Free IMPACT (Book 1): A Post-Apocalyptic Tale by Matthew Eliot Page A

closer to Aunt Hellen’s house. Perhaps, soon, they would be safe.
    * * *
    They had veered north, dropping anchor next to an old weathered pier.
    As the man fastened ropes to the moorage, the children went through their belongings to make sure they had everything.
    Once again, the weather had turned foul and a thin, prickly rain beat down on them.
    “Where are you headed?” asked the man.
    Adrian considered whether it was wise to tell him, but before he could stop her Alice replied. “Bately,” she said. “Ady’s aunt lives there.”
    The man drew a quick breath through his nose and nodded, looking towards the cliffs.
    “I heard it’s quite safe there. You should be all right.”
    They just stood there, three figures in the mist.
    “We’re almost home, Ady,” said Alice, with a big smile. She was happy, which was good to see, yet Adrian couldn’t shake his uneasiness at the man’s presence. Alice turned, unexpectedly, towards the man and gave him a big hug.
    “Thank you, sir,” she said, her cheeks sinking into his raincoat.
    Adrian felt all his muscles tense up. He brought a hand to his coat, ready to draw the knife. But he lowered it, when he noticed the man’s expression.
    He was standing still, as if frozen. His arms widened, palms facing each other. He stared, speechless, down towards Alice. Adrian saw him fold both his lips inside his mouth, and squeeze them between his rotten teeth. He then closed his eyes and cried a single, trembling tear before rapidly wiping it away when Alice withdrew from her embrace.
    He’s a worm , though Adrian, a harmless worm .
    Alice stood next to him and, with a warm motion of her eyebrows, she gestured to him to leave. Adrian nodded.
    They turned their backs to the man and began to make their way up and away from the beach. Adrian was almost sure they needed to head north, then east a little. It shouldn’t be too hard to find Bately.
    As they climbed a grassy slope that rose between the white rocks, they heard the man behind them call out. “Stick close to that young lad!” he cried. “He’s a good boy!”
    Alice smiled and took his hand.

Chapter 14
The Southern Outpost
    They had wind in their hair.
    It was odd for this minute detail to impose itself so clearly, but Paul couldn’t remember when he’d last been inside a moving vehicle.
    He couldn’t help but smile as he watched his companions’ hair dance crazily, powered by the powerful gusts of air pouring into the vehicle.
    “Fun, isn’t it?” asked Catherine, one hand on her temple in an attempt to tame an unruly lock of hair. Paul smiled. It was.
    They were travelling south, towards the Southern Outpost, the five of them quite comfortable inside the army Range Rover. It was going to be a short ride, but they were enjoying the speed. Once inside the LMM-ready Wolf speeds would decrease significantly.
    They were escorted by Lance Corporal Billings, who had helped with their awkward firearms training, and Lieutenant Robert Neeson, a serious-looking 23-year-old man who had, Bill told them, been wounded in action. A long jagged scar, running from his forehead and disappearing beneath his shirt collar, was a life-long reminder of that unfortunate experience.
    “Have things been difficult with the ‘wraiths in Bately?” asked Moore, turning his head towards Catherine, who sat at the opposite end of the passenger seat. Paul occupied the seat between them.
    “It has, yes,” she replied. “Ahm… I prefer the term ‘afflicted’, although there is no correct medical term, as it were.”
    “Oh, yes,” said Moore, apologetically, “I suppose it’s not as harsh.”
    “Yes, I agree. Nero’s Affliction . I wonder who came up with the name,” said Catherine, pensively.
    “Must have been someone on Sean’s bulletin boards, online,” said Paul. “They seem to have a predilection for these names. You know, like something out of a fantasy novel or a video game–”
    “Or the Bible,” interjected