Read Online DEAD (Book 12): End by TW Brown - Free Book Online
Authors: TW Brown
Tags: Zombie Apocalypse
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the air.
“Up!” the little child demanded.
Up the hall, the same scene was being played out more or less identically to what was happening with Catie. Each of her volunteers had been told what to say and how to deal with most of the possibilities that might arise. Of course it had all been made even easier after Catie had spoken with Abagail. The older woman had been the one to offer up her services as a babysitter. Even better, she had assured Catie that she could most likely bring along several more of the older residents of the community.
Catie had actually experienced mixed feelings about that aspect. She had no idea how many of the elderly were part of this community’s makeup, but she did know that (for the most part) they would be nothing more than a draw on precious resources.
“Maybe we can start a bit of a daycare center,” Abagail had said, most likely reading Catie’s expression. “We may not be much good in the fields, farms, or security details, but we can help watch over the young’uns. Perhaps that service will justify our existence.”
Catie opened her mouth to try and deny her thoughts on the senior citizen population, but she closed it just as fast, deciding that the woman deserved better. Instead, she simply nodded. Backed by nine seniors all easily over age seventy, Catie and her small team had converged on the hotel that now housed most of the general population. Within an hour, they had every single able-bodied person in the community down in the street in front of the living quarters.
“If you want to stay here and are willing to take part in making this a safer place to live, then you will take one step forward,” Catie announced once she received a nod from Braden that this was everybody. There was a pause, and then people started stepping forward from the line.
This was the first time that she could really get a look at the people making up the so-called “general population” of this community. These numbers did not include the security teams that stood watches up on some of the rooftops that once made up the quaint skyline of Chattanooga. It also excluded the people who made up the patrolling security teams.
Catie was blown away at how many people simply existed here off the work, sweat, and blood of others. How was this possible? Well, that all changed. Right here. Right now.
Once she felt confident that everybody who was going to make the voluntary choice to be part of things had done so, she stepped up on a concrete barrier. At least twenty people had not budged, and now is when things would get tricky.
“Those of you who have made the choice not to help, you have six hours to be packed up and out of here.”
There was a moment of almost perfect silence and Catie braced herself for what was sure to come. It started with a couple of people gasping, but then came the protests. One in particular stood out as exactly what she was hoping and waiting to hear.
“Who are you to kick us out of our home?” a man snarled, shoving past the people who had made the choice to step forward.
“I’m the new person running this show,” Catie said coolly. “Elliott is gone and now it is me making the rules and the decisions. We are a community of immune citizens. We are looked upon as a threat to those who don’t know their condition. Considering the fact that there are only two possible outcomes to being infected, I can’t blame the unknown. However, due to how some of our brethren have chosen to use their status as a weapon, we are not exactly welcome in many communities.”
“That still doesn’t tell us why you are suddenly telling us we have to either fight in a fight of your choosing or be cast out,” the man shot back. “We were doing just fine before and had a system in place that has allowed us to survive for years.”
“Yes…survive.” Catie let that word hang in the air for several seconds before she stepped up to the man, her nose just an inch or so away from
“Up!” the little child demanded.
Up the hall, the same scene was being played out more or less identically to what was happening with Catie. Each of her volunteers had been told what to say and how to deal with most of the possibilities that might arise. Of course it had all been made even easier after Catie had spoken with Abagail. The older woman had been the one to offer up her services as a babysitter. Even better, she had assured Catie that she could most likely bring along several more of the older residents of the community.
Catie had actually experienced mixed feelings about that aspect. She had no idea how many of the elderly were part of this community’s makeup, but she did know that (for the most part) they would be nothing more than a draw on precious resources.
“Maybe we can start a bit of a daycare center,” Abagail had said, most likely reading Catie’s expression. “We may not be much good in the fields, farms, or security details, but we can help watch over the young’uns. Perhaps that service will justify our existence.”
Catie opened her mouth to try and deny her thoughts on the senior citizen population, but she closed it just as fast, deciding that the woman deserved better. Instead, she simply nodded. Backed by nine seniors all easily over age seventy, Catie and her small team had converged on the hotel that now housed most of the general population. Within an hour, they had every single able-bodied person in the community down in the street in front of the living quarters.
“If you want to stay here and are willing to take part in making this a safer place to live, then you will take one step forward,” Catie announced once she received a nod from Braden that this was everybody. There was a pause, and then people started stepping forward from the line.
This was the first time that she could really get a look at the people making up the so-called “general population” of this community. These numbers did not include the security teams that stood watches up on some of the rooftops that once made up the quaint skyline of Chattanooga. It also excluded the people who made up the patrolling security teams.
Catie was blown away at how many people simply existed here off the work, sweat, and blood of others. How was this possible? Well, that all changed. Right here. Right now.
Once she felt confident that everybody who was going to make the voluntary choice to be part of things had done so, she stepped up on a concrete barrier. At least twenty people had not budged, and now is when things would get tricky.
“Those of you who have made the choice not to help, you have six hours to be packed up and out of here.”
There was a moment of almost perfect silence and Catie braced herself for what was sure to come. It started with a couple of people gasping, but then came the protests. One in particular stood out as exactly what she was hoping and waiting to hear.
“Who are you to kick us out of our home?” a man snarled, shoving past the people who had made the choice to step forward.
“I’m the new person running this show,” Catie said coolly. “Elliott is gone and now it is me making the rules and the decisions. We are a community of immune citizens. We are looked upon as a threat to those who don’t know their condition. Considering the fact that there are only two possible outcomes to being infected, I can’t blame the unknown. However, due to how some of our brethren have chosen to use their status as a weapon, we are not exactly welcome in many communities.”
“That still doesn’t tell us why you are suddenly telling us we have to either fight in a fight of your choosing or be cast out,” the man shot back. “We were doing just fine before and had a system in place that has allowed us to survive for years.”
“Yes…survive.” Catie let that word hang in the air for several seconds before she stepped up to the man, her nose just an inch or so away from
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