Snatchers (Book 8): The Dead Don't Pray Read Online Free Page A

towards them. Both boys were bored and looking for something to do, even though it was early morning.
    Seeing his son and his friend coming, Jimmy Mac gulped and said with false bravado, "You know what I'm trying to say. This whole thing stinks."
    Pickle laughed, shook his head, then walked away from Jimmy Mac, nearing the two teenagers.
    "Pussy," James McDonald sniggered as Pickle went past the boys, but Harry Branston carried on walking and never said a word. He was too tired for an argument, and certainly too tired to be involved with something physical. Putting James McDonald in his place could wait another time, if need be.
    He walked down the pathway to the front garden, and opened the front door to the house that had been given to him and Karen. He walked through the living room, where he could see Karen napping on the couch. He smiled at her, then lifted his heavy boots up the stairs. As soon as he reached his room, he turned around and sat on the bed, groaning in delight that he was actually sitting down, and began to take his black boots off.
    He lay on his bed, fully-clothed in his black gear that he had had on for days, and closed his eyes once he put his hands behind his head. He had no idea what shift he was on today—he had forgot and wasn't bothered, but he knew a fuel run the following morning was talked about. Pickle shook his head and a smile emerged on his face, thinking about the run. It seemed too good to be true. It probably was.
    There was talk of going to Lichfield and taking a petroleum tank that had been abandoned. This information was given to them by a newcomer that arrived three days ago, and told Lee that the only reason, that he could think of, that the tank hadn't already been taken was because of the large horde on the supermarket car park and forecourt that was still present even after seven weeks.
    Lichfield was still plagued with the dead. It was safer in Rugeley than it was in other towns, but the lack of food and fuel was still a worry for its surviving residents.
     
    *
     
    After a couple of hours sleep, Lee woke and went downstairs to wet the inside of his throat. As soon as he poured the plastic bottle into a mug, he groaned when the door was hammered. Lee sighed, certain who it might be, and took a quick swig of the water before heading for the main door of the house. He opened the door and could see Sheryl a yard away, Bentley was behind her.
    "I'm sorry, Lee," said Bentley. "I didn't realise she didn't know."
    "You wanna come in?" Lee asked Sheryl, opening the door wider.
    "No, I don't want to come in," Sheryl growled. "I want to know why I'm not on this run tomorrow?"
    Lee paused. "We need you here."
    "Bollocks!" Sheryl scraped the side of her black hair with her fingers before continuing, "I've hardly ever missed a run. What have I done?"
    "Nothing. We just thought that we'd take out a less experienced person with us. So that's why we're leaving you behind on this one and taking Rick Morgan."
    Sheryl glared at Lee, and the fact that he couldn't look her in the eye proved that what was coming out of his mouth was bullshit. "Is this because of what happened days ago, in the woods, when we were out looking for Bentley?"
    Lee gulped and peeked over Sheryl's shoulder to see Bentley still standing behind her. "Er ... no."
    "Really? So it's not because you're embarrassed of our ten-second fuck?"
    Lee smiled falsely, his face then reddened. He called over to Bentley, "Can you leave us alone?"
    "No chance," laughed Bentley and folded his arms. "I wanna hear this."
    "You're always doing runs," Lee tried to appease the irate female. "I just thought it'd be good to try someone else out."
    "Like Rick Morgan? That guy's hopeless."
    "He needs to learn, and with me, Pickle and Bentley out there tomorrow, it'll be good experience for him."
    "Like it was for Luke John?"
    "If we keep on choosing the same people..."
    "From what I've heard, this one is too dangerous for a rookie." Sheryl's face was