my first few months after Z-day hit Australian shores
I'm sorry I don't go into great detail, or explain who the people are in my blog, but I'm typing this as fast as i can. Hopefully one day i will find a place that is quiet and safe so I can review my story and put in some details....
I'm sure that google maps is still up and running, so some key area's will be in bold you can look them up to see where we were.
Also I apologize for grammar and spelling. And I'm not 100% sure of dates. All I know is this took place around my 21st birthday in 2007 .
Ocka volunteers to come with us, but we tell him he should stay behind and keep an eye on everything. He too reluctantly agrees to stay behind. Simon and I drive off in the Pyg to Wodonga, we both discuss who should drive the truck on the way there. Simon suggests he should because I’ve got the whole tying the fence up thing down pat. Plus I think he secretly has always wanted to flatten the undead with a truck.
We get near the petrol station; there is a car there, its lights on engine still running. I turn the Pyg’s lights off and slowly coaster our way to the petrol station. Simon and I discuss whether or not we just drive up and take the truck or check out the station first and then make our move. Its agreed on that after Simon’s experience inside the Beechworth prison that we check it out first, just incase the people/person is someone violent. I shift the Pyg into neutral. I open the drivers door and tell Simon to take the wheel. I give him strict instructions on how to change gears cos I don’t wanna have to replace the honey pot if it breaks changing gears, I tell Simon to slowly drive up to the roundabout and then come back slowly, I’m going to check out the car. Simon obliges my request and slides across to the drivers seat. He then reaches into the back seat and places on his lap a double barrel shot gun. He pats it and smiles, “just incase”. I pull out one of my 9mm pistols. I smile back to Simon “just incase” (secretly I’m shitting myself). I watch Simon slowly drive up the road. I begin to make my way towards the petrol station. I can see some movement within the cabin of the truck. I quickly make my way to there car and to the passenger side car door. I slowly open it. The car smells of cigarettes. There is wads of cash laying on the floor of the front seat. So tempted to take the cash but it’s to much to carry. I reach over to the drive side of the car and quickly turn off the engine and pull out the keys and get out of the car and duck down beside the car. I hear the truck door open slowly. And foot steps towards the car. I slowly sneak round towards the truck. I climb into the cabin and point the gun at the person who is now putting there head into the car, they’ve realized there keys are missing they stand up pretty quickly and hold a steering lock above there head ready to fight. Simon pulls into the petrol station, he smashes on the lights and flicks on the high beams, I can’t see Simon but I hear the sound of the cocking of his shot gun. The man lowers his steering lock and begins to back towards the truck. He then sees me. He freezes.
We exchange words. Politely. We find out he’s from Bright and heading to Alice Springs. He’s heard reports that it’s safe there. He had intended on taking the truck and driving that there. But we convinced him that the truck wouldn’t make it. How’d we do that—if anyone asks Simon owned the truck and was coming back to collect it. Plus if he wanted to argue we had the guns. We fueled him up and I parted with my GPS and gave it to the guy. We also helped him fill up jerry cans full of fuel and loaded them into his backseat and boot. He slowly drove off. Simon and I gave a sigh of relief as the fact the man wasn’t violent and that he was understanding about us pulling guns on him. We were going to offer that he stay with us, but I hinted that we were going to Adelaide, only because I didn’t trust the guy. Which is a good thing, because of his actions later.
Simon got into the cabin of the truck, we realized that we had no way of starting it, and even if we did the guy from before had tried to hotwire it and had pulled out a stack load of wires. So essentially the truck was stuffed. We locked the cabin and headed back to Campbell’s. We got back, and told them what had happened.
We nutted out a plan to fix the truck, but didn’t have any luck. It wasn’t until Jimmy suggested something so obvious that we began to plan our next trip.
Jimmy suggested that we get another truck and put the tanker on that. All we’d have to do is jack up the trailer, put the truck in neutral and scoot it out of the way put in the new truck and we’d be on our merry way. Lucas suggested we go to truck stops and try there, Mandy said we should just tow the tanker with a car in front pulling and another pushing. Then Jimmy suggested we go to a truck store and steal one from there, they’d have keys in the shop. They’d be ready to drive and in good working order. Smart thinking as far as we could see. Ocka and Jimmy went off to a truck store in North Albury (33 Dallinger Rd, Lavington NSW 2641) and begun stealing the ideal truck. Simon and I began to jack up and shift the truck at the petrol station. It was heaven to our ears to hear the truck coming. But what followed it wasn’t.
The sound of gun fire and moaning Zombies chasing the truck in the black of night. Jimmy’s voice came onto the radio in a rush. He was saying something. But we couldn’t make out what it was. He was warning us. The amount of zombies chasing them was incredible. Simon and I were in the Pyg pretty quickly once we saw the Zombies chasing them. We drove in front of the truck and guided them to the open highway. It was clear enough to drive. We slowed our cars down and turned them around. We turned on our high beams to light up the road. We couldn’t see or hear anything. I think we waited ten minutes before venturing back. First Simon and I drove back, the streets where empty. We radioed for the truck to come. It was there in seconds. Simon and I guided Ocky into place. We dropped the trailer and sent him and Jimmy on there way back. Simon and I followed behind pretty quickly. We arrived back to a sight we didn’t want to see.
There were 20 or so Zombies standing outside the fence trying to get into Campbell’s. Simon aimed the shot gun out the window. “Just incase” he repeated as he emptied his gun into the Zombies. Blood and limbs flew off. Ocky hung out his window with his gun and did the same, so did Jimmy with a cross bow and I joined in with my two 9mm pistols. We made light work of them. We also got to feel all manly by killing Zombies with GUNS! With them dead… well deader, we moved as quickly as we could and got the truck and tanker in the fenced yard and did the fence backup. We all scrambled inside and up to the top of the shelving. We had to explain to everyone else what had happened and again it was a sleep less night for us all. Morning had come and I hadn’t slept a wink. I felt like I was a zombie but I thought it wasn’t something to joke about, Jimmy did, “morning Rob Zombie”.
I climbed down the shelving and made my way outside, alone. I made to laps of the building checking the fencing for holes. It was all clear. Lucas and Ocka where on the roof painting the words “survivors inside” Mandy was organizing bags of washing powder to spell out the date. Clare, Simon and Jimmy sorted through the foods and drinks making piles of foods that did have use by dates and those didn’t.
I then begun to fuel the cars and unpack the gas cylinders and bbq from Simon’s Ute and set it up in the most open part of Campbell’s. Woody kept me company by sleeping on the pile of bathmats. At this point I really begun to miss my own dogs Nipper and Bullet. I begun to miss my family. Where were they all? Was Kelly and Bailey ok in QLD? They were due to come down sometime soon. It had all hit me like a train. I lost it and broke down in tears. Glad only Woody saw it, he was a good listener. Felt better after talking to him. It wasn’t long after setting up the BBQ and kitchen area that I was soon joined by a red eyed Lucas who had been having his own cry over not knowing the where abouts of Pinky and there unborn child. He told me he wanted to find her and bring her back here. Not only for him but for Camille. We discussed what he wanted to do. I said I’d gladly go with him, but we’d have to organize stuff with the others. We had to decide if we took the Pyg or the truck. What food we could take what water we could take, Luke didn’t like this, he said we could take what ever we wanted. “It’s not theirs, so I’ll talk what ever I like” I tried to calm him down and tell him we needed to make sure the majority were looked after not the minority. He cracked it and went off and was gone for some time before he returned and we spoke as a group. It was decided we’d take the truck and extra fuel. We had plenty of blankets and food and water for the trip, all we needed now was a rough location to look at. We decided a week in the gold coast to look in hotels and high rise building for pinky. And a week in Brisbane so I could look for my sister and nephew and hopefully the rest of my family too. We’d leave in two days, that way we’d have plenty of rest and be ready to do the drive in one hit.
Clare supplied me with some Phenergan and we forced Lucas to take them and we climbed to our beds and slept. I slept for a good day and a half. I was woken to the smell of Jimmy’s feet and the sound of his snoring. I just lay there and collected myself and sat up. Lucas had all the food and supplies sitting by the door waiting for me to help him load it into the truck. He looked as if he hadn’t slept at all. Ocka was checking the guns and providing us with sufficient ammo for our two week trip north. I slowly made my way down the shelving and to Lucas. He told me he hadn’t slept. We loaded the truck and untied the fence and put the truck outside. We said our goodbyes, I almost got teary, everyone else did cept Manda, so I thought I couldn’t let her be tougher than me and held back my tears. I fixed up the fence and begun to drive, it was harder changing gears in the truck than I thought.
Lucas was fast asleep by the time we had hit Wagga (Wagga Wagga NSW). I was sort of glad he was because the carnage on the streets was full on.
I continued to drive the entire drive only stopping once in the middle of the open to top up the fuel tanks. Lucas still slept. We reached Warwick (Warwick QLD) just inside the QLD border when he woke and offered to take the wheel. But I was already settled into driving mode.
I tried to talk about things to take his mind of Pinky, we couldn’t talk of upcoming movies, because at this stage there wasn’t going to be any, so I just told him about how scary it was getting the fuel tanker and about the man who Simon and I pulled the gun on. It was at that moment I stopped the truck, because in front of us in the middle of a narrow bridge was a parked car. It’s hazard lights where flashing. There wasn’t enough room to drive around. I coasted the truck forward slowly and told Lucas to get the shotgun and my guns ready. I told Lucas I’d check it out. Lucas wound down his window and aimed the shotgun at the car. I walked out with both guns drawn and slowly walked towards the car. No sign of him. The engine wasn’t running, the fuel tank read as full. I got into the car and started the engine. It started with no problems I shifted the car forward off the bridge and to the side of the road and got out and begun walking back to the truck. Then BANG! Gun fire, someone was shooting at me. It wasn’t Lucas, which is lucky for him. It was someone else. I begun running towards the truck, Lucas, quickly ducked inside the cabin and wound up his window. I ran faster and got to the truck when a bullet smashed the side mirror of the driver door and I was told not to move. I froze and didn’t move.
Clare, Simon and myself were having lunch at number 4 (eating rice) when Mandy comes home for lunch and puts on the TV to watch Ellen. During an ad break news headlines come on, there is some sort of new influenza sweeping through Asia, and there are fears of it spreading globally.
Airports and shipping docks shut down to be safe. America was is total shut down, Majority of Asia had dropped off the map. Only a few provinces still have contact with the outside world. They say people are rioting and trying to get through blockades.
The blockades are made of razor wire, line mines and several 12ft high cement fences with gun turrets located in the corners.
As the people try to get through they don't speak, they just push through. They rip there own limbs off but don't scream. They willingly walk through the mine field ignoring the blasts next to them. The soldiers in the gun towers say they've never seen anything so scary.
It's so chilling to hear this. Amanda makes a joke about them just wanting fried rice; we chuckle at the bad taste joke. Then Ellen starts up again. It's cut short this time with breaking news that the influenza has hit Europe.
We're a little panicked, but not to panicked to stop us from going to the movies (456 Dean St, Albury NSW 2640 (Regent Cinemas)) to watch George A Rameros new Zombie flick in REAL-D. Lucas meets us there pinky, can't cos she's on the Gold Coast (Gold Coast, Queensland) for work. Mandy doesn't come she heads back to work.
Anyway we are halfway through the movie when the guy in front starts coughing and leaves. It was rather annoying cos we were about to find out what caused the zombie outbreak in his original films. Moments later during a gory moment we hear the screams of people. 'Wow the surround sound is awesome' I remember thinking to myself, then Simon points out a floor in the sound, they're Aussie accents not American. The man who left before wanders back in. He lunges at the poor old woman in the front row. She screams Lucas thinks "that's funny as Fu k" as he thinks the man is just scaring her. He isn't. He's killing her. There is wide spread panic when we all notice the spray of blood. The guy two rows behind her is sprayed, he is what sets everyone off with panic.
We all flood out of cinema two. The entrances is full of blood and bodies which lay bleeding gasping for breath like fish out of water. We are all to panicked a scared to help so we flee to the exit. There is more carnage outside. Clare locks the doors promptly.
"It’s probably safer inside" she was right about a hundred or more zombies race past. They are FAST. Scary fast. We hear a commotion upstairs. We are trapped.
"The elevator!" cries out Clare, we run over and press the button. Simon grabs a cardboard display and puts it in front of the door so the zombie doesn't see us; lucky he did because the elevator took it's time to open.
Once the elevator opened we piled in a closed the door, we waited for the elevator to move upwards a few meters before pressing the emergency stop button.
We sat still and quiet for a few hours. Then we made a decision to send one of us out to check, I drew the short straw (un be known to me Lucas had rigged it, why?, he told me later it's because I was single and he believed I could handle myself, Clare wasn't able to out run a zombie if needed cos of her knees, Simon had Lucy and Lucas had pinky and was to be a dad in a few months.)
So I ventured out, I went downstairs but the zombie down stairs was standing staring out the glass door. I snuck back upstairs, I'd planned to cut through intensity, but the stairs were blocked with promo gear. I headed down to the show case cinema-- the downstairs foyer was lit up red, the glass doors which let in the light through the cafe were soaked in blood. I snuck backup stairs and towards the elevator. But I heard the zombie coming. I jumped over the candy bar counter and hid. There was silence I peeked over the counter, it was stupid of me, the zombie saw me and sprinted towards me, I had no where to run to, nothing to fight with, LUCKY FOR ME, he'd killed someone earlier and there blood was all over the floor. The zombie slipped and smashed his head on the counter so hard the entire front of his head caved in. I quickly jumped the counter and headed for the elevator, the doors opened and I was in like a shot.
I filled in the guys and we decided to camp out the night, I snuck out again and grabbed some drinks and food I also escorted everyone to the toilets one at a time. Scary stuff in the dark with zombies.
That night none of us slept, everyone worried like crazy.
We made a decision that we were going to go somewhere where it was safe and had lots of food, we also made a decision to grab clothes and other essentials and be at Lucas' unit within 3hrs.
I volunteered to go get us a car and to drop people off at there's so they could get what they needed.
The PYG is one awesome car to hit zombies with, they splatter. And don't dint the car :P
I dropped everyone off and did a speedy dash out to Chiltern (Chiltern VIC). Place was empty, I tried Wangaratta they weren't there, I stopped in at Jimmy's place, him and his dad were under their pub (27 Detour Rd, Wangaratta North VIC 3678 (Vine Hotel)), they came with me, we had no idea where anyone else was, we stopped in at Yack (Yackandandah VIC), no one there either, we sped to Lucas' I dropped Ocka and Jimmy off there and went to #4 I found Mav and couldn't see Mandy, she was in the roof, she jumped down and was in hysterics, I put them both in the PYG and some clothes and we went to Luke’s.
Airports and shipping docks shut down to be safe. America was is total shut down, Majority of Asia had dropped off the map. Only a few provinces still have contact with the outside world. They say people are rioting and trying to get through blockades.
The blockades are made of razor wire, line mines and several 12ft high cement fences with gun turrets located in the corners.
As the people try to get through they don't speak, they just push through. They rip there own limbs off but don't scream. They willingly walk through the mine field ignoring the blasts next to them. The soldiers in the gun towers say they've never seen anything so scary.
It's so chilling to hear this. Amanda makes a joke about them just wanting fried rice; we chuckle at the bad taste joke. Then Ellen starts up again. It's cut short this time with breaking news that the influenza has hit Europe.
We're a little panicked, but not to panicked to stop us from going to the movies (456 Dean St, Albury NSW 2640 (Regent Cinemas)) to watch George A Rameros new Zombie flick in REAL-D. Lucas meets us there pinky, can't cos she's on the Gold Coast (Gold Coast, Queensland) for work. Mandy doesn't come she heads back to work.
Anyway we are halfway through the movie when the guy in front starts coughing and leaves. It was rather annoying cos we were about to find out what caused the zombie outbreak in his original films. Moments later during a gory moment we hear the screams of people. 'Wow the surround sound is awesome' I remember thinking to myself, then Simon points out a floor in the sound, they're Aussie accents not American. The man who left before wanders back in. He lunges at the poor old woman in the front row. She screams Lucas thinks "that's funny as Fu k" as he thinks the man is just scaring her. He isn't. He's killing her. There is wide spread panic when we all notice the spray of blood. The guy two rows behind her is sprayed, he is what sets everyone off with panic.
We all flood out of cinema two. The entrances is full of blood and bodies which lay bleeding gasping for breath like fish out of water. We are all to panicked a scared to help so we flee to the exit. There is more carnage outside. Clare locks the doors promptly.
"It’s probably safer inside" she was right about a hundred or more zombies race past. They are FAST. Scary fast. We hear a commotion upstairs. We are trapped.
"The elevator!" cries out Clare, we run over and press the button. Simon grabs a cardboard display and puts it in front of the door so the zombie doesn't see us; lucky he did because the elevator took it's time to open.
Once the elevator opened we piled in a closed the door, we waited for the elevator to move upwards a few meters before pressing the emergency stop button.
We sat still and quiet for a few hours. Then we made a decision to send one of us out to check, I drew the short straw (un be known to me Lucas had rigged it, why?, he told me later it's because I was single and he believed I could handle myself, Clare wasn't able to out run a zombie if needed cos of her knees, Simon had Lucy and Lucas had pinky and was to be a dad in a few months.)
So I ventured out, I went downstairs but the zombie down stairs was standing staring out the glass door. I snuck back upstairs, I'd planned to cut through intensity, but the stairs were blocked with promo gear. I headed down to the show case cinema-- the downstairs foyer was lit up red, the glass doors which let in the light through the cafe were soaked in blood. I snuck backup stairs and towards the elevator. But I heard the zombie coming. I jumped over the candy bar counter and hid. There was silence I peeked over the counter, it was stupid of me, the zombie saw me and sprinted towards me, I had no where to run to, nothing to fight with, LUCKY FOR ME, he'd killed someone earlier and there blood was all over the floor. The zombie slipped and smashed his head on the counter so hard the entire front of his head caved in. I quickly jumped the counter and headed for the elevator, the doors opened and I was in like a shot.
I filled in the guys and we decided to camp out the night, I snuck out again and grabbed some drinks and food I also escorted everyone to the toilets one at a time. Scary stuff in the dark with zombies.
That night none of us slept, everyone worried like crazy.
We made a decision that we were going to go somewhere where it was safe and had lots of food, we also made a decision to grab clothes and other essentials and be at Lucas' unit within 3hrs.
I volunteered to go get us a car and to drop people off at there's so they could get what they needed.
The PYG is one awesome car to hit zombies with, they splatter. And don't dint the car :P
I dropped everyone off and did a speedy dash out to Chiltern (Chiltern VIC). Place was empty, I tried Wangaratta they weren't there, I stopped in at Jimmy's place, him and his dad were under their pub (27 Detour Rd, Wangaratta North VIC 3678 (Vine Hotel)), they came with me, we had no idea where anyone else was, we stopped in at Yack (Yackandandah VIC), no one there either, we sped to Lucas' I dropped Ocka and Jimmy off there and went to #4 I found Mav and couldn't see Mandy, she was in the roof, she jumped down and was in hysterics, I put them both in the PYG and some clothes and we went to Luke’s.
Everyone was at Luke’s.
Clare + Charlie and angel
Lucas + Camille and pets
Manda + Mav
Jimmy + Ocka and Ezzie
Simon + Woody.
Everyone was in tears and upset because they were missing someone they loved, Simon was the worse, he couldn't find Lucy. He made the decision for us to all decide on where we were going to go and sit out the zombie problem, and then he would go look for Lucy.
We decided Campbell’s Cash and Carry was best (238 Kiewa St, South Albury NSW 2640 (Campbells Cash & Carry)), as it was surrounded by a 12ft high fence with barbed wire round the top, the building was solid and full of canned foods and drinks and it had high shelving that we could climb up and sleep on top of at night. We spent that night at Luke’s, we made Simon stay that night two, Ocka and I said once we made sure everyone else was safe at Campbell’s we'd go look for Lucy.
The day dawned. Of course Simon was gone. He left a note saying he’d be back soon or he’d meet us at Campbell’s. We were all a little angry, but we understood that Lucy meant the world to him, besides I don’t think anyone would want to try and stop Simon from leaving to find Lucy.
Lucas and I ventured down the street in the PYG; we stopped into Dick Smiths (455 Kiewa St, Albury NSW 2640 (Dick Smith Electronics)) and did some looting of radios and batteries.
We got stuck in the store. Because Zombies were roaming around the PYG. A certain troll came to our aid, unwillingly of course. Luke and I made a dash for the car as the Zombies went after the troll.
We arrived back at the Unit, Ocka and Jimmy jumped in the Pyg and we sped over to raid “the great outdoors” super store, we got ourselves some guns and camping gear. Ocka thought it a good idea to test out the gun on the drive back, the man is one hell of a good shot, but the gun was a tad to loud, I swear my hearing was gone for at least a week in my right ear. We had all the essentials. Guns, clothes, batteries radios, camping gear and bedding. All we needed now was to get to Campbell’s and get that sorted and then find Lucy and Simon.
We made a plan of attack. Ocka and I would go get the fence ready so we could drive the Pyg in and unload and then fix up the fence. Whilst we did this everyone else packed up there sleeping gear into the tightest smallest way they could.
The drive to Campbell’s was quiet, the streets were empty no Zombie in sight, no planes in the sky, no birds. Just the Pyg on the road. We got to Campbell’s. The gates were closed as we thought they’d be. So Ocky and I cut away the fence wire at the bottom so we could peel the fence up and drive in the Pyg. I could feel the sweet dripping down my forehead and I felt the chills down my spin as rubbish blew down the street. Ocky had the gun next to him at all times just incase. But we didn’t have any hassles. We got the Pyg into the yard, now we just had to figure out how to get into the actual building. We scoped out the outside. All the roller doors were locked tight. We couldn’t get them to budge. I could feel the hope of finding somewhere safe and secure drain from my body. I could see Ocky going pale. I’m pretty sure I swore at this stage got into the Pyg and just revved the guts out of her into one of the roller doors on the right angel. It popped out of its slider and became like a door flat. It was big enough for us to sneak through. We had a quick look around, and then the alarms went off. We got out of there in a quick hurry. We were outside; there were no zombies to be seen. Not yet anyway. A few shots of Ocka’s new toy into the fuse box promptly shut up the alarm. We sealed the door up the best we could with out fixing it closed and then slide one of the dumpsters in front of the door just to be sure that no one would get in except us. We’d finished our job pretty quickly and just in time too. We could hear the screams of the Zombies running do the street. We got in the Pyg and gunned it out of the car pack, The Zombies spotted us. They started running towards us, they didn’t seem to fear 1 tone of steel traveling at 80km an hour. And the Pyg didn’t seem to mind hitting them at 80km an hour. Ocka got on the radio and told everyone to pack there cars and to be ready to join our speeding convoy to Campbell’s. We did a few laps of Albury just to make sure if any Zombies had begun following us that we’d do a loop and catch them again and turn em into street pizza also it was an excuse to check for other survivors. Sadly there wasn’t any that we could see.
We’d reached the units again; I sounded the horn and slowed down so that the others could join the convoy.
There was now a three car convoy. The Pyg, with Ocka and myself. Manda’s car with Cam and Lucas plus pets. And Clare’s car, with Clare, Jimmy and pets.
We flew down the street around the round about and through traffic lights. We weren’t going to stop for anyone. Ocka and I drove in through the fence first and parked the Pyg close; Ocka grabbed his gun and started to move the large dumpster out of the way. He was on the look out for any Zombies which may have figured out the fence wasn’t secure. I got out of the Pyg and lifted the wire so the others could drive in, Lucas was out like a shot and over to help me rewire the fence closed. Jimmy was quick to join. Ocka helped the girls unload the cars and take stuff inside. I could feel all the panic in the air. I’d never had been so scared in my life.
The fence was secured closed again; everyone was inside safe and secure. The dogs didn’t seem to car they just started to play. The cats didn’t care they just continued doing what cats do—which is nothing.
Ocka and I moved the cars into position so if need be we could escape quickly and with out hassle. We then moved inside. Closing the door behind us.
Clare sat on large tins of Stewed Apples, Manda sat next to each other both were visibly worried. And I knew what about, cos I was worried about it to. Simon and Lucy. Were they alright or not? I could only hope that Simon was safe out there alone by himself. Poor Woody looked confused; he was fretting over Simon’s absence and being with strangers. To be 100% honest I couldn’t take it. I was worried. I’d decided as soon as everyone was settled I’d be stupid and go look for Simon. I could take Ocka with me, but I didn’t want to risk having him killed and taking away Jimmy’s dad, I’d already risked his life enough that day. I couldn’t take Lucas, he was Camille’s only family, plus potentially a dad. And Manda, Jimmy and Clare I cared to much for to lose. As far as I could see, what Lucas had told me earlier was true; I had less to lose than anyone else. I wasn’t going to be selfish and risk someone else’s life.
I told everyone we should start to set up camp. Camille and Lucas started to unroll swags in the middle of the isle right in front of the door.
Manda stopped them and told them not there. She pointed up. She was pointing to the very top of the shelving; the shelving was a good 5 meters high. Higher than that any Zombie could reach, and also out of sight of zombies so we could hide if we needed to.
There was an awkward and concerning sigh from both of them, could they make the climb?
No they couldn’t… just as well Campbell’s followed OH&S laws and had scissor lifts. I’d never used one before, Manda had so she set them up like stairs, but there was still a bit of a climb to the very top just for extra safety. Manda, Jimmy and I set up the beds on top of the shelves, Clare and Ocky went off to collect food for the night and to decide on some rules to do with food and the abundance stash of alcohol, Lucas had to do the comforting thing for Camille who was upset cos she had no family with her.
Mandy and Jimmy asked me about Simon, I let it slip to them what I was planning on doing. Jimmy said nothing to discourage me, except told me to be safe and to come back alive and not undead. Manda said she’d cover for me for as long as she could but she didn’t like the idea of me going it alone. She tried to guilt me into staying or at least taking her with me, but I said it’s something I had to do.
Clare and Ocka returned with food for the night. M&M’s for sugar and to calm our nerves, cans of beef and veggie soup and some sort of almond cracker biscuit. Plus a can of warm soft drink each.
We all sat and ate our foods and went over the rules and game plan for our survival.
1) No drinking the alcohol. If we’re drunk and zombies got in, “we’re fucked”
2) If food has a used by date on it then that’s to be eaten first.
3) Clare is to ration out the food and drinks so it lasts. No helping yourself.
4) Everyone is to sleep in pairs and everyone is to go to the toilet in pairs.
We also decided that we would climb up on the roof and paint on it, “survivors inside” then each day we would use object to write the date, just to help us be rescued if choppers or planes fly over.
We set up spots to sit with guns just incase zombies did get in. We also decided if we did get attacked and had to flee we’d get into our cars and drive along the Hume highway until we ran out of fuel. Jimmy and Mandy were put in charge of looking after the animals. Lucas was to check the 2 way radios and Cam to check the AM radio. My job was to check the security of the building and to ensure everyone was healthy—if anyone had any sign of infection, I was to put em in the boot of the Pyg and speed off and dump them on the side of the road 100km away. I prayed I didn’t have to do this to anyone. But if it meant saving there lives of others I would do it.
I took from the stash of guns two 9mm pistols and tucked them into holsters under my shirt and I put a knife in my belt. I may not have liked having them on me all the time, but I did feel a sense of security wearing them.
After our jobs were set I waited for it to get dark, I told Jimmy and Mandy I was leaving, I snuck outside and pushed the Pyg to the fence. I untied the wires and pushed the Pyg out, I did up the wires and pushed the Pyg down the street and started it up. I made a stop at number 2, no sign of them there; I stopped at Simon’s old house, nothing, I broke in and sorted through papers to try and find an address for his parents, nothing. I was just about to give up when I saw a DVD of prison break on the kitchen table. I knew where Simon would be.
I bolted out to the Pyg and sped out to Beechworth Gaol (2-18 Beechworth Wodonga Rd, Beechworth VIC 3747), sure enough, his Ute was there, it was amongst a bunch of other car, I could see light coming from inside. I could also see Zombies clawing at the stone walls, they wanted in. I sounded my car horn. And revved my engine, a tall skinny mans head popped out from one of the towers; he flashed me with his torch. I flash my car lights and wave a radio out the window. At this point I’m spotted by Zombies, so decide to do laps of the gaol. I finally speak to someone on the radio, it’s a woman, her name is Andrea, I ask if there is a Simon Dewar in there she says yes, and I ask about Lucy, she says yes as well, I ask to speak to him, but I’m told no. I argue that I need to speak to him. Finally Simon’s voice explodes onto the radio, he tells me to get to the front gate, I speed my way down to the gate it flies open, out burst Simon with Lucy under his arm. He has blood dripping down his nose and a cut on his forehead. I speed off towards Albury. Simon says he has stuff in his Ute he needs. I spin the Pyg round and give Simon a radio, we get the Ute and both leave. Lucy sits in the car with me and we head to Campbell’s I put on Metallic for Lucy, I’m surprised she knows the words to enter the Sandman. I give her the radio and her and Simon chat. I cut there conversation short. Because up ahead heading towards us, is a swarm of Zombies, I get Lucy to lay down on the floor in the backseat. Simon pulls up along side me, and we both floor it. Both The Pyg and Ute make mince meet of the Zombie coming towards us. The windscreen cracks on the Pyg, the sound of Zombies splattering is a tad disgusting even for me I turn up the music. Simon later tells me he could hear it in his Ute. We make it through the horde of Zombies, and back to clear open roads. Simon tells me he’s low on fuel so we detour through Wodonga and stop in at a servo (3 Melrose Dr, Wodonga VIC 3690). We fill up our cars and see a fuel tanker, sitting in the petrol station. Simon checks it, it’s full. We make a decision; we drop off Lucy and the Ute and come back for the tanker. Before we head back, Simon and I raid the fuel station and fill the Ute up with bottles of motor oil and other little goodies, but Simon wasn’t lying when he said that he had stuff in the back of the Ute we needed. 4 large gas cylinders, a Webber BBQ, fire bricks and other essential cooking gear.
We make our way back to Campbell’s and angry Clare sits waiting for me inside on top of the Apples; I cop a good verbal beating for a few minutes about going off on my own, but it is quickly ended when Simon and Lucy make some noise outside. At first Clare is frightened. Then I peel back the roller door and in they walk. Clare cries with happiness. Lucy gets a big squeezy hug, so does Simon, but he also cops the verbal beating too. I explain to Clare that Simon and I are heading out to get a fuel tanker. We get the concerned and angry speech from Clare, but then we explain the importance of having the fuel and she settles down and lets us go. Lucy sees the “puppies” and is occupied by them whilst we sneak out.
Clare + Charlie and angel
Lucas + Camille and pets
Manda + Mav
Jimmy + Ocka and Ezzie
Simon + Woody.
Everyone was in tears and upset because they were missing someone they loved, Simon was the worse, he couldn't find Lucy. He made the decision for us to all decide on where we were going to go and sit out the zombie problem, and then he would go look for Lucy.
We decided Campbell’s Cash and Carry was best (238 Kiewa St, South Albury NSW 2640 (Campbells Cash & Carry)), as it was surrounded by a 12ft high fence with barbed wire round the top, the building was solid and full of canned foods and drinks and it had high shelving that we could climb up and sleep on top of at night. We spent that night at Luke’s, we made Simon stay that night two, Ocka and I said once we made sure everyone else was safe at Campbell’s we'd go look for Lucy.
The day dawned. Of course Simon was gone. He left a note saying he’d be back soon or he’d meet us at Campbell’s. We were all a little angry, but we understood that Lucy meant the world to him, besides I don’t think anyone would want to try and stop Simon from leaving to find Lucy.
Lucas and I ventured down the street in the PYG; we stopped into Dick Smiths (455 Kiewa St, Albury NSW 2640 (Dick Smith Electronics)) and did some looting of radios and batteries.
We got stuck in the store. Because Zombies were roaming around the PYG. A certain troll came to our aid, unwillingly of course. Luke and I made a dash for the car as the Zombies went after the troll.
We arrived back at the Unit, Ocka and Jimmy jumped in the Pyg and we sped over to raid “the great outdoors” super store, we got ourselves some guns and camping gear. Ocka thought it a good idea to test out the gun on the drive back, the man is one hell of a good shot, but the gun was a tad to loud, I swear my hearing was gone for at least a week in my right ear. We had all the essentials. Guns, clothes, batteries radios, camping gear and bedding. All we needed now was to get to Campbell’s and get that sorted and then find Lucy and Simon.
We made a plan of attack. Ocka and I would go get the fence ready so we could drive the Pyg in and unload and then fix up the fence. Whilst we did this everyone else packed up there sleeping gear into the tightest smallest way they could.
The drive to Campbell’s was quiet, the streets were empty no Zombie in sight, no planes in the sky, no birds. Just the Pyg on the road. We got to Campbell’s. The gates were closed as we thought they’d be. So Ocky and I cut away the fence wire at the bottom so we could peel the fence up and drive in the Pyg. I could feel the sweet dripping down my forehead and I felt the chills down my spin as rubbish blew down the street. Ocky had the gun next to him at all times just incase. But we didn’t have any hassles. We got the Pyg into the yard, now we just had to figure out how to get into the actual building. We scoped out the outside. All the roller doors were locked tight. We couldn’t get them to budge. I could feel the hope of finding somewhere safe and secure drain from my body. I could see Ocky going pale. I’m pretty sure I swore at this stage got into the Pyg and just revved the guts out of her into one of the roller doors on the right angel. It popped out of its slider and became like a door flat. It was big enough for us to sneak through. We had a quick look around, and then the alarms went off. We got out of there in a quick hurry. We were outside; there were no zombies to be seen. Not yet anyway. A few shots of Ocka’s new toy into the fuse box promptly shut up the alarm. We sealed the door up the best we could with out fixing it closed and then slide one of the dumpsters in front of the door just to be sure that no one would get in except us. We’d finished our job pretty quickly and just in time too. We could hear the screams of the Zombies running do the street. We got in the Pyg and gunned it out of the car pack, The Zombies spotted us. They started running towards us, they didn’t seem to fear 1 tone of steel traveling at 80km an hour. And the Pyg didn’t seem to mind hitting them at 80km an hour. Ocka got on the radio and told everyone to pack there cars and to be ready to join our speeding convoy to Campbell’s. We did a few laps of Albury just to make sure if any Zombies had begun following us that we’d do a loop and catch them again and turn em into street pizza also it was an excuse to check for other survivors. Sadly there wasn’t any that we could see.
We’d reached the units again; I sounded the horn and slowed down so that the others could join the convoy.
There was now a three car convoy. The Pyg, with Ocka and myself. Manda’s car with Cam and Lucas plus pets. And Clare’s car, with Clare, Jimmy and pets.
We flew down the street around the round about and through traffic lights. We weren’t going to stop for anyone. Ocka and I drove in through the fence first and parked the Pyg close; Ocka grabbed his gun and started to move the large dumpster out of the way. He was on the look out for any Zombies which may have figured out the fence wasn’t secure. I got out of the Pyg and lifted the wire so the others could drive in, Lucas was out like a shot and over to help me rewire the fence closed. Jimmy was quick to join. Ocka helped the girls unload the cars and take stuff inside. I could feel all the panic in the air. I’d never had been so scared in my life.
The fence was secured closed again; everyone was inside safe and secure. The dogs didn’t seem to car they just started to play. The cats didn’t care they just continued doing what cats do—which is nothing.
Ocka and I moved the cars into position so if need be we could escape quickly and with out hassle. We then moved inside. Closing the door behind us.
Clare sat on large tins of Stewed Apples, Manda sat next to each other both were visibly worried. And I knew what about, cos I was worried about it to. Simon and Lucy. Were they alright or not? I could only hope that Simon was safe out there alone by himself. Poor Woody looked confused; he was fretting over Simon’s absence and being with strangers. To be 100% honest I couldn’t take it. I was worried. I’d decided as soon as everyone was settled I’d be stupid and go look for Simon. I could take Ocka with me, but I didn’t want to risk having him killed and taking away Jimmy’s dad, I’d already risked his life enough that day. I couldn’t take Lucas, he was Camille’s only family, plus potentially a dad. And Manda, Jimmy and Clare I cared to much for to lose. As far as I could see, what Lucas had told me earlier was true; I had less to lose than anyone else. I wasn’t going to be selfish and risk someone else’s life.
I told everyone we should start to set up camp. Camille and Lucas started to unroll swags in the middle of the isle right in front of the door.
Manda stopped them and told them not there. She pointed up. She was pointing to the very top of the shelving; the shelving was a good 5 meters high. Higher than that any Zombie could reach, and also out of sight of zombies so we could hide if we needed to.
There was an awkward and concerning sigh from both of them, could they make the climb?
No they couldn’t… just as well Campbell’s followed OH&S laws and had scissor lifts. I’d never used one before, Manda had so she set them up like stairs, but there was still a bit of a climb to the very top just for extra safety. Manda, Jimmy and I set up the beds on top of the shelves, Clare and Ocky went off to collect food for the night and to decide on some rules to do with food and the abundance stash of alcohol, Lucas had to do the comforting thing for Camille who was upset cos she had no family with her.
Mandy and Jimmy asked me about Simon, I let it slip to them what I was planning on doing. Jimmy said nothing to discourage me, except told me to be safe and to come back alive and not undead. Manda said she’d cover for me for as long as she could but she didn’t like the idea of me going it alone. She tried to guilt me into staying or at least taking her with me, but I said it’s something I had to do.
Clare and Ocka returned with food for the night. M&M’s for sugar and to calm our nerves, cans of beef and veggie soup and some sort of almond cracker biscuit. Plus a can of warm soft drink each.
We all sat and ate our foods and went over the rules and game plan for our survival.
1) No drinking the alcohol. If we’re drunk and zombies got in, “we’re fucked”
2) If food has a used by date on it then that’s to be eaten first.
3) Clare is to ration out the food and drinks so it lasts. No helping yourself.
4) Everyone is to sleep in pairs and everyone is to go to the toilet in pairs.
We also decided that we would climb up on the roof and paint on it, “survivors inside” then each day we would use object to write the date, just to help us be rescued if choppers or planes fly over.
We set up spots to sit with guns just incase zombies did get in. We also decided if we did get attacked and had to flee we’d get into our cars and drive along the Hume highway until we ran out of fuel. Jimmy and Mandy were put in charge of looking after the animals. Lucas was to check the 2 way radios and Cam to check the AM radio. My job was to check the security of the building and to ensure everyone was healthy—if anyone had any sign of infection, I was to put em in the boot of the Pyg and speed off and dump them on the side of the road 100km away. I prayed I didn’t have to do this to anyone. But if it meant saving there lives of others I would do it.
I took from the stash of guns two 9mm pistols and tucked them into holsters under my shirt and I put a knife in my belt. I may not have liked having them on me all the time, but I did feel a sense of security wearing them.
After our jobs were set I waited for it to get dark, I told Jimmy and Mandy I was leaving, I snuck outside and pushed the Pyg to the fence. I untied the wires and pushed the Pyg out, I did up the wires and pushed the Pyg down the street and started it up. I made a stop at number 2, no sign of them there; I stopped at Simon’s old house, nothing, I broke in and sorted through papers to try and find an address for his parents, nothing. I was just about to give up when I saw a DVD of prison break on the kitchen table. I knew where Simon would be.
I bolted out to the Pyg and sped out to Beechworth Gaol (2-18 Beechworth Wodonga Rd, Beechworth VIC 3747), sure enough, his Ute was there, it was amongst a bunch of other car, I could see light coming from inside. I could also see Zombies clawing at the stone walls, they wanted in. I sounded my car horn. And revved my engine, a tall skinny mans head popped out from one of the towers; he flashed me with his torch. I flash my car lights and wave a radio out the window. At this point I’m spotted by Zombies, so decide to do laps of the gaol. I finally speak to someone on the radio, it’s a woman, her name is Andrea, I ask if there is a Simon Dewar in there she says yes, and I ask about Lucy, she says yes as well, I ask to speak to him, but I’m told no. I argue that I need to speak to him. Finally Simon’s voice explodes onto the radio, he tells me to get to the front gate, I speed my way down to the gate it flies open, out burst Simon with Lucy under his arm. He has blood dripping down his nose and a cut on his forehead. I speed off towards Albury. Simon says he has stuff in his Ute he needs. I spin the Pyg round and give Simon a radio, we get the Ute and both leave. Lucy sits in the car with me and we head to Campbell’s I put on Metallic for Lucy, I’m surprised she knows the words to enter the Sandman. I give her the radio and her and Simon chat. I cut there conversation short. Because up ahead heading towards us, is a swarm of Zombies, I get Lucy to lay down on the floor in the backseat. Simon pulls up along side me, and we both floor it. Both The Pyg and Ute make mince meet of the Zombie coming towards us. The windscreen cracks on the Pyg, the sound of Zombies splattering is a tad disgusting even for me I turn up the music. Simon later tells me he could hear it in his Ute. We make it through the horde of Zombies, and back to clear open roads. Simon tells me he’s low on fuel so we detour through Wodonga and stop in at a servo (3 Melrose Dr, Wodonga VIC 3690). We fill up our cars and see a fuel tanker, sitting in the petrol station. Simon checks it, it’s full. We make a decision; we drop off Lucy and the Ute and come back for the tanker. Before we head back, Simon and I raid the fuel station and fill the Ute up with bottles of motor oil and other little goodies, but Simon wasn’t lying when he said that he had stuff in the back of the Ute we needed. 4 large gas cylinders, a Webber BBQ, fire bricks and other essential cooking gear.
We make our way back to Campbell’s and angry Clare sits waiting for me inside on top of the Apples; I cop a good verbal beating for a few minutes about going off on my own, but it is quickly ended when Simon and Lucy make some noise outside. At first Clare is frightened. Then I peel back the roller door and in they walk. Clare cries with happiness. Lucy gets a big squeezy hug, so does Simon, but he also cops the verbal beating too. I explain to Clare that Simon and I are heading out to get a fuel tanker. We get the concerned and angry speech from Clare, but then we explain the importance of having the fuel and she settles down and lets us go. Lucy sees the “puppies” and is occupied by them whilst we sneak out.
Ocka volunteers to come with us, but we tell him he should stay behind and keep an eye on everything. He too reluctantly agrees to stay behind. Simon and I drive off in the Pyg to Wodonga, we both discuss who should drive the truck on the way there. Simon suggests he should because I’ve got the whole tying the fence up thing down pat. Plus I think he secretly has always wanted to flatten the undead with a truck.
We get near the petrol station; there is a car there, its lights on engine still running. I turn the Pyg’s lights off and slowly coaster our way to the petrol station. Simon and I discuss whether or not we just drive up and take the truck or check out the station first and then make our move. Its agreed on that after Simon’s experience inside the Beechworth prison that we check it out first, just incase the people/person is someone violent. I shift the Pyg into neutral. I open the drivers door and tell Simon to take the wheel. I give him strict instructions on how to change gears cos I don’t wanna have to replace the honey pot if it breaks changing gears, I tell Simon to slowly drive up to the roundabout and then come back slowly, I’m going to check out the car. Simon obliges my request and slides across to the drivers seat. He then reaches into the back seat and places on his lap a double barrel shot gun. He pats it and smiles, “just incase”. I pull out one of my 9mm pistols. I smile back to Simon “just incase” (secretly I’m shitting myself). I watch Simon slowly drive up the road. I begin to make my way towards the petrol station. I can see some movement within the cabin of the truck. I quickly make my way to there car and to the passenger side car door. I slowly open it. The car smells of cigarettes. There is wads of cash laying on the floor of the front seat. So tempted to take the cash but it’s to much to carry. I reach over to the drive side of the car and quickly turn off the engine and pull out the keys and get out of the car and duck down beside the car. I hear the truck door open slowly. And foot steps towards the car. I slowly sneak round towards the truck. I climb into the cabin and point the gun at the person who is now putting there head into the car, they’ve realized there keys are missing they stand up pretty quickly and hold a steering lock above there head ready to fight. Simon pulls into the petrol station, he smashes on the lights and flicks on the high beams, I can’t see Simon but I hear the sound of the cocking of his shot gun. The man lowers his steering lock and begins to back towards the truck. He then sees me. He freezes.
We exchange words. Politely. We find out he’s from Bright and heading to Alice Springs. He’s heard reports that it’s safe there. He had intended on taking the truck and driving that there. But we convinced him that the truck wouldn’t make it. How’d we do that—if anyone asks Simon owned the truck and was coming back to collect it. Plus if he wanted to argue we had the guns. We fueled him up and I parted with my GPS and gave it to the guy. We also helped him fill up jerry cans full of fuel and loaded them into his backseat and boot. He slowly drove off. Simon and I gave a sigh of relief as the fact the man wasn’t violent and that he was understanding about us pulling guns on him. We were going to offer that he stay with us, but I hinted that we were going to Adelaide, only because I didn’t trust the guy. Which is a good thing, because of his actions later.
Simon got into the cabin of the truck, we realized that we had no way of starting it, and even if we did the guy from before had tried to hotwire it and had pulled out a stack load of wires. So essentially the truck was stuffed. We locked the cabin and headed back to Campbell’s. We got back, and told them what had happened.
We nutted out a plan to fix the truck, but didn’t have any luck. It wasn’t until Jimmy suggested something so obvious that we began to plan our next trip.
Jimmy suggested that we get another truck and put the tanker on that. All we’d have to do is jack up the trailer, put the truck in neutral and scoot it out of the way put in the new truck and we’d be on our merry way. Lucas suggested we go to truck stops and try there, Mandy said we should just tow the tanker with a car in front pulling and another pushing. Then Jimmy suggested we go to a truck store and steal one from there, they’d have keys in the shop. They’d be ready to drive and in good working order. Smart thinking as far as we could see. Ocka and Jimmy went off to a truck store in North Albury (33 Dallinger Rd, Lavington NSW 2641) and begun stealing the ideal truck. Simon and I began to jack up and shift the truck at the petrol station. It was heaven to our ears to hear the truck coming. But what followed it wasn’t.
The sound of gun fire and moaning Zombies chasing the truck in the black of night. Jimmy’s voice came onto the radio in a rush. He was saying something. But we couldn’t make out what it was. He was warning us. The amount of zombies chasing them was incredible. Simon and I were in the Pyg pretty quickly once we saw the Zombies chasing them. We drove in front of the truck and guided them to the open highway. It was clear enough to drive. We slowed our cars down and turned them around. We turned on our high beams to light up the road. We couldn’t see or hear anything. I think we waited ten minutes before venturing back. First Simon and I drove back, the streets where empty. We radioed for the truck to come. It was there in seconds. Simon and I guided Ocky into place. We dropped the trailer and sent him and Jimmy on there way back. Simon and I followed behind pretty quickly. We arrived back to a sight we didn’t want to see.
There were 20 or so Zombies standing outside the fence trying to get into Campbell’s. Simon aimed the shot gun out the window. “Just incase” he repeated as he emptied his gun into the Zombies. Blood and limbs flew off. Ocky hung out his window with his gun and did the same, so did Jimmy with a cross bow and I joined in with my two 9mm pistols. We made light work of them. We also got to feel all manly by killing Zombies with GUNS! With them dead… well deader, we moved as quickly as we could and got the truck and tanker in the fenced yard and did the fence backup. We all scrambled inside and up to the top of the shelving. We had to explain to everyone else what had happened and again it was a sleep less night for us all. Morning had come and I hadn’t slept a wink. I felt like I was a zombie but I thought it wasn’t something to joke about, Jimmy did, “morning Rob Zombie”.
I climbed down the shelving and made my way outside, alone. I made to laps of the building checking the fencing for holes. It was all clear. Lucas and Ocka where on the roof painting the words “survivors inside” Mandy was organizing bags of washing powder to spell out the date. Clare, Simon and Jimmy sorted through the foods and drinks making piles of foods that did have use by dates and those didn’t.
I then begun to fuel the cars and unpack the gas cylinders and bbq from Simon’s Ute and set it up in the most open part of Campbell’s. Woody kept me company by sleeping on the pile of bathmats. At this point I really begun to miss my own dogs Nipper and Bullet. I begun to miss my family. Where were they all? Was Kelly and Bailey ok in QLD? They were due to come down sometime soon. It had all hit me like a train. I lost it and broke down in tears. Glad only Woody saw it, he was a good listener. Felt better after talking to him. It wasn’t long after setting up the BBQ and kitchen area that I was soon joined by a red eyed Lucas who had been having his own cry over not knowing the where abouts of Pinky and there unborn child. He told me he wanted to find her and bring her back here. Not only for him but for Camille. We discussed what he wanted to do. I said I’d gladly go with him, but we’d have to organize stuff with the others. We had to decide if we took the Pyg or the truck. What food we could take what water we could take, Luke didn’t like this, he said we could take what ever we wanted. “It’s not theirs, so I’ll talk what ever I like” I tried to calm him down and tell him we needed to make sure the majority were looked after not the minority. He cracked it and went off and was gone for some time before he returned and we spoke as a group. It was decided we’d take the truck and extra fuel. We had plenty of blankets and food and water for the trip, all we needed now was a rough location to look at. We decided a week in the gold coast to look in hotels and high rise building for pinky. And a week in Brisbane so I could look for my sister and nephew and hopefully the rest of my family too. We’d leave in two days, that way we’d have plenty of rest and be ready to do the drive in one hit.
Clare supplied me with some Phenergan and we forced Lucas to take them and we climbed to our beds and slept. I slept for a good day and a half. I was woken to the smell of Jimmy’s feet and the sound of his snoring. I just lay there and collected myself and sat up. Lucas had all the food and supplies sitting by the door waiting for me to help him load it into the truck. He looked as if he hadn’t slept at all. Ocka was checking the guns and providing us with sufficient ammo for our two week trip north. I slowly made my way down the shelving and to Lucas. He told me he hadn’t slept. We loaded the truck and untied the fence and put the truck outside. We said our goodbyes, I almost got teary, everyone else did cept Manda, so I thought I couldn’t let her be tougher than me and held back my tears. I fixed up the fence and begun to drive, it was harder changing gears in the truck than I thought.
Lucas was fast asleep by the time we had hit Wagga (Wagga Wagga NSW). I was sort of glad he was because the carnage on the streets was full on.
I continued to drive the entire drive only stopping once in the middle of the open to top up the fuel tanks. Lucas still slept. We reached Warwick (Warwick QLD) just inside the QLD border when he woke and offered to take the wheel. But I was already settled into driving mode.
I tried to talk about things to take his mind of Pinky, we couldn’t talk of upcoming movies, because at this stage there wasn’t going to be any, so I just told him about how scary it was getting the fuel tanker and about the man who Simon and I pulled the gun on. It was at that moment I stopped the truck, because in front of us in the middle of a narrow bridge was a parked car. It’s hazard lights where flashing. There wasn’t enough room to drive around. I coasted the truck forward slowly and told Lucas to get the shotgun and my guns ready. I told Lucas I’d check it out. Lucas wound down his window and aimed the shotgun at the car. I walked out with both guns drawn and slowly walked towards the car. No sign of him. The engine wasn’t running, the fuel tank read as full. I got into the car and started the engine. It started with no problems I shifted the car forward off the bridge and to the side of the road and got out and begun walking back to the truck. Then BANG! Gun fire, someone was shooting at me. It wasn’t Lucas, which is lucky for him. It was someone else. I begun running towards the truck, Lucas, quickly ducked inside the cabin and wound up his window. I ran faster and got to the truck when a bullet smashed the side mirror of the driver door and I was told not to move. I froze and didn’t move.
My hands slowly raised to the air. I turned very slowly to see who was shooting at me. As I slowly turned around and caught a glimpse of Lucas in the side mirror, he had the shot gun ready. He also had a look in his eyes of which I never wanted to see again. He was ready to kill someone.
From behind some bushes walked out a man and a woman. Both cover in blood and looking fairly pale. The man had his gun pointed at my head, the woman had hers at the truck. I was more scared of them than I had been of the Zombies. They told me they wanted the truck. They were heading to Alice Springs (Alice Springs NT) but needed something more reliable than the piece of plastic they were driving. I told them in a few uncertain words it wasn’t going to happen. The man fired his gun in my direction. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a warning shot, and that he was just a shit aim. It spooked the woman who then began to scream and yell at me. The man walked closer towards me, so I stepped back a step. The woman walked round to the passengers side. She was going to sneak up on Lucas who had his attention focused on the drivers side door. I yelled out that the passengers side door was locked, she’d of known it wasn’t because she would of seen Lucas scramble in through the window. But it really wasn’t to let her know that the door was locked, it was a heads up for Lucas.
I heard him shift his weight within the truck. He was now ready for her. Only problem was they were going in through both doors. Lucas was screwed. I could see the shadow on the ground of the woman getting closer to the passenger door. I took another step back, but not as far. The man took another step forward. He reached up and grabbed the handle on the truck door.
I felt my heart stop. The world froze. We were about to be like a pair of cheap hookers on pay day… screwed.
I watched the shadow slowly merge with the trucks as she stepped up onto the step to get into the truck. I was bracing myself for the worst. Then I heard it.
Two loud blasts echoed from inside the cabin.
Two shots were fired.
From who though?
I didn’t have time to check who had fired. I only had an instant to react.
I reached forward as fast as I could and pulled the mans gun barrel under my arm, he wasn’t able to fire it at me. I then raised me knee fast and hard into his crutch dropping him to the ground instantly. As he fell to the ground I raised my knee fast and hard into the side of his head.
I’m not sure what knocked him out me knee to his head, or the force of which he smashed his head on the side of the truck step.
I then had his gun. I pointed it towards the truck cabin.
I could hear nothing but my own heart beat in my ears. I was crapping myself.
I slowed my breathing down. With that followed my heart beat slowing down.
I called out for Lucas, but there was no answer. If Lucas was dead and she was in there waiting what should I do? I had no idea. I stood there still. Then I heard something. I turned and there 100 meters down the road sprinting towards me was a pair of zombies. I didn’t care who was in the cabin. I jumped right in and shut the door.
Inside the cabin sat a stunned Lucas. The passenger window was shattered. Lucas was deaf from the gun blasts. I shifted the truck into gear and floored it.
We drove for three hours, we said nothing.
We didn’t mention the woman, or the man.
I wasn’t entirely sure if he had or hadn’t killed her.
But I knew the man if alive was now almost certainly dead from being eaten.
My own heart had sunk in my chest. I had large amounts of guilt flowing through my body. I’d just killed another human being.
We reached the Gold coast. Almost instantly upon seeing it Lucas cried. The majority of the city was burnt. Napalmed by the looks of things. So our hopes were crushed. But we’d decided we’d give ourselves the week of looking anyway.
We forced the truck down narrow streets, past burnt out buildings.
We looked for signs of life, or government signs of warning or evacuation notices. But there were none.
We made it to a small part of the city, building remained standing and intact.
Lucas climbed out the window and sat on the rood and called out for anyone.
I sounded the truck horn in hopes of gaining attention. But we got none. Not even Zombies.
We decided we’d go through and check out the hotels room by room. We had a week and we where going to make the most of it.
We pulled up to a half burnt out Mitre 10 store (Cnr Upton St & Ashmore Rd, Bundall QLD 4217) and ran in and grabbed ourselves a sledge hammer and pry bar so make room checking easier. Lucas also grabbed a sheet of Perspex and some screws and a cordless drill.
He wanted to patch up the side window so it was safe to sleep in at night. I thought that it was a good idea.
He decided to fix the window first, just incase we need to hide in the truck. We ended up screwing the Perspex to the trucks frame, blocking the window and permanently locking the passengers door.
We then worked on our search strategy. It was this.
Start on the top floor and work our way door. Because we had decided everyone would head for higher ground for safety.
Lucas would knock on the door and call out for an answer, if we got none I’d smash down the door and we’d check the room.
3 minute search of each room maximum.
Lucas was to have his shotgun ready at all times.
In the first day we got through 3 hotels. We didn’t find anyone alive. We found plenty of people who’d hung themselves and a few cats that had starved to death in there hotel rooms. On the second day we got through 1 hotel. The more expensive the hotel, the harder it was to knock down doors. We did notice a trend, lower level floors already had there doors opened. Car park exits had glass from headlights scattered on the ground, and all the flower pots, statues and other art work were smashed to the ground. We could only assume the panic of the people fleeing.
It was now the end of the week. My arms were sore from smashing down doors with a sledge hammer and my stomach burned because we were living off small rations of SPAM and stewed apricots. We had to move on. I wanted to know if my family were at Kelly’s. I knew were to head. I sped there. Jumped out of the truck and over her backyard fence. I scoured her apartment. There was no sign that anyone had lived there in a long time. There was rotten fruit on the counter, the cat’s food as covered in ants and a vase of lily’s had weltered and died. I smashed the back window and looked around inside, I was hoping for a note or something to give me a hint to where she was. But there wasn’t anything. I made my way back to the truck. We slowly drove down the street.
It was time to head back to Albury. We pulled over in an open shopping center car park and topped up the last of the fuel and had a sleep. In the morning we were heading home. At least that was the plan.
I was woken to Lucas shaking me and urging me to remain silent. He pointed out the window. In a car park made for 500 cars, that was empty when we arrived was now full of thousands of Zombies. They were trying to get into the shopping center. We could see at the glass doors two children piling up shopping trolley’s to stop the Zombies from getting in and getting them.
Thousands of Zombies. Us. A truck. A shotgun. A Riffle. Two 9mm Hand guns. And two scared children who would most certainly get eaten if we didn’t do something.
From behind some bushes walked out a man and a woman. Both cover in blood and looking fairly pale. The man had his gun pointed at my head, the woman had hers at the truck. I was more scared of them than I had been of the Zombies. They told me they wanted the truck. They were heading to Alice Springs (Alice Springs NT) but needed something more reliable than the piece of plastic they were driving. I told them in a few uncertain words it wasn’t going to happen. The man fired his gun in my direction. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a warning shot, and that he was just a shit aim. It spooked the woman who then began to scream and yell at me. The man walked closer towards me, so I stepped back a step. The woman walked round to the passengers side. She was going to sneak up on Lucas who had his attention focused on the drivers side door. I yelled out that the passengers side door was locked, she’d of known it wasn’t because she would of seen Lucas scramble in through the window. But it really wasn’t to let her know that the door was locked, it was a heads up for Lucas.
I heard him shift his weight within the truck. He was now ready for her. Only problem was they were going in through both doors. Lucas was screwed. I could see the shadow on the ground of the woman getting closer to the passenger door. I took another step back, but not as far. The man took another step forward. He reached up and grabbed the handle on the truck door.
I felt my heart stop. The world froze. We were about to be like a pair of cheap hookers on pay day… screwed.
I watched the shadow slowly merge with the trucks as she stepped up onto the step to get into the truck. I was bracing myself for the worst. Then I heard it.
Two loud blasts echoed from inside the cabin.
Two shots were fired.
From who though?
I didn’t have time to check who had fired. I only had an instant to react.
I reached forward as fast as I could and pulled the mans gun barrel under my arm, he wasn’t able to fire it at me. I then raised me knee fast and hard into his crutch dropping him to the ground instantly. As he fell to the ground I raised my knee fast and hard into the side of his head.
I’m not sure what knocked him out me knee to his head, or the force of which he smashed his head on the side of the truck step.
I then had his gun. I pointed it towards the truck cabin.
I could hear nothing but my own heart beat in my ears. I was crapping myself.
I slowed my breathing down. With that followed my heart beat slowing down.
I called out for Lucas, but there was no answer. If Lucas was dead and she was in there waiting what should I do? I had no idea. I stood there still. Then I heard something. I turned and there 100 meters down the road sprinting towards me was a pair of zombies. I didn’t care who was in the cabin. I jumped right in and shut the door.
Inside the cabin sat a stunned Lucas. The passenger window was shattered. Lucas was deaf from the gun blasts. I shifted the truck into gear and floored it.
We drove for three hours, we said nothing.
We didn’t mention the woman, or the man.
I wasn’t entirely sure if he had or hadn’t killed her.
But I knew the man if alive was now almost certainly dead from being eaten.
My own heart had sunk in my chest. I had large amounts of guilt flowing through my body. I’d just killed another human being.
We reached the Gold coast. Almost instantly upon seeing it Lucas cried. The majority of the city was burnt. Napalmed by the looks of things. So our hopes were crushed. But we’d decided we’d give ourselves the week of looking anyway.
We forced the truck down narrow streets, past burnt out buildings.
We looked for signs of life, or government signs of warning or evacuation notices. But there were none.
We made it to a small part of the city, building remained standing and intact.
Lucas climbed out the window and sat on the rood and called out for anyone.
I sounded the truck horn in hopes of gaining attention. But we got none. Not even Zombies.
We decided we’d go through and check out the hotels room by room. We had a week and we where going to make the most of it.
We pulled up to a half burnt out Mitre 10 store (Cnr Upton St & Ashmore Rd, Bundall QLD 4217) and ran in and grabbed ourselves a sledge hammer and pry bar so make room checking easier. Lucas also grabbed a sheet of Perspex and some screws and a cordless drill.
He wanted to patch up the side window so it was safe to sleep in at night. I thought that it was a good idea.
He decided to fix the window first, just incase we need to hide in the truck. We ended up screwing the Perspex to the trucks frame, blocking the window and permanently locking the passengers door.
We then worked on our search strategy. It was this.
Start on the top floor and work our way door. Because we had decided everyone would head for higher ground for safety.
Lucas would knock on the door and call out for an answer, if we got none I’d smash down the door and we’d check the room.
3 minute search of each room maximum.
Lucas was to have his shotgun ready at all times.
In the first day we got through 3 hotels. We didn’t find anyone alive. We found plenty of people who’d hung themselves and a few cats that had starved to death in there hotel rooms. On the second day we got through 1 hotel. The more expensive the hotel, the harder it was to knock down doors. We did notice a trend, lower level floors already had there doors opened. Car park exits had glass from headlights scattered on the ground, and all the flower pots, statues and other art work were smashed to the ground. We could only assume the panic of the people fleeing.
It was now the end of the week. My arms were sore from smashing down doors with a sledge hammer and my stomach burned because we were living off small rations of SPAM and stewed apricots. We had to move on. I wanted to know if my family were at Kelly’s. I knew were to head. I sped there. Jumped out of the truck and over her backyard fence. I scoured her apartment. There was no sign that anyone had lived there in a long time. There was rotten fruit on the counter, the cat’s food as covered in ants and a vase of lily’s had weltered and died. I smashed the back window and looked around inside, I was hoping for a note or something to give me a hint to where she was. But there wasn’t anything. I made my way back to the truck. We slowly drove down the street.
It was time to head back to Albury. We pulled over in an open shopping center car park and topped up the last of the fuel and had a sleep. In the morning we were heading home. At least that was the plan.
I was woken to Lucas shaking me and urging me to remain silent. He pointed out the window. In a car park made for 500 cars, that was empty when we arrived was now full of thousands of Zombies. They were trying to get into the shopping center. We could see at the glass doors two children piling up shopping trolley’s to stop the Zombies from getting in and getting them.
Thousands of Zombies. Us. A truck. A shotgun. A Riffle. Two 9mm Hand guns. And two scared children who would most certainly get eaten if we didn’t do something.
There wasn’t much time to come up with some plan. We had to act pretty fast. How long would the doors hold up against the Zombies? Not long I’m guessing. And how long before the kids became a snack for the starved Zombies?
I placed my hand onto the keys in the ignition. I just wanted to start up the beast of a truck and mow the undead bastards down. But with them so many and so close there is no way the truck would be able to move or do any damage.
We needs to clear a path away in front of us. To be honest we didn’t know how. Both Luke and I thought for a few seconds, the seconds felt like minutes.
Lucas had a plan. Set the Zombies a light using the fuel we had in the jerry cans in the truck. That’d thin em out. I liked that plan but they were to close to the truck, I didn’t want flaming Zombies crawling over the truck. I shot that idea down pretty quickly.
I took another glance at the shop window. I notice the shop was split into three.
Target. Coles. Best n Less Clothing.
Each building had access to another. I could also make out that each of the three shops were closed off from one another. So if we could get into one shop then we wouldn’t be able to get into the other. I got an idea.
I grabbed a potato from our food stash and jammed it on the end of the riffle. Lucas asked what I was doing. I told him trying something I wish they had tested on myth busters. I was using the potato as a make shift silencer. The plan was shoot out the windows on the end of the left side and right side of the building. The zombies should funnel into the open windows giving us enough room to speed the truck up and save the two kids.
Lucas prepared himself to drive the drive at full pelt his hands trembled as he held the keys in the ignition. My arms could barely keep still themselves. If this plan failed and the gun attracted the Zombies I’d be responsible for killing not only myself but my best mate. I took in one deep breath and slowly rolled down the window. I rolled it half way down and slowly poked out the Rifle. Luke and I looked each other in the eye and said our final goodbyes with out words but a simple nod.
My finger pressed down on the trigger. There was a loud POP and potato sprayed everywhere, then there was a loud shattering noise. The Zombies flooded into the shop through the shattered window. I could feel the truck shake as the brushed past the front oblivious to our presence. I replaced the potato and slowly moved the rifles aim to the next window. POP and SMASH. The Zombies flooded in. There was room to move in the car park. Lucas turned the keys and the truck roared to life. His foot slammed down on the accelerator. In first gear we picked up some good speed, enough to knock over a few Zombies and have them sucked under the truck and squished. The sound of their skulls bursting and bones snapped under the tires was music to my ears. Lucas swerved the truck towards the window the kids were hiding at. I readied the shot gun. If any Zombies were gonna get near me they were gonna cop a spraying. The brakes slammed on, Lucas fired a 9mm at the top of the window. It shattered. I swung open the doors and screamed for the kids to scramble into the cabin. They could not have moved faster. They flew across the pile of shopping trolleys and into the cabin and straight into the back to hide. I slammed the door closed and Lucas slammed his foot down. We plowed our way through the zombies. I wound up the window and took a seat. My heart was like a jack hammer trying to bust its way through my chest. But the adrenalin that was pumping threw my body made it bearable. We hit the open road. We hit a cruising speed of 90km an hour, and kept at it. We weren’t going to stop. We had been driving for half an hour before anyone mentioned anything. Lucas suggested I check to see if the kids were alright. I climbed into the back cabin.
The boy was sleeping, the girl holding him, she was pale and scared. I explained to her she’d be fine, and that we’d look after her. I told her about our camp at Campbell’s and that we’d all be safe there and we’d survive there until we were rescued. But I don’t think much of it got through to her. I got back into my seat. And just stared out into the distance and from pure exhaustion I fell asleep. I would have been asleep for a good two hours before Lucas woke me.
We were very low on fuel and needs to find some in the next town. I went into the back of the truck and explained to the girl who was still awake in fright what we had to do. She begged us not to, but no begging would stop us from having to get fuel. We continued down along the highway weighting to see a sign for the nearest town, but after all the panic about having to go into town we were relieved that we may not have to. Truck Rest Stop 5km a head. The sense of relief washed through the cabin of the truck. But still just incase I grabbed the shot gun.
We pulled up to the truck stop.
It was full.
Lucas pulled up as close as we could to a trucks cabin, I climbed out and siphoned the fuel from it’s tank into ours. Whilst the fuel filled our tank I went and check the other truck and what their trailers contained. I felt sick as I approached one truck, it was carrying sheep, but now it carried woolly rotten carcasses. The truck in front of that was milk, I didn’t even want to check that and the one in front of that “fresh’ fruit and veggies, I can assure you that they were anything but fresh, the truck at the front was carrying pallets of goods for a discount store. I told Lucas I wanted to check it out and whilst I did he could fill up the spare jerry cans with fuel from the remaining trucks.
I searched through the pallets finding there packing sheets to see what was on each pallet.
First one was shampoo and cosmetics, I made a joke to Lucas that it was his, but he was to busy trying to spit out fuel to hear it, the next was full of kids toys, I ripped into it and pulled out a matchbox car, a small rip version of Barbie and a rip off version of a cabbage patch doll, I sat them on the end of the pallet, the next pallet contained FOOD! Tins of beef goulash, spaghetti and meatballs, tuna and sardines. There were bottles of soft drink. Biscuits, chocolates and jelly and fruit. I called for Lucas, he heard me this time. He moved the truck up and we loaded as much food as we could into the truck, I continued to search through the pallets, I found a pallet full of gardening supplies, I raided that for all its seeds and a few bags of potting mix. I didn’t recall seeing any gardening supplies at Campbell’s and though fresh veggies and fruit and flowers would be good for us all, plus it was something we could do to occupy ourselves. The final pallet was stationary and blank CD’s no real use to us.
So our fuel stop was quiet peaceful apart from the dead sheep. We’d gotten stacks of food which we didn’t have to ration for our trip home. We got some gardening supplies and I picked up some toys for the new arrivals.
I got back into the cabin and gave the girl the Barbie and the toy car. I also gave her two packets of jelly and beef goulash and told her to eat up. She looked at me with her scared little eyes and said nothing. I took the drivers seat and Lucas took up the passengers seat.
We spent 4hrs driving in silence. The boy slowly climbed out of the darkness of the back of the cabin and sat his head on the back of my chair. I talked to him, he said nothing. He slowly sunk back into the darkness and fell asleep. I could hear his snores.
Lucas woke up from the kids snores and told me he needed to get out for a toilet stop. I pulled over and he hoped out, the young girl woke up too, I told her if she needed to go she should. I climbed out and heard her get out the other side. And scurry off behind the bushes. Her brother soon popped his head out of the truck and saw everyone scattered out going to the toilet. He was scared and ran over and stood beside me and quickly took a leak. I went to go back the truck but he asked me to wait till he was finished just incase a zombie came. I told him I’d wait I turned and faced the truck, I saw the little girl get in, then Lucas, the boy finished and ran up and climbed up into the truck. That’s when I noticed the back of his calf.
We needs to clear a path away in front of us. To be honest we didn’t know how. Both Luke and I thought for a few seconds, the seconds felt like minutes.
Lucas had a plan. Set the Zombies a light using the fuel we had in the jerry cans in the truck. That’d thin em out. I liked that plan but they were to close to the truck, I didn’t want flaming Zombies crawling over the truck. I shot that idea down pretty quickly.
I took another glance at the shop window. I notice the shop was split into three.
Target. Coles. Best n Less Clothing.
Each building had access to another. I could also make out that each of the three shops were closed off from one another. So if we could get into one shop then we wouldn’t be able to get into the other. I got an idea.
I grabbed a potato from our food stash and jammed it on the end of the riffle. Lucas asked what I was doing. I told him trying something I wish they had tested on myth busters. I was using the potato as a make shift silencer. The plan was shoot out the windows on the end of the left side and right side of the building. The zombies should funnel into the open windows giving us enough room to speed the truck up and save the two kids.
Lucas prepared himself to drive the drive at full pelt his hands trembled as he held the keys in the ignition. My arms could barely keep still themselves. If this plan failed and the gun attracted the Zombies I’d be responsible for killing not only myself but my best mate. I took in one deep breath and slowly rolled down the window. I rolled it half way down and slowly poked out the Rifle. Luke and I looked each other in the eye and said our final goodbyes with out words but a simple nod.
My finger pressed down on the trigger. There was a loud POP and potato sprayed everywhere, then there was a loud shattering noise. The Zombies flooded into the shop through the shattered window. I could feel the truck shake as the brushed past the front oblivious to our presence. I replaced the potato and slowly moved the rifles aim to the next window. POP and SMASH. The Zombies flooded in. There was room to move in the car park. Lucas turned the keys and the truck roared to life. His foot slammed down on the accelerator. In first gear we picked up some good speed, enough to knock over a few Zombies and have them sucked under the truck and squished. The sound of their skulls bursting and bones snapped under the tires was music to my ears. Lucas swerved the truck towards the window the kids were hiding at. I readied the shot gun. If any Zombies were gonna get near me they were gonna cop a spraying. The brakes slammed on, Lucas fired a 9mm at the top of the window. It shattered. I swung open the doors and screamed for the kids to scramble into the cabin. They could not have moved faster. They flew across the pile of shopping trolleys and into the cabin and straight into the back to hide. I slammed the door closed and Lucas slammed his foot down. We plowed our way through the zombies. I wound up the window and took a seat. My heart was like a jack hammer trying to bust its way through my chest. But the adrenalin that was pumping threw my body made it bearable. We hit the open road. We hit a cruising speed of 90km an hour, and kept at it. We weren’t going to stop. We had been driving for half an hour before anyone mentioned anything. Lucas suggested I check to see if the kids were alright. I climbed into the back cabin.
The boy was sleeping, the girl holding him, she was pale and scared. I explained to her she’d be fine, and that we’d look after her. I told her about our camp at Campbell’s and that we’d all be safe there and we’d survive there until we were rescued. But I don’t think much of it got through to her. I got back into my seat. And just stared out into the distance and from pure exhaustion I fell asleep. I would have been asleep for a good two hours before Lucas woke me.
We were very low on fuel and needs to find some in the next town. I went into the back of the truck and explained to the girl who was still awake in fright what we had to do. She begged us not to, but no begging would stop us from having to get fuel. We continued down along the highway weighting to see a sign for the nearest town, but after all the panic about having to go into town we were relieved that we may not have to. Truck Rest Stop 5km a head. The sense of relief washed through the cabin of the truck. But still just incase I grabbed the shot gun.
We pulled up to the truck stop.
It was full.
Lucas pulled up as close as we could to a trucks cabin, I climbed out and siphoned the fuel from it’s tank into ours. Whilst the fuel filled our tank I went and check the other truck and what their trailers contained. I felt sick as I approached one truck, it was carrying sheep, but now it carried woolly rotten carcasses. The truck in front of that was milk, I didn’t even want to check that and the one in front of that “fresh’ fruit and veggies, I can assure you that they were anything but fresh, the truck at the front was carrying pallets of goods for a discount store. I told Lucas I wanted to check it out and whilst I did he could fill up the spare jerry cans with fuel from the remaining trucks.
I searched through the pallets finding there packing sheets to see what was on each pallet.
First one was shampoo and cosmetics, I made a joke to Lucas that it was his, but he was to busy trying to spit out fuel to hear it, the next was full of kids toys, I ripped into it and pulled out a matchbox car, a small rip version of Barbie and a rip off version of a cabbage patch doll, I sat them on the end of the pallet, the next pallet contained FOOD! Tins of beef goulash, spaghetti and meatballs, tuna and sardines. There were bottles of soft drink. Biscuits, chocolates and jelly and fruit. I called for Lucas, he heard me this time. He moved the truck up and we loaded as much food as we could into the truck, I continued to search through the pallets, I found a pallet full of gardening supplies, I raided that for all its seeds and a few bags of potting mix. I didn’t recall seeing any gardening supplies at Campbell’s and though fresh veggies and fruit and flowers would be good for us all, plus it was something we could do to occupy ourselves. The final pallet was stationary and blank CD’s no real use to us.
So our fuel stop was quiet peaceful apart from the dead sheep. We’d gotten stacks of food which we didn’t have to ration for our trip home. We got some gardening supplies and I picked up some toys for the new arrivals.
I got back into the cabin and gave the girl the Barbie and the toy car. I also gave her two packets of jelly and beef goulash and told her to eat up. She looked at me with her scared little eyes and said nothing. I took the drivers seat and Lucas took up the passengers seat.
We spent 4hrs driving in silence. The boy slowly climbed out of the darkness of the back of the cabin and sat his head on the back of my chair. I talked to him, he said nothing. He slowly sunk back into the darkness and fell asleep. I could hear his snores.
Lucas woke up from the kids snores and told me he needed to get out for a toilet stop. I pulled over and he hoped out, the young girl woke up too, I told her if she needed to go she should. I climbed out and heard her get out the other side. And scurry off behind the bushes. Her brother soon popped his head out of the truck and saw everyone scattered out going to the toilet. He was scared and ran over and stood beside me and quickly took a leak. I went to go back the truck but he asked me to wait till he was finished just incase a zombie came. I told him I’d wait I turned and faced the truck, I saw the little girl get in, then Lucas, the boy finished and ran up and climbed up into the truck. That’s when I noticed the back of his calf.
He’d been bitten.
Around the bite was bruised and swollen. I felt guilty instantly as the thought washed into my head that we should have let them get eaten and just waited it out in the truck for them to leave. But they were so young. I couldn’t believe I was thinking that way. The last thing I wanted to see was two kids torn apart like hot bread and then eaten.
But now I was stuck with the dilemma, we had a kid who was bitten and maybe the other one was too. I got into the truck too. I made sure to grab one of the 9mm and have it ready. I drove until I could tell both kids were asleep. I whispered to Lucas what our situation was. There was the silent freaking from Lucas. We had an argument with out raising our voice. It was agreed upon we were going to dump them some where they could survive. Then Lucas asked about the girl. Should we dump her with her brother if he is bitten? He might eat her. And we didn’t know if she’d been bitten. We kept driving planning what we should do. At the next roadhouse we were going to dump the boy. We’d explain to the girl he was bitten and one bitten he’d turn into a Zombie and what we did was for the best. Roadhouse up ahead, We slowed the truck right down. We rolled the truck into the roadhouse car park. I opened the door, the boy woke up the girl remained a sleep. I told him I was going to look for some chocolates and other foods, he followed me. Lucas swapped seats and got into the drivers side. Armed with my 9mm we approached the glass double doors of the road house, I jammed my fingers into the gap and forced them open. We squeezed our way in through the gap. We had a quick look around. There was blood on the floor. A stand of CD’s was knocked to the ground, Lots of money on the floor and open moldy bags of stale chips on the floor. There was no sign of life at all.
The boy stuck close. We wandered through. I grabbed a pair of sunglasses. And a bunch of CD’s for the drive home. I had to get the boy to go somewhere were he was out of sight and where he couldn’t see me or the truck so I could make a run for it. I felt sooo guilty, but he’d been bitten. It was a matter of survival. It was for everyone best.
In the road house was a Subway stand. I could see that the salads were all off and moldy and that there massive storage fridge was open, so the foods inside would be off. I told the boy to go and look in there, I was going to check out the office. He quickly scurried into subway I turned and RAN towards the double doors to escape the truck. Then I heard it. BANG! A gun shot. What had Lucas done? Then the girl cam running towards the double doors with one of the 9mm pointing at me. She fired off a shot. The doors shattered. I dropped to the ground and covered my head to save myself from falling glass and also in the feeble attempt to protect my head from any bullets that might decide to try and make contact with my skull. The girl run in and aimed the gun at me.
Through her tears she asked what I had done to her brother. And was he ok and alive. Her brother came running out. He had no idea what was going. He froze when he saw her with the gun. I told her everything was fine. But she knew what was happening. Lucas had told her. I explained to them both what we were going to do and why. The boy ran over and hugged his sister. The girl then told me that they were fine, she had a bite mark on her ankle too, she said they were fine. They didn’t feel any different. I tried convincing her it was for the best. But she wasn’t going to listen to me. Then CRACK, the butt end of the shot gun made connection with the back of her head. She dropped to the ground. Lucas stood with shot gun aimed at her. His left leg was bleeding and bleeding bad. She’d shot him in the upper leg. She’d only done flesh damage but it was enough to make the bleeding bad. I stood up slowly and grabbed the 9mm from on the floor. I told the boy it was for the best. He looked at me with understand and knowing eyes and propped his sister up. Lucas and I backed out of there slowly. He swore as he tried to get back into the truck. There was a silence from that point onwards until we reached Campbell’s. I was in shock at what I saw when we pulled up to the gates.
The cars! There was a bunch of old cars!
Did we have a bunch of new people taking refuge in our hideout.
I climbed out of the truck and opened the gate and Lucas drove in.
I was greeted with a hug from Mandy and Jimmy, a hand shake from Ocky and Simon and a large block of chocolate from Clare. Lucas on the other hand was greeted with questions and basic first aid for his leg.
We walked inside.
Simon and Ocky had been busy.
They’d raided tool shops and mechanics work shops for anything bolted down. Why? Cos they were fixing up cars. One of which almost made me crash my custard truck.
Under a sheet at the end of the isle was something I’d missed the Pyg.
I pulled back the sheet and was blown away.
She was black (not from paint but book contact—it was easier and quicker to apply), it’s wheels had been replaced. The engine swapped, it now ran on both petrol and gas. Simon had hooked up the rest of my sound system. Camille had sewn on next seat covers. The windows were all tinted and had steel mesh re-enforcement on the inside. And she had plenty of gun space now with a make shift shot gun holder in the middle of the bench seat. They done a shit hot job of the Pyg. I was so happy to see her. I even had a giggle at the PINK fluffy dice.
Up further from the Pyg was another car, it was a panel van, it was half covered in contact and had its engine up on the hoist. There were car books and tools all over the ground. The inside walls were in the process of being wielded up for extra support. There were star pickets welded to its roof which stretched out 4ft from the car, so when the panel van was ready if a Zombie got too close when driving its head would smash right off.
That night we told everyone where we’d been and what had happened. We told them about the two kids. Both Lucas and I found it hard to talk about. But I felt we needed to get it out of our system and tell them. It felt good to be back with everyone. It felt good to be perched up high in that building to go to sleep. I was glad to be home.
That night I had nightmare about the two kids, I dreamt that they were now Zombies and coming to get us. I climbed out of my perch and headed for the roof.
Simon was up there too, he was wrapped in a blanket just starring at the stars.
He hadn’t been able to sleep for a little while, and found it relaxing to sit on the roof and watch the stars, he was right. It was relaxing.
I woke in the morning sitting in the shape of a ball with Simon’s blanket sitting on my shoulders. Jimmy was on the roof too with Hiro, Jimmy asked if I was ok, I lost it and broke down. It was exactly what I needed. After my teary episode he got up and left, he made the usual Jimmy smart ass name calling which made me smile a little. I sat on the roof all day just starring out into the horizon, I could hear everyone working away downstairs, all bare two.
I could see Lucas standing at the gate just wondering where Pinky and his family was and I could see Camille. She trying to hide behind a car and sneak in some alcohol. I’d of said something right there and then, but the trip Lucas and I went on was very taxing.
Night time came. Simon again joined me on the roof in his usual spot, Clare followed with Lucy, each carrying a small amount of food and drink.
Lucy and I rolled a ball to each other, whilst Simon, Clare and I talked like we used to at #2. We talked of movies we’d never see, concerts we’d never get to go to and people we may never get to see again. We talked of books. The internet. Global warming everything. Lucy fell asleep leaning against Simon. Simon had his long blinks and Clare just declared it was time for everyone to go to bed.
For the next few days I checked the fences. Checked all the guns were loaded. Made sure all working cars were fully fueled and batteries charged. I helped Simon and Ocky install the car engines whilst Clare and Jimmy continued there sorting out of foods. Mandy and Lucas were sanding down and cleaning up cars so they could apply the book contact. Camille was off somewhere on her own. I had a fairly good idea of where and doing what. We all kept fairly occupied. The last thing we wanted was to get cabin fever and go insane and start saying “red rum” and chase each other with axes.
We’d spent two weeks working on cars and doing them up. They all looked like cars stolen from Death Race or Mad Max 2. They were beautiful looking, beautiful sounding and beautiful moving pieces of customized machinery. We each had a car each.
Mandy had the panel van with the star pickets sticking out the side.
Simon had his Ute, which had massive steel plates welded to its out.
Ocky an old Kingswood with a steal mesh exterior and interior.
Jimmy had a Beatle complete with roll cage, spikes and blade on the outside. It looked very rock and roll.
Clare scored herself a GTO, Manda had pointed it out when they were scavenged in Wodonga, they saw it on Melbourne road. Not much work was done on it, except the reinforcing of the inside with steel mech.
Each had a new dark color so that when driving around at night it we needed to hide we could just turn off the lights and our cars would disappear into the shadows.
I just wanted to go on a road trip now. But there was no where to go. Not yet anyway.
So we decided to do what every car lover does in Albury.. we did Deanies two laps. Mandy got to test out her star pickets out on a few unsuspecting Zombies and so did Jimmy. Only problem was that the Zombies became impaled onto the spikes and didn’t die. “At least no one will try and steal my hood ornament”.
We arrived back and spent the next 45mins cleaning the Zombies bodies off the front of Jimmy’s car. I’d of preferred to clean bugs off, cos they don’t try and bite you.
The boy stuck close. We wandered through. I grabbed a pair of sunglasses. And a bunch of CD’s for the drive home. I had to get the boy to go somewhere were he was out of sight and where he couldn’t see me or the truck so I could make a run for it. I felt sooo guilty, but he’d been bitten. It was a matter of survival. It was for everyone best.
In the road house was a Subway stand. I could see that the salads were all off and moldy and that there massive storage fridge was open, so the foods inside would be off. I told the boy to go and look in there, I was going to check out the office. He quickly scurried into subway I turned and RAN towards the double doors to escape the truck. Then I heard it. BANG! A gun shot. What had Lucas done? Then the girl cam running towards the double doors with one of the 9mm pointing at me. She fired off a shot. The doors shattered. I dropped to the ground and covered my head to save myself from falling glass and also in the feeble attempt to protect my head from any bullets that might decide to try and make contact with my skull. The girl run in and aimed the gun at me.
Through her tears she asked what I had done to her brother. And was he ok and alive. Her brother came running out. He had no idea what was going. He froze when he saw her with the gun. I told her everything was fine. But she knew what was happening. Lucas had told her. I explained to them both what we were going to do and why. The boy ran over and hugged his sister. The girl then told me that they were fine, she had a bite mark on her ankle too, she said they were fine. They didn’t feel any different. I tried convincing her it was for the best. But she wasn’t going to listen to me. Then CRACK, the butt end of the shot gun made connection with the back of her head. She dropped to the ground. Lucas stood with shot gun aimed at her. His left leg was bleeding and bleeding bad. She’d shot him in the upper leg. She’d only done flesh damage but it was enough to make the bleeding bad. I stood up slowly and grabbed the 9mm from on the floor. I told the boy it was for the best. He looked at me with understand and knowing eyes and propped his sister up. Lucas and I backed out of there slowly. He swore as he tried to get back into the truck. There was a silence from that point onwards until we reached Campbell’s. I was in shock at what I saw when we pulled up to the gates.
The cars! There was a bunch of old cars!
Did we have a bunch of new people taking refuge in our hideout.
I climbed out of the truck and opened the gate and Lucas drove in.
I was greeted with a hug from Mandy and Jimmy, a hand shake from Ocky and Simon and a large block of chocolate from Clare. Lucas on the other hand was greeted with questions and basic first aid for his leg.
We walked inside.
Simon and Ocky had been busy.
They’d raided tool shops and mechanics work shops for anything bolted down. Why? Cos they were fixing up cars. One of which almost made me crash my custard truck.
Under a sheet at the end of the isle was something I’d missed the Pyg.
I pulled back the sheet and was blown away.
She was black (not from paint but book contact—it was easier and quicker to apply), it’s wheels had been replaced. The engine swapped, it now ran on both petrol and gas. Simon had hooked up the rest of my sound system. Camille had sewn on next seat covers. The windows were all tinted and had steel mesh re-enforcement on the inside. And she had plenty of gun space now with a make shift shot gun holder in the middle of the bench seat. They done a shit hot job of the Pyg. I was so happy to see her. I even had a giggle at the PINK fluffy dice.
Up further from the Pyg was another car, it was a panel van, it was half covered in contact and had its engine up on the hoist. There were car books and tools all over the ground. The inside walls were in the process of being wielded up for extra support. There were star pickets welded to its roof which stretched out 4ft from the car, so when the panel van was ready if a Zombie got too close when driving its head would smash right off.
That night we told everyone where we’d been and what had happened. We told them about the two kids. Both Lucas and I found it hard to talk about. But I felt we needed to get it out of our system and tell them. It felt good to be back with everyone. It felt good to be perched up high in that building to go to sleep. I was glad to be home.
That night I had nightmare about the two kids, I dreamt that they were now Zombies and coming to get us. I climbed out of my perch and headed for the roof.
Simon was up there too, he was wrapped in a blanket just starring at the stars.
He hadn’t been able to sleep for a little while, and found it relaxing to sit on the roof and watch the stars, he was right. It was relaxing.
I woke in the morning sitting in the shape of a ball with Simon’s blanket sitting on my shoulders. Jimmy was on the roof too with Hiro, Jimmy asked if I was ok, I lost it and broke down. It was exactly what I needed. After my teary episode he got up and left, he made the usual Jimmy smart ass name calling which made me smile a little. I sat on the roof all day just starring out into the horizon, I could hear everyone working away downstairs, all bare two.
I could see Lucas standing at the gate just wondering where Pinky and his family was and I could see Camille. She trying to hide behind a car and sneak in some alcohol. I’d of said something right there and then, but the trip Lucas and I went on was very taxing.
Night time came. Simon again joined me on the roof in his usual spot, Clare followed with Lucy, each carrying a small amount of food and drink.
Lucy and I rolled a ball to each other, whilst Simon, Clare and I talked like we used to at #2. We talked of movies we’d never see, concerts we’d never get to go to and people we may never get to see again. We talked of books. The internet. Global warming everything. Lucy fell asleep leaning against Simon. Simon had his long blinks and Clare just declared it was time for everyone to go to bed.
For the next few days I checked the fences. Checked all the guns were loaded. Made sure all working cars were fully fueled and batteries charged. I helped Simon and Ocky install the car engines whilst Clare and Jimmy continued there sorting out of foods. Mandy and Lucas were sanding down and cleaning up cars so they could apply the book contact. Camille was off somewhere on her own. I had a fairly good idea of where and doing what. We all kept fairly occupied. The last thing we wanted was to get cabin fever and go insane and start saying “red rum” and chase each other with axes.
We’d spent two weeks working on cars and doing them up. They all looked like cars stolen from Death Race or Mad Max 2. They were beautiful looking, beautiful sounding and beautiful moving pieces of customized machinery. We each had a car each.
Mandy had the panel van with the star pickets sticking out the side.
Simon had his Ute, which had massive steel plates welded to its out.
Ocky an old Kingswood with a steal mesh exterior and interior.
Jimmy had a Beatle complete with roll cage, spikes and blade on the outside. It looked very rock and roll.
Clare scored herself a GTO, Manda had pointed it out when they were scavenged in Wodonga, they saw it on Melbourne road. Not much work was done on it, except the reinforcing of the inside with steel mech.
Each had a new dark color so that when driving around at night it we needed to hide we could just turn off the lights and our cars would disappear into the shadows.
I just wanted to go on a road trip now. But there was no where to go. Not yet anyway.
So we decided to do what every car lover does in Albury.. we did Deanies two laps. Mandy got to test out her star pickets out on a few unsuspecting Zombies and so did Jimmy. Only problem was that the Zombies became impaled onto the spikes and didn’t die. “At least no one will try and steal my hood ornament”.
We arrived back and spent the next 45mins cleaning the Zombies bodies off the front of Jimmy’s car. I’d of preferred to clean bugs off, cos they don’t try and bite you.
Almost two years had passed since the outbreak of Zs. And not a great deal d happened. For about a year we spent traveling backwards and forward from Bunning’s stores and scrap yards gathering together as much building materials as we could to build living quarters on top of the shelving in Campbell’s.
Each of us had our own rooms filled with furniture from freedom.
The gaps between shelves had been bridged and leveled out. So we now had an entire upstairs level complete with rooms, Sofas couches and rugs. We had a room full of books which we “borrowed” from the Library, we had posters and paintings up all around the place. Manda and Jimmy had painted the walls, Lucy had painted the floor in some spots. It took us a good 6 months of hard labor using manual tools, nothing electrical to build this new level. I was very impressed with it.
It was so easy to get around now. There was no climbing down one shelf to get to another, it was now a case of walk around an entire new floor level.
We added a removable ramp from one of the offices so the dogs and cats could get up to the level with us, but if we needed to just incase remove the ramp so the Zs couldn’t get up.
Outside we’d reinforced the fences then added a second fence that was made of high tension razor wire, barbed wire and several solar powered electrical fences. We’d attached shop door buzzers all around the inside of the first fence. If something got in the buzzer would buzz and we’d have time to respond.
We’d gotten water tanks set up.
On the roof, we had a shed, fruit and veggie garden and swimming pool full of fish. We had a permanent rifle post, it had binoculars a telescope and a swiveling rest to help stead the aim of a rifle.
Inside we’d cleared an area and set up gym equipment, made a make shift tennis court, we even had our on bowling alley, I’m sure twin city bowling wouldn’t miss there pins or balls.
Life was pretty easy now. We’d spend the morning right on dawn checking the fences and making sure all our security systems were in good working order. We’d have our tinned breakfast and then spend the rest of the day going about our routines. Night time we’d check the security again. Some days were boring. But they were preferred over the days when we had 20 or so more Zs trying to get through the fence, that’s the kind of excitement you didn’t want.
With foods being rationed out and nothing to do but work out or read a book and talk, we all lost a fair bit of weight and toned up nicely. With the new life style and new diet we were all on we’d all change physically. We wanted to be at our physical best if we needed to get out on foot or fight our way out of a situation with out weapons.
Lil 9 year old Lucy was fast now, and she could run and climb very fast. She spent majority of her day reading books, learning how you shoot a gun (a born sharp shooter), chasing the dogs and climbing amongst the shelves after the cats.
By day Simon and Mandy tended the gardens on the roof, they loved using fresh produce when ever they got to cook, by the cool of night they’d jog around the isles and then work out with some boxing moves and some karate stuff. But Where fitness machines!
I tended the fish, after all these years we still had the joke that Mandy was the fish killer. I spent my morning doing weights and running round the isles too, then the rest of the day resting by the fish or reading a book.
Ocky spent a lot of the time staring out into the horizon and listening to hand cranked radios for some sort of radio signal.
Clare did A LOT of reading. Lucky we had VIP access to all the book stores, Clare walked her way round the isles but she powered through it, she couldn’t jog or run log because of her knees.
Camille was always off drinking in her ‘hidden’ corner. We knew what she was doing. It was obvious by her behavior and the fact we could see entire shelves of alcohol go missing over the six year period
Jimmy floated about from one person to the next and just talked and exercised when others exercised. He also developed a taste for books and would often disappear for hours on end and just read. There were days when I swear he read more than Clare.
Lucas was a fitness freak now. He could run laps and laps of Campbell’s he was loving it, with his new build you’d swear he was an extra in 300.
But things didn’t add up with that. He was on the same diet as everyone else, getting the same amount of food and exercising and doing the same amount of weights as me, but was twice the size. If it wasn’t for the fact there were no drugs around us, you’d swear he was taking steroids. But he wasn’t.
It was a night after we had a few Zs trying to get in (Lucy put a few bullets right between there eyes), that Simon and myself discovered why Lucas had been stacking on the muscle and bulking up quickly. Whilst he thought everyone was sleeping he was eating as much as he could then hiding the empty food packets then going to his room and sleeping. When I saw this I felt robbed and betrayed. When Simon saw this, he was gonna rip Lucas’ head right off. We left it alone for that night.
It was in the morning that he was confronted.
Simon and I waited by the gym equipment. Lucas rocked over and made a “Lucas” joke about “waiting by the weights”—no one laughed. Then outright Simon asked him.
“have you been stealing food?” Lucas answer was not the right one, he just lied about taking the food. I watched Simon’s face turn red with rage. I asked him. Again he lied. That was the final straw Simon exploded. Words flew out of his mouth like bullets from a gun, it was quiet frightening to be there next to him, I’m pretty sure if I were in Luke’s position I’d of crapped myself. But Lucas just stood there he took some of it in and then he too let flew. It was a war zone of words. Simon telling Lucas he was selfish and dishonest for stealing the food then lying about it. Lucas denying it and then admitting to it, but then saying it’s not anyone’s property and that he should have as much as he likes. The argument went on for several minutes before both walked away. This was our first big ‘issue’ we’d had since we’d all been forced to live in Campbell’s.
A day had past no one had spoken to Lucas. We all felt robbed. After all we rationed it to last as long as we could. We didn’t know when we were going to be rescued. Sure there was tones of food but if we ate what ever we wanted when ever we wanted then at some point we’d run out. And the fresh fish and veggies weren’t going to last us that long.
Another day had passed. Still no one had spoken to Lucas.
On the third day he was gone. He’d taken his amour plated 4x4 and gone.
That was a shock, we felt bad for him leaving. We all felt bad and you could see it in everyone’s faces. Mandy and I headed out in our cars and went searching. There were literally thousands of abandoned houses and building he could of locked himself up in. He could of gone looking for Pinky for all we know. But we had to look. Mandy and I talked to each other on the radio. Mandy encountered some Zs but she made quick work of them with a few shots to the head with a 9mm. I saw some dogs wandering along the street, they all looked skinny and sickly like. I prayed they weren’t infected. I saw kangaroos eating the overgrown lawn of houses. Cats stalking birds and rotted human corpses sitting in cars. I told Mandy I was heading back. She was going to look for another half an hour.
Lucky I headed back when I did. Lucas was back. But there were hundreds of Z’s trying to get into the gates. I called out to Mandy on the radio to get back, she said she’d be there in no time, the joy of no speed limits.
I planted my foot to the floor and guided the Pyg into a sea of soulless beings. Zs flew everywhere. I cleared a few and spun the Pyg around. I went for my second run at them and Mandy flew threw them all. He decapitated them with he star pickets and flattened them with her panel van. They were all pretty much wiped out now bar a few stragglers. But there heads popped clean off their shoulder as Jimmy and Lucy fired away with precision at the Zs.
Lucas promptly opened the gates and we drove in. The welcome he got was not the kind anyone expected me to give him. I dropped him in one punch.
He’d ran away, come back and attracted 100’s of zombies and almost let them all in. If Mandy and I weren’t out looking for him and we were inside we’d of struggled to kill them all. It wasn’t until the next day that we discovered where Lucas had gone and why.
He opened up the back of his 4x4 and inside were a dozen chickens a rooster and some chicks. He’d spent the whole day out in Barnawartha chasing chickens, hoping that if he brought some Chickens, something that would provide us with more fresh foods that we’d forgive him.
The thought was kind, but I felt he should of organized something with us.
Ocky and I spent that day removing Z bits from the cars and then hauling the bodies to the Albury race track. Everyone else helped build the chickens a new home. Mandy looked so happy have some pet chickens again. But there was no dirt for them to starch at, no seed, just a massive area of concrete car park. Jimmy and Simon spent there next few days smashing and removing concrete and exposing dirt. Everyone chipped in every so often but it was there project. It took them a good few weeks to complete but they’d ripped up grass from housing area’s and laid it on top of their newly dug up dirt. They’d add little garden gnomes for a laugh and in the back corner a scrap heap for when we did have the occasion few veggies we could feed them the scraps. The chickens survived of grass, some occasional stray bugs during the night it was suggested by Mandy we put on a light and let the chickens catch the moths. It was a great idea. The chickens were soon plumping up.
With the arrival of the chickens and me dropping Lucas, everything seemed to be going back to normal. That was short lived with what happened next.
Each of us had our own rooms filled with furniture from freedom.
The gaps between shelves had been bridged and leveled out. So we now had an entire upstairs level complete with rooms, Sofas couches and rugs. We had a room full of books which we “borrowed” from the Library, we had posters and paintings up all around the place. Manda and Jimmy had painted the walls, Lucy had painted the floor in some spots. It took us a good 6 months of hard labor using manual tools, nothing electrical to build this new level. I was very impressed with it.
It was so easy to get around now. There was no climbing down one shelf to get to another, it was now a case of walk around an entire new floor level.
We added a removable ramp from one of the offices so the dogs and cats could get up to the level with us, but if we needed to just incase remove the ramp so the Zs couldn’t get up.
Outside we’d reinforced the fences then added a second fence that was made of high tension razor wire, barbed wire and several solar powered electrical fences. We’d attached shop door buzzers all around the inside of the first fence. If something got in the buzzer would buzz and we’d have time to respond.
We’d gotten water tanks set up.
On the roof, we had a shed, fruit and veggie garden and swimming pool full of fish. We had a permanent rifle post, it had binoculars a telescope and a swiveling rest to help stead the aim of a rifle.
Inside we’d cleared an area and set up gym equipment, made a make shift tennis court, we even had our on bowling alley, I’m sure twin city bowling wouldn’t miss there pins or balls.
Life was pretty easy now. We’d spend the morning right on dawn checking the fences and making sure all our security systems were in good working order. We’d have our tinned breakfast and then spend the rest of the day going about our routines. Night time we’d check the security again. Some days were boring. But they were preferred over the days when we had 20 or so more Zs trying to get through the fence, that’s the kind of excitement you didn’t want.
With foods being rationed out and nothing to do but work out or read a book and talk, we all lost a fair bit of weight and toned up nicely. With the new life style and new diet we were all on we’d all change physically. We wanted to be at our physical best if we needed to get out on foot or fight our way out of a situation with out weapons.
Lil 9 year old Lucy was fast now, and she could run and climb very fast. She spent majority of her day reading books, learning how you shoot a gun (a born sharp shooter), chasing the dogs and climbing amongst the shelves after the cats.
By day Simon and Mandy tended the gardens on the roof, they loved using fresh produce when ever they got to cook, by the cool of night they’d jog around the isles and then work out with some boxing moves and some karate stuff. But Where fitness machines!
I tended the fish, after all these years we still had the joke that Mandy was the fish killer. I spent my morning doing weights and running round the isles too, then the rest of the day resting by the fish or reading a book.
Ocky spent a lot of the time staring out into the horizon and listening to hand cranked radios for some sort of radio signal.
Clare did A LOT of reading. Lucky we had VIP access to all the book stores, Clare walked her way round the isles but she powered through it, she couldn’t jog or run log because of her knees.
Camille was always off drinking in her ‘hidden’ corner. We knew what she was doing. It was obvious by her behavior and the fact we could see entire shelves of alcohol go missing over the six year period
Jimmy floated about from one person to the next and just talked and exercised when others exercised. He also developed a taste for books and would often disappear for hours on end and just read. There were days when I swear he read more than Clare.
Lucas was a fitness freak now. He could run laps and laps of Campbell’s he was loving it, with his new build you’d swear he was an extra in 300.
But things didn’t add up with that. He was on the same diet as everyone else, getting the same amount of food and exercising and doing the same amount of weights as me, but was twice the size. If it wasn’t for the fact there were no drugs around us, you’d swear he was taking steroids. But he wasn’t.
It was a night after we had a few Zs trying to get in (Lucy put a few bullets right between there eyes), that Simon and myself discovered why Lucas had been stacking on the muscle and bulking up quickly. Whilst he thought everyone was sleeping he was eating as much as he could then hiding the empty food packets then going to his room and sleeping. When I saw this I felt robbed and betrayed. When Simon saw this, he was gonna rip Lucas’ head right off. We left it alone for that night.
It was in the morning that he was confronted.
Simon and I waited by the gym equipment. Lucas rocked over and made a “Lucas” joke about “waiting by the weights”—no one laughed. Then outright Simon asked him.
“have you been stealing food?” Lucas answer was not the right one, he just lied about taking the food. I watched Simon’s face turn red with rage. I asked him. Again he lied. That was the final straw Simon exploded. Words flew out of his mouth like bullets from a gun, it was quiet frightening to be there next to him, I’m pretty sure if I were in Luke’s position I’d of crapped myself. But Lucas just stood there he took some of it in and then he too let flew. It was a war zone of words. Simon telling Lucas he was selfish and dishonest for stealing the food then lying about it. Lucas denying it and then admitting to it, but then saying it’s not anyone’s property and that he should have as much as he likes. The argument went on for several minutes before both walked away. This was our first big ‘issue’ we’d had since we’d all been forced to live in Campbell’s.
A day had past no one had spoken to Lucas. We all felt robbed. After all we rationed it to last as long as we could. We didn’t know when we were going to be rescued. Sure there was tones of food but if we ate what ever we wanted when ever we wanted then at some point we’d run out. And the fresh fish and veggies weren’t going to last us that long.
Another day had passed. Still no one had spoken to Lucas.
On the third day he was gone. He’d taken his amour plated 4x4 and gone.
That was a shock, we felt bad for him leaving. We all felt bad and you could see it in everyone’s faces. Mandy and I headed out in our cars and went searching. There were literally thousands of abandoned houses and building he could of locked himself up in. He could of gone looking for Pinky for all we know. But we had to look. Mandy and I talked to each other on the radio. Mandy encountered some Zs but she made quick work of them with a few shots to the head with a 9mm. I saw some dogs wandering along the street, they all looked skinny and sickly like. I prayed they weren’t infected. I saw kangaroos eating the overgrown lawn of houses. Cats stalking birds and rotted human corpses sitting in cars. I told Mandy I was heading back. She was going to look for another half an hour.
Lucky I headed back when I did. Lucas was back. But there were hundreds of Z’s trying to get into the gates. I called out to Mandy on the radio to get back, she said she’d be there in no time, the joy of no speed limits.
I planted my foot to the floor and guided the Pyg into a sea of soulless beings. Zs flew everywhere. I cleared a few and spun the Pyg around. I went for my second run at them and Mandy flew threw them all. He decapitated them with he star pickets and flattened them with her panel van. They were all pretty much wiped out now bar a few stragglers. But there heads popped clean off their shoulder as Jimmy and Lucy fired away with precision at the Zs.
Lucas promptly opened the gates and we drove in. The welcome he got was not the kind anyone expected me to give him. I dropped him in one punch.
He’d ran away, come back and attracted 100’s of zombies and almost let them all in. If Mandy and I weren’t out looking for him and we were inside we’d of struggled to kill them all. It wasn’t until the next day that we discovered where Lucas had gone and why.
He opened up the back of his 4x4 and inside were a dozen chickens a rooster and some chicks. He’d spent the whole day out in Barnawartha chasing chickens, hoping that if he brought some Chickens, something that would provide us with more fresh foods that we’d forgive him.
The thought was kind, but I felt he should of organized something with us.
Ocky and I spent that day removing Z bits from the cars and then hauling the bodies to the Albury race track. Everyone else helped build the chickens a new home. Mandy looked so happy have some pet chickens again. But there was no dirt for them to starch at, no seed, just a massive area of concrete car park. Jimmy and Simon spent there next few days smashing and removing concrete and exposing dirt. Everyone chipped in every so often but it was there project. It took them a good few weeks to complete but they’d ripped up grass from housing area’s and laid it on top of their newly dug up dirt. They’d add little garden gnomes for a laugh and in the back corner a scrap heap for when we did have the occasion few veggies we could feed them the scraps. The chickens survived of grass, some occasional stray bugs during the night it was suggested by Mandy we put on a light and let the chickens catch the moths. It was a great idea. The chickens were soon plumping up.
With the arrival of the chickens and me dropping Lucas, everything seemed to be going back to normal. That was short lived with what happened next.
-------------------------------------------------
Below are images of The Pyg and Simon's ute.
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