The Virus by Lee, Damien (summer books txt) 📕

“What do you want us to do now?” Elaine asked as they stepped into the hallway. They watched Frank lock the door before he turned back to them.

“I told you, you’ll be sleeping upstairs. Unless you want to sleep in a pool of blood, I’d advise you get a mop and bucket.”

“And what will everyone else be doing?” Simon demanded, following Frank as he walked back into the living room.

“Whatever they want.”

“So why do we have to clean?”

“Look, do what the hell you like. If you want to sleep in a pile of shit and blood, be my guest.”

He slumped in the seat as the pair looked on.

“Well, perhaps we don’t want to sleep in there,” Simon continued.

“Oh?”

“Maybe we want to sleep in here.” He looked around at the spacious living room.

“Not while I’m here, Tubs. I’ve already called this room.”

“There was another bedroom up there,” Elaine said. “We could stay in there.”

“Tina has claimed that room,” Lisa said as she entered.

“She’s just a kid.” Simon stared incredulously. “We’ll kick her out.”

“Good luck,” Frank said. “She’s got a mean-looking blade up there, and I doubt she’d have any qualms using it on you.”

“Well, where else can we sleep?”

“I told you. You have a choice; the big bedroom, or outside.”

“What about the kitchen?”

“Ha. You think I’d trust you fat bastards next to our food supply? Keep dreaming, Tubs.”

He cast a grin at Lisa, who shook her head.

“There’s a mop and bucket in there.” She motioned to the kitchen. “Use it if you wish.”

The couple trudged back upstairs.

“C’mon Elaine, it might not be that bad.” Simon offered as they went.

Once they were out of earshot, Frank turned his attention to Lisa. “So how much food do we have?”

“Not a lot,” Lisa said. “A couple of tins and a few jars, but not enough to keep us going.”

Frank rubbed his forehead, emitting a hefty sigh as Lisa continued.

“I think we’ve got three days.”

“That’s if the granddaughter doesn’t turn up with her boyfriend.” He cast a distasteful glare towards the answering machine. “We’ll have less than that with two more mouths to feed.”

“What do you think we should do?”

“Kill Blob and Blubber upstairs. We could live off them for a good few weeks.”

“I meant seriously.”

“Seriously? I think we’re fucked.”

“I was hoping for some kind of plan.”

“Why am I the one who needs to think of a plan? Ever since I’ve got here, all you people want me to do is be the leader.”

“You’re the one with the gun. That makes you Alpha Male, Top Dog, Billy Big Bollocks, or whatever you want to call yourself.”

Frank shook his head.

“And I know you’ve got a plan,” Lisa continued.

“We’re going to have to go into a town, aren’t we,” Frank said, sitting forward in his chair. “The only problem is; who do we send?”

“That’s the only problem? If that’s all you’re worried about, we’ll be fine. How is that a problem?”

“We’ll have to send at least two people, right?”

“Right.”

“So who do we send? The two whales wouldn’t survive two seconds out there, Tina will probably leave us behind the minute she finds somewhere better, and we can’t go.”

“Why not?”

“Because if Mr. Sensitive is left to run things, he won’t let us back in.”

“But we need food.”

“I know. Let’s just wait and see how we go. Three days is more than enough time for something to go wrong.”

“Oh, stop being so pessimistic.”

“Pessimistic? We’re in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. What’s there to be optimistic about?” He watched the woman rise to her feet. “And I’ve got a feeling that sneaky bastard upstairs is going to try something,” he continued as Lisa left the room. “He’s not gonna stand in line.”

He waited briefly before she returned with both hands behind her back.

“Well, maybe this will make you feel better?” She produced a large, unopened bottle of rum.

Frank’s eyes widened and a smile crept across his face. “Now you’re talking. Where did you find that?”

“Stashed away under the sink. Care to drown your sorrows?”

“Definitely.”

He reached out for the bottle, but stopped when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Lisa quickly retreated to the kitchen as Tina entered the room.

“Those two have finally started cleaning,” she said.

“Cleaning? But they didn’t take the mop and bucket,”

He motioned towards the two items in the corner of the room. Tina followed his gaze, shrugging her shoulders.

“Well, they’re doing something up there.”

Frank watched as she stepped over to the window. She stooped down, peering through a gap in the boards.

“It’s getting dark,” she said. “And it looks like we’ve got more company.”

“What?” Frank leapt out of his chair and joined the teenager at the window. “Where?”

“Over there next to that barn.”

Frank followed her direction and found four zombies staggering towards the house.

“Let’s not draw their attention.” He turned away as Lisa re-emerged from the kitchen.

“Dinner is on.” She smiled.

“What we having?”

“Tuna and spaghetti.”

Tina scrunched up her face as she left the room. “Not for me thanks, I’m vegan.”

Lisa sighed, looking at Frank for approval.

“It’s better than what we got in prison.”

She smiled, turning on her heel and striding back into the kitchen.

Frank looked back outside. The zombies had stumbled closer but were still too far away to be a threat. What worried him were the shambling figures in the distance. All faced the house. All approaching. Somehow they knew where to go. As if they knew the farmhouse was occupied. He rubbed his face as the pain in his cheek worsened. The touch of the scathed flesh brought back all his fears. He tried to dismiss the sweat on his