some point but we will also have a number of other main roads and small towns and villages to pass.”
“Well you make that sound really appealing. What benefits will the coast give us?”
“If we reach the coast, we can maybe find a boat and cross Morecambe Bay to the River Leven which we can follow to Lake Windermere.” Julie said.
“Well that certainly sounds a great deal better than having to possibly fight our way north. Why do I feel that you are leaving something out though?”
“Aside from the fact that Morecambe Bay is one of the largest mudflats around and notorious for its quicksand and fast moving tides... the town of Morecambe is close and has maybe fifty thousand people.” Julie said with a sigh. “I really can’t say which will be more dangerous for us.”
“How far is it to the coast?”
“A rough guess... about five miles.”
“Let’s head to the coast then and see what the situation is. We can always turn north.” I said and she nodded, seemingly happy to have the decision made.
We travelled at a brisk pace, once again keeping to the back roads which of course made the journey longer but a great deal less risky. We approached the motorway just as a freezing rain began to fall.
Julie and Emma stayed back with the bikes as I approached the motorway through the sparse trees that lined the roadside. I crouched beneath the barren branches of a particularly tall tree and surveyed the motorway.
Further to the south I could just make out the shape on an overturned truck. It was large enough to cover three lanes and block any more cars passing. The opposite side of the motorway was empty. A steel barrier in the centre of the motorway would have prevented the cars travelling on the wrong side, so the people must have abandoned their vehicles and walked.
The evidence of the exodus lay all around in the form of the abandoned possessions. Those things that had meant enough to be brought along as the people fled, but were soon too burdensome and quickly abandoned.
I called gently to Julie to come forward and she eased her way through the trees and underbrush with the bikes and Emma.
“Is it clear?” She asked as she came close.
“It certainly looks that way. A few fields to go and we will be facing the sea” I said. I could smell the salt tang in the air and it was becoming stronger the closer we got to the sea.
“I hope we can find a boat. Another day or so and you could be back with your friend” Julie said with a smile that seemed a little strained.
“We will need to be on the lookout for somewhere to spend the night soon” I said. “We have been wasting far too much time trying to avoid populated areas.”
“If we can make it to the actual coast we will have caravan parks all over this area. I am sure we can find somewhere to stay.” Julie said confidently.
With one final check to make sure we could cross safely I led the way across the three lanes of asphalt. We paused at the barrier in the centre as I lifted the bikes over the waist high barrier.
“Look” Emma said as I passed the second bike to Julie.
“What is it?” I asked as I wiped more of the freezing rain off of my face and looked to the south where Emma pointed.
“Lots of people.” She said.
“Oh god.” Julie moaned.
I was not generally one to call on the aid of any deity but this situation did seem to warrant it. From our place beside the barrier we could see beyond the overturned truck. The three lanes were filled with vehicles of all colours and description and in and around those vehicles were thousands of undead.
“What are they doing?” I asked no one in particular as I tried to see through the stinging rain.
“They’re just standing there, staring at the overturned truck”
“It’s the rain.” I said as comprehension came. “We are too far away for them to see and they can’t hear us over the rain. They are standing around waiting for something to cross their path. They don’t have the
“Well you make that sound really appealing. What benefits will the coast give us?”
“If we reach the coast, we can maybe find a boat and cross Morecambe Bay to the River Leven which we can follow to Lake Windermere.” Julie said.
“Well that certainly sounds a great deal better than having to possibly fight our way north. Why do I feel that you are leaving something out though?”
“Aside from the fact that Morecambe Bay is one of the largest mudflats around and notorious for its quicksand and fast moving tides... the town of Morecambe is close and has maybe fifty thousand people.” Julie said with a sigh. “I really can’t say which will be more dangerous for us.”
“How far is it to the coast?”
“A rough guess... about five miles.”
“Let’s head to the coast then and see what the situation is. We can always turn north.” I said and she nodded, seemingly happy to have the decision made.
We travelled at a brisk pace, once again keeping to the back roads which of course made the journey longer but a great deal less risky. We approached the motorway just as a freezing rain began to fall.
Julie and Emma stayed back with the bikes as I approached the motorway through the sparse trees that lined the roadside. I crouched beneath the barren branches of a particularly tall tree and surveyed the motorway.
Further to the south I could just make out the shape on an overturned truck. It was large enough to cover three lanes and block any more cars passing. The opposite side of the motorway was empty. A steel barrier in the centre of the motorway would have prevented the cars travelling on the wrong side, so the people must have abandoned their vehicles and walked.
The evidence of the exodus lay all around in the form of the abandoned possessions. Those things that had meant enough to be brought along as the people fled, but were soon too burdensome and quickly abandoned.
I called gently to Julie to come forward and she eased her way through the trees and underbrush with the bikes and Emma.
“Is it clear?” She asked as she came close.
“It certainly looks that way. A few fields to go and we will be facing the sea” I said. I could smell the salt tang in the air and it was becoming stronger the closer we got to the sea.
“I hope we can find a boat. Another day or so and you could be back with your friend” Julie said with a smile that seemed a little strained.
“We will need to be on the lookout for somewhere to spend the night soon” I said. “We have been wasting far too much time trying to avoid populated areas.”
“If we can make it to the actual coast we will have caravan parks all over this area. I am sure we can find somewhere to stay.” Julie said confidently.
With one final check to make sure we could cross safely I led the way across the three lanes of asphalt. We paused at the barrier in the centre as I lifted the bikes over the waist high barrier.
“Look” Emma said as I passed the second bike to Julie.
“What is it?” I asked as I wiped more of the freezing rain off of my face and looked to the south where Emma pointed.
“Lots of people.” She said.
“Oh god.” Julie moaned.
I was not generally one to call on the aid of any deity but this situation did seem to warrant it. From our place beside the barrier we could see beyond the overturned truck. The three lanes were filled with vehicles of all colours and description and in and around those vehicles were thousands of undead.
“What are they doing?” I asked no one in particular as I tried to see through the stinging rain.
“They’re just standing there, staring at the overturned truck”
“It’s the rain.” I said as comprehension came. “We are too far away for them to see and they can’t hear us over the rain. They are standing around waiting for something to cross their path. They don’t have the
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