Zombies! (Episode 6): Barriers Collapse Read Online Free PDF Page A

him that she was undecided. Fighting with her husband would likely put her off. And it might get him killed. Martin was both large and volatile. That's not a good combination. So, standing, Peter reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.
     
    "Forget it," Martin said, not even looking at him. "Just go."
     
    Peter hesitated, then decided that Martin's motivation for paying the check held nothing more than the desire to see him gone as quickly as possible.
     
    So he left.
     
    ***
     
    THERE wasn't much conversation after Peter left the restaurant. Martin was in a foul mood and Abby was loath to contest him on it. For her part, she had sat by and listened, taking in all of what Peter was saying and wondering if he wasn't right. Martin was brash. He made quick decisions and rarely looked back. It was one of the things that had attracted her to him. Their relationship had been the result of a chance meeting while he was on holiday from London. Practically overnight, he had given up his life there and moved to the United States to marry her. His complete confidence had infected her, won her over completely. And she didn't regret it for a minute. Martin was a good husband and a good father. She loved him dearly. But he wasn't always right. And she didn't think he was right now. But she also didn't think she'd be able to change his mind. So she said nothing as they parted, kissing him in a way that reminded him of just how much she loved him and needed him. She promised to be home early so they could all enjoy dinner together.
     
    When he left her, he was calmed down enough to only grumble.
     
    Back at work, Abby found it difficult to concentrate. True, she hadn't really been able to concentrate much lately anyway. The three months since her zombie encounter had gone by in a gurgling, unmemorable chunk. Day by day, Abby grew more and more distracted. Whitaker had given her grief right up until the minute she'd caught him in the locker room with that teen aged girl. Now he was very tolerant of her missteps. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was better than getting fired. She needed her job but just couldn't seem to find the wherewithal to perform her duties properly.
     
    That afternoon, though, her distraction was borne of a completely different origin. Instead of having no focus, her thoughts were drawn to the subject of the ZRA and Peter's notion that they had to be stopped. Martin had called it a crusade . If that was the case then so be it. She had seen zombies close up, witnessed them killing and eating their victims. It was not something she would soon forget, nor would the oppressive feeling of believing that Sammy would soon become one. If there were people declaring themselves as the protectors of zombies, then the other side needed champions, too. Whatever Peter had in mind, be it littering flyers or picketing ZRA installations, she would have to make it her business to be a part of it. If the end of the world was coming, Abby wanted to be able to say with her dying breath that she had fought for the human race.
     
    At 5:00 pm, Abby's shift came to an end. The gym was empty during the dinner hours and tended to fill up again as closing time approached. Whitaker could handle it. After all, she handled the morning crowd by herself. Before heading to the train, she found herself a nice quiet spot on the street and made a phone call.
     
    "Hello?" came the sleepy voice on the other end.
     
    "Peter. Did I wake you?"
     
    "Abby? It's okay. I have to work the overnight shift again anyway. I didn't think I'd hear from you."
     
    "If Martin knew, he'd blow a gasket, but you were right. Talking to you helps me cope."
     
    "Is that all you need? Someone to talk to?"
     
    For a moment, Abby was taken aback by the question. Was he coming on to her? She'd heard about people who'd suffered tragedies together eventually becoming romantically involved, but it was the furthest thing from her mind.
     
    "Um…not exactly," she