The Zombie Saga (Book 2): Burn The Dead (Purge) Read Free Page A

feels that it’s necessary
that only men are employed, then that is for the safety of the public
and my team. I don’t give a shit if that comes across negative, or sexist, or whatever .
My only concern is the lives around me. Do you understand?”
    “Yes I do, Roger. And I
completely trust that every decision you make is for the good of the team. But
I’m a very proactive woman. I saw an opportunity to make a change, to follow a
dream, to make a difference, and I took it.”
    “Either way you look at
it, thanks to equality, I have no choice now but to open the doors to female
applicants. And seeing as you were the only woman who’s applied to this
branch,” he puts the CV down and gets up from his chair, reaching across the
desk, “welcome aboard.”
    I smile and shake his
hand. “Thank you, Roger. You won’t regret it. I promise.”
    He sits back down, groans
again, and then runs his hands over his smooth head. “I hope not, Catherine.
For your sake, as well as mine.”

2
     
    “So
when does the training start?” Dad asks me, slurping his tea from across the
breakfast table.
    “I already said, Dad,” I
reply, unable to disguise the impatience in my voice. “This weekend. Thursday
is a run through—meet the guys, kind of an intro. Plus, a fitness test. If that
goes well, the real training will start on Friday.”
    “For how long?”
    “Until Sunday.”
    “Until Sunday? ” he
blurts out, almost spitting out his tea. “That’s it?”
    “Well, yeah. But it’s very
intense. And most of the important training is done out on the field. I’ll be
shadowing someone first. Then, maybe after a few weeks, maybe even a few
months, I’ll be having to deal with things alone.”
    “One bloody weekend.
That’s scandalous. You’d swear you were training to work in a supermarket—not
working as a bloody Cleaner.” He takes a giant—almost aggressive swig of
his tea—and puts his cup down a little too hard on the table, spilling a
little. “All I hear on the News is how little money they get from the
government, putting up with shitty equipment, understaffing, and dangerous
working conditions. It’s just not worth the risk.”
    “Tell that to the armed
forces then. They’ve always had to put up with budget cuts. And so has the NHS.
But we still need nurses and soldiers.”
    “Well, I think you’re mad,
Catherine. I really do. And I don’t see what the big fascination is with all
this. Why can’t you just get an ordinary job like everyone else?”
    “I know it’s risky, but
this is something that I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl. You know that. So nothing’s changed. I still want to be out there, making a
difference in the world. Not stuck dealing with stupid customers at a
restaurant.”
    “Yes, I understand all
that, but why does it have to be you? There are plenty of men already doing
this kind of thing. Let them take the risks.”
    “That’s exactly the point: Men . It’s one of the only jobs left in this country that has a No
Women Policy . It’s dated and sexist and now I’ve changed
that. Me . Your daughter. All by myself. And you were the one who said
that I should write to the government. You’re the one who taught me to fight
for what I believe in. You .”
    Dad shakes his head,
clearly struggling to justify his actions. He reaches over to the centre of the
table and takes the last slice of toast from the plate. “Look, Cath, I know
what I said, but—”
    “But nothing. It’s obvious
to me that you only encouraged me to write those letters because you thought
that I wouldn’t stand a chance. Well, now I’ve got through, and I’ve got the
job and I plan on keeping it for as long as possible. And I plan on setting an
example to all the other women out there who have to live in a world with sexist
pigs like you .”
    “Catherine!” Mum shouts
from the sink. “Don’t speak to your father like that. He’s only saying what
needs to be said.”
    “Okay, I’m sorry.