Living with survival

Chapter 3-day 5-10

The flock

The huge wooden doors to the church were braced heavily from the inside. No sounds came from within the large building. The surrounding area was quiet, at least for now. The distant anarchy sounded like a symphony in the wind. "I'm going to go check the back door" Tim ran quickly around the side of the building. Michael watched the deserted street; any signs of movement would be picked up quickly. But there was nothing.

"Lads, there's a door but it's locked" within a few seconds they were banging and kicking the hard stern oak entrance. "Is anyone in there, we aren't infected". Movement. The three boys stopped. The door swung open."Get in" a tall man dressed in priest robes ushered them through, the brothers rushed inside.

Jon was the first to enter the church hall. There were at least fifty people in side, women and children, men and Old people. They were all silent staring at the new arrivals. "Join the enlightened my sons" the priest stared at each of them, and then proceeded to some of the other families.

"We aren't staying here long boys ok, have a little rest, but we are continuing with the plan; we are getting out of this city." Mike sat on one of the free chairs, his eyes immediately closed, He was asleep within minutes. Tim walked off, apparently to chat to some of the other survivors. Jon trailed the upstairs section of the house of god. He leaned against the banisters and cried.

He sobbed for his mother that was left behind, for the father who had left them behind. "Are you ok?" the voice came from behind him, it was a soft spoken voice, Jon turned to see the source of this voice, and then he saw her, she looked a little younger than him, perhaps around 17, beautiful blue eyes, long brown hair, lightly highlighted with blonde streaks, her dust covered hoody and ripped tight jeans were darkened with the dirt and grime she had apparently waded through to get to this safety. She was gorgeous."I-I-I-I'm just..." he was cut off mid sentence. "Just a bit down". Jon nodded solemnly. "Well, the end of the world has that effect" she smiled gently and leant on the banister next to him."Whats your name then "he smiled at her while rubbing the tears away."I'm Liv"."Jon" the teenage lad stood up straight staring over the dozens of people huddled inside this apparent sanctuary. The two chatted till it was mid afternoon of the 5th day. They finally slept through till the morning of the 6th day. The commotion was a few miles inward of London, and for now they were safe.

"Jon wake up mate, Oi Jon" Mike shook the left shoulder of his brother. "That fucking priest bloke is going off on one" the entire church was facing the alter, where the tall man of god was giving his sermon.

"The lord is punishing us children. He has sent down this plague upon us. The end is extremely fucking nigh. These infected, as the television has labelled them, are not sick people, they are the punished, they are those that god has aloud to be repented, through suffering and through the blood of Christ. We must allow our selves to be forgiven, to be stripped of our souls, so that we may enter the kingdom of god. Have no doubt children, it is judgment day, and we are the lost. But I can lead you to our father in heaven; I can be the shepherd to you. You are my flock."

"What are you trying to say? We should go out there, take our wives and children out there, and let them be infected?" Was one of the many loud statements from the angry and confused crowd.

"Yes my sheep. It is the only way to salvation" the deluded priest slicked back his black hair, showing his obviously re-ceding hair line. He stepped down quickly from his plinth, running quickly towards the door, ripping at the barricade. "Is he insane Jon, he will let them all in" Liv said sliding close to Jons position. Mike heard Livs words. "He isn't letting them in here". Michael ran towards the priest and violently tore the tall man from the barricade. He pinned him to the ground, but the obviously insane man continued to struggle towards the door." Stay down you crazy basterd, I wont let you doom everyone here". Everyone in the hall seemed to agree with Mikes actions, as no one intervened.

"Do you wish to be damned child, do you not want god to enlighten you" the priest kicked and pulled his way to the door.

"If those things out there are enlightened, and we are the damned. I think ill take my chances with eternal damnation then." Mike grew sick of this endless squabbling; he threw his right fist crashing onto the priests face. The unconscious man lay on the ground motionless, but breathing heavily.

"You shouldn't have done that, oh you shouldn't have done that" Tim's repeated assertion seemed only to humour Michael. "Lock him up stairs for a while, till he cools down a bit." Two middle aged men dragged the priest to an up stairs room, and left him there locked in, his insanity and radical beliefs quarantined from the rest of the survivors.

By day 8 the entire city was bloated with bodies, infected were everywhere, and the radio had said that it was a nation wide epidemic, perhaps even global. Airports were still operational in certain parts of the country. Perhaps they had got London's airport operational again or perhaps not. The police had begun a cleanup operation, placing all the dead in large pits; many would never be filled in. But there the survivors stayed, in there sanctuary, in there church. Food was beginning to run out, but no one really cared, as long as the infected kept away. Tim seemed to wonder around, talking to the many families, comforting them, Mike kept mainly to him self only really interacting with his brothers, and the families new found friend, Liv.

Jon had coped well with the loss of his parents, talking to Liv seemed to help allot; they talked nearly 14 hours a day. They loved the same films (the godfather being there favourite) the same type of music and most importantly they understood each others loss. Jon had told her about his mom and dad, and Liv told Jon about her family.

"I only lived with my mom and my two younger brothers. Ian was 11 and James was 8. I woke up on the 3rd day, I heard screaming and sirens, I looked out of our flat window, as we were on the top floor; I could see the carnage that was crawling through London. I got dressed and ran to my mom's room. She wasn't there; she must have left for work. Ian and James were already awake. So I decided to take them to moms work, she was working in a supermarket at the time, and I wanted to see if she was ok. I couldn't leave the boys alone so I brought them with me. As soon as we made it outside there were people running all over the place Jon, you probably were out there with them. I and the kids ran to moms work, and that's where I first saw one of them. Red eyes covered in putrid blood. They came for me first, then they tore my brothers from my hands, my mom was no where to be seen, then when I thought that I was next, I was bundled into a car and drove here, some young couple had saw me and saved me. They left just before you got here." She was stern faced throughout the telling of her ordeal.

"I'm sorry to ask, but. Did your brothers turn or were they ki..." Liv quickly answered." James was killed out right, Ian made a run for it, but thy caught him. He's dead to, but I got away, and hopefully my mom is out there to somewhere." Jon instantly regretted asking such a pointless question.

"So did you have a boyfriend or anything" the cheeky and obviously humour filled question was put to her. She smiled "no Jon any lucky girls you had before this mess". He shook his head, a wide grin spreading across his cheeks. "That's to bad Jon, your quite a catch" Jon was now bright red, "well. So are you" the two teens continued there flirting, but the church had far more serious conversations unfolding

"We're leaving soon Timothy. We can't stay here with all these people, those infected are going to find us and they will get in, dad said to get out of the city". Mike whispered to his brother.

"I won't leave these people to die Mike." Tim continued to read from a bible he had accepted off the priest a few days earlier. "What about your brothers Tim, your family, we have to stick together, and staying in here is suicide, I know you know that. Look I just want to get us away from here."

"What ever happens Mike I stay here with these people. If you want to take Jon out into the country then that's what you should do, but with these people, I stay." Tim stared into his brothers eyes. They had both adapted in different ways to the pandemic. While Mike had been told to run for his life, to get out of the city and save his brothers, Tim refused to run any longer, he would make a stand, he would become the majority, and wait it out with everyone else.

Two days later on a Thursday morning, and the 10th day of infection. Michael had made up his mind, and so had Jon and Liv. They were leaving....