Disintegration

44

Sean drove back across the field, the bike’s headlamp slicing through the darkness and illuminating the crisscrossing corpses which staggered out in front of him. Half way across he switched off the light, then turned off the engine just short of reaching the hedge. Largely invisible, they coasted toward the gate in the corner. He was off-course slightly, reaching the other side of the field a little low.

“Go and get the gate open,” he hissed at Webb, who was still clinging on tightly behind him.

“What?”

“Get the fucking gate open!”

Webb reluctantly jumped off the bike. Using the hedgerow as cover he ran blindly forward along the farthest edge of the field, anxiously shoving corpses out of the way. He was panting with effort by the time he reached the gate. His hands numb with cold, he undid the latch and pulled the metal barrier open, aware that a mass of shadows was already closing in on him.

“Done,” he shouted, hoping his voice was loud enough for Sean to hear. The starting of the bike’s engine and the immediate flood of light across the field was confirmation. The bike roared toward him and burst through the open gate onto the road, collecting a single corpse along the way and sending it flying through the air like a rag doll. Webb shut the gate as soon as Sean was through. He struggled with the awkward latch again, fighting to concentrate on the lock and ignore the countless dark figures which were swarming ever closer. Two of them clattered against the gate, the force of their uncoordinated impact jolting him back and showering him with droplets of decay. Behind him Sean was already off the bike. He grabbed the cadaver in the road and snapped its neck, surprising himself with his brutality, then climbed into the car which had previously blocked the full width of the gate. He released the handbrake, then jumped out and, with Webb’s help, pushed it forward a few feet so that the barrier was secure again.

“You all right?” he asked, looking into Webb’s face, partially illuminated by a sudden glimpse of early moonlight. Webb nodded.

“Fine,” he said, glancing back at the twenty or so corpses which were now smashing themselves relentlessly against the metal gate. He wished they’d stop. The noise was making him nervous. He climbed back on the bike and held on tightly as they powered down to the fork in the road, then sharply turned back on themselves and roared up toward the hotel. The building loomed large up ahead, silhouetted against the darkening sky. Sean could already see movement.

“Shit!” he cursed as the light from the bike illuminated the outline of a crowd of figures moving toward them across the car park. Three—no four—bodies were heading their way. How the hell did they get through? Had they left the gate open earlier? Had they somehow got in through … wait … they were moving too quickly, and their movements were controlled. It was Hollis and the others. He drove up to the front of the building and got off the bike, relieved.

“It’s all right,” he said to Webb, calmer now. “It’s okay. It’s just Jas and—”

Jas silenced him with a savage right hook which sent him spinning around and crashing down. Stunned, he didn’t know where he was or what had happened. Jas then moved toward Webb, who cowered pathetically, covering his face with his hands.

“Don’t hit me,” he pleaded as Jas grabbed his collar and pulled him closer. “Please, I—”

“Leave it,” Hollis warned, forcing himself between the two men. “Not out here.”

“Fuckers took my bike,” Jas seethed.

“Not out here,” Hollis repeated.

“Never mind your damn bike,” Harte said anxiously, “just get them inside before they do any more damage.”

“What you talking about?” Webb stammered, trying to hide the fear in his voice and failing miserably. “We blocked the gate. We didn’t let any of them through.”

“Just shut up and get inside,” Jas hissed, shoving him back toward the hotel.

“But we didn’t—”

“Just get inside,” he shouted, running forward and grabbing Webb again. Face-to-face, Webb found himself looking deep into the other man’s eyes. The anger he’d expected to see wasn’t there, just fear. He wrestled himself away and ran toward the safety of the hotel’s shadows.