Ravage: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel(81)

“Dave, the guy that doesn’t know when to shut his mouth?”

Nick nodded. “That’s him. He was pretty much our saviour to begin with, but I’ve been beginning to change my mind about him since.”

Annaliese stopped and looked at him. “He’s not going to be a problem, is he?”

“No, no, of course not. At least…I don’t think so.”

She shook her head and started walking again. “Great, what have I let myself in for?”

“I promise he’ll behave,” Nick said, but wondered if he could even control such a thing.

Annaliese smiled and folded her arms like a stern, yet fair teacher. “I’ll just have to trust you then, Nick.”

He smiled at her. The group came to a stop up ahead. They were standing in a midway games area. There were several prize huts, like basketball, hook a duck, and an Arabian Derby skeet ball booth. There was also one of those laser-target shooting gallery with animated props. It was strange being at a place of fun in such dire circumstances.

“Right,” said Shawcross, clapping his hands together and getting everyone’s attention. “The Big Dog restaurant and pub is just up ahead. We need to start stockpiling supplies and looking for anything of use. I’d say that with the soft furnishings inside Big Dog, and the fact that it has cooking facilities, it would make an ideal place for us to situate ourselves while we ride this thing out. I believe there is also a cellar where we can accommodate our…less desirable guests.”

Jan shook his head and huffed. “Guess, I should be used to being in a cell by now.”

“Is that absolutely necessary?” Nick asked. “They really aren’t any danger.”

“We had a deal,” Annaliese said.

Jan cleared his throat. “Don’t sweat it, brother. I agreed to the terms. I’m not backing out.”

“It may only be temporary,” Annaliese suggested. “Just while we get used to one another.”

“Or we may keep you locked up until the police arrive,” Shawcross added.

“Come on,” said Annaliese. “Let’s go inside. Then we can all introduce ourselves properly.”

The two assembled groups headed over to the Big Dog restaurant and climbed a short flight of steps. The door was locked when they got there, but it seemed like something the other group were used to by now. Shawcross put through the window with a metal pole and cleared away the jagged shards from the edges of the frame.

“Hope nobody minds climbing,” he said. “Doors aren’t getting as much use these days.”

Everyone hopped up onto the window ledge, one after another, and funnelled through into the restaurant. It was very similar to how the Rainforest Café had been at the bottom of the hill, but a little better maintained.

“Now, I haven’t been in here for a while,” Shawcross said. “The amusement park and zoo is separate to the manor house of which I am in charge, but, if memory serves me, there should be a soda fountain somewhere inside that we can use while there’s still power. We should also gather as much water from the kitchen as we can.”

“Now that you mention it,” said Nick. “How come you guys still have power? It went off down below.”

“A generator,” Annaliese explained. Shawcross said there’s one that can power the park for a couple of days if the grid goes off. Tell you the truth, I didn’t even know it had kicked in. The power’s out everywhere else, then, I take it?”

Nick shrugged. “Not sure. It certainly went off down below. It set the alarms off.”

“So that’s what that was. I thought I heard something last night.”

Shawcross went and leant up against the bar. “Shall we get the introductions out of the way? Then we can get on to more important matters.”

“Okay,” Nick said. “I’ve already introduced myself, but this big guy here is Jan, who, like I said, has already saved my life once. His companion is Renee, but he doesn’t talk. This is Pauline…” Nick continued to point around the group. “Cassie, Eve, and-”

“Dave,” the man answered for himself. “I’m the one that got us all together in the first place.”

“Well done,” Shawcross said. “I am responsible for our own little group. You already know myself and Anna, but may I introduce you to Mike, Michelle, Greg and Alan. There were more of us at one point but, well…”

Everybody waved hello.

“Should we be asking if anybody has any skills?” Eve asked. “That’s what they do in the movies, right?”

Shawcross scratched his chin. “I suppose so. Annaliese would be our medic, for want of a better word.”

“I’m a vet,” she said, “but I know my way around human tackle, too, more or less.”

“I’m a builder,” said the moustached man called Alan. “Retired.”

“I’m an accountant,” said Michelle, an attractive blonde woman. “So none of you need to worry about your tax returns.”

Everyone giggled.

“Anybody else do anything useful?” Shawcross asked.

There was silence.

“Well, it doesn’t seem that we’re in a great position to restart civilisation, so let’s just hope things improve.”