Free The Undead Day Nineteen by RR Haywood

disdain.
    ‘It is very warm today,’ Lilly remarks as they descend the ramp.
    ‘S’hot as fuck,’ Zayden says.
    Nick would have apologised for swearing. He would have blushed and said sorry with that shy smile. Instead she looks at Zayden smirking and staring into the fort to make sure the others can see him walking with Lilly.
    They reach the bottom and the tap fitted to the wall. ‘I do hope it works,’ Lilly says, more to make conversation. ‘I am so very thirsty,’ she twists the spoked top and offers a silent prayer when the cold water rushes out, ‘oh that is good,’ she says, smiling at Zayden.
    ‘Get some yeah?’ Zayden says, ever the gentlemen as he nods at the tap, ‘you’s take as much as you want, Lilly.’
    ‘Aw, you are sweet,’ she says. She bends over realising the instant she does it that he can see down her top and she fights every instinct not to turn round. You do what you have to do. He even shifts position to get a better view. That smirk on his face as she glances up and no attempt to hide the direction of his eyes. She drinks. She is thirsty and water is water. The cold fluid fills her mouth, instantly easing the parched feel and soreness in her throat. Drink while you can. She sucks on the flow, pulling mouthfuls in to drink down into her empty stomach. The water runs off her chin, down her neck and glides towards her cleavage. She knows this. She can feel it and she hates it. She hates every second of being gawped at in this way.
    ‘Gosh,’ she stands up feeling genuine relief wash over her, ‘that was very nice.’
    ‘Yeah?’ Zayden asks, mesmerised by the rivulets of water gliding down her golden skin.
    ‘Lenski,’ Lilly says softly, waving towards the top, ‘Lenski? LENSKI?’ She shouts but softly, womanly and watches as Zayden turns round.
    ‘SEND ‘EM DOWN YEAH,’ Zayden booms, his voice cracking and breaking showing his real age and immaturity.
    ‘I think that did it,’ Lilly jokes, feeling her way on pure instinct. The first adults and children appear at the top. Coming slowly at first as though afraid but going faster as they see Lilly waiting and smiling at the bottom.
    They start drinking. Gulping water down as adults get the children to the front to drink like slaves under the watchful eyes of an armed guard. Drinking thirstily to ease the headaches and fight the fatigue brought on by the sapping heat.
    ‘Zayden,’ Lilly calls his attention, not that she needed to as his eyes haven’t left her for a second. ‘There’s another tap just down there, is it working?’
    ‘I’s check it,’ he strolls off, the big man with the big gun and casually twists the spoked top. ‘S’working, you’s lot, get down there and drink yeah.’
    More come down. They all come down. The lure of water too great and even the most terrified make the move.
    ‘Hey,’ Pea says as she and Sam come down with Lenski, the two armed boys following the last of the people down the slope. ‘He’s asking for you.’
    ‘Thanks,’ Lilly takes Billy into her arms and walks down to the second tap with the others. Zayden having walked off to boast at the two boys at seeing Lilly’s breasts as she bent over to drink water.
    The children drink first. Billy and Milly reviving themselves with long gulps under a flow that soaks their heads and hair. Pea and Sam stand side by side, watching the two kids as Lenski remains sullen with her arms folded.
    ‘I check Maddox,’ Lenski says, nodding at the tap to show she will drink then check on Maddox.
    ‘Okay,’ Lilly says quietly, ‘Have you still got it?’ She asks Sam.
    ‘In the back of my jeans,’ Sam says and casually turns round, ‘Can you see it?’
    ‘No it’s fine,’ Lilly says.
    ‘This is shit,’ Sam says, muttering under her breath.
    ‘It is,’ Lilly says.
    ‘Lilly,’ Pea says quietly, ‘listen, this is a shit thing to say…but that boy can’t take his eyes off you.’
    ‘I know,’ Lilly whispers, showing the