Deadland: Untold Stories of Alice in Deadland (Alice, No. 5) by Mainak Dhar Read Free Book Online Page B

so I won't tell
you to never fight. But you can't fight all the time. Sometimes it's better to
walk away, and to solve issues without fighting. That's all your mom's been
trying to tell you.'
    'I've seen you fight, Dad.'
    'Yes, and how many of those times was I fighting because of
myself or what I wanted?'
    Alice looked at him, a slightly blank expression on her
face, so Gladwell explained.
    'The best reason to fight, and the only reason I ever fight,
is to help others and to keep others safe. The worst reason to fight is because
of your own anger against someone. Now go to bed, it's late.'
    Alice went back to her room, lying down inside the old
sleeping bag next to Jane. She would lie awake for quite some time, thinking of
what her father had told her.
     
    ***
     
    'We got a Biter!'
    The call shook Alice awake, and when she rushed out, she saw
that her parents were already up and running towards the walls. The sun was
barely up and visibility was still pretty poor so many people were asking where
the Biter was and who had called the alarm. Someone joked that one of the men
on guard duty had probably had a bad dream.
    Alice was at the wall now and she looked around, scanning
the Deadland, and then her gaze locked in on a figure moving towards the
settlement. Someone else noticed the Biter and called out before she could.
    'There it is!'
    The Biter had lost an arm along the way, and was shuffling
towards them, growling now that he had seen humans. Alice had wondered what
made them so crazed, so eager to attack. Some of her friends said that they
were the undead, and so were evil. Alice had no doubt they were evil, but they
had been people once, so what had happened to make them the monsters they now
were? This Biter wore nothing but a pair of old shoes and was now waving his
only remaining hand at the settlement as he closed in.
    Her dad called out.
    'Are there any more? Does anyone see any more Biters?'
    When it was clear that there was only one Biter coming, the
gate opened and Jones ran out, an axe in hand. Jones sprinted towards the
Biter, and even without breaking his stride, brought him down with a kick that
swept the Biter's feet from under him. Even before the Biter had fallen down to
the ground, Jones' axe crashed into the Biter's skull.
    It was one thing to watch people at practice but seeing
Jones demonstrate his deadly skills for real both shocked and excited Alice.
Jones walked back, and a team of boys headed out to carry the Biter out back
and burn the body. As Jones passed her, he caught her looking at him.
    'Hey, Alice. All well?'
    'Uncle Jones, please teach me to fight like that. I promise
not to tell Dad.'
    He laughed as he answered.
    'Sweetheart, believe me, you'll see your share of killing
and fighting, but why hurry? You'll start learning soon, when your dad and I
agree that it's time. Okay?'
    It wasn't okay, but Alice knew that arguing wouldn't get her
anywhere. As she trundled towards the garden where she had morning duties, she
kept replaying the scene in her head. The explosive speed with which Jones had
moved, the way he had brought the Biter down effortlessly. If she could fight
like that, nobody, least of all that snot-nosed Junior, would pick on her. And
then she could be the one protecting everyone, not a little kid who was never
allowed to do anything. Wouldn't that be something?
    The morning went by in a blur of daydreaming and scarcely
completed chores, but by mid-day, Alice realized that something was amiss. She
heard from Jane that three more Biters had stumbled upon the settlement and had
to be put down.
    That afternoon, all the adults met in the community center,
which was basically the same as their dining room, but with the benches pulled
to one side. As always, Alice didn't listen to their instructions for the kids
to stay home and she stood by the window, listening in.
    'Sir, it could be a coincidence that we've had so many
stragglers in one morning.'
    Her dad looked at Jones, and she