Read Online The King of Clayfield - 01 by Shane Gregory - Free Book Online Page A

quickly and pulled out the pallet. The top boards were dry, and that would do for now.
    On my way back, I looked out across the   open fields behind the house. In the   far distance, I could see a figure moving around, dark against the snow. It was far enough away and my depth perception was   confused enough, that I couldn't tell whether or not it was human   or animal.   My imagination told me it was human. I watched it, trying to   figure it out, but the whiteness of the snow was playing tricks on my eyes.   But I couldn't watch long, because I had a fire to feed.
    When I came back into the building with the pallet, Jen was removing the power tools from the counter.
    “What are you doing?”
    “I’m not sleeping on that concrete,” she said. “It is cold and hard, and there might be stuff crawling around down there.”
    I didn’t argue. It made sense to me.
    "How many shells do you have for that shotgun?" I asked as casually as I could.
    "Two."
    "Just two?”
    "It only holds three, and I used one.”
    I didn't want to shoot anyone, but the reality was that I might have to defend myself and Jen.
    I grabbed a claw hammer and pried the pallet apart.
    I could feel her staring at me.
    "We should save them," she said. "You know, for us...just in case."
    I looked over at her;   she looked so incredibly sad and scared.
    "It'll be okay,"   I said. "The alcohol worked. I'm sure   it did."
    "But my head is splitting," she said.
    "You're just hung over," I said. "Eat something.”
    She picked up the egg and sat down on the bucket again.
    "Part of me hopes I do have it," she said softly. "Things won't get no better than this."
    "No," I said. "The government   has contained the virus. We just have to wait   here."
    "Be real. They ain't coming for us."
    I knew this. Deep down, I knew   it had spread everywhere by now. But I had to give her some hope.
    "Then we'll go to them," I said.   "We'll head west and cross the river. Besides, we're not the only people left in this town....”
    "Yeah," she snorted, "There are plenty of people--all   drunks and monsters."
     
    Using the hatchet, I split   the slats from the pallet   into narrow strips, and broke the strips across my knee.  
    The fire was dying, but I fed it some more paper, then the pallet wood. I got my head close and blew on   the embers.   Soon it was a respectable fire. I went outside and brought in the rest of the wet wood and piled it near the stove to dry. I closed the damper a   little.
    "The fire is going," I said. "Let's have a hot meal then we'll try to come up with a plan. I haven't   really eaten much since yesterday morning, and I'm starting   to get a headache, too."
    She looked up at me, warily.
    "I get headaches when I don't eat," I said.
    I pulled   one of the   food boxes in front of her to unpack, and then   I started on another.
    “Who the hell buys canned beets?” she said, pulling food out of the box. “Or lentil soup?”
    “I’ve had those a while,” I said.
    "Did you buy them on purpose?"
    “We can save them until last, or eat them first and get them out of the way.”
    “Or…” she said. “Or we could forget about them altogether.”
    I pulled out a cylindrical box of oatmeal, and   just looking at it made my stomach growl.    
    "We’ll need to get in the house,” she said. “Where does your friend keep his key?”
    “I don’t feel right about going in there when they’re not home,” I said.
    “Did you bring a can opener to open this lentil soup? Or a pan to cook   it in? Or a spoon   to eat   it with?”
    “No,” I said. It made me wonder how   many things I'd forgotten.   “I’ll take care of it. That way I won’t have to explain about a stranger in their house.”
    “I don’t think they’ll be back for a while,” she said.
    “Still,” I said, “I’d feel better if I did it.”
    "Suit yourself,” she said. “Knock first when you come back. I want to change clothes.”
    I found the