Snatchers (Book 9): The Dead Don't Scream Read Online Free Page B

husband to come round and kick the shit out of me. He arrived from work ten minutes later."
    "So what did yer do?"
    "Well, when he came round and hammered my door ... I nearly shat her pants."
    Both men burst into hysterics and Harry Branston shook his head at Vince's funny, and obviously made-up, story, and admitted, "That's one o' yer better ones. I 'ave to admit that."
    Once the laughter between the two men subsided, Vince spoke in a serious manner, "There's a few complaining about tummy problems. Do we know for sure it's the water?"
    "Possibly. Not sure if the stuff they get from the Hagley brook is purified properly."
    "We're beginning to run out of the bottled stuff."
    "I know."
    Vince sighed and said, "I remember the last time I had the shits."
    "Please," snickered Pickle. "Not another one o' yer jokes."
    "No. This is a true story." Vince began, "About four months ago. I went to the Indian restaurant, the Bilash on Horsefair. Not the one I drove the jeep through, the other one. I ordered a Madras. The fucking curry practically went straight through me. Jesus, by the morning my arse was like a blood orange. It felt like the world had fallen out of me. I was like a never-ending muck spreader—"
    "Vince," Pickle sighed. "You're not helping."
    "Probably not, but what an explosion when I sat on that pan. It was like bats leaving a cave."
    "Enough!"
    "Sorry." Vince stood to his feet. "I'll leave you in peace."
    Branston smiled and had a chuckle to himself as Vince walked away. Thank God he was here, thought Pickle.
     
    *
     
    Karen was sitting on her doorstep with the door wide open, and minding her own business. She was having some quiet time, enjoying the night's cool air. She took a gulp of water and looked up to the darkening sky, smiling at the beauty of the cloudless heavens. It was August, and she knew that the sky would look a whole lot different in a few months.
    She then wondered if she'd ever see another August again. With all the shit that had happened, and all the people she'd known and had lost, she wasn't sure.
    She could hear dragging feet coming her way. With her sitting on the doorstep and the three foot wall around the front garden, ten yards in front of her, it was difficult to see who was out there. She stood up and could see Lee James heading her way.
    Karen gave Lee a quick hello gesture by raising her chin, and Lee did the same.
    Lee had been frosty with Karen since Pickle had killed the intruder. Lee's attitude towards Pickle had gone from great respect to unsure , and was even beginning to fear the ex-inmate. Some claimed that what he had done was for the future safety of the camp, but others weren't so sure.
    "What's happening?" was Karen's greeting to Lee James.
    "Not a lot." Lee gave Karen a thin smile and added, "Just wondering if you can do a stock check tomorrow. Gilllian Hardcastle seems to have contracted a stomach bug. The people in here are dropping like flies."
    "Does that mean we're friends again?" Karen teased.
    Lee nodded with a grin and began to stroke his dark beard. "You and Pickle have been out there more than any of us. Because a lot of us didn't understand why he did what he did, it frightened us."
    "Understand now?"
    "I'm trying to."
    "We love it here." Karen ran her fingers over her chin and felt a couple of stray hairs. She needed to get a set of tweezers. "Pickle will do anything to keep you lot safe and to keep this place going. If we can all pull together..."
    "I know what you're trying to say." Lee nodded, walked over to Karen and held out his hand. Karen smiled and shook it. Lee added, "I'll see you in the morning, Bradley."
    "I'm sure you will."
    Lee James walked out of the front garden, that now belonged to Karen and Pickle, and turned around once he heard someone whistle from behind. He turned to see that the whistler was Vince Kindl who was now walking towards him.
    "What do you think I am?" Lee feigned anger. "A fucking sheepdog?"
    "I saw you going in Karen and