The Undead Day Nineteen Read Online Free PDF Page A

round her head with each one of them screaming to be taken as the most important.
    That’s not our way. Nick’s words float through the confusing fug. We have to do the right thing. Maddox thought he was doing the right thing but Howie would have done the right thing. Paula, Clarence and the others would soon tell him if they thought he was wrong. That’s it. That’s why they work so well, because of the collective experience and Howie’s respect for that experience and knowledge coupled with an ability to make sound decisions under pressure. Find Howie. He can’t leave. He has to stay and get this place safe.
    As the decision is made so she steps through the door into the world shifting from night to day and a sky already lifting with the first rays of the sun highlighting the mess inside the fort. The ground runs sodden and filthy with blackened water. The fires now extinguished but with wet heat hanging in the still air. She looks over to the old armoury and the gaping hole in the wall. Even from here she can see through to the sea on the other side.
    She looks round, sweeping her eyes along the perimeter to the new armoury, searching for Clarence’s bulk to use as an identifying marker for where the group are. She’s tired. Her eyes sting so she closes them for a few seconds and tries again. The first thing she sees are the bodies dragged from the hospital stacked on the ground. People walking slowly along the edges of the ruined mess of burnt tents in the middle. Her eyes scan each person, each group, each section and the first seed of worry starts to sow. She can’t see Clarence. No Paula and Roy. She can’t see the lads or Nick anywhere. No Howie and Dave.
    She moves off, heading for the police offices and constantly blinking then rubbing her eyes. Movement at the main gate and she turns to see Maddox walking back in. He spots her and inclines his head. She stops and waits as the realisation dawns. Maddox is coming back inside which means he went outside. The only reason he would go outside is if someone was arriving or leaving.
    She looks round again and this time sees the doors to the new armoury are wide open and the gap inside tells her some of the cases have been taken.
    ‘Lilly,’ Maddox says, getting closer and seeing the almost frantic look on her face
    Her heart sinks, her stomach flips.
    ‘They’ve gone,’ Maddox says, coming to a stop just feet from her.
    ‘I know,’ Lilly replies, hiding the emotion from her voice. She looks at Maddox, at his red eyes and the grime smeared over his face. His hands still tremble but he holds her gaze steady and without expression. Lilly instigated the fight back with Lani. She took the box of grenades and made everyone drop their weapons. She sided with Lani and thereby opposed Maddox. She did it to save Lani and Howie’s team. She did it knowing Howie would protect her, and if she died then she knew he would protect Billy and the children.
    Except he’s gone. They’re all gone. Clarence. Paula. Nick. Nick has left. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t try and find her.
    ‘Lani’s dead,’ Maddox says in a surprisingly gentle tone, ‘She’s in there.’
    ‘Where?’
    ‘Old armoury,’ he says nodding at the ruined wall through which they can see the water gently lapping at the wall.
    Nick didn’t say goodbye. He didn’t say anything.
    ‘Are they coming back?’ She asks, whispering the words out.
    Maddox doesn’t reply, doesn’t do anything but stands and watches her for several long seconds, ‘we agreed they’d stay away…be seen somewhere else,’ he stops on seeing the fleeting look of confusion on Lilly’s face. ‘They left quickly,’ he adds with the sudden recollection of Lilly’s connection to Nick. ‘We didn’t know where you were.’
    ‘Hospital,’ Lilly says automatically, ‘helping.’
    ‘Hospital,’ Maddox says, nodding slowly, ‘You okay?’
    She nods in return but stares down at the ground willing the tears not to