Ravage: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel(18)

Mrs Curtis leapt at the side of the moving bus but rebounded futilely to the road in a crumpled heap. The people onboard whimpered with fright but seemed to realise that they were safe.

“Really good to meet you, Dave. I’m Nick, and the girl with me is named Eve. What made you pick us up?”

The bus reached the crossroad intersection and started to manoeuvre around the three wrecked cars, which included Nick’s Alfa Romeo. It felt wrong to abandon it.

I bloody loved that motor.

Dave cleared his throat. “You looked like you needed a lift, way you was running down the road like a bat out of hell. Seems quite a few people are in need at the moment. But I can only pick up so many.”

Nick glanced back at the other passengers. All of them wore their own individual expressions of fear and pain. Some were stony-faced and silent, while others wept quietly.

“You rescued all these people?”

Dave shrugged one shoulder. “Some of them, I did. I’d already picked up a few on my normal run. Things didn’t get crazy till about thirty minutes later. After all hell broke loose I managed to collect a few people, here and there – dropped ‘em off near their homes whenever I could – but most people were beyond saving. People have gone bad in the head; like wild animals.”

Nick nodded. “I know what you mean. Something is making people insane. I think it’s some kind of…sickness.”

“I was pretty much thinking the same. Seen a lot of sick people these last few days on my morning runs. Flu, colds, fevers; people sneezing and coughing from the moment I picked ‘em up till the moment I dropped ‘em off. Something bad has got itself inside people.”

“Well,” Nick said. “I’m pretty sure I owe you my life. Thank you.”

Dave huffed and put his foot down on the accelerator. “We’re not out of the woods yet, I’m afraid. I got no clear destination and only half a tank of petrol.”

“We should go the hospital. Find help.”

Dave took his eyes off the road for the moment and looked Nick in the eyes. There was something approaching regret in his expression, as if he didn’t want to say what he was about to. “Hospital was the first place I checked.”

Nick raised both eyebrows. “And?”


“No good. There were sick people everywhere; bleeding and half-naked, making those terrible screeching sounds they make. It was a blood bath. I turned around and left no more than five seconds after getting there – was a complete death trap. In fact, there’s a gal named Pauline I picked up from near the hospital just in time. She had a group of maybe a dozen crazies right on her heels. Lucky I got to her when I did. She’s still with us, couple rows from the front. She’ll tell you herself that the hospital is a no go.”

Nick felt defeated. People were sick and even the hospital couldn’t help, apparently. How was the situation ever going to get better when there was nowhere to go, no one to take control or offer assistance?

“How about a police station?” Nick asked.

Dave shook his head. “The cop shop is in the town centre and the main roads to town are all blocked up with traffic.”

“Then where?”

“Well,” Dave began. “One of the folks I picked up earlier had the idea of finding an Army base or something. They tend to be out in the countryside where things might not be so bad.”

Nick nodded. “If anyone can deal with a shit storm like this it’s the military. Where is the nearest base?”

“That’s the problem. No one has any idea and the guy who originally suggested it took off on his own to find his family. So keep an eye out for any road signs that might help us. I’m going to head towards Nottingham. See if we can find the Sherwood Foresters or, at the very least, a petrol station that isn’t overrun. The Foresters are a pretty big regiment, right?”

Nick shrugged. He had no idea. He looked out at the road ahead and was glad to see that it was clear for the time being. There might finally be time to take a breather. Although the chance to sit and think things through in detail, to reflect on the day’s terrible events, was not something he was looking forward to.

James…

Deana…

“You mind if I take a seat, Dave? I’m dead on my feet.”

“Take a load off, my friend. If I need something, I’ll let you know.”

He went over and took a seat beside Eve. The girl was currently leant up against the window, examining the scenery as it rushed by.

“I’m filthy,” she said without turning away from the window.

Nick stared at her. “What?”

She stretched out her legs to show the mud that covered her jeans from the ankles to the knees. “Look at me. I need a shower. Need to wash my hair. It’s disgusting.”

“Big picture, Eve. People are dead, or at least in much worse shape than you. You can clean yourself up later.”

“Don’t talk to me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re my f*cking dad, or something.”

Nick felt himself snarl. “I’m not your f*cking dad. My only child died this morning on my goddamn kitchen floor, and all you can do is moan about some dirt under your nails.”

Eve folded her arms grumpily and grunted. It was obvious she had no interest in speaking to him unless he was ready to indulge her complaints.