Say Cheese Part 3

The next morning, we assembled for breakfast at dawn and, after we had tidied up and got ourselves ready, we left the Refuge in the five Volvos, all fully fuelled from one of the tankers.

It was a pleasant drive south, skirting the upper parts of Salisbury Plain, and it was just over an hour when we arrived at the gates of the Larkhill Army Camp. Ralph had explained, for those who may not know, that the large, and mainly empty, Salisbury Plain is one big training ground. Larkhill was where the Artillery was based. Bulford, not far away, was the base for the Signals, and Tidworth, a few miles to the east, was the home to several Regiments. These included Hussars, Tank, Medical and Close support groups.

The gates were open but there were guards on duty, who directed us to a group of buildings where we met Horace, the most senior officer still alive. All thought of saluting was now forgotten, but a sense of rank remained. We were all introduced to Horace and then he gave us a quick tour. We saw a lot of men and a few women, all busy making sure the equipment was properly cleaned. On the way, Horace explained that they had stayed closed-up for two days, just in case, and that over sixty soldiers survived.

He said that the first day out had been taken up with gathering up all the remains and giving them a proper burial. Then it was time to discuss what was needed and to try and establish contact with other bases. He said that Tidworth had around a hundred survivors but only a few made it at Bulford. The suggestion was that everyone should gather at Tidworth, as it had more accommodation. It would take a while to get things ready, with the guns and equipment needing to be moved.

Norman explained that we were mainly diesel intolerant so couldn’t be quartered with the army trucks. We would have to move closer, but there wasn’t a rush, yet. One thing we were offered was our choice of portable generators, some running on petrol, should we find somewhere suitable. Horace told us that he would loan us a few of his personnel if we needed things moved.

Neville asked whether we could have a mobile radio unit so that we could keep in touch. Horace called up Bulford and spoke at some length. When he put the phone down, he turned to us.

“There were only four that survived at Bulford. All are signalmen and were in a drill when the fog came in. The rest of the camp was at a social and nobody survived. The four were in a command unit that was closed-up for the drill. I have told them that you are on your way and to make ready to move. They can stay with you and give you armed support, should you need it. Now get going and let me get this army on the road.”

It only took less than fifteen minutes to get to Bulford, where the gates were wide open. As we drove in, Ralph led us to the Signals headquarters. There, we found the four soldiers waiting for us. All were women. We explained where we lived and for them to bring plenty of civilian clothing. Once they had packed, one drove Neville’s Volvo while he rode in the command unit with the other three, being taught how to use the radio equipment. When we arrived back at the Refuge, he was like a kid with a new toy and babbled a bit.

The four girls were shown the rooms they would have and unloaded their luggage. We got together for a late lunch, and everyone was introduced. They had a little trouble, all being privates, calling the sergeant Ralph and the officer Norman, but soon, Barbie, Alex, Wanda, and Casey were part of the group. They all had cooking skills and helped get the lunch together.

The command unit was parked at the back of the house and hooked up to the mains with a long lead. That afternoon, Ralph and I sat in the plush seats and worked with Neville, Barbie, and Alex to find out how many survivors there were. As to be expected, the majority were military. A lot of the bases around the country reported in, giving us the numbers. We even managed to contact some navy ships, all new ones, that had been built with chemical warfare in mind.

Neville tried his call list and there were several in America that reported, as well as a few in Australia. Barbie got onto the NATO frequencies and came up with about thirty bases, spread over Europe, that gave us numbers. We were not able to contact any of the U.S. military, perhaps they were careful and thought we were the enemy. In the end, we had a list of about four thousand known survivors. This we reported to Horace, who had got his own signallers to set up a command unit of his own. He told us that Tidworth survivors were mainly tank crews and infantry who had sheltered in their vehicles for a couple of days but were now making the camp ready for the influx from Larkhill.

Our new girls had been advised that, until the good food ran out, we would dress for dinner, and it was allowed that we could get a bit intoxicated. Norman insisted that the radio would be manned around the clock so the four girls, plus Ralph, Neville, Frank, and me, were rostered on three-hour shifts in the unit. That evening we had roast lamb and I stayed sober as I was on watch from nine. Barbie had started the roster at six and Wanda was my replacement. We recruited Alf and Peter to keep the records and make the lists of contacts.

We kept on our toes for the next few weeks and developed a group dynamic. As the weather warmed, we set up the barbeques I had brought back and had cook-ups with chops and sausages. During that period, Horace set up a radio conference for all the military commanders which Norman sat in on. During this they discussed what actions should be taken. Horace was given the overall command and we were tasked with keeping in the loop with civilian survivors. The US was obviously listening in, and we had some new voices on the air, now they were sure we were friendly.

One of the good things during that discussion was that any base near a nuclear power station was given the task to visit the site and make sure that there would be no meltdowns soon. That would ensure that we would maintain power in the grid. Everyone, though, was making sure that they had back-up generators in place. With mains power, we were still able to use the internet in the areas that power was still on and started to get contacts with individuals and small groups that had survived.

A few of those contacts were in remote sites where the fog had not reached, and some even had farm animals that still lived. It was promising, we now had the possibility to continue humanity, along with a future that would contain sources of meat and dairy products. That, we knew, may not be in our lifetime but was something we could work towards.

One thing I liked about the situation was the fact that the night sky, without city lights, was magnificent. I would spend much of my nine to twelve shifts, sitting on the step of the command unit, one ear on the radio chatter while looking up at the stars.

By summer, Horace had moved everyone from the close camps to Tidworth, where he created a ‘Humanity Central’ command post. That meant that we would need to move closer if were to have any part in the recovery phase. Wanda mentioned that, as a keen gardener, she had visited a big garden in the grounds of Chisenbury Priory. It was, she told is, in Enford, just south of the Tidworth and Larkhill junction.

Over the next few days, Norman, June, Wanda, and I took a Volvo to the place and explored the area. It looked perfect for our needs. The Priory was a much later building, with several extensions and was now a private house with a lot of bedrooms. The parking was easily big enough for our vehicles and there was plenty of space on the back to put our generators. Nearby was a pub, the Red Lion, as well as several large houses, one of which being set up as a Guest House.

Over the next few weeks, we slowly moved our things to the Priory. The four army girls were taken into Larkhill by Ralph. When they got back to the Refuge, they reported that we now had two petrol-driven generators in place. The next day they drove our two tankers down. That evening, Norman told us that he had been asked to go to Tidworth, with Ralph, June, and Penny, to oversee the Medical Complex in the camp. It would keep him away from any diesel but keep him close to the action. Hayley, who had previously had experience in dispensary work, was going with them as well.

Now I knew why Adam had been a little quiet these last few days. He was now put in charge of the move to the Priory, along with Cathy and me. We were to spread ourselves around the area. Barbie and Wanda would be staying with us in the big house, while Alex and Casey wanted to live in the Red Lion. After the others had left for Tidworth, the rest of us took the coach down to Enford to sort things out. There were several houses along the lane and, one by one, we cleaned them of remains or signs of not being lived in.

Alf and Peter opted to live at the pub with the two girls, saying that they would do the cleaning and other chores. Shirley and Jim teamed up with George and Maureen to live in the previous Guest house. Frank and Gloria claimed one of the private houses on the other side of the road, Gemma and Fiona claimed another and Neville would take one near the Priory Garden that had room for the command unit. Tidworth had taken over the radio net by now and it was his to use as his ham link. In front of the house that he had picked was a gate that led into the Priory Garden and the associated maintenance buildings and a tearoom.

It took us another week to empty the freezers and take them south, sharing them out between the buildings. After they were all running, we took down the food to store, before clearing the medical supplies, linen and all the normal things you need in a house. In the end, it was just running a shuttle with clothing and personal items, and we were living in Enford. There were plenty of cars in the village to choose from, all the wardrobes were full of clothing and the girls all spent some days swapping with others to get the right sizes. We settled into living a normal sort of existence.

In the Priory, we had set up with care not to damage the beautiful rooms. Cathy and I had a large bedroom with ensuite, and Adam had a similar room which may have been the master. He became friends with both Barbie and Wanda, and I think he may have taken both to bed, but not at the same time. He and I were talking, in the gardens, one day and he admitted that it was just sex, not as intense as it had been with Hayley. He also told me that Hayley had formed a bond with one of the soldiers at Tidworth so was unlikely to come back to him. I felt sorry for him as my life with Cathy was so full, especially as she had told me, that morning, that she was getting morning sickness. At least we had the hospital at Tidworth when the time came.

All the time, as we established a routine, we discussed the strange lights that had been seen the previous year. I knew that there were places where surviving scientists were trying to find out just what it was in the fog. A big help was that several bodies had been found like the one we saw in the hospital, the reconstituted sludge giving up a few secrets.

Several of the girls were now pregnant and we looked like we may be setting up a new dynamic. We discussed how we would cope, how we would teach the children. At least they wouldn’t need to know much in the way of history. Cathy, had a normal birthing in the hospital at Tidworth, being looked after by the three girls she knew well. She was the first of a mini baby-boom.

Horace could see the routine changing and called everyone at Tidworth together on the parade ground. He thanked everyone for their dedication and work ethic. He then dropped his bombshell.

“I know that we have been a bit lax in military procedure, recently. I am now going to tell you that I have decided that anyone who wants to live outside the camp can do so. We already have a very well set up group at Enford. There are several houses there crying out for someone to look after them. I know there are some among us who want to live openly as same-sex couples and Brienna has shown us how well she is coping as a father while living as a woman. The choice is yours. Anyone who wants to move out, let me know by the end of the week. Those who stay will follow our loose military routines. We do need to be prepared if the aliens come back. They wouldn’t have tried to disinfect the planet unless they had something on their tiny minds.”

Over the next few months, we had more of the village houses filled with army types of every hue. There were two sets of same-sex couples of both genders. They set up in a group of houses to the east of the pub. We spent a lot of time, with the electric trucks, finding freezers and the food to put in them, as well as setting up back-up generators for everyone. The army types also had a ball raiding the shops. Our weekly meals at the Red Lion became quite raucous and everyone started to be flamboyantly dressed for the occasion.

One of the side effects of all this activity was the beautification of Enford, in stark contrast to the slow advance of nature elsewhere. Wanda took it on herself to keep the Priory Gardens up to scratch and she had several helpers. It was a lovely area to have a picnic and pretend that the world outside was as it always had been. There were many nice areas around, with Cathy, me and our baby having private picnics next to the small stream that ran past the village.

I suppose it was too much to ask for, all this peace and tranquillity. After three years of recovery and setting up a new civilisation, the lights in the night sky appeared again. For us, where we were, they were easy to see, being concentrated a little south-west of us. Other groups reported lights near ancient stones and neolithic hill fortresses. I wondered if the science fiction writers may have got it right and we were here because of aliens.

While we didn’t bother them, they didn’t bother with us. I expect that they would wipe us all out if we got in their way. One of the groups, in France, reported that they had observed the aliens, in daylight. They were, they said, about a metre and a bit tall, green, and with insect-like heads. They had four upper limbs, and the funny thing was that, when they were observed, they looked as if they were vacuuming up the body dust wherever they found it. Perhaps they liked rehydrated human spread on their sandwiches between the stars.

On a lovely sunny day, I was having a picnic with my family, several hundred yards away from the Gardens, alongside the stream. We were sitting beside the spread blanket as our baby toddled about, nattering to herself. Suddenly, out from a small stand of big bushes, came two aliens.

I didn’t know which of us was more surprised. They were, however, very fast on their legs and were on us in a flash. One held back, looking around, but the other grew an enormous phallus and leapt on Cathy, who was screaming. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion – as the phallus touched Cathy it looked as if it was just merging into her body.

I looked back at the other one and it was holding a device. It was recording this! I grabbed the first thing I could, a butter knife, and tried to stab the one on top of a now-quiet Cathy. I found that the surface of the alien could not be pierced and was almost ready to face my death.

That’s when the alien tried to scratch it’s back, rearing up and giving out a keening sound. In a flash, I reached for my loaded crossbow, dipped the tip of the arrow in the butter and brought it up in the nick of time. As the other alien got close, I shot it in the neck. It keened and fell on its back, all six legs waving around. I looked back at the first one, now slowly dissolving over the body of an obviously dead Cathy. When I looked at the alien I had shot, it, too, was liquifying.

I went and picked up my baby and then sat on the ground, holding her to me, for several minutes. I then got on the radio and called Adam to come and help me. When he arrived, the two aliens were puddles of liquid with insect legs sticking out of the pools. I was blubbering and he helped me stand and held the two of us close for a long time.

I told him what had happened and how I had killed two aliens. He led me back to the big house and helped me put my baby in her cot for an afternoon nap. He insisted that I should have a shower and go to bed, to recover. Before he left me, he held me close again and he kissed me.

“I’m so glad you survived,” he whispered, “I don’t know how I could have gone on if I had lost you.”

There was a flurry of activity over the next few days. Horace came up, with a few army boffins, and I had to explain the whole story again, breaking down when I described how the phallus looked as if it had melted into Cathy. I found out a couple of weeks later, that this is exactly what had happened. One of the boffins told me that it looked like the member exuded an acid-like substance which just ate away everything and that Cathy had been penetrated, almost to her heart. It was that which killed her and killed her quickly. The army cremated her, and we buried the urn among the roses in the big garden, the whole village turning out for her.

A search of the surrounding area had found the vehicle that the aliens had been using. It was taken off to the camp to find out how it worked. All the survivors, around the world, were told that the aliens could be killed with dairy product, should they start getting to be a problem.

That’s when the tide turned. Horace utilised old nerve agent shells that were designed to spread the agent, without destroying it in the detonation. They were filled with grated cheese or old curds and were set to deploy their contents from above. A big plan was made to see what we could do with the aliens on Salisbury Plain, now camped around Stonehenge, now not looking like the Stonehenge we always knew, and more like it may have been in its day. Artillery was moved into range and tanks were shifted at night. When it started, I was with Adam, sitting in a command vehicle, looking at pictures from drones.

That day, Operation Beetlejuice was a fantastic success. As the shells exploded over the gathered aliens, they ran around like mad things, before slowly dissolving. We found that their spacecraft, if sprinkled, started dissolving as well. After a three-hour barrage, we all went and inspected the alien camp, now just a soggy meadow around Stonehenge.

As we stood, in awe, Horace came over to where Adam stood, his arm around my shoulder, while I held my baby, now more certain of a future. He pulled out a small camera and told us to cuddle up in front of the stones.

Before he pressed the button, he laughed.

“Say Cheese!”

Marianne Gregory © 2023