The Survivors Book III: Winter by V. L. Dreyer Read Free Book Online Page B

again and carefully looked around.
    I was lying in my own bed, in the loft above the DVD store, but the place looked like it had been converted into a triage unit.  Supplies, primarily medical in nature, were stacked up along the walls, and beside me lay Anahera's still form.  She was still unconscious.
    " Is everyone all right?" I asked, my voice coming out far huskier than I intended.  The doctor nodded, and put a glass of water against my lips.  I drank gratefully, then lay my head back on the pillow and looked up at him.
    " More or less, yes," he elaborated.  "I haven't seen this many concussions in one room since the time my son dragged me off to watch a roller derby match.  Everyone is alive, though."
    " And they'll be all right?" I repeated, glancing towards the enigmatic woman that lay beside me.  "What about Anahera?  Is it serious?"
    " She's the only one I'm concerned about at the moment," Doc admitted.  "Everyone else is going to be fine.  Only time will tell for her, though.  The human head is a delicate object, and she sustained quite a severe injury."
    " I need to get up, doc," I told him, shooting him a pointed look.  "How long do I have to wait until it's safe to do so?"
    " Until you feel better," he gave me a stern frown in return.  "Your sister has everything under control.  Stop worrying and rest."
    " Ugh.  Don't wanna."  I sighed heavily and closed my eyes.  "You know, I'm actually kind of surprised that Maddy didn't warn me that this was going to happen.  She was pretty spot-on about the fire."
    My answer was silence.  After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and looked up at him.  Eventually, he glanced at me and shrugged.  "I don't know what to make of Madeline's… premonitions, to be frank.  I am a man of science.  I believe what I can see, touch, and feel."
    " I know exactly what you mean," I replied sympathetically.  "If you'd suggested I'd be taking guidance from a psychic kid six months ago, I would have laughed at you.  Well, there isn't much we can do about it now, is there?  Tell me what happened while I was away, Doc."
    " That much I can do."  The portly gentleman hiked his scratched glasses a little higher up his nose, and sat down on the bed beside me.  "Things went as well as can be expected in your absence.  The Yousefis have done nothing to violate our trust, and have been working hard to make up for what they did."
    " Good."  I nodded, gesturing for him to continue.  "How are we for supplies?"
    " Better than we initially thought."  He gave me a rare smile.  "I might even venture to say that we have been very, very lucky, considering the circumstances.  The fire started in the kitchen, and consumed most of Skylar's room.  We've been able to clear enough debris to get inside, but it's still fairly hot.  The storage rooms have survived mostly intact.  With the exception of what was in the refrigerator, our food supplies should be fine – though, everything may taste like barbeque for the next few weeks."
    " We're going to need to find a new food supply before then."  I paused and did a quick head-count, then grimaced.  "We've got twenty mouths to feed, including Anahera's men.  There isn't enough here to last more than a fortnight, and that's if we ration it to the mouthful."
    " You plan to keep them, then?"  Doc stared at me, his expression thoughtful.  "Somehow, I'm not surprised."
    " What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, giving him a quizzical look.
    " Well, you and the boy do have a habit of picking up strays."  Suddenly, the old man chuckled and shook his head.  "Just where are you planning to put them all, Ms McDermott?  We didn't have enough room for them before the fire.  It'll be near-impossible to house them all now."
    " I don't know," I admitted.  "I just know that we need to find somewhere safe and secure.  I want to build a city, Doc.  These people are the future of humankind; we need to find somewhere safe enough to put down