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    A Murdered World
    A Murdered World
    A Murdered World
    Ebook126 pages1 hour

    A Murdered World

    By Ann Corbett

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Most of the population of earth has been murdered, although some have survived the attack, and when the invaders disappear, the survivors began to search for a place, a place safe from the horrors which the invaders have left behind.

    The horror of the dead who are walking again.

    Bert and his group are one lot of survivors and as they search for a new place to call home, they realise that there are others too.
    Other survivors, of a murdered world – from an invasion that never actually happened.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAJC
    Release dateSep 21, 2015
    ISBN9781311320346
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      Book preview

      A Murdered World - Ann Corbett

      A murdered world

      By

      Ann Corbett

      A murdered world © Ann Corbett 2015

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Chapter One

      (And an invasion that never happened)

      It was when the sun set and darkness descended, that was the worst time. It was the scariest time, because it was too difficult to see them.

      It was the time when the flesh eaters came out – in force.

      It did not mean that it was any safer during the day, it just felt safer... well a little bit safer.

      But it was night time that was the worst time.

      The small bunch of rag tag survivors crept through the trees as twilight began to take away the day time.

      They knew that they were not alone in the dense forest, that there were flesh eaters here too, and they hoped – desperately hoped, to make it deep enough in, to find a hiding place, and remain undiscovered for the night.

      There was the sudden breaking of a branch, sounding loud in the silence, and the leader of their group, looked at them all speakingly.

      He was a big man, and well muscled, although scarce food and less rest, and a life lived in almost constant terror had shrunk him down a little, although it could not do any damage to his height.

      He was strong, and always managed to keep a control on his terror, he had kept them alive through more than one skirmish and now they all looked to him as their leader – although it had never actually been a formal decision.

      Bert was his name, and he would have once been good looking, with his dark enigmatic eyes, and a wealth of black hair – that was peppered with a lot of grey now, and cut short in a jagged haphazard sort of way.

      He was a mass of welts and scars now, as well – as they all were.

      There was the sound of movement, and empty soulless groans came towards them, and Bert nodded to the group, and jerked his square stubbly chin in the direction of those noises.

      They all fumbled with their weapons, checking that they were ready, but keeping their ears and eyes alert as they did so.

      The sounds grew louder, and Bert crooked his finger, as he moved closer to the shelter of a large oak tree, and they all moved towards him, slipping their bags firmer onto shoulders.

      It would have been easier to drop their belongings onto the ground, it would have been easier to fight, and to defend, but the risk was that they would have to make a run for it. If the number of flesh eaters was too great, then they would have to try to break and run. But they had so little stuff now that to leave anything behind was just not an option.

      You okay, Tina? Bert demanded, casting a quick appraising glance, and the little blond nodded, anxiously as she took her place at the back of the circle.

      Get ready Chrissy, he said firmly, and the tall brunet took her place beside Tina, with a low grunt, which could have meant anything.

      Keep your eyes sharp for anything at our back, Bert instructed the two women.

      The three men stood to the front on either side of Bert, and drew up their weapons as shadows began to appear.

      Shit! Bert whispered in a low husky voice that did nothing to disguise his horror. So many of them!

      Too many? Freddy demanded in a voice made higher from the stress.

      The sounds had become a racket, and it was getting louder, as more of these soulless empty figures seem to emerge from the trees, and the stench of rotting flesh was nauseating, but the small group simply wiped away the sting of tears, from watering eyes and gripped their weapons tighter.

      They stood under the shadow of a wide oak tree, as close to it as they could get.

      The hope was that they would not be seen, would not be discovered – that the flesh eaters would stay in the clearing and simply wander past them. They knew that it was a forlorn hope, but it was all that they had left – and sometimes it did work. To get as close as possible to something else living, an animal or a plant – so long as it was large enough, then sometimes another living thing could shield them.

      The flesh eaters were only interested in flesh – human flesh, but life radiated from more than humans on this planet, and that could often confuse and protect, what was left of the human race.

      The first of the flesh eaters drew closer, they looked like people at first – ordinary people – if you could ignore the stench, and the torn clothing, and the dead lifeless eyes. The first one looked like a man, in his thirties his matted hair was thick and blond, and his suit made him a business man, or something similar.

      As he drew closer, they could see the mottled colour beneath his skin, where the blood settled in patches, since it no longer pumped through his veins. His eyes were possibly blue but they were sunken so deep into his sockets that it was difficult to tell, that and the milky white orbs where the pupil used to be.

      His flesh did not seem to want to stay attached, and bits of it broke away as though trying to escape, leaving open wounds, showing muscle and bone.

      It was probably the reason they had such a taste for human flesh, maybe they thought that by eating it then it would somehow replenish what they were losing.

      He was closely followed by more of his kind, and as they entered the clearing, the group tensed in preparation for their sudden lunge, but even as they drew heart stoppingly near, they suddenly veered off as a sound came crashing through the forest, and attracted their attention.

      As those first few ambled off into the trees on the far side, the others instinctively followed after them, and the small group of survivors stood like statues, not even daring to breath.

      More and more of them came out of one lot of trees, to simply disappear into the shadows of another lot of trees.

      Twenty five, Bert mouthed silently, thirty... fifty two...

      Finally the last of them shambled on through, and the clearing where the survivors stood, was silent once more.

      But the silence did not last for long, as a roaring sound suddenly hit their ears. And a bright orange light lit up the sky and the forest.

      The howling of the flesh eaters was almost as bad as their moans, it was just as hollow and dead like but now it had an air of hopeless desperation to it.

      They could smell their burning rotting flesh, and smoke billowed through the trees.

      Bert put his shirt up to his face and jerked his head at the others.

      They all covered their mouths with whatever piece of clothing they could grab at, as they slowly and cautiously began to move away from the clearing, and away from the burning fire.

      I sure hope that fire don't get out of hand, Phil grumbled in a low voice. At least not until we're clear of this forest.

      You've no worries there, mate!

      The small group of survivors stumbled to a halt, as three soldiers stepped out of the bushes and right into their path.

      Who are you? Bert demanded guardedly as he stepped in between his people and these unknown soldiers.

      The one, who had spoken, grinned hard at him. I'm Sergeant Miller, sir, he said with a tone of respect for Bert's obvious authority.

      And what do you want with us?

      The soldier blinked at him in surprise, and his grin wavered.

      Why nothing, sir, we were sent to intercept you, and offer you accommodation... shelter, with food and water... a bed and four walls – sanctuary.

      Why?

      Bert could feel his people twitching behind him. Oh for a rest – if only for a night – an hour – a moment or two, just a little time where you did not have to be on your guard, where you could put down the terror and simply be for a while.

      Where is this sanctuary of yours? he demanded impatiently.

      The soldier’s grin returned. It’s not far, had you reached the other side of the forest and got onto the road, you would have come to a bend after a five minute walk, and a little while after that you would have come to our place.

      What makes you think that we were heading for the road? Bert relaxed his stance a little, and his people huddled closer behind him. He could smell their odour, the stale sweat, and grime that they had picked up after spending weeks on the road, with little or no cleaning facilities.

      He could smell the musky scent of the women, and he scowled. They were beacons for the flesh eaters, no wonder they did not get very

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