Z: UK (A Zombie Novel) Read online

  They tried taking his blood pressure and an ECG trace of his heart to no avail due to his thrashing about, blood spatter plastering the interior four walls of the ambulance. They needed to get him to a hospital and quick.

  His Friend said she would meet them later as she had some things to do first; a true friend. Off they set, Daniel in the ambulance with his detainee and Natalie following close behind, blue lights flashing on both vehicles.

  Soon after, they arrived where the hospitals customers bustled about from one department to another, some so sick that their germs could almost be seen to emit from their mouths with each breath.

  Harry was immediately rushed into accident and emergency, fast track with no queuing. Their hope was that they could conduct the simplest of tests, and with some effort from both officers, the paramedics, three nurses and one doctor a saline solution was soon being trickled into his body intravenously.

  Initially, they still had difficulty taking his blood pressure, amongst other things, but after ten minutes or so Harry’s body relaxed and he almost stopped coughing altogether.

  With bloods taken, blood pressure indicating a mildly high reading and an ECG trace of his heart resulting in a reading of an elevated heart rate the results thus far baffled all those involved in the medical profession. All they could do now was await the results of the blood test.

  Meanwhile, Daniel had been taken away to get his injuries seen to and mapped for evidential purposes to find he simply had a bloodied nose, not broken as he’d proclaimed.

  An agonising four hours wandered by as Natalie counted the money she was making, conscious that her shift ended just over an hour and a half ago. Harry was very much alert but contrastingly calm compared to their first encounter.

  The doctor entered the room, again and for the fourth time, unequipped with teas or coffees for the officers.

  “The blood work has come back and I’m afraid it shows only that you are dehydrated with a mild fever. None of our tests indicate any reason why you were coughing up blood, the irritation you felt on your skin or indeed the pain you were in, but I can see that this has now subsided. Officers, he is free to go. Here are his discharge papers.”

  Natalie accepted the papers from the doctors’ outstretched hand and they left the hospital to start their journey to custody where Harry would be booked in to answer the offence of assault on police.

  Only one thought crossed Natalie’s mind. What a shift.

  Chapter 3

  Delta four sat on an aeroplane at 30,000 feet destined for Buenos Aires in Argentina, comfort in knowing he was safe from the airborne virus he’d released into the heart of London.

  Ultimately, he didn’t care what The British Equivalent’s purpose was for having him release the virus, nor did he care whether this would change the British Government’s outlook on whatever it was they intended to change or be done.

  The reason, however, for why he was happy to work for a terrorist organisation is that they paid their employees handsomely and he knew there was a bigger picture. He performed his actions to build a better life for himself and Natalie, if he was able to win her back.

  Spending the best part of eight hours in the air, he counted the remainder left of the flight on the clock face of his genuine Rolex wristwatch, raising his arm for everyone to see. With five hours still to go maybe I should have chosen somewhere closer to avoid being infected, he thought. He also thought for a moment about the others that had placed vials into ventilation systems elsewhere. Their placements had been Edinburgh, Cardiff, another in Dublin and the last in Belfast.

  Health and safety had been considered as precautionary instructions had been filtered down to them about wearing the gas mask and the careful handling of the package. They had also been advised that during the first two hours the only way to contract the virus would be to inhale it directly. It was important that they left the country, not to return until thirty six hours had elapsed.

  Some people would consider it a good thing that long flights give a person plenty of thinking time to reflect on their actions and their life. He disagreed but ended up thinking about his younger brother he hadn’t spoken to since their parents passed away in a car crash caused by a drunk lorry driver. If he wanted to play with death, then he should have played with someone that shared his outlook on life.

  A single tear fell from his eye as he briefly remembered his parents’ faces but the death destroyed his brother. He started mixing with the wrong crowd and dabbled in low level offences causing him to have run-ins with the law, which was ironic. Ironic because of the career his ex-partner took up. She was a police officer but it’s not as though they had ever met and he certainly never spoke of his brother, causing her to think he was an only child.

  “You want another, Mr Coombes?” said the beautiful flight attendant as she brushed back her long shiny brown hair and pushed out her chest drawing attention to her perfectly rounded breasts that were most likely not a natural occurrence.

  “It’s Marcus, please. And yes, that would be nice.”

  The flight attendant grabbed a bottle of lager, opened it and intentionally leaned across Marcus to set it down in which he responded by sniffing the feminine flowery scent she had only recently placed on the nape of her neck, the fresh wet droplets still present and glistening in the faint artificial light within the aircraft.

  Marcus was a handsome man, to his credit, but he was also a faithful one. Even though his relationship broke up, he still had hope.

  It was just prior to his mission in Central London that he instigated the argument but Natalie was unable to see it from his point of view. He wanted to start a family and whilst he appreciated that her career was important to her, he was trying to get her to realise that although having a social life was restricted she does in fact have a partner that loves her and not a lodger. He also tried to get her to realise that they had more than enough money to start a family due to the extra work he’d been putting in as a journalist, unbeknown to her that he had also been ‘moonlighting.’ It was her that took the decision to end it.

  That’s where Natalie thought he had gone, away on a business trip to write about something in Argentina that, thankfully, he didn’t get a chance to make up a topic.

  Flashing Marcus an erotic wink, the flight attendant started walking down the aisle whilst moving her hips in a way that he was sure to be intended as a private show for him.

  Everything was easier in the Army, he thought to himself, as the only thing he had to worry about was whether or not he was going to get shot. He too was proud of his own life experiences similarly to Natalie.

  Lights flickered as a single oxygen mask fell from one of their compartments ahead of him. There was a sudden shudder that followed almost simultaneously all around the plane and, collectively Marcus likened the scenario to a plane mimicking a turbulence induced epileptic fit. This was a fairly common occurrence on flights and he knew it would only be temporary but he caught sight of a fellow passenger gripping his arm rests as he struggled to breathe from the seat next to him separated by the aisle.

  “Hey. Listen to my voice and breathe,” Marcus said, leaning across to calm the frightened flyer.

  “I… okay… thank you,” he muttered as he was able to regain control of his breathing.

  “I’m Marcus.”

  “I’m Neil. I haven’t flown in two years and even then, I don’t fly frequently or for long periods of time. I’ll just have a sleep to take my mind off of it.”

  With that, Neil requested a pillow from the busty flight attendant, nestled his head in it, reclined his seat and falling asleep in seconds. Marcus did the same.

  ***

  Marcus awoke to the sound of the pilots experienced voice.

  “We are coming around to start our landing. Please fasten your seatbelts and remain seated until we have come to a complete stop.”

  With the flight attendants checking everyone whether everyone complied with the pilot’s instructi
on, they took a seat and fastened their own seatbelts as the plane came in to land.

  The descent was long and arduous in the eyes of the frightened flyer, Neil, who muttered something under his breath that Marcus couldn’t fully make out.

  “You okay, Neil?”

  “… Deliver us… against us… bread… kingdom come…,” said Neil, continuing to mutter as he ignored Marcus, fear fully taking over.

  Marcus didn’t persist too much as they would be grounded soon enough and sat back in his chair waiting to start his one day holiday.

  The passengers all rose to their feet, herding their way of the plane to the terminal.

  Marcus packed light seeing as he was going to be in the country for a short period of time and had with him only the essentials comprising of wash bag, organiser, a change of underwear and a clean top contained in a backpack he was allowed to carry onto the plane.

  Heading for the exit, he finally approached a taxi rank and flagged one down. It wasn’t as busy as he thought it would be but then considered that most people were still waiting for their luggage to be returned to them.

  Marcus was taken the three mile journey to his hotel where he paid the driver, tipping him for not participating in the needless chit chat that UK minicabs often seem obliged to provide. The taxi also smelled cleaner.

  Having checked into his room, he admired the décor. A vibrant white and spacious studio flat, a double bed layered with a thick duvet and fresh clean linen.

  However, the most admirable part of the room was the view that looked out down the hill past many of the locals houses and tourist aimed businesses where, in the background, an oceans sea line finished off the perfect picture had the window of been an oil painting.

  He kicked off his shoes and laid back on the bed turning on the television with the remote control sitting nearby where he flicked through the channels trying to find an English speaking program. It wasn’t long before he found one that happened to be a news channel.

  “… The UK has reported many cases of a mysterious illness. Those affected start coughing up blood for no apparent reason, become aggressive and are dehydrated. All have been admitted to hospital and all have been discharged hours later with all tests coming back negative. It appears that in each case, these symptoms only present themselves for a matter of hours before they subside altogether and each patient is reported as being well with nothing more than a mild fever. It seems as though this illness will remain a mystery. That is, for the short term future at least whilst research is being conducted…”

  The virus had been in place for around fifteen hours, he thought to himself checking his watch, but it sure is effective.

  Chapter 4

  Natalie awoke from her slumber at five in the morning having found she’d been dreaming of Harry; the reasoning, she thought, was down to his surname that she learnt of whilst in custody. His surname unnerved her as he shared the same name as her ex-partner. That name was, Coombes.

  This caused her to think of Marcus once again, but she soon shook it off and got out of bed admitting defeat to insomnia yet again. The feeling of fatigue had been haunting her ever since they split up and she usually ended up watching television in the dark.

  Sure enough, without flicking the light switch on, Natalie turned on the set to view the last channel she had watched. It happened to be a news program with the signing zone man in the bottom right hand corner that had somehow become a friendly face to her in such a short period of time.

  The news program went from a correspondent with football stadium in the background to a younger female medical correspondent appraising Natalie for the first time of the mysterious illness that had infected just over one hundred people, at the last count, and that’s just counting those that were bothered to go to hospital or had those around them that were concerned enough to take them. Who knows how many people have been left uncounted?

  The news broadcast did have further details to add:

  “… Whilst we reiterate that medical professionals state that this mysterious illness appears harmless, there is yet another symptom to be on the look out for. That is that the skin turns a grey/yellow colour, similar to jaundice, with all tests carried out on the affected coming back negative indicating no kidney problems as would be expected. Also, those infected have been observed to be eating a lot but drinking water more considerably. Due to the demand put onto hospitals as a result, doctors tell us that anybody that should develop symptoms of this mysterious illness to call NHS direct in the first instance. For those of you planning to go away on holiday, be advised, that airlines are turning away anybody showing signs or symptoms of this illness…”

  Natalie turned off the television and, whilst still sat in the dark, dialled a friend and work colleague who she knew would be working a night duty.

  “Vick? Are you out or at the police station?”

  “I’m at a terminal at the minute. How are you?”

  The girls chatted for a good few minutes about Vicki’s recent trip to Rome where she met potential husband number three who, coincidentally, lives only a twenty minute drive from her home; the home she won from divorce number two.

  “Can you do me a favour? Check custody to see if Harry Coombes is still in,” asked Natalie.

  “Sure thing, Nat,” and with a few clicks of her mouse she was back on the line. “Yeah, he’s here. Why do you wanna know?”

  “I think he has this mysterious illness that has been reported in the news. Just curious I guess. Can you look at his medical file on there? See if it says something about his skin changing colour?”

  “Not a problem,” said Vicki and with a few more clicks of her mouse she had returned to confirm Natalie’s thoughts. “His skin has changed a slight yellow colour… he is down to see the FME… and NHS direct were contacted who have advised to ensure he takes plenty of fluids which according to his log, while he has been with us he has requested and been provided with around ten cups of water in the last hour alone.”

  “Okay, Vick. Thanks for your help,” Natalie said as she hung up the phone.

  She then realised that she had encountered one of the infected. Is it contagious? Exactly how much pain will I be in? Judging by Harry’s reaction, I hope it’s kind to me, Natalie stressed to herself.

  As a precautionary measure, she called NHS direct to find out the contagion risks.

  “Hello? I have come into contact with one of the infected today and wondered if it was contagious and if we should be worried?” Natalie enquired.

  “While there is no evidence to justify panic, we are asking people to remain vigilant. The infection has given no indications of being contagious, yet thus far, there have been no reported cases of blood to blood transfer and as such the effects of such a transfer are unknown,” replied the voice of a genuinely concerned male. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

  “Well… is there anything else you can tell me about this illness?”

  “The only thing we know almost for certain is that the virus is airborne and infecting people via the respiratory system. There is also a strong correlation between the illness and those with a low immune system. If you have a healthy immune system, you needn’t worry too much.”

  Natalie thanked the healthcare assistant for his reassurance and reminded herself of the fact that she hasn’t smoked in years and even then it wasn’t for a prolonged period of time or at high quantities per day. She rarely drinks alcohol and eats mostly healthy food. Natalie thought for a moment and considered that she would be surprised if her immune system was anything but healthy. This thought temporarily extinguished her worries.

  She let out a yawn and walked up the stairs to bed putting on her digital radio as she passed. The radio was also tuned to the last station she had listened to, also her favourite, being LBC.

  The presenter on LBC was talking about a recent discussion that took place with the home secretary about the policing culture that she would have enjoyed listening to ha
d she not have fallen asleep with the radio still on.

  ***

  Natalie awoke for the second time that day but this time at eleven in the morning, interrupted by the sound of her alarm clock and reached over to switch it off, her hand passing to also turn off the radio.

  She got up and brushed her teeth before getting into her newly fitted shower where the water delicately caressed her skin making her ample breasts glisten as the light refracted off the water.

  Natalie then got dressed into casual civilian clothing knowing that she would only be taking them off again to get changed into her uniform, hence why she didn’t try too hard to look her best.

  With her hair straightened and having eventually found her car keys she was out the door, in her car and embarking on her journey from her home in Norfolk to her workplace in London.

  She chose to live in Norfolk as it was safer, friendlier and far enough away that she could truly get away from work. Plus, with her shifts, she never hit traffic unless things had really gone tits up and the M11 had been closed as a result of a fatal road traffic collision or, more likely, delayed road works. Though, it was all clear as usual on the roads for this particular journey.

  An hour and a half later she was at work staggering out of the car with a single numbed bum check due to the amount of time she had spent sitting down and descended the stairs to her changing room in the basement. She got changed and prepared herself for that first emergency call ensuring that her belt kit was fastened securely, choosing to put it on in the changing room as opposed to the parade room. Something about her strapping it around her small waist, where the handcuffs and other officer safety equipment would then hang, attracted looks from her male counterparts.

  Natalie walked into the parade room on the top floor of Lakeford police station ten minutes prior to the start of her shift, acknowledging the few officers sat scattered around the room.