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

I didn’t
mean to say that—but that’s how it’s coming across.”
    “Just because your dad
thinks that something is dangerous,” Mum continues, “doesn’t make him sexist.”
    “Look, Cath,” Dad says,
his tone a little softer, “I just want you to be safe. Your mother and I both
do. I just happen to think that some jobs are better suited for men and some
better suited for women. That’s all. That’s not sexist, it’s just life. We’re
not all the same. We have lots of differences. And if you can’t see that, well,
then…more fool you.”
    Mum walks over to the
table and stands behind Dad, her both hands on his shoulders, tea towel draped
over her arm. “Look, I tell you what, Catherine, why don’t you apply for
something a little less controversial?”
    “Like?” I ask
patronisingly, knowing full well that she’s just going to reel off a list of
girlie jobs—like nursing .
    Mum shrugs. “I don’t know,
maybe hairdresser, you know, something like that. Or beautician . I mean
there’s good money in that if you get in with the right salon.”
    “I’ve got a job,
thank you.”
    Dad takes a mouthful of
toast and then speaks; his words muffled: “Being a Cleaner doesn’t even pay
that well.”
    “It’s not about the
money,” I retort, “it’s about the job.”
    Dad swallows and then
sighs. “Well, I think you’re crazy. I really do. And you’ll only end up
changing your mind again.”
    “What’s that supposed to
mean?”
    “Cath, you’ve gone through
more career paths than I have—and I’m fifty-bloody-eight.”
    “I haven’t had that many.”
    “ No? You sure about
that? What about wanting to be an English teacher?”
    “So what? I was fifteen. I
was just a stupid kid.”
    “Then it was a doctor.”
    “Paramedic, actually ,
Dad.”
    “Okay, paramedic then.
Same thing.”
    “It’s not the same thing,
and I only abandoned that because they were only recruiting in London.
Remember? And you were the one who talked me out of it. You said that I’d hate
living in such a big, dangerous city.”
    “Can’t remember saying
that.”
    I clench my fists under
the table, seething with frustration. “ Typical —selective memory as
usual.”
    “Oh yeah, and then of
course it was the Navy.”
    “What, so you want me to
go off and fight in some shit-hole country then?”
    Dad shakes his head. “No,
of course not. My point is: this Cleaner thing is just another one of your
little ventures. In a month, you’ll get bored, move on to some other career
path, and then you’ll be handing in your notice.”
    I snort, struggling to
contain the outburst that’s brewing inside. “You don’t have much faith in me,
do you?”
    “It’s not that, Cath. I do
have faith in you. I think you’re a smart girl, with a great future. I just
don’t want you to risk it on some flash-in-the-pan job that you think is
glamorous, and important.”
    “It is important. Very important. In fact, I believe it’s just as important, if not more so, than a
teacher, a paramedic—even a frontline soldier. And yeah, maybe you’re right—I
haven’t exactly followed through with my career paths. But that’s only because this is my true calling. And now that it’s in the palm of my hand, I’m not going to
let it slip away. And that’s that, Dad.”
    The kitchen falls
uncomfortably silent for a full minute.
     He finishes what’s left
of his tea and leans back on his chair, his eyes locked onto mine. “Okay,
Cath,” he says with a beaten-down sigh. “If it’s what you really want, then I
suppose there’s nothing we can do to talk you out of it.”
    “No, there isn’t,” I say
firmly, shaking my head.
    Dad moans loudly, clearly
unable to add anything productive. “Just be careful, for Christ’s sake.”
    Beth walks over from her
pillow and rests her furry white head on my thigh. She knows when I’m pissed
off or stressed out, even if I’m not screaming the place down. Must be a dog
sixth-sense