Purification

aspects of the life he’d lost that was now causing him to feel so much confusion and doubt?
    Their brief this morning had been simply to clear the bodies from the homes they visited. Looking around this particular small and unimposing property, however, it was obvious that there was going to be much more work to do to make each building inhabitable again. In the kitchen Michael found that the fridge and cupboards were filled with rotten food. Dust, mould and decay was everywhere.
    Nothing was salvageable. There were numerous traces of insect and rodent infestations. Some of the taps and the pipe work running through the house were exhibiting signs of severe corrosion. An open window in one of the bedrooms, as well as letting in a supply of relatively fresh air, had also allowed several nesting birds and two month’s worth of rainwater into the room. Damp was spreading across the bedroom walls.
    The implications of what he saw around him, although he chose not to share them with the others, were immense and humbling in their scale. What he saw today was a world slowly being reclaimed. No doubt the arrival of the survivors on Cormansey would prolong the life and usefulness of this building and others on the island but elsewhere, back on the mainland, the process of decay and deterioration would continue unchecked. The disappearance of man from the face of the planet was inevitably going to cause a massive change and imbalance to the ecosystem. Crops would no longer be grown or harvested. Vermin would be allowed to breed and consume.
    The decay of millions of bodies would inevitably result in a huge increase in the numbers of insects, germs and disease.
    The ramifications were endless.
    When he’d arrived on the island he’d felt strong, determined and full of hope. Today, however, those feelings had started to fade. In comparison to the almost unimaginable scale of the changes the infection had bought to the entire planet, the minor achievements of this small group of survivors meant nothing.
    Unquestionably disheartened, Michael dragged himself back out to the jeep with the other two men.
    ‘Where to next?’ he asked.
    ‘Road splits in a while,’ Fry replied. ‘We’ll keep going west. Harper said he was sticking to the east side.’
    ‘Okay.’
    Michael sat back in the driver’s seat and readied himself for the next building. He stared into the wing mirror and watched the bodies of the child and its mother for a couple of long, thoughtful seconds before turning the key in the ignition and starting the engine. He accelerated away quickly.
    ‘Did that kid bother you?’ Talbot asked from the back seat. The way he had asked his question illustrated the level of his comparative immaturity. Nevertheless Michael was surprised that he had even noticed the change in his mood.
    ‘Everything’s bothering me today,’ he grunted, abruptly and honestly.
    ‘Decent weather,’ Fry said cheerfully, doing his best to lighten the increasingly dark and sombre mood. ‘Just imagine what this place is going to be like in the summer.
    Plenty of coastline, good fishing waters…’
    ‘Got to get through the winter first,’ Talbot reminded him.
    ‘I know, but that doesn’t…’
    ‘What’s that?’ Michael interrupted. He leant forward and peered up into the sky.
    ‘What?’ asked Fry.
    ‘Up there. Look, Lawrence is back.’
    He slowed the jeep and pointed up into the clear sky.
    The helicopter could clearly be seen now, scurrying across the deep blue like a small black spider.
    ‘Bloody brilliant,’ Fry sighed with relief. ‘Some help at last. Wonder who he’s brought with him? Hope it’s someone who’s going to pull their weight. The last thing we need here is…’
    ‘The plane,’ Talbot announced.
    All eyes switched from staring at the helicopter to scouring the sky, looking for the plane. Fry spotted it first and pointed it out to Michael. It seemed to be following the exact same course the helicopter had taken. Suddenly feeling more alive and invigorated than he had done at any part of the day so far, he put his foot down and accelerated again.
    ‘Where you going?’ Fry asked as they sped past the front of the next house and carried on down the narrow road.
    ‘Just want to see who’s here,’ Michael muttered, his pulse racing with sudden nervousness and anticipation.
    By the time the jeep had reached the airstrip both the plane and the helicopter had already landed. The passengers were quickly