End of the Line (Book 2): Stuck in the Middle Read Online Free Page A

win.
                  “Dave,” I said. “This is Keith.”
                  “Behave,” Dave said, pointing at him.
                  Keith raised his hands. “Not here to make trouble, sir.”
                  Dave seemed to like being called sir. I motioned Keith to come inside. Figured I’d drop him in front of Tanya and then get changed.
                  I spotted Dena on the bridge alone. Her 16 year old face looked pissed. Possibly she could no longer use the storeroom as a respite. I think she had planned to take over the space herself since it was getting too cold to sleep in the enclosed deck.
                  Tanya looked up but didn’t stand when we came in.
                  “Tanya, this is Keith.”
                  “Good to meet you ma’am.” Tanya laughed. It was the first time I seen her do it in a while.
                  “No need to call me that. Tanya’s fine.”
                  Behind us Jim and Mike came in with supplies and started stowing them.
                  “Not a lot of privacy here,” Tanya said. “So expect everyone to know your business, Keith. No secrets, got it?” I wonder if she realized I knew about her and Dave.
                  Keith looked startled but didn’t say anything.
                  “And we got two big rules and a bunch of little ones. The big ones are you work hard and you don’t be a pain in the ass. Work for you?”
                  “Yes, m—Tanya.” Keith seemed a little more coherent. Maybe being around other people was already helping him.
                  “Tanya, I’m going to shower and change and then I’ll show Keith around.”
                  “No problem, Keith and I will have a nice chat about the rules.”
                  I walked to the aft side of the boat to the small cabin I shared with Henry. He was there, using the remaining light of the day to read a manual. Keith reminded me a little of Henry who was gangly but taller. Keith seemed more awkward. 
                  I rarely see our people reading fiction but I still do, to escape to a better world.
                  “Hey, Annie,” he said, a nickname he gave me that I didn’t really like but never corrected. I was surprised he didn’t come with us today since he was prone to sea sickness.
                  “Getting changed,” I said, showing off the wet cuff on my jeans. “Got my leg wet.”
                  “No worries,” he said. He didn’t seem to notice that I hadn’t been sleeping next to him as much or we were having less sex. We never talked about having a relationship. I told him I wanted sex and someone warm to be with. He thought that was cool. Everything to him was cool.
                  I didn’t mind changing in front of him. I took off my boots and put them in the tiny closet. I took off my jeans and the leggings underneath. The area that got wet was red and cold to the touch, but didn’t look like frostbite. It hadn’t been in the water long. I hoped to get another day of use out of the jeans and leggings. We washed our clothes in rainwater but we tried to wear things for as long as possible. I put the pants to dry in the cargo net above the bed. Maybe I could wear them again without washing.
                  I took my shirt, bra and panties off. I put on a man’s blue robe and went to the shower in the master suite. Brie was playing checkers with Simon.
                  “Hi Annemarie,” Simon said. “Who’s the new guy?” Simon had been a quiet kid because he witnessed his family got murdered by his zombie mother, and then he lost Eli, Rosa and Maddie who acted as surrogate parents. Finally Mike and Hannah had given some kind of stability and he began talking more. He was 10 but