Snatchers (Book 3): The Dead Don't Cry Read Free Page B

looked back up to re-focus his blurry eyes. For a moment he thought he was going to pass out. "I don't know," he finally answered. "The last time we were there, we were swamped with the things. Don't yer remember what happened to Jamie and Janine?"
    "Don't forget Davina," Karen chipped in. "Anyway, that was nearly two weeks ago, these Snatchers ain't gonna hang around if there's no...well....food about, are they?"
    "Yer reckon the place could be empty?"
    Karen made a face as if she was unsure what the outcome would be if they went back there. "Won't harm to check it out, then we'll take it from there."
    "We're gonna have to eat...soon," Paul spoke up and began walking towards the pair of them.
    Both Karen and Pickle nodded in agreement. Both their stomachs were beginning to grumble with dissatisfaction of the lack of action they'd been getting since yesterday. "I know there's a supermarket not far from here, but there might be fuck all in there now," Pickle half-scoffed.
    "We could always try and go back into Rugeley," Karen said, "after we've checked out Stile Cop."
    "Didn't yer tell me the town was swarming?"
    "A while back, yes. But who knows what could be happening? We could be hiding in the woods while the Rugeley residents have...I dunno...kinda taken control of their town. Maybe it's been quarantined by the army."
    "Or..." Paul smiled sarcastically at Karen's positive attitude, "maybe... there's no one left, because they've all been ripped to fucking pieces."
    Pickle and Karen looked at one another while Jade picked her teeth with her little finger. She was in a world of her own, and never reacted to Paul losing his temper. Both Pickle and Karen never responded to Paul's angry outburst either. They knew he was still unsure whether his wife and daughter were alive or not, and put his fury down to frustration.
    "Well," Pickle began, "food and drink isn't going to fall into our laps sitting here, is it? Something has to be done. We'll go to Stile Cop first, it's on the way anyway, see what's been occurring, then we'll go to Karen's hometown and see what we can get."
    "A set of wheels would be good." Paul spoke as if he was in a daydream. His eyes were wide; he looked like he was a million miles away, and his short-lived anger had begun to evaporate.
    "A set o' wheels would be great, but let's see what's about." Pickle investigated the inside of his mouth with his tongue and could feel the wrinkles in the roof. He was dehydrated. He knew he was dehydrated because his head was pounding and he hadn't shat for two days. "If any o' yer lot come across any thick branches, pick them up. I'm not going into that town unarmed. It's only Karen that's armed now."
    "I'm sure we can outrun those things, if there ain't too many," Karen piped up.
    "It's not just the Lurkers that we need to worry about," Paul spat; it sounded like he was becoming emotional; his voice shook as he spoke. "My friend, Gary, was raped and killed by two men," Paul looked over to Pickle, "in that very same supermarket you were talking about. I'm going nowhere, unless I'm armed with something."
    "Well yer better find somethin' then," Pickle snapped.
    This kind of talk did nothing to breathe confidence into Jade. What happened to humans pulling together? she thought. She sighed, and thought about her lonely existence being stuck in the sports centre. But at least she was safe, and had possibly another week left before supplies would have ran out.
    "Okay." Pickle clapped his hands together in a futile attempt to rally the troops. "Are we ready?"
    Dejected and sleepy, Paul and Jade managed a tired nod and began to follow Karen who was already five yards ahead of them. Jade looked at the back of Karen Bradley and scowled. Jade knew that Karen disliked her, and the feeling was mutual, but nevertheless, she knew that Karen was a tough individual and that she would rather have her on her side than be against her.
    She walked with Paul, their conversation was