Frozen Flesh Read online

  “Who’s there?”

  The rattle of keys answers me and I frown. It’s probably Jake, home early for some reason. I have a thousand questions for him and I refuse to go easy on him, even if he’s hungover, which is a very real possibility. If I get so much as a whiff of alcohol off him I’m going to go mental. I’m not his mother but sometimes it feels like it. Most days are a never ending battle to try and make him more responsible.

  Matt’s face greets me. “Kim!” he exclaims and slams the door closed behind him.

  “Be careful with the door. You’ll be paying for it if you break it. What did you forget this time? You have your keys. Is it your wallet?”

  He stares at me blankly. “What? No. I’m guessing you haven’t noticed, but there are some very bad things happening outside.”

  “You mean the car crash? Is that what made you come back?”

  “No, it’s not. People are acting weird, getting violent, hurting each other. It’s all over town. They’re talking about it on every radio station.”

  I laugh, then turn and head for the kitchen. “Good one, Matt, but you should probably get to the cafe. The breakfast rush must be in full swing by now.”

  He grabs my hand and pulls me around. “I’m serious, Kim, it’s not safe outside. I came back because I was worried. And I think it’s going to get worse. Like those news reports from down south that we saw last night.”

  I nod. “Dad keeps some guns upstairs. It’s mostly old stuff he doesn’t use anymore. You should go get it.”

  He smiles in relief. “You believe me?”

  “Yeah, sure. Do you want breakfast?”

  I open the fridge and pull out some leftovers, and then freeze when I hear Matt’s footsteps on the stairs.

  “Matt!” I yell. “You can stop messing around now!” I pause, there’s no response from upstairs. “Matt! Come on, I know you’re joking! I wasn’t being serious!”

  After a few seconds Matt reappears at the top of the stairs. “What? I thought you believed me. Does your Dad actually have guns around here?”

  “Of course I don’t believe you. You sound insane. Those news reports were isolated incidents thousands of miles away. How would something like that spread so quickly across the entire country? And, hypothetically, if anyone is going to be handling a gun in this house, it’ll be me. Now explain yourself so I can have breakfast.”

  Matt comes down the stairs and takes my hands. “I’m not joking, Kim. I need you to trust me. There are people getting really violent, losing their minds, attacking people they don’t even know. I think I even saw a woman bite her husband.”

  It takes a moment but I can see the truth of it in his face.

  “Give me your jacket.”

  “What?”

  “Your jacket. Give it to me. I believe you’re telling the truth, or what you think is the truth. I just need to be sure that you didn’t hit your head on the way to work, or something similar.”

  “I didn’t hit my head.”

  “Just placate me.”

  He sighs and shrugs his jacket off. I take it and pull it on as I approach the door. My hand is on the handle before Matt makes a strangled cry of realization and rushes after me. “Kim, wait!”

  I step outside and gag as the cold air hits me. The smell of death and blood is overwhelming. Fear and shock grip me when I realise what I’m looking at.

  The road is full of cars. One crashed, several are parked and a few are still on the road but their doors are open and the vehicles have been abandoned. All of these cars are surrounded by people. At least, I think they’re people. They have gathered in small groups and most of them are focused on something further down the street. A larger cluster of them are circled around something. I can’t see what it is, but I’m not sure I want to know.

  The people - or whatever they are - are unsettling. There’s something about them that makes my stomach clench and I step back through the doorway. They hold themselves strangely, as if their limbs are just hanging off of their stiff bodies. It looks like it would be extremely uncomfortable for a normal person to slouch like that for more than a few minutes. Their jaws are hanging open and many of them have dark smears surrounding their mouths. I start breathing more quickly as my heart starts beating faster.

  They’re all moving too. They are shuffling and stumbling stiffly in apparently random directions. Most of them are either bumping into each other or heading for the houses lining the street. Or, in the case of the larger group down the street, trying to push past the others to get at whatever’s in the middle of the group.

  I try not to disturb the near silence hanging over the street when I push Matt back inside. He looks almost as shocked as I feel, so I assume that the street wasn’t this bad a few minutes ago. Whatever is happening outside is developing quickly. We need to move fast to get out of here before it’s too late.

  The door closes and I hurry to lock it. Matt pulls me into a hug and I squeeze him back tightly. At least we have each other.

  When I let go he looks down at me. “What should we do?”

  “We need to check the news and try to call our families. We need as much information as possible before we move.” I don’t need to tell him that we don’t have time to linger. We both saw what is waiting for us outside.

  Matt’s eyes lock on something behind me and my heart jumps up in my chest. Before he can speak, a moan sounds from behind me. I turn slowly, too afraid to make any sudden movement.

  A monstrous creature that used to be a person has pressed its face against the frosted glass window in the middle of the door. It is literally inches away from me. A scream rises in my throat but I bite my tongue to hold it back. I can’t risk drawing more of them towards us.

  As if they read my mind, I see others in the background, drawing closer. They start groaning loudly and I realise that they are acting like animals hunting as a group, announcing the presence of prey to the other members of the pack. I have no doubt that the whole street will know we’re here within minutes, if they don’t already.

  The one at the window pounds on the glass with its fists in frustration, obviously annoyed that something is blocking it from its food. The noise startles me out of the numb shock I was stuck in. I move away from the door and whisper quickly to Matt.

  “Gather a few bottles of water and whatever food will fit into a backpack. I’ll get the weapons from upstairs. We’ll leave out the backdoor while they focus on the front of the house. If we’re lucky, there won’t be any of them in the backyard yet.”

  Matt nods and rushes towards the kitchen. I hesitate at the bottom of the stairs and look back at the door before going up. The door itself shakes each time the monster hits it. The others will do the same once they arrive. It won’t be long before they break through. A few others are almost at the door already.

  We need to work fast.

  ***

  “Kim, what are you doing?”

  Matt is following behind me as I rush around the house. I tried calling Jake’s phone but he isn’t answering. Even the noise of the monsters pounding on our front door isn’t enough to distract me from thinking about everything bad that could happen to my brother.

  I throw some clothes into Jake’s old gym bag (it’s clean, thank goodness) and grab a baseball bat I haven’t used in years. Finally, I get to the kitchen. The back door leads to the backyard. I notice the knife block and hesitate.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “We should bring the knives.”

  He shakes his head. “No way. If we get close enough that we can use one of those small knives, we’re probably already dead.”

  “You don’t know that for sure,” I say.

  He sighs. “We don’t have a sheath or anything so we can put it in our pockets with risking cutting ourselves.”

  “Then carry it in your hand,” I say. “I’ll take the bat and you take a knife.”

  “What about the guns? We only have two hands and we have bags to car
ry too.”

  “Fine. It just feels wasteful to be leaving perfectly good weapons behind.”

  “I know, but we have what we need. Your hoarding tendencies will only slow us down.” He grins to let me know he’s joking, but it falls flat. He’s trying to make me feel better but the urgency of the situation is impossible to forget.

  “I don’t know if there’s going to be any of them out the back, but we have to be expecting it. Okay?”

  He nods. “Give me the bat and stand behind me.”

  “I played baseball for years, Matt. I’ll hold the bat. You hold the bag. And run if I tell you.”

  “But-”

  “Matt.”

  He sighs. “Fine.”

  I put my hand on the door handle and take a deep breath. Outside could be worse. A loud crash comes from the front of the house.

  “That decides it,” I mutter and open the door. The backyard is empty.

  “I can hear them getting closer,” Matt says.

  “Close the door.”

  He closes it softly and we start moving quickly but quietly for the fence bordering the yard. We need to get out of sight as soon as possible, in case the ones in the house find us and follow us out here somehow.

  I’m focusing on every sound and scanning for movement and when Matt puts a hand on my arm I almost jump out of my skin.

  “Sorry,” he whispers. “There’s a gap in the fence over there.” He points to it and I nod my agreement. I was thinking the same thing.

  We reach the fence without a problem but the sounds coming from the house get louder and more violent. The monsters must be getting frustrated that their prey has escaped. I hope they’re not smart enough to figure out where we went.

  The crashes and bangs make a wave of sadness wash over me. My home is being destroyed. Another thought follows quickly on the heels of that one. Will I ever even see it again?

  “Come on,” Matt says, holding back a loose board so I can squeeze through. I do the same for him and he gives me a reassuring smile. “We made it this far. Don’t worry, Kim, as long as we have each other, everything will work out.”

  I smile back at him but it drops as soon as he turns away. I can’t see a way that everything will work out, not anymore.

  Again, it is almost as if the universe is reading my mind. We step onto the next street and I force myself not to gasp. There are hundreds of those monsters. The street is wide and straight and it is filled with them for several blocks. It could be more but I can’t see that far. And it doesn’t matter what’s happening further down the street. What matters is the street in front of us. There are huge crowds of them stumbling around everywhere I look.

  We have nowhere to go.

  ***

  Chapter 3 - Preparing

  Jake

  “Haven’t you seen any horror movies? I’m the only blonde here, I’ll die first.”

  Leo laughs at my joke but Diana shoots us a frustrated look. She passes me in the hallway and says nothing as she heads into the kitchen. I head upstairs to pack some clothes in a bag for myself and Leo. The guy has had servants doing everything for him his whole life, so I didn’t hesitate in volunteering to pack the bags. I don’t know if he’s ever packed clothes for a trip himself and I don’t want to find out he forgot something important when we’re hours away from the house.

  Diana’s thinking out loud downstairs, making lists of what we need to bring with us. I tune her out. I grab a backpack and turn it upside down, emptying out all the school books that might never be used again. Maybe this epidemic could have a silver lining. I can’t go to school if the world is in chaos.

  Leo comes into the room and sits at his desk. His laptop is already open and he starts browsing the internet. I grab a few shirts and shove them into the backpack.

  “I wonder what kind of stuff Diana is bringing,” I comment absently as I pack.

  Leo looks up from the laptop. “What?”

  “Diana. She’s thinking out loud like she always does.” He kept staring at me blankly. “Downstairs,” I add.

  “I can’t hear anything,” Leo says. He shrugs and looks back at the screen. “The internet’s going crazy. Everyone’s talking about the zombies, or whatever they are.”

  “Anything useful?” I ask.

  Leo hums a song to himself as he scrolls. “Not really. There are lots of people posting where they are. Some of them are asking for help.” He pauses. “Actually, there are a few offering to take people in. Should we try going there?”

  I shake my head. “We can say it to Diana, see what she thinks, but I’d say no. We don’t know how this infection spreads yet. It’s probably through the bites but there’s still too much we don’t know. It’s safer to avoid strangers for a while, until we know what we’re dealing with. If they’re taking people in, there has to be some infected people there too.”

  I don’t mention the fact that I was bitten. We both know but neither of us wants to acknowledge what it could mean.

  Leo nods. “Okay. What about your dad? Do you think he could help?”

  I grimace. “Let’s not go there unless we have to. What about yours?” I remember Leo mentioning that his father should be home soon.

  Leo shrugs and doesn’t reply. Neither of us are big fans of our fathers. It’s one of the many things we have in common. Leo’s father’s work is not entirely legal, and Leo never approved of where their money comes from. My father... well, it’s complicated.

  My phone starts ringing and I almost drop the backpack in my haste to answer it.

  “Kim?”

  “No, Jake, it’s me. Do you understand how caller ID works?”

  I sigh at my Dad’s condescending tone and sit down on the bed. “I’m a bit distracted at the moment, I think I can be allowed to make one mistake.”

  “What do you mean by distracted? Is it happening there too? The reports we’re getting are sporadic and inconclusive. Tell me everything.”

  “Oh yeah, I missed you too, Dad,” I snap. “Maybe if you were here more often you wouldn’t have to ask.”

  Dad says nothing for a few seconds. Leo is trying not to be obvious but every time he looks at me I notice it. I narrow my eyes at him. He smiles sheepishly and then pretends to read more stuff online.

  Dad sighs. “Not now, Jake. This is serious. People are dying. You-”

  “I know that!” I yell, and Leo flinches beside me. I push myself off the bed and stride out of the room. “I know that,” I repeated, more quietly this time. “I tried calling Kim a few times, but it went straight to voicemail. Have you heard from her?”

  “No, I haven’t. Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Do you really need to ask that?”

  More silence. “Are you safe?”

  “Yes. I’m at Leo’s house with him and Diana.”

  “Good. Stay there. If you can, barricade the doors and board up the windows. It’s isolated there, and knowing Reggie, he’ll have a store of guns somewhere. Find it and-”

  “I told you to stop insulting him, Dad. I know you don’t like him, but-”

  “Don’t like him? I despise him! He’s a criminal! How do you think he paid for that house?”

  “I know about Leo’s dad. I know more than you do, probably.”

  “Fine. Just find weapons and don’t move. Wait for me to call you.”

  “I’m not just staying here! I have to find Kim! And Diana’s going to want to find her family. We’ll move soon, when we’re prepared.”

  “You can’t be prepared for what’s out there! You’ll never be ready. I’ve seen it, Jake. And not the stuff on the news. I’ve seen it up close. It’s not something anyone can prepare for. And don’t get me started on those friends of yours. With a family like his, that Leo boy will be more danger than he’s worth-”

  “Don’t talk about him like that!” I yell into the phone and kick the wall to release some anger. The wall gives way and when I pull my foot back there’s a massive hole where I hit it. I stare a
t it for a long moment. I’ve hit these walls a lot. I punch things when I’m angry, but this has never happened before.

  “Jake? Jake? Are you still there?”

  “I’m here. Don’t send anyone to the house, I won’t be here when they arrive.”

  I end the call and cut him off.

  “Jake?”

  I turn to face Diana. She’s standing at the top of the stairs, concern etched into her features.

  “You okay?”

  I shake my head, too confused and angry to answer. Angry at my father, who’s just as controlling as always. Confused at my sudden burst of strength. I’m strong but there’s no reason I should be stronger than I was a week ago or a month ago. I shouldn’t be strong enough to accidentally break a wall. And I wasn’t even that angry, compared to the other times I’ve hit these walls.

  “Was it your dad?” Diana asks.

  I nod.

  She puts her hand on my arm and despite the turmoil of feelings twisting inside me, I find some comfort in her touch.

  “I know it’s hard, not knowing where Kim is, but I’m sure she’s fine. She’s smart and she’s resourceful. I just got off the phone with my aunt and she agrees with us. She thinks the situation is bad and it’s getting worse very quickly.” Diana glanced at the closed bedroom door. “Reggie hopes we’re okay and Eliza is going to tell him that we’re fine for now. She says we should stay here. I think they’re on their way. It might take some time, the people that work for Reggie are in as much trouble as everyone else, and he’s trying to help them.”

  I nodded. Diana’s aunt, Eliza, works for Leo’s father. I think she was an accountant or something like that, but now she organises most of the business Reggie takes part in. The legal parts of it, anyway. I’m sure Eliza knows what Reggie is involved in but she doesn’t care, as long as she’s not involved in it.

  “Reggie hopes we’re okay,” I said, laughing bitterly. “My dad didn’t even ask.” Diana’s eyes are sympathetic but I force a smile onto my face. “So we should barricade the house and keep it safe until they get here.”