Living with survival

Chapter 2-day 4-5

The heartbroken

It was the early hours of the 4th day of infection. It was a Friday, or at least would have been one before the infection, when what day of the week meant something. All members of the family were awake, staring at the quiet rioting on channel 2. There was still noise outside, screaming, the odd bang at the door, even sirens, but they were beginning to fade as everyday went by.

"I don't think we should stay here!" Tim broke the silence first. His head motioned towards the car outside, it still lay there, untouched since the previous day's ordeal."I mean, we can't stay here, in this country I mean, it's to....fucked"

"What about dad, Tim. We go to an airport, and it's the same old shit there, then we are in trouble" Jon was going to add more on the subject, but he was interrupted by his father."Don't worry about me. I won't be a burden much longer". No one seemed to understand what exactly was meant by this statement. But it was quickly discarded, Ben said little over the last day, and what he did say, was usually riddled with grief and made little sense.

"I think we should make for the airport. I won't stay here and die." Mike had made up his mind. "Like what happened to your mom Mike?" Bens snipe had not gone unnoticed, Mikes face dropped back into his usual depressive state. "Well we are going to need a half descent plan then" Mikes words were used only to cover up his dad's vicious remark.

Two hours later the brothers had came up with a plan, Ben went upstairs half way through, and he needed to lie down. Just as well really everything Mike said was quickly countered by his grief blinded father. The first act of getting out of the country was to drive to the airport, and try for a plane. If that option failed then they were to get out of the city as fast as humanly possible. Make for an out of town shop or well stocked house. "Well, get dad that sounds good to me, we all go out together this time, no one gets left behind". The barricade was moved, and the four were ready to go.

Mike left first, Time followed clutching his fathers arm, leading him towards there getaway vehicle, Jon left last, wielding a metre long iron pipe, just in case. The street was littered with the dead; blood splattered every where, a zebra crossing tarnished with the ill red liquid, and a front door opposite half off its hinges, with several handprints up on its white varnished wood. They made it to the car, the street was quiet, yet the city was still very much alive, or perhaps dying would be a better word for it.

The silent father was bundled into the front seat, Mike again was going to drive, Time made it into the back seat."Oh keys, there in the kitchen" Mikes alarming and loud tone was heard through the window, Jon knew it was up to him, the teenager darted towards the house. Running straight to the kitchen, he immediately found the car keys. He heard footsteps running through the door. "It's alright Mike, I found them" Jon left the kitchen at a stroll staring at the keys in the palm of his had. He entered the hall before looking up," ok, we can get the f..." Jon saw neither his brother, nor his father; he was barely staring at another human being. Only a beast, a beast whose predatory eyes bore straight into his own.

It snarled at him first, there was no movement, only the instinct of one to kill and the other to kill or be killed. The infected looked around his mid 40s, yet he was only about the teenager's size, the man had little muscle and was wearing what used to be a blue chequered shirt. But was closer to black now, and when it moved, Jon moved. The iron bar was raised well over his own head, and then the sickening crack of the infecteds cranium giving way to the make shift weapon sent chunks of skins and brain matter flying around the hallway. Jon stepped a yard from the now lifeless stranger. His eyes filling up with tears, "oh god, oh god, oh god, mom, mom, mom," he would have stared at the corpse for far longer, trying to deal with what exactly he had just inflicted upon someone. Until his brother dragged him from the tainted house to the back seat of his car.

"Are you ok son" the fathers words couldn't penetrate the trance Jon had entered, this was a boy whom had never witnessed a man die, nor ever seen a corpse, never mind swinging a bar into someone's skull, killing them outright. The car pulled off swiftly. Infected were now appearing out of the surrounding buildings. Why did they always come when there was conflict or the slightest sound of human motion?

They drove quickly through the streets, dodging any kind of traffic; the boys peered out of the windows, alleys filled with infected beating some hapless person to a pulp, schools full let empty and strewn with bodies on the playground. but worst perhaps of all were the people peering out of there flat windows, peeping behind the curtains of there home, these were the ones that were pitied, thousands of people had taken to the streets, and cars were everywhere, but those poor souls had resigned themselves to the long slow death, to wait to starve, or for there windows to be broken in through, or perhaps for insanity to take them, there was no salvation for these men and women...and children.

Ben, with his unseeing eyes closed, he propped his head against the window, thinking constantly of his wife, his sons could deal with anything they faced, he knew that, he was nothing but a burden now, and he longed to be with his wife again. He had a plan of his own, and he was almost ready to follow it through.

"Are we almost at the airport Timothy" Bens quivering voice broke through the screams and sirens of the outside world."Yeah dad, not far, we are in a bit of traffic at the moment we can see the place from here." The broken father smiled slightly but barely noticeably, nearly home Trish.

They were nearly within sound walking distance to the entrance before the cries were heard. The shrieks and howls, the slightly audible shouts of infected and run, and of mother, father, Nan and granddad. The commotion was coming from the airport itself, the crowd began to poor from the building, some were human, some weren't. "Oh shit, looks like its plan B. We can't stay here." Mike began to manoeuvre the car as to make a clean break from the traffic.

Ben opened the passenger door and stepped quickly out leaning against the top of the car he poked his head in through the door. "I love you all, ok boys, get out of the city ok." His head left the vehicle, and he slammed the door. Ben began to feel his way up through the traffic, touching a side mirror here or a bonnet there. "Stay in the car you two, I'm getting dad back" mike ran from the driving seat, leaving Jon and Tim to peer through the windscreen, looking for there father.

The bewildered and confused son followed his father through the now growing crowd of terrified people. He eventually, around twenty metres from the car grasped his fathers arm. "Dad get back to the car, what the hell are you doing". A look of anger upon Mikes face. "I miss her to much Mike, I loved your mom since the day I met her, ever since we were young, So I'm going to join her "tears were sliding slowly over Bens cheeks. "Dad please, I can't lose you as well, I can't leave you as well."

"I don't blame you Mike, I'm sorry for blaming you son, I love you, and your mother loved you, there was nothing you could do for your mom, and you have to understand now, there is nothing you can do for me. You have to let me go son." Tears were now streaming down Mikes face. The crowd ahead now turning a far different colour, red was becoming far more predominant. "We can do this another way dad, please" Mikes pleas were matched only with a smile on his fathers face. "Go. Look after your brothers, they are going to need you now, Tim is the thinker, he always has been, Jon has his talents also, but he is passionate and an emotional lad, so you will have to look after him Mike. Do what you were always good at son. Lead." Mikes grasp upon his father slipped. Ben turned from his son and walked slowly towards the legions of infected. Mike turned towards his brothers, and ran to get them out of this mess.

"Where's dad Mike". The cars engine revved, and the vehicle swerved on to the footpath."Why the hell are we leaving dad Mike"

"He said he needed to see mom again, he didn't want to be alive anymore Jon". Tears continued to pour from his puffed up eyes. The vehicle reached over40 before they turned off the foot path and onto the road. "Did you see him die Mike" Tim shouted through his sadness." We all did Tim, as soon as mom died."

Ben heard his son screech off into the distance. He heard the growing howls from up ahead, yet still he kept walking, a smile on his nearly there Trish. "Mate are you blind, run. The airport is full of the infected." A mans voice came from in front of him." Come on mate ill get you out of here". Ben simply budged right past him." Mate I can see your blind, my name is mark, I will get you out of here". Ben felt his way up the traffic." No thank you mark, I'm going to my wife". The bewildered and obviously shaken mark took a step toward the blind man."I just lost my parents and my sister in there. There's no way you will survive." Ben picked up the pace toward the chaos. The voice of the would be saviour stopped, he had apparently made his exit from the scene. Six nearby infected has spotted there prey, and within six minutes of leaving his sons, Benjamin Meyers had joined his wife once more.

They drove until it was dark, and the early hours of the morning, but all exits from London were crawling with the infected. So they sought refuge, if only for the violence to die down so they could slip out of the city. A church caught there eye....