Read Online Noah's Ark: Encounters by Harry Dayle - Free Book Online

your mind, Jake?”
    “We’ve picked up a signal. Another ship. We’re headed for it now.”
    “Ah, so that’s what the town hall meeting was called for? I wanted to finish up here, which is why I’m not there myself.”
    “Yes, that’s what it’s for. And now I’m thinking: someone has apparently murdered three people. Someone not from this ship. Is that someone on that ship? Are we on our way to go and pick up a bunch of savages?”

Seven

    T HE TOWN HALL meeting was turning ugly. The security team were doing their best to enforce some kind of order, but they were a small group against a lot of people with frayed tempers and strong views.
    Dan Mitchell sat at the end of a row of seats, halfway back in the auditorium. He’d come as soon as the call had been put out announcing the meeting, not wanting to risk missing out on getting important news first hand. In the end there had been plenty of room and he’d regretted having arrived so early. It meant leaving Vicky on her own, and he hated leaving her alone. Especially now.
    The announcement had not been what they had been hoping to hear. As he’d waited there, listening to those around him gossip and whisper before the meeting got underway, he’d imagined Captain Noah walking onto the stage and telling them that they’d found land; uncontaminated land. He knew it was unlikely, but that didn’t make it any less desirable. So when the news finally came that yes, there were probably other survivors, but that they were on a boat, Dan’s heart had sunk.
    As matters started to get out of hand, he stood discreetly and made for the nearest exit. Under the rationing system, he’d lost a lot of his excess weight — more than most in fact, as he’d been missing out on two-thirds of his meals. Even so, he still had to squeeze his way up the side aisle in the semi-darkness, excusing himself and apologising as he went.
    Outside at last, he went straight to the lift and punched the button for deck ten. As the floor beneath him began to rise he quickly jabbed out his finger again, ordering the car to stop at the next deck instead.
    Out on deck six he walked the short distance to the Colaeus Restaurant where he entered a six-digit code on the door lock and went through to the preparation area.
    Ration service had ended, and there were only a few stragglers left in the restaurant outside. Those who worked night shifts, or who were too old to be allocated to any team, or who were enjoying a rare day off. Behind the scenes in the preparation area too, most had left. A handful of young men and women were busy with the washing up, but Dan wasn’t interested in them. Instead he ducked into the tiny side office, where he was delighted to find Elizabeth Lethbridge. She was sorting out a stack of ration records.
    “Hello, Dan,” she said without looking up.
    “Hi, Mrs Lethbridge.”
    “Not at the big meeting?”
    “I was for a while.”
    “Is it true then? What they’re saying, them lot out there? They seen another boat?”
    “It’s true.”
    “Well, bugger me. Big one is it? Like this?”
    “No. Very small.”
    “I suppose that’ll mean more mouths to feed.”
    “S’pose.”
    Dan stayed hovering in the doorway, saying nothing. Lethbridge finally looked up at him, peering over the top of her spectacles. She sighed, then tugged open a desk drawer and extracted two bread rolls. One had had a bite taken out of it. She tossed them to him, and he caught both in his large left hand.
    “You’re in luck,” she said. “That meeting meant a few folks left early and didn’t finish those.”
    “Thanks, Mrs Lethbridge. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
    “You could try,” she said, but with a wry smile.
    Dan blushed and turned to leave.
    “Dan! Come here a minute.”
    He did as she said, taking a step back inside the office.
    Lethbridge peered up at the window. Satisfied nobody was within earshot, she spoke in a loud whisper. “Listen. If they find