Read Online Amongst the Dead by David Bernstein - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Bernstein
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blankets. She was wearing pajamas—not her own. Running a hand over her stomach, the fabric felt soft and washed. Someone had been taking care of her. She vaguely remembered a man and a woman back at the house. They must have taken her with them. Survival instinct kicking in, she began looking for a weapon. She heard footsteps. Someone was approaching.
She felt naked, scared. Looking for a place to hide, she froze, her mind unable to decipher where to go. A figure came into view from the hallway and she began to back away, feeling like cornered prey. The figure was a man.
“You’re up,” he said enthusiastically. The man was tall, built and had thick wavy black hair. “Don’t be frightened.” He held his hands out and in front of him, a physical act of reassurance. “You’re safe here.”
Riley didn’t speak. Her mind was too busy racing with thoughts. Who was this man? Where was the woman? How did she get here?
“We’ve got food downstairs. Eggs, milk and fruit,” he said.
Her stomach rumbled again. Food! She really wanted to eat and the smell was driving her crazy. The need to trust this man seemed overwhelming. Nothing else seemed to matter but food. She heard more footsteps approaching. It was the female. She had long, blonde hair, alabaster skin and a warm smile. Riley liked her immediately.
“Would it be okay if we talked, sweetie?” the woman asked. Riley nodded. “My name’s Joanne and this is my husband, George.”
“Hello,” George said, waving his hand through the air.
“I’m Riley,” she said, flatly. “Riley Winchester.”
Riley sat on the bed, her feet dangling off the side. The husband and wife talked to her, explaining who they were and how they found her.
Riley had had a fever of one-hundred and four degrees. Joanne, George and their nine-year old boy, Eric, had been out on a scavenging mission up north, a good two hours from home, when they entered the house and found her. They told her at first they thought she was dead, but found a pulse. The scavenging mission was cut short as they sped home, Riley cradled in dry blankets and Joanne’s arms, where she was nursed back to health.
George and Joanne headed down to breakfast when they were finished talking with her. “Come down when you’re ready, sweetie. No rush,” Joanne told her.
Left alone in the room, Riley sat on the bed, letting her mind absorb a little of what she was told. The other memories, the three that she thought about daily—her father, having to leave the cabin, and Jack’s death, were kept locked away. She didn’t want to think about them for a while. They had haunted her relentlessly during her time on the road, especially when she had the fever. But it appeared she was in a better place now and she wanted to make the best of it. She felt as if this could be the beginning of something good. A fresh new start possibly. One day at a time would be her new credo, at least for now. These new people seemed nice, genuine, and they had a kid. She’d heard him call to his parents while they were speaking with her. Riley was tired from all that she’d been through and just wanted to be able to relax, feel safe.
She hopped off the bed, turned to look at the lovely room and smiled before heading down to join the others for breakfast.
Chapter Seven
Love and Trust
Over the next couple of months, Riley grew more and more accustomed to life with the Milners. Trust had always been an issue for her, but the Milners proved to be good people and she was able to relax physically as well as mentally. Allowing herself to open up was a novel and difficult venture.
She’d spent numerous nights alone in her new room, weeping quietly, making sure no one ever heard her. It was a pride thing, but also a self-taught defense mechanism. She needed to remain hardened, emotionally solid, never allowing prolonged bouts of sadness to seep into her bones like a poison. In order to
She felt naked, scared. Looking for a place to hide, she froze, her mind unable to decipher where to go. A figure came into view from the hallway and she began to back away, feeling like cornered prey. The figure was a man.
“You’re up,” he said enthusiastically. The man was tall, built and had thick wavy black hair. “Don’t be frightened.” He held his hands out and in front of him, a physical act of reassurance. “You’re safe here.”
Riley didn’t speak. Her mind was too busy racing with thoughts. Who was this man? Where was the woman? How did she get here?
“We’ve got food downstairs. Eggs, milk and fruit,” he said.
Her stomach rumbled again. Food! She really wanted to eat and the smell was driving her crazy. The need to trust this man seemed overwhelming. Nothing else seemed to matter but food. She heard more footsteps approaching. It was the female. She had long, blonde hair, alabaster skin and a warm smile. Riley liked her immediately.
“Would it be okay if we talked, sweetie?” the woman asked. Riley nodded. “My name’s Joanne and this is my husband, George.”
“Hello,” George said, waving his hand through the air.
“I’m Riley,” she said, flatly. “Riley Winchester.”
Riley sat on the bed, her feet dangling off the side. The husband and wife talked to her, explaining who they were and how they found her.
Riley had had a fever of one-hundred and four degrees. Joanne, George and their nine-year old boy, Eric, had been out on a scavenging mission up north, a good two hours from home, when they entered the house and found her. They told her at first they thought she was dead, but found a pulse. The scavenging mission was cut short as they sped home, Riley cradled in dry blankets and Joanne’s arms, where she was nursed back to health.
George and Joanne headed down to breakfast when they were finished talking with her. “Come down when you’re ready, sweetie. No rush,” Joanne told her.
Left alone in the room, Riley sat on the bed, letting her mind absorb a little of what she was told. The other memories, the three that she thought about daily—her father, having to leave the cabin, and Jack’s death, were kept locked away. She didn’t want to think about them for a while. They had haunted her relentlessly during her time on the road, especially when she had the fever. But it appeared she was in a better place now and she wanted to make the best of it. She felt as if this could be the beginning of something good. A fresh new start possibly. One day at a time would be her new credo, at least for now. These new people seemed nice, genuine, and they had a kid. She’d heard him call to his parents while they were speaking with her. Riley was tired from all that she’d been through and just wanted to be able to relax, feel safe.
She hopped off the bed, turned to look at the lovely room and smiled before heading down to join the others for breakfast.
Chapter Seven
Love and Trust
Over the next couple of months, Riley grew more and more accustomed to life with the Milners. Trust had always been an issue for her, but the Milners proved to be good people and she was able to relax physically as well as mentally. Allowing herself to open up was a novel and difficult venture.
She’d spent numerous nights alone in her new room, weeping quietly, making sure no one ever heard her. It was a pride thing, but also a self-taught defense mechanism. She needed to remain hardened, emotionally solid, never allowing prolonged bouts of sadness to seep into her bones like a poison. In order to
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