Okay, they escape from the creatures, then Ranjit takes them to a gurdwara (Sikh temple) where he gets some weapons that are used for martial arts training. Turns out that our humble dentist is very good at this. Anyway, the temple isn't safe because the windows are broken and there might be more than the few creatures that were waiting for them. They make their way to an old church with high windows and thick doors. When they get there, they find the gate padlocked, but Laura phones the vicar on the number on the noticeboard, and he comes out and lets them in.
Have I avoided the dreaded info-dump?
Chapter 9
For a while, no one said anything, then Jeremy piped up, “So what's your name, officer?”
“Laura Warden, and this stuff is looted. I'm not a copper.”
At this, a young, rough-looking man stood up. “Where did you get that stuff, then?”
“I found it,” she replied, not liking the strident tone he used.
“Where did you find it?” he persisted.
“Picadilly Gardens,” she replied. “I thought it was riots at first, but then people went all funny and hid. On the Monday after it started, there weren't any buses or trains, so I walked into town to see what was going on. I found bits of riot gear lying around. I picked up the stuff I found, then turned around and went back home. I could see people looting and whatnot, and heard some fights, but I held on to the riot gear and kept on walking. I put the helmet and coat on to make people think I was a copper. I was just at the gates of the tower block I lived in when I saw the caretaker putting a padlock on. He said it was a precaution, and asked what I was doing with the riot gear.”
“And you said it was just a precaution,” sneered the man.
“Yes, but no one tried to take it off me. There was shouting when I got to the lobby, then a creature came shooting through the door by the lifts and bit the caretaker. I saw them struggle until someone bashed the creature's head in with the hammer. This one.” She held up her claw hammer.
“What happened then?” asked the woman who had opened the door.
“I don't know why I did it, but I grabbed the keys. The caretaker dropped them when the thing attacked him. I pretended I was helping. Anyway, the man who helped him told me to hold on to the hammer and took him to the caretaker's room. I legged it to the lift and went back to my flat with the hammer and the keys.”
“That was nasty,” said the man, in tones that suggested that his own behaviour would have been more honourable.
“I know,” said Laura, “but you didn't see what I saw that day. I've never seen Manchester like that. There's always something going on. Even in the biggest riots, we've never been so utterly deserted. If that man called an ambulance, I doubt if one came. Besides, I didn't have a weapon and I knew I'd need one.”
“That's still wrong, what you did,” said the woman.
“It is, you know,” said Jeremy.
“Well, it's done,” said Laura. “If you haven't been out there, you have no idea what it's like.”
“What happened next?” asked another woman, who was holding the hand of a little girl.
“I got back to my flat, and when I'd washed and put the stuff away, my neighbour Jane came to my flat and asked if I'd heard that a policewoman had stolen the keys to the padlock on the gates outside, and had nicked a hammer too.”
“What did you say?” asked the man.
“I asked her what she looked like so I could keep an eye out for her.”
“One lie breeds another,” said Jeremy, in a voice that Laura had only ever heard religious people use.
“I was afraid!” she snapped. “Jane wasn't convinced of my innocence, if it makes you all feel any better, and the next thing I knew, the man I nicked the hammer off was at the door. He asked me why I'd locked the gates and was really quite decent about it. I said I'd go out and help him get some food, and he said I could keep the hammer.”
“What happened then?” asked the black woman.
“We got to the shops and filled up some bags. We were about halfway home when Tom knocked a wheelie bin into a car and set off the alarm.”
“Bloody Hell,” said the man. “Sorry, vicar.”
“Carry on,” said Jeremy.
“I can't run,” said Laura. “I'm too fat and I hate exercise, but I had the shield. I saw a car with an open door and thought I could hide in there. I couldn't take the shield with me, so I dropped it. Propped it against the car. Tom dropped the shopping and ran for it. They chased him and I crept into the car and locked the door. He didn't get far. The screams went on for ages. It was getting dark when I finally dared to look up. Tom was gone, there was only blood and little scraps lying around. They must have taken the shield, 'cos that was gone, too. I found a few tins of stuff scattered around and carried as many of them back as I could. Yesterday, I took a chance and went out again. Today, I met Ranjit.”
“So you're not too much of a coward,” said the man.
“Let's just say I'm aware of my limitations.”
“Or that you're a little fat coward,” said Ranjit, who was now clean and wearing fresh clothes.
“I'm still alive,” protested Laura. “And I seem to remember helping a certain Sikh gentleman to fight the creatures in that temple of yours.”
“Because I can drive.”
“I'm not Ripley out of bloody Alien, okay?” snapped Laura. “I'm sorry I'm not a hero. All the heroes and the well-meaning self-sacrificing types were the first to go. I'm still here because I'm not like that. I am, as you said, a little fat coward. But I'm your little fat coward and it was my idea to come here. Gimme a bit of credit, will ya?”
“Fair enough,” said Ranjit. “And you were willing to come out and meet me, even though you were afraid...”
“Did she?” asked the man. “Maybe you should give yourself a bit more credit, Laura.”
“Yeah,” said Laura. “Have you got a computer, Jeremy? Are you on the internet?”
“What do you want that for?” asked Jeremy.
“I need to know what's going on,” she replied. “Manchester is under quarantine. All the roads leading out of the city are blocked off.”
“She's right,” said Ranjit. “If you try to get over them, you'll be shot.”
“But there are rescue stations if you know where to find them. I need to know where it's safe to go to.”
“But this place is a fortress,” said the man.
“Yeah,” said Laura, “but it can be a prison, too.”