Novels2Search
Apocalypse
Episode 20: The Garden

Episode 20: The Garden

I held Mina’s limp body in my arms not knowing the extent of her injuries. I looked around to see where safe ground would be.

The shooting behind me had fallen silent. Whether this due to the zombies having been slain, or the troops overwhelmed I did not know. I looked up at the sky which was overcast with the promise of rain.

Ahead I could see more fencing and barricades. These had been pushed over outwards, and so I assumed that this was the direction taken by the mass of people that had fled from the civilian holding area. I picked my way carefully over the barricades being careful not to fall.

This took us back into a residential street. According to the news report this should have taken us into safe territory, but in such a swiftly changing scenario I did not know whether this was still the case. I looked around as I walked for any clue or indication as to whether this area had fallen too.

The cars were undamaged, and there was no debris in the streets. It looked like London from before the horrors of the infected aeroplanes arrival still less than 48 hours ago.

Mina was feeling heavy in my arms, and I was aware of my own vulnerability now both my arms were being used for the task of carrying her. Off in the distance I thought I heard a scream, but I could not be sure from which direction.

I looked to my right. I was passing a house hidden behind a thick verge. I pushed open the garden gate, and then closed it behind me. The garden I found myself in led to a four storey substantial Edwardian townhouse.

As I looked at this building I could hear running up the street. I stepped away from the gate so I was fully hidden by the verge. The sound of the running seemed to be made by several individuals, and from their hissing and groaning it sounded as if the undead had indeed broken through the cordon.

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I laid Mina down on the gravel, and explored around the side of the building. All lights seemed off within the house. At the rear of the house I peered through the glass of the back door. I could not see or hear anyone within the property, and so picked up a rock from the garden, and smashed the window panel, and reached in with my arm. The key fortunately had been left in the internal lock, and so I unlocked the rear door and went and collected Mina.

Whoever lived here was not currently home, but the property was lived in and cared for. I laid Mina down on one of the ground floor sofas, and then went upstairs to grab blankets, and then into the kitchen to wet a cloth which I pressed against her forehead which had grown feverish. While I attended to her I also removed the radio from my back pack.

Tragedy on the Hudson River today as two vessels laden with survivors from the unfolding disaster in New York have collided and sunk. Officials are unable to estimate the number of casualties. A manned military border has now been put in place around New York, Boston and Philadelphia as containment protocols continue. The US government has also stated that all military personnel will be withdrawn around the world with immediate effect.

In Gothenburg the outbreak has continued apace and United Nations and European Union forces have engaged in live fire on Swedish soil.

Russia has as yet not deployed any forces onto non-Russian soil but the Russian Goverment has repeated that all its border territories will see increased numbers of military personnel stationed along its length, and that all options will be explored to ensure the safety of the Russian people.

China has also announced today that in light of the incidents happening in the West that it has taken immediate measures to control its borders. A full lockdown of its borders is now in effect, and Hong Kong has seen Chinese troops on its streets as this region has now been placed under Chinese military occupation.

In the United Kingdom the containment of the outbreak in the west of London has been extended into both northern and central regions of the capital. Officials have stated that the situation is fluid, and that more measures will be implemented to bring this situation under control.