Empty plates lay on the table in front of the team in the mess hall at the power station. Merryn was watching Eddie, Tom, Andrew, and Hope play a fast-paced card game that had Eddie in fits of giggles, and a warm mug of tea was clasped in her hands.
"May I join you?"
"Of course," Merryn reached out and took Lily's hand as she sat down opposite her. "I'm sorry, I was miles away there."
"Penny for your thoughts," said Lily.
"I was just thinking how normal this is, just a group of people having a bite to eat and playing a daft game. But then you look over and see Stan watching them and you realise how much the world has changed. We've just witnessed hundreds of thousands of walkers being immobilised by a brave young woman, an equally brave half dead man named after a black and white comedy film star, and a bucket of the world's worst custard made up of a ground up family."
Lily chuckled. "My Aunt Sheila used to make truly horrible custard: she was an awful cook and even managed to burn pasta once."
"We do need to come up with a better way to describe Stan though," noted Merryn. "'Half-dead' or 'Semi-walker' doesn't seem appropriate for someone who has just done what he's done."
"Agreed," said Lily. "And if we're going to find more like him and Darcey as we start to reclaim the country then it's something we need to get right." She looked over Merryn's shoulder. "Talking of which, this could be an interesting meeting."
Merryn turned and looked as Shawn, leading his mother by the hand, walked into the room. Darcey wore her customary hat and floral dress, and blank expression.
"Stan?" Ever alert to his changes in demeanour, Hope had put down her cards and was looking at him. She sat with her back to Shawn and Darcey and hadn't seen them enter the room. Hope stood and walked the few steps to Stan's side placing a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"
Stan gently picked up a confused looking Hope and moved her to one side, then walked around the table. Shawn and Darcey had stopped a few metres away and Hope turned as Stan moved, understanding flooding her face with a smile as she did, a smile mirrored by that of Shawn's.
"Look mum, you have a friend!" said Shawn dancing on the spot in excitement. The boy let go of his mother's hand and trotted forward to meet Stan, grabbing his hand and pulling him forwards. "I've heard about you sir, it's nice to meet you. This is my mother, Darcey."
Shawn stepped back out of the way.
Stan stopped a foot away from Darcey, his dark eyes looking into hers. They both closed their eyes, leaned forwards to touch their foreheads together, then leaned back to look at each other again. A few seconds later, Stan tilted his head back and gave voice, a sound utterly different to his challenge to the swarm of walkers at Newport. A single pure bass note of joy and greeting filled the room, echoed a second later by Darcey as she joined in with a different note pitched in perfect harmony. The two of them held the notes for many long seconds then lowered their heads and fell silent.
Stan moved to her side and the two figures stood, motionless once more.
"My word," said Lily, wiping a tear from her eye. "I've never heard anything quite like that, that was beautiful. Can you imagine a group of people like Stan and Darcey all doing that together?"
"Let's hope that's something we can see in the future," said Merryn. "I would love to know what just happened there, that was unreal."
"Mum's happy, that's what happened," said Shawn. He glanced at the empty plate in front of Merryn and grinned at her. "What's for lunch?"
~
"Control, this is Scout 2, do you read me?"
"Morning Scout 2, Mal here, Captain Summers is here too."
"Morning Mal, I've got Captain Sands and Mark here too. I just wanted to report in before the Captain and I start to make our way back around the coast to you, and while we have everyone in the same room as it were."
"Thanks Merryn, if you could give us a progress report that would be great."
"Sergeant King and his team have cleared the new C site next door, all bodies disposed of, perimeter fences are whole and the site is secure. Marjorie and her team are building several reinforced fenced connection points between the two nuclear sites, and have already started to catalogue what equipment and machinery we have in there. There's a lot of stuff that will be useful to us, that's evident right from the start. We will need forces stationed here to relieve King and his team at some point and continue to provide protection to the power station. Marjorie and Sergeant King are proving to be quite a team and have come up with some interesting ideas for compressed air weaponry, earthwork style fortifications to the perimeter, installation of electric charging points along transport links for any electric vehicles we can get moving, mobile crushers, modified excavation equipment to help clear our motorways, and electrified fences along transport routes to help 'freeze' walkers until they can be dispatched. The two of them haven't stopped talking for days.
"And that's just some of the ideas, the list is expanding daily and Eddie, Andrew, and Tom have come up with some inventive ones too, particularly around detection and clearance.
"Aside from that, the downtime provided by us removing the walkers here on site has meant that long overdue maintenance has been carried out and everything here is now tested and fully operational, and should be able to withstand a swarm should one appear.
"The next steps now are to finish the work on C site, then start to clear the route from here to you folks in Exeter, then along the south coast to the Isle. Once transport routes are viable and we have a fleet of electric vehicles running we can start ferrying troops to help us begin to clear the southwest. But that will take some time and I will leave that to the planners on the Isle.
"Rob has flown Hope and Stan back to the Isle along with Shawn and Darcey. Hope and Shawn would like us to keep an eye out for any humbies we come across in the field and escort them to the Isle so they can join Stan and Darcey. In time we hope to start utilising them in the field again."
"Er... Scout 2?"
"Yes, Mal."
"What's a humbie?"
"We came up with the word today - human zombie variant - humbie. We decided we needed something more suitable to describe Stan and Darcey. The descriptions 'Half-dead' or 'Semi-walker' weren't cutting the mustard so this is what we're going to use from now on. Both Stan and Darcey have approved its use."
"Noted Scout 2, thank you."
"That's pretty much it from up here. We're going to get a decent night's sleep here at the power station tonight, then Captain Sands is going to bring us home via the Lighthouse to pick up Jan and the kids."
"Sounds like a plan Merryn, "replied Mal. "I've been talking to Jan over the radio, and the kids too. The boys quite like a bedtime story, and Jenna has been asking about school on the Isle. I get the feeling she'd quite like to get back to some semblance of normality. Jan's already eyeing up the lighthouse off the western point of the Isle. He's noted that The Needles could do with a man of his experience there and I think he fancies a bit of peace and quiet."
"I don't blame him," said Merryn. "I'm going to sign off my friend, and we'll see you in a couple of days. Stay well."
"You too Merryn. Captain Summers sends his regards."
Merryn sat back from the radio, tension draining from her. "I think I could do with a strong cup of tea, and maybe a walk with a friend"
"That's something we can do," said Mark, and stood up from his chair.
"And I'm up for a walk," said Lily, also standing.
Merryn stood and walked to the door, Lily joining her. But then she paused, a faint smile flickering across her lips. "Mark. I was wondering if you could do me a favour..."
~
A day later, Merryn stepped off the boat into a hug. For many long moments she clung to her friend. Finally, she pushed him away and linked arms to walk up the gravel path to the barracks.
"I've missed you."
"Likewise my friend," said Mal. "It's good to have you home."
"We've picked up some extra guests, they'll need a bedtime story from Uncle Mal. Mind you I think Lily will be pleased to get them off the boat, they're an inquisitive pair, no button is safe."
"I'll make sure to keep them out of Captain Summers' way," said Mal.
Merryn stopped. "I brought you a present," she said, holding up a tin, with a grin on her face.
"Is that?"
"Yup, tinned pineapple."
"Oh my word," said Mal, his tone hushed and near reverent. "We've not had any of that here for so many months. The only way this could get better is if you had a tin of condensed milk."
"What do you think I am, a miracle worker? If I had a tin of that, you'd have to worship me for the rest of your days."
"If you had a tin of that, I'd give you my games console," said Mal.
Merryn reached into her pocket and pulled out a small tin with a wide grin on her face.
Mal went pale. "I rescind my last statement."
Merryn shook the smaller tin which made a faint sloshing sound. "I've always wanted a games console, and working ones are so hard to find these days. How much do you want the little tin..."
"You're meant to be my friend Merryn, how can you put your best friend through such torment?"
Merryn dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Dude, your face. Come on, let's go have some pudding, and then I'm going to whoop your rear on a bad zombie game or something."
"Pah, you couldn't beat me if I had one arm tied behind my back."
"I'm willing to tie you up if I need to," replied Merryn, still chuckling.
Further conversation was interrupted as the ship's tannoy roared into life at full volume, and the fog horn boomed out across the still waters of the estuary followed by twin laughter from the bridge.
"Wait for it..." muttered Merryn.
"You little buggers! You wait 'til I catch you."