Experiment Undead

Henry grabs his radio with his free hand. We can’t hear what he’s saying as he mumbles into it, but a moment later, two more soldiers join him—one female with blonde hair in a ponytail and a man with light brown hair.

They both stand on either side of Henry, ‘Nate?’ they say.

‘Yes, it’s me. Now put your damn guns away. I’m your ally, not your enemy. What the hell has gotten into you, Henry?’ Nate says, narrowing his eyes at Henry.

Nate lowers his hands and stands up, but then Henry pistol whips him across the face, ‘I said stay on your knees,’ he warns.

Nate falls back to his knees and grips his swollen, bruised cheek with his other hand, ‘What the fuck, man?’

Henry doesn’t reply to Nate but instead looks at the other two soldiers, ‘We have to call him in,’ he tells them

‘Henry! It’s Nate! We can’t… you know what will happen if we do,’ the woman says.

Gunshots sound from a few streets ahead.

‘Nora, if we don’t call him in and Commander Bryant finds out. It will be us on the firing line,’ Henry tells her.

Nora looks at the other soldier, ‘James, what do you think we should do?’ she asks.

James looks at Henry, ‘Shit dude, I don’t know, but this is different this time. We know him. It’s Nate. We trained together all year last year.’

‘Look, if we explain we trained together, Commander l Bryant might put him in quarantine, then release him once he is cleared of the virus and then release him to work with us,’ Henry says.

Nate spits blood at Henry’s feet, ‘I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I don’t want any part in whatever this is. I’m here for information. I need to know what the hell is happening here and if there’s a Safe Hold for civilians nearby, but judging from where I stand, this is no fucking Safe Hold as it should be. And why the fuck is the highway full of dead uninfected. Why did the helicopter chase the family in the station wagon and kill them?’

‘Shit, they’re dead? They didn’t make it?’ James says solemnly.

‘Who were they?’ Nate asks.

‘The Bourkins family,’ he says, ‘The wife got caught stealing food for her children. Commander Bryant had ordered her to be shot in front of the townspeople at the recreation reserve tonight to exemplify her disobeying the rules. Her sister freed her, and the family then tried to flee Rokewood. No one’s allowed to leave, and if anyone tries to, then it’s an instant death sentence,’ he says shamefully.

More gunshots are heard in the distance, and a small explosion, ‘The bloody wolves again. You’d think they get away while they can instead of rebelling. It’s suicide fighting us,’ Nora says.

‘The wolves?’ Nate queries.

‘All the towns under army control are being rebelled against by the people who managed to flee. They call themselves wolves. They want their friends and family freed, but we’ve been ordered not to allow them out, and because of lack of food supplies, we can’t let any more people in,’ Nora explains.

Nate looks Nora in the eyes, ‘Wait, why have you taken over towns and not let the people go? Why aren’t you helping them? It’s our job to protect our country, not to keep people captive and kill innocent people!’ Nate yells.

Nora takes a step closer to Nate, ‘We are protecting the country by containing towns and not letting anyone in or out. Anyone who tries to enter without going through quarantine first is to be shot and killed. It’s to stop further outbreaks and safely protect the people we hold here. As for Safe Holds, only a few exist and are already at full capacity. More are being made, and then the towns under our control will be given orders to take the civilians via bus to the nearest Safe Hold, where they will be given housing, jobs and medical care. The people you saw. The uninfected dead… I know, it’s horrible, but too many were coming here—too many to control. We are already on rations. Taking them in would have meant all of us starving to death, so….’

‘So, Commander Bryant gave orders to kill them all,’ Nate says in disbelief.

‘I know it sounds bad, Nate,’ Nora says.

‘Sounds bad? Nora. Are you kidding me? It is bad. It’s downright murder! You killed hundreds of men, women, and children. There were trying to escape the virus and find refuge, and you killed them. You killed them all!’ Nora looks away with guilt and steps back.

Nate looks at the three soldiers, scrunching his face in anger, ‘I never thought any of you would ever be capable of shooting innocent people. You could have worked out another way. You could have told them to keep going till they reach the next town.’

‘What, and then they starve the next town out of their food?’ Henry retorts.

‘Other towns might have been able to help some of them. Rokewood is a small rural town. If they made it to a bigger town with supermarkets and stores, they could have survived,’ Nate argues.

‘Possibly, but unlikely,’ Henry says, ‘Over half of the major cities have already been bombed all over Australia. Overseas won’t help us as the infected somehow got on board planes travelling overseas. They are everywhere. Each country is on their own now. Letting the people continue through will only make matters worse for other towns.’

Henry raises an eyebrow at Nate, ‘you said you saw the Bourkins were killed by the helicopter. Yet the helicopter hasn’t returned yet. How did you get here before them?’ he asks Nate.

Nate smiles, ‘I blew the mofos up, and after learning all, you shitheads have been killing thousands of innocent people. I’m now glad I blew them up.’

Nora, James and Henry look at one another in shock.

I turn to Todd, ‘Give me the rifle,’ I say to him.

‘Are you kidding me? No, Penny, you can’t have the rifle,’ he scowls in a low voice.

I roll my eyes, ‘Listen, dick features,’ I say to him seriously whilst pulling my handgun out from behind me. ‘I will take the rifle, sneak around the side, and climb onto the fire station’s roof. You’re going to take this handgun. I will aim at Henry. You aim at James. If they don’t let Nate go, they will most likely kill him, and our only choice will be to shoot the soldiers to free him.’

I place the handgun in his free hand and snatch the rifle from his other hand, ‘For your information, I’ve been taught by the best how to shoot. This isn’t the world as we once knew it. This is the world where some adults have to rely on kids to save their asses. Now keep quiet and keep on the lookout and cover my back. If anyone other than Nate sees me, shoot them,’ I tell him and crawl away before Todd can respond.

As soon as I reach the corner of the fence, I creep halfway along the yard. There are bins against the fence. I climb on top and look over. The three soldiers have their backs to me. I know Nate can see me clearly, but he keeps the soldiers’ attention on him.

There’s another small explosion but a bit closer this time, followed by more gunshots.

Nora places her hand on Henry’s shoulder, ‘If Commander Bryant finds out, he blew the helicopter up. He will kill him,’ she says in a worried tone.

‘What the fuck are you saying we do then, Nora? That we just let him go and pretend we didn’t see him?’ Henry says.

‘Yes, that’s what I’m saying,’ she replies.

‘Nora, fuck me, dead woman. If he gets caught by another soldier and lets it slip, we let him go. It will be us getting shot along with him,’ he says.

‘I-I know,’ she says, ‘But Nate is right. We shouldn’t be doing this.’

Henry narrows his eyes at her, ‘We have been given direct orders. I will not risk my life by disobeying them,’ he says, aiming his gun at Nate.

I’m lying on the roof, looking through the scope. I have the rifle aimed at Henry’s chest. Praying and hoping they let Nate go.

‘Screw the orders,’ Nora says, aiming her gun at Henry. ‘Put your gun down. We’re not going to kill Nate,’ she says.

‘James,’ Henry says, ‘help a brother out. Nora will get us all killed with her foolish decision. It’s now them or us,’ he says to James.

James looks between them, ‘But you’re all my friends. We don’t need to do this. We can all put our weapons down and talk this through,’ he says, trying to calm the situation.

‘James, James, James,’ Henry mutters, quickly pointing his gun at Nora and pulling the trigger. She yelps, clinging onto her stomach and falls to the ground. Her breathing intensifies.

Nate uses the moment to lunge at Henry and knocks him over. Henry drops the gun as he is pushed to the ground. They hit and punch each other as James rushes to Nora’s side.

‘Nora, I’m going to get you help. You’re going to be okay,’ he says, about to lift her from the ground.

‘James, you fool. Help me and shoot this prick,’ Henry shouts.

James pauses for a moment and looks down at Nora. She’s dead. James kisses her forehead tenderly, slowly withdraws his gun, and aims it at Nate and Henry rolling along the ground, swinging blows at each other.

‘Shit,’ I mutter under my breath and now focus my aim on James.

I’m not sure who he plans on shooting. James pulls the trigger, and Nate cries out and rolls onto his back, clinging to his shoulder.

Henry sits up, puffing for breath, ‘You had me worried for a moment there, bud. I thought you were aiming for me for a second there,’ Henry laughs.

James continues to keep a blank face, ‘I was aiming for you. I missed,’ he says, raises the gun, to Henry’s horror, and pulls the trigger.

The bullet penetrates straight through Henry’s heart. He dies instantly with the look of shock still plastered on his face.

James walks over to Nate and looks down at him, ‘I’m sorry for shooting you,’ he says.

Nate sits up, holding his shoulder, ‘I’m sorry about Nora,’ Nate replies.

‘I really liked Nora, you know. I’ve been working up the courage to ask her out for a while now,’ he says in a heartbroken tone.

‘I always thought you had a crush on her,’ Nate says sympathetically.

‘You’re right, though. Orders or not. This is wrong, and morals should come first. I don’t want Nora’s death to be in vain,’ he says, pulling a pouch from his cargo pant pocket and tossing it to Nate. ‘I take it you’re not alone?’ James asks.

Nate shakes his head, ‘No, I have backup keeping watch as we speak,’ Nate smiles.

‘Is that so?’ he says, raising an eyebrow. He looks around but can’t see Todd or me, ‘You better have your imaginary friends patch your shoulder up and return at eight pm sharp,’ he says.

‘Why would I return? You can leave right now with me and join our group?’ Nate offers.

‘I need to make things right. I will need your help to do it, and as I said. I won’t let Nora’s death go in vain. I take it you haven’t seen the recreation reserve yet?’ he asks Nate.

‘No, we came around this way of Rokewood because of the dense trees and heavy bush area to keep us hidden,’ Nate tells him.

‘You managed to get all the way here by car?’ he asks, tilting his head.

‘Horseback,’ Nate smiles.

‘Smart,’ he replies. ‘You probably noticed all the small towns you came through were empty with just the odd few soulless wandering around?’ James says.

‘Yes, that’s right,’ Nate admits.

‘The army went through the smaller surrounding towns. Killed the sick and the weak along with the infected and took the strong. If they refused to come, they were forced to come or killed. The ones we collected were brought here to Rokewood and placed in a camp in the reserve. It’s not the style of camping where you get a tent either,’ he adds.

A small explosion sounds in the distance, and a tank is driving nearby.

‘You mean like a concentration camp?’ Nate asks.

‘Unfortunately, yes. We were warned that we would be killed if we refused to follow orders. Commander Bryant already had three soldiers killed who disobeyed orders, and many civilians killed who tried to escape. Many have successfully escaped and, as you know, are known as wolves, fighting for their loved one’s freedom. I want to make things right. I want to free the people from the reserve,’ he says.

‘How are we going to do that?’ Nate asks.

’A few women are in charge of cooking and providing food to the soldiers. There’re dozens of empty beer bottles in the largest tent, where they prepare and cook the food. Some of the sheds on the residential properties have petrol cans and old rags. Suppose you siphon enough fuel. We can use the beer bottles to make Molotovs. We can set a house on fire to distract as many soldiers as possible, then light the Molotov and throw them at the remaining soldiers guarding the reserve, ’James says, walks over to Nora, takes the gun from her, and then walks to Henry and takes his radio.

He hands the radio to Nate and the gun. ‘You’ll be able to hear the soldiers on the radio to keep tabs on what they know and what is going on,’ James then looks Nate up and down, ‘It’s a shame you’re not a kid. I’d smuggle you in my duffel bag and pretend you’re a kitchen hand so you could get the beer bottles,’ he frowns and rubs his chin in thought.

Nate looks over James’s shoulder and nods at me to come down. James turns to see Nate nodding at me. His face pales when he sees me lying on the roof with a rifle aimed at his chest.

I smile and wave. The men watch as I swing the rifle over my shoulder and crawl to the roof’s guttering. I grab the pipe and slide down.

‘I believe this is your new kitchen hand,’ Nate smirks.

James crouches a little, and his face comes closer to mine, ‘Awe, aren’t you just the cutest? I don’t want to risk putting someone this young in danger, though,’ he says, about to scruff my hair.

I swiftly kick him in the balls and push his chest, making him fall back as he cups his jewels. He moans in agony and rolls over.

‘That’s for shooting Nate, and don’t ever try to touch my hair or next time I’ll cut your balls off,’ I warn, flicking my pocket knife open.

Nate laughs nervously, ‘James, I’d like you to meet Penny.’