Biting Back (Book 1): Four Women of the Apocalypse Read online

With nothing extraordinary showing itself outside the house, she sat back on the sofa and tried to make sense of the news channels. Cities and large towns seemed to be in chaos. Shaky and blurred videos were showing different versions of similar devastation. Studio reporters were now interviewing viral experts with letters after their names, and bullet points started appearing on screen, saying that human bites are spreading the unusual, flu-like infection and the public should avoid getting bitten! No shit, Sherlock! Now the headline banners were shouting out captions such as: ‘DEAD RISING!’ and ‘CANNIBAL RIOTS!’

  Feeling a little light headed, Susan picked up her phone and dialled Gilly’s number. It was answered on the second ring. She was crying. “Gilly?” Susan gently asked. “Hey, Gilly...what is it? Is it the news? It’s fucking scary alright!” A huge sniff and a throat clear and Gilly shakily replied “I…I think I have just heard my sister Helen get killed!” Another bout of sobbing. “I was just talking to her...and you know she is in the capital for her job? Well, she was telling me that there were some mad yokes trying to get into her office building...that their eyes looked all funny? I tried to tell her what was on the news and to stay away from them…I...I heard the sound of glass breaking then...then she was screaming. I think she dropped her phone. Oh my God, Susan! The noises I heard…It sounded like she was eaten alive…” The sobbing started again.

  This is getting serious, all too fucking quickly! Susan thought. “Listen, Gilly, do you want to come over here? You know it’s quieter round here. We can figure something out. Michael will be home soon. Shit, if this is the apocalypse or whatever, we will have to get our shit together, eh?”

  “I…I just don’t know…can I give you a ring back? I need to get my head together. I’m gonna try to find out about Helen, you know, call the office or something.”

  “Of course you can. I will be here,” she said and hung up.

  On Susan’s phone, the notifications from her group were overtaking her screen. She clicked to open the top one. The joking had stopped now. Reports from all the areas were being put in and the stories seemed to all be the same. Many of her friends were now reporting a fever and illness. A long and emotional message from Andrea, the group’s founder, posted stating that she will not be closing the page, and urged everyone to keep in touch for as long as they could, that she was feeling this flu come on and was going for a lie down, she would check in later. She, and many of the group, were assuming that this was it; heartfelt goodbyes were being posted.

  No! This can’t be happening! Susan thought. Tears started to roll down her cheeks at the messages emerging. These were her friends, her adopted family, all starting to realise that the books they all loved to read and that had gladly terrified them, had actually been a foretelling account of what was to come. Some of the hardiest souls were giving all the advice they could, like what to put in a bug-out bag, or the best supplies to start stocking up on in your home. Letting the phone rest on her lap, Susan let a sob escape. She had been mentally preparing for her own departure, but not for all of this!

  “Shit!” she said to her dogs. “Maybe I need to start getting some stuff organised too?” They replied as usual, by wagging their tails. Living as she was in a small, rural village, any shopping needed was a car ride away. She ran into the kitchen and started looking through all the cupboards. “Well, I could be worse off” she said, but still thought it would be prudent to go to the village shop, which was a five minute drive away.

  Grabbing her headscarf and wrapping it around her head, she snatched her purse and phone and told the dogs to be good. She locked the house up and got into the car. She put the radio on and heard the local station chatting to councillors and locals about the trouble with the poor water supply in their area. Nothing was mentioned about the growing crisis. Typical! Susan thought, shaking her head.

  Arriving at the local shop, she grabbed a basket and went inside. “Hello Susan!” the friendly shop assistant called out. “Err...hi” she replied. She could never remember the name of any of the shop staff, a curse she had always lived with. Great with faces, shit with names.

  “Turning cold out there isn’t it?”

  “Uh yes, yes it is.” Susan hurried into the first aisle to avoid any more chit-chat. She could hear the same radio conversation being discussed over the shop’s speakers. She started to grab things off the shelves. Tins of stew, vegetables, fruit, dried foods and all the pot noodles she could fit into the basket, which was now brimming with stock. She returned to the doorway to get a fresh basket. She popped the full one by the counter and the girl gave her a confused smile.

  “Ha-ha, yeah, um, I’m not done yet. Is it okay if I leave this here for a mo? Thanks!!” The clerk nodded at her. Back in the aisles she picked up batteries, candles, toilet paper, and bottles of water that were just too heavy. She brought two of them straight over to the register, and scurried off again. Dog food and snacks were all gathered, and another basket was filled.

  “Ehm, is everything okay Susan? You planning something are you?”

  “Oh you know…it’s for someone else that can’t get out of the house kind of thing” Susan mumbled. Kind of thing? What the fuck, Susan! You sound like a bloody teenager! Mentally kicking herself, Susan simply smiled at the girl and waited.

  “Right-oh, shall I start ringing up this lot then?”

  “Yes please that would be great.”

  “Do you have any bags with you?”

  Shit! “Actually, no, I don’t. Can I get some of those too please?”

  The girl started scanning the goods across the till. As she was doing that, Susan darted off and kept adding bits to her order.

  “Oh and can I get some of the paracetamol there behind you please?”

  “Of course! Any brand is it?”

  “Yup. That’s fine. I will have as many packs as you have there, please”

  Embarrassed, the girl looked at Susan and said, “I’m sorry, but I’m only allowed to sell you one pack.”

  Susan played the only card she had, and briefly raised her hand to scratch an imaginary itch under her headscarf and then catch a stray cough in her returning hand. Staring at the girl without blinking made her eyes start to water. This was the last straw for the young lady. “Oh, look...I’m sure it will be fine just this once!” she mumbled, and put four packets in the shopping bag. “Th..thank you” Susan replied shakily.

  Ohh you are bad Suse…playing the cancer card there, eh? Another few steps down rather than up on your final reckoning!! Leaving her purse on the counter, she started to pick up the grocery bags and load them in the car. The last bag was waiting and the bill was paid. Thank god for credit cards! Just as she was leaving, Susan turned at the door and said “Can you change the radio channel?” The girl looked up “Because if you can, you may want to check out some of the newscasts okay?” Smiling sadly and without waiting for any answer, she hurried to her car and hopped in.

  Just as she started the engine, her phone rang. She looked at the display and saw it was Michael. Stabbing the green answer button, she brought the unit up to her ear. Before she had a chance to say hello, she heard shouting coming from the other end. Unable to make any sense of the noises, Susan shouted “Michael! Michael! Can you hear me?” Shit, shit, shit…! “Michael?!”

  After much rustling and crackling, Michaels breathless voice came back on the line. “Jesus Christ! Susan! You are not going to believe what I’ve just seen!”

  Thinking he was in some kind of accident, she replied, “Michael, are you alright? Have you been hurt?”

  “No, no...I’m fine.” Susan let out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding. “But, I was just driving through this town, and I saw a commotion outside a shop. I pulled over to see if I could see what was going on. There was a crowd, shouting...a real commotion. And then I heard a scream. I stopped the car and.. oh my god, Suse, you’re not going to believe this. But there was this guy, he was dressed like a hippie, you know? The long hair and beard
and a kaftan? You know the sort. Anyway, he had one of these poles that they use to catch dogs, but at the end of it there was this young guy with the noose part around his neck. Jesus, you couldn’t write this! Everyone was telling him to let the feller go.” There was a shuffling noise and a muffled voice and Michael answering “yep, you’ll be okay mate, just hang on…”

  “Michael?”

  “Yeah sorry...Um, look, I think this young guy had this sickness that’s going around. His eyes” there was a shaky sigh expelled, “his eyes were pure white!” The hippie guy was shouting out to anyone who was listening that God was choosing who would live, who was righteous, that the end had cometh and all that bullshit. He was pushing this young guy into people and he was letting him fucking bite them, Susan!”

  “Did you get bitten, Michael?” Please say no…Please!

  “No! No, hun, I’m fine. But, this other guy was, um, ‘resting’ in a doorway and he got a nasty bite on his hand. I got him into the car and I’m going to take him to the hospital now, so I am going to be a bit later than I thought, okay?”

  “Listen Michael, the news said that bites are spreading this virus. That guy in your car could have it right now and you are breathing it in! Cover your mouth up, get a mask or something!”

  “It’s okay, Susan, calm down! I’ll just take him to the hospital and drop him off, okay? Poor guy. He must be in shock, he is shaking like a leaf, and that hand is really bleeding!”

  “No! I don’t like this Michael. Can you call me when you get him there and are back on the road? Please?”

  “Of course I will. I love you!” The line went dead.

  Shaking, Susan put the car in gear and pulled away from the little shop, it’s doors now shut and locked, and onto the quiet roads and made her way home.

  With the car unpacked and the dogs having had their pee in the garden, Susan locked the front door and ran the rusty bolt at the top into its cradle. Unsure if she had ever used the bolt before, she was glad it was there now.

  Feeling a little woozy, either from her exertions or the developments outside, she decided to sit and rest for a small while. She put the TV on again to see if there were any further developments. She plugged her phone into its charger to keep it topped up as it had been a busy morning so far.

  She quickly sent a text to Michael. ‘Are you okay? Did you drop the man off?’ She also noticed the alert for the family group chat. Both her sons had put messages on saying they were okay and safe within their homes. Thank God! Susan typed in that she was okay, their dad was on his way home, and to keep in touch, not to go out and keep the doors locked.

  The news was still showing chaos around the country and seemingly around the world. Abigail Forrester and all the newsreaders were looking haggard now, and the usual polish of their performances was slipping.

  Bullet points appeared on the screen:

  ● Virus is passed on through close contact, inhalation, bodily fluids or bites.

  ● Stay indoors. Lock and barricade doors and windows.

  ● Store food/water/medical supplies.

  ● If bitten, do not seek medical attention- hospitals are over run.

  ● Flu like symptoms progress to point of death with rapid reanimation to follow. If death does not occur, immunity is possible. More information to follow.

  ● If someone is bitten and dies, prepare for reanimation and likely aggression. Take all precautions necessary.

  ● The only way to stop the infected is to damage the head/brain.

  Unbefuckinglievable!! This is really it? All the chat, all the books, all the films! And now, it’s really happening? Susan was having a hard time getting her head around all of this.

  Another expert appeared on screen to be interviewed, a nervous looking, typical geek that spent most of his day in a laboratory somewhere. No, he had no idea how this had started. No, he had no idea if there was a cure. This was an unprecedented event. Immunity was showing up in some individuals, as yet it is undetermined as to why. Tests are underway. What a load of shit! Susan thought, and turned the sound off.

  No further word from Michael set a small alarm ringing in her head. She sent another message to see if he was okay.

  Watching the horrific images on the screen in front of her had a hypnotic effect and Susan’s eyelids started to droop. The medication was a mixture of magic, designed to dull her pain and aid relaxation. Without any further say in the matter, her head fell forward onto her chest and she knew no more.

  Dogs barking! Banging on the door...urgent banging on the door and shouting!

  With a start and a sore neck, Susan woke up and tried to figure out what the hell was going on. Jumping from the sofa, she made her way to the front door, tripping over the dogs as they bounced around, letting her know there was a visitor. As she reached the door she heard the unmistakable voice of Gilly crying and calling and begging to be let in. Susan rapidly unlocked the door and released the bolt. As she turned the handle, the door pushed in nearly sending her flying. Gilly rushed back to the door and slammed it shut, locking and bolting to secure it. Out of breath, she turned and leant her back to the door. Tears marked tracks down her face. She was breathing like she had run a marathon, and the look on her face was one of pure terror.

  Leading Gilly to the sofa, Susan glanced out the window and saw nothing. Before any words were uttered, she ran to the kitchen and grabbed a glass and filled it with water. She swiped a box of tissues and tucked them under her arm. Glancing at the clock on her way past, she rushed back to Gilly’s side, shocked to realise that she had been asleep for nearly two hours! The dogs still upset at the intrusion, were whimpering and barking, just adding to the furore.

  Gilly was up pacing, furtively looking out the window, wringing her hands together as she looked up and down the small road.

  “Gilly, here, drink this. Come on, sit down and tell me what’s happened. Where is your car?” a very confused Susan asked.

  After another look up and down, Gilly came away from the window and gulped her water down, not leaving a drop in the glass. She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose, used another to wipe her face, and took a long, shaky breath.

  “My road was clearing out.” Gilly started. “Everyone was leaving. I had no luck finding anything more out about my sister. I started to pack everything in my car and thought I would take you up on your offer. Before I got going, I started to see guys wearing bandanas around their faces, breaking in and looting the houses that had been left! Can you even believe that?!

  “I never finished packing, I just got in my car and started driving. I was just leaving town over the bridge and saw that there were a few cars lined up. I thought maybe there was an accident or something. Oh, Susan! These men were just helping themselves, taking stuff out of the cars. They even had guns!” She continued, “Guns Suse! They were telling people that they were setting up a safe zone somewhere and needed as much food and supplies as possible. They were just taking everyones belongings...saying that they would provide ‘protection’ they said.

  “I knew something wasn’t right, Susan. I saw one family, the guy said no to them and….Oh my god.” Tears started to well up in Gilly's eyes. “They beat him up. Like really beat the shit out of him. Three guys against him alone, and egging each other on they were. I think they killed him, but still, they put a gun to his head and shot him. They took his wife and a young girl, their daughter I guess, and put them in the back of a van.

  “There was a guy just standing watching, smiling. A big fucking ugly scar running down over his eye...” she shuddered. “I got out of my car, Susan, I just left it there. I ran. I ran as fast as I could. But one of them saw me...he chased after me. He was on a motorbike. I came round the back way...I think I lost him, Susan!”

  “Jesus, Gilly! That’s bloody miles away! Did you run all the way?”

  “Yes. I ran for as long as I could. I hid when the bike got too close.”

  Susan took Gilly in her arms and gave her a hug. “Yo
u are safe now, sis.”

  Breaking the embrace, Gilly got up and scanned the window again. “For fuck’s sake! We are not even over day one yet and already this kind of shit starts!”

  Deep in thought, Susan grabbed her phone to see if there was any further word from Michael. Nothing. A cold fear flowed down Susan’s body. Nothing since her last message to him. This wasn’t right. Something is wrong. She tried to call him. The ringing tone taunting her without any pick up. She tried again. No reply.

  “Susan? What is it? Who are you trying to call?”

  “Michael. I haven’t heard from him in hours. He was meant to let me know he was okay.” She ran her hands over her face. “He should be more or less home by now. What should I do, Gilly?”

  “Well, I hope he wasn’t coming back the way I came,” Gilly said without thinking. Susan hoped so too, fearful now of the world outside.

  Early evening arrived and the two women stayed safely indoors. After the dogs were fed they were quickly let outside and urged from behind the door, to “hurry up and pooh for God’s sake!” They ate some hastily prepared food and kept an eye on the news channels. There was no change in the news, except one or two stations had now gone off air.

  Susan was in pieces worried about Michael. Something must have happened. He hadn’t made it home, and he hadn’t called or sent any message. She wanted to go out to find him there and then, but Gilly frightened her into waiting at least till morning. Her boys wanted to look for him too, but Susan told them to stay put. She couldn’t worry about losing them, too.

  A restless night passed and Susan was up before 6 a.m. It was still dark outside as she quietly moved to the kitchen to put the kettle on. She needed to come up with a plan to go and find out what happened to Michael. She would not rest until she did. She laid out all of her tablets and realised that this was it. Unless she broke into a pharmacy, this was all the medicine she would have left. So be it. She had nothing to lose now. Popping the pills for the day into her hand, she swallowed them down with some water.