Scrapped Life

Jon, Toby, Jack, and Ty drove up to the chain-link gate. Jon was behind the wheel of the Astra; the car was cramped and smelled of old cigarettes. Jack hopped out and snapped the padlock off with a pair of bolt cutters, and they drove through.

"Dude, this car is shit," Toby had to yell to make himself heard over the engine, which sounded like it was on its last legs and was probably attracting the dead from miles away.

"Feel free to get out and work—by the look of you, you could do with one."

"Fuck you," Jon interceded before the argument could go from jokey to nasty.

"Okay, ladies, put your handbags down—your dresses are both lovely," Ty giggled, punching him on the arm.

Jack stopped to attach a new padlock to the gate so they wouldn't be interrupted during their scrap run.

"Maybe we could fortify this place?" Ty suggested.

"Yeah, sure—we're in the middle of nowhere and with no place to scavenge," Toby scoffed.

"Actually, now that he mentions it, it might not be such a bad idea," Jack said. "The fence is here already; there's a warehouse to sleep in, running water probably."

"Well, let's keep it in mind for the future, but for now, focus on what we're doing." Jon parked facing the gate, just in case they had to exit quickly. Everyone jumped out. Jack headed straight for the warehouse and scanned the large area. It was almost empty apart from a few pallets of bricks and a forklift. There was a metal stairway leading up to a catwalk where an office and break room were located.

"Not as much here as I hoped," Jack shouted back.

Something groaned from behind one of the piles of bricks. A man who had obviously been a builder before his death emerged into full view; the left half of his face had been torn off, and dried blood streaked his fluorescent jacket. He started to shamble over to Jack.

"Guys, little help!" Toby brushed past him. "I got it, I got it." He swung Jack's newly designed bat and caved in the thing's skull.

"Your car still sucks, by the way."

"Whatever," Jon said as he headed over to a beaten-up old Ford Transit. It was locked, and he was forced to jimmy it open with a crowbar—luckily, this was an old model; these days the alarm would go off. He opened the door and checked the front and back of the van while Ty kept watch.

Back in the warehouse, Jack had turned on the forklift and was scooping up the pallets of bricks, while Toby grabbed what sheet metal he could find along with a few bags of cement.

"Come on, get your arse in gear—it's not that heavy."

"How about we swap? I drive the forklift and you carry the bags of cement."

"You have a license?"

"No."

"Well, guess you can't then."

"Oh yeah, you never know when the forklift inspector might pop round." They both shared a laugh.

At the Flats

"Sky, come on—you can't sit here all day again!" Lara had been trying to tempt Sky away all morning.

"No, someone needs to stay with Tom until he wakes up."

"Sky, he will still be here even if you walk into the next room for something to eat. Come on—you can have anything you want."

Sky knew that she was not going to win this argument. Reluctantly, she got up and headed into the next room.

Lara poured her a bowl of Shreddies. There was no milk, but she compensated by loading sugar on them. Jenna was in the kitchen, talking to Jon on the phone; apparently, they were going to be a while due to problems with the forklift.

"Tom, any better?"

"No, still out."

"Okay, well, we'll be back in a few hours. If anything happens, let us know."

She hung up and sat down with Lara and Jenna.

"Did you do the homework Tom gave you?"

Sky nodded.

"Do you want to read a book?"

(Sky shakes her head.)

"Watch a film?"

(Sky shakes her head again.)

The conversation was interrupted when the lights went out.

"There goes the grid," Jenna sighed.

"I don't think so."

Lara looked out the window. "Look, the sign across the street is still on it. It just means the meter is out—we just need to plug the key into the pay station, take it downstairs, and plug it in."

"Yeah, one problem—the meter is outside in that shed thing."

"It's fine; I'll be out two minutes max."

"Maybe we should wait 'til they come back."

"Don't be a wimp—I'll go."

Jenna frowned. "It'll be fine, really—30 seconds max."

"Oh, Jesus Christ!" The shout came from the next room.

Sky jumped up from the table, and Lara and Jenna soon followed. Tom was sitting up in bed, clutching his right arm still in a sling.

"You're awake!" Sky jumped up to hug Tom. "Ow ha, ow—okay, darling, it's nice to see you, but be careful—I feel like someone just stabbed me."

Lara entered the room. "That's because you got stabbed."

"Huh? I guess that would explain it. Where is everyone?"

"They have gone out to get materials to strengthen our defense."

"So who's here?"

"Just me, Sky, and Jenna."

"Well, who's watching the front?"

"Right now, Jenna."

"Okay, help me with this shirt—I'm gonna watch with her."

I managed to put on a white short-sleeved t-shirt before standing up and quickly sitting back down. "Man, I'm shattered."

"Yeah, you lost a lot of blood, and we've been pouring pain pills down your neck. You're going to feel like shit for a few days now—get your arse back into bed."

I didn't have the energy to argue; as soon as I put my head on the pillow, I was out again.

"Okay, I have the electric key charged. I'll be back in a sec."

Lara exited the building and turned the corner. There were a few dead around, but by the time they could reach here, she would be back inside. The door to the shed was stiff and required a swift kick before it opened, but she located the appropriate charging unit, plugged it in, and turned to lock the shed door behind her. As she turned around, there were two people standing about 10 ft away. Dressed in jeans and white tank tops—which only flattered their muscular arms; instead, this just showed how skinny they were—they both sported shaved heads and ridiculous amounts of gold chains. A couple of wannabe rappers.

Lara moved slowly back to the flat door, and they followed. She started to run—so did they. She got to the door and pulled it open; as she went to slam the door behind her, one of them reached through and held the door open. Lara kicked him in the crotch and made to climb up to the first floor, but as the man fell, he grabbed her ankle. She kicked but couldn't break free. The second man entered and made his way to Lara; he dragged her to her feet and held a knife to her throat.

"How's the van coming, Jon?" Ty asked, still keeping watch over him.

"Would be a lot quicker if you shut up."

"Jeez, sorry."

"Not long, be." The van roared into life.

"Right now," Jon finished. They had loaded almost everything up despite a few problems with the forklift, but Jack had fixed it simply by hitting it with a hammer a few times. Toby had wandered off from the main warehouse floor and up onto the catwalk. He made his way to the office door and opened it. Soon, wishing he hadn't, the stench coming from the room was overpowering. There were at least twelve dead inside, standing—unresponsive—until Toby had opened the door. Their eyes all turned on him and they moaned.

"Fuck, guys—time to go!" He slammed the door shut behind him and ran down the catwalk.

Jack looked up from the forklift controls. "What do you mean we have to go?"

The office door glass breaking and bodies spilling through answered his question.

"Okay, time to go." He moved the forklift forward with the last load of bricks. "Get out the way, Ty!" He stepped aside just in time as Jack went past him, shooting the last load of bricks in. Jon jumped into the driver's seat, and Ty climbed in alongside him, followed by Jack. Toby slammed the doors shut, opened the metal gate, and hopped into the Astra, stopping only to lock the gate behind him.

Jenna had heard a scuffle downstairs, and as the first guy reached the top, she swung the pool cue and broke it over his head—not that it seemed to slow him; he knocked her down. They frogmarched Jenna and Lara into a room and sat them down on the sofa. The taller one pulled out a phone.

"Yeah, boss, we're in. No, only a couple of girls here—no actual girls. Here in 20 minutes? No problem." He hung up.

"Boss is on his way." He sat down on the arm of a chair while the other stood in the hallway.

"Tom, wake up—please, get up, someone's here!"

Sky shook Tom, but he was not waking up. She picked up a cricket bat and made her way to the next room. She had never been so scared in her life. As she approached the man from behind, she lifted the bat and hit him in the lower back with all the strength she could muster. The man barely flinched as he turned to face her.

"Got another one?"

"Need a hand?"

"With an 8-year-old? I think I'll manage."

Lara jumped up. "Leave her alone!" The tall one slapped her to the floor.

"Sit down."

Sky backed down the corridor. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. "Come on, come sit with the rest of us like a good girl."

Sky ran into the next room down the hall; the man pursued her.

He entered the room, but what greeted him was not what he thought: the little girl was not cowering under the bed. Instead, she was standing behind him. The one the boss wanted dead... in his hand—a police baton. His right arm was in a sling; he looked like crap, struggling to stand.

"You have one chance: get out now."

The man walked further into the flat. "And you're going to stop me?"

He was close now—the knife still in his hand. Big mistake. I headbutted him, took a step back, and brought the baton across his face; teeth flew from his mouth. My side hurt, and I dropped the baton. Sky pulled at me.

"Tom, come on—there's one more in there."

I looked at her in disbelief but got up, found my satchel, and handcuffed the man's arms behind his back.

"Wait here. Do not move, okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not joking, Sky—do not move."

"Okay."

I exited the flat; I was not sure if Jon had taken the guns with him, and I didn't have time to check. I headed next door. Lara and Jenna were on the floor—this guy was standing over them, a knife in his hand. He pulled Jenna up by the hair. I walked quickly forward and tapped him on the shoulder. The surprise on his face was obvious as I punched him in the nose. He dropped the knife, but then tackled me to the ground. I swung the baton, preventing him from jumping on top of me. As I got to my feet, he reached for the knife; as he stooped, I kicked his hand. I swung for his head with the baton—he ducked and ran out of the room into the corridor. I chased him down. Sky had wandered out to see what was happening, and he made a beeline for her. I caught up with him and kicked his legs out; he went crashing to the floor.

Rage flew through me. I stomped on him, turned him over, and beat his face with my fists until it was raw and bloody. The only thing that made me stop was that Sky was watching.

I got up, giving the guy one last kick. The other man had now regained consciousness and tried to back away as I walked toward him. I don't know where I found the strength with one hand to pull him to his feet—I slammed him against the wall by his throat and, in a voice that was oddly calm for the situation, said, "Can I borrow your phone?"

He didn't answer. I pulled a knife from my pocket and slammed it into the wall next to his head. He whimpered, "Damn, I missed."

I pulled the knife from the wall. "But luckily for you, that means you get a second chance."

"My left jean pocket."

"Thank you." I reached in and, while searching for the last dialed number, proceeded to bash the man's head against the wall. I dialed the number.

"Jones, what do you want? We're almost there—and what the hell is that banging noise?"

"I'm sorry—that would be me bouncing Jones' head off the wall. I guess I'm talking to Jeff?"

"YOU!!"

"Hey, I have a name, you know. I had the decency to learn yours."

"I'm gonna kill you, you sniveling little shit."

"Yeah, yeah—sticks and stones, but the rising dead will never hurt me. Etc. Now, I understand you're on your way here, but my friends have just got back and they have guns, and we might not be able to take you all out. But the first one we are going for is you. Now I am going to go throw your friends out on the street. If you want them alive, I suggest you get here quickly. Oh, and just so you know, I'm keeping the phone by'sie daises."

I hung up just as I saw Jon and the others hop out of the van. Everyone had got back safely. I slumped down on the sofa. Jones fell to the floor, unconscious. Sky sat next to me and hugged me