Struggle (The Hibernia Strain) (3 page)

“Got ya.”

I watch the as the floor numbers come and go as we pass each level. Then to my dismay I notice the button for the first floor lighting up, indicating that someone
there has pressed the button. Flynn must have noticed too as he holds his right arm out against my chest and directs me right up against the back wall.

“Crouch,”
he whispers.

We both take up a kneeling position and point our respective guns at the door.

The lift bell dings and the door folds open. Standing there with his back to us is a lone man; distracted by something in the distance and seemingly unaware that the lift has arrived.

I
’m confused as what to do, unable to tell if he’s infected or not. So here we stand in silence, guns aimed at his head, reluctant to make our presence known and find out his true form.

The few seconds it takes for the door to begin sliding shut again feel like an eternity. However, as it gradually rolls and scrapes its way across its rails I breathe a sigh of relief and lower my gun arm.

That is until a wandering hand shoves itself in the way of the door at the last second, causing the safety mechanism to fling it wide open again.

Standing there,
facing us this time is a man in his late forties or early fifties. One hand remains on the lift door and the other is clutching his shoulder. A trickle of blood is extruding from between his fingers.

O
bviously taken aback by the realisation that two guns are being shoved in his face he retreats back a couple of steps.

“Don
’t shoot, don’t shoot,” he pleads.

He can talk! That means he
’s human right?

“Please help me. Some maniac has bitten me
badly. Just two minutes ago. Won’t you do something please?”

Fuck it. It
’s already too late for him.

He takes a step towards us, still begging for assistance.

“Step back,” Flynn commands in a strong and insistent voice. The man hesitates momentarily from this surprise, before resuming his grovelling advance.

“I s
aid move back, NOW,” Flynn barks the order this time.

His gun held strong and steady
, unlike mine which is shaking around in my hands.

A lack of compliance from the obviously distressed man is rewarded with a hefty kick to his mid rift. Thi
s sends him stumbling backwards; eventually landing in a heap on the floor.

“Why won
’t you help me?”

The word
‘me’ extends into a blood curdling shriek, as his body begins to writhe around on the floor. It’s a really freaky and disconcerting sight.

The lift door
has begun closing again, as the now metamorphosed guy rises up and makes an attempt to rush us. Flynn lowers the barrel of his gun, and squeezes off a couple of rounds into the legs of the oncoming threat.

The door grinds
shut just in time to absorb the full wallop of the falling mass of flesh.
That’s what I call a close escape.

The lift continues its
descent until it finally reaches the car park. We ready ourselves to dash as the door slides open. Before exiting the lift I run my finger over all the buttons, so any pursuer’s intent on using it will have to wait for it to go from floor to floor before it can return here.

Once were clear of the lift
I can see that we have company. On the opposite side of the car park is an escalator that leads to the main reception area upstairs. Several runners are making their way down it. The jeep is equidistant between us and them.

The race is on
and I start pumping my legs hard. The exertion is taking its toll on my side, as the wound is getting taut and stretched by my movements. But I have no choice except to grin and bear the pain.

Our efforts pay
off as we make it to the jeep first. Hopping in, we lock the doors just in time, as windows and bodywork start to take a pummelling from raggedy fists. The windows appear to be made from specially toughened glass as they’re absorbing the heaviest of hits.

Flynn
is casually readying himself before he commences driving. He slides on a pair of aviator style shades and buckles his seatbelt. He obviously has the utmost confidence in the durability of this automobile. This self-assurance doesn’t instil much faith in me, so I nervously suggest we should get going quickly.

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye
, glints me a wry smile whilst turning the key in the ignition and presses play on the CD player. He floors the throttle as ‘Back to Black’ by ACDC begins to blare from the speakers. A trail of rubber is left on the smooth grey cement as the wheels spin to life. Flynn blatantly has a fondness for being an exhibitionist.

Bodies are bundled in every direction as they bounce off the sleek exterior of the jeep. Flynn carefully navigates through the multitude of columns and parked cars before smashing the candy striped barrier pole as he makes his dramatic exit.

I look over at him. A smug expression lines his face. He’s such a cocky bastard. But in fairness he got us out of there alive, so I have to give him that much at least.

The roads are just as empty
as they were three days ago, meaning our path to freedom opens up before us.

“Now then, where are we off to next my friend?” Flynn throws the question out there.

“Well if you could drop me off near the lake in Gregory Woods...”

I trail off without finishing the sentence
, because I’ve noticed that a troubled look has replaced Flynn’s brash facial expression.

“Shit,”
he mutters as he puts a heavy foot on the gas and rapidly builds up to a high speed.

“What
’s wrong?” I ask.

“We
’ve got company.”

L
ooking over my shoulder and out the back window, I spot two cars in hot pursuit.

“You
’re kidding me right. Those things can’t actually drive, can they?” I blurt out.

“It would appear so.”

So
not only do these wankers have an unquenchable desire to assimilate us, they have the means to chase us down by car as well!

I
previously figured out that during the first stages of infection their mobility seemed to remain unaffected, but I would never have dreamed they’d still possess the ability to drive or manage other such complex functions. How naive of me. I guess Flynn didn’t cop on to this fact either, otherwise I’m sure he wouldn’t have pricked about so long in the car park.

Regardless of what happened before, we
’re in this predicament now, and it’s not going to be an easy one to resolve.

Were travelling along at high speed
, but can’t manage to shake them as we pass several abandoned cars and vans. Flynn must have special training for high speed pursuits, because he seems unfazed as he weaves around them all. This buys us some distance but it’s still not enough to lose the two cars.

When we come to a clear stretch of road they begin catching up. Their lighter cars are more than a match for o
ur heavier reinforced jeep.

“We’
re gonna need to try something different,” I sputter as I’m tossed about my seat from the wilfully dangerous driving.

“Let
’s try this then. Hold on!”

There
’s nothing to grab a hold of, so I make do with pressing my hands flat against the dashboard in anticipation of some reckless manoeuvre.

Flynn certainly doesn
’t disappoint. Lowering his window, he flips them off. Great plan, piss them off even more.

He slows,
allowing them to get closer, before slamming on the brakes, causing the lead car to rear end us and the second one to smack into the back of them.

I
’m jerked forward but fortunately my hand positioning is good enough to soak up the force. Next he removes something, which I can’t quite make out, from his uniform and discreetly drops it out the window before accelerating away so fast that I’m sucked deep into my seat.

We get about thirty feet away in the three seconds it takes for the grenade to detonate. We just made it out of the blast radius
, as little bits of shrapnel ding against the roof.

The shock w
ave produced by the explosion was enough to immobilize the first car, which in turn obstructs the second, allowing us to make a clean getaway.

As if nothing just happened,
Flynn calmly continues our conversation from earlier.

“So where is it you said you wanted to go? Some lake somewhere was it
?”

The coolness of this flashy bastard has me impressed
, but at the same time he still annoys me just as he did the first time we met. Maybe I’m just a little bit jealous of how self confident he appears or maybe it’s because he reminds me of just another one of those cocky assholes I dislike so much.

Maybe I
’m the asshole for categorising him without even knowing him all that well. After all, he does appear to walk the walk and not just talk a big game. And I guess he did just save our asses on top of that. Although at the same time he could just as easily have killed us both with his risky plan.

D
espite the advantages of having someone around with his expertise, the sooner we split up the better. I’ll be safer moving about on my own.

I take a deep breath, puff out my cheeks and slowly draw out
the words, “Yup, Gregory Woods.”

“Gregory Woods it is then,” he says smartly as he rolls up his window, knowing full well he has me flabbergasted.

I feel like I’
ve aged ten years in the last couple of hours and can’t help thinking there are more dangers lying in wait ahead.

2

The wound on my side is starting to bother me. The hard suspension bouncing around on every bump in the road sends tremors up my body.

It’
s been awhile since I took a pain pill, so I rummage around in the little first aid bag Flynn gave me and pull out the packet of tablets. I snap one tablet out of its foil holder before carefully placing the packet back in the bag.

We don’t have any water so I’
m forced to swallow it as is. This is something I’ve always hated doing, as no matter what type of pill it is, big or small, capsule or coated tablet, they always manage to get caught in my throat causing me to gag. It’s not a particularly nice feeling but the increasing pain level is all the motivation I need to get me over my dislike.

Building
up a mouthful of spit, I pop the tablet onto my tongue and swallow hard. The lot disappears down into my stomach. I don’t experience any uncomfortable gagging at all. I suppose it’s the least of my worries at the moment.

We’re finally
getting close to the hotel, but I’m feeling concerned about wisps of grey smoke that are visibly wafting into the sky.

On any other day I wouldn’
t pass any heed of this, but seeing as the hotel is in an isolated location with no other buildings nearby, and the fact that it’s supposed to be abandoned, I can’t help worrying something’s wrong.

I direct Flynn to take a left turn off the main road
. He complies and pulls up at an entrance that’s so covered with briars it’s barely recognisable as a way in anymore. 

Flynn
gives me a look to ask if I’m serious. The glance of displeasure I give him back lets him know I am.

He knocks it into first gear and slowly begins to push his way down the
laneway. It’s so rough and overgrown; no normal car could possibly go through it.

Shawn and I usually hike through the woods
from another side. I’m guessing that’s the route he took this time as this entrance shows no traces of interference.

A
fter another half mile of driving, or should I say off-roading, my fears are proven correct as the hotel comes into view. What’s left of it that is.

“You sure this is the place you
’re supposed to meet up with your friends,” Flynn queries.

“
Seeing as I’m the one who made the plan, then yes I’m pretty sure,” I snap back rather unfairly.

As we drive into the
gravelled courtyard of the hotel, the true extent of the damage is revealed. Nothing remains except for the outer walls that are charred black. The roof has caved in on itself. The whole place is a smouldering wreck. It must be burning for a few days to be in this condition.

I scan the whole area
hoping to spot Shawn’s jeep but to no avail. Without thinking I unbuckle my seatbelt and hop out.

“
Emma,” I yell, “Shawn.”

There’
s no answer. I don’t know what to think.
Did they get this far only to have something happen to them? Did they see that the place was on fire and decide not to come? Did they even make it this far?

The lat
ter was the worst thing to think, as it puts me over the edge and I franticly start yelling their names at the top of my voice. I only stop when Flynn’s strong arm wraps around me and his hand covers my mouth.

“
Are you nuts? Do you want to alert every low life in a ten mile radius to our location? Look your friends obviously aren’t here so calm the hell down okay.”

I nod my head and he releases his grip on my mouth. I push his arm away in annoyance.

“Look man. Don’t go acting like a little bitch. You know I’m right.”

I’
ll never admit it to him but I know he is, so I just remain quiet.  My rashness could have landed us in serious hot water. I’ll have to think before I act in future.

“Have you any idea where else they would go?”
Flynn asks in a mellower tone.

Emma
’s farm springs to mind. That’s my only hope to find them now.
Please god let them be there.

I try
to be reassuring by thinking if they stuck to the original plan then that’s exactly where they would be. This helps me to convince myself I was getting worked up stupidly and that my new priority is the get to that farm to rendezvous with them.

With a
new goal in place, I feel like some of the worry has being lifted off my shoulders. If only I was this good at persuading others into believing what I say; I probably wouldn’t be such an overly shy guy.

I finally reply to Flynn
’s question, “Ya I do actually and I’m going to need to get my hands on a car of my own.”

He
seems a bit put off keel by my abruptness. I’ve managed to reverse our roles. I’m the smooth operator and he’s the one lacking composure. It doesn’t take him long to regain it however.

“You
’re heading off on your own now is it?” he says, sounding like he’s speaking down to me.

It
’s a fair reaction in response to my seeming lack of gratitude.  I decide to rectify the situation, as I still need his help procuring a car.

“
Ya that’s right. You’ve been so good to me, but I can’t keep relying on you. I’ve got to find my friends and I’m sure you have people that you want to be rejoined with.”

This gesture seems to strike
the right chord and hopefully makes it seem like I’m not only planning for my own gains.

“
The army is all I’ve got. I was gonna go back to my barracks and bring you and your friends with me. But now I don’t know if there’s even a barracks anymore. I still have to go though, on top of everything it is my job after all.”

“I understand. We each gotta do what we gotta do I suppose
.”

This is enough t
o extract the offer of help I was aiming for.

He makes a plan to drive me in search of a suitable abandoned car from the many strewn along the roadsides.
Preferably one with plenty of fuel and a key.
This suits me perfectly so I accept his offer.

Not wasting any time we
get back into the jeep and hit the road again. Backtracking the way we came, as there was an abundance of cars strewn about, it doesn’t take too long before we come across three saloons and a van sitting close together on the road. Any of them would be more than sufficient.

Before we get
too close, Flynn slows to a halt. He sensibly surveys the surrounding area for any signs of a possible ambush. Everything is out in the open and all appears to be safe. The only sign of anything is a herd of cattle looking on from an adjacent field. Flynn, not seeing them or anything else as being a threat, begins to move forward at a snail’s pace.

“It all seem
s quiet, but this is risky,” he announces, “When I pull up, you wait here while I check out the cars okay?”

I don
’t argue.

“If there
are no keys then I’ll hotwire the most suitable car,” he adds for a finish.

He s
tops the jeep again, roughly twenty metres away from the first of the cars. Before getting out, he suggests keeping my eyes peeled and my gun at the ready. Upon his recommendation I dig into my hoody pocket, fish out the pistol and flick off the safety switch.

Flynn opens his door and gets out, taking his rifle from its hold-away compartment on the driver
’s door. He lifts the gun to chest level and holds the stock in tight against his shoulder.

He proceeds forward
, all the time checking from left to right, cautiously searching for any possible enemy surge.

The whole time I
’m maintaining a constant lookout in front and behind us, focusing mainly on our rear though as I feel we’re most vulnerable to attack from there.

Flynn reaches the
first car and quickly scouts the inside to ensure it’s empty of inhabitants. The driver’s door is open.

I watch as he does one last scan of the area
before climbing in. He’s out again in a matter of seconds and signals the absence of keys.

As I watch him swiftly move on to the next car
, my mind starts to wonder where all the occupants have actually gone to. There’s no sign of any bodies or even blood for that matter.

Were the people forced to stop and make a run for it? Maybe the military found them and took them away to safety? Or maybe they were all transformed?
All of these are viable possibilities, and it’s scary not knowing exactly which, if any, are true.

F
lynn nips in and out the second car faster than he did the first. Another salute indicates there’s still no success.

He seems very on edge now as he starts to make his way to the last car.
This is taking too long.
He’s now about thirty five metres away.

His movements seem erratic
, as he swings his gun from side to side. He seems spooked. Maybe he’s heard something I couldn’t from back here in the jeep. 

He starts to walk at an increased tempo and bypasses the v
an, showing no interest in it.
He must consider it too big for me to be cruising around in.

The closer he gets to the
final car, the more the van is starting to obscure my view of him.

I’
m starting to get tetchy now too, so I get out of the jeep and sidestep to the left until I can see him again.

All this time
, I continually observe the landscape around us. My heart is pounding as I clasp the gun tightly with both hands, the index finger of my right hand resting on the trigger.

The four doors are wide open on the remaining car. A quick glance is enough to show him that it
’s safe to enter. He clambers in and searches around for the keys. He obviously hasn’t found any, as it appears he’s trying to hot wire the ignition. He vanishes from my view to fiddle around under the steering column.

This whole process of obtaining some transport is taking much longer than
I expected. I presumed I could simply hop into a random car and drive off.

I
’m beginning to feel very uneasy about being so out in the open. I can’t help but ask myself, who leaves their car abandoned and unlocked, but still has the presence of mind to take the keys with them. This whole scenario reeks of a trap, and uncaring if I’m heard by undesirable ears, I call out to Flynn to retreat.

My holler c
oincides with the back and side-sliding doors of the van flying open, and a flock of disgusting looking creatures spilling forth.

I count roughly
nine or ten in total. There’s a mixture of men, women and children. Two hastily head in my direction, while the rest make a beeline for the car with Flynn stuck inside. The doors being wide open means there’s no way to lock himself in.

All the commotion has obviously alerted him
, as I spot his head protruding above the headrest of the driver seat.

His response time is fast, really fast, as the back windscreen shatters
due to a hail of bullets fired from inside the car.

Two of the infected
hit the deck, falling prey to the deadly barrage. The remaining, however, fan out as they approach making it impossible to aim at them all.

I can
’t worry too much about Flynn though, as I have my own problems to deal with. A woman and a kid, whose age I deem to be around eleven, are confronting me.

I didn’t think I could
shoot a kid but apparently I don’t have any qualms about it, as without realising, my restless trigger finger squeezes off several shots.

My aim isn
’t up to much from this distance however, and most miss the mark. I do manage to lodge two of my brass jacketed projectiles into the younger of the on-rushers. One of which popped him in the head, resulting in a gooey exploding cranium and instantaneous slump forward.

I don
’t have for feeling any sorrow as the second one, completely un-phased by her comrade’s demise, keeps coming at me. Ghastly multi-pitched yelps, like those of a hyena, accompany her charge.

I relent from my inaccurate shooting long enough
to breath deep and steady myself. The muscles in my forearm are taut. My aim is straight and as the vile thing comes within a five metre range, three accurate pulls on the trigger leave three blood spurting holes in her chest. From such a close range the damage inflicted is fatal and the cries of malevolence are subdued.

Meanwhile, Flynn has gotten out of the car and
is continuing his hail of fire, hitting two more targets. But the speed at which they’ve descended upon him means all he can do now is try and scrap his way out of the confrontation. I don’t shoot in his direction for fear of hitting him.

He flails out with the butt of his rifle smashing heads and whatever other body parts he can. He
’s fighting a losing battle though and is forced to the ground.