Six Days With the Dead by Stephen Charlick Read Free Book Online Page A

the goats. Anne didn’t like the goats, they were too boisterous and most of the time they didn’t seem too keen on being milked anyway. Thankfully, Justin had agreed he would look after the goats and she would care for the chickens.
    ‘ Yes, I’m all done.Sixteen eggs today and three more new chicks have hatched.’ She answered, kicking at a tuft of grass with her foot.
    With the chickens being fed on meagre scraps and any bits they could peck from the yard, they certainly wouldn’t win any beauty contest. But they produced a good amount of eggs and once a month the group had meat, so they couldn’t complain.
    ‘ Well, you go wash up, it’ll be meal time soon.’ Said Liz, ruffling Anne’s hair.
    The late afternoon meal was the one time that most of the Convent refugees would come together. Of course there would always be two people missing at any gathering, they still had to keep a vigilant eye out for the Dead over the wall.
    As Anne ran off to wash, Liz went looking for Charlie. She was curious about their new arrival and the tale he had to tell. The afternoon sun had done little to relieve the chill from the convent corridors, its warmth unable to penetrate the thick stone walls. She eventually found Charlie with Sister Josephine and William, their new guest in the refectory. Sister Josephine sat patiently with her hands clasped together in her lap, a kind look on her face, as William tucked into a bowl of thick soup like the starving man that he was. Charlie, his muscular frame making William seem even more emaciated, sat on the table edge waiting for him to finish. As always when he was in the convent he had put the protective sheath over the serrated blade permanently strapped to his left wrist. While he waited he polished one of the four ice picks that usually sat crossed on his chest and back. Charlie liked to get close and personal when he put down the Dead. When he wasn’t using the blade on his wrist, the ice picks would happily puncture skulls, destroying rotten brains within. He rarely had to remove a second pick from its webbing but it was better to have three spare, than to be in need of one and not have it to hand. As Liz walked into the room, William froze, the spoon hovering half way to his mouth.
    ‘ William, this is Liz, one of the people sharing our home.’ Sister Josephine said, putting him at ease. Slowly the spoon went to his mouth, his hunger outweighing his apprehension. He nodded a greeting at her and carried on eating.
    While Liz and Alice had been doing their watch duty, Charlie had taken William to see Nadine. She was the closest thing they had to anyone medical at the convent. William had been stripped and checked for bite marks. Hospitality being only for the living, they didn’t want a man sized cuckcoo in the nest, biting the proverbial hand that fed them. He had then bathed and been told to shave his head and body. Lice were as prevalent as the Dead were outside the Convent walls, so all new guests had to go through this to prevent spreading their infestations to others. William had not done a very good job at shaving his head, nicks and bloody patches dotting his scalp and as he sat there in a clean oversized T-shirt and trousers, he certainly looked a sorry sight.
    Liz c ame and stood behind Sister Josephine as William tipped the last dregs of soup from the bowl. Laying the bowl gently down on the table, he looked at the three figures stood around him. The solider, the nun and the young woman, odd bedfellows indeed.
    ‘ Thank you,’ he said. His voice had a dry whispery quality to it, like he hadn’t spoken to another living soul in some time.
    ‘ You’re welcome… Charlie here, tells me he found you tied in a tree with just that poor excuse for a horse below. Travelling without a covered wagon seems very foolhardy.’ Sister Josephine said, concern knitting together her brows.
    ‘ I had a wagon to start with.’ He coughed, his voice box protesting at its use.
    ‘ I