The Dead

‘You’re saying we’re like a sort of medicine for them?’

‘In a way, yes.’

‘Bloody hell.’ Ed rubbed his temples and slowly shook his head, trying to take this in.

‘We think there’s something in us that adults need to eat in order to stay alive,’ said Wiki. ‘That means that the reason we didn’t get the sickness is that we’re different to them. Biologically different somehow. Everybody born less than fifteen years ago has something inside them that prevents them from getting the disease.’

‘What is it?’

‘We’ve got no idea,’ said Justin. ‘But the sickos can sense it. Not consciously. I don’t know, they can smell it, maybe. Remember what happened to Frédérique when she was attacked at the lorry? The sickos weren’t interested in her. They left her alone and went after the other kids. And that explains why they don’t eat each other, well, not unless they’re absolutely desperate. Their primary impulse is to attack and kill and eat children, because we are the only thing keeping them alive. Why do some die of the disease and some live? They live because they eat children. And the more they eat the longer they live.’

‘That’s not a very nice thought.’

‘Yes, but like I said, all knowledge is power,’ said Justin. ‘The more we can understand them the more we can defend against them.’

‘And what about sunlight, then?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Why does sunlight make them worse?’

‘Does it?’ Justin was frowning. This was new information for him.

‘Oh, come on, Justin,’ said Ed, pathetically pleased that he knew something that Justin didn’t. ‘You must have seen it. When you put a dead sicko into the sun –’

‘They turn into popcorn,’ Jibber-jabber interrupted. ‘Like exploding caterpillars.’

‘Yes,’ said Justin. ‘Go on.’

‘They prefer to stay in the dark,’ said Ed. ‘Not come out in the daylight. And Frédérique, she was all right in the dark, but went berserk in the daylight. When I spoke to her, she kept saying the sunlight hurt her.’

‘Maybe there’s something in the electromagnetic radiation from the sun,’ said Wiki. ‘Maybe the ultraviolet, or something. The sun’s rays could accelerate the disease. There are people who are allergic to sunlight. They have to stay in the dark or their skin blisters. It’s called polymorphous light eruption.’

‘There’s obviously a lot we still have to learn about the disease,’ said Justin, sitting back down.

‘Maybe you should catch some sickos and do experiments on them,’ said Ed.

‘Yes,’ said Justin. ‘It’d be dangerous, but if we really want to understand what’s going on then we should.’

‘Justin, I was joking!’ said Ed. ‘You can’t start doing human experiments.’

‘They’re no longer human, Ed. We’re the only humans left.’

‘If you say so.’ Ed sighed and started drumming his fingers on the table. ‘But you haven’t really answered my original question. Am I still going to be human after my birthday?’

‘You say Frédérique tried to attack you.’

‘She looked at me like I was lunch,’ said Ed. ‘Came at me with her mouth wide open.’

‘Then you must have inside you whatever prevents the disease.’

‘Yeah, but will it still be there when I get older?’

‘Logically I would say yes.’ Justin smiled at Ed. ‘You’re probably all right.’

‘Probably?’

‘It’s very hard to say anything definite in science,’ said Justin. ‘Probably’s the best we can offer.’

‘It’s better than nothing.’ Ed smiled back at Justin. ‘Thank God for the nerds of this world.’

‘But at the first sign of a cough or a cold,’ Justin added, ‘or a fever, or a rash, or spots of any kind, you get well away from me, OK? And stay away!’

Before Ed could reply there was a flash and a thud. The whole building shook and several windows cracked.

‘What the hell was that?’ said Jibber-jabber, jumping up.

‘An explosion of some sort, I reckon,’ said Justin. He pointed towards the broken windows. ‘Coming from that direction.’

‘The gasholders,’ said Ed. ‘I’ll bet it was the gasholders. That decides it. We’re getting out of here now.’

68

‘Looks like we ain’t going nowhere. I guess we go

‘You’re staying?’

‘Yup.’

Ed shook his head. ‘You’re crazy.’

‘You know it, bruv!’

There was still a steady flow of bedraggled-looking kids tramping past the park, staring sullenly over at the museum. Ed and DogNut were standing at the back of the lorry. Justin had parked it on the grass to the side of the museum, ready to get away. The fire was obviously getting nearer. The sky was now filled with sparks and billowing smoke that burned their throats. The wind was so hot it was like opening an oven door.

Ed threw up his hands in despair. ‘This whole place is go

DogNut shrugged. ‘I du

‘You can’t make a stand against fire.’

‘Jordan Hordern can. He’s one tough brother. Big boy on road.’

‘All right. Suit yourself. But we’re pulling out.’ Ed slapped him on the shoulder and walked towards the driver’s cab. ‘Good luck!’

‘Wait a minute!’ DogNut called him back. ‘The general gave me some gear for you. Thought you might find it useful.’ DogNut waved to a boy inside the museum and he came out of the side entrance wheeling a trolley piled high with weapons. Ed saw rifles, swords, axes, clubs, bayonets … A proper arsenal.

He felt like weeping.

‘Jordan Hordern’s gone soft,’ he said, picking out a rifle with a fixed bayonet. ‘He’s not as tough as he makes out, is he?’

‘Don’t worry,’ said DogNut with a twisted grin. ‘He ain’t jazz. He kept all the best stuff for his-self.’

‘What about David?’

DogNut sucked his teeth. ‘He got his guns.’

Even as DogNut said it David and his boys emerged from the building and marched outside, proudly carrying their rifles on their shoulders. David shouted an order and they stopped to line up next to the lorry, trying to look all serious and military but breaking into childish grins as they checked each other out with their new toys.

David came over to Ed.

‘We’re willing to act as an escort,’ he said. ‘I think if we keep together we stand a better chance of making it across the river.’

‘That’s very good of you, David,’ said Ed. ‘What do you want in return?’

‘Some of your food, obviously.’

Ed exchanged a look with DogNut. ‘Fair enough,’ he said. ‘But will you be able to keep up with us?’

‘Look at it,’ said David. ‘The roads are jammed. It was hard enough travelling on them before, but now it’ll be nearly impossible. We can clear a way for you. You really don’t want to get stuck, after all.’

‘OK.’ Ed looked along the line of red-blazered boys. ‘You got bullets for those things, by the way?’

‘A few.’

Ed walked back to the building with DogNut. ‘Last chance, DogNut.’ Ed put an arm over the ski

‘The DogNut is staying, blood. It’s not like Jordan’s forcing us, or nothing. Is our choice. We a team. We stay here. And we fight for what we got. Took a whole lot to win this place.’

‘Say goodbye to him for me,’ said Ed. ‘And thanks.’

‘Good luck, bro,’ said DogNut. ‘Come back and see us when the fire’s gone out.’

Ed laughed, exchanged an awkward high five with DogNut and went back over to the lorry where the coach-party kids were waiting for him.