bastard takes a chunk out of me.
“I think she may be hurt.”
The intercom clicks off and I hear Cass come down the stairs. The tramp is nearly on me, growling, moaning, ready to sink his rotting yellow teeth into me. As Cass opens the door I barrel into her and push her back into the stairs, slamming the door behind me.
“Mike what the fuck?!-”
She shoves me, her face furious. She’s five foot nothing but she has a fearsome temper, probably that Hispanic heritage.
I’m about to answer when the tramp slams into the door from the other side, rattling the frame.
“What the hell is that?” She says, heading for the door. I block her path.
“Don’t open it!” Another blow hits the wood. Thank God it’s not one of those half glass jobs.
“Don’t be a-” She goes to walk by me but I hold my hand out.
“I mean it Cass, opening that door would be a really bad idea.”
“Fine, I’m calling the police. I’m not having some crazy bastard kick my door in because of you.” She turns and heads back up the stairs and I breathe a sigh of relief. The tramp is still banging the door but the lock is a heavy bolt and I think it’ll probably hold. I walk up the stairs behind Cass, (she’s only wearing a vest and pyjama shorts, so the view isn’t half bad) and follow her into the kitchen.
“Wait here.” She says.
A moment later she returns, dressing gown on, mobile phone by her ear. After a few seconds she puts it down and picks up the landline. That doesn’t work either. She points the handset at me. “Why isn’t my phone working? And what’s happened to Tess?”
“I think you should turn on the TV.”
“Why?”
“It’ll explain better than I can.”
She eyes me warily and we go into the tiny living room. She flicks on the TV and we watch the incoming reports. A man in soldier’s uniform is speaking directly to camera.
“Special forces teams have been dropped into surrounding suburbs to eliminate and contain the immediate threat whilst search and rescue units have been deployed to extract isolated survivors in the city centre. We have established numerous ‘Safe Zones’ on the edges of the city and are co-ordinating with the Royal Marines to facilitate an evacuation via the Thames. Though the spread of this contagion has been more aggressive than first anticipated, we have moved rapidly to counter the threat. The Manchester and Birmingham outbreaks have almost been fully contained, and once secure, all resources will be diverted to the capital. The military is urging all Londoners to find shelter and secure their position as best they can until help arrives.”
He stares straight down the lens.
“Make no mistake, help will arrive. Please remain with us to hear the list of safe zone locations.”
Cass lowers the volume with the remote and looks at me. Her face is ashen.
“Is this really happening?”
I go to answer, but a loud cracking sound stops me. It seems like our homeless friend is making some headway with the front door. Cass looks terrified.
“Don’t worry he can’t get in.” I say, having no idea if that’s true. “I need to find Tess, did she definitely go to work?”
Cass nods and puts her arms around herself.
“Have you heard anything from her?”
“No I told you, I just woke up.”
“We need to go get her and get out of here.”
“Go where?”
“Out of the city, into the countryside, wherever. It doesn’t matter, just out of London!”
She stands up and walks to the other side of the room running her hands through her hair.
“This is crazy!”
I try to not get irritated but I need to go. I feel like I’m running out of time. The longer Tess is out there, the harder it will be to find her.
“I know its shit Cass, I know that, but help me here, I have to go get Tess and I think you should come with me.”
Cass looks at me like I’m insane.
“You
“I think she may be hurt.”
The intercom clicks off and I hear Cass come down the stairs. The tramp is nearly on me, growling, moaning, ready to sink his rotting yellow teeth into me. As Cass opens the door I barrel into her and push her back into the stairs, slamming the door behind me.
“Mike what the fuck?!-”
She shoves me, her face furious. She’s five foot nothing but she has a fearsome temper, probably that Hispanic heritage.
I’m about to answer when the tramp slams into the door from the other side, rattling the frame.
“What the hell is that?” She says, heading for the door. I block her path.
“Don’t open it!” Another blow hits the wood. Thank God it’s not one of those half glass jobs.
“Don’t be a-” She goes to walk by me but I hold my hand out.
“I mean it Cass, opening that door would be a really bad idea.”
“Fine, I’m calling the police. I’m not having some crazy bastard kick my door in because of you.” She turns and heads back up the stairs and I breathe a sigh of relief. The tramp is still banging the door but the lock is a heavy bolt and I think it’ll probably hold. I walk up the stairs behind Cass, (she’s only wearing a vest and pyjama shorts, so the view isn’t half bad) and follow her into the kitchen.
“Wait here.” She says.
A moment later she returns, dressing gown on, mobile phone by her ear. After a few seconds she puts it down and picks up the landline. That doesn’t work either. She points the handset at me. “Why isn’t my phone working? And what’s happened to Tess?”
“I think you should turn on the TV.”
“Why?”
“It’ll explain better than I can.”
She eyes me warily and we go into the tiny living room. She flicks on the TV and we watch the incoming reports. A man in soldier’s uniform is speaking directly to camera.
“Special forces teams have been dropped into surrounding suburbs to eliminate and contain the immediate threat whilst search and rescue units have been deployed to extract isolated survivors in the city centre. We have established numerous ‘Safe Zones’ on the edges of the city and are co-ordinating with the Royal Marines to facilitate an evacuation via the Thames. Though the spread of this contagion has been more aggressive than first anticipated, we have moved rapidly to counter the threat. The Manchester and Birmingham outbreaks have almost been fully contained, and once secure, all resources will be diverted to the capital. The military is urging all Londoners to find shelter and secure their position as best they can until help arrives.”
He stares straight down the lens.
“Make no mistake, help will arrive. Please remain with us to hear the list of safe zone locations.”
Cass lowers the volume with the remote and looks at me. Her face is ashen.
“Is this really happening?”
I go to answer, but a loud cracking sound stops me. It seems like our homeless friend is making some headway with the front door. Cass looks terrified.
“Don’t worry he can’t get in.” I say, having no idea if that’s true. “I need to find Tess, did she definitely go to work?”
Cass nods and puts her arms around herself.
“Have you heard anything from her?”
“No I told you, I just woke up.”
“We need to go get her and get out of here.”
“Go where?”
“Out of the city, into the countryside, wherever. It doesn’t matter, just out of London!”
She stands up and walks to the other side of the room running her hands through her hair.
“This is crazy!”
I try to not get irritated but I need to go. I feel like I’m running out of time. The longer Tess is out there, the harder it will be to find her.
“I know its shit Cass, I know that, but help me here, I have to go get Tess and I think you should come with me.”
Cass looks at me like I’m insane.
“You
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