Chapter 21
"It's time to get up gorgeous" he whispered in her ear.
Marion smiled sleepily. "Just a few more minutes?" she pleaded. She was warm and comfortable, his arm was wrapped around her chest and she could feel his length pressed up tight to her.
"You have to get up now babe," he insisted, his breath warm on her ear.
"Are you sure I can't convince you otherwise?" she suggested warmly, rolling her arm over to slip a hand between them until she could cup the hardening bulge she had felt in her rear end. She was rewarded by a hiss in her ear, a bodily flinch and an immediate reaction in her hand, the pressure increasing and filling her hand. She smiled, moving her fingers.
"Wake up Marion," he repeated a little more insistently.
She sighed and removed her hand. Why was he in so much of a rush – what were they doing today? "Ok," she groaned, stretching out so that her breasts were pushed into his hand and her buttocks rubbed against the middle of his groin.
"Marion!"
She snapped awake suddenly, her train of thought a series of realisations that got more and more horrified. Not at home – in Georgia. Not in bed – outside. Not Ben – Merle. Still a hard presence in the middle of her buttocks and an arm firmly pressed against her breasts. She gasped and moved.
"Ssh," he said urgently in her ear, half propped up on his elbow. He'd woken as soon as she'd moved, immediately alert for a threat, but had relaxed as she had murmured something unintelligible, realising that she was still asleep. He'd lifted himself up to watch her face in the pre-dawn, then her hand had moved and he had almost lost it, her hand was right fuckin' there, holding him, goddam stroking him. He'd sucked in his breath, half closing his eyes as his blood roared in his ears, his body reacting as only one that had been starved could. Her hand had moved away and he found he could breathe again, could hear again and that's when he heard it. He stiffened, looking around, but then she'd moved – basically wiping her unfettered breasts up against his arm and wriggling her ass against his dick and he'd lost his sense of hearing again as blood roared. He knew the instant that she woke because everything that had been warm compliance abruptly became stiff and withdrawn
"Merle," she whispered as she rolled over, the evidence of his masculinity now pressed to her hip, "I'm not comfortable with..." she tried to edge away a little.
"Ssh," he hissed at her again, pushing down with his arm to hold her still but looking elsewhere.
Dog growled again, walking forward with small steps looking out into the darkness which was only just starting to lighten with the approaching dawn.
Marion suddenly forgot his arm in the middle of her breasts, the pressure of his body pressed against her and tipped her head so she could see Dog. Even with her upside down view she could see the tenseness in him, the way he was focused on something only he could see, hear, smell. "Geeks," she said quietly. "A small group getting close– or a larger one further away."
Merle shook his head. "They're almost here," he stood up and Marion immediately averted her eyes from his profile. Even in the dim light she could see the proof of his sheer maleness. "Git up," she found his stump in front of her and putting a hand on his forearm was launched to her feet, the blanket falling in a heap. "Git 'im up," he nodded towards Simon.
"Where are you going?" she demanded in a whisper, putting a hand on his forearm.
"Goin' to git 'em before t'ey git 'ere," he replied with a scowl. Where the fuck did she think he was going?
"Wait for me," she urged. "I'll bring the crossbow."
"Too dark for t'at," he shook his head. "It'll be up close 'n' personal."
"So I'll bring the sword," she insisted. "Don't go out there by yourself."
"I'm better t'at way," he replied and her hand dropped from his arm. "Git to tha car and wait for me t'ere."
Marion stared at him while he quickly reloaded the knives that he'd taken off before lying down for sleep. He was almost a ghost in the forest and she knew she was not – but the geeks didn't just operate on sound, they used smell as well. Same as deer said an internal voice. Let him go – he can handle himself. She nodded and reached down to pull the silenced gun from under her 'pillow' and handed it to him, holding onto the sword and crossbow. "Be careful."
Merle snorted, but took the offered weapon, and stepped out of the shelter, disappearing into the darkness within a couple of steps.
Dog sniffed, turning back and leading Marion to where Simon still slept. She reached over and shook his shoulder "Simon," she whispered urgently. "Simon!"
The man came awake in a rush, yelling out and flailing around at the same time. Marion felt something connect with her face and yelped as she was hurled backwards into the wall. There was a large clang as the metal reverberated under her body weight – Dog barked and Simon was suddenly next to her. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Ssh!" she hissed urgently. "I'm alright," she continued more quietly, holding the side of her face, "but we have geeks coming – probably more quickly now," she added grimly.
"Geeks?" he said in scared whisper.
Marion gave him an understanding smile poor bloke just got away from them, then straightened, grimacing as the headache which had faded almost to nothing the previous day suddenly exploded again. Her gaze was a little peppered with stars and she blinked a couple of times to clear them, her cheek bone throbbing. "We have to get over to the car," she said as her vision cleared and bent to pick up Simon's blankets. She draped them in an untidy heap over her shoulder. "Merle's gone to deal with them – but let's get the car ready in case." He nodded, almost stepping on her as she led the way to the car, abandoning the one blanket that she and Merle had used because she didn't have enough hands.
Dog led the way, staying within a metre of Marion, his white coat picking up every essence of light in the air and almost glowing. Marion held her sword with both hands, one shoulder full of blankets and the other full of crossbow. The car came into view and Simon almost pushed her out of the way to get to it. He opened the passenger door and crawled in, slamming the door.
Dog growled, "Simon!" she hissed and there was a moan from the dark. She took two hurried steps towards the vehicle, stopping to throw the blankets into the back of the truck, before turning back to the noise. Dog barked then and the figure shambled into her vision out of the dark. It was heavily decayed, its lips gone and almost its entire jaw visible through the flesh. It moaned, its jaw seeming to partially dislocate with the movement and its pace increased. "Ooh ugly," (1) she commented and lifted the sword, taking two steps and slicing down. The sword hit the top of its skull and sank through the bone into the brain inside – the forward progress stopped and it dropped, dragging her arms with it as the sword held on. "Crap," she hissed, stepping forward to change her angle and reefing at the blade. It came out with a rush and she staggered a step.
Dog barked again and she whirled, ducking the hands as they groped for her. This time she went for the neck and the blade sliced clean through, with a thump the headless body fell to the ground. She heard the shuffling footsteps even as Dog growled again and backed up as two of them came at her from slightly different angles. She danced away slightly to the side, putting some distance between her and one of them so that she could deal with them separately. Where the hell was Merle she wondered as she hacked at one, dropping an arm and then the figure to his knees before she managed to skewer him through the eye. The sword came out with a gush of blood and she barely had the strength to lift the sword again as the other geek attacked her. She braced the sword under her reaching hands and several fingers fell to the ground. It didn't slow her down though and Marion pushed, the sword going past the hands into the neck so that the figure staggered back, then she took a step in and like an axe brought the blade down.
A scream and a flurry of barking shattered what was left of the silence and she whirled to the car, cursing as she saw the back half of a geek protruding from the window opening, Dog bouncing up and trying to get ahold of an ankle. She could see the car rocking as Simon kicked at the beast, throwing himself over the front seat to the back of the car. She reached out and took a handful of the suit jacket the geek was wearing, tugging – she didn't shift him, he was so intent on the meal he could see and smell and almost touch in front of him. She swore, putting her sword on the ground against the car and filling her second hand full of clothes – pulling back with all her might. This time he moved a little and she put one foot up against the car to give her more leverage as she pulled. He came out then and she suddenly realised the hole in her strategy, forced to back up as he landed on his feet and turned towards her. She swung the bow around, stepping back as she fumbled to nock an arrow. She saw the glint of metal and turned suddenly, the explosion of a bullet loud in the still dawn air.
Merle swore, ducking his head down under a branch – only partially successfully and he swore again as he felt his skin on his cheek ripping. He'd only made it about 30metres into the dark before all hell had broken loose at the camp – he'd turned to go back immediately musta been geeks closer than he thought but he'd found himself surrounded by them. He'd plunged his knife into two before they even realised he was amongst them but then they'd all turned on him and he had backpeddled at least he could keep these away from the camp he thought, slashing at another that got too close. It didn't die, but it staggered enough for him to move back to a safe range again. He took a step to the right and lunged in, the knife sliding up into the jaw and brain before coming back out smoothly and he stepped back again. He was loathe to use his throwing knives as he didn't think that he would get much of a chance to get them back, but he threw two as a crowd got that bit too close. He brought out the gun and dropped another three and yet there was still more. He cursed and turned to his left, running as best he could in the dark forest. They followed, but at a staggering disorientated run and within a minute he had some breathing room. He turned back to the camp, his sense of direction unerring despite the availability of landmarks. He heard the scream wha' tha hell – does she want to ring tha dinner bell? and put on a burst, coming in sight of the clearing surrounding the picnic area just as she dislodged the geek from the car. He saw her backpeddle, fumbling with her crossbow and lifted his gun. There was a flash of light and an explosion – he saw her recoil and then disappear under the body.
"Marion!" he yelled, barrelling over the intervening distance to reach for the geek – half of his skull missing and even more from his face – before bending over her. He tucked the gun in his waistband and felt over her, touching her face first then over her body, feeling blood all over his hands. "Marion – are ya bit? Woman – fuck it are ya bit?" She started to heave, bucking underneath his hands and he moved back a little as she got to her hands and knees and spewed out all of her undigested dinner.
"I'm ok Merle," she managed finally, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve and grimacing as she realised exactly what she was wiping onto herself. She looked up at him. "I just got splattered, that's all. Are you alright?"
Crazy bitch. "Fine – but we goin' ta git company soon."
"Well you'll just have to send them on their way," she instructed, as she got to her feet with his stump under her elbow. "I've had about enough for tonight."
He smirked, but his expression changed quickly as he heard the groans approaching from where he'd come from. "Git in tha car," he ordered, pushing her towards the vehicle as he backed after her. He heard the door open and reached out his hand to close it but turned abruptly as he heard the engine start. Fuck he thought, but followed her into the passenger seat, closing the door just as she snapped the headlights on – highlighting about ten geeks – and spun the wheels to get them out of there.
"Can ya drive?" demanded Merle.
"As long as no-one's coming on the wrong side of the road," she replied grimly, twisting the wheel and he looked up – they were on the left hand side of the road. "And I don't need to get out of first gear," she added, glancing over at him. "The only stick gear I've driven was the old Kingswood paddock basher I learnt to drive in."
"Git us out of 'ere and we'll swap," he nodded. He swivelled in his seat so that he could face the back seat, Simon sat almost folded in on himself, Dog on his lap. "You – give me the guns," he directed.
Simon looked up shakily. "What?"
"The guns – ya sitting on most of them. Pass them over here, now," he added and lifted his gun at Simon. Dog growled and Marion turned.
"Merle," she said reprovingly.
"Wha?" he demanded. "Dumb prick almost shot you."
"Merle," she said quietly, reaching over one hand and laying it on his knee. "Remember what he's been through."
Merle snorted, turning back to Simon. The man took a look at his face and pulled the gun bag up, passing it over to Merle who put it in the footwell in front of him. "And tha one ya fired," he directed. Simon passed it over and Merle clicked out the magazine, nodding as he saw only one bullet was missing.
They travelled some time in silence.
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(1) Since you liked my previous film reference I'll tell you that I was thinking Oliver Platt's line in the tunnel during The Three Musketeers with a Charlie Sheen before he went ...er.. postal, Chris O'Donnel, and a Mr. Gravel Voice himself, Kiefer Sutherland.
I would also just like to clarify that a 'stick shift' to me is the one with the gears in a lever on the wheel.
(1) Since you liked my previous film reference I'll tell you that I was thinking Oliver Platt's line in the tunnel during The Three Musketeers with a Charlie Sheen before he went ...er.. postal, Chris O'Donnel, and a Mr. Gravel Voice himself, Kiefer Sutherland.