Experiment Undead

Navigating through the deserted vehicles and lifeless bodies, it takes James a daunting half-hour to lead us out of Ararat. Despite losing sight of the plane, we remain aware of the direction it was heading. Continuing to drive for nearly an hour, our journey is abruptly interrupted by a massive horde of soulless beings flooding the road ahead. With no other option but to halt, James brings the vehicle to a stop. The number of lifeless beings in front of us is staggering - the largest group I’ve ever encountered. From our position, we can make out a sign in the distance, indicating the presence of a Caravan Park.

‘Woah, look at them all,’ Oscar says in amazement.

‘Mummy, I’m scared,’ Emma says, tightening her grip around her mother’s neck.

‘It’s all right, Emma. There still a little distance away,’ Kate tells her.

I grasp Emma’s hand firmly, gazing deeply into her eyes. ‘You know, Emma, nothing can harm you when I’m around,’ I assure her and wink.

Her face lights up, and she replies with a smile, ‘I hope to be as brave as you someday. You’re like a superhero to me, Penny!’ As she slips away from her mother’s grip, Emma clambers onto the truck’s front roof and proceeds to mime, firing a gun at the soulless. ‘I’m Penny Toughin! Pew, pew, pew! Nothing can scare me!’ Emma exclaims.

Nate chuckles in amusement, teasingly remarking, ‘Looks like you already have your own fan club, Penny!’ I elbow him in the ribs, and he winces in response. ‘Ouch, Penny! You can be brutal at times,’ Nate complains, rubbing his sore rib.

With a sweet smile, I retort, ‘Oh, I know it, Nate!’ and he responds with a roll of his eyes. James sticks his head out the front window, ‘We will have to drive through the fields and go around them,’ he shouts.

We cling tightly to the truck as James revs the engine and steers us into the field. Eventually, we arrive at the town of Stawell, and the sight that greets us is desolate. The only movement is the rubbish blowing across the streets, swirling up into the air and falling back to the ground. We see no signs of survivors or infected individuals. The eerie silence is punctuated only by the sound of our truck. The area looks like it was once a battlefield, but now, the town appears completely abandoned. James pulls the truck over outside a supermarket. Despite the broken windows and doors, the toppled shelves, and the evidence of looting, plenty of food is still within.

We all exit the truck, cautiously approaching the shattered windows and doors. Nate picks up a rock and hurls it into the supermarket as far as he can. We hold our breath, expecting a reaction from any nearby soulless, but none come.

‘I’ll check to make sure it’s safe,’ James volunteers. Nate nods in agreement, and we wait together in tense silence.

After a few minutes, James returns, eating a pack of potato chips, ‘It’s all clear,’ he says, munching.

Oscar grabs a trolley, and I climb in and hold on as I stand as he pushes me down the first aisle. I scoop tinned fruits into the trolley, then tinned baked beans and soups.

‘Two-minute noodles!’ we shout excitedly. I take every packet from the shelf and toss it in the trolley.

Kate is pushing another trolley in the next aisle with Emma inside, ‘Chocolate,’ we hear her say.

‘Not too much,’ Kate says.

‘Awe,’ Emma sulks.

‘Great,’ Oscar says, ‘Scary Carrie is coming up behind you,’ he mumbles, giving me a heads up.

Carrie’s arms are full of different packaged foods. She puts them in our overflowing trolley.

‘Can’t you get your own trolley or a basket?’ I ask her.

‘Can’t you just shut your face and mind y our own business for once,’ she retorts and walks off.

I grab one of the items she added to our trolley, a box of tampons, and throw them at her.

‘Ow!’ she says and rubs the back of her head. She turns and glares at me and then at the tampons at her feet.

‘You little!’

I jump out of the trolley and run for my life as she chases after me, furious. I turn at the next aisle and commando roll, hiding under the shelves. There’s a broom on the ground. I grab it and hug it as she turns down the same aisle.

‘Okay, you little brat. I know you’re hiding here,’ Carrie says, looking through the higher shelves. As soon as she’s near enough, I poke the broom handle out, tripping her over. She falls onto her hands and face.

I can’t help but laugh at her as I scramble out onto my feet and run.

‘Oh, you’re finished now, kid!’ she says in a dire tone as she stands, but James intervenes and grabs her.

‘Carrie, you’re a grown-ass woman. So, for goodness sake, act your age,’ he tells her.

She glares at him and storms out to the truck, snatching some biscuits off a shelf on her way out.

James waddles his index finger at me, ‘Penny, come here,’ he says.

I take my time walking up to him, and he knows it.

‘Penny, stop riling Carrie up, okay?’ he says.

‘But she’s such a bitch. I hate that I found her, of all people in Rokewood. Why could it not have been my brother or Jane? Heck, I’d prefer I found any of the others but her,’ I say, kicking the ground in clear frustration.

‘I get it, Penny. She’s not the best company. Even I won’t argue with that, but she’s still with us and one of us. So, you both will have to learn to co-exist with each other until we find refuge in a Safe Hold or find your family,’ he says.

‘Yeah-yeah, I’ll try,’ I pout, getting where he’s coming from but not wanting to give in to Carrie.

‘Good, that’s all I’m asking of you,’ he smiles.

The truck is overflowing with all kinds of shelf food and slabs of water. We continue to drive through Stawell. Nate keeps looking at the sky, hoping to spot a plane, then looking back at the map across his lap. Everyone else is munching on food until Nate shouts, ‘Bingo!’ making us jolt with fright.

‘James,’ he shouts and bangs on the back window.

The truck stops, and Nate exits the front driver’s seat and joins us at the back, ‘What is it?’ he asks.

‘There’s a mini airport here in Stawell. A small airport. Maybe it’s being used by survivors or people who can fly us to a Safe Hold?’ Nate says.

James takes the map and stares at it, nodding, ‘We better check it out then,’ he says, agreeing with Nate.

As we drive to the small airfield, I can’t help but wonder about the horde of soulless we saw going south.

‘Nate, do you think the horde were all the people from Stawell? Or do you think some of the soulless have also come from other towns?’ I ask him.

‘I know they look like they’ve tried to outnumber and outsmart us, but I think it’s all a coincidence,’ he answers.

‘I don’t know about that. I’ve watched a lone soulless gather with others to form a group. I think they stay where they are until there are no humans left to feed on and then move on to the next town. I can’t help but think they have an awareness of humans. They act as if they can’t see very well or at all but react to the noise and sound around them. I think maybe they can smell humans. That’s how they know there are still humans on the rooftops back in Ararat,’ I say to Nate.

He raises an eyebrow at me, ‘You’ve definitely got quite the imagination, Penny, but they can’t think for themselves. There’s no way,’ he replies.

‘But how do you know that?’ I ask him.

He gives me a puzzled stare and pauses, ‘It just makes more sense, Penny, that they can’t think. They’re infected, after all. They’re not human,’ he says.

‘But dolphins aren’t humans either but can still think deeply, recognise people and remember things,’ I argue.

‘Penny,’ Nate says in a stern tone. ‘Just drop it. You don’t know more than anyone else here,’ he says.

I narrow my eyes at him and feel hurt he’s speaking to me this way, ‘Why are you being a dick all of a sudden?’

Nate crosses his arms and looks away, ‘I’m sorry. I’m just tired, okay.’

‘We’re here!’ James shouts out the window and pulls the truck over. We stare at the long landing strip and the large tin dwelling behind us. Inside we find a radio set up with monitors.

James tries to flick the screens on, but nothing happens. He then tries to use the radios, ‘There’s no power,’ he says before walking outside. ‘We should stay nearby, and the moment a plane, helicopter or jet land, we can get them to fly us out of here,’ he says.

We hop back in the truck and come across a motel, mostly surrounded by a lake. There’s a soulless floating in the water. James makes sure it’s dead and drags him out on the ground. We enter the motel and check each of the bedroom suites. There are seven in total with beige carpet and dark brick walls. Some bathrooms have spa baths, but when I turn a tap on, nothing comes out, ‘There’s no running water,’ I tell the others.

‘We have plenty of bottled water for now, and we can bath in the lake,’ James replies.

I flick the light switch on, ‘No electricity either,’ I frown.

‘We have candles and torches, and we can make a fire pit outside by the lake to cook,’ he assures me.

‘Okay, then,’ I sigh.

We find an indoor swimming pool and a small restaurant with a communal dining area.

Other than the odd dead body, the motel is clear. We help carry the bodies outside into a pile. James then sets them a light and watches as they burn.

‘Mum, what room are we going to stay in?’ Nancy asks Kate.

‘The room with the double bed and the bunk beds. You and Emma can sleep in the bunks,’ she smiles.

‘I’m taking the room with the King bed,’ Carrie says.

Oscar smiles at me, ‘There’s a two-bedroom suite. We should take that one,’ Oscar says.

‘Sorry, Oscar,’ James says, joining our conversation. ‘I think it’s best you two have an adult with you in case soulless approach. So, either Nate or I must stay with you,’ he says.

‘Oh man,’ Oscar says dismally.

‘I can take on many soulless on my own,’ I tell James.

‘I bet you can, but for my peace of mind, I’d prefer it my way,’ he says.

‘Fine, I’ll sleep in the second bedroom. You and Oscar can sleep in the other one since it has separate beds.’

‘I’d prefer my own room, to be honest,’ James says.

‘But you just said!’ I shout.

‘I know what I said, but I thought you’d choose Nate.’

‘Whatever,’ I say, flinging my hands in the air.

I stomp to the truck, gather food, and carry it into the restaurant. I spend the next hour with Oscar stacking the kitchen cupboards and shelves.

As soon as it’s done, I take the biggest bag of chips and a bottle of water and return to the truck to collect my duffel bag. I stomp into our room. Nate sits on a bed staring at his feet. I ignore him, walk into my room, throw my bag on the chair, fall back on my bed, and munch loudly on my chips. Oscar had followed me into our suite but stayed in the first bedroom with Nate to unpack his few belongings. I sip my water and burp as loud as possible. I hear the boys sniggering, but then it becomes boisterous laughter. Nate leans in the doorway of my room, ‘Bloody hell, Penny. You like to give us boys a run for our money,’ he smiles.

I shrug, ignoring him. I’m still shitty at him from earlier, but then I notice he’s holding the folded bounty poster. Nate notices me staring at it. He sits -beside me on the bed, ‘Listen, Penny. I really am sorry,’ he says.

I sit up and take the parchment from him, open it and stare at it.

‘I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this,’ he says. ‘I’ve barely slept at all. I don’t understand why they would be after you. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you,’ he says.

I continue staring at the parchment, ‘Back in Rokewood,’ I say to Nate, now making eye contact with him, ‘After I killed Lyewood and cut the commander’s face open, the soldiers were trying to catch me from that moment after he escaped. Where the helicopter took him, he must have then had this made up and sent to other army stations. It has to be Commander Bryant who’s behind this.’

I drop the paper and watch my hands shake, ‘Why is he going to all this effort? He is responsible for thousands dying. He deserved worse than he got, so why come after me?’ I ask Nate.

I struggle to breathe. Nate holds my hands tight, ‘Look at me, Penny,’ he says. ‘I will always keep you safe. I won’t let that scumbag find you, not now, now, ever. You got that?’ he says with determination.

‘But what if he does?’

‘Then tell him you’re Penny Toughin and that you fear no one, not even him,’ he says, mustering a small smile.

I nod.

‘Now, will you forgive me for being a dick earlier?’ he says, as his smile widens.

I nod, returning a faint smile.

’Good, he says and snatches the bag of chips from me before running out of my room, munching them down.

‘Get back here with my chips!’ I shout as I chase him throughout the suite.

We knock the lamps over and a few picture frames onto an angle. Oscar tosses a pillow towards me, laughing at us. I catch the pillow, ‘You’ll pay for this!’ I shout, jumping off the bed into Nate. He falls back, and the chips go flying across the room. I sit on his chest and whack his face with the pillow a few times before he begs me to stop. We all pick the chips up and toss them into the bin. Nate folds the bounty picture and tucks it under his mattress before we check on the others.

We find James, Kate, Carrie, Nancy and Emma in the dining room, sitting around a table. We take a seat with them.

James glances at us, ‘I was telling the women here it could be days or weeks until an aircraft arrives in Stawell, so we should all take turns being on the lookout for soulless, survivors and aircraft. Does everyone agree?’ he asks.

We all nod.

The next morning, we are greeted by James blowing a whistle loudly, ‘All right, Pipsqueaks’. Everyone up,’ he says, banging on each door. Thinking soulless are approaching the motel, we hurry out of bed with our rifles and run out the doors to find James smiling with hands on hips.

‘What’s going on?’ Oscar moans as he rubs his eyes.

‘The sun has only started rising,’ Nancy says.

‘Where did you get the whistle?’ I ask James.

‘At the sports warehouse,’ he smiles.

‘Great,’ I reply sarcastically.

‘Is that sarcasm I hear? Get down and give me ten push-ups,’ he says.

‘Are you crazy? Ow!’ I say as he flicks my forehead.

‘Do you want me to make that twenty?’ he asks.

His eyes are a couple of inches from mine, ‘Erm… no,’ I reply awkwardly.

‘That’s No sir! to you, Pipsqueak. Now get down and give me ten,’ he orders.

For some odd reason, I obey, ‘Yes, sir!’ I say.

As I do the push-ups, he stands, Oscar, Nancy and Emma in a line beside me.

‘From now on, you, Pipsqueaks’, will get up at the same time as the sun, and each morning you will train,’ he says.

‘But I’m only six years old,’ Emma responds.

James gets down onto his knees, ‘At your age, kid. I was wrestling crocodiles, and I’m going to turn you all into strong, kick-ass soldiers,’ he says, standing up.

‘Mum, James said a bad word,’ Emma shouts over her shoulder.

James narrows his eyes at her, ‘It’s Sir from now on, and you can get down and give me ten for tattle tailing.’

Emma tries to give him a sad but cute stare to get out of it.

‘Just so you know, kid, I’m immune to cuteness, but if you ever get captured, I’d suggest you try that tactic,’ he tells her and pulls out a switchblade, flicking it open, ‘Then when they least expect it, stab em right here,’ he says pointing to a spot on his neck.

‘Y-yes, Sir,’ she says.

‘That’s a good girl. Now you can do your push-ups,’ he smiles.

‘Humph,’ she says, crossing her arms and glaring at him for a brief moment. She places Molly beside her, ‘Now Molly, this man will turn you into a soldier. So, you have to listen to him,’ she says as she begins her push-ups.

Once we finish the push-ups, we jog a kilometre with James beside us. Then we realise he had made up an obstacle course with tyres, nets and beams. We race each other through multiple times and then are made to climb trees. For three hours each day, he has us repeat it and ends it with us jumping into the lake for a swim as a reward.

***

It’s been two weeks. A jet finally appears on the horizon and descends towards Stawell airport.

James is so excited he outruns us to his truck and speeds off without us.

We stand there, staring at the dust floating back to the ground, ‘He will be back, won’t he?’ I ask Nate.

‘I would bloody well hope so,’ he replies.

An hour later, James returns, but he hasn’t returned with the excitement he left with. He appears grim and troubled.

‘What happened?’ Nate asks him.

‘I spoke to the pilot,’ he replies.

‘And what did he say?’ Nate asks.

‘That we are better off where we are,’ he replies.

‘What!’ we all shout.

James shakes his head in dismay, ‘The world is overrun with infected, and the military has divided into two factions: one following the government’s orders to protect civilians, and the other calling themselves the Archangels, who operate independently, imprisoning civilians in squalid conditions,’ James explains.

‘What about the Safe Holds?’ Nate asks.

’They exist, but the Archangels have attempted to take one over. Thankfully they weren’t successful. Most of them are on the islands off the coast of Queensland. Those who make it to Ayr airport are quarantined for a few days before being transported to one of the enclosed communities with schools, doctors, medical facilities, vegetable gardens, and dormitories.

To ensure the community remains safe, everyone goes through quarantine first. As for us being rescued, the next charter plane won’t be here for months. The people aboard the planes loot medical supplies and other essentials from different locations before returning to Ayr airport, where the goods are sent to the Safe Holds. Since they’ve already raided the local hospital, they won’t be returning anytime soon,′ James adds.

‘Why is the jet here?’ I ask.

‘The jets are sent to search for any formed hordes and to drop bombs over them, so we can eventually begin to live on the mainland again. The pilot needed to refuel his jet, and this was the closest airport to him at the time,’ James replies.

‘Why are the archangels doing this?’ Nate asks.

‘The Archangels’ actions,′ James explains, ‘stem from a man who claimed to have top scientists working on a cure in a secret location. The elite and those who fight for them are promised the cure, leading half of the army to follow the man. They took over bases and contacted him through radio to verify their control. That’s why most of the army personnel you have all dealt with have been hostile, and it explains why the platoon I was in was acting so strange when I returned after a hunt. I noticed half the men were missing, but I was told they were taken on one of the buses to patrol the next town, but when I looked, all the buses were still there. I tried to question it, but I was swiftly ordered to patrol the west road. The civilians weren’t treated well after that. My comrades convinced me that keeping them locked up meant protecting them from the infected,’ James says.

James’s shoulders slump, and he leans back onto his truck with anguish and guilt. ‘I knew it wasn’t right. I knew it,’ he says.

‘It’s not your fault,’ Nate says to him. ‘Whoever this madman is, is the one at fault. Who is he anyway?’ Nate asks.

James looks straight at me, ‘I think it’s best I don’t say,’ he says.

Nate furrows his eyebrows at James, ‘It’s not like it’s someone we know, James. So, just say it,’ he says.

James breaks eye contact with me and looks at Nate, ‘It’s Commander Bryant,’ he says.

We all gasp, except for Carrie, who is confused. Everyone stares at me.

‘No way, you’re lying? You have to be lying?’ Nate shouts.

‘I wish I were lying,’ James replies.

My mind and body are frozen as I stand there with my mouth slightly agape, unable to comprehend what I’ve just heard.

Carrie looks between the group and me, ‘Why does Penny look like she’s seen a ghost? And why did you all gasp? I don’t get it?’

Nate grabs my hand and pulls me away towards the motel room, ’It’s nothing, Carrie. Paint your nails or something,’ he says to her.

‘Asshole,’ she mutters.

Oscar and James follow us into the motel room. A moment later, Kate, Nancy and Emma enter. Kate locks the door behind her so Carrie can’t enter.

Nate gently grabs my shoulders, ’Remember what I told you, Penny. I won’t let him hurt you, remember?’ he says.

‘This means all the Archangels have my picture,’ I whisper.

‘Even so, you heard James. We’re best to stay here. We have food to last a year, maybe more if we keep going back into Stawell.’

Tears fill my eyes, and I clench my fists, feeling helpless and lost. My voice quivers as I speak, ‘But my brother and Jane! I won’t be able to find them again.’ My shoulders slump, and I feel a lump forming in my throat, making it difficult to swallow. I look down, avoiding eye contact with Nate, and take a deep breath, trying to keep myself from breaking down completely.

‘There’s no reason, after a while, that James or I can’t reach out to other communities to see if they are there. We have to stay here, far away from major towns and bases. Maybe after some time, Commander Bryant will assume you’re dead, and you will be forgotten,’ he says.

I nod my head, praying Nate’s right.

Carrie bangs at the door, ‘Why are you all in there? What are you keeping from me?’

Kate opens the door for Carrie to see us all sitting casually, eating chips and biscuits.

Carries narrows her eyes at all of us, ‘You are all so rude. Did you ever think to ask if I wanted any?’ Carrie says, snatching a chocolate biscuit from Oscar’s hand and storming out.