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

through the crowd of undead. She remembered the sick feeling in her stomach as the vehicle slowed. Then came the sweeping guilt as the lorry disappeared from sight. Despite barely knowing the group, and despising the criminal leading them, she couldn’t help but feel responsible for their demise.

“We don’t even know if they were killed,” Ben said, as if reading her mind. “They might have made it out.”

“I guess we’ll never know,” she replied.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. We’ve got guns and food now, right? At least we stand a better chance of surviving.”

“Right.” Ben smiled.

The sun was at its highest. Its radiant beam pressed the countryside, raising the temperature of the car.

“It might be a fast car, but the air con sucks.” Amy sighed as she opened her window.

“Yeah, well, we don’t have to endure it much longer, we’re almost there.”

Amy looked on as Ben motioned towards a large facility on the other side of the neighbouring field. She found it reassuring that there were no undead creatures nearby. Yet, she still felt apprehensive about entering the slaughterhouse. Her trepidation intensified as the smell of death drifted through the open window.

“Oh god.” She gagged, putting a hand to her mouth.

“Looks like this place was hit pretty bad.” Ben motioned towards the dented metal door that led into the building. He reached behind him and produced the shotgun propped against the back seat. “Where are the bullets?”

“Here.” Amy handed him the boxes they had taken from Lisa earlier.

“We should’ve got more,” Ben said. He sifted through the boxes until he found the shotgun shells.

“We were lucky to get out of there.” Amy watched him thumb the cartridges into the gun before handing it to her.

“Here, you take this. This place might be quiet, but we don’t know what’s inside.”

She nodded, taking the weapon from him as he retrieved the rifle from the back. She stared at the entrance to the building as Ben loaded the rest of the weapons. The indentations in the door signified a lot more than undead humans. She held the shotgun with trembling hands as Ben passed her a handgun.

“Just in case,” he said.

She took the weapon and followed him as he swung the door wide. Standing in the open air made her stomach turn. The buzzing of flies was the only sound they faced as they approached the building.

“Are you sure we should do this?” she whispered as Ben peered into the confines of the room. Satisfied they were safe, he turned back to Amy.

“I need to see if he’s alive. I owe it to Fran.”

“Okay.”

She followed him as he crept through the doorway. His boots emitted a stifled echo as he walked deeper into the slaughterhouse. Amy breathed through her mouth in an attempt to dispel the rank odour which seemed to worsen as they went. She scanned the area, trying to detect movement within the shadows. Ben stopped in his tracks.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He didn’t answer. She looked past him towards the shattered confines ahead. The large gate which must have imprisoned the animals now hung loose on a single bracket. Amy felt a flicker of dread in her stomach as the notion of undead farm animals filled her mind. She aimed her shotgun toward the enclosure.

They edged forward, stepping through pools of blood and gore until they arrived at the holding pen. The lack of livestock unsettled Amy.

“Where are all the animals?” she whispered.

“Look behind you.”

She turned, gasping as her gaze stopped on the carcasses scattered next to a huge machine. The gangway above had collapsed, sending those standing on it down into its metallic maw.

“What is that thing?”

“A meat-separation device. The largest in Europe actually; my dad’s pride and joy.”

Amy didn’t want to know more. The prospect of the machine ripping bodies to shreds was enough to satisfy her curiosity. She tore her gaze away and scanned the rest of the area.

“So where’s your dad?”

A gunshot answered her question. It ricocheted off the ground next to their feet, echoing around the building. She shoved Ben to safety as another shot sounded.

30

“Wait here.”

“No way, I’m coming with you,” Lisa said, grabbing Frank’s arm as he made to leave the lorry.

“We don’t know what’s in there. If things go bad, I want to make a quick getaway.”

“And I don’t want to risk you being ripped apart. I’m not protecting those little shits on my own.”

She jerked a thumb towards the trailer which housed Tina, Simon, and Elaine. Frank rolled his eyes and turned to the door once again.

“C’mon then.”

He leapt from the carriage and waited for Lisa to join him in front of the military base. The barriers leading up to the huge building lay in ruin, making it easy for their lorry to gain access. Frank half expected their vehicle to succumb to machine-gun fire as they neared, but it soon became clear that the army was no longer around. With this in mind, he drew his handgun as they stepped toward the barricaded door.

“Do you think there’s anybody here?” Lisa whispered.

“Someone’s here.”

Frank motioned towards the barricaded windows. “Whether they’re still alive is another question.”

As they neared, Frank heard a familiar voice.

“Frankie!”

Gus Razor’s cheerful welcome caused the pair to look up. Their gaze fell on the gangland boss peering out of an upper floor window.

“I’ll be right down!”

With that, he vanished from sight.

“What was this guy put away for again?” Lisa asked.

Frank sighed, shaking his head. “It’ll be easier to tell you what he didn’t get put away for.”

They fell silent as movement on the other side of the doors caught their attention. An angry outburst from Razor accompanied muffled thuds.

“That’s heavy, you tosser!”