Tales of the Dead Tropics - chapter 28

I heard the moaning and bumbling sounds of zombies drawing near on my left side.  Time to move.  Dropping to my knees, I shuffled under the raised home, refusing to think about all the spiders I knew would be there.  Cautiously, by feel, I made my way to the front of the home.  I banged my knees a few times and had to swallow a few screams as critters scuttled over my hands.  Finally, I found myself under the front stairs staring into the street. 

Most of the bodies on the street had wandered off.  I could only count four in the immediate area.  However, I could see dark shapes moving across the street, surrounding the home of the family of boys.  It was impossible to see how many zombies roamed further up the dark street.  My best chance was to head down the street and make my way to the river through one of the undeveloped blocks.  Thankfully, being a newly developed area, there were more grassy blocks than homes at this end.

Slowing my breath in an attempt to think more clearly, I plotted my course.  The two blocks on the right of the boys' home were undeveloped so if I could make it across the street safely, I would have a clear run to the river.  While shallow at the moment, the river was fast moving and filled with rocks.  It was my hope that the zombies' lack of coordination would make it impossible for them to reach me in the middle of the river.  I guess I was going to find out if my theory was valid.

Like a horse coming out of the starter gate, I bolted out from under the house, past the zombies on the lawn, across the street and into the grassy field.  The grass was knee high, forcing me into a leaping gait which slowed me down some.  Moans that seemed to come from all sides told me that I had been spotted.  I didn't waste time looking behind me.  Instead, I strained to see the dark shapes ahead that would signal I had reached the trees lining the river bank.

Suddenly, the trees loomed ahead.  Without pause, I dodged the branches and pelted straight down the bank into the fast-moving water.  I fell to my knees on the uneven rocky bottom.  Water splashed into my eyes and mouth.  Pulling myself to my knees, I sloshed through the shallow rapids towards the deeper middle. 

A splash behind me jerked my head around.  I couldn't see anything in the dark but I saw the spray as the sound of another splash echoed through the rain.  Facing upriver, I started forcing my legs through the current.  My pants were soaked and dragging against my skin as the current tried to wash my feet out from under me.  I stumbled and grabbed at a large rock to prevent myself from being washed downstream.  Steady, I told myself, just take it nice and easy. 

Through the rain, I could hear frustrated moans keeping pace with me from the bank.  Another splash but so far no zombie had approached me.  I allowed myself to hope that I might make it.  As long as you don't get washed down straight into their arms, I reminded myself, so focus!

After ten minutes of battling the current and uneven ground in the dark, I was completely exhausted.  I was beginning to doubt whether I could make it all the way to the bridge.  It was only the knowledge that I needed to protect my children that kept me pushing my body upstream.  I became completely focused on placing one foot ahead of each other, blocking out the rain, the moans, the occasional scream.

Amazingly, I saw the dark structure of the bridge suddenly appear before me.  With shaking limbs, I pulled myself up the bank just under the bridge.  I lay there for long minutes, trying to catch my breath and clear my head.  When I felt I could stand up without falling, I pulled myself cautiously out from under the bridge.  The bridge and road appeared to be clear.  No food here, I thought grimly as I stood up on the bridge. 

Our street lay just ahead on the left, with our house sitting high on the hill at the entrance of the street.  I was probably going to have to run a gauntlet to get up the driveway.  The thought of another run exhausted me.  I guess it was a sign of how tapped I was that it was the run, not the zombies, that concerned me most.

Forcing myself into a jog, I headed home, keeping to the middle of the road.  I didn't know if it was the best strategy but I figured most of the zombies would have made their way to the smorgasbord that was people's homes.  I guess I was right as I reached the entrance to our street without trouble.  I hid in the long grass at the side of the road while I tried to work out the best approach to take.  I could see shapes wandering up and down the street, milling around the lit homes or standing still, waiting for a stimulus.

If I stuck to the drain beside the road, I decided, I could make it to our driveway undetected and then I should be able to outrun the zombies up the steep driveway without any problem.  The downside was that I would be drawing attention to our house.  I really didn't want to do that but I couldn't see a safer alternative.  In truth, I knew I was fooling myself if I thought the zombies would never find us; once the babies woke up, it would be pretty clear that the house was inhabited.

Sighing, I decided that I had no other choice.  The drain was less than two feet deep but, lined by long grass, it should be enough to allow me to escape notice at night.  Hunching over, I crept up the drain towards our house, keeping a close eye on the  zombies shambling nearby.  They did not appear to see me, thankfully, although I had a moment of sheer panic as one wandered right up to the drain.  It stood two feet away from me, staring at the houses on the hill.  I held my breath as I crouched, frozen, at its feet.  Finally, it turned and stumbled down the street.

Releasing a shaky breath, I continued my journey up the drain.  Finally, I reached my sister's property.  The house sat silent and dark at the top of the steep driveway.  It seemed so close and yet so far away. A zombie stood at the foot of the driveway while a few stumbled across the sloped garden.  The angle made it difficult for them to retain their footing so every now and then one of them would take a tumble down the slope.

I jumped onto the paved entry and charged up the steep driveway.  It was impossible to move as fast as I wanted to but I trusted that I was still moving faster than the zombies.  My calves burned but I pushed through the pain, focusing on making it to the stairs under the house before the zombies in the garden did.  As I reached the house and prepared to climb over the barrier blocking the stairs, I thought I saw a shadow move beside it.  Pausing,  I pulled out the gun and aimed nervously into the shadows.    Multiple shadows shifted and formed into three, no, four, dead men lunging at me.  Panicked, I fired a shot wildly, missing completely.  Backing up, I found myself pressed against the side of a car.  Trying to still my shaking hands, I took another shot and hit one of the zombies in the face.  As he collapsed, the other three surrounded me.

As their hands grabbed my clothes, shots rang out repeatedly.  Instinctively, I closed my eyes as blood and matter from the zombies' heads splattered on me. 

"Had enough exercise tonight?" A dry voice asked.  I opened my eyes to see Mike leaning over the barricade, looking at me with a familiar raised brow.  Even in the dark, I could see the hint of amusement in his eyes.  I resisted the urge to hug him and just nodded vigorously.  He looked around as he slung his rifle over his shoulder.  "I imagine we are going to have a lot of company in a few minutes so I suggest we get inside.  Only if you're ready, that is."

I scowled at him disdainfully and clambered over the wooden barrier across the stairs. 

Tales of the Dead Tropics - chapter 27

Climbing over the wooden barrier at the bottom of the stairs, I kept low and moved around to the back of the house.  Keeping to the treeline, I made my way across to the elderly couple's home next door.  Nothing to it, I assured myself, get them inside and close those blasted shutters, head out the back door and be back home in five minutes.  Sliding around the side of the home, I reached the corner and took a cautious peek.  A horde of dark shapes filled the street in front of their home.  I could see the shapes of the Brands blocking the light spilling onto the lawn. 

"Oh hell." I muttered.  Before I could rethink the wisdom of my actions, I threw myself around the corner and up the three front steps, shoving the startled couple backwards.  I slammed the door shut behind me and bolted it.

"Lori!" Mrs. Brand gasped, her faded blue eyes wide with alarm.  "What..."  I didn't waste time arguing as I rushed through the hall. "Mr. Brand, where is the remote for your shutters?  You need to put them down now!"

"Oh, uh, I keep it in the lounge room." The old man looked flustered and lost but I did not have time to reassure him.  Racing through an arched opening into the lounge with its surprisingly modern plasma tv and reclining chairs, I spotted a bunch of remotes on top of a display cabinet.

"Which one, Mr. Brand?!" I yelled, feeling the precious seconds ticking by.  I felt sick in the stomach as I heard panicked shouts and screams across the street.  Another home, another family.

"The, the silver one." He stuttered.  I grabbed it and, for a moment, tried to work out what button to press.  Realising that I was wasting time, I thrust the remote in the old man's shaking hand.  "You do it, Mr. Brand. Please hurry!"

Nervously, he ran a bony hand through his thin white hair.  "Okay, let me think a moment..."

The sound of breaking glass hitting the tiled floors in the room across the way brought our heads up sharply.

"Oh my, oh my!"  The little plump woman wrung her hands anxiously. "Why is this happening? What do they want with us?"  More glass broke behind us in the direction of the kitchen and then one of the bedrooms.  We were surrounded.

Panic threatened to overwhelm me.  Running to the lounge window, I peered out, hoping against hope that the route was clear.  Just below the window sill, a sea of soulless faces stared back at me through the gloom.  As they spied me, their arms reached hungrily towards me like a field of plants bending towards the sun.

Turning back, I saw the first dead figures stumbling through the arched doorway.  "Run!" I screamed and shoved the old couple towards the other opening.  The gun! I reached into the back of my pants and pulled out the weapon.  As more zombies piled into the room, I aimed at their heads and fired.  It tore through the side of a zombie's head, causing it to fall backwards into the bodies behind it.  Glancing quickly behind me, I saw that the Brands had, for once, moved quickly and were nowhere to be seen.

I turned and headed after them towards the laundry door.  The route ran directly past the kitchen.  Before I reached it, I heard a pain-filled scream.  Holding my gun in preparation, I turned the corner and saw the old man struggling to hold his wife's arm as she was pulled through the narrow kitchen doorway.  "Let her go, please!"  From Mrs. Brand, I could hear no sounds.

Coming up beside him, a quick look told me that the old woman was already dead.  The three zombies filling the doorway were tearing into her throat and face with the enthusiasm usually reserved for free smorgasbords.  Beyond them, another twelve or so zombies moaned and pushed in their attempt to reach us.

"She's gone, Mr. Brand.  We have to go!" I yelled, knowing we only had seconds to spare. Oblivious to me and the danger, he continued to pull futilely at his wife.  Looking around, I saw the first of the zombies from the lounge stumbling towards me through the narrow hallway.

"Mr. Brand!" I tugged urgently at his sleeve.  With a snarl, he pulled his arm away.  Time had run out.  Torn, I turned and ran for the laundry door at the back of the house.  Behind me, the hall filled with the clumsy steps of hungry zombies.  On my right, I caught a glimpse of bodies filling the hallway outside the bedrooms.  A scream, quickly silenced, lent wings to my feet as I reached the laundry door.  Flinging it open, I fled into the night, straight into a group of lurching figures.

Screaming involuntarily, I skidded to a stop before the group as they turned towards me.  Heart pounding, I spun around and sprinted between the houses towards the road.  As I rounded the corner, the light from the Brands' home revealed several figures standing on the lawn like statues.  They immediately swayed towards me.  Through the rain, I could make out dark figures filling the street ahead.  What the hell do I do now!  Looking to my right, I saw a man standing in the doorway of the home next door.  As I looked at him, he raised his arm to me.  There were zombies on his lawn already moving in my direction.  I knew it was going to be a close call but I was fast running out of options.  I leaped across the flower bed separating the two homes and charged towards the open doorway and the man reaching out to help me.   

Acutely aware of the zombies fast accumulating on my heels, I bolted up the steps of the raised home, two at a time. I glanced up at the man blocking the doorway.  A large man, he filled the doorway, his head cocked as he looked down at me.  Too late I realised it was because a large chunk of his neck had been gored out.  I registered a body in the corridor behind him seconds before he lunged at me.  Crying  out, I stumbled backwards and fell hard onto the pavement, dropping the gun.

In desperation, I drew my legs in and caught the zombie in the stomach as he threw himself on me.  Using his body weight, just like I'd learned in a self-defence class, I launched him up and over my head. Jumping to my feet, I saw I was surrounded by a semicircle of zombies coming ever nearer.  The gun!  Scurrying forward, I grabbed it and backed up the stairs of the home, praying that there were no more zombies lurking behind me.  With shaky hands, I aimed at the closest zombie and shot him him through the head.  It seemed a futile exercise with so many others ready to take his place but I had to try while there was breath in my body.  I'd promised Jessie.

I aimed at another zombie and missed him entirely but the zombies were so close together, that I took out the face of a woman behind him.  She collapsed, taking a couple of other zombies down with her.  A moan erupted from behind me.  Shit!  Spinning around, I saw the dead man on his knees about to plant his teeth in my thigh.  I jammed the gun into his mouth, baring my teeth in a instinctive snarl, and blew the back of his head out.

Jumping over his fallen body, I ran through the house, searching for the back door.  Fortunately, there were no more zombies in the home and I made it to the laundry door unimpeded.  Opening it cautiously, I slipped into the welcoming darkness.

Pressed against the back wall, I froze till my eyes adjusted to the dark, straining my ears for any unnatural sounds over the steady patter of rain.  Shouts, screams, bangs and thuds could be heard all over the street, making it difficult to isolate closer, more dangerous, sounds. 

My peripheral vision caught movement to my right.  Figures were shuffling across the landscape, searching for fresh victims.  I peered at the forest edge, trying to calculate my chances.  Could I make it?  I believed I could but what if the zombies had already made it into the trees?  There would be no way for me to see a zombie lurking amidst all that shrubbery.  I would be a sitting duck.  No, I decided, I had to find another way.  I almost snorted at my own thoughts.  What other fricking way was there?!  Up the street full of zombies?  I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself.  My mind raced through various potential scenarios, none of which ended well for me.  Finally, I settled on a solution which at least had a chance of success.  I would try for the river. 

Tales of the Dead Tropics - chapter 26

The battle sounds disappeared as the skies opened.  The rain fell in a heavy sheet that made it impossible to see beyond our verandah.  It drummed upon the roof in a hypnotic beat that soothed the spirit.  It was impossible to see or hear anything so Mike and I alternated between sitting in silence and making small talk.

I had to admit to myself that I enjoyed his company.  His laidback personality, dry humour and quick reactions made him someone that I had come to depend on completely.  I knew that I could trust him with my life and that added an intimacy to our relationship that I had never experienced with any man other than my husband.  And if I was being completely honest with myself, he was very easy on the eyes.

"A penny for your thoughts." Mike interjected.  Fortunately, it was dark so I was pretty sure he couldn't see the blush on my cheeks.

"Just wondering what's going on over the hill." I lied.    I had the uncomfortable feeling that he didn't believe me but he let it go.

"I doubt a bit of rain will stop the zombies," He said dryly. "but I have to admit I feel sorry for the poor bastards trying to fight them in these conditions."

The sliding door quietly opened.  I peered around to see my oldest daughter standing behind me. 

"The rain woke me and I couldn't get back to sleep." She answered my unspoken question.  She looked across me at Mike.  "Hey Mike."  He tipped his head at her before pulling his long body out of the chair.  "If you'll excuse me, ladies."  As he disappeared inside, Michele flopped into his chair.   

"Man, it's cold out here!" She shivered dramatically.   I agreed, waiting to see what she wanted to talk about.  The nervously tapping fingers signalled something on her mind.

"Mum, do you think Dad is alright?" She blurted out.  I sighed. Of course she was worried about her father.

"I think he is fine, honey.  He is probably having the time of his life fishing."

"But what about when he comes back?  What's going to happen then?"  That was the question, wasn't it.  I reached over and place my hand over hers, holding her eyes.  "There are still too many unknown elements for me to answer that question, honey. What if the army regains control and this is all over tomorrow?  What if Daddy hears something on the boat radio and chooses to stay away until it is safe." Yeah, right.  "All I can say is that I will do everything I can to keep your daddy safe.  If I have to go pick him up myself, I will."

Michele nodded slowly, searching my eyes.  I guess she must have felt reassured because I felt the tension fade from her hand.  Attempting a smile, she pulled back her hand.

"Wait till I tell him how you kicked butt at the shops today."

I laughed.  "He'll never believe you."

She grinned, glancing at me.  "Where did you learn those moves?!"

I shrugged nonchalantly, aiming for supercool mum rather than desperate and lucky.  "You watch enough tv, you pick something up, I guess."

Michele sighed and relaxed back against the deckchair.  She closed her eyes and we sat in a companionable silence for a few minutes.

"Hey, Mum?"

"Hmm?"

"You know how I always said I was never going to bring a guy around because you would embarrass me?"

I smiled to myself.  At least one good thing appeared to have come out of this disaster of a day.  I appeared to have developed just a little bit of credit with my daughter at last.  "Yes?"

"That goes double now."

D'oh.

Around midnight, as our watch was coming to an end, the deluge faded to a steady drizzle.  Michele had gone back to bed.  I stood at the balcony, straining to see if I could hear or see anything unusual.  Mike came up to stand beside me, little Lizzie sticking close to his heels.

"I can't hear any gunfire."  Mike murmured.

"Thank heavens." My response was heartfelt.  If it was over, we would be safe tonight.

"Hmm.  The question I keep asking myself is  - was the battle won or lost."  A chill ran through my body as I realised the implications of what he was saying.  Was it possible? Could a battalion or two of soldiers have been overrun?  Could the zombies be on our doorstep this very minute? 

The heavy mist from the mountains lay heavy at the bottom of our street, ever so slowly rolling towards us.  Lizzie started to growl.  Mike clicked his fingers and she stopped, but I could see her body quivering anxiously.  Across the street, Jodie's collie, Molly, started barking.  A light came on in the house and I saw the door open.  Jodie's oldest daughter, Jasmine, poked her head out cautiously and, not seeing anything, let the dog out.  The black and white collie raced out and down the street towards the mist, barking frantically.  My heart started to pound.  I had a really bad feeling about this.

Jasmine walked down her front steps.  "Mollie! Mollie!  Come here, girl!"  The dog disregarded her and disappeared into the mist, barking.  The barking became a panicked squeal and then - silence.  My disquiet turned into full-blown alarm.

"Jasmine!" I called urgently into the night.  "Get back in the house!"  She looked towards us, hesitated for a second, and then hurried back inside, closing the door behind her.

"Stay out of sight," Mike murmured, pressing himself against the thick verandah beam.  I followed his lead and tried to merge myself against the building as I peered into the street.  Between the darkness, drizzle and fog, I could see little more than dark shapes.  Across the street, however, the house light illuminated the area around it.

"Switch off your light, Jasmine." I whispered.  If the zombies were here, I knew that they would be attracted by the only lit house in the street.

"They didn't finish boarding up the windows, like I told them to." Mike noted grimly.  Although there were a couple of pieces of wood reinforcing the side french doors, I could still see into the room through the sheer curtains.  If there was anyone moving around in the house, the zombies were bound to see it.

Something moved on the edge of the lit area.  I strained my eyes to see what it was.  I caught a glimpse of a leg passing through a beam of light.  Gasping, I started to tremble.  And then a figure stepped into the light.  A man.  What was left of him.  Half of his body had been torn away, leaving half a torso and one arm. 

He stared at the lit house for a second before stumbling forward towards the stairs.  Another figure followed him.  And then another.  I watched, aghast, as a crowd of zombies quickly grew around the house.  They gathered at the windows and the french doors, anywhere they could see inside.

Moaning, they banged on the glass  More and more figures pressed heavily against the panes.  Then, the sound I had dreaded.  The sound of breaking glass.  Within seconds, the zombies started pouring into the house through the french windows.

Then the screaming started.  Above the rain and the moaning of the creatures, the cries of the women could be heard.  Desperate, petrified, they pleaded for help, for mercy, for god.  I clenched my hands uselessly, desperate to help and helpless to do so.  Through the glass panes, I caught a brief glimpse of a woman disappearing under a wall of zombies.  It was impossible to say who it was.  The desperate cries for help pierced my heart like arrows. I wanted to clap my hands over my ears like a child as the screams went on and on. 

Yet, when there was finally silence, it was so much worse.  I turned away, unable to speak.  In the midst of that heartbreaking silence, I watched in horror as lights came on in house after house down the street.  Next door, I saw the Brands standing in the doorway, framed by the light of their home as they peered into the darkness.

"What are they doing?" I hissed, dismayed.  "They'll draw the zombies straight to them!"

"They don't really understand what they are up against, Lori."

"But we do.  We've got to do something, Mike."

He met my eyes with a look of compassion.  "Our first priority has to be our own group, Lori.  You know that."

I did know that.  I also knew that there was still time to save these people, too.  In my heart, I believed I could do both.  It is, however, quite possible that I am just the world's biggest idiot.

As I saw zombies stumbling out of Jodie's home, drawn by the lights, I made a decision.  I grabbed the loaded pistol off the table before Mike could react and bolted down the stairs.

"Lori!" I heard Mike hiss.

Tales of the Dead Tropics - chapter 25

"No!" I screamed.  Not as long as there was breath in my body.  I would do whatever it took to save her and suddenly, I knew what I had to do.  I saw Kaye staring wide-eyed at Roy as he rose to his feet, a trace of my daughter's blood on his lips.  I felt a momentary anguish at leaving my inexperienced sister to deal with the monster that had once been Roy, but my child had to come first.  "Stop him, Kaye!  I have to help Sarah." 

Kaye nodded fearfully and stepped forward as Roy started towards us.  I ran past her as I headed for the ironing basket in the corner.  Sarah was screaming loudly now, having registered the bloody stumps on her hand.  Falling to my knees, I grabbed a sock and wrapped it around her arm.  Twisting, I proceeded to make a tourniquet.  As I twisted it tighter and tighter, Sarah's screams turned to howls. "Hurts, mummy, hurts."

Tears dripped down my cheeks.  "I know, baby.  I'm so sorry."

Glancing up, I saw Kaye spin and land a roundhouse kick on Roy's chest that sent him flying back into the sofa.  I blinked in surprise.  While I had known that my sister was a black belt in theory, this was the first time I had ever seen her in action. 

Satisfied that no blood - or virus- could get through the tourniquet, I jumped to my feet and grabbed the long handed shovel near the door.  As Roy rose to his feet and turned towards me, I ran at him, holding the shovel like a spear.  With a violent thrust, I speared him through the throat and propelled him backwards.  The shovel tip buried itself into the wall, leaving Roy dangling like some grotesque marionnette.

Max, Ken and Emma leapt over the baby gate at the top of the verandah stairs and charged into the room.  They came to a stop as they took in the scene before them. 

"Oh, my God."  The aghast whisper came from Michele as she ran into the room followed by Lucas.  "You killed Roy."

I looked at her, adrenaline still coursing through my body. "He was one of them.  And he...he bit Sarah."

Her hands flew to her mouth in horror.  "Oh mummy, no, that means..."

Grimly, I turned away from the body hanging limply against the wall.  "Not if I can help it."

Running past Max and the others, I bolted down the stairs for the ambulance.  I flung its doors open and started rummaging through the supplies.  Within minutes, I had located the scalpel in the trach set, the morphine and the other bits and pieces.  I sat back for a moment, trying to center myself.  My hands were shaking so badly that I knew I would  not be of any use to Sarah if I didn't calm down.  I took a deep breath and then another.  It would all work out, I told myself, Sarah was going to be just fine.  I can do this.

Upstairs, Max and Ken had removed Roy's body.  I didn't know where they had put it and I didn't care.  Picking up my crying daughter, I laid her gently on the dining table.  I grabbed the vial of morphine and drew the quantity I would need for anaesthesia into the syringe.  Emma came up quietly beside me.  "Lori..."

I sent her a hard look.   "If you're here to help, great.  If you're going to try to talk me out of it, then get the hell out of the way."

She touched my arm, her eyes searching mine.  "I'm not exactly sure what you're planning, Lori."

Searching for a vein, I placed the needle carefully against my daughter's skin.  I smiled gently at her.  "This needle will make all the pain go away, baby."  She hiccupped tearfully.  "Hurts, mummy."

I injected the morphine and then stroked Sarah's curly hair.  "There.  It will be all better soon.  You'll see."  As her sobs faded and her eyes slowly closed, I turned to Emma.  The others stood around us, their faces reflecting their concern and compassion.  My oldest daughter looked sick with fear.  I felt sick, too.  I could hardly believe I was going to do this.

"I am going to amputate her arm."  I heard someone start to cry.  Looking up, I saw my sister's tearful face as she shook her head in disbelief. Closing my eyes for a moment, I looked back at Emma.  "Will you help me?"

"You know I will, if you think it will work." She said softly. 

I shrugged, struggling to keep the despair I felt from my face. "I applied a tourniquet within minutes.  If I amputate now, at least she'll have a chance."

"Well, then." Coming to a decision, Emma nodded.  "Let's do it."   She turned and briskly issued instructions to the group.  Michele and Lucas kept the other kids away while the remaining adults organised boiling water, lights and sheets.

Looking at my daughter's peaceful face, I wondered for a moment how I was ever going to explain this to her.  Hey baby, mummy decided to remove your arm. You won't miss it, will you?  Emma touched my arm.  "Ready?" She asked gently.  I nodded, taking a deep breath.

Carefully, I made an incision.  I worked methodically and clinically, separating flesh and muscle, until finally, the limb was off and I could focus on suturing the wound.  Then I wrapped the stump and, finally,  placed a sock over it to keep the bandage in place.

Sighing, I stood back.  My baby lay so still, a stump where her soft, plump arm had been.  Please let this be worth it, I prayed to each and any god that might be listening.  Let her be okay. 

"You did good, Lori."  Emma smiled at me.  "She's going to be fine."

I tried to smile back at her but I just couldn't manage it.  The emotions I had been holding at bay for the last hour finally overwhelmed me and I started shaking like a leaf.  Kaye hurried over and wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight as I started to sob uncontrollably. 

****

In the kids' room, I sat beside Sarah, stroking her hair, as she drifted off to sleep.  Her brother was already fast asleep at the other end of the bed while the cousins were tucked in the top bunk above. 

She looked peaceful.  Thankfully, there was enough medication in the ambulance should keep her comfortable for several days.  A hand touched my shoulder.  Kaye sat down beside me.  "Are you okay?"

I snorted.  "As okay as I can be, having just chopped my own daughter's arm off."  The thought still made me sick in the stomach.

"You did what you had to do, Lori, to save her life.  Do you have any idea how much I admire you?"

Startled, I met her eyes.  "Huh?"

Kaye leaned forward and covered my hand.  "That's what makes you special, Lori.  You see what has to happen and you act, no doubts, no hesitation.  If it had been my child..." She stopped and swallowed, eyes suddenly dark. "I don't think I could have done it."

"Maybe I shouldn't have." I burst out.  "I keep wondering - was I wrong?  Maybe she wouldn't have turned!  It's not like I knew for sure...What if I cut off her arm for nothing?  What if it doesn't even work and I put her through that pain for nothing.  What if..."

Kaye covered my mouth with her hand, cutting me off.  "Lori, you need to stop torturing yourself right now.  You knew that a bite probably lead to death and you took steps to prevent that happening to Sarah.  That's as much as anyone could ask of you, including yourself.  So I don't want to hear you talking like that anymore. "Got it?"

I smiled tentatively.  "Got it, boss." Her belief in me almost managed to reassure me that I had done the right thing.

"Besides, we need your undivided attention here and now.  You don't expect me to make all the decisions that need making tonight, do you?"

"God, no!" I grinned, forcing myself to respond to her attempt at levity.  "I remember what happened the last time I let you make the decisions.  We ended up with a hot pink bedroom!"

"Hey!" She pushed me, dark eyes flaring in mock outrage.  "That colour was all the rage at the time!"

After she left, I sat beside my babies a while longer before reluctantly leaving to check on the other kids. Michele and Lucas were sharing an earphone as they listened to an iPod.  As I passed the spare room, I saw Jessie lying tucked in the large bed, lit by a soft nightlight.  Her eyes were wide and vulnerable.

"Hey." I smiled as I walked towards her.  "What are you still doing awake?  I thought you'd be out like a light by now." 

"It's too quiet." She mumbled into the sheets, big brown eyes locked on me.  I sat on the edge of the bed and brushed away the hair from her eyes.  "I know but that's a good thing!  Quiet means nothing exciting is happening and nothing exciting means no trouble.  So you can sleep without worrying."  Jessie nodded but her eyes remained locked on me.

"Go on, move over." I jostled her gently.  "I'll lie here with you until you go to sleep, okay?"  She wiggled back a little to make room for me.  As soon as I lay down, a wave of tiredness swept over me.  I had not realised how exhausted I was until this moment.  We lay together quietly for a moment, heads touching.  Just as I started to wonder if she had fallen asleep, I heard her soft voice.

"My mummy used to do this."  

"I bet she was a lovely person." I whispered back, my heart going out to her.  "Do you want to tell me about her?"  There was silence for a moment.

"She laughed a lot."  Jessie spoke in a low sad voice.  "And she liked to sing a lot.  She was pretty bad at it."  My throat tightened.

"Yeah well, good for her if she didn't let that stop her.  You should hear my kids complain about my singing!"  I saw a hint of a smile warm her solemn face.

"I think mummy would have liked you, Lori.  Daddy, too."  Oh Lord, I think I'm going to cry.

"Lori?"

"Yes, Jessie?"

"Promise you won't die too?"  I closed my eyes in a vain attempt to block her loss and pain.  Turning to face her, I stroked her face gently.

"I promise you that I will do everything within my powers to keep us all alive."  Trying to lighten the atmosphere, I smiled cheekily at her.  "If I am forced to, I will pull out my secret weapon."

"What's that?"

"My amazing voice. The kids swear that my singing makes anyone listening want to kill themselves."

Not surprisingly, I fell asleep beside Jessie.  A couple of hours later, after checking on the babies, I walked quietly into the living room.   The whole house was dark, lit by a few discreet candles behind drawn curtains.   We had decided that the less attention we drew to ourselves tonight, the better.  Soft murmurs in the corner drew my eye.  Emma and Ken sat on the love chair, heads close together as they  talked softly.  A pleased smile crossed my face at the sight.  This was a first.  Emma usually went for the loud and enthusiastic adrenaline-seeking types.  It was nice seeing her with someone who might not be as flashy but had more depth and character than any boyfriend I had seen her with before.

Sliding the doors open, I quietly walked onto the wooden verandah.  I could see Max's dark frame sitting in a chair as he kept watch over the street.  "Nothing exciting to report, I assume?" I murmured as I pulled up a chair beside him.  I saw the gleam of his eyes as he glanced at me.  "Nope."

We sat in companionable silence for a few minutes as my eyes adjusted to the dark.  The moon was hidden behind clouds heavy with rain and the air had a cool chill to it. I kept my fingers crossed that the rain would hold off. At this time of the year, when it rained, it dropped like a heavy curtain.  There were times I'd had to pull the car to the side of the road because visibility had dropped to zero.

A heavy mist lay on top of the hills surrounding us, creating an illusion of being cut off from the rest of the world.  Below us, the street lay still and quiet.  Nothing stirred.  It was unnerving and reassuring at the same time.

"Would it be too much to hope it stays like this forever? " I sighed

"Yeap."

I narrowed my eyes at Max.  "I bet you were a real party pooper in your past life." 

Grinning at me, Max propped his rifle on his lap.  "Yeap."

I laughed softly in appreciation.  "So what is the plan tonight?"

He pulled out a pistol and held it out to me.  I hesitated briefly before taking it.  "First, some practice time so that you know what you're doing if you're ever need to use it. " He stood up and seemed to choose his words carefully.  "You can keep watch with me - if you're up to it. We'll be rotating the watches between the adults every four hours."

Standing up, I smiled at him.  "I'd be honoured."  Feeling a little flustered for some reason, I turned and pointed the gun at a palm tree. "Now show me how to use this thing."

Max came and stood beside me.  For the next half an hour, we practised sighting, loading and shooting, although without bullets.  Gunshots were bound to attract attention.  As we looked out over the street, I heard noise in the distance.  Frowning, I strained to discern what it was.

"Gunfire." Max stated, his voice surprisingly grim.  "Not far away."

My heart dropped.  "Maybe the army will keep the zombies at bay. They might never get here."  In the moonlight, I could see the scepticism in Max's face.   I couldn't blame him; I didn't even believe what I said.

A rumble told me that a vehicle was crossing the rickety little bridge at the bottom of the street.  We listened keenly as it turned up our street.  An army truck trundled slowly past as a soldier spoke through a loudspeaker.  I shivered as I remembered the ruthlessness they had displayed this afternoon towards civilians just trying to survive.

"A curfew is now in place.  All residents must remain inside their homes until further notice.  Anyone found outside may be shot on sight."

I gasped.  "How can they do that?!"  Who the hell was the enemy here? 

Max shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time the army has followed a 'shoot first and ask questions later' policy."

Emma and Ken joined us on the verandah, outrage on their faces as they listened to the message.  "It feels like we're fighting our own army as well as zombies."  Ken muttered, rubbing his glasses furiously.

Max sighed, popping a fresh stick of gum in his mouth.   "At night, it will be difficult for soldiers to distinguish living from dead, folks.  This way, they know everyone they see is the enemy and can take 'em down before they get too close for comfort."

I scowled at him.  "Yeah well, goodie for them.  Too bad for anyone trying to escape zombies!"

He inclined his close-shaven head in acknowledgement.

As the noise of the truck faded, we listened to the sounds of battle in the distance.  It was continuous and clear now. I noticed Emma slip her hand into Ken's.  He squeezed it reassuringly.  It made my heart ache with a sudden yearning for my  Joe.  He had  been my rock for the last twenty years, ever since we met as carefree students.  I wondered if he was okay, if he was still at sea - literally and figuratively.  Was he happily fishing with his friends, completely unaware of the struggle his family was enduring?  And Charlie.  Here I was, completely focused on my own dramas, without sparing a thought for my sister and what she must be going through.

We stood in silence for a few minutes with our own thoughts.  Sighing, Emma turned away.  "I'm going to try and get some sleep while I can.  I have a feeling it is going to be a long night."