Read Six Days With the Dead for Free Online
Authors: Stephen Charlick
untethered the horse from the side of the cart. Penny looked at him as if she had just realised he was there.
‘ Hello Samson,’ She said, as she moved to the horse that had been pulling the cart, ‘Welcome home.’ Kissing Samson’s cheek, she skipped off humming.
Imran had ma de his was up onto the walkway, his hands slipping around Liz’s waist from behind.
‘Miss me?’ He whispered in her ear.
‘ You don’t know how much.’ She said smiling, looking at him over her shoulder.
Turning her round , he reached down to kiss her but she lifted a finger to his lips she stopping him.
‘ Na, ah, not when I’m on shift, I’ve had a go at Sally and Damian earlier for not taking watch duty seriously.’ A brief look of disappointment flashed across his face.
‘ Oh, OK, but you’d better watch out later, I want payback with interest.’ Imran said, kissing her hand.
‘ So whose is the horse?’ Liz asked, glancing down at Lars and Penny feeding the horses.
‘ Just another survivor with a sad story,’ Imran replied, the smile dropping from his face, ‘Charlie and I found him sleeping in a tree. He’d tied himself to the trunk the night before and when we came upon him there were three of the Dead at the base. He’s half starved, so if we hadn’t come along I doubt he’s have survived for long.’
‘ What’s his name?’ Liz asked.
‘ William Parker,’ Imran said, ‘but that’s about all we got out of him so far. Hopefully when he’s got some food in him, he’ll be able to tell us more.’
Below, Alice had returned with Sister Josephine , the Mother Superior, and Sister Catherine. Liz watched as the back hatch on the cart opened and Charlie helped William down. The new arrival was obviously very weak and shaky on his feet. Charlie’s tall muscular frame was quite a contrast to Mr Parker, who looked as starved and dilapidated as his horse. Sister Josephine gave Mr Parker a warm welcoming hug and with Sister Catherine, led him back into the convent with Charlie following behind. Even from on the walkway, Liz could see Mr Parker was sobbing, the relief of finding some sanctuary in a world of the Dead being too much for him.
‘ Right, I’ll see you later then.’ Imran said, cupping his hand to her cheek.
‘Later.’ she replied with a smile, covering his hand with her own.
‘ Not disturbing anything I hope?’ Alice asked, as she reached the top of the ladder.
‘ No, I’m just going, mustn’t distract you two from your work.’ Imran said, helping Alice onto the walkway.
Liz watched Imran as he climbed down the ladder and made his way across the garden. Just before he disappeared from view he turned and waved to her.
‘ Eyes back in your head Lizzy, he’ll keep.’ Alice said, giving her a friendly nudge.
‘Hmm, yeh.’ She replied, blushing slightly, ‘Come on let’s get on with this’.
For the next four hours Alice and Liz walked the peri meter of the convent. With no more sign of the Dead, the time passed slowly. The sunny morning passed into a lazy warm afternoon, with a pleasant breeze keeping them cool. The two chatted occasionally, always keeping one eye on the outside world. At one point Liz saw movement over by the tree line, a quick darting movement, barely even rustling the small bushes that ran along the edge of the woodland. She stopped, raised her hand to shield her eyes and stared intently at the area where she has seen something.
‘ What have you seen?’ Alice asked, following Liz’s gaze.
‘ I’m not sure… But there by that patch of blackberry bushes.’ she replied, pointing ‘I’m sure something was moving.’
Then with an explosion of leaves , a large brown rabbit broke forth from its cover and darted from one patch to another. Liz smiled to herself. It was nice to think that not everything was dead outside of the convent walls. The rabbit would be quite safe from the slow shambling Dead. Being naturally a fast animal, combined
‘ Hello Samson,’ She said, as she moved to the horse that had been pulling the cart, ‘Welcome home.’ Kissing Samson’s cheek, she skipped off humming.
Imran had ma de his was up onto the walkway, his hands slipping around Liz’s waist from behind.
‘Miss me?’ He whispered in her ear.
‘ You don’t know how much.’ She said smiling, looking at him over her shoulder.
Turning her round , he reached down to kiss her but she lifted a finger to his lips she stopping him.
‘ Na, ah, not when I’m on shift, I’ve had a go at Sally and Damian earlier for not taking watch duty seriously.’ A brief look of disappointment flashed across his face.
‘ Oh, OK, but you’d better watch out later, I want payback with interest.’ Imran said, kissing her hand.
‘ So whose is the horse?’ Liz asked, glancing down at Lars and Penny feeding the horses.
‘ Just another survivor with a sad story,’ Imran replied, the smile dropping from his face, ‘Charlie and I found him sleeping in a tree. He’d tied himself to the trunk the night before and when we came upon him there were three of the Dead at the base. He’s half starved, so if we hadn’t come along I doubt he’s have survived for long.’
‘ What’s his name?’ Liz asked.
‘ William Parker,’ Imran said, ‘but that’s about all we got out of him so far. Hopefully when he’s got some food in him, he’ll be able to tell us more.’
Below, Alice had returned with Sister Josephine , the Mother Superior, and Sister Catherine. Liz watched as the back hatch on the cart opened and Charlie helped William down. The new arrival was obviously very weak and shaky on his feet. Charlie’s tall muscular frame was quite a contrast to Mr Parker, who looked as starved and dilapidated as his horse. Sister Josephine gave Mr Parker a warm welcoming hug and with Sister Catherine, led him back into the convent with Charlie following behind. Even from on the walkway, Liz could see Mr Parker was sobbing, the relief of finding some sanctuary in a world of the Dead being too much for him.
‘ Right, I’ll see you later then.’ Imran said, cupping his hand to her cheek.
‘Later.’ she replied with a smile, covering his hand with her own.
‘ Not disturbing anything I hope?’ Alice asked, as she reached the top of the ladder.
‘ No, I’m just going, mustn’t distract you two from your work.’ Imran said, helping Alice onto the walkway.
Liz watched Imran as he climbed down the ladder and made his way across the garden. Just before he disappeared from view he turned and waved to her.
‘ Eyes back in your head Lizzy, he’ll keep.’ Alice said, giving her a friendly nudge.
‘Hmm, yeh.’ She replied, blushing slightly, ‘Come on let’s get on with this’.
For the next four hours Alice and Liz walked the peri meter of the convent. With no more sign of the Dead, the time passed slowly. The sunny morning passed into a lazy warm afternoon, with a pleasant breeze keeping them cool. The two chatted occasionally, always keeping one eye on the outside world. At one point Liz saw movement over by the tree line, a quick darting movement, barely even rustling the small bushes that ran along the edge of the woodland. She stopped, raised her hand to shield her eyes and stared intently at the area where she has seen something.
‘ What have you seen?’ Alice asked, following Liz’s gaze.
‘ I’m not sure… But there by that patch of blackberry bushes.’ she replied, pointing ‘I’m sure something was moving.’
Then with an explosion of leaves , a large brown rabbit broke forth from its cover and darted from one patch to another. Liz smiled to herself. It was nice to think that not everything was dead outside of the convent walls. The rabbit would be quite safe from the slow shambling Dead. Being naturally a fast animal, combined