Pandemic Pt. 02 Ch. 06-10

Michael and Linda drove off in the Hilux to go back and get the truck and bring it to the garage.

Next door a quaint café displayed a sign advertising the best homemade country pies and fresh scones and cream with homemade jam. If only that were still so. Now the tables at the front were covered in leaves and a chair had blown over. As I was looking across the hedge into the front window of the café, a scream and a 222 rifle shot behind me had me spinning around.

Annelise was on the corner by the road. She loaded again and fired down the far side of the garage. I swung the shotgun I was carrying around. A large man raced forward swinging towards Eliza, leaning against the car bonnet. His chest red as he ran towards Eliza.

"RUN FAST" I yelled at Eliza as I ran forward.

The fuel pumps were in my way and I ran to the side and fired. I missed, but he turned towards me. His pause allowing Eliza escape. A 222 shot hit him in the head as I fired again. This time I hit him in the chest and finally he fell.

Eliza went and sat in the front seat of the Forester, furthest from the body, knees pulled up against her chest, trembling and crying. Annelise went to her, stroking her shoulders, while holding the 222 and watching her surrounds. I got Annelise's attention and motioned to the edge of the parking area next to the main road.

"I will drive it over there. It is furthest from the buildings so we can see further around us. Then we watch and wait for Linda and Michael."

She nodded and I moved the car.

Eliza straightened, "Sorry" she whispered. "Everything came back. He did not get too close?"

"Not very close, you will be fine." I leant over and quickly kissed her cheek before getting out.

Annelise stood on the other side of the car watching the hedges and buildings across the street, I watched the garage and cafe.

"Good reactions and shooting Annelise. Sorry I should have been more careful and watching."

She responded, "I hate what has created the enraged ones from decent people. It is sick."

I nodded agreement.

Linda and Michael were on their way back. I scanned the fence, ready with the shotgun. How many of Annelise's enraged were there here? John, Brian and the large one we had just shot. That was out of thirty or so infected? And how many were affected in other ways like Tiffany? We had not checked the houses in the hamlet yet.

Linda and Michael arrived.

Linda jumped out of the Hilux, "Did we hear shots? Are you all okay?"

Annelise pointed out the new body lying by the front of the garage and returned her gaze to scanning the hedge and buildings.

"He attacked us running from behind the garage."

Michael joined us and I added, "We need to make sure the buildings are secure before we start exploring and loading. We could just secure this side of the street. The shotguns are likely more effective than the 222 for stopping them as long as we don't fire near the pumps."

Michael spoke, "Linda has been practicing with Maddy with her 22 rifle, Eliza has not fired a weapon I don't think."

Eliza got out of the car and joined us, the others stood and watched the surrounding hedges and buildings warily. We needed a plan.

"Linda and Annelise take the 222 and the hunting rifle, Linda watch the orchard and Annelise down the road towards the bridge. Eliza, stay with Linda and yell if you see anything cross the road down the side of the garage. I will watch the café and garage while Michael runs the pump and to get the fuel. How does that sound?"

Michael crowbarred up the cover to the fuel tank and set up the portable pump.

"Lots of fuel in the diesel and unleaded tanks. The tanks at least half full." he yelled.

"Be careful." Cautioned Linda.

Soon we had two 200 litre drums plus five jerry cans full of unleaded petrol. He then started filling our remaining fuel containers with diesel. Next we topped up all the fuel tanks.

We had our fuel. There were useful tools in the garage but we needed to wait a few days to go inside due to the dead, but possibly infectious, enraged one lying near the front door.

Masked and gloved, we then investigated the café, Linda and Annelise guarding the front. Linda suggested we just check it was empty and then shut and mark the doors and come back in a couple of days when we could be certain it was not infectious. Michael and I approached with shotguns at the ready, although I would be surprised if an engaged one would still be hiding next door, but what did I know? We saw a body near the back door and one in the backyard of the cafe. It seemed they had tried to flee and been caught, all were badly mauled though not recently, rather it was weeks ago.

We shut and marked the front and back doors, barring them with wooden poles and chairs. We did the same at the adjacent house and at the general store two doors down the street. A dead shop assistant was visible in the store.

As we finished, Annelise called out. She said she had seen a girl with blonde hair near the bridge at the end of the hamlet. We drove to the bridge and called, but got no response. She was not certain, it was only a brief glance before the person ducked below the stone wall of the bridge on the other side. I was nervous, we were close to hedges and houses on each side of the road and the road entering the old stone bridge was narrow. If she existed she made no appearance.

We returned home.

* *** *

The next four days we worked on expanding the gardens, gathered food from the surrounding properties, preserved excess fruit and gathered wood to stockpile for winter fuel. Michael, Maddy and I also worked on the wall, using fencing rails from the horse property to construct the elevated walkway. We now had a 20 metre section built each side of the gatehouse and 10 metres extending in each direction from the front towers. Halfway done, there were still 20 or more metres to build.

Meanwhile Karen, Linda and Annelise had Linda's wedding dress and Michael's suit almost resized and ready.

Another trip to the Beechamel Hamlet was due. Annelise and Maddy decided to come and Eliza was happy to stay back with Karen and Tiffany. Well she was wary of Tiffany, but the raven haired beauty seemed to realise and did not attempt to touch Eliza.

After the last of the goat curry was finished, we cleaned up and relaxed with peppermint tea and red wine. Well at least Maddy, Karen and I had found a peppery Shiraz whereas the others drank peppermint tea. We sat in the lounge and discussed the trip, then Michael and Linda left to the cottage and Eliza left for her bed. Tiffany began kissing Maddy's ear and stroking her hair, shoulders and breasts, trying to distract her from our discussion.

When Tiffany got her target's shirt unbuttoned and was kissing her breasts, Maddy gave up.

"Ok, take off your pants and sit still."

Tiffany sat, naked next to her, still and waiting, a smile of anticipation.

Maddy's hand curled over her mound, gently sliding her fingers lower, opening and rubbing her pussy.

"You are so wet, what should I do with you?"

With a large grin Tiffany wriggled her hips against Maddy's hand.

"Alright." Maddy smiled.

Maddy opened Tiffany's lips and gently rubbed her clit. In response Tiffany curled her head back against the back of the lounge, spread her thighs wide and closed her eyes.

I noticed a shadow approach from the stairs and got up to investigate. The shadow moved up the stairs.

I softly called, "Come down, or you can sleep in our bed if you like."

The shadow disappeared and I turned back towards the couch. Maddy had inserted two fingers, fingering the moaning, gasping Tiffany vigorously. Shuddering and squirming against Maddy's hand she yipped in delight, then rolled on her side to sleep.

"Oh no you don't! You are too heavy to carry." Maddy led her up to her bedroom.

She returned down the stairs as Annelise was kissing Karen and then me.

"Hey, what about me?" Maddy indignantly teased as she sat down on the lounge next to Karen.

Removing her arm from around me, Annelise leaned across Karen and pinned Maddy against the couch with her free arm. She flicked her tongue across Maddy's lips then gave her a moist open kiss before teasing her with her tongue. Maddy sat back gently holding Annelise's shoulders as she was then kissed on both cheeks, her ears nibbled and sucked down her neck to her cleavage.

Annelise looked up, raising one eyebrow mischievously, "Want me to stop?"

Maddy smiled back, "No not really."

Karen stroked Maddy's back as Annelise unbuttoned her blouse and slipped down her bra to expose her pale rounded breasts. Karen slipped her hand under the back of the blouse, releasing the bra catch, exposing the beautiful breasts to Annelise's mouth and fingers. Annelise brushed the red wavy hair aside and sucked each candy tipped breast into her mouth. Then just the areola and nipple, tonguing it, sucking it and nipping it with her lips. One hand lightly pinching the other nipple with her finger and thumb. Karen slipped her hand over, caressing her flank, releasing the button on her jeans. She grasped the zip and opened her jeans, easing them down. With Annelise's help and Maddy easing herself up and shrugging off the open shirt, the redhead was soon naked.

Annelise kneeled in front of Maddy, lightly running her fingertips against the redheads slit, teasing her lips, and teasing her clit and inner thighs.

"Fingers are not too cold?" Maddy jerked as Annelise lightly pinched her clit.

"No, but stop teasing!"

Annelise lowered her head between Maddy's thighs and licked her, her blonde hair cascaded over Maddy's pale thighs. All I could see was Annelise's head moving. It was having the desired effect, Maddy moaned and Karen reached over to cup and squeeze Maddy's breasts.

Annelise sat back, teasing Maddy's clit with finger and thumb while inserting her finger into the redhead's vagina, then two and three of her delicate narrow fingers entered. Annelise vigorously plunged her fingers in and out, while continuing to rub quickly with the fingers of her other hand.

"Not teasing now am I?" She grinned.

Maddy grunted agreement, her chest rose and fell, her extended red nipples being teased by Karen with fingers and lips.

She tensed in the sofa, reaching down and holding Annelise's hand tightly in place.

Meanwhile I eased Annelise's pants and panties down, kissing her softly rounded, alabaster backside. So smooth and silky firm to my touch. Her pussy was wet already when I dragged my fingers between her thighs, massaging the swollen pink folds of her pussy...so wet. She lubricated my fingers as I played with her lips and stroked her. I spread her knees further apart, then reached forward again, massaging her lips and clit. She groaned and welcomed my fingers into her, as I slipped one within and then a second. I supported her as I fucked her with my hand as she kept fingering Maddy.

"Fuck, seems you have been practicing." Maddy gasped, squirming and closing her legs against Annelise's efforts to keep teasing the sides of her clit. She jerked again. Annelise cupped her pussy in her hand, kissed it then rested her head on the redheads lap.

I fingered Annelise more vigorously and Karen switched her attention from Maddy's more rounded breasts to Annelise's puffy pale pink nipples. I moved my other hand lower to wiggle my fingers over her sensitive clit and my other hand propelled my fingers in and out of her vagina swiftly. Annelise braced herself, forehead resting on Maddy's pussy and elbows on the couch. She was sweating, flushed and her thighs were wet with her juices, she came and came again. I held her slim slight body with one hand while fingering her with the other. She leaned limp in my arm, pushing my other hand away.

Maddy left for her room with "Good night, I need sleep after that."

Karen and I got into bed with Annelise being careful not to disturb a sleeping Eliza. Quite distracted from worry about tomorrow's trip, I had a restful dreamless sleep as soon as my head reached the pillow.

* *** *

Early morning on the 22nd March. We took care as we drove to the hamlet and then extra care when we approached the buildings. I checked the doors and confirmed they had not been opened since we had last been there. Well at least our tape and markings had not been disturbed. The others kept guard while Michael and I entered the cafe. It had been disturbed a little, just enough to remind us that sitting down at a table would not bring the attention of an apron wearing waitress with country pies or scones. The café was empty of people or bodies, other than near the back door. In the house behind the café we did find the remains of a body in a bed and sealed the room with tape. Near the back of the café were some chairs and tables, then a hedge separated the garden from the backdoor into the garage. While three guarded, the others loaded the truck and vehicles with fuel, tools, hardware, sacks and cartons of dry goods and tinned food from the garage and café.

Before moving onto the general store Michael wished to investigate the old stone church on the rise behind the row of houses. We left the truck in the open and drove up the side road past the orchard. The church was small with thick walls of grey stone and a short peaked tower holding a cross. Two cars remained in a gravel car park. Tall narrow windows and a peaked dark grey tin roof did not create a pretty image. We warily circled it on foot to find a small cemetery hidden by grass at the back. Inside, the church lived up to its desolate miserable image, a sad sight of five adults and three children, killed months ago by the virus. I tapped Michael on the shoulder and pointed that I was going out. He followed me, then Linda and Michael stopped and offered prayers by the door. Annelise also knelt with them. Maddy and I stood back, scanning the surrounding orchard and church grounds for any danger.

Finishing their prayers, Annelise came over to me. Linda and Michael talked quietly in animated discussion, then came to a conclusion and went inside. They returned with the baptismal font, communion table and lectern.

We returned to the truck and drove it to the general store, parking close to the front door. Linda and Annelise guarded the edges of the carpark from the back of the truck. Michael, Maddy and I investigated. Only one body lay within, the one we had seen previously from outside. The general store sold rural supplies as well as food and household goods. Many shelves had been stripped of food and water but we loaded bags of fertiliser, chicken pellets, herbicides and irrigation piping as well as what food we could find.

So it was that early in the afternoon we were busy loading dry and tinned food from the general store. Linda was on guard watching west towards the garage and the road home. Annelise watched to the east, along the street and across the bridge.

Annelise called out, "That girl again, she is across the bridge."

"Oh no!" she yelled.

Michael, Maddy and I raced out. On the other side of the bridge about 150 metres away was a slender woman with tangled shortish blonde hair. She was dressed in ragged clothes, holding a knife and riding a bike along the road towards the bridge and us.

Lumbering down the road chasing her was an enraged one. But it was just staggering along, barely keeping up, like it had chased her a long way. Strangely, she paused and stopped to look, then rode a short way on, and stopped again near the far side of the bridge. There she goaded it, shouting abuse at it with a colourful tongue.

"Going to get me are you maggot head?"

We paused and watched amazed at her antics across the river. She dropped the bike and ducked through a roadside hedge, just before it joined the stone wall of the bridge on the opposite side. The enraged one lurched after her. As it went to follow through the gap after her, it tripped and fell.

Immediately it was set on by two men, while the girl stood behind cheering. Hit on the rear of the head with a bar and log of wood, and already exhausted, the lone enraged put up little fight. The men pounded it to pieces, then at the girl's command they stopped. She bent, slashed off meat with her knife and holding up her prize she stood and ate, tearing into it. After a few moments, she shouted eat, and the two men dropped down out of sight. We watched as they bobbed up from behind the wall, pieces of flesh in their hands. Thankfully we could only imagine the body being torn apart. We watched dumbfounded.

Blood running down her chin, the girl sat up on the wall and looked over the bridge at us. She snarled. Then at a command from her, the three of them started to jog away and disappeared out of sight among the trees.

We would have to be extra careful, obviously not all the enraged were dumb brutes. Some were cunning brutes.

More supplies were available, but we had fully loaded vehicles. Again we sealed and marked the doors and left Beechamel for a slow drive home. Once our 12 kilometre journey would have passed in unthinking moments, now we scanned every bend in the road, every bush, every rock and every tree.

That night we celebrated with a tinned fruitcake and tinned cream. Three packets of undamaged chocolate biscuits were tempting, but I hid them so they would survive until the wedding celebrations.

CHAPTER 7. WEDDING BELLS

Sunday 27th March

The formal dining room in the base of the large tower made a perfect wedding venue. Perhaps it had even experienced a wedding in the world before the virus. Michael directed the organization of the room so that three rows of chairs faced the curving wall furthest from the entry. Near the wall he built a broad, low wooden platform from two large jarrah bookcases. Beautifully polished and perfectly joined, the rich red brown wood created an eye catching feature. On it he installed the communion table in the middle and placed the baptismal font and the lectern to the sides.

White lace ribbons and silk flowers multiplied and expanded through the room each evening. Vases on tables about the side of the room stood ready for real flowers. And it was still another week before the wedding.

We gathered late in the morning. We had finished the morning feeding of animals, watering of plants and showered. Michael wished to lead a prayer of thanks this Sunday. Well it was Sunday if our scratching of dates was correct, not all our watches agreed on the day and date now. I did not share Michael's way of thinking, but to have a break and celebrate surviving another week seemed a good idea to me. The others also seemed to want to reflect and give thanks in their own way. Linda sat on the front seat with Annelise while Karen and I sat just behind with Karen looking after Tiffany.

Maddy sat behind us in the corner seat next to the wall. Eliza came in last, sitting across from Maddy and keeping her head down.

Michael recalled briefly the ones lost, but had us remember the joy they had given. He focused on our fortune rather than our misfortune. Linda, Annelise and Karen sang, perhaps they had practiced before, I thought they were amazing.

On a joyous high we walked up the stairs to the lounge room above. Karen and Eliza had set up tables and we each carried up food from the kitchen. There we sat and enjoyed a leisurely lunch looking out over the gardens and forest. Salads and roast chicken were followed by scones and jam. Indeed with all the salads and exercise, I had probably never been fitter and healthier. Just as well, surrounded as I was by all the sleekly muscled, gorgeous company I was eating with.

Dinner was simple, a soup using the rest of the chicken. As usual Linda and Michael left after dinner and drinks, then we gathered in the lounge room. It was starting to get cooler as summer changed to autumn. Extra sheepskin rugs had been gathered where Tiffany squirmed against Maddy.