25

They were powering along in one of the huge vehicles that was all terrain as most were that ventured beyond the domes these days. Hope was curious as to why Ianto wanted to take Micha out but was glad to be invited along. Also, it was a novelty to be driven instead of running.

The old road was barely recognisable under the soft mossy grass that covered the ground and the roadside markers were long since gone, trees bending over as if to bow in welcome as they trundled along underneath them.

Micha had been happy to leave the baby with Michael for the day, a much coveted day with her Uncle a wonderful surprise and as they stopped for lunch she listened to the birdsong. The clearing was serene.

"Peaceful, isn't it" Ianto said softly "This was once a main highway. Vehicles roaring along here, crushing rabbits, badgers, hedgehogs. Deer were not safe, if they were silly enough to try to cross. Right here was a notorious stretch with four lanes of traffic. Do you remember those?"

"The lines on the road, David and I used to cont the yellow ones, like a game" she nodded, rising to brush off crumbs.

"We don't talk about him much, it all happened so fast and was so …wrong. It doesn't hurt to think of him now, not like it did but it has become a common feeling of discomfort when thinking of him, right?" Ianto canted his head, then rose. "I want to show you something around the bend."

They came to a break in the hedgerow, all overgrown and angry looking with barely enough room to fit the vehicle where once double gates had swung out to allow large trucks. Ianto drove to some old dilapidated buildings that were in total disrepair. A roof had fallen in and Hope eagerly scoped the place out as Micha walked over to a garden to pluck some flowers. Her steps were steady, the cane in her hand for balance only these days.

"This was our first outpost" Ianto said after a while "There's a creek over yonder, a well we capped over here. This was the place we let people stop at while we worked out if they were going to be let in."

"I don't know why" Micha snorted "You always let them in."

"No"

She turned to look at him and settled on a rock that seemed perfect for a bum. He looked around some more then began to speak and she felt it was not just her being spoken to as she turned to watch Hope freeze.

"They came from nowhere, a group that needed …. Everything. We set them up here, unsure of them as there seems few men, fewer soldiers. Lots of women and children. At first we were worried about the cannibal factor but learned they were god botherers. Zealots that believed their God would save them. We tried to sort things with them, hoped they might be the second village. This was before Fallback was fully up and running so … we had high hopes."

Hope settled next to Micha on the rock.

"I had a funny feeling, it didn't sit right so I started wraithing about, watching them. It didn't take long to work out that they had Zs. They had them like pets. When we confronted them they said that they were trying to save them. You see … they believed the virus was sent from god to purge the sinners and those affected were merely lost souls. They really thought they could save them … pray them back."

"Christ"

"Tosh then found a radio signal. Turns out they were broadcasting that they had found Utopia, calling others here. So, I sort of lost my shit. We went to confront them and a bus rolled in … there were Zs on board. A bus load of Zs." Ianto paused as he gathered himself. "You see … back then the virus was different to now. It was a pure form. Potent. Mercying was a delicate thing and in the heat of the moment a scalpel pushed into an ear canal might not totally work so … anyway."

Ianto turned to look over the grass that would soon be long enough for some stock to graze. If they ever let them here but Micha and Hope knew this place was deemed off limits. Nothing from here was eaten. The soil tainted. Ianto was being a bit …. Loose with the words but knew it was not the timeline but the actions that needed to be recognised.

"Uncle?"

"So … they buried their dead here. Then to our horror instead of going to the creek for the fresh water they continued to draw from the well. The water table… well. They infected themselves and in the end I had to cleanse the entire area."

"Cleanse" Hope repeated "You put them down?"

"We let them implode then cleaned up the dregs" Ianto nodded.

"But… why tell me all this?" Micha asked with interest, "There is something more, right?"

"David"

Micha gripped the rock.

"On the bus, one of the … from the city. David. I couldn't do it. He had me, I was down and he had me and back then they were so strong. The scalpel Owen had shoved in his ear hadn't been in far enough, his shock and upset at what had happened making him believe it had worked, but then David still turned."

"Oh my god."

"This is where I buried him … buried his vessel anyway. I wanted you to know … even though I couldn't give your mother a grave, just a bullet to her head before she could turn under their jaws … David does have rest. This rock is the one I placed over the thing that had taken control of him. Here. This is where I come to think, to feel close to your mother. I know she would have been close to him, her spirit as well as his still connected as long at the vessel remained. Here in this beautiful place there was once a horrible thing. I took it back. I reclaimed this place. This is David's place. Here."

"Oh Taddy" Hope sighed.

Micha was looking at the flowers she had picked knowing they would be pride of place tonight.

Her baby brother closer than she thought.

She was grateful for her uncle's gift.