Revenge of the Dead

Chapter 14: The Flames

I feel myself swaying, a gentle rocking motion that keeps me in a light doze whilst I gradually wake up. The infiltrating odour of salt pierces my lungs and I stir under the overpowering stench, my nose crinkling. My eyes slowly flutter open and the silky blue sky rests above me, creamy clouds dance amongst it and I raise a hand shakily to my forehead.

I feel a light graze run from my eyebrow down to the middle of my cheek and I trace the deep cut with my fingers lightly, my skin is splattered with dry blood and I scratch it off repulsed. Sitting up cautiously I look around me, the boat crashes through the waves and the group sit huddled around Maria who drives it. A mixture of expressions are painted onto their faces, although anxiety seems to twist its way into all of them. I get to my feet and wobble towards them, Josh looks up to see me stumbling and he rushes to my aid. 

"Whoa take it easy!" he mumbles and pulls me into a warm hug, I squeeze my arms around him and breathe a deep sigh of relief. Allowing myself a small smile of relief as I try to calm my heavy breathing.

"What happened? Is everyone ok?" I ask slightly panicked and Josh strokes my hair soothingly whilst keeping me in his safe embrace.

"Everyone's fine Madeline, you just took in a lot of water when you saved me," he explains and I frown as snippets of memory flash past me. The water filling my lungs, the infected's vice tight grip, the grass, the warehouse, the zombies and the river of black blood. I shudder and shake my head in a feeble attempt to dislodge the thoughts from my head, I smile up at him lovingly and pull him towards the others.

They all smile when they see me and I roll my eyes at them to cover my bubbling embarrassment, I sit down and look around the group who crowd around me. Soph feeds Ashia a jar of baby food absentmindedly, although the look on my daughter's face suggests she's not impressed with the flavour. Eli sits by her side loyal, smiling as Ashia dribbles the unwanted food down her chin and onto Sophs once black jeans. I send them a small smile before my eyes flicker to my parents who watch me cautiously, a small bruise appears on my dad's jaw and I drop their gaze instantly. 

"So," I say after a moment's silence, "where are we?" My dad stares at me across the huddle, assessing my words before he replies. 

"We're currently on the English Channel, about ten minutes from France actually," he adds matter-of-factly and I don't miss the tension in his voice. I nod whilst taking in the extra information, successfully ignoring my dad's glare.

"We better get ready then," I say and start to load my gun, I click the bullets into the chamber and aim it at the water shakily. I sigh and try to steady myself for when we tread onto French soil, I see the others nod and start to prepare their weapons systematically, the practice becoming a habit.

Looking over into the distance I watch as France gets ever-closer, frowning as I see the sky darken. I shrug on a jacket as the eerie sky chills me, its shadow suffocating me unsettlingly. As we get closer I gulp loudly and slowly turn to face the group, their expressions mirror mine and I bite my lip nervously. The black sky is not a storm or an innocent dark rain cloud, the swirling blackness is ash.

Because France is ablaze.

The flames left the port charred and as the boat touches it gently it crumbles away into the grey depths that reflect the smoke. We wrap scarves over our mouths and pull our hoods up to shield our bodies as much as possible as we crash onto the burnt cove with a crunch.

I scoop Jaz into my arms and I motion for the others to follow me, sending Josh a curt nod as he presses our daughter into his chest protectively. I jump out of the boat and into the warm water, it rises to my knees and I wade forward carefully. The ash starts to fill the air around us and I quicken my pace to a light jog, staggering through the smoke that obscures my vision. I squint as it stings my eyes and I move forward blindly, my arms outstretched in front of me to protect me from hidden obstacles.

Finally, the thick, suffocating smog clears and I stumble out into an empty town square. I pull up my gun in preparation for the infected I suspect to swarm us and I see Eli hold up a knife in front of him, mirroring my expectations. However, the square in front of us lies empty in the contaminated air.

"Where are the infected?" he asks and I shake my head blankly in answer, just as lost and ill-informed as the others.

"France was meant to be overrun," Sophie says questioningly and my Mum stands closer to her protectively as I stare around me at the black tinted buildings. Not even blood stains the streets and this sets me further on edge, there is no sign of the infected at all. There's no sign of anything.

"The infected must have been killed in the fire..." I trail off quietly and I hear Josh finish my thought from behind me.

"Or they're hiding somewhere safer," he states and I nod absently, my attention on the deadly still square. I scan each and every building twice more, my eyes willing for some kind of sign yet basking in the security the silence creates, but everything stays as eerily still as before. I pull my jacket around me tighter and lower my gun to my side, stepping forward hesitantly.

Maybe we're all that's left, or maybe, they're watching us.

I don't know which is more terrifying.