Autumn The City Page 0,33

time to act had actually arrived he wanted to curl up again and hide. Sensing that he hadn't followed her, Donna turned back. 'What's the problem?' she hissed. His mouth was dry and he couldn't answer. 'I...' he began, not knowing what he was trying to say. 'Get off your backside and fucking move!' Donna cursed. She waited for a second but still he didn't move. 'Now!' she yelled. Paul scrambled to his feet, suddenly feeling pathetic and ashamed but no less frightened and unsure than he had been. Donna's voice also provoked frantic activity out on the landing as the bodies again began to batter against the doors, trying hopelessly to force their way inside. The two survivors quickly made their way around the perimeter of the office, collecting the torches and lamps which Donna had placed there the previous evening. They then assembled them on a single desk in the furthest corner of the room, in full sight of the bodies behind the door. 'Got everything?' she asked. Paul swallowed hard. 'Think so,' he mumbled nervously, realising that they would be making their move within minutes. 'Good,' she replied. She started to light the lamps and torches but stopped after only lighting four. The creatures outside were banging on the door again with even more force. Their simple, basic interests already aroused by the sound of Donna's voice moments earlier, the bright light in the corner of the room now seemed to be enough to drive them into a frenzy. She glanced over her shoulder at the movement outside. 'Bloody hell,' Paul moaned. 'Christ, what the hell are we doing?' 'What we have to do,' Donna grunted, returning her attention to the lamps. 'Now shut up and get on with it.'

With his hands shaking with nerves Paul lit a match and began to light the gas lamps. The room was quickly filled with more light and with the faintly acidic smell and dull roar of burning jets of gas. The noise on the landing became even louder. 'Shit,' Paul cursed, 'listen to them. All we've done is light a few lamps and the bloody things are going mad.' 'Good, that's exactly what we want.' 'Is it?' 'Of course it is. The more fired up they are, the better a distraction this is going to be.' Paul wasn't convinced. He returned his attention to lighting the remaining lamps, trying unsuccessfully to blank out the noise coming from outside. A couple of minutes later and it was done. The far right corner of the office was filled with bright light and a sudden warmth. 'Okay,' Donna whispered, stepping back into the shadows again, 'let's go.' Paul instinctively began to backtrack. 'You're completely sure about this?' he mumbled, his mouth dry. 'But what happens if we get out there and...?' She turned and stared at him, her face harshly illuminated from the right. The anger in her face was blindingly apparent. 'Just stop your damn whining and move,' she seethed. 'It's too late to back out now. Get back to the other end and get the bags ready.' Relieved to be away from the revealing light he walked quickly away to the far end of the office. 'And keep out of sight,' she shouted after him. 'Don't let them see you. You screw this up and we're trapped.' He didn't need her to tell him that, it was painfully obvious. Their actions were geared around the basic fact that there was only one way for them to get out of the building. If their escape route became blocked for any reason then that would be it. There would be no second chances. Breathing deeply to try and calm her own shattered nerves, Donna cautiously walked away from the light and moved closer towards the doors. Through the small glass panels she could see the creatures outside reacting to her presence. The ferocity of their movements increased as she approached - she could see the reaction of the first bodies causing the second and the third to react, then the forth, the fifth and the sixth and so on until the landing was filled with clumsy, awkward movement and action. She wondered what, if anything, was going through their decaying minds? Were they frightened of her? Did they want to harm her? Did they want her to help end their suffering? Whatever the reason she knew that ultimately it didn't matter. Self-preservation was all that was important now. She took a