Snatchers (Book 7): The Dead Don't Yield Read Free Page B

Cottage is situated on a dip. From our barriers we can see along the stretch of road."
    "Well," Karen sighed, staring at a box of water purifying bottles. "You seem to know what you're doing. What's upstairs?"
    "Medical stuff."
    "What's she doing in here?" a voice bellowed behind Karen and Daniel.
    They both turned around to see a skinny average-sized man. His name was James McDonald, or Jimmy Mac, and was a foul-mouthed individual who said what he thought. He had made it clear on more than one occasion that the new arrivals were not welcome, as far as he was concerned.
    "Just showing the lady round," explained Daniel, looking embarrassed at the way he was spoken to. Jimmy Mac was middle-aged, but his worn face made him look older, suggesting he had lived on a bad diet of too much booze and cigarettes that had probably aged his skin.
    "I don't give a fuck!" he snapped. "I don't want any of these new knobs walking around in here, got it?"
    "Stop being so paranoid." Daniel tried to laugh the situation off, but the anger in Jimmy Mac's face showed no sign of diminishing. "We're all one family on this site. And some of the stuff in here is from their camp. Where do you think those animals from outside came from?"
    "Let's not forget the HGVs that are now stretched across each barrier," Karen chipped in.
    "It's a fucking joke, letting these folk in." Jimmy Mac pointed at Karen and added, "They're only here because their own camp was decimated."
    "And you're only here because your house on the Springfields was overrun with the dead," Daniel said.
    "Don't smart-mouth me, boy. You know what I mean."
    "Well, we're here now," Karen decided to speak further. "So you better get used to it. We were voted in."
    "Yes, you were." Jimmy Mac snarled, "You were voted in by seven to one. I was the one that wanted you lot to stay the fuck away."
    "We're stronger together."
    "No." Jimmy Mac disagreed. "We were strong enough in the first place. Now we've got another thirty mouths to feed."
    "Well, looks like you're stuck with us." Karen smiled.
    Jimmy Mac clenched his fists together and took a step forward. Daniel side-stepped in front of Karen and tried to make light of the tense situation. "What're you gonna do, Jimmy? Hit a pregnant woman?"
    Jimmy Mac snarled once again, turned on his heels and stormed out of the building.
    "Well, he seems pleasant," snickered Karen.
    "I would like to say that he's alright once you get to know him."
    "But?"
    "But he's a true dick." Daniel checked his watch and asked, "Shall we go?"
    Karen ignored his query and pointed at the metal box that was in the corner of the building. "What's that?"
    Daniel scratched his head and finally answered, "Just a junk box. I suppose it's like a lost property box. There's some things in there that I've found on some runs, things that are useless really, but I kept them."
    "What kind of stuff?"
    "Just daft stuff really: Knives, there's an empty handgun in there, and we even found a pair of knuckledusters in a house."
    "A handgun?" Karen was now intrigued. "What kind of handgun?"
    "Come." Daniel beckoned Karen to follow him. "I'll show you." He went over to the huge box and took out a key from his back pocket. Karen had no idea what the key was for until she realised that the box was padlocked. Once the lock was opened Daniel flipped open the lid and went through it. He pulled out a pair of black leather gloves with spikes on the knuckles. "Any good to you?" he joked.
    Karen shook her head. "Why do you keep this stuff anyway? It's weird."
    "You sound like the guys," Daniel began to chuckle. "I don't know. I suppose the handgun is a nice touch. Never held one before. Didn't realise people had them in this area."
    "You'd be surprised."
    "Wanna see?"
    Karen sighed and nodded, humouring the young man.
    Karen took another few steps forwards until she was by the man's side and Daniel pulled out the gun and showed it to her. "It's okay. It won't go off."
    Karen stared at the thing and asked,