A strange sense of detachment began to creep over her. For a moment she had a feeling that none of it was real and the whole thing was just a hideous nightmare. But, the whirr of the bicycle wheels, her aching legs, and Anita's heavy breathing alongside her, brought her back to reality. It was real. This was happening and she was finally about to get home, where Neil was waiting for her.
She was both energised and terrified at the same time. Energised by the fact that what had felt like an endless journey was almost at an end, and that she was going to be reunited with Neil at last. But, terrified about what she might find and that, after it all, he might not be there. She focused on the work of powering the bike faster and faster. She remembered someone, somewhere, once telling her that the quads were the strongest muscles in the legs, and that efficient cycling required them to do all the work. She concentrated on pushing the pedals up and down with her thighs. She considered telling Anita to do the same, but then decided she probably already knew that. She was an athlete after all. Instead, she remained silent, intent on her goal.
The last stretch of road that led into the village was in open countryside. The village was built on old greenbelt land and gave the illusion of being in a rural setting. All five roads in and out were the same, a couple of miles of nothing but open fields or woodland. She'd once heard it described as an Urb-Rur development: it was a new urban style housing estate in a rural setting. Residents referred to it as "The Village", but it was less than 15 years old.
It contained a mix of different types and styles of homes, from small flats and tiny terraced houses, to large expensive dwellings and even blocks of luxury apartments. At its centre, was a village green and children's play area. The green purported to be a cricket pitch and the road beside it was ambitiously named "Boundary Lane". She had never seen anyone play cricket there, other than a few children in the school holidays using their jumpers as stumps.
The village had its own primary school and nursery, health centre, village hall, library and even a small gym. It had one main street offering all the amenities of a self-contained settlement. There was a pub, a wine bar and a couple of restaurants, as well as a chemist, opticians, dentists, hairdressers and dry cleaners. The main shop was a Tesco Express but there were other small independent retailers selling everything from designer clothes, handbags and jewellery, to birthday cards and Yankee Candles.
Non-residents had been known to scoff when residents referred to it as a "village", but it had a strong sense of community, like many true villages had. Lisa and Neil had lived there for almost all of their ten years together and were very happy. Neil drank in the pub and used the gym, and Lisa was a member of the local pop choir and book club. They had a small, but strong, circle of close friends and got on well with their neighbours. It was close enough to the motorway network, rail and air links to be able to get pretty much anywhere quickly and easily. If they needed bigger or better shops, Solihull was ten minutes away and Birmingham city centre was only a 30-minute drive, or a 20-minute train ride from the station just a mile away. It was perfect for them. Their lives had been perfect. Lisa doubted that they ever would be again.
As they turned the last bend, the edge of the village came into view. Lisa's heart began to pound. The image of Neil sitting at the kitchen table came into her mind again, him working then turning and smiling at her. This time, he got up and took her in his arms. She pressed her face into his chest taking in his smell …
Suddenly, something slammed into her side. Her bike jolted to a stop and she was propelled forward over the handlebars. Time seemed to slow down as she flew through the air. She heard Anita cry out and was vaguely aware of a dark figure wrestling with her friend. She hit the ground hard. There was a burst of pain and flashing lights, before everything went dark.
Chapter 8 - Day 4 - Attwood Common
Lisa opened her eyes. The world was horizontal, and the tarmac felt rough against her cheek. Dazed, she pushed herself onto all fours, then back into a sitting position. She was in the middle of the road. It was empty in both directions. Anita and the bikes were gone, as were her backpack and spear.
She got unsteadily to her feet, testing her limbs for injuries. She was remarkably unscathed. The gardening gloves and thick cargo pants had done their job. The edge of the village was just ahead. She started walking.
She had no plan, nor any solid thoughts in her head as she walked. It just felt like the natural thing to do.
She walked over the humpback bridge that marked the entrance to the village, glancing down to the canal below. Everything was calm. Four or five ducks were bobbing on the murky water. Birds were singing. In the distance, she thought she heard children's laughter coming from the direction of the green. She felt peaceful and relaxed and utterly devoid of fear. A dog barked. She heard the buzz of a mower.
She turned onto the road that led to the centre of the village. The whole place looked completely untouched by the outbreak. There were no signs of looting or violence. None of the properties were damaged or
