M. Marshall - The End Is Nigh

He came up alongside me as he spoke and for the first time since meeting, I was able to see his face. He was younger than I had imagined and much taller. The depth of his voice had me picturing a man in his fifties, but actually, he looked to be about ten years younger than that. His dark hair fell in a tattered mess across the front of his forehead. I could see from this distance that he badly needed to wash. Awkward to think that due to the assault on my nostrils earlier in the tunnel, his musky body odour was a welcome distraction.

There was a growth of thick stubble around his jawline which was silhouetted in the moonlight. It was so dark outside now that it was becoming difficult for me to make out his face.

“That’s okay. I just… Well, I hadn’t been expecting to bump into anyone in there. I think I almost died of fright when you put your hand over my mouth.” I replied.

“Yeah, I suppose you would. Who’s that then? Sleeping Beauty there, strapped to your chest?” He pointed at Rosa, and I laughed. “I didn’t realise you had her there until the moment when she almost woke them up.”

“Yes, that would be my daughter. She has a useful habit of sleeping through the most horrendous things. I should be thankful for that I suppose.” I looked back as we got further away from the tunnel. I needed to get us into another car, but we would have to wait until the congestion on the road thinned out first. We would struggle to get anywhere in this lot. “I’m Elizabeth, and my little sleeping beauty here is called Rosa.” He stuck out his hand to shake. A little odd given the situation but the politician in me still lived because my hand shot out automatically to greet his.

“I’m Liam. Do you want some help with that thing?” He pointed to the sleeping bag I was using as a sack over my shoulder. I looked at him and then at the bag. I didn’t want to risk him running off with the contents.

“Thanks, that’s very kind but really I’m ok.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. I’m not going to mug you for your sleeping bag, even I wouldn’t steal from a woman on her own with a kid.”

“Ha! You’d be surprised how many people would. You must have missed the announcement. Everyone is fair game these days apparently.” For a while, we walked in silence. I began to scan the road for Shadow. I glanced back to see if he was following us but couldn’t see him anywhere. Liam had noticed me looking.

“Umm… Sorry about your dog running off. I hope that wasn’t because of me.” The apology was genuine. His brow knitted together with concern, which annoyed me a little. He didn’t even know us, what did he care? He must want something.

“Don’t worry, he wasn’t our dog, he just sort of adopted us. I found him tied up guarding someone’s water supply.” Liam moved over to walk closer to me as the gap between the cars began to widen. Each time he looked at my face I could feel his eyes on me like he was looking for something.

“Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of that recently. The nukes didn’t just destroy the country. It’s messed with people’s heads. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen in the last two months…”

I bet I would. I stayed quiet, he didn’t need to know. I felt a little ashamed for judging him so harshly. He was turning out to be a pretty nice guy. He was certainly the most normal human being that I’d met since the attacks, but then again that wasn’t very hard.

We continued walking along the roadside until we reached a point where we could get a good look at the carriageway ahead. I wasn’t looking forward to hot-wiring another car, but unless we were planning on walking to Essex, I wouldn’t have much of a choice.

“Looks like you’ve got a fan.” Liam nodded over on the opposite side of the road. “And he comes bringing gifts. Aren’t you lucky.” The man laughed.

It took a moment for Shadow to come into view. Weaving in between the empty vehicles he hurried over flanking us. I looked down. Shadow was holding something in his mouth. Getting in between myself and Liam, proudly he nudged at my calf with his head waving his prize from side to side for my attention.

“He knows the way to a girls heart, a nice juicy rat for you.” Liam chuckled. I grimaced but lent over to stroke my hand over Shadow’s head.

It surprised me how much comfort I was awarded by his return. I hadn’t really stopped to think that the brief time in our company would have earned us any loyalty from him. I wasn’t able to shelter him any longer. We had nothing to offer him in return for his loyalty.

Strange that an animal would seek out human companionship. But then, of course, I reminded myself he is a pack animal and so, at our core, were we. Rewarding his gift by scratching behind his ear. It was a very thoughtful gesture, but we weren’t that desperate yet. I didn’t look forward to when there came a day that we would be.

“SO WHAT ARE your plans? I’m heading over to one of the assembly points. You should come with me. I’d be grateful of some company actually. It’s been some time since I’ve had a conversation,” said Liam.

“That’s kind of you Liam, thanks. I’d like to, but first, we’re headed to my husband’s parents place to see if we can find him.”

“Oh right, so you’ve arranged to meet someone. Sure, no problem just thought I would offer you know.”

“Well no, not arranged.” Liam stopped and turned to look at me. I tried to explain. “He was working in the city when the bombs dropped. So I figured he might have taken shelter there. His Mum’s is in Essex. He mustn’t have thought he would have made it to us in Brighton.”

“Ah right…” He looked away and started walking again. I could feel the pity oozing out of him, and I couldn’t stand it.

“You think I’m mad don’t you?”

“No. No, I don’t actually. You’re a good woman, I hope you find him. Funnily enough, the assembly point I’m heading for is in Essex.”

“Do you mean the Bunker? From the radio transmission?”

“Yes. You heard it? Why aren’t you heading there? It’s be much safer for you with a kid than being out here with all this going on.” He looked back at the tunnel. I wondered what it was he had seen while he had been watching the men. I remembered how afraid he had been of being discovered by them and my curiosity got the better of me.

“I don’t understand. Why are they stopping people from travelling through the tunnel?” Without looking away from the ground in front of him, Liam began to tell me some of the things which had happened to him in the first month after the attacks. He explained that the survivors from some of the areas around the city had grouped together to create an alliance. “You’re talking about gangs? They wouldn’t have organised themselves this quickly. That’s impossible.”

“You can tell you don’t live in a city anymore.”

“Thank God for that if I did I would be dead right now.”

“London already had its fair share of gang culture before the attacks. It was rife, even in Zone 6 there were problems. You can’t be surprised that without the government to step in, it’s taking over the streets. Back there in the tunnel, they weren’t letting anyone into the city because they don’t want to have to share any of their supplies.”

“Surely the damage in the city must be horrific, why would people want to stay in such a devastated place?”

“Most people are just passing through like we are. Either to get out of the south or to look for surviving family but I’ve also heard rumours that people have been taken and stopped from leaving.” I was horrified.

“Why?”

“Anyone with a useful skill has become a high-value target and can be exchanged for food. People who are medically trained. Even teachers have been stopped from leaving. It’s not a city I recognise anymore.” The idea of being held against my will was something I had never had to contemplate.