The Undead Twenty-Nine. Hindhead Part 1.: Season Five. The Rain. by RR Haywood

Author:RR Haywood [Haywood, RR]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 1899 Inc Ltd
Published: 2024-05-10T00:00:00+00:00

7

Uckfield

Thursday

Day Thirty-Five

‘Uckfield’s gone then,’ Howie says.

The two vehicles side by side on the top of a hill to the northern side of what was once the town of Uckfield.

A lake in the wood nearby, aptly called Lake Wood flooded from the rain and poured down to merge with the rising floods coming down from Crawley and up from Newhaven and Lewes – and those waters poured through Uckfield.

Some of the town remains. They can see the buildings on the long, sloping hillside to the north and west, but it’s only a few streets, and they look residential. Which won’t hold the supplies they need. Especially not the police station and a riot van for Tappy to strip for parts.

Something about the view though. A scene of devastation that would surely have news crews scrambling to get footage from; such a big place disappearing underwater, and not just here, but those waters stretch on for what looks like forever.

But it’s also peaceful, with an astonishing sense of tranquillity. Birds call out in the trees around them. Rabbits scatter and hop. A family of badgers glimpsed further along. A few deer shyly peeking through the trees. The hillside seemingly packed with animals born with instincts to flee the waters before it was too late.

‘Seen that,’ Blowers says, motioning Carmen to look over at a nearby fox vixen and her cubs.

‘They’re so close,’ Carmen whispers. ‘Someone, grab Meredith… That vixen has been handfed; she’s not frightened at all.’

They all stare over to the vixen showing wariness, but not fear as Carmen rifles through her bag. Finding another snack bar that she snaps into chunks and goes low and closer to the fox. Taking a knee to allow the fox family to approach.

They do so far quicker than Carmen thought they would, and within a moment, they’re eating from her hand. Crunching honey and nuts cereal bars, with the vixen taking a chest rub without sign of aggression or worry.

A whine from Meredith, and she looks up at Clarence, holding her under his arm to stop her getting at the foxes or the rabbits. An expression on her face. This better not be our new thing.

‘It’s either that or a lead,’ Clarence tells her.

‘Would you hold Jess?’ Charlie says, pressing the reins into his good hand as Jess takes her turn to look at Clarence. Where are the biscuits?

‘I don’t have any. I don’t!’ Clarence says as Charlie edges in next to Carmen and takes a knee. The others joining her. Going in gradually and slowly to rub foxy bellies and foxy heads. ‘Oh, they like you!’ Charlie says when the cubs clamber over Cookey’s legs.

‘It’s that energy Danny said about,’ Carmen says. ‘I swear animals can sense it. Yeah, look, they’re like it with Mo… Oh! And they’re all back to Cookey. You’ve got a gift, Alex.’

‘Yeah,’ he says quietly with a smile that lights up his blue eyes that seem to shine even more with the scar tissue around the one that was injured.

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