Last Days With the Dead Read Online Free Page A

children that had been adopted by the survivors of Lanherne. There was Jimmy and Samantha, brother and sister, and just happy to be together, they were now both seven. There was Alex Penhaligan who had just turned six, and Bailey, who was also six. Then there was Danny. Poor trapped Danny, they could only guess his age and even the name they called him by, had been made up when he first arrived at the Convent. The poor child had survived such horrors before coming to them that Sister Rebecca had named him after the bible story of Daniel in the lion’s den. But the child had not come through the ordeal unscathed. Trapped in his own world, whether he was autistic or simply unable to find his way back from the horrors he had endured, they could not tell. But once in a while, he would recognise his name when they called it, or would suddenly pick up an object when offered. It was in those moments that there was hope, and with that hope, they knew someday, they would rescue the child that was imprisoned within his own mind.
    Liz watched , as Jen sat on the floor with Danny between her legs, trying unsuccessfully to engage the boy with the brightly coloured pictures of a book.
    ‘O ooh, look at the funny doggy, Danny,’ Jen said softly in the child’s ear, as she pointed to the picture of an orange cartoon dog. ‘You like doggies don’t you… you like Toby and Goldie, you remember them don’t you, Sweetie, eh…’
    Toby and Goldie were two more strays that had been taken in by the Convent.  With dogs now running wild in packs, attacking the living and Dead alike, it somehow felt right to take in the two dogs that each in their own way had brought comfort to those in need. Goldie was an old Golden Retriever and had been with them for over a year now. It was when the cult had tricked their way into Lanherne to steal Anne that Liz had first encountered her, running wild and feeding on scraps of the Dead. Unlike the packs, Goldie was still able to remember Man as a friend, rather than a meal, and Liz had repaid such loyalty by giving her a home. In the death and sadness that was left in the wake of the cult’s departure, Goldie had been a comfort and a distraction for Justin while he waited for news of Anne. Toby on the other hand, had been a puppy when Jackson had found him in the woods. The happy little black bundle of fur had brought some joy to his otherwise lonely existence in the village school building, and when Jackson had finally taken his own life, Imran had brought the puppy back to Lanherne to keep Goldie company. The young pup and the old bitch had become fast friends, and were now quite inseparable. They would often be found draped over each, a mass of black and sandy coloured fur, sleeping peacefully in a warming pool of sunlight.    
    As usual, Danny’s eyes slowly wandered about the room, settling only momentarily before moving on again. The one place that he seemed unable to focus his attention was the colourful page in front of him. Jen gently took one of his small hands in hers and stroked the back of it with her thumb. With a sigh, she turned to the page of the book. This time a brightly coloured row of ducks danced across the page.
    ‘Quack, quack,’ she said, pointing to the mother duck with her ducklings, ‘look, at the pretty ducks, Danny, all in a row… quack, quack, quack.’
    ‘Quack, quack ,’ came a voice from the Refectory door.
    Looking up from the book, Jen couldn’t help but smile at the figure of Leon, as he stood leaning in the doorway with his arms folded.
    ‘Hey, you,’ he said giving her a sly wink, ‘miss me?’
    ‘Sorry, and who are you again?’ she replied, her brow creasing questioningly.
    Leon nodded a ‘hello’ to Liz and Nadine, and then sauntered slowly into the room until he was stood behind Jen. Crouching down, he put his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest.
    ‘I’m the man you’re crazy about ,’ he said as he kissed the back of her