After The Rising by T.D Jackson (free novel reading sites .txt) 📕

After a few more drinks and a lot more money lost we emerged happy and slightly drunk we stopped at the fruit stall for some apples on the way back, the scarcity of cows these days meant burgers were not an option, we sat down on a bench and munched talking about the training what it could involve probably more rain and undead not to worry I liked the rain at least. That is when things started to change we would get on the helicopter the next day but when we would get back so much would have changed us the people we know the people we love and the dead themelves.

"Why did we get out of the helicopter?" Jon panted "Cause they aked nicely and had gun's also I'm a people pleaser" We stopped at the top of a small hill. The copter pilot had started our training right away he informed us with out trying to hide his glee that "You should be ready for the unexpected we are dropping you 40 miles from the outpost here is your map here is a compass off you go" And with that he landed dropped us by some woods and was gone, well not quite before he closed the door he shouted "Oh of you are not back in 3 day's we will assume you are dead bye now" Then he was gone. We were in the woods still my Geography was shit my sense of direction awful I once got lost walking a straight line. To get from my house to my job interview I just had to follow the road got there O.K but on the way back I had managed to take a swerving path that added a good three quarters of a mile and 2 phone calls asking Jon to use google maps to find me directions. So Jon had the map with me trying we would probably end up back home, but it was a nice day at least the spring sunshine was warm but not hot. I  had removed my coat and tucked it in to my satchel leaving me with a short sleeved green t-shirt that said please wait sarcastic comment loading, not th best survival gear I know but hey I thought it wuld rain we were in Scotland after all and that is the only place that get's more rain than England well maybe Wales "O.K I think we are here" Jon poked at the map, I looked at it "Are you asking me to agree because if I agree we are probably in Saudi Arabia" Jon nodded is head. We headed down the hill trees on every side of us occasionaly spotting one of the dead out for an afternoon stroll "If you go down to the woods today you are in for a big suprise" I started to sing. Jon smiled, I continued "Mum and Dad will eat your eyes then you will smell bad surronded by flies" "Dude that wa awful" "You do better" He looked like he was considering it but decided against it.

3 hours later and we were still in the dam woods it was now late afternoon and it had started to cool. We had just settled down for something to eat when the dead had started to emerge from the trees. A lot of dead. We got to our feet and started to jog away. One of the biggest mistakes people make with zombies see a zombie run. WRONG! You get tired zombies do not only run if they are close enough to grab you or to break line of sight even then not for long. Yeah we could run but where to? We still were not sure if we were heading in the right direction. We got the map out again and tried to get our bearings. After much swearing insuilts and tantrums we picked a direction, that it was the only one with no dead coming from it was just a coincedence I think.  

After another hour we had to stop again we were still being pursued and there seemed to be a lot more of them "Maybe I should read the map" "No I'm reading the freaking map" "No let me do it" "No I'm doing it" "No you had your turn" After the 5 year old like argument we realised that we were completely lost. The best we could tell we had made at best half a miles progress and we were tired" "So at this rate we will be there in just over a month" "So we are fucked" Jon said stubbing out his ciggarette "No new plan" "Get a better map?" "No" "Go home?" "Nope" "What?" "Cheat" "What do you mean?" "Look this wood follows the outskirts of a town separated by a train line we head east for a couple of miles jump the fence cross the line grab a car and drive there" "Didn't the pilot say stick to the woods the towns overrun and if we left the woods we would be thrown off the training" "Do you want to walk that badly?" "No" "Besides it's not really cheating we are adapting to our environment thats what survival is all about it was in the litrature they gave us" "There was also something about following orders in there" "Yeah I might of lost that page" "Convineant" "The dead ate it honest oh they are getting a bit close maybe we should move"

We pushed further through the woods our undead conga line growing longer as we went. The fence by the tracks was easily climbable, it had been rebuilt recently to keep the dead off the line so supplys could be moved from Outpost 1 where we were heading to our home Outpost 5 and there transported by road to Hastings, the train line there had had a slight crash some idiots thought it would be clever to attempt to drive a train with no training morons whoever they were glad they never caught them though. The tracks were clear of the dead but the fences were so close to the rail that it would be impossible to walk safely and the train times were erratic and delayed at best, so not to much change from the old railway companies.

"So you first" I said motioning for Jon to start climbing "Fuck you" A chorous of moans echoed behind us. We looked at each other and at the same time said "Me first" We quickly scaled the fence and started to carefully make our way across the tracks avoiding any part of the rail that could be live. Problems only started when we tried to climb the other side of the fence Jon was half way up and myself who had taken a bit longer to make my way acros the sinlge rail had only just started making my way up when the track began to thunder. It was like a nightmare a situation I thought I would never find myself in and then of all the moments I slipped. I grated my fingers holding on to the fence to prevent myself falling on th the rail. Then came my first mistake I looked back to the other side of the fence the first group of dead were already there no going back. Then my second I looked up the track. There it was. Thundering towards me, a standard commuter train probably ferryinng fresh soldiers and in a few seconds I was more than likely going to be plastered across it's windscreen. I looked through the fence Jon was shouting at me to move but I couldnt here him every thing was slowing down. The rumbling was now so bad I could feel the vibrations through my feet, that got me moving. I jumped at the fence and procedded to haul myself up the train was close, I could see the driver. Just keep climbing. The look on his face. Climb moron. He looked me in the eye. Come on your almost at the top. He can't believe it. I was at the top of the fence I went to drop to the other side, I was stuck, my t-shirt was caught of all the cliche ways today it was going to be this one that got me? My torso dangled half way to freedom my legs stuck in the path of a juggernaut. The train was here. Jon reached up and with a massive effort hauled me over I heard fabric rip and I toppled head first into him, I felt my foot graze the train. 

I lay on the floor shocked that I was alive my hearbeat was pounding in my ears voices swam around but one was louder than the others "Get off" I got off Jon, my shirt had ripped almost clean off "You O.K?" It took a second for me to compose myself "Yeah thanks... you owe me a new shirt by the way" "That's the thanks I get for saving your life?" He laughed "I have saved your arse plenty of times come on we need a place to bed down for the night"      

We wandered in to a small town and quickly found a house to our high standards, we bedded down in the loft alternating who was going to keep watch every 4 hours.

We left the house about 7 the next morning and started to look for a car. This sounds easier than it actualy is. After 2 years all car batterys are long dead the fuel useless I know I could not believe it either petrol has an expiration date you know that stuff that has been in the earth for millions of years. Wehad with us de-sludger a liquid that we were given by the outpost commander to thin the fuel again and a small battery jump start kit that Jon carried. Again jumping  the car in to life was not a problem the problem was the time it took. At least 5mins for the de-sludger to mix with the old fuel before attempting the jump, and that i a long time to be standing around exposed. A small car dealership attracted our interest, A Golf sat in a garage the shutter rolled up. We cautiously approached checked the car behind it and underneath it, all clear. The garage was just about wide enough for the car and us