solution, so she said, “Come on, let’s get out of here. I don’t like seeing this crap.”
Not an apology, far fucking from it in fact, but it would have to do.
***
For the next ten minutes or so the pair ran. The slap of their shoes against the hard road existed as the only sound between them. The aches of the past day caught up with Rhys again and the hard jolts of his feet against the road ran shocks up his back. It twisted the ache at the bottom of his spine from the bike crash.
In the half-mind of running, most of his attention on his breaths, Rhys couldn’t police his thoughts like he could when he walked. Sadness turned his limbs heavy and the tightness in his throat made it hurt to breathe. He spoke between gasps for air. “I can’t … believe … Dave’s gone.”
For the first time since they’d found the bloody police car Larissa’s cold demeanour warmed a little. A sympathetic frown furrowed her brow. She first looked at the woodland area that ran alongside the road before she said, “It’s sad. I’m sorry for your loss, Rhys.”
“And you yours. I know how much Clive meant to you.”
A sharp nod and Larissa looked in front of her again. Their footsteps synchronised and they pushed on.
The woodland area on their right pulled away when they arrived at the first town. They slowed to a fast walk as they took the place in. Rhys’ eyes stung from where sweat had run into them and a shimmer ran through his heart. “This was when I realised the virus had gotten out of the city. Vicky and I came through here and saw blood on the streets.” As the first garage door came into view Rhys said, “It was that garage—” He couldn’t finish the sentence.
In big red letters in what could have only been blood, read, ‘R - Call Me - 07734 921118 - V.’
Despite his exhaustion and jagged fear Rhys smiled. “I told you we should head this way. I knew we’d be on the right track if we did.”
“Do you have a phone?”
Rhys’ frame sagged. “No. Do you?”
A shake of her head and Larissa sighed. “We need to get that number down and find one.”
Rhys chewed on his bottom lip as he looked around for something. He then clicked his fingers when he saw a large bush to his right. “I’ve got it.” Rhys walked over to it and pulled ten of its long and waxy green leaves off.
“What are you doing?” Larissa said.
“Ten leaves. I’ll tear slits into them for each number and stack them in the correct order.”
“But there’s eleven numbers.”
“I think I’ll remember the first number’s a zero.”
Larissa didn’t reply.
Night had well and truly settled in by the time Rhys had finished. He slipped the stacked leaves into his pocket in order. “Right,” he said, “all we need now is a phone.”
Dark as it was outside every window on every house looked even darker. Not a single light had been switched on in the street. Maybe a power cut, maybe just a sign of an abandoned town. Whatever the reason Rhys’ body wound tight as he stood in the near silence of the place.
With Larissa by his side Rhys walked over to the first house. “If only it were like the old days when people actually had a landline.”
As Larissa walked next to him she said, “I don’t fucking like it here. There could be anything in any of these houses.”
“Don’t worry, I think the town cleared out a while ago.” The warble in his voice undermined his confidence, but Larissa didn’t pull him up on it.
Rhys approached the first house in the street, the one with the bloody garage door. He walked up to a dark window and only saw his reflection. When he stepped closer still, his warm breath turned to condensation on the glass. It made it harder to see inside.
With his hands cupped around either side of his face to block out even the moonlight, Rhys pressed against the window and stared into the dark room. His skin tingled as adrenaline surged through him. It looked like the living room from
Not an apology, far fucking from it in fact, but it would have to do.
***
For the next ten minutes or so the pair ran. The slap of their shoes against the hard road existed as the only sound between them. The aches of the past day caught up with Rhys again and the hard jolts of his feet against the road ran shocks up his back. It twisted the ache at the bottom of his spine from the bike crash.
In the half-mind of running, most of his attention on his breaths, Rhys couldn’t police his thoughts like he could when he walked. Sadness turned his limbs heavy and the tightness in his throat made it hurt to breathe. He spoke between gasps for air. “I can’t … believe … Dave’s gone.”
For the first time since they’d found the bloody police car Larissa’s cold demeanour warmed a little. A sympathetic frown furrowed her brow. She first looked at the woodland area that ran alongside the road before she said, “It’s sad. I’m sorry for your loss, Rhys.”
“And you yours. I know how much Clive meant to you.”
A sharp nod and Larissa looked in front of her again. Their footsteps synchronised and they pushed on.
The woodland area on their right pulled away when they arrived at the first town. They slowed to a fast walk as they took the place in. Rhys’ eyes stung from where sweat had run into them and a shimmer ran through his heart. “This was when I realised the virus had gotten out of the city. Vicky and I came through here and saw blood on the streets.” As the first garage door came into view Rhys said, “It was that garage—” He couldn’t finish the sentence.
In big red letters in what could have only been blood, read, ‘R - Call Me - 07734 921118 - V.’
Despite his exhaustion and jagged fear Rhys smiled. “I told you we should head this way. I knew we’d be on the right track if we did.”
“Do you have a phone?”
Rhys’ frame sagged. “No. Do you?”
A shake of her head and Larissa sighed. “We need to get that number down and find one.”
Rhys chewed on his bottom lip as he looked around for something. He then clicked his fingers when he saw a large bush to his right. “I’ve got it.” Rhys walked over to it and pulled ten of its long and waxy green leaves off.
“What are you doing?” Larissa said.
“Ten leaves. I’ll tear slits into them for each number and stack them in the correct order.”
“But there’s eleven numbers.”
“I think I’ll remember the first number’s a zero.”
Larissa didn’t reply.
Night had well and truly settled in by the time Rhys had finished. He slipped the stacked leaves into his pocket in order. “Right,” he said, “all we need now is a phone.”
Dark as it was outside every window on every house looked even darker. Not a single light had been switched on in the street. Maybe a power cut, maybe just a sign of an abandoned town. Whatever the reason Rhys’ body wound tight as he stood in the near silence of the place.
With Larissa by his side Rhys walked over to the first house. “If only it were like the old days when people actually had a landline.”
As Larissa walked next to him she said, “I don’t fucking like it here. There could be anything in any of these houses.”
“Don’t worry, I think the town cleared out a while ago.” The warble in his voice undermined his confidence, but Larissa didn’t pull him up on it.
Rhys approached the first house in the street, the one with the bloody garage door. He walked up to a dark window and only saw his reflection. When he stepped closer still, his warm breath turned to condensation on the glass. It made it harder to see inside.
With his hands cupped around either side of his face to block out even the moonlight, Rhys pressed against the window and stared into the dark room. His skin tingled as adrenaline surged through him. It looked like the living room from
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