Burden of Survival: Killing the Dead : Season Two Read Free Page A

and her group hidden in the cellars beneath a row of houses in Windermere and persuaded her to join us.
    That had been just about the time that Rachel was at her worst and I couldn’t begin to apologise to her for what I’d dragged her group into. She’d taken it in her stride though and when the dust had settled had agreed to be one of the people to lead our band of refugees.
    “No sign from the mainland,” Gabby began without preamble. “I had Toby double check all three points and he saw nothing.”
    “Damn,” I said. “I was really hoping the Coniston people were just running late.”
    “What do you think we should do?” Cass asked.
    “I’ve asked Ryan to go over and check on them.”
    “Ah,” Gabby began with an apologetic look. “I’d rather send Toby.”
    “Why?”
    “He knows the woods and to be frank, I trust him more than I do your boyfriend.”
    Cass opened her mouth as though to reply but I shook my head at her as I considered what to say.
    “You know what Ryan’s done for these people,” I began.
    “I also know what’s said about him in whispers,” she interrupted. “I have no desire to argue with you but the folk around here are scared of him for a reason. Matthew for all his faults had been a policeman before this and he had his suspicions too.”
    “Matthew allowed Rachel to do the things she did,” Cass said pointedly.
    “Yes,” Gabby agreed. “And after that perhaps folk here need a little less of that sort of thing.”
    “What sort of thing?”
    “Every time someone dies, your boyfriend is there. They need to see less of him killing people and let the memories of how dangerous he can be fade.”
    As much as it pained me, she made sense, but I also knew that he was likely the best person for the job when it came to surviving amongst the undead.
    “Why not send both?” Cass asked.
    “That doesn’t solve the problem,” Gabby said.
    “Put Toby in charge,” Cass said. “Everyone can see Ryan doing good things for the group and know that any decisions made weren’t his. That way, they can see that some of the things he’s had to do are simply the things anyone else would have realised they needed to do eventually.”
    Gabby looked thoughtful as she considered and I mouthed thank you to my friend who beamed back at me in response. She was one of those who knew everything about Ryan’s past and while she’d taken a little convincing, she’d realised it was actually a benefit during the zombie apocalypse.
    “Perhaps,” the other woman said musingly.
    “It wouldn’t be a bad thing,” I said.
    “Fine I’ll talk to Toby, I assume we’ve no need to vote?”
    When neither of us responded she nodded and changed the subject.
    “I’ve asked Melody to take a group and check on all the chimes,” Gabby continued. “Will is working on an inventory and we have three boats going out today fishing.”
    “Pat’s put up a new watch schedule,” Cass added with a smile at mention of her boyfriend. “No surprises on it and I don’t think we’ll have complaints.”
    “Who’s looking after the kids today?” I asked.
    “Vanessa and Alicia,” Cass said.
    “How’s Maggie doing?” I asked quietly.
    The little girl had been almost catatonic for a long time after seeing her mother and best friend killed when a bunch of deserters from the army had attacked us. She had slowly begun to come out of it but was far from the same little girl I’d helped rescue back at the beginning.
    “Physically she’s sound,” Gabby said. “Mentally… well, I don’t think she’s the only one who will have problems when all this is done.”
    “Put a psychiatrist on the list of things we need,” Cass muttered.
    “I’ll check on her in a bit,” I said.
    “Becky’s been to see me again,” Gabby added and I sighed.
    “She normally waits till after breakfast.”
    “Well she wants an answer.”
    “What are we supposed to say?” I asked. “This place is the safest we’ve been since