Post by roch on Jun 5, 2007 17:31:35 GMT 1
People said such sweet things that I couldn't just posting one more bit before I go to Paris 
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Part III
“We must find Ashley,” Edna said gravely, looking up from the cross she was holding in a trembling hand.
The other villagers hiding out at Viv’s looked at once astounded and puzzled.
“Ashley?” Jamie said, unable to control his sarcastic streak even in a crisis. “Why, does he have experience in fighting zombies?”
Edna gasped. “These are unholy creatures from hell! Only a man of God will be able to save us!”
Rodney buried his face in his hands. “Oh, Edna, Ashley isn’t even here,” he said, exasperated. He was confused enough without an old lady with faith issues taking over.
“Well, one of us must find him!” she said, indignant.
Jamie, who had neither seen nor heard any of the commotion and was not quite sure if he believed anything anyone was saying, raised his hands. “Alright, I’ll go.”
***
Carl kept watch through the small bit of window he could see out of. It had begun to rain now, one long heavy burst pouring forth from heaven. A rumble sounded in the distance. Of course, it was thunder. As if the day could get any more like a horror movie.
There was noone in sight now, no movement. “Are there any lights on?” Matthew asked, coming up behind him.
Carl jumped at the suddenness of the question, and his brother put his arm round him.
“We have to keep it together, Carl. For Jimmy’s sake.”
Tears spilled onto Carl’s pale cheeks. “I can’t believe Jimmy’s dead,” he whispered, putting his head on Matthew’s shoulder.
A moment passed before Matthew spoke. “Wait, there is a light on. Look at the shop! Zack, look!”
A crowd now gathered at the window. “He’s right!” Zack cried. “There must be other survivors!”
***
“Listen, sir, I’m afraid we don’t respond to hoax calls,” said the young woman who answered the 999 call.
“Hoax calls!” Jack shouted, his anger unrestrained. “Hoax calls! We’re under attack here! I told you, a minibus pulled up, and we thought they were just tourists, but they started biting people and feeding on them! They’re zombies!”
Diane pulled at his elbow and hissed at him. “Jack, no! Don’t tell them that!”
Jack shrugged her off. “Wait, you can’t hang up on me!” He took the phone away from his ear. “Damn them!” he spat, slamming it down.
“Oh God, Jack!” Diane squealed. “What have you done?!”
Jack buried his face in his hands.
***
“Why don’t we ring uncle Ashley?” Jasmine asked. “I mean, well, I want to check he’s OK too.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, but then Viv took over. “What we’re doing is ringing the emergency services,” she said, going over to the phone.
“She’s right,” Grayson said to those who didn’t agree. “We’ll get the police first and think about other things later. And you know, from an insurance point-of-view-“
“Grayson!” Rodney exclaimed, shaming him into silence.
“The police can’t help us,” Edna insisted.
Viv stared at the phone in disbelief. She pressed the button several times. She checked where it was plugged into the wall. She tried dialling again. “This can’t be happening,” she whispered to herself.
“What’s wrong?” Jamie asked.
But Viv did not need to tell them that the phone line was dead. They were completely cut off.
***
“They... they thought it was a hoax call,” Jack said sheepishly.
“They thought what?” Matthew asked, incredulous.
Daz stood up from his hiding place. “Oh God, you didn’t use the word ‘zombie’, did you?”
Jack looked down, more embarrassed than afraid. Scarlet had the irresistible urge to giggle as it all sunk in. They were trapped in a pub, with zombies outside the door trying to get in, and noone was going to come and help them because they thought they were making it up.
“I’ve got no reception,” Daz said, peering at his mobile. “Have you, Scarlet?”
“No, I already checked.”
“Me too,” Carl said. “What are we going to do?”
“Give me the phone,” Matthew said angrily, going round behind the bar. “I know a dodgy police officer who owes me a favour.” He picked up the receiver.
“Thank God,” Diane said.
But Matthew hung up without dialling. “The line’s dead.” He turned to Jack. “And you wasted out last chance to get help!” He raised a fist to punch him.
***
“Someone’s got to go out there,” Jamie said, despite everyone’s protests, still not completely understanding why they were so afraid. “It might as well be someone brave like me. Jasmine, come here.”
She went closer. “Be careful,” she said, genuinely concerned.
He grabbed her and kissed her briefly on the lips.
“Jamie!”
He whispered in her ear. “Well, I wasn’t going to kiss anyone else here, was I?” With that he opened the door and went outside, pulling his jacket close about him to stave off the rain.
Edna tutted. “I can’t believe you let a boy go out there to do a man’s job,” she said pointedly in the direction of Rodney and Grayson. They looked sheepish.
***
There was a bang from the back of the pub. Scarlet screamed. Another bang, and she screamed again. A figure began to emerge from the cellar door.
“I thought you secured the entrances!” Matthew hissed to Jack as they turned their attention away from their bickering and prepared to fight whatever was coming.
The figure was obscured by shadow, but it was clearly a man wearing pale clothes.
Diane screamed.
The figure jumped. “Flipping heck, what’s wrong?”
Matthew looked at it incredulously. “Marvin?”
The figure came forward into the light to reveal a chef’s outfit and a slightly angry look. “It’s Marlon,” he said slowly.
“Oh God, Marlon!” Diane cried, about to run to him and give him a hug. But Jack caught her arm.
“I know I’ve been down there half an hour changing them barrels for you, - one of them’s leaking, by the way - but what’s going on? Why are there tables stacked up by the window?”
Diane set about explaining what had happened.
***
“Let us join in prayer,” Edna said to everyone.
“God can’t save us!” Sandy said in despair, his arm around his granddaughter. “You do the praying while we try to get ourselves out of this!”
Edna was so taken aback that she could not speak. “Shouldn’t we be trying to protect ourselves?” Viv asked, wielding her fire extinguisher.
“She’s right,” Sandy said, trying to conjure up a wartime feeling of solidarity. “Grayson, Rodney, you check all the exits. Jasmine, see what you can find to use as a weapon. Viv, good, you can hit them over the head with that. And Edna, you keep praying.”
They all set about their tasks. Grayson decided to secure the back door by putting a table up against it. Rodney tried to move one of the sets of shelves to barricade the front door.
“I can’t get any reception,” Jasmine said, trying her phone.
Viv, who had not thought of this before, took her phone out of her bag with a hopeful look. But it soon turned to disappointment. “Me neither.”
“Where’s Bob?” Rodney asked as he removed some heavy items from the shelves to make them easier to move.
“In Hotten with the twins,” Viv said, her voice low. “I wish he was here.”
Rodney was finally making some headway with moving the shelves, and he shuffled them closer to the door, breathing heavily with the effort.
Just then, the unmistakable sound of breaking glass issued from the cafe. They heard Grayson shout, “No!”
***
“I don’t get it,” Marlon said, his face white as a sheet. “I... I... I have to go and find Donna. They might...” He trailed off.
Zack shook him by the shoulders. “Just keep yourself together, lad,” he said, trying to stop his voice shaking. “We’re all thinking about our loved ones, but that won’t help us now.”
Scarlet leaned on the bar, staring into space.
“Will you try to find something we can use as weapons?” a voice said softly. She turned, surprised to find that it was Matthew.
“Weapons?” she repeated, somewhat dazed.
He put his arm round her. “We’re going to get out of this, you and me and Carl. I promise.” With that he went to check the barricade on the front door. Scarlet did as he had told her.
“I thought I saw something,” Carl said from his position at the window. “Like a movement or something.” He peered out, then turned to talk to Matthew. “I’m sure there was someone out there. Like, you know, a person. Not a... thing.”
Matthew came over to him. “It doesn’t matter if there are other survivors out there, Carl. We can’t let anyone in. Not anyone.”
Carl frowned at him, then turned back to the window.
Jimmy’s face appeared.
==============================================
Part III
“We must find Ashley,” Edna said gravely, looking up from the cross she was holding in a trembling hand.
The other villagers hiding out at Viv’s looked at once astounded and puzzled.
“Ashley?” Jamie said, unable to control his sarcastic streak even in a crisis. “Why, does he have experience in fighting zombies?”
Edna gasped. “These are unholy creatures from hell! Only a man of God will be able to save us!”
Rodney buried his face in his hands. “Oh, Edna, Ashley isn’t even here,” he said, exasperated. He was confused enough without an old lady with faith issues taking over.
“Well, one of us must find him!” she said, indignant.
Jamie, who had neither seen nor heard any of the commotion and was not quite sure if he believed anything anyone was saying, raised his hands. “Alright, I’ll go.”
***
Carl kept watch through the small bit of window he could see out of. It had begun to rain now, one long heavy burst pouring forth from heaven. A rumble sounded in the distance. Of course, it was thunder. As if the day could get any more like a horror movie.
There was noone in sight now, no movement. “Are there any lights on?” Matthew asked, coming up behind him.
Carl jumped at the suddenness of the question, and his brother put his arm round him.
“We have to keep it together, Carl. For Jimmy’s sake.”
Tears spilled onto Carl’s pale cheeks. “I can’t believe Jimmy’s dead,” he whispered, putting his head on Matthew’s shoulder.
A moment passed before Matthew spoke. “Wait, there is a light on. Look at the shop! Zack, look!”
A crowd now gathered at the window. “He’s right!” Zack cried. “There must be other survivors!”
***
“Listen, sir, I’m afraid we don’t respond to hoax calls,” said the young woman who answered the 999 call.
“Hoax calls!” Jack shouted, his anger unrestrained. “Hoax calls! We’re under attack here! I told you, a minibus pulled up, and we thought they were just tourists, but they started biting people and feeding on them! They’re zombies!”
Diane pulled at his elbow and hissed at him. “Jack, no! Don’t tell them that!”
Jack shrugged her off. “Wait, you can’t hang up on me!” He took the phone away from his ear. “Damn them!” he spat, slamming it down.
“Oh God, Jack!” Diane squealed. “What have you done?!”
Jack buried his face in his hands.
***
“Why don’t we ring uncle Ashley?” Jasmine asked. “I mean, well, I want to check he’s OK too.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, but then Viv took over. “What we’re doing is ringing the emergency services,” she said, going over to the phone.
“She’s right,” Grayson said to those who didn’t agree. “We’ll get the police first and think about other things later. And you know, from an insurance point-of-view-“
“Grayson!” Rodney exclaimed, shaming him into silence.
“The police can’t help us,” Edna insisted.
Viv stared at the phone in disbelief. She pressed the button several times. She checked where it was plugged into the wall. She tried dialling again. “This can’t be happening,” she whispered to herself.
“What’s wrong?” Jamie asked.
But Viv did not need to tell them that the phone line was dead. They were completely cut off.
***
“They... they thought it was a hoax call,” Jack said sheepishly.
“They thought what?” Matthew asked, incredulous.
Daz stood up from his hiding place. “Oh God, you didn’t use the word ‘zombie’, did you?”
Jack looked down, more embarrassed than afraid. Scarlet had the irresistible urge to giggle as it all sunk in. They were trapped in a pub, with zombies outside the door trying to get in, and noone was going to come and help them because they thought they were making it up.
“I’ve got no reception,” Daz said, peering at his mobile. “Have you, Scarlet?”
“No, I already checked.”
“Me too,” Carl said. “What are we going to do?”
“Give me the phone,” Matthew said angrily, going round behind the bar. “I know a dodgy police officer who owes me a favour.” He picked up the receiver.
“Thank God,” Diane said.
But Matthew hung up without dialling. “The line’s dead.” He turned to Jack. “And you wasted out last chance to get help!” He raised a fist to punch him.
***
“Someone’s got to go out there,” Jamie said, despite everyone’s protests, still not completely understanding why they were so afraid. “It might as well be someone brave like me. Jasmine, come here.”
She went closer. “Be careful,” she said, genuinely concerned.
He grabbed her and kissed her briefly on the lips.
“Jamie!”
He whispered in her ear. “Well, I wasn’t going to kiss anyone else here, was I?” With that he opened the door and went outside, pulling his jacket close about him to stave off the rain.
Edna tutted. “I can’t believe you let a boy go out there to do a man’s job,” she said pointedly in the direction of Rodney and Grayson. They looked sheepish.
***
There was a bang from the back of the pub. Scarlet screamed. Another bang, and she screamed again. A figure began to emerge from the cellar door.
“I thought you secured the entrances!” Matthew hissed to Jack as they turned their attention away from their bickering and prepared to fight whatever was coming.
The figure was obscured by shadow, but it was clearly a man wearing pale clothes.
Diane screamed.
The figure jumped. “Flipping heck, what’s wrong?”
Matthew looked at it incredulously. “Marvin?”
The figure came forward into the light to reveal a chef’s outfit and a slightly angry look. “It’s Marlon,” he said slowly.
“Oh God, Marlon!” Diane cried, about to run to him and give him a hug. But Jack caught her arm.
“I know I’ve been down there half an hour changing them barrels for you, - one of them’s leaking, by the way - but what’s going on? Why are there tables stacked up by the window?”
Diane set about explaining what had happened.
***
“Let us join in prayer,” Edna said to everyone.
“God can’t save us!” Sandy said in despair, his arm around his granddaughter. “You do the praying while we try to get ourselves out of this!”
Edna was so taken aback that she could not speak. “Shouldn’t we be trying to protect ourselves?” Viv asked, wielding her fire extinguisher.
“She’s right,” Sandy said, trying to conjure up a wartime feeling of solidarity. “Grayson, Rodney, you check all the exits. Jasmine, see what you can find to use as a weapon. Viv, good, you can hit them over the head with that. And Edna, you keep praying.”
They all set about their tasks. Grayson decided to secure the back door by putting a table up against it. Rodney tried to move one of the sets of shelves to barricade the front door.
“I can’t get any reception,” Jasmine said, trying her phone.
Viv, who had not thought of this before, took her phone out of her bag with a hopeful look. But it soon turned to disappointment. “Me neither.”
“Where’s Bob?” Rodney asked as he removed some heavy items from the shelves to make them easier to move.
“In Hotten with the twins,” Viv said, her voice low. “I wish he was here.”
Rodney was finally making some headway with moving the shelves, and he shuffled them closer to the door, breathing heavily with the effort.
Just then, the unmistakable sound of breaking glass issued from the cafe. They heard Grayson shout, “No!”
***
“I don’t get it,” Marlon said, his face white as a sheet. “I... I... I have to go and find Donna. They might...” He trailed off.
Zack shook him by the shoulders. “Just keep yourself together, lad,” he said, trying to stop his voice shaking. “We’re all thinking about our loved ones, but that won’t help us now.”
Scarlet leaned on the bar, staring into space.
“Will you try to find something we can use as weapons?” a voice said softly. She turned, surprised to find that it was Matthew.
“Weapons?” she repeated, somewhat dazed.
He put his arm round her. “We’re going to get out of this, you and me and Carl. I promise.” With that he went to check the barricade on the front door. Scarlet did as he had told her.
“I thought I saw something,” Carl said from his position at the window. “Like a movement or something.” He peered out, then turned to talk to Matthew. “I’m sure there was someone out there. Like, you know, a person. Not a... thing.”
Matthew came over to him. “It doesn’t matter if there are other survivors out there, Carl. We can’t let anyone in. Not anyone.”
Carl frowned at him, then turned back to the window.
Jimmy’s face appeared.
