So this is what being human is risking our lives for an animal that could be suffering even though we could be killed in the process, The dog will have gone with out food for 3 day's at least common sense would value human life higher than that of a dog's but I could not sit here and imagine it's suffering

Jon pulled up a map on his iPhone the house was less than a mile away

Before we left

The girl's and Toby wished us luck he would be staying behind just in case

"Tom?" "Yes darling" I said loading a few things in to my satchel

"I have something for you?" "What's that?" She came up to me on tip toes and kissed me on the cheek "Come back quickly" "I will be good and look after the cat's we might have a surprise for you when we come back" Her face light up and she hugged me

We left the flat and jogged for 5mins to the car park "Got the house keys?" Jon queried I was notorious for leaving with out them "I'm not an idiot of course I have them" We jumped in and headed off

The drive took a lot longer than it should have done having to drive round corpses tends to ruins your early morning commute but we pulled up outside with no incident

"Right I'm gonna head in you drive round til I call sound like a plan?" "Got it don't get your arse bit though" "I would never let that happen it's my best feature" "Much better than your face anyway" I laughed and got out the street was clear it was a short road with about 15 houses in all with well maintained front gardens apart from the one I was heading to which was overgrown wild and looked more like wasteland with the brown grass and overgrown hedge

I approached the door and knocked I heard soft barking inside

The dog was OK that cheered me up a bit

Instead of the front door I unlocked the wooden side door so i would not be noticed on the street's I poked my head through it seemed clear and I headed in

The back garden had been completely concreted over looking more like an abandoned industrialized zone than a place to be enjoyed it was bear with only a couple of wheelie bins and a 6ft stone wall

I approached the glass sliding doors the blinds were down so I could not see inside

This didn't worry me the house looked secure so i doubted anything was in there I inserted the key and opened it up slowly and headed in

I was in the dining room a large oak table with 6 chairs surrounded it I closed the door behind me

It struck me as I was standing there I had no idea if this dog was friendly oh well time to find out I made my way out of the dining room and to the hallway SQUELCH I looked down I had trodden in dog shit lovely

Then something came racing down the stairs and jumped up at me

"I guess your Duke then?" The dog slobbered all over me "I bet your starving come on then" I stood up and walked back in to the dining room and fished some dry food and tinned food and poured it in to a bowl it stank worse than the dog shit i trod in Duke didn't seem to mind he barked appreciation and proceeded to wolf it down as I got him some water

After feeding Duke I went upstairs pulled out a couple of travel bags Jane had mentioned a few things we might find useful as well as asking for some clothes I piled all those in along with Duke's food and bowls when he was done

I pulled the lead from a nail in the wall "How bout a walk?" He jumped up again obviously eager for me to attach it "O.K ready?" Woof

"Great" I slid the back door open again and locked it behind me but this time the garden wasn't as bear

There was one of them just standing looking at me how did it get in? I locked the side door it advanced at a run not zombie human as soon as this thought hit me so did the human he was a good deal bigger than me at least a good half foot and an extra 3 stones we went back and through the glass his head was trying to get my throat he was trying to bit me what the hell was this guy doing? I kneed him in the balls a groan escaped his lips and he fell to the floor not a zombie moan and the balls aren't there weakness he was curled up in the fetal position groaning I walked over to him " Hey you snap out of it" He looked up and groaned it was a good impression of a zombie moan but this guy was definatley human his eyes he was bleeding that meant the hurt was beating

I had an idea I took a photo of him and turned to leave he wasn't getting up soon

I picked up Duke's leash and the 2 two travel bag's and my phone rang "Are you done he asked?" Urgency rang through his voice "What's happened? "Toby just called people are at our front door and they want in and are threatening to break the door down" " Fuck there going to lead the dam things straight to us I'm good to go got the dog you outside?" "Ready and waiting" I ran out in to the street opened the back door of the fiesta threw Duke and the bag's in closed the door an hopped in the front

"We have the rifle right" I asked Jon nodded as we sped to for home

We Decided not to park in the usual place but bring the car to the flats maybe the dead we attract would force the people away we didn't have enough for ourselves let alone more

We pulled up I stepped out the car

The group was 10 strong armed with an assortment of bats and knives dressed in tracksuit bottom's jean's and bargain basement t-shirt's and coats

They turned as I stepped out

"I'm sorry guy's but there is no more space here we cant take anyone else" I said calmly and confidently

"Were not asking" The biggest one and obviously the leader said he had a blue and white track suit top jeans and Adidas trainers on and a wooly hat over what I think was a shaved head

" Neither was I" The group laughed "Oh so your going to stop us" He advanced towards me he had a crowbar in his hand

"Actually I hoped you would respond to my good manners and politeness" Another laugh erupted from the group

The man smiled he was missing his left front tooth he started to turn away then suddenly he swung the arm that had the crowbar at my head I stepped back and staggered just keeping my balance

The group roared with approval again

I dropped to a knee to regain my balance the man advanced he he stuck his head down to my level that was when I struck

The front drive was lightly graveled I had gathered some up and threw it in his face he staggered blindly dropping his crow bar I picked it up and smashed it in to his stomach he groaned lowering his head I booted him in the face he went down

His group look shocked "Take your friend here and get out" The group looked in 2 minds then a bang rang out I looked towards the car Jon was out and had the rifle perched on the edge "1st shots in the air second blow's your face off" he said

The group took off running only delayed by helping there boss up and carrying him away he was cursing loudly

"Never knew you were such a good negotiator" I said "It's amazing how much more reasonable people are when you can blow there heads off" We chuckled phoned Toby to let us in unpacked the car and entered

Turns out Toby was right by the front door with the shotgun the girls and Sky had taken refuge upstairs they had managed to keep Sky in the dark over what was happening

We explained to the girls what had happened and took turns petting the dog Sky obviously being the most enthusiastic

I headed in to Jane's room to test an idea I knocked "Come in" Jane was flicking through one of the magazines "I got you a present" Duke barreled into the room slobbering on his owner delighted to see her

After 5mins of baby noises the greyhound settled down and rested his head on her lap eyes half closed I sat down on the floor

"The creature that attacked you would you recognize it if you saw it again" I inquired "I could never forget that thing it was so different from the others" "Describe it to me" "Why?" "Because you may not be infected" The answer struck her in to silence she quickly recovered and described the one that attacked me at the house to a tee from the look in it's eye the clothes the way it moved

I showed her pictures of zombies on my phone she instantly picked out the one that attacked me at the house again

"That was a human" I said

"How do you know?" she replied

"I kicked it in the crotch and it muttered oh fuck Jesus Christ don't think normal zombies do that" "So I can come out and stay here now unlocked from the radiator" The look of hope in her eyes was powerful

"I said yesterday if you weren't infected there would be a vote your not infected so there will be a vote" She nodded glumly and looked at the dog he seemed happy "We are gonna eat then we will all come in and discuss what to do next o.k?" She nodded

We ate then the politics began every one had a chance to say there part but Jane would not get a vote we voted and the decision was in.