The Dust: Book Two - Pursuit Read online

  ‘No!’ Sarah Hardcastle called out. ‘Please leave her alone.'

  Gold just smiled.

  Archie and Harry James pulled Janine Davidson to her feet and strapped the belt around her neck. She kicked and bit and screamed lashing out with the nails at Harry’s face. Archie punched her in the face and she passed out for a few seconds and then was only semi-conscious. The two boys then hauled her up and Archie managed to hook the buckle around one of the foot pegs.

  ‘Stop this now.’ A young woman who had only been picked up three days before in Much Marcle broke ranks and ran at Lonny Gold.

  Without hesitation he pointed his pistol at her and shot her dead. She fell in the mud only a few feet from him, nobody in the group had even asked what her name was.

  ‘Anyone else?’ He growled at the now screaming group of women. ‘Anyone else want to taste some lead?’

  The shot rang out and the semi-conscious Janine Davidson came around to feel her neck being pulled as the two boys took up the slack.

  ‘Noooooo!’ She howled and then gurgled.

  ‘Let go of her.’ Gold yelled at Archie and Harry James.

  Archie instantly let go but Harry James couldn’t. He didn’t want to be a party of this pointless murder.

  ‘Let go Harry James.’ Gold walked towards the boy who continued to struggle with woman’s weight. ‘If you don’t let go I will shoot you and she will die anyway. It’s your choice.’

  ‘Let go you fucking idiot.’ Archie shouted.

  ‘One, two…’ Gold started to count but before he could get to three Harry James let go and Janine Davidson was left hanging.

  Harry James moved away, he couldn’t look.

  Archie stood underneath the hanging naked body watching her as she kicked out a few times and then after about fifteen seconds she stopped, Janine Davidson was dead.

  ‘I wouldn’t stay there son.’ Gold told Archie.

  ‘Why?’ he asked but Gold didn’t reply but Archie moved anyway. A few seconds’ later fecal matter and urine ran down the dead woman’s leg and spilt onto the floor below.

  ‘Oh I see.’ Archie nodded.

  Gold laughed. ‘Our first hanging boys, most certainly won’t be our last.’ He then lit another cigarette.

  ***

  ‘Stop, stop the truck.’ Yanto grabbed Iris O'Neil’s arm.

  ‘Why what’s wrong.’ She brought the vehicle to a halt.

  ‘Somethings wrong.’ He grabbed the binoculars and jumped out of the cab.

  The others looked at each other and then Jake decided to follow him. When he reached Yanto he was lying over the bonnet of an old Audi pointing his binoculars to where they had left the horses about a mile up the dual carriageway. He was shaking his head.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Jake crouched down beside him.

  Yanto shook his head and handed Jake the lenses. ‘Poor Thunderchild.’

  Jake refocused and then the full horror hit him. All three horses were lying dead on the floor and swinging in the afternoon breeze a naked woman was hanging by a belt from a telegraph pole.

  ‘Do you think she was infected?’

  ‘I can’t tell.’ Yanto answered. ‘You think she killed the horses?’

  ‘Well I have seen a lot of crazy shit over the last month so I wouldn’t rule anything out.’ Jake couldn’t stop looking at the face of the dead woman.

  ‘You think she shot the horses and then hung herself?’ Yanto wasn’t convinced.

  ‘I can’t see anyone else.’ Jake shifted his gaze from the dead woman to the surrounding area.

  ‘Have the horses been eaten?’

  Jake looked carefully. ‘No.’

  ‘Can you see a gun?’ Yanto asked.

  Jake looked around but it was too far away to spot such a small item. ‘It’s hard to tell.’

  ‘Did you leave a belt in your belongings?’

  ‘No.’ Jake was now concluding a third party may have been involved.

  ‘Neither did I, and that’s a mighty thick belt, a man’s belt.’

  Jake quickly scanned further afield and then noticed a green canvas canopy through the tree’s on the side of the road. ‘I think I have spotted them.’ He handed the binoculars back to Yanto and directed him in the right direction.

  ‘It’s a lorry, and there a people sat in the cab overlooking our horses and the dead woman.’ Yanto shook his head. ‘It’s a trap.’

  ‘It must be that Lonny Gold guy.’ Jake turned around to make sure all was well with the girls in the truck. ‘He’s still pursuing Angel and Lou Pepper.’

  ‘Jesus Boyo what’s his problem, just let it go.’ Yanto swallowed hard as he looked at Thunderchild once more lying motionless on the grass.

  ‘It’s this whole new world, it’s fucked up.’ Jake was now getting edgy and wanted to get back to Angel and Lou.

  ‘Straight to the bridge?’ Yanto stood up.

  ‘I think it’s best.’ Jake started to walk back to the truck.

  ‘I wouldn’t mention this mind Butty Bach. No need to worry them unduly.’

  Jake wasn’t sure, he didn’t want to keep secrets from Angel. ‘Keep it from the youngsters agreed, I’m telling Angel though.’

  Yanto shrugged. ‘Your call.’

  Jake had resumed driving duties and now the truck was starting its journey on the M4 down to the second Severn crossing. As they reached the brow of the hill the motorway then dropped down and the full view of South Wales and the two bridges opened up before them.

  It wasn’t like anything Jake and Yanto had ever seen before.

  ‘Oh my God fathers.’ Iris O'Neil held her hand to her mouth.

  ‘Kids stay in the back.’ Angel made sure Alice and Lou couldn’t see what carnage lay ahead.

  Jake sat silent just holding the wheel and dabbing the accelerator as they coasted down the hill.

  ‘I don’t know where to look.’ Yanto piped up. ‘It’s like driving into Hell.’

  Jake shook his head, he had driven down this road a thousand times and always loved the fact that he was going to see his Mother and Father but what he saw today at this precise moment in time made his heart sink.

  The old Severn Bridge was completely ablaze with thick black smoke bellowing from the two giant H structures. The newer second Severn crossing was covered in naked bodies crawling all over it like thousands of demented ants. Bodies were falling from every direction and the usual murky tidal water below was now a sea of crimson. Yanto was right; it was if they were descending into the pit of Hades.

  Jake had parked the truck on the flat ground about half a mile from the second bridge. He wanted to do a recognisance mission a before they decided what to do next.

  He walked over to Angel who was chatting to Hannah. ‘I’m going to get a little closer to bridge to see what the options are, Yanto is coming too.’

  ‘You are leaving me here?’ Angel wasn’t happy.

  ‘I thought it was the natural thing to do.’ Jake zipped up his jacket.

  ‘It’s just like having Roger back.’ Angel stopped talking as soon as his name registered in her head. ‘Shit sorry, you know what I mean.’

  ‘What’s up?’ Yanto strolled over sliding his sword into its scabbard.

  ‘You two off again leaving the women behind.’ Angel snapped.

  ‘Now hold your horses my Cariad.’ Yanto held up his hands. ‘If you want to go then please be my guest. I can stay here and hold the fort with my little French Fry and Half Pint.

  She looked at Yanto, maybe he wasn’t as chauvinistic as Roger. ‘Okay excellent, give me five minutes to get my bow and my coat.’

  ‘Thanks mate.’ Jake smiled at Yanto and then looked at the floor.

  ‘No need to thank me, I don’t want to go anywhere near that damn bridge, its suicide.’ Yanto handed him his sword. ‘Take care and make sure you come back in one piece.’

  ‘We’re only going to take a look.’ Jake slid the sword in his belt.

  ‘Listen Boyo, there are thous
ands of them on that bridge so odds are there a few hundred or so on or around the beach, just be careful.’

  ‘I will, cheers mate.’ Jake looked over his shoulder at the smoke filled sky, Hell awaited.

  Angel went to move forward but Jake held her back. ‘That’s close enough.’

  They were now both a few hundred yards off the beach to the left of the second crossing. All around them was noise, the noise of the infected, hollering and screaming, the noise of naked bodies crashing into the estuary below. The banging of metal pipes onto the bridge like a disjointed steel band where the deranged were trying to smash the bridge to bits. The worst noise of all was the groaning of the half dead bodies being washed up onto the bloodied shore, limbs missing and bones sticking through their paper thin skin.

  ‘Are you seriously going to try and get over to there?’ Angel motioned across the water to the coast of Wales.

  ‘I have no option, I must.’ However bad the situation looked Jake knew he had to reach Amber.

  ‘How?’

  This was the exact thought that was also troubling Jake. There was no way he could use the two bridges. One was on fire and the other would be suicide, he would be torn to pieces in seconds.

  ‘I could try and wade at low tide,’

  ‘That’s madness.’ Angel wasn’t having any of it. ‘You be swept away before you got anywhere near halfway.’

  Jake agreed, thinking out aloud needed to stop.

  ‘If you had a boat then, well it would be a start.’ Angel looked down the estuary for signs of any craft.

  Jake liked this idea, of course a boat, he could use a boat. ’We need to find one and fast.’

  ‘We can’t get any closer.’

  ‘Back over there.’ Jake pointed to the small bungalows that were situated about three hundred yards behind them. ‘One of those houses are bound to have a boat or some sort of rubber dinghy.’

  Lou Pepper waved with both hands as Jake and Angel appeared in the distance. ‘They are coming!’ She shouted to the others who had been doing a small stock take to see how much food they had collected.

  Yanto walked out to meet them, ‘How did it go?’

  ‘It’s horrific, imagine the worst and times it by ten.’ Angel continued to walk over to the other girls.

  ‘That bad eh?’

  Jake nodded. ‘Like a scene from the worst horror film you have ever watched, I have never seen so many of them, like cockroaches climbing over each other.’

  ‘What’s the plan then?’ Yanto asked as they both walked slowly over to the truck.

  ‘The bridges are unusable, both out of the question.’ Jake stopped short of the others. ‘We found a boat, no oars just a small wooden rowing boat.

  ‘You are going to drift across?’ Yanto was surprised.

  ‘It’s my only hope, either that or trek up to the Forest of Dean and come back in from Monmouth.’

  ‘That’s another four days on foot and we don’t have the diesel in the truck to go by road.’

  ‘I know.’ Jake ruffled his hair. ‘I can’t wait any longer, I have to get to my folks house.’

  ‘What about the tide?’ Yanto leant against the truck.

  ‘I had to explain to Angel that the tide in the Severn estuary has one of the highest ranges on the planet and at low tide I have a chance.;

  ‘What’s it doing now?’

  Jake wiped a thin layer of dust from the bonnet. ‘I threw a large stick into the river, away from all the mayhem and it's going out.’

  ‘Time left?’

  ‘A few hours.’

  Yanto looked across at the others now setting up the stove. ‘There’s about four maybe five and a half hours daylight left.’

  ‘I’m going in two.’ Jake had made his mind up. ‘Enough time to get across and find them. Then I might stay over there till first light and come back in the morning.’

  ‘Not tonight?’

  ‘It’s all according how long it takes, its fifty fifty.’

  Yanto patted him on the back. ‘Let’s pray it's tonight before dark falls.’

  Jake walked over to the others and took Angel by the hand. He didn’t want any emotional farewells later so they went for a small walk before they had some food.

  ‘I’m going in an hour, I can’t prolong it anymore.’

  Angel really wanted to go with him but knew she would have to stay with the others till he returned. ‘Are you sure that boat won’t fit two?’ She joked.

  ‘I don’t want you in any more danger.’ Jake let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulder. ‘You need to stay with the girls.’

  ‘I know, I just wish it could be tomorrow and we are all on our way to Devon.’

  ‘You will love it there.’ Jake stopped walking and faced Angel. ‘It’s going to be fine.’

  Angel kissed him, she then hugged him tight and rested her head on his chest. ‘Just get Amber and your folks and make it back safe.’

  ‘I love you.’ Jake kissed the top of her head and smelt her hair.

  Angel pulled her head away and looked into his eyes. ‘I love you too.’ She then passionately kissed him.

  ‘Steady on or I won’t want to go.’ Jake smiled with the taste of Angels tongue still inside his mouth. He hadn’t felt like this since, he had never felt like this before.

  ‘That’s the idea.’ Angel laughed.

  ‘I haven’t told anyone I have loved them since Amber was born.’ He looked at the floor and then back into Angel’s eyes. ‘This time I mean it though.’

  ‘I have never told anyone I have loved them.’ Angel whispered. ‘I have never been as open with anyone as I am with you.’

  ‘Let’s keep it that way.’ Jake held her hand once more and they both strolled back to the camp.

  ‘Please be safe.’ Angel squeezed his hand. ‘I don’t want to lose you when I have just found the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.’

  ‘I promise I will come back to you.’ Jake kissed her on the cheek. ‘And then we can start our life together.’

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Jake had said his goodbyes quite quickly, Lou Pepper had wished him luck with a kiss and Alice had picked him a flower which he had placed in his pocket.

  Yanto was coming with him, to the water’s edge to give the boat a mighty shove. After that they were going to move a little further down to the far end of Severn Beach. The plan was that Jake would take the only torch and when he was ready with Amber and his parents he would flash it from the others side. Yanto would then light a small fire on the English side of the estuary to guide him in. Hopefully then they could all set off to Devon. Yanto had decided he would go with them and come back to Wales when order was restored, if ever.

  Jake dragged the old rowing boat from the long grass and with the help of his friend they pushed it to the shore across the pebbles.

  ‘Get in.’ Yanto whispered.

  Jake looked up at the stars just appearing as the light was starting to dim.

  ‘Don’t worry you have another two hours of light.’ Yanto could see he was getting edgy.

  Jake then looked down river to the second Severn crossing. He had calculated where he would enter the river he should drift over to the other side without crossing under the bridge but arrive at a safe point on the Welsh side. He stepped inside the old rowing boat and it wobbled slightly, Yanto steadied it with his massive hands.

  ‘Cheers mate.’ He then shook Yanto’s hand.

  ‘Be safe and come back in one piece.’ Yanto shoved the boat out into the river and at first it looked as though it wasn’t moving but then the tide caught it and Jake drifted out a little further.

  Yanto looked down the beach to the bridge and there he could see the mayhem that ensued. Angel hadn’t been joking, it was like a scene from a medieval battlefield. Naked bodies were falling from the bridge and the stench of rotting flesh was making its way upstream. Sodom and Gomorrah sprang to mind as humans intertwined with each climbing and killing as
women were being used by dozens of men. What had become of the world?

  Yanto shook his head in disgust. He looked back over to the river and waved at Jake who was now heading to the other side at quite a rate, the only thing troubling Yanto was he also seemed to be heading towards the bridge. There was nothing Yanto could now though, Jake was in the lap of the gods. He had to get back and get the rest of the gang in the truck and about eight miles downstream and find a safe place where Jake could bring his family back.

  The boat rocked back and forth and Jake looked down and a small puddle had formed in the bottom. He was about halfway across now but he was heading more downstream than across. He picked his bag out of the wet and moved his sword to his side. He checked the hand gun that Iris had given him, he had ten bullets.

  Shit, he was heading towards the bridge.

  This was the last thing Jake wanted and already he could hear the bodies falling into the water and the constant screaming and howling.

  What was he going to do?

  He had no way of steering the vessel, he was drifting. He could get out and swim for it but the tidal current would just pull him under the bridge just like the boat.

  He crouched down low in the boat and withdrew his sword. There was nothing he could do, he was just going to have to chance it.

  Another massive slash sprayed him with salty water and he swung around looking for something or someone in the water. Then burning cables flew through the air and crashed into Severn just in front of his boat, this was suicide.

  Jake could now hear the clanking and crashing of steel upon steel as the boat drifted past the flames and eventually under the huge structure. He daren’t look up but curiosity got the better of him and he was met with about twenty pairs of eyes watching him. Some of the ‘Infected’ had crawled under the bridge and were now lying on the safety net. Hollering and spitting they became increasingly more agitated as he floated by. A small rock then hit the side of his small boat and it rocked. Jake could also hear arms thrashing around in the water, his heart pounded.

  Then the vessel suddenly stopped moving and the naked bodies above started shaking the safety net with frenzy. They were totally demented, screeching and defecating in his direction. Jake could then see a pair of hands holding on to the side of the boat and he could see a man trying to climb aboard.