Free The List (Zombie Ocean Book 5) by Michael John Grist Page A

all testimony in this court is given under oath. Now, would you share your story, exactly as you told it to me last night."
    Anna could only watch as Alan nodded, and twisted his tie, and mopped his brow with the back of his hand. Last night?
    He began to speak haltingly. "It's about that night in Pittsburgh. Before the demons came, before we sang round the campfires. Amo came over to us. He talked to us." He fell silent for a moment.
    "And what did he say, Alan?" Witzgenstein urged gently. "It's all right."
    Alan shifted uncomfortably. He glanced fleetingly at Amo then away as if stung. "He told Masako she would be first. Her, then Lin and then me."
    Anna's frown deepened. First? This was new. This hadn't been mentioned at any of their Council meetings.
    "First to what?" Witzgenstein asked.
    Alan gulped, then spat it out. "First to die when the demons came."
    Several people in the congregation gasped. The air went abruptly still. Anna almost laughed, but Witzgenstein took it very seriously.
    "He told you this?" she asked tenderly. "Was there any chance it was a joke?"
    Alan shook his head, spraying droplets of sweat. "He had his hand on his pistol. It was no joke."
    Anna squeezed Ravi's hand so hard he gave a little yelp. "That's a lie," she called out abruptly, surprising even herself.
    Witzgenstein wasn't surprised. She looked at her almost lazily. "Anna, please. You've had your turn on the stand. Let's hear what Alan has to say."
    "Alan's lying," she answered, raising her voice to be heard around the hall. "I've never heard any of this before. Nobody has. It's a lie."
    Witzgenstein watched impassively. She looked at the audience then nodded. "Anna's right that we haven't heard this testimony before. Alan is changing his story. It is unexpected and it won't be comfortable, I know that, but shouldn't we at least hear what he has to say?"
    Anna stood up. "Not when it's all lies."
    "He has a right to his testimony," Witzgenstein said firmly. "You'll get your turn to brand him a liar later, Anna. For now, please sit down and let him speak. This is a court of law and there are rules of conduct."
    Anna noticed she'd taken a step forward, fists clenched. Amo in front had turned around and was looking at her.
    "It's all right," he said quietly. "Let them. Sit down, Anna, it'll be fine.."
    Now she was trembling too. Something was happening that she didn't understand, and she didn't like it, but Amo looked so peaceful, and she trusted him. Perhaps this was part of a plan he'd orchestrated, without her knowledge? She forced herself to sit.
    "Thank you," Witzgenstein said, and turned back to Alan. "Please, what happened next?"
    "Then we sang," Alan said, his voice cracking in the silence. "Everyone remembers. But I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. Here was Amo, singing. I've known him for years, I've never heard him threaten anyone, but around that brazier he threatened my wife. He threatened me. And he was singing." He dabbed at his forehead, and his voice sped up. "I wanted to tell someone or do something, but I didn't know what to do." He began to tremble. "I was afraid. Who would believe me, when Amo was a hero? How could I fight him, when he'd just killed a demon? He'd just been re-elected. I had to hope."
    Witzgenstein let that hang for a long moment. "What did you hope?"
    "I hoped the demons wouldn't come," Alan said. "I hoped perhaps it was a joke. But then the demons did come, and..."
    Witzgenstein nodded. "And then?"
    Alan took a deep breath. "I saw Amo, running from group to group. I knew he was looking for us. This was his chance. So we ran. Masako led us down from the highway and into the streets, but it wasn't fast enough. He found us still. We did argue then, just like Anna says, but it wasn't Masako who hit first, it was Amo. She tried to fight him off. She tried to run away with Lin while I just stood there." There were tears in his eyes now. "I didn't do anything, I was so scared. She was always braver than me.