Free The 40th Day (After the Cure Book 5) by Deirdre Gould Page A

truck?” asked Christine, “We’re just— we’ve been walking a long way—”
    “No Christine,” said Marnie, “it’s not much farther. We can do it.”
    “I don’t think I can,” said Christine, sinking on her heels.
    “It’s less than a mile,” said Amos, “I wish we could take you, but we have others in the back—”
    “We’ll be fine,” called Marnie as Christine shook her head and began rocking back and forth.
    “Get in the truck, Amos,” said Rickey, suddenly uneasy at seeing Christine break down.
    Amos hesitated. “I’ll see if we can empty out the truck and come get you once we get back—”
    Marnie shook her head. “We’ll be okay. You should go. Now.”
    Christine was muttering something. Amos slid back into the truck and Rickey didn’t waste time, rolling quickly past the pair and holding his breath without even realizing it. He saw Christine stand up in the rear-view mirror. She flailed as if she were throwing something at the truck and Marnie stumbled backward. Rickey hit the gas, not wanting to see what happened next. Hang on kid, I’m bringing help, he willed toward Marnie.
    “I’m pregnant!” shouted Christine. “I’m pregnant, bastars.” She swiped angrily at a tear on her cheek. “Can’t lea’ me here. Jus’ pregnant and tired. So tired.”
    “It’s okay,” said Marnie, helplessly, “We’ll rest a few minutes. It’s not far, we’ll rest and when we’re ready we’ll take a little walk.”
    “Not okay. You should’ve tol’ em I was pregnant. Would believe you. Everyone believes you.”
    “ What are you talking about? They didn’t take me either. I’m in the same boat as you.”
    “You tol’ em about this morning. You tol’ em about the meat.” She waved her bandaged hand in front of Marnie.
    “Christine, calm down. You heard everything I told them. The meat is just a craving. Just a bad pregnancy craving. We’re going to get you some, just as soon as we get—”
    Christine ripped the bandage from her hand. “This look like a normal pregnant wom’n t’you? Hmm? You see lots of people eat themselfs? Should’ve gone with ‘Vita. Should’ve left you in the bunker. She loved me. She loved me.” She sank back down to the ground with a sob. “Now I’m going to die all alone. Or eat you and scrounge alone. Hurting people forever. Why didn’t I stay with ‘Vita? Why didn’t I open the door?”
    Marnie stood by, not knowing what to do. Part of her wanted to flee, to run to the Colony and make the men come back with guns. She couldn’t do it, not while Christine was crying. A flicker of shadow caught her eye as she feebly patted her companion’s back. She glanced back the way they had come. The spindly silhouette of two people stretched against the bright, dry sky. Marnie stood up straight. She was torn between relief and panic.
    “Christine,” she said softly, but the other woman just continued to sob. “Christine, someone is coming.” She shook her friend’s shoulder. The silhouettes thickened into a very tall man and a smaller woman beside him. “Christine, we’ve got to go. We need to hide.” She backed up a pace or two. The woman’s silhouette raised a hand in greeting. It was too late. They’d been seen. Marnie scanned their surroundings for something, anything to protect them. There was nothing, and no close obstacles for cover. The couple stopped several paces from them. The man reached into his pocket and Marnie raised her hands.
    “Please, we have nothing,” she said. Christine just kept rocking and crying on the ground.
    “We aren’t going to hurt you,” said the woman, “Are you from the Colony?”
    The man pulled out a piece of cloth and handed it to the woman, who stretched it out and placed it over her face. A surgical mask, like at the hospital. Marnie relaxed a little as the man pulled out another and put it onto his own face.
    “No— are you looking for the Colony too?”
    “Yes, we’re here to help. Are you