Free Snatchers (Book 7): The Dead Don't Yield by Shaun Whittington Page B

to see the gun and be broken again, possibly have a breakdown, and even go out on some wild goose chase to try and find KP, feeling that he needed to put him at peace the way she had to with Gary a few days ago.
    What Pickle didn't know, wouldn't hurt him, she thought, and she moved the heavy drain lid back to its original position, wiped her hands on her trousers, then made her way back to the house, back to Pickle.
     
    *
     
    Trying to reduce his monotony, Vince Kindl had visited his old farmer friends from his old camp and was seeing if they, as well as the animals, were settling in okay. Their mood was positive, and it seemed, despite the likes of James McDonald, that most folk from the Sandy Lane Camp had welcomed them. But was it them or their produce that the locals were pleased about?
    He walked away from the old football field, whistling to himself, and went by the Lea Hall building and waved at Daniel Badcock who was standing outside, having a break.
    Vince sniggered to himself; he still couldn't believe that such a surname existed. Surely if someone had inherited such a name, he thought, you'd eventually get it changed by deed poll.
    He then heard the sound of a ball being kicked against a wall, and once he left Sandy Lane and went onto Hill Street he saw David McDonald and his heavy friend, Charles Pilkington. Vince stopped walking and watched them play a game that he used to play when he was a boy. He thought that if this was a couple of months ago, then the boys probably wouldn't be outside at all and would be in their bedrooms, playing on their phone or games console.
    "Alright, lads." Vince made himself noticed, and both fourteen-year-old boys stopped what they were doing and turned around at the badly scarred man.
    "Alright, Scarface," Pilkington chuckled.
    Vince noticed he was eating a Mars Bar. Vince hadn't seen or tasted one of them for weeks. How did he get it? He then remembered that David McDonald's dad, James, worked in the Lea Hall building once in a while, and probably helped himself to a few things while people were absent.
    "Scarface?" Vince chuckled falsely. "Wow, never heard that one before."
    "You wanna game, Scarface?" This time it was David McDonald's turn to try and be the joker. "Or are you a paedophile and you want to fuck us both."
    Vince shook his head and was taken aback by such foul language from the two boys. "Now, now. There's no need for that." Vince then muttered under his breath, "You pair of little pricks."
    "What is it then, ugly bloke?" Pilkington's attempt at humour was poor, and even his friend, McDonald, never laughed this time.
    Vince walked over and gave both boys a smile. He was closest to Charles Pilkington and grabbed the Mars Bar off of him.
    "Hey, that's mine." protested Pilkington.
    "I think the last thing you need is more chocolate." Vince then took a bite and made a noise suggesting that he was thoroughly enjoying this rare treat. "I wanted to have a word with you two anyway."
    "What about?" David McDonald was all attitude.
    "You two picking on that young lad, Kyle." Vince finished off the bar and dropped the wrapper on the floor.
    "You mean, Kyle Dickhead ." Charles Pilkington began to snicker.
    "Dickson," Vince corrected, and said childishly, "And I don't know what you're taking the piss for: Charles Porkington ."
    "You know what I was wondering," David McDonald spoke up; his arrogance annoyed Vince. How did a fourteen-year-old boy get so cocky, especially in this world where family members have died and the world has gone to hell? He then remembered who his dad was.
    "No," Vince sighed. "What?"
    "I was wondering what my dad would do to you if I told him you were harassing me."
    Vince laughed, "You know what I was wondering?"
    "What?"
    "I was wondering: Did the guy who invented the drawing board get it right first time?" The boys looked confused, making Vince sigh. "Forget it. Anyway, I've already visited your father. He may act hard around his boy, but he shat a