Death's Playground

Chapter 16

My ears ring. I open one eye and look at the man in uniform in shock. He didn't shoot me. But then what did he... I turn around and see a dead slumped on the ground, one single bullet hole going through their head. I stand still in shock.

Ruby appears next to me, she stands just in front of me, slightly shielding me from the man in uniform. The others come out from behind the trees to join us. Ruby speaks first, "Who are you?" The man hoisters his gun back in his belt before answering, "I'm Flight Leftenant Andrews. Are you kids alright? Is anyone bitten or scratched?" My face lights up, he's a Flight Leftenant, he could be from the RAF base we're heading to. Ruby somehow manages to keep a calm, controlled voice and not squeal in excitement. We might actually get to be safe. "None of us are infected. Are you from the RAF base in Hackton? We heard it might be a safe heaven." Andrews rubs his hand through his short brown hair, "I am from the Hackton base but unfortunately I have no idea whether it is a safe heaven. I was sent out with a small group just before the outbreak happened. I've only made it this far back." My heart drops. I thought this man would have some answers for us, give us a solid reason to keep heading to the base and not just relying on hope.

Seeing our expressions drop his scrambles to grab something from his pocket. From his inside pocket of his uniform he pulls out a crumpled, slightly torn piece of paper. "When my team were out we heard a message come through our group phone that we use to communicate with the RAF base. The signal was bad and it was hard to make out the message but I wrote down what I could make out." He pauses and stares at the paper in his hands, deciding whether to trust us.

With hesitation he hands the piece of paper to me. He twists his hands as he says, "I don't have a clue what it means or why we were sent this message but I think it's important. I shouldn't be showing you this, but I need to figure out what it means." I look down at the piece of paper, hoping that I can decipher some of the message.

Written in smudged ink is;

Project Remedium

South Crastonfield Hospital

52°20'14.8"N 0°46'35.9"E

I pass the crumpled paper to the others so they can inspect it. Ruby is the first to say anything, "Do you know where those coordinates are?" She looks up at Andrews as she hands the paper back once everyone's read it. "Unfortunately no, I was recently transferred here so I'm afraid I don't know the area well. Do any of you know where South Crastonfield Hospital is?" Oliver pipes up, "It's a few miles away from the RAF base, in the direction we're heading."

                  

My mind races over the note, I've been to that hospital before. There's nothing special about it, not as far as I'm aware. I try to analyse the rest of the note, Project Remedium. What could that mean, is it a secret mission?

Matt speaks up, "Remedium is cure in Latin." He says it so matter-of-factly that I hardly even process what that means. Ruby turns to Matt, questioning him, "Project Cure?" as the words come out of her mouth she too realises.

There could be a cure for the dead.

I find myself smiling slightly. It could all be over. We could return to a normal life. Hell, at the moment even exams sound like fun.

Andrews stares at the note in his hand, "This is more serious than I thought. I need to get to the RAF base quickly. Stick with me, I'll protect you and get you to the base." He pats his pistol for effect. I sigh in relief, someone who can actually protect us. No more danger.

Now joined by Andrews we carry on our journey to the RAF base, feeling ten times safer. I struggle to keep up with Andrews' fast pace, having to call for them to wait every now and then. Already after about an hour I am exhausted. So far in this world I have managed to carry on going even though I'm tired but right now, my body is done. "Can we take a break?" I call from the back. The bag on my back feels like it might as well be filled with bricks. It pulls me down to the ground. I land hard against the ground on my side.

"Beth!"

Matt appears, taking my bag off of me and gently lifts me to rest my head on his lap. Ruby knees down and grabs my face, inspecting me. Her eyebrows furrow, "She's dehydrated and exhausted, give me some water." The sudden mention of the liquid makes me now realise how dry my mouth is. I slowly sip the small amount of water that is given to me. We can't afford to drink too much, we don't have much left.

Chris stands behind Ruby shaking his head with a small smile, "Why didn't you say anything Beth? We could've stopped. You're no use collapsing on us." I give a weak laugh and try and sit up, Matt helping me. As I stand my head becomes dizzy and I lose balance. Matt catches me just in time, I give him a weak smile.

My legs feel like jelly as I stand, this time not falling. Andrews looks at me with concern and then looks to the sky to find the sun. "I suggest that all of you wait here while I go and grab some water from a stream not too far from here. I'll back-track to one we passed." Andrews says as he already heads back the way we came. Ruby stands quickly, "Don't you want someone to help, we're not completely useless you know." Andrews doesn't stop walking but simply shouts back, "I'll be back in half an hour." We have no choice but to wait in the open field, alone.

And so we wait. Time keeps going and going. Ten minutes to twenty, then half an hour to an hour. Soon the light begins fade and night starts to crawl its way across the land.

Oliver stands up and starts walking towards where Andrews had gone. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Ruby stands as she questions him. Oliver turns around, walking backwards, "To find him, what else?" Annoyed Ruby raises her voice slightly, "Alone? Are you daft?" Oliver says nothing but simply winks at her and carries on walking into the distance. Ruby sighs and sits back down with the rest of us, "Great, just great."

Oliver is gone barely five minutes before he emerges from the growing darkness. He walks toward us, alone. We all stand up as he arrives, "I didn't find a body but there was a load of blood stained on the ground and grass. Way too much blood. Oh, and this," he hands over the crumpled piece of paper with the message on it to Chris.

My heart drops. So much for feeling safe...