First post jitters

War, children... just a shot away, it's just a shot away-ayyy

Delaney hammered a hand across her strings, and her guitar howled out to match her shriek. She loved playing this song, it always surprised the crowd, won her a little more appreciation from the serious rock fans. She couldn't get permission to record it, which stung her ego, but she played it at every set.

Wah-arrr, childreh, jus' a shot away, jus' a shot away

Normally she loved music festivals. She could dress down in festival 'chic', a pair of oversized sunglasses hiding her distinctive bright blue eyes, long lashes and high cheekbones, and blend right in. If she wanted to, she could lift the glasses and give herself a little thrill as a passer-by recognised her face. It was never the authentic festival experience - Marty was always just over her shoulder, and of course she always had VIP accommodation and access-all-areas passes - but she felt a freedom among the dust and informality of festivals that she rarely felt out in the 'real world',

Rape, murder... it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away

Music festivals had a kind of soul. You could feel it develop in the build-up and over the course of the few days of the festival itself. Some were mellow, loved-up. Others were a joyous riot of hedonism. Some were simply joyous. But this one had gone sour. Two festival-goers had apparantly gone insane on the first day - bad acid and PCP was the rumour - and attacked a friend, eating half her face off and biting at least 20 people who had tried to pull them off. Eventually someone had caved in both of their heads with a claw hammer, and now was under arrest, detained near the VIP section until police could get onsite.

Ray-ape... murdahhh... 's jus' a shot away, jus' a shot away-ayyy

There had been screams from the medical centre, in the same backstage complex as the VIP area, as Delaney and her band had come onstage, but they'd had their own problems to worry about. Stepping out from the wings as a cold wind began to whip up, Delaney was met by a stony silence. Music fans had come to make the point that she wasn't a real rock star, that her celebrity had deprived a 'proper', hard-working band a prestigious slot at the festival. She preferred the boos to the silence. At least that was an energy to work off. The band thrashed through their first number, rewarded with a few lacklustre cheers. 'Come on, who's going to throw the first glass of piss,' Delaney growled at them before launching into their biggest hit and winning over a few more fans.

Rayyyyy... muhdahhh... jus' shot awah, jus' a shoh away-ay-ayyy... Uhhh!

Delaney's throat was raw as she shrieked out the vocal, then stepped back from the mic stand for the bridge of the song. Looking out over the crowd of bobbing heads and waving arms, she grinned at the bassist next to her. 'Got 'em, the fuckers,' he shouted across the waves of noise. She looked back, past the dancing crowd. The arena was only half full, but at the back, she could see a body of people approaching slowly, seemingly dancing. As they drew closer, Delaney furrowed her brow at their lurching approach. Even from that distance, 70 yards or so, she could see something wasn't right. Their clothes splashed with dark stains, even though it hadn't rained in days. Almost in unison, the 20 or so stumblers raised their arms as they closed on the back of the crowd. Delaney stepped back to the mic.

The floods is threat'ning my very life today...

Screams went up, high-pitched cries of pain and fear, not the cheers of excitement or roars of celebration common to concerts. Delaney peered out into the wind. The new arrivals seemed to be fighting with the dancers at the back of the crowd. People began to push forward to get away from the sudden outbreak of violence, and Delaney could see people wince as they were squeezed against the crush barrier in front of her.

Gimme, gimme shelter, oh, or I gonna fade away

Behind her, the second guitarist dropped an entire bar of chords, and the drummer's rhythm wobbled. Delaney heard the bassist cry out 'Fuuuck!' The fighting pushed closer to the stage. Blood squirted high in the air and stained limbs and faces. At the crush barrier, two girls her own age slipped below the milling pack of terrified people. Delaney knew they'd never rise again. Her musicians had fallen silent, but her riff played through her hands almost on auto-pilot. Even through the amps, she could barely hear it over the tortured screams of the crowd. The crush barrier buckled and people climbed over it, then tried to climb the six-foot stage to escape their assailants. Right in front of her, a boy of about 12 leapt and grabbed the lip of the stage. A blood-soaked creature stumbled up behind him, mouth agape. Delaney, frozen to the spot, watched as the boy held out a hand to her. His desperate eyes locked with hers, then scrunched shut as he howled in agony and was pulled down off the stage. Out of sight, crunching and growling mixed with his cries. Something grabbed Delaney's stunned form from behind.

-Wrong Area, Delete-

Standing on the wing of the stage Barney’s ear was being bent by one of the many ‘Event Security’ labelled guards, the younger man around ten years his junior shouted in Barney’s ear ‘How long you been with the Byrons man?’ Armed crossed Barney outstretched all his digits ‘Ten years? Holy fuck man, they pay well?’ Barney nodded keeping his eyes on Delaney. ‘Bet they do. Rockin’ a fine ass watch like that. How much did that set you back, five gees?’ Barney rasped out in his deep tone ‘Who are you here with?’ trying to change the subject, money talk was for the celebrities not working men, it just seemed crass to him.

The beginning notes of the Rolling Stones classic would bring a thin smile to Barney’s expression. One of the select few covers of hers he actually liked.

Wah-arrr, childreh, jus' a shot away, jus' a shot away

‘Stage security is all, trying to snag myself a sweet gig like yours.’ Barney nodded disinterested as he kept an eye on Delaney, partly enjoying the music. Normally he would be minding her father’s current wife but they wanted Marty and Barney to swap. God knows why, Barney wasn’t the biggest fan of Delaney’s personality or of her generally for that matter. He assumed it must have had something to do with the drug rumours and that nut job who bashed some heads open with a hammer, Marty was a good man but didn’t hold a candle to Barney’s physical stature.

‘Hey man you think you could put in a good word for me? Tell that Byron dude or some shit?’ The screams were lost on Barney as the music blared in one ear, the guard in the other.

Rayyyyy... muhdahhh... jus' shot awah, jus' a shoh away-ay-ayyy... Uhhh!

Barney arched an eyebrow at the lacklustre crowd, darting his gaze back to Delaney he couldn’t help but sigh faintly to himself at her behaviour. He couldn’t hear the bassist but he knew when the Delaney was insulting someone by the sinister turn in her expression.

Barney didn’t usually pay much heed to the crowd in his peripheral vision while working stages with Delaney; however within a short time things had stepped up a gear considerably quicker than usual. Turning his attention fully to the crowd Barney widened his eyes a particular sight far in the distance. Unknowingly to Delaney’s attention one sickly man at the back end of the crowd yanked his teeth from a young woman’s cheek, her blood spurting over the man’s face before they both fell to the ground out of sight. Tensing his footing Barney darted his gaze around the crowd to see similar acts of violence explode into some sick twisted wave, working its way to the front.

Gimme, gimme shelter, oh, or I gonna fade away

Onstage Barney noticed a commotion in the opposite wing; his new friend had already dashed over to a crowd of frantic security guards. Looking over his shoulder Barney saw a similar display behind him, grabbing the nearest person by the shoulder ‘What the hell is going on!?’ he shouted. ‘We need to get them offstage right now’ the young man shouted back, yanking himself out of Barney’s grip as he ran out of sight.

Barney paused as the young boy reached out to Delaney, sprinting over he attempted to grab the boy’s wrist only to see him fall into the violent abyss below. One of the sickly looking people managed to press a hand on the lip, gripping their wrist Barney raised them up to be met with a grey rotten face, lower jaw missing. Snapping his hand open wide the woman fell back down into the crowd, standing upright Barney grabbed Delaney’s arm from behind ‘We’ve got to go, now!’ His words seemed lost on her stunned form, he had to start physically dragged her from the stage.

Delaney staggered backwards as a strong hand encircled her right arm and dragged her into the wings. Acting on instinct, she grabbed the base of her guitar in her left hand and swung it round her on its strap, jabbing the head into the face of her assailant. She heard a cry of pain and wrenched her arm free of the grip. She spun round and confronted her new minder, Barney, who was clutching his face where the guitar had struck him. Her anger at his having replaced her regular minder, Marty, at the last minute sprang up over her fear and confusion. 'Barney,' she shouted. 'What the fuck are you doing?'

She turned on her heel to storm offstage, only to find a circle of yellow-jacketed security milling around in front of her, shouting angrily at two of their members who grappled together. 'Out of my way, drones,' Delaney yelled, shoving past as the two men fell to the ground, the one on top swearing loudly, the one below growling deep in his throat. Barney was shouting her name behind her.

Leaping down from the back of the stage into the VIP area backstage, it took Delaney a moment to realise something was wrong. It was normal for the arena in front of the stage to be rowdy, full of drunk and stoned fans cheering or, as was so often in her case, booing, but normally the backstage areas were surprisingly quiet. Now, though, screams of panic, shrieks of agony and shouts of anger came from the direction of the medical tent on her right, and the hospitality suite next to it. Still clutching her guitar, Delaney strode towards her dressingroom as Barney burst off the back of the stage behind her.

Pressing his forehead Barney winced his eyes grunting at the pain in his temple. As the white spots disappeared from his vision Delaney was already moving off-stage in her temperamental fashion ‘Delaney!’ he barked after her. Checking his hand Barney was thankful her shunt hadn't broken the skin. Cuts above the eyes were a bitch to stop bleeding, any boxer knows that much. Following behind her Barney eyed up the fighting guards, widening his eyes at the sickly state of one of them. Quickening his pace he shouted out to her again ‘Delaney!’ as she dropped down into the backstage area.

Joining her backstage Barney caught up with Delaney, holding her shoulder ‘Delaney listen to me, we’ve got to get out of here’ flashing him a sharp glare over her shoulder Delaney shoved Barney’s hand away ‘No shit Barney, you catch on fast.’ Heading towards the dressing rooms Delaney barked out 'Asshole!' as one of the yellow coats dashed past her, bumping her shoulder slightly as he did so, freezing on the spot again she looked past Barney at the sickly figure approaching behind him. Following Delaney’s gaze Barney turned to the walker as he dragged himself towards them, a deep gargle in his throat ‘Back off’ Barney rasped flatly. Lost on the man’s vacant eyes he jerked for Barney open-mouthed, ‘I said Back Off!’ Barney pushed the man backwards forcefully. Leaning backwards the man re-approached, narrowing his eyes Barney snapped out a jab hitting the man square on the nose. Again, dropping back a step the man held his footing swaying as blood oozed from his nose unfazed.

‘What the...’ Barney trailed off as the man advanced again, the punch was hardly powerful but no reaction was inhuman. Outstretching his arms the man lurched for Barney, batting his arms away with a forearm Barney swung a strong right hook with enough force to thud heavily off the man’s face slamming him to the ground.

Delaney smirked behind him ‘Thought my dad lied about you..’ her words and sinister expression faded back to fear as the man, yet again raised from the floor. Barney knotted his expression at the man, his right eye solid red as blood seeped down his grey cheek. Stepping backwards Barney jerked his gaze to Delaney ‘Where’s your tent?’

'Asshole,' Delaney snapped at the hurrying security guard. The help wasn't supposed to touch her, but this bumbling Barney guy had grabbed her twice and now this yellow jacketed rent-a-cop had walked through her like she wasn't even there. She was about to tell Barney he could stay here and she'd head back to LA on her own when she saw the staggering figure behind the burly bodyguard. It had the same glazed, inhuman look on its face as the things that had torn into her fans moments earlier, its face simultaneously vacant of emotion yet twisted in rage. She tried to shout out a warning but her throat dried. Nonetheless, he followed her panicked stare. He shoved the staggering figure, then dropped back into a boxer's stance - as a little girl, Delaney would watch bouts on TV with her dad - and snapped out a jab. The thing's head snapped back and blood so dark it looked black poured from its nose. Delaney and Barney both took a step backwards, but Barney converted his step into a forward launch and a flurry of punches and the creature thudded to the floor.

'Thought my Dad lied about you, Punchy,' Delaney allowed herself a grin as the big man turned back to her, the smallest hint of salf-satisfaction curling his lips. 'You got the moves after all...' The smirk faded from her lips, as, groaning, the creature Barney had flattened with an undefended right hook tottered to its feet again, its eye a smashed mess. 'What are these things,' she cried, backpedalling. Barney, again facing the direction of the threat, grunted back at her: 'Where's your tent?'

Delaney slung her guitar round onto her back and sprinted across the backstage area to where a marquee tent was serving as a dressing room for some of the mid-ranking acts playing the stage that day. The folk singer who was due on after her band lay half-asleep in a cloud of marijuana smoke. 'Wake up, asshole, the world's got weird,' she shouted at him. None of her bandmates had made it back yet. She wriggled into her shoulder bag and pulled out her Kel-Tec and shoved it in the back of her waistband. The folk singer's eyes widened. 'What? What're you staring at, asshole?' she hissed at the stoned man. [i]Hey, Barney, grab my pack' she said, nodding at the rucksack she'd bought to the festival. It contained about three changes of clothes per day, plus colder weather clothes, various hair and beauty products.

She dashed to the mouth of the tent again and gasped. Not ony had the creature Barney had punched out closed the distance to the tent, but several more had broken into the backstage area, either from the medical tent or from the crowd in front of the stage. A quick glance told Delaney there were 12 or more, lurching forward, low moans rattling from their throats. An ear-splitting shriek ripped the air; over by the hospitality tent, four of the things pulled a semi-famous rap star to the ground, then lowered their gaping mouths to his body and tore bloody chunks from his writhing torso. Delaney felt the colour rush from her face. 'Barney,' her voice wavered. 'What the fuck...'

Barney wasted no time in following Delaney to the tent, keeping an eye on the entrance he took a moment to glance over at the stoned folk singer. What he didn’t notice was that Delaney had a pistol at the festival, that said Marty gave him a heads up beforehand about both the little bitch’s attitude problem and the fact she normally carried a weapon. If the situation didn’t warrant panic on his part Barney might have remembered that conversation. ‘Hey, Barney, grab my pack’ were the words that turned his attention back inside the tent slinging the sack over a shoulder with little effort as Delaney passed him to the mouth of the tent.

Standing close behind Delaney Barney also saw the dozen more sickly people, including the one with the now bleeding eye. Watching as a small group of them toppled upon the rap star, blood pooling quickly beneath the fresh viscera as they feasted on his body ‘What the fuck...’ Delaney’s reaction echoed in Barney’s knotted expression. ‘We’ve got to go.’ Barney said holding her arm as he started to lead her away. The backstage perimeter was maybe 300 yards or so away, one of the gates in the distance at the end of the tents. People were still trying to escape; one yellow jacket seemed to be screaming down a radio nearby the steel gating as people ran out into the parking lot.

Quickening their pace Barney led Delaney to the gate, wasting no time to see how many more of these people where still around. More of them continued to drag themselves out of the tents, some of them on sight of the pair escaping. Looking back at the gate Barney winced as the yellow jacket was now wrestling to free himself under one of the sickly people, quickly defeated as the man split his throat wide open with his teeth. ‘They’re still coming Barney.’ Delaney wavered as they neared the gate, the dozen now a good thirty or forty sickly people between them and the folk singer.

The man eating the yellow jacket seemed too busy devouring his prey to notice the pair go through the gate. The parking lot still a sea of vehicles some even collided, the sound of engines starting and idling heavy in the air, Barney looked to Delaney ‘Where did you park?’

To delete

Delaney felt tiny, childlike, as the big man dragged her towards the steel gates, her guitar bumping off her hip and breast. He had her heavy pack over one shoulder and was almost lifting her with his other arm. She risked a look backwards; more of the ill-looking creatures had emerged from various places, and the backstage arena was a rout of panic, some people bravely fighting the onslaught, but more and more people turning and running. 'They're still coming, Barney,' she croaked. The befuddled folk singer had belatedly followed Barney out of the tent, and now stepped in the path of a fleeing security guard. Knocked to the ground, he was quickly set upon by one of the creatures, and Delaney averted her eyes, only to see blood spatter across the ground as a security guard by the gate had his throat ripped open.

They burst through the gates. Already, it appeared, several people had driven off at speed. An entire row of cars bore scrape damage and appeared to have been shunted to one side; near the entrance, an Escalade had rammed into a people carrier and two men were arguing heatedly. A queue was already forming behind them, their horns blaring. 'Where did you park,' Barney asked as they surveyed the chaos. 'Marty parked it up for us,' Delaney replied. 'Didn't he give you the keys before he went off on his mercy mission?'

Confusion crossed Barney's face. 'No, I didn't even see him.' Delaney gaped back at Barney, then glanced over her shoulder. Slowly but surely, the crazed creatures were shambling closer. 'It was a Chevy Express or something, big white thing,' she said hurriedly. 'Come on, that might be it over there.' She started across the lot, then flung herself to the ground as a red jeep roared past. The body of her guitar bounced up and caught her under the ribs, knocking the breath from her lungs. Her eyes watered and her face reddened as she tried to suck in air; all she achieved was a rattling wheeze. She pushed herself into a sitting position and clawed at her throat. 'Uhhk,' she rasped. Black spots appeared on her vision; her tongue felt like it had swollen to fill her mouth. Her lips smacked together uselessly. She saw a figure loom above her as her sight faded around the edges. 'Barney,' she managed to whisper.

Confusion spread across his face thanks to Delany’s reply and question of her own ‘No I didn’t even see him.’ Barney replied. Listening to her description of the vehicle Barney noticed the two men arguing to near fist-fight levels further down the row. There was a surprisingly low amount of damage done to the Escalade’s grill compared to what the carrier had suffered, impact damage that looked like a high speed t-bone when it was obviously anything but. Barney offered Delaney the faintest of acknowledgement as she moved away, not even noticing the immediate danger of the Jeep as he approached the two men. Barney had a different plan, especially since the youngest of the men was now waving a baseball bat in the face of the other man.

‘Get back in that piece of shit and get the fuck outta my way asshole!’ the young man barked towards the carrier driver ‘Sorry but I want your insur-‘ ‘Last time old man before I bust your fucking head open, Move!’ ‘Is there a problem here?’ Barney rasped deeply towards mister baseball bat. Pointing the bat towards Barney, Delaney dazed on the ground opposite, the young man started aiming his aggression towards him ‘You want a piece of this too?’ the young man sounded more frantic, scared. ‘Look. I’m here with Delaney Byron, know her? We need a ride out of here right now, let’s help eachot-‘ during his words Barney looked over at Delaney, cut short by seeing another sickly person dangerously close to her.

Crossing his arm hastily over his midsection Barney revealed the revolver’s butt from under his shirt, hidden away within his waistline, concealed between his belt and underwear in a specialized holster. Yanking the .38 free Barney steadied the small firearm in his large rough hands with an almost uncharacteristic finesse. Frowning his brow with aim Barney shot off a round, the revolver jerked ever slightly within his powerful grip as the bullet buried itself deep into one of the sickly man’s eyes. The orb practically exploded into blood and puss oozing down the man’s shirt as he collapsed on the floor beside Delaney with a deathly thud.

The shot had sent a deafening ring through Barney’s ears as he lowered the gun wide eyed at the damage caused. The fact that the two men beside him ran the moment the revolver was in his grip coupled with any reaction however loud or quiet from Delaney were both completely lost on Barney as he stared at the corpse, revolver hanging at his side.

Her vision snapped back into focus, and she immediately wished it hadn't. The thing - Delaney couldn't believe real people could look and act that way - was grey-skinned and anything resembling humanity had been forced from its eyes by blank single-minded hunger. Three deep lines, possibly fingernail scratches, rent its cheek; dark ichor welled up in the cuts. Blood and viscera dripped from its jaws as it bent towards her. Incongruously, Delaney noticed it was wearing a Grateful Dead T-shirt. Had this thing once been human? An innocent festival fan? What could have happened? 'No no no no, please please please,' she whispered frantically, backing away until her back bumped into a car behind her. She held up her guitar as a shield against its grasping hands.

There was a crack like a whip, and the creature's eye exploded in a fountain of pus and sticky, black blood, and it thumped to the ground next to her, its head resting on her leather-clad thigh. It lay still as stone, as if it had never been alive. Delaney stared at it, open mouthed, then let out a short, high-pitched scream, shrugged out of her guitar strap and sprang to her feet. Whipping her head round, she saw what she thought was her band's van off to the left, another two of the creatures stumbling through the gate in front of her and, finally, Barney staring at her dumbly from the queue of cars at the parking lot exit. 'Barney, come on,' she yelled. She took a step towards the van, then hesitated. Thoughts flashed through her head - it might not be the right van, we don't have the keys, stick close to Barney - and she turned on her heel and dashed over to Barney. The creatures clumsily changed direction as she sped past them. She stared down at the gun in his hand, then grabbed him by the arm. The dazed look snapped off his face.

'Come on, do something,' she urged, looking back at the approaching creatures. 'We've got to get out of here.' She drew her own handgun from the back of her waistband. Her hands were shaking and her ragged breath and thumping heart were making her tremble, she doubted she'd ever hit anything with it, but it was comforting to hold. She began to feel the learned confidence of the gun range flow from the gun down her arms. 'Any smart ideas, Barney?'

*Screams 'Delete!' into the empty abyss*

Murder. That's what it is. I've killed someone. All they wanted was to come out and have fun at this festival.. What the fuck's happening to these people? Why are they doing this? Where did this come from?

This questioning thought process lingered long and hard in his blindly shocked vision as he jerked his eyes between the corpse and approaching assailants, revolver still in his grip. Closest Barney ever came to killing a man was in the ring, over a decade ago in a professional bout. He never had reason to draw iron on the job, even with the range training Adam contracted that the minders take annually. Sure there was always aggressive paparazzi and socially awkward fans but no-one ever posed a serious threat to the Byrons, especially Adam's wife.

'Barney, come on!'

How far does this go? What about Adam? Oh shit....

Before Barney had much chance to consider his own family and loved ones Delaney had him by the arm bringing him back to reality. Blinking deeply Barney nodded at Delaney's words 'Yeah.' he replied with less wavering. 'Any smart ideas, Barney?' she asked, looking to the Escalade Barney motioned them towards it.

Leaning over the leather seats Barney pulled Delaney up the tall door sill to the passenger seat of the SUV. Starting the engine the grill groaned as part of it tore away, still lodged within the carrier, while Barney reversed the vehicle. His revolver slid along the dashboard with a rattle as he turned the Escalade onto the main stretch of the parking lot, to be met by the stand still of vehicles trying to escape, more sickly people approaching them banging on the windows.

This way isn't going to work Barney thought as he looked around. Narrowing his eyes past Delaney he looked through her window at some chain link fencing on the perimeter. Could be a challenge for a sedan to ram through but not this lumbering weight of luxury. 'Barney get us out of here!' Delaney snapped as he stared at the fence. Her own eyes followed his, looking back at him with slight confusion or possibly fearful acknowledgement.

Delaney shut her eyes in relief as she slammed the door behind her, then winced at the shriek of scraping metal as Barney eased the Escalade off the people carrier. 'Baseball bat bitch is going to go crazy at you,' she teased, then grabbed at the dash as Barney threw the SUV into reverse and swung it round a corner of parked cars. Her attempt at humour fell flat as they were confronted with the snarl of vehicles clogging the exit in front of them. Worse still, ten or more of the grey-skinned, empty-eyed creatures were banging on car windows and snarling. More were shuffling in their direction, drawn by the revving engines and the blaring horns.

'They must be all over the place,' she gasped. 'If there's this many here, there must be hundreds inside. Caleb and Joe and - we've got to go b- ' Her plea for her band's safety died in her throat as one of the drivers in the jam in front of them rolled down his window and fired a small pistol point-blank into the chest of the creature banging on his window. The creature recoiled back, but regained its balance and staggered up to the car again, grabbing the driver's wrist and sinking its teeth into his hairy forearm. Shots fired wildly as the creature tore ou a bloody chunk of flesh. Two more of the creatures converged on the open window. The screaming driver, his bullets expended, was being dragged through his window. Ahead of him in the queue, the revving grew louder, the honking more urgent. As she glanced around to check all their windows were closed, Delaney was just in time to see a green VW Beetle come up on the left and sideswipe the Escalade, trying to get up a place in the futile traffic jam.

Barney spun the wheel right and stamped the gas. The powerful engine bit down and they lurched out of the queue, jolting to a stop facing the distant perimeter. Delaney was flung into her bodyguard's lap. 'Barney, what the fuck, get us out of here!' she snapped, irritated at her fall and confused at the new direction. She scrambled upright again, and followed his gaze to the chain link fence, then back at him. The grim determination of his furrowed brow revealed his intentions. She swallowed drily and scrabbled over her shoulder for her seatbelt.

Dry dust and gravel spat from the Escalade's wheels as Barney hit the gas again. The acceleration pressed them back into their seats, Delaney turning her head away and watching with slow-motion fascination the bunching muscles of Barney's shoulders as he gripped the wheel. The Escalade bucked into the air as it hit the fence right by one of the supporting poles, breaking the pole out of its concrete footing. Delaney and Barney were thrown forward, then bounced in their seats as the front right wheel hit the ground with a loud metal crunch. With the Escalade stalled by the impact and its flight, utter silence reigned on the dirt-track access road outside the festival site.

Dusk was falling as Barney gunned the engine and the Escalade crept forward. Flicking on the headlights, it appeared one had been damaged by the impact with the chainlink fence, but the engine appeared unaffected and he opened it up a little. 'Let's just get back to LA, okay,' said Delaney. 'You can get on the 5 somewhere round here.'

They took a right at a small cluster of buildings, isolated in the wide open spaces of the state park complex that had held the festival, then came to a gate across the road. The one working headlight illuminated a sign reading: Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Beyond it, the dirt track petered out into two muddy ruts in the ground, then nothing. 'Now what?' snapped Delaney. 'Doesn't this stupid thing even have GPS?' Barney stared silently ahead. 'Urggh, useless,' she groaned. 'My iPad has GPS, hang on.' Delaney twisted in her seat to look on the back seat. 'Barney...' she said ominously, craning her neck further to look behind her own seat. 'Barney, where's my fucking pack?' she spun back to glare at the big man, blonde hair whipping round. 'Barney! What the fuck? My iPad was in there! And my IPod! And a bag of weed the size of your stupid fat head!'

Finally he turned to look at her. 'You want to go back for it?'

Delaney slumped back in her seat, folding her arms, fuming. Barney began to back the Escalade to their last turning. Delaney thrust out a hand and snapped on the radio.

... however, despite the similarity of the gangland-style executions, Police Captain Jorge Morelos would not comment on whether the violence at Inglewood Hospital is related to the outbreak of rioting in Lynwood and Compton several miles away. And now, this just in... there are reports of mass hysteria at the Imperial Beach Curfew Breakers festival south of San Diego, where eyewitnesses have described festival-goers in a seeming trance attacking other revellers... These reports are coming to me as we speak, listeners... The small police force at the three-day event have reported multiple incidents of... this can't be- are you sure- multiple incidents of cannibalism... Stay tuned for further updates...