r/28dayslater

A few weeks ago I purchased this awesome and rare exclusive 28 years later: the bone temple ( 2M x 3M ) movie panaflex. These were not available to the public in normal circumstances. The panaflex has rubber rails on the sides which slot into a cinema lightbox

Last year I also bought this 28 Years Later World Premiere PVC vinyl banner ( 130” x 68.5” ). It is fully waterproof and was on show at the World Premiere of 28 Years Later, London in 2025.

Index

https://www.reddit.com/u/maizematt/s/CuBIzfLEPW

Day 1 if you missed it and this is the first youve heard of the series.

https://www.reddit.com/r/28dayslater/s/dZxSxP1an5

Day 18

Dark forces moved across the kingdom, covered by the shadow of the night.

Two black hawk helicopters flew low and fast over the land below. They would not stop to aid those poor souls who lit signal fires, fired flares or just shouted to the sky. They were here for one purpose. To make safe the UK's array of Nuclear reactors. Almost all modern reactors had built in safety features, to prevent meltdowns and potential escape of deadly radioactive material.

All reactors in the UK had initiated a safe shut down, all except one.

Containment was their mission, containment and to buy time until the infection burned itself out or until a cure was found.

Dungeness B is a twin-reactor Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) nuclear power station on the Kent coast. The control rods which would stop the nuclear reaction in its tracks had not been deployed. The automatic systems, remote access and back ups had failed. A team had to be deployed on the ground, the plan was simple. Get in, diagnose why the control rods had not deployed, make necessary repairs and extract.

Were it so easy… The Black hawks circled above, overlooking the darkened building and reactor complex. Soldiers tensed and prepared as the helicopters descended. "We can't risk landing, you'll have to rope down," the pilots relayed through the radio. “Copy that Razor's Edge’’.

One by one the Deltas deployed, finally being followed by the scientists and engineers. They had to move fast, in their briefing it was mentioned that the sound of the helicopters would likely attract the attention of local infected. Standing orders were to shoot on site, whether they be infected or not.

Two by two they came, moving through doors and darkened hallways. The auxiliary power could be brought online using the back up generators, this would bring parts of the facility back online. ‘Take the next left’ the scientist whispered. As one with fluid grace, the team moved.

‘Its Locked’ the front man called, they had reached the generator control room. ‘It's not locked, it's been blocked on the other side, kick it in’. The team leader demanded.

‘Hello? Is someone out there?’ The team paused in their tracks, listening to the voice beyond the door. ‘I can hear you talking, who's out there? Are you part of the rescue team?”

‘There's a survivor in there’ the scientist remarked. The team leader of the squad stepped forward and spoke in a clear monotone voice.

‘Yes, we are part of the rescue team. Open the door’

Silence fell across the would be invaders as they listened to the barricade be taken apart, one item at a time.

The door clicked and a man wearing a Hi Vis jumpsuit stepped out. ‘I'm glad to see you, I thought I…’

A silenced round pieced the man's skull before he could finish. ‘Christ, he wasn't infected’ the engineer called out. His disgust hanging in the air.

The team leader dismissed his distaste and ordered him to ‘Get the power online’. The man then looked to his men, ‘Team two with me, everyone else stay here’ he pulled the scientist with him as they continued further into the facility. The team leader held up his hand and as one their group split in half, half staying with the engineer and the rest moving to the control room.

The hallways and stairs were endless, littered with paper and discarded items. The power station was fully manned when the infection made it beyond the fence line. British engineers had made a valiant attempt at keeping the power running even as the infection surged through the halls.

‘End of the hall, on the right hand side that's the control room’ The scientist called from the middle of the pack, a wall of silenced SMG's surrounded him. However, it did nothing to calm his nerves or silence his instincts to flee this accursed land.

As they reached the vast array of control consoles, display screens and strange display symbols the soldiers did not understand, the lights came on. Slowly the dull buzzing of electricity, monitors and computers filled the air. ‘I need a minute to take some readings and find out why the rods haven't deployed’.

‘Get on with it’ The team leader turned and walked to the window. ‘Team one this is reaper 6 actual, move to our position over’

*Contact, contact!* The radios blared out. "We have contacts, say again infected inside the building!’. Distant gunfire echoed down the halls, fear gripped the men.

‘Team one report’ The now nervous man held his radio close, listening for a reply but none would come. He turned to the scientist and murmured ‘Move this along, we will have company here soon and I'd prefer not to be here when they arrive’.

Minutes passed, the anticipation of battle in the air would have broken other men but these were battle hardened warriors. Their nerves hammered steel.

‘Got it, rods are moving’ the scientist moved to another screen, showing the rods slowly descending.

‘Thats our que gentlemen, head to the evac point’ The captain held a finger to his ear and called out a final time. ‘Team one, objective complete. Head to evac point Alpha’.

The men made a hasty retreat, back through the building, heading out towards the pick up point. Parts of the facility glowed in artificial light as the diesel generators burnt the last of their reserves.

“Razor's edge, Razor's edge. This is reaper 6 actual, return for extraction. Mission complete, I say again mission complete”.

No reply would come on the radio and there would be no return of the helicopters. The military quarantine of the Kingdom was complete. No one out.

John

John walked around the ground floor aimlessly during the night, while Ember and Roxy slept in the sittingroom. John wondered what was happening to the rest of the world, wondered if the Americans could stop the outbreak in their own country and if help would ever come to this country. Surely the world would rally together and find a cure. John knelt before the front door and looked out to the twilight dawn overshadowing the driveway. We just have to survive until help arrives.

Moments later, John returned to the sittingroom, deciding to spend the rest of his watch in the comfy chair in the corner. When he noticed a small figure by the display cabinet. John grew fearful for a moment but with great relief, realised it was Roxy. She was holding one of the family photos Ember had held earlier and she examined it closely.

Roxy turned, looking John in the eyes. They weren't the traumatised eyes of someone who had seen too much. They were the eyes of a child, scared and alone. Wanting their parents and the safety that entailed. She sniffed, placed the photo exactly where she found it. Straightening it so the display was unaltered, it would stand as a memorial to those above.

*Knock Knock*

Roxy moved faster than John thought possible, as she moved back to where Ember now stood. John looked to the front door with horror, someone… something had knocked. It wasn't his imagination, they all heard it.

Ember pulled out a kitchen knife, ushering Roxy to stand behind her and John slowly raised his bat. The silence was broken by the sound of a further three knocks. Not infected he thought, the infected don't knock in patterns. They'd be trying to rip their way through the doors and windows. If they were out there.

John looked at Ember, her face slowly appearing thanks to the dawn light leaking through the top of the curtains. She shook her head as he pointed his bat at the door. John understood what she meant, they don't know who is out there or what they want. It's likely they will draw the attention of the infected or John swallowed. They could be here for more sinister reasons, he thought of the car, the life line it has extended to them and grimaced. A working car was worth its weight in gold.

The letter box opened, John jumped to the side hiding from view as Roxy and Ember ducked behind the sofa.

“Don't make us kick the door in” A harsh voice called. ‘This will all go easier, if you just let us in’. John moved to the window, risking it all to take a peak outside. Four men stood in the driveway, two by their car and the other two near the doorway. The four men wore matching grey sweatpants, blue T shirts and grey jumpers.

Ember moved next to John and nudged him to move aside. She looked out for a moment then quickly moved back to the holdall set aside with their meager belongings. “What is it?” John asked, as Ember increased her frantic search. “They're prisoners, I've seen that clothing before” Ember pulled out the handgun, the memory of the young soldier flashed momentarily in her mind before she turned to John and handed him the handgun.

*I don't keep it loaded, son. You'll have to find ammo as you go.*

“You have to talk to them, tell them to leave or else you'll shoot them” Embers' quiet voice came out frantic and rushed. “What?” John wondered what the hell he would say, he'd never been a threatening guy, hell he'd never even had a fight in his life. John hesitated looking to the front door then to Ember's now steeled eyes. “John, you cannot let them in here” Ember looked for just a moment to Roxy. He understood.

“I'm going to count to three” The man outside boomed, his voice far too loud for the world they lived in. “I'm here” was all John could think to say. He coughed and again repeated “I'm here, what do you want?”

“Finally, some fucking common courtesy. It's rude to ignore guests at your front door and ruder still to not invite us in”. A moment passed before the man continued.

“Are you going to leave us out here in the cold or are you going to OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!”. John took a step back, his hand shaking. He glanced to his side, seeing Ember and Roxy backing up against the wall.

“What do you want?” John replied, adding a deeper tone to his voice and fighting with all his might to stop it from cracking from fear. “Ah, an intellectual like myself I see, well Boy” The man beyond the door exaggerated the word boy, adding a sting to it John didn't appreciate. “I want you to open this door, invite us inside and we can work out the rest”.

“I'm not opening this door, there are other houses up the road” John examined the pistol, racking his mind for every action film he'd ever seen. Trying to find the right words to say, words to drive them away. “I have a gun”. Out of every catch phrase and threat that crossed his mind out of the depths of those 80's action films. That was the best he could come up with.

“Oh do you, Boy?” John heard the man step closer to the door. “Well, thats awfully fucking convenient isnt it?”. A moment passed before a boot hit the door.

Negotiations have broken down.

John watched in horror as the door shuddered on its hinges, the wood seeming to bend with every kick. He looked to Ember, who now stood with their holdall on her shoulder. Roxy holding tight to her leg. Ember whispered “we go out the back and run”. John knew if they ran now, the men outside or worse would catch them. They needed to get to the car, it was the only viable escape route. The noise would draw the infected, that was certain.

John took a breath before doing something Ember would certainly kick his arse for later. He opened the door.

The door swung wide and before the men outside could react. John fired the pistol, a single round barreled out, missing the four men and hitting the workshop across the driveway. Time seemed to stand still as they all stood staring at each other.

‘Get fucking back” John growled. The men retreated, as John pointed the weapon at each of them in turn. “Away from the car” one of the men stood nearer to the car than the others and smiled. ‘I said fucking move!’. His smile faded as he walked backwards with the others. Their arms raised to their chests. Ember moved quickly past John, carrying Roxy to the car. The men whistled as Ember moved past, she refused to look their way, refused to have anything distract her away from the only thing that mattered. Escape.

John slowly walked around the back of the car, Ember already inside leaned over and opened his passenger side door. The engine spluttered to life. “Don't follow us,” John announced. His eyes meet them each in turn.

“We'll find you again Boy, worlds a small place now and…” the man stopped mid sentence and as one the men turned and ran towards the house. John's eyes followed them for a moment until Ember's voice broke his trance she shouted “John get in!”.

The infected had come, two men and a woman, their clothes torn and bloody. They sprinted through the now open gate, murderous intent on their faces. The two male infected followed the four would-be raiders towards the house, the last man of their group being closed outside the front door. His pleas of ‘Let me in’ soon be cut short. The woman had eyes only for John. He quickly ducked inside the car as she reached towards him. Her full sprint took the windmirror off as she crashed into the now moving vehicle. Pulling out the gates, John counted dozens, fucking dozens of infected. All sprinting towards them and to the house behind.

They had all been drawn by the gunshot, an unintentional invitation to all nearby infected. The engine groaned as Ember aggressively pressed it for more power, more speed to escape. From over the hills and far away they came. More and more blood soaked bodies, their red eyes searching. “Fuck me”, John shouted as a old man collided with the passenger side window, heedless and uncaring of the damage caused to himself. A disgusting red trail of blood left in the man's wake.

“Hold on!” Ember shouted as they drove. John noted the sign *Welcome to Hannington, please drive carefully*. Shit John thought, the entire village heard the gunfire and had come straight for them. If the local parish council witnessed Embers *Careful* driving through their village. They would have called for an immediate meeting, the Guildford three roared through the narrow lanes as they made their escape.

Deep in the hills near Rhayader - North Wales

Their farm was miles away from anyone, it was said Cadiff could be nuked and they wouldn't have heard about it for years. But they all had heard of the infection. The farm originally had a staff of twelve, now reduced to two. Eira and her Grandfather. Since the outbreak, her list of daily chores only got longer and longer. As more of the farm workers left to be with their families.

Eira started her daily chores by making her grandfather breakfast, the electricity shutting off had little effect on them other than the loss of creature comforts. They owned a wood stove, wood furnace for hot water which was drawn up from a well. They were as self-sufficient as one could be.

After breakfast, she tended to the yard animals, the goats knocking into her with mischievous intent as she walked towards the chicken coup.

Eira missed the farm hands, her friends. She considered them all family, it would be harvest season soon but she figured most of it would be left in the fields. She would pick what she could, storing it away like her grandfather had taught her.

‘During the war’ he would say, as he taught her how to store food long term. She would live off the land, they both would.

Eira sat among the goats after completing some of her growing list and watched the low flying jet glide across the hills. She waved as it went directly over her and into the lands beyond.

Tangley church

John

John and Ember drove for hours, winding country roads and green fields their only company. They found the infected lingered near towns and villages. Generally staying in the area they were originally infected in, as if a faint memory of who they used to be remained. This was the case, unless they found an unfortunate soul to infect.

“We need to stop” John hated the words as they left his mouth but they couldn't risk driving at night. The headlights would become beacons to the infected, drawing them like moths to a flame.

John spotted the spire of a small church and signalled Ember to pull over. “You can't be serious” Ember eyed the church and gave John a sideways glare. Roxy peered over the backseat to see why they stopped and even she gave John a look that spelled *Really?*.

“Or we could try that house, next to the church” Ember pointed out. “It's certainly less creepy,” John mused. “I guess it's my turn to knock again huh”.

“I drive, you knock” Ember touched his arm before he stepped out “Be careful”. John looked back to find even Roxy's eyes filled with concern. John's throat felt tight as he took the pair of them in. The past few days of traumatic events had forged a bond between the three of them.

“Keep the engine running” John stepped out, donned the snorkel and lowered his goggles. In an act of Déjà vu, he approached the front door, this time opting to look through the letterbox first while knocking. The home was clear, the door unlocked. He stepped inside and called out “Anyone here?” After a few seconds of silence, he decided the home was clear. John put his thumb up to Ember, signalling it was clear and that he was going inside.

A priest obviously lived here he thought, it smelt like a priory and had that old church feel to it. The furniture was bare basic and dated, very dated. The house was huge, at least 6 bedrooms and a large downstairs living area.

Once John was certain the house was clear, he walked back outside and back to the car. “Its clear, the place is huge. I think I can take down part of that fence and you can reverse the car right up to the house. At least it'll hide the car from view. Over the next 30 minutes, Ember and John worked to dismantle a section of fence. After which they reversed the car into the front garden. They loosely placed the fence back, ensuring it could be easily moved in case they needed to leave.

As the sun set, they decided to set up camp in the downstairs bedroom. Ember and Roxy took the small double bed in the corner and John the old sofa. The old building had wooden shutters on the inside, probably left in place as decoration of a bygone era. They closed them all, wrapping the home in eerie darkness. Neither of them spoke about who would go first on watch. The three of them had barely slept for days and this ancient sanctuary felt safe enough.

Jennifer

Jennifer slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake Ember as she crawled to the edge. John's snoring regularly woke her, it was unfamiliar and alien to her ears. She tip-toed to the door and quietly slipped out into the dark house beyond. This wasn't the first time she had explored at night, John had caught her this morning before the monsters came.

Jennifer did not fear the dark, not anymore she only feared the monsters. The ones with red eyes, they had taken her mother and father.

Jennifer followed a faint glow of moonlight, its beam leaking through one of the wooden shutters. She climbed onto a chair and looked out the window through the hole. The garden beyond was dark, dimly lit by the moon. Then Jennifer saw them. A dark figure moved through the bushes, they wore all black. Jennifer thought it was a monster but then it stopped. It stood by their car for a few short moments, examining every detail.

The figure then turned and walked unconcerned into the naked night.

Jennifer crept back into bed with Ember. The woman wasn't her mother and did not pretend to be. She had saved Jennifer that day on the London underground. Ember had taken her with her when she had every right to abandon Jennifer.

She looked to John, he had sheltered them, protected them and also had every right to abandon them both. He wasn't her father, her father was brave and strong. John was… well he was John.

Jennifer held her Teddy Roxy close, it still faintly smelt like her mother.

https://buymeacoffee.com/maizematt

I just wanted to say thank you for your kind words on my last post. Its bringing light to a very dark time in my life. I hope you enjoy this one.

Thank you

Edit, I just looked at my Buy me a coffee page after a spam of emails. Thank you, its much appreciated. I'll hold my hands up and say i cried when I saw the comments. Thank you it means so much

I love all the films following up to bone temple but while watching both years later and bone temple, one person could come up in my mind as a "this could make the movie better if this person was in it". i miss you so much Selena. truly a cutie.

Index

https://www.reddit.com/u/maizematt/s/CuBIzfLEPW

Day 1 if you missed it and this is the first youve heard of the series.

https://www.reddit.com/r/28dayslater/s/dZxSxP1an5

Day 17

He had slept in, John woke up on his hallway floor alone, his front door was wide open and a breeze flowed through. Ember had left, John searched his flat and found she had taken the keys, Roxy and all of John's supplies. He ran his fingers through his hair, panicking and hyperventilating.

‘Fuck, fuck, fuck’ he was descending into a meltdown he would not recover from. John kicked an empty tin can out of frustration and froze. The can impacted the wall with a mighty crack. The sound was like a beacon, here I am, come get me.

The doors downstairs exploded open, John's instinct screamed at him and he ran to his front door, trying desperately to close it. But it wouldn't budge. John screamed as he pulled and pulled, the door seemed anchored open.

Slow footsteps approached up the stairs, revealing a blood drenched figure his head coated in red. His crimson eyes locked onto John as he marched up the stairs. He couldn't move, he was paralysed, glued to the spot by a mysterious force as the man he killed slowly moved towards him. His mouth open, blood flowed out in awful chunks as he seemed to be trying to form a word.

John's eyes opened, he was laid on the floor of his hallway, a blanket had been thrown over him and a pillow placed under his head. The front door was closed and sealed. The flat was in relative darkness from the curtains being pulled tight. He had to stand up, he had to confirm this was real and not another dream.

As he stood, he touched items at random and placed his hand on the wall to steady his shaking legs. Grounding, he was trying to ground himself. This is real he thought, this is real.

‘Morning’ a quiet voice called from the corner. Ember sat with her back to the wall, Roxy's head nestled on a pillow on her lap. ‘Morning’ he repeated. ‘Shit, sorry i think i slept through my watch’

‘Its okay, I fell asleep too. Think I've been awake for over an hour or so’ Roxy stirred in her lap, the muffled noise pulling her from her sleep.

‘You ready for this?’ Ember asked, meeting his eyes with her own. Green John noted, her eyes were green. ‘Yeah, I'll just pack a few bits and we can head out’. Ember nodded

He walked into his bedroom, suddenly feeling like this would be the last time he was ever here. What would he take, what would leave, he thought. They needed room to carry as much food and water as possible. They didn't have time to load up the car with his belongi

ngs. The infected wouldn't stand aside and wait for him to finish packing.

He grabbed his old holdall bag and started to pack. Clothing, their remaining food and water. The radio, tooth brush, tooth paste and bars of soap. ‘This isn't a holiday you idiot, he whispered to himself’. Next he walked into the kitchen, taking knives, forks and spoons. No point taking plates or bowls.

Tea towels, lighters, spare candles and a deck of cards. John picked up his frying pan, he could make it fit in the bag but would they need it he mused. ‘Take the frying pan and a saucepan for boiling water, plus any rags we can boil them… oh you put tea towels in’ Ember had crept into the kitchen, she assessed the contents of the holdall and removed some of the clothes.

“We can't overpack, take the bare essentials only, do you have any spare batteries or torches?’ John nodded, opening his junk draw. Ember walked up beside him and quietly whistled. There were junk draws found in most kitchens but Johns was a rare find. ‘Jesus’ Ember said as she moved the assortment of items around. ‘How the hell do you even close this draw?’.

‘With great effort’ John replied. Much to John's annoyance, he pulled out spare batteries, 2 small penknives and a wind up torch. Immediately placing them on the counter, wondering how he had forgotten to check this draw. Ember moved in next, pulling out a pair of scissors and a sewing kit. ‘Perfect’ she placed the sewing kit into the holdall and walked out of the kitchen with the scissors.

John knew what was coming as soon as he saw his bedroom door close. Moments later, Ember and Roxy emerged wearing some of John's clothes. Now butchered and cut down to size. Both Ember and Roxy stood in a patchwork of his clothes. He noted with horror, that Ember was wearing his favourite Hugo boss shirt. Its sleeves and hem were cut short to fit.

Ember held a fist full of rags, the cut up remains of his favourite shirt. She placed them into a medium sized saucepan and into the holdall. ‘I think that'll do it’ she said. John hoped to god Ember wouldn't cut up anything else he owned. He found himself looking longingly towards his xbox and game collection. There would be no point taking it and it would just be empty weight.

‘So what now?’ He couldn't hide the nervousness from his voice, it was one thing prepping to leave but it was entirely another thing to actually leave. ‘Should we check Arthur's place before we go?’ No Ember replied, ‘there's enough weight in that bag and we need to move fast’.

Cambridge

The streets of Cambridge were quiet, discarded riot shields and batons lay abandoned where they fell. Bodies lined the streets, the infection here had finally started to burn itself out. Few survivors remained, fewer still would live out the coming weeks.

London

The streets of London had been overrun by the infected during the evacuation effort, the street belonged to them now. Any survivors left had wisely sought higher ground, barricading tower blocks with trolleys, furniture and anything they could get hold of. Many fled onto roof tops, watching from above as the infected stalked below.

Hunger and dehydration would soon force survivors to descend from their sanctuaries in search for water. You can go weeks without food and many would. But water, water would force many out of hiding now.

It had not rained in weeks, exacerbating an already dire situation.

Gina lay on her front, carefully looking over the edge of the rooftop, Somerfield stood like an oasis in the heat of the desert sun. Two days, two days she had gone without water. She wanted to cry at the pain in her throat, the harshness of every breath. It was now or never, she knew that by tomorrow morning she would be too weak.

Liverpool

Liverpool Harbour had been heavily bombed during operation Sunset. The smoke still hung heavy in the air two days later, thousands had been incinerated in the firestorm. Both infected and uninfected.

Scotland

The population of Scotland had been thrown to the wolves, some fled to their homes in the Highlands. Hiding away in the endless Glen's. All organised military resistance to the infection had faded away, positions lay abandoned and checkpoints unchecked.

John

John wished he had paid attention to which neighbour owned what car, Ember and John had no idea which car the key would fit. ‘What if it's a spare key for the one they took?’’ John whispered to Ember as they scanned the street.

Ember just looked at John, her eyes portraying the same fears as John. He grimly smiled and looked back to the street outside.

‘It's been clear all morning, I guess this is as good a time as any’ Ember stepped back, Ushering Roxy to put her shoes on. John felt like he had swallowed a lump of iron, it was one thing planning to leave but it was entirely another to finally act on these plans. Part of him still expected the power to switch back on and for a BBC presenter to give the all clear.

But no signal would ever come.

John dressed in his armour, grimacing at the red stains and grime. It covered his knees, sleeves and boots. Ember and Roxy both stared at him in bewilderment, waiting for him to finish *Suiting up*. ‘What?’ He gritted through the snorkel. He could have sworn Roxy smiled, Ember just shook her head.

John unlocked his front door, leant forward and peaked his head out checking right and left. John took a deep breath then finally stepped into the hallway. Ember and Roxy followed close behind, they felt closer than his own shadow.

They stood on the top of the stairs, the door below blocking most of the light casting in from outside. ‘There's one in the bottom floor flat, well at least I think there is’ Ember poked John hard in the back. She didn't need to voice her reply, he knew she would have shouted ‘Now you tell me!’.

Slowly they crept, the three of them taking silent breaths as they inched their way down the stairs. John kept his bat raised, his eyes watching his neighbours door. Scenarios ran through his head continuously, what if the door burst open and an infected came charging out. Where would they go, could they get back into his flat in time? Could he have killed someone else, he had reacted on pure instinct the last time.

None of them spoke as they reached the door leading to the street, for fear of disturbing the dark presence behind door number 4. Ember bent down and picked up Roxy. Nodding to John as he placed his hand on the handle. The door opened with no fan fare, no squeak or sound. John felt there had to be someone looking after him as they stepped out into the street beyond.

Ember poked him, pointing at the first car on the street. The one closest to them, a silver Honda civic. The three of them moved quickly and quietly to the car. John found himself looking in every direction, every alley, door and window. His mind played cruel tricks of faint movement. Ember walked to the driver's side, trying the handle while holding Roxy.

Locked

Ember tried to insert the key into the door lock but to the dread of them this wasn't the car. Next one he nodded, Ember was already moving her pace increasing. They had two options remaining. A Red ford fiesta flight and an awful looking Skoda. They reached the Ford first, Roxy had buried her head into Ember's shoulder, her breaths quiet and steady. John wished he could hide as well, his heat was beating a million miles an hour.

Ember tried the door, the key slipped in and John's heart sang. Then dropped into a black abyss as he saw movement. A man, looking to be in his 40's ran for them. Waving his arms.

‘Don't leave me!’ The man shouted, John felt the words piece the air and their quiet escape shattered. In response he heard crashing and banging. Seemingly from every home, every window and door. ‘Hurry’ he said to Ember as she unlocked the door with an audible mechanical click. Ember opened the driver side door, almost throwing Roxy inside ‘In the back now!’ She called as Roxy climbed through the gap. Scrambling to hide behind the seats.

John hesitated for a moment, looking at the man running down the street. His panicked shouts signalling to all of Guildford the prisoners were attempting a breakout. ‘John get in!’ Ember shouted, her fingers shaking trying to start the car. "We can't just leave hi…’ John's words caught short in his throat as he noticed the wave of rage approaching. It seemed the infected had answered the man's call and were rapidly approaching.

Windows broke around them, bloody forms climbing through, careless of the deadly shredding of their bodies. John looked to his neighbours windows, two. There were two of them, struggling to climb out of the sittingroom window. Their red eyes locked onto him. He debated actually running back to his flat, to his sanctuary but the roar of the pitiful 1.2 Engine snapped him back to the passenger seat.

They both refused to look at the man, who was desperately screaming for help as they started to drive away. He was too far away, he now had dozens of infected chasing him and had nearly doomed their own escape. ‘Please!’ the stranger cried, as he valiant sprint finally gave out. John made the mistake of looking and watched in horror as two figures dragged him to the ground.

Ember floored it through abandoned streets of Guildford, John could have sworn he saw people in the windows of homes, flats and on the roofs. Their desperate pleading eyes, begging him to stop the car, hands and faces pressed flat to the windows before curtains closed blocking them from sight. They couldn't stop, the infected who now owned the streets of Guildford gave chase, thankfully no cars blocked their way as they exited Guildford. Heading West down Broad St, into the green hills and villages beyond.

London

Gina, quietly removed her makeshift barricade away from the fire door, she tried not to think about the begging voices and hands pounding on the door as she moved item after item. It was survival she told herself, survival that had driven her not to help the people who pounded on the door, begging her to let them in. Their desperate cries had turned into awful screams of pain then worst of all. Silence.

Gina held her ear to the door, listening to the stairway beyond. Nothing, there was nothing. She had convinced herself it wasn't selfish what she did, sealing herself on the roof and refusing to let anyone else up with her. But their screams haunted her every waking moment.

Gingerly she opened the fire door, the smell of blood and stale air leaked out, finally able to escape. The door groaned its discontent as she pulled it, only being able to be opened halfway.

Blood, there was so much blood. It covered the floor, the walls and the ceiling. God the ceiling she thought. The voices repeated in her head again *Let us in* *The infected are coming* *Please!!*. She struck them from her mind, ‘I had no choice’ she pleaded.

Standing in the doorway, she looked down the stairs. Darkness saturated the descending steps, covering more of her heinous crime. Gina wished she had a torch, wished the lights worked and wished she was anywhere but here.

Gina froze on the top step when she heard a noise from the dark depths below. Hesitating, she called out, maybe someone had survived, maybe they could help her.

‘Hello?’

Footsteps, shuffling and what she could only think was disgruntled breathing echoed up the steps.

‘Oh god’ she realised with mortifying speed that the stairwell was a sealed area. In the event of fire, heavy fire doors would stop the spread and keep it contained. The fire doors did their duty well, containing dozens of infected. Their stomping footsteps became a thunderous charge as they ascended towards the light, towards her.

Gina stepped back out and attempted to close the fire door but the door resisted. Karma, it seemed, had a score to settle.

Gina abandoned her attempts to close the door when she saw the first familiar face appear on the steps below. Her rage filled eyes only for Gina. These were her work colleagues, her friends. She had doomed them all.

Gina ran to the edge of the rooftop, looking down again at the streets below. She had no way out, no escape or place to hide.

Gina stood on the edge and turned, facing her colleagues as they sprinted towards her. Gina closed her eyes.

John

John and Ember had driven all day, avoiding large towns and any kind of settlement. They found going near a town meant the infected of the area would rush out to greet them. Like tour guides offering a free tour.

‘Any idea where we are?’ John asked as they pulled over. Green hills and open fields surrounded them on all sides. The last road sign John had heard of was Basingstoke. ‘No idea, I've never driven out this way. I lived in London all my life, I never really used my license once I got it’ Ember stretched out, she was tired and they both knew they needed to stop soon.

A drive that usually took a little over 40 minutes had taken them just over 4 hours, due to sticking to smaller B roads and country lanes. Occasionally they ran into traffic jams, a reminder of a failed evacuation effort and the tragic end of those attempting to get away. The infected were everywhere, a constant reminder to keep moving and to find somewhere safe to sleep tonight.

John noted the name of the small village ahead, if it could be called that at all.

Ibworth.

‘Pull over’ Ember shot John a look but slowed to a stop. ‘What is it?’ She asked while her head seemingly rotated like an owl. Stopping made them both nervous, every time they did. An infected would come sprinting down the road shortly after, drawn by the engine or it just happened to be in the area.

‘These houses, I don't think there's anyone in them and there's so few of them. Could be a good place to stop for the night’. Ember nervously looked around, Roxy stirred in the back. ‘I don't know about this’ Ember looked at the house where John was watching.

A small wall surrounded the home, covered by a tall bush. The wooden gates lay open, almost inviting them in. ‘Reverse into the driveway, go slow and just park outside the house. We can wait a few seconds, if nothing happens we can look inside’ John fished out his bat from the backseat. ‘John, I don't know about this, maybe we should keep going’.

Ember slowly reversed up the driveway, carefully watching the windows and doors of the house. As if expecting them to burst open and for the infected to come running out. But, the house stayed quiet, the only sounds were of the engine and the small stones on the driveway. Protesting against their disturbance.

‘Okay, keep the engine running if there's trouble just… don't leave me behind unless you don't have a choice’. Ember just frowned at John and told him to be careful. Roxy, now fully awake pressed her face against the rear window. Examining the modestly sized home.

John stepped out, closing the door quietly behind him. The air was clear, in that way countryside air is compared to the smog filled haze he was used to. John first peaked into the workshop/ garage on the right hand side of the driveway. An assortment of tools, car parts and just general junk filled the space.

‘Hello?’ John called, as he readied himself to run, looking back to the car and meeting the eyes of both Ember and Roxy. Their faces pressed to the glass. After a few moments, he decided the workshop was clear. Using hand signals, he and Ember had never discussed; he told her he would now check the house. Ember and Roxy just tilted their heads at him and quietly looked to where he pointed. The front door of the home.

The curtains were all closed on the house, as he crept towards the front door. John pondered what he would do if there was someone inside, what if there's an infected, what if there's dozens of them. He took a deep breath as he reached the door, John went to try the handle but paused. This is someone's home, there's a chance they could be still in there. John kicked himself as he gently knocked, placing his ear to the door. The silence beyond revealed nothing.

John knelt down, peeking through the letter box. Nothing, nothing but a darkened hallway. Leading to stairs and a room he could just see the doorway to. John whispered through the letter box ‘Hello?’.

No reply, no sound of shuffling or moving footsteps. John tested the handle, locked, he pushed the door slightly seeing if it would give way. It did not. John realised he would need to kick the door in as he took a few steps back, he heard a knock behind him. Ember was knocking on the glass and pointing down. ‘What?’ He whispered back, Ember shook her head and again pointed down, mouthing a word he couldn't make out. Ember rolled the window down and quietly said ‘Door mat’.

‘Ohhh’ John knelt and lifted the mat and revealed a spare key. Should have checked there first, he thought. The door eased open, John wished he had worn his snorkel, it gave him a strange level of comfort afforded from its limited added protection. He peaked inside, the air was stale and had a slight foulness to it. It seemed he didn't recognise, John again called. ‘Hello? Is there anyone here?’

The house remained silent as he edged his way inside, signalling again to Ember in that mysterious sign language. Ember just shook her head.

John slowly searched the downstairs, no signs of break ins or disturbance. It was a modest sized home. Sitting room, large kitchen, dining room and downstairs loo. All clear he thought, as he headed for the stairs. He ascended, the smell becoming stronger especially as he hit the landing. 4 doors encircled the landing, one door had Alex on it, decorated with small pink flowers, another had Billy on it, small footballs and dinosaur stickers. The third door had Mummy and Daddy on it, small pieces of paper pinned to all over. Children's paintings, John thought.

The last door had a bath sticker on it, small bubbles had been painted on the blue door. The smell John realised came from the bedrooms, slowly opened the parents rooms and peaked inside. Two pairs of feet stuck out, the skin pale and fading. John silently closed the door and looked again at the children's doors. The familiar smell coming from their rooms as well.

The small family had not been able to evacuate, instead their parents made an impossible choice of mercy. So they held a final family meal. Cooking their children's favourite meals, reading their favourite bedtime stories before retiring to their beds after such a perfect evening. Their parents had laced the blackcurrant juice with *REDACTED*, to ensure their children would never wake. The parents kissed their children goodnight, wishing them sweet dreams and that they would see them in the morning. The parents shared a bottle of wine, before climbing into bed and embracing each other as the *REDACTED* took effect.

John slumped against the wall and slid to the floor. The story told itself, this family had opted to give their children a final kindness rather than face the darkness and live in a world of fear. John looked to the stairs, imagining the car beyond and to Roxy. Could he make the same choice for her, sure he didn't know her but was this kinder then their current predicament. John wiped the tears from his eyes and stood.

Carefully Jon entered each of the rooms, pulling the duvets up and over so they covered the bodies laid peacefully in bed. Their eyes closed as if they had fallen into a deep sleep. He opened windows in each of the rooms, he silently apologised to the parents and asked if it was okay if they stayed the night. John went next to the bathroom, taking towels and sheets. Placing them at the bottom of each of the doors, to stop the smell of the decay spreading further into the home.

John didn't know any prayers or what to say so instead opted to close his eyes and say ‘I'm so sorry’.

John walked out to the car, Ember and Roxy's eyes following him. "It's clear, just stay downstairs and don't go upstairs," Ember gave him a puzzled look and went to ask why but John cut her off. Giving Roxy a side glance. ‘Just don't’.

They set up shop in the sittingroom, John had closed the wooden gates leading onto the property and walked the large garden. The wall continued all the way around, the only gap being the gates they used to enter.

Ember raided the cupboards, finding dried pasta, snacks and an assortment of sweets. She gave a gleeful Roxy a lolly and ushered her back into the sittingroom. John returned to find Ember stood in the corner of the sitting room, examining the array of family photos. She turned to John, she held up a photo then looked to the stairs. John grimly nodded, she was asking if they were up there. Their ad hoc sign language was improving.

As the sun began to set, they moved the sofas in the sitting room around, facing them away from the doorway and they would act as a last barrier if the infected found them in the night. John volunteered for first watch, he wouldn't be able to sleep knowing *They* were up there anyway. John had placed a chair next to the sitting room window, a similar set up to his flat he mused. Peaking out the curtain, looking at the car and empty driveway.

The world seemed so quiet and normal. Sure, hell had descended upon the world but outside of the infection. Nothing had really changed. The sun rose, birds sang and nature carried on.

Ember pulled up a cushion, sitting near John. ‘I never asked, do you have any family or friends. Somewhere we could go?’ John paused and felt shitty. Why hadn't he asked that of Ember first.

‘No, my parents died years ago and my friends are probably gone now’. Ember handed him a chocolate bar, one of the ones she found in the kitchen and replied. ‘My parents owned a house in the lake district, I didn't really talk to them before all this’ She gestured to the room. ‘I don't even know if they are still alive’.

‘We can check if you want." John had no plans and no idea where to go. The idea of having a direction appealed to him to no end. ‘I wasn't going to push’ Ember looked at John, his features fading in the dimming light.

‘Get some sleep, I'll wake you when it's your watch’

Hey guys, I'm sorry for the delayed releases. Things have been happening fast in my private life. Sadly my father's cancer is extremely aggressive and its weeks.

I will keep writing this stories as I'm finding it helps me channel and occupies my mind.

I apologise if the writing quality has decreased. Please give me feedback and ill improve on the next one.

(From the Werwulf trailer)