeated. “Held up in a nice cosy hotel like this, we’d make the pickup easy. Out there, most fully armed and prepared teams don’t even last ten hours. Look around, Ryan. We ain’t a fully prepared team. We’re three guys with a few guns. Now I appreciate you’ve survived out here for years, but you’ve been locked away in your makeshift fortress, not out on the street.”

“Then why leave?” Ryan demanded. “The fire might not spread. I’ve seen it tons of times. Some fires catch, others just fizzle out. We might be okay.”

“He’s got a point, boss,” Cannon said.

“It might not spread-I’m no expert. But even if it doesn’t, we’ll never get spotted by the chopper. With smoke and the updraft from the flames, it’ll make a pickup impossible,” Cahz explained. “And that’s the best case scenario. If that fire jumps and sets this building alight, how do we get out then? The undead will be enough to contend with without doing it in choking smoke or roaring flames. And before you even ask if we can stay just as long as we can, think about what would happen if the building starts burning after dark. We’d be evacuating into an infested city in pitch black.” Cahz stood up. “No, we move out now while it’s still light and while we still have some control over the situation.”

Ryan nodded and gave a shallow smile. “So what’s the plan?”

“First we gather what useful kits we can,” Cahz said. “Then we work out an escape plan.” He rifled in one of his thigh pockets and produced a map. “We need to take into consideration where’s best to get a pickup.” He pulled out a pencil from a pocket on his body armour and made a light mark on the paper. “You know the area better than we do and it’s not detailed enough to show anything but major roads and towns.” Cahz handed the map to Ryan. Ryan took it and examined the chart as Cahz continued, “Now, I’ve drawn a line from our current location all the way to the coast. That’s the direction I expect the chopper will come in from. Idris, our pilot, is a stickler for that sort of thing-likes to follow the same routes to make search and rescue easier. We need to stick to that line as close as possible to have any chance of intercepting our pickup. So what is the terrain like? Are the bridges blown? Are the roads blocked? Is there somewhere elevated where we can signal? Is there space for the chopper to land? Have a good long look and think things through, ‘cause if we can make it out of this building, we’ll need you scouting the way.”

Cahz turned back to Cannon. “Have a look through this stuff. See if you can find anything useful.”

“What about them?” Cannon pointed out.

Cahz looked at the baby and then at Elspeth. He ran his hands through his hair. “Ah, shit,” he grumbled.

He took the flavourless gum out of his mouth and flicked it away. The minty-ness had gone ages ago, but it hadn’t totally removed the foul taste in his mouth.

Cahz lay down his carbine and hauled off his body armour. He unholstered his pistol.

“What you doing?” Ryan asked.

“Why’d you take your armour off?” Cannon asked.

“I don’t know, Cannon… I don’t know.” Cahz was agitated. “She ain’t dead yet and I don’t feel right marching in there and killing her dressed like an executioner. Okay?”

Cannon made a submissive gesture with his hand and said nothing.

“You’re what ?” Ryan croaked.

He got to his feet, still holding the baby. As he took a step forward, Cannon swung his arm out to form a barrier.

“Cool it, Ryan,” Cannon ordered. “You know it needs done.”

Ryan started to object but couldn’t find the grounds he needed. Elspeth was infected. Even looking at her he knew she wouldn’t have long. He could also see it as a mercy.

He bowed his head and stepped back.

Cahz closed the office door gently behind him. The smell of death hung in the air. It was a sharp tart aroma, like a mouldy grapefruit mixed with stale urine. It was a smell that clawed at the back of his tongue and made him want to gag.

“Elspeth,” he said softly, swallowing back the nausea.

When she didn’t stir he called her name a little louder.

“Elspeth.”

Still nothing.

Cahz knelt down beside her. Her skin was pale and translucent, the veins underneath an insidious black entanglement of infection that he knew pervaded her every fibre. Beads of sweat dripped from the tip of her nose and landed in a damp patch on the canvas camp bed.

Cahz listened carefully for the sound of breathing. Elspeth’s lips were dark and cracked. A steady stream of frothy drool trickled from the corner of her bruised mouth.