Thirteen Roses Book Six: Despair - An Apocalyptic Zombie Saga

By Michael Cairns

What if the zombie apocalypse was a cog in the machine, one part of a plan far larger than simply wiping out the human race?

Two months have passed. The ladies and five of the seven are out in the peace of the countryside, soaking up the last of the autumn sunshine and finding something close to contentment.

Except for Bayleigh. She’s bored out of her mind and knows they can’t sit on their arses forever.
Then there’s Luke. Two months of sitting around and he still doesn’t have a clue what to do. And now he’s avoiding Bayleigh, instead of doing what he would have done before the Father took his balls away.

Jackson is preparing to hunt. He’s spoken to God and knows his mission. The path before him is clear. He is God’s will on Earth. Blah blah bla--, oh no, hang on a second. There’s something else waiting for Jackson, something quite wonderful.

Dave is mad. Not just a little bit bonkers. He’s several waves, in fact, he’s pretty much a sea short of a shipwreck. But that’s okay, because he’s got cereals, and the rats, and someone to blame.

And Alex? Well, he’s got his end away, so that’s something.

Two months have passed, but the future is closing in. The end game is coming, and it’s not just Luke who has to choose a side.

Which side would you choose? Would you choose at all? Maybe you'd find a dark space somewhere and curl up with all the chocolate you could find, reading books till the zombies came for you. If so, click Buy Now and have something to enjoy your last days with...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Cairns
• Release date: May 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9781909699540

Michael Cairns

Michael Cairns was born at a young age and could write even before he could play the drums, but that was long ago, in the glory days - when he actually had hair. He loves chocolate, pineapple, playing gigs and outwitting his young daughter (the scores are about level but she's getting smarter every day). Michael is currently working hard on writing, getting enough sleep and keeping his hair. The first is going well, the other two...not so much. His current novels include: > Young adult, science fiction adventure series, 'A Game of War' 1. Childhood dreams 2. The end of innocence 3. Playing God 4. Breathing in space 5. Escape 6. Gateway to earth > Urban fantasy super-hero series, 'The Planets' 1. The spirit room 2. The story of Erie 3. The long way home >Paranormal horror post apocalyptic zombie series, 'Thirteen Roses' 1. Before (Books 2-6 due for release in spring)

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Thirteen Roses

An Apocalyptic Zombie Saga

Book Six: Despair

by

Michael Cairns

Published by Cairns Publishing

Copyright © Michael Cairns (2015)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication

may be reproduced, distributed, or

transmitted in any form or by any means without the

prior written permission of the publisher.

1st Edition

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For Sally, who will dislike this book intensely.

Jackson

‘My son, I will speak with you now.’

Jackson fell to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes. After ten days of waiting, of doubting, finally he was getting the audience he craved. But it wasn’t just for him. It was for the ladies, for those he was destined to protect. They had to know their leader was connected directly to the source.

‘My lord, I am listening. Speak to me, tell me your will.’

‘My son, I…’

God stopped talking. Jackson’s eyes opened as wide as they could go and he stared up at the strip light running down the ceiling. He waited, breath held. He couldn’t ask again, he couldn’t.

‘My son, I…’ God laughed. No, he didn’t laugh, he snickered, like a little boy in a schoolroom. ‘I can’t do this. You should be doing this, you’re much better at it than I am.’

‘What do you mean, my Lord, tell me what I can do to serve you.’

God burst out laughing and Jackson’s eyes narrowed. His arms stiffened, muscles straining against his shirt. ‘My Lord, what is funny?’

‘I’m sorry, Jackson, I can’t do this. Hold on, I’m going to get my associate.’

Jackson clenched his jaw and stared at the floor. This wasn’t God. Another voice appeared in his head and this one he recognised.

‘Jackson, how are you, buddy? How’s the fingers?’

Jackson growled deep in his throat and got off his knees. ‘Who was I just speaking to?’

‘That was me. I’m Seph. We’ve met.’

‘Why did you… why would you pretend to be God? How could you do that?’

Seph snorted. ‘Shits and giggles? Blame Az, he thought it would be funny. Now listen. Things have changed a bit. We’ve had an upset here in the Flights and we need your help.’

Jackson opened his mouth to roar his hatred at the bastards that mocked him, but Az cut in before he had the chance.

‘Seph, you can’t just ask him now. He hates me for shagging some of his girls and he hates you for impersonating God. He’s not gonna help us with anything.’

‘You’re right about that.’ Jackson spat. ‘The only way we’re meeting is when I come and smash your face in.’

‘I look forward to that day very much, you little s—’

‘Please, both of you, calm down.’ Seph interrupted. ‘Az, butt out, I’ve got this now. Jackson, please, listen for a moment—’

‘Why?’

‘Because I can give you what you want. You want money and women, right?’

‘Why do you think I want that?’

‘That’s what everyone wants. I want it and I’m thousands of years old and made entirely of energy. You’re a shallow, eager little man so you must crave it like your mother’s tit.’

Jackson’s mouth opened and closed.

Seph continued. ‘I can give you that and much more. I can give you all the ladies, queuing up for their turn with you. I can give you your hands back. I can give you anything.’

‘Can you give me a world without zombies?’

‘That’s going to be trickier. The zombies are part of the world now and we’re actually incapable of bringing about that level of change. One to one is my speciality.’

‘God wants the zombies gone. That’s my job and you can’t help me with it. So fuck you.’

‘Jackson, think about this for a moment. There are somewhere in the region of seven billion zombies in the world. Are you going to kill all of them?’

Jackson ground his teeth together and stared at the light glinting off his blade. He liked his blade. He’d like his hand back just as much, though. But he was God’s weapon and the blade was part of that. He couldn’t just give it up because he was offered riches.

‘You’re the money lender.’ Jackson said.

Seph burst out laughing again, a sound that carried much more humour than the last time. ‘That’s a classic. That was one of mine, actually. The Father asked for some metaphors and I came up with the money lenders. Typical of him that he didn’t give a crap how clumsy it was. In this instance, yes I am. Only I’m not lending you anything. You’re doing a job for me and I’m paying you richly for doing it.’

‘What’s the job?’ He wouldn’t do it. But it might prove useful to know what the angel couldn’t do himself.

‘I’m glad you asked. It turns out having seven billion souls all turn up to the Flights at the same time can cause… issues. Az and I have been rather busy dealing with that of late and we’ve let something slip. Our lovely soldiers over at St Paul’s have made the unfortunate choice to rebel against their masters.’

The angel let out a long sigh. It felt like wind rushing through his head.

‘Unfortunately, one of their masters, a rather obsequious man called Etienne, had in his possession something we require. It’s a gem, not much larger than a walnut, and deep blue in colour. It isn’t essential. Should we not reclaim it, we’ll find other means to do the same thing, but it would be most useful.’

‘So you want me to get it for you?’

‘Yes. And in return I shall furnish you with everything you desire.’

‘Everything?’

‘Name it.’

‘Your balls in a jar and your head on my blade.’ Jackson was met with silence and his grin widened. ‘Still sure you can give me everything?’ More silence. ‘Well, that’s disappointing. How about this. I’m going to get your gem and grind it under my boot. Then I’m coming to the Flights, wherever the hell that is, and I’m going to find you and kill you.’

‘That is a shame, young man. And a decision I believe you will come to regret. Well, it has been interesting talking to you.’

He felt it as the voice left his head, like having the plug pulled out of an air bed. The tension had built in his shoulders and neck and he shook himself as he tried to relax. Arrogant bastard. Still, worth it just for the pleasure of telling him where to go. And they’d given him a weak spot. All that bullshit about finding another route was just that, bullshit.

They needed the gem or why would they have come and talked to him? Az knew how pissed he was at him, so they wouldn’t have tried it if they weren’t desperate. He nodded. It was a start.

He could hear the ladies crying. Three gone to the zombies and all on his watch. He was failing God, he knew it, but he wasn’t going to let it change his plans. There was no way to create a new world with Az and Seph still planning and plotting. Until they were dead, he could do nothing but hunt them.

He strode into reception and glanced around at the ladies. Many of them were pale, huddled together and hugging. It was like one big porn movie, only they still had their clothes on. If he did what Seph wanted, they’d all take their clothes off. For a brief second, he was tempted. But it was only a second.

He knew what it felt like now, when he thought God was speaking to him, and there was nothing to replace that, not all the sex in the world, or the money.

‘Why are you all sitting around?’

They replied with sniffs and silence. He stalked around the room, making eye contact and getting little back. This was no good. They were acting beaten before the war had even begun. Maybe they didn’t realise they were in a war.

‘I’m leaving. Not right now, but in the next couple of days, I have to leave. All the work we’re doing here means nothing while evil creatures still plot to destroy us. I am leaving to kill those creatures and you must be ready to defend yourselves.’

They were scared and shaking as they stared at him. They didn’t believe him, not properly. They thought he was talking about some point in the distant future, a point that didn’t affect them now. He sneered. ‘You’re all gonna die and it’s because you aren’t standing up and fighting. Do you want to die?’

That, at least, received a few no’s. He nodded. ‘I didn’t think so. So get up, stop sniveling and whinging, and get ready.’

A few got to their feet and he huffed. This wasn’t going to be easy.

The first week was the hardest. Some of them had gone nowhere near any physical activity for most of their lives. Their figures came from luck and eating right, but they were hard pressed to find the right end of a cricket bat.

By the end of the fortnight, he had at least half of them punching him in a way that was vaguely convincing.

Every morning he woke and decided this would be the day he left. Then he rolled over onto Harriet and she’d promise, in her quiet voice, to beat him until he bled. Goosebumps would rise all over him and the next hour would be lost to the wonderful place the two of them made when the rest of the world went away.

Then he’d get out of bed and start training the ladies. Very quickly he’d realise they weren’t ready. He’d try to convince himself, but he’d think about what would happen if he left and the horde broke through the barricade. He’d see blood and death and at the end of the day, he’d still be in The Shard.

So a month passed and then two.

He woke one morning and sat up in bed and Harriet wasn’t there. He grumbled and stalked out into reception to see the ladies drilling in threes, beating the crap out of one another.

It was time.

Ella saw it too as she strode across reception. ‘We’re leaving.’

‘Yeah, this morning. You ready?’

‘I’ve been ready for months. I’ve been waiting for you.’

He cracked a smile and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. ‘You know we’re going to piss off people far stronger than me, don’t you?’

‘One of them is that demon who raped two of the girls, isn’t it?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then what are we waiting for?’

He approached Harriet, smile slipping as he watched her train. Her hips moved like no one else and the surge of her breasts beneath her t-shirt still made his dick hard. They’d talked about it, of course, about him leaving and she knew the moment she broke off to speak to him.

‘When are you going?’

‘About now, actually.’

She nodded, eyes on the floor. ‘Can we talk a minute, in private?’

He led her back to their room. He couldn’t be bothered with the talking. She talked too much as it was, but maybe, as he was about to leave, it was the least he could do. She sat on the bed and took his hand. He barely noticed the lack of the two smallest fingers these days.

‘Before you go, and I know you have to, there’s something you should know.’

He let out a breath and rolled his shoulders. She’d never used the love word and it would be weird coming from her. It certainly wasn’t gonna come from him.

‘I’m pregnant. I’m having your baby.’

Luke

The sun was setting. It was only half four and already the world was darkening, night birds coming out to screech and call across the fields. Winter was coming and the wind coming down the valley carried the smell of cold and exposed soil. Luke pulled his jacket closer and picked up the pace.

His afternoon walk ended progressively earlier at the moment. Had it been up to him, he’d have walked into the night, but Bayleigh was emphatic he had to be back in the light. He imagined this was what it was like being married. So many of his subjects had made the list because of their marriages, choosing divorce, or cheating or, in the extreme cases, murder.

That made him think of Dave. Two months alone in the city and not a word. He shook his head and climbed over a stile, pausing on the other side. Two months of waiting and still no closer to a decision. Perhaps he’d already made it. Maybe just being here told him everything he needed to know about his future.

He sniffed, turned away from the valley, and started back to the house. The beauty of this place was lost on him. All the things the others seemed to enjoy about being here were lost on him. He didn’t know how to find the pleasure of being human, and it was getting worse every day. Every day he felt the aches and stiffness the impending winter was bringing to his body, and he hated it.

There wasn’t much he liked right now, and how lame was that? His grin brightened him for a moment. He was sounding more like Krystal every day. It was the right word, though. Thousands of years of observing humans and still he couldn’t get past something simple like ennui and having a difficult decision to make.

The stomp back to the house was quick and by the time he closed the gate his legs were warm and his breath steamed in the night air. The security lights came on and, as per usual, he was blinded. Alex had gone overboard with the bulbs and the surrounding countryside was lit up like a carnival.

The house was in the usual state of chaos, attractive young women lounging everywhere as today’s crew made dinner. Tanya gave him a wave as he stepped in the front door. She was favouring her stomach and he couldn’t decide whether she was actually pregnant or just wanted to be. Hopefully the former.

Something needed to happen. Because regardless of whether she was pregnant or not, he couldn’t find it in himself to care. And he should. He shook his head and slouched in one of the sofas. The usual ladies flocked around him, asking after his walk and his health. He answered dutifully, ate dinner, and headed upstairs. He’d barely sat on his bed before a knock came at the door.

‘Come in.’

Bayleigh’s head appeared first, before she ambled apologetically in and sat on the bed opposite. ‘Umm.’

Luke raised an eyebrow and waited.

‘I need to do something.’

A number of obvious, mostly rude answers went through his mind. He’d barely spoken to her in the last few weeks. She’d spent a lot of time with Krystal and Ed, showing them around the countryside and being mum. She didn’t look like mum now. She looked… he scowled.

A houseful of beautiful women and he wanted her. He didn’t know why and he didn’t know what it was he wanted, but he realised with a start that he hadn’t just not been talking to her. He’d been avoiding her.

He cleared his throat and looked pointedly at the ceiling. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘What are we doing?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, what are we doing? We’re surrounded by zombies and just because none of them come and attack us we seem to have forgotten about them.’

‘What do you think we should be doing?’

‘I don’t know, killing them? Aren’t we creating a new world?’

‘We have to have people to do that though, don’t we?’

‘Exactly. If half the ladies were up the duff I’d think we were making progress, but the only one anywhere near it is bloody Tanya and I’m not even sure whether she is.’

Luke nodded, watching her closely. He’d thought something was going on between her and Alex. Obviously not now of course, and the chances were he was wrong anyway. Before, he got to see everything. When it was all based on looks and comments, he didn’t have a clue. But the way she said ‘bloody Tanya’ suggested she was at least a little pissed off.

‘It’s good, though, don’t you think?’ Luke said.

‘Of course, great. Our first baby on the way. Now what about the other 53?’

‘What do you suggest?’

‘Well, you could be doing something for starters.’

He blushed deep red and looked at his hands. She sniggered. ‘Really?’

He didn’t respond. He didn’t really know how to. He pictured Sophie, but she was an excuse. Bayleigh didn’t know that, but she must have seen something on his face, because she frowned. ‘Crap, sorry, that was stupid. What about the soldiers?’

‘What about them?’

‘Don’t be like that. They’re the only other ones we can get. I know after what happened in town it’s gonna be a hard slog, but don’t you think we should be talking to them?’

She was right. It was the same thing he’d been telling himself since they got here. But doing that would mean he meant to stay and he still couldn’t admit to it. He sighed and shook his head. He either admitted she was right, which was annoying, or he had to make something up to pretend she was wrong.

Maybe it was time to make a decision.

‘How do we talk to them?’ He asked.

‘We go into town, you and I, and meet up with them.’

‘They want me, Bay, you know that. I can’t risk it.’

‘What are they going to do? You use your scary magic stuff on them and they all lose it anyway. We’ll be fine.’

He shook his head again, but he was out of excuses. ‘What about everyone here? We can’t just leave them.’

‘In case you hadn’t noticed, we’ve spent the last two months building an army. Just because they’re sickeningly pretty and have better skin than anyone I’ve ever met, doesn’t mean they’re any less capable with a bread knife. Our ladies can kick arse now and they’ll have Krystal to look after them if they panic.’

‘Krystal? Not Alex?’

Bayleigh smirked. ‘Don’t even try that. Krystal was born for this. She was kicking arse before we came here. Now she’s full-on Katniss. Alex is…’ she looked over her shoulder, then ducked her head and lowered her voice. ‘Alex is a pussy, let’s be honest.’

She blushed as she said pussy and he chuckled. She was right, though. He’d told them about the children in the basement and that won him some brownie points. But Krystal had taken down Az’s zombie child beneath St Paul’s, and that was before any of the training. He knew which he’d have rather fought.

Alex hadn’t avoided the lessons or the training. He’d been there and put the effort in, but there was something very detached in the way he fought, as though he thought it was something done by people other than him. Which, of course, it was.

Luke had no excuses left. Either he left and found Az and Seph and did what they