Read Online Tankbread 02 Immortal by Paul Mannering - Free Book Online

a little embarrassed. “No one’s asked for my name in a long time.”
    “My name is Else. I traveled with a man once. He never gave me his name. I didn’t know to ask until it was too late. I always ask now.” Else stepped out of the shadow cast by the setting sun.
    “I’m not leaving without my baby. He doesn’t have a name yet. I need to get to know him so I can give him the right name.”
    Eric sighed. “Do you know why I’m up here and not down in the shit with those other dumb arses?”
    Else shook her head and Eric continued. “It’s because I know how to survive. I know not to get noticed. I know how to get by without making a fuss. You, missy, are making a fuss. You are going to get us killed or tossed down the hold with the rest of them.”
    “I’m going up there. I’m going to kill every one of them. I’m getting my babies back. Then I’m going to leave.” Else turned her back and started for the stairs.
    Eric grabbed her arm. “Not that way. You’ll get yourself killed, and then bring the crew down on the rest of us. By which I mean me. I won’t stand for that. Sooner kill you myself.”
    “Why not just kill the evols?” Else wrenched her arm free.
    “Why’d you wanna come in here and start messing things up? We can survive just fine without you screwing with the quorum.”
    “Status quo,” Else corrected.
    “Whatever. Follow me.” Eric led her through a door and down stairs. The ceiling was hung with empty tin cans; when Else’s head brushed against them they jangled softly.
    “Mind yer head,” Eric said and a moment later a match flared. The small light touched against the wick of an oil lamp and the space glowed. Else breathed again; the darkness always felt so suffocating.
    Eric unlocked a steel door and they went into a cramped space filled with boxes of canned food and cases of bottled water. He pushed the door shut and locked it from the inside as soon as Else passed through.
    “Excuse the mess,” he said, sweeping empty tins off the table and onto the floor. “Take a seat.”
    “You live alone here?”
    “Always have, I was one of the first aboard. When people started trying to escape by boat, it was chaos. They were still allowing ticket holders to get on the ship; I got a ticket. Twenty-four hours later and I would’ve been one of them that were crushed in the dock stampede. Lot of people died that day. The crew and some navy boys started shooting people on the gangplank. It was a slaughter. I didn’t muck about, got myself a secure spot and started gathering supplies. Whole ship was in an uproar before they cast off, but no one paid any attention to me. Even got myself a crew uniform to help blend in. By the time the infection started in the crew, I was locked up good and tight.
    “They were smart ones, but not as smart as me. They started out by snatching babies and then they got the people to make more. Sacrifice the kids and live in sanctuary. No one knew what was happening back on shore, but no one sure as hell wanted to go back. So here they stayed. Now they go out salvaging and fishing, but they’re shit scared of the land. Better the devil you know, I suppose.”
    Silence fell over the small room. Else stared steadily at Eric until he blushed. “You hungry?”
    She nodded. “The last thing I ate was grilled fish. Jirra cooked it. That was at least two days ago.”
    Eric busied himself among the stacked cartons of tinned food. “I don’t get visitors. I don’t encourage them. I prefer being on my own. No need for other people; they just get you killed or die themselves.” Cans of various colors and ingredients were set down on the table. “Spam, beans, and fruit salad for dessert,” he announced. “As it’s a special occasion, I’ll even heat it up.”
    Else sank down to the floor and curled up on her side in a fetal position. The gashes on her back stung where her dressed wounds rubbed. She cradled the rifle in her arms and closed her eyes as