Free Blackout by Chris Ryan

empty as it always was. 'What are you doing out here?' he asked.
    'Keeping myself to myself,' said Marshall. 'Soldiering does
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    that to a man sometimes. You might find that out one day for yourself.'
    'Not too quiet?'
    'Not for me, no. I like quiet.'
    'What do you do?' asked Josh, looking across at the older man. 'It doesn't look as if there are any jobs out here.'
    Marshall took another sip of his beer. 'Veterans from the war,' he replied. 'I run a website that helps keep vets in touch with one another. Gives them help and advice on their benefit payments, medical treatment, the rest of it. There are still a lot of men out there who are in pretty bad shape, both mentally and physically, and for many of them it gets worse as they get older. A lot of them live out in remote places like this because they don't like the noise and the sweat of the cities. So the site helps them stay in touch. Lets them talk. They pay a small subscription, so it doesn't make a lot of money, but it makes a bit. We get by'
    'And Kate?' said Josh, nodding back towards the main building. 'She's a young woman, full of life. What's she doing out here?'
    Marshall paused, and Josh could sense the older man growing tense: his hand was tightening its grip on his beer bottle, and his brow was starting to furrow. 'That's her business,' he said.
    'Okay,' said Josh, backing away. 'I was just curious.'
    'Listen,' continued Marshall. 'I don't mind you being here. You're a soldier, and I like soldiers. But just make sure you keep your hands off my daughter. That way you and I are going to get along just fine.'
    The pizza felt sticky and heavy in Josh's hand. It had a thick layer of cheese on top, plus some wedges of ham and pineapple. I can't remember whether I like pizza or not, Josh said to himself. But I certainly don't like it with sodding pineapple on it.
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    He took another bite, flicking one of the pineapple chunks onto the ground, then chewing the slice quickly. Get it inside you, he told himself. Every bite you take will get you a bite closer to being stronger again. And strength is what you need.
    'I had a memory,' said Josh.
    Kate looked surprised. She turned to face him, a smile flashing across her lips. 'Just now?'
    'Earlier,' answered Josh.'As I was waking up this afternoon.'
    It was a little after nine at night, and the final rays of sunlight had just dipped below the horizon. The fierce redness of the sunset against the reddish-browns of the desert landscape had held Josh's attention for more than an hour: he had been happy just to sit and watch the gradual fading of the light, and the smears of colour it left behind. By the time Kate had come out of the kitchen with a giant pizza and a pitcher of iced tea he had been feeling better than at any time since he'd been shot. The pain from his wounds was ebbing, and the headache was tuning down to just a mild, irregular drumbeat.
    Now a moon was starting to rise in the sky, arcing across the distant mountain and bathing the flat land in a silver light. Ahead of him, Josh could see a huge inch-and-a-half long bug crawling across the scrub, its eyes glinting through the darkness. The creature had a thick black skin, and was moving at speed across the ground.
    Is that dangerous? wondered Josh as he watched the spider's progress. That's the real ^risk from losing your memory: a lifetime's experience of knowing how to look after yourself is lost in a split second.
    'Morning is the time when you're most likely to find some memories stirring within you,' said Kate, looking up towards Josh. 'Whenever you feel yourself waking up, try and keep your mind empty and relaxed. Eventually some memories will sneak back in there.'
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    'There was a shot,' said Josh, looking towards Kate. 'A gunshot.'
    'Aimed at you?' she asked. 'Was it someone shooting at you?'
    Josh shook his head. 'No, I don't think so,' he answered. 'I hear a shot. And then I see a boy running. Across some kind of dark landscape. Then that's it.