Read Online Ward Z: Revelation by Amy Cross - Free Book Online Page A

grabbing a bottle of bleach and pouring some into the concoction.
    “Hey,” a voice said suddenly.
    Turning, she saw Laura limped across the grass on crutches.
    “Not going to the aerobics?” Lizzie asked.
    “With these legs?” Laura replied, allowing herself a faint smile. “Hell, no. I persuaded that Wallace cow that it'd be cruel and unusual punishment to make me take part, so she said I could amuse myself for the afternoon. Besides, I saw you down here and I felt bad. There's no way you should be the only one who gets it in the neck. I tried confessing, but Kirsty and Todd flat-out denied the whole thing and, anyway, I think Wallace has taken a real dislike to you for some reason.” She sniffed. “She's clearly a bitch, so if she doesn't like you, I guess you must be okay.”
    “It's okay,” Lizzie muttered, turning the tap off and carrying the bucket over to the first plastic cubicle. “I'm gonna shine these toilets up so good, she'll be able to see her own reflection in the seats.”
    “So where do you think Beth has got to?”
    “Still no sign her?”
    Laura shook her head.
    “Crystal Wallace was no help,” Lizzie continued, dipping the mop into the bucket. “I swear, it's like she couldn't give a damn. I tried to tell her that the longer we leave it, the bigger the chance that something might happen. I mean, Beth seemed fairly healthy but you never know with these things.” She glanced back toward the cabins, where she could see Crystal leading the aerobics class.
    “She only cares about the camp,” Laura replied, “and her own reputation. I've seen her type a million fucking times. She wants everything to know what a wonderful person she is, so she sets up a cancer charity. Plus, even though it's a charity, I guarantee you she's paying herself a decent wage as its boss. There's money to be made in the cancer industry, you know.”
    “Meanwhile, the only person who actually cares is stuck down here doing a dumb-ass job.” Opening the door of the first cubicle, she looked inside but immediately took a step back. “Jesus Christ. We've been here less than a day, how have people managed to make the damn thing so filthy?”
    “Wow,” Laura said, peering into the cubicle, “that's kinda impressive.”
    “I have bowel cancer,” Lizzie pointed out, “and I don't make that much of a -”
    Before she could finish, she let out a gasp of pain as she felt something shuddering through her belly.
    “You okay?” Laura asked, putting out a hand to support her.
    “Fine,” Lizzie winced, even though she was feeling a little hot and sweaty, “just... It happens sometimes, that's all.”
    “Me too. Maybe you should sit down.”
    She shook her head.
    “You don't want to push yourself,” Laura continued. “Get someone else to muck out the toilets.”
    “You know what?” Lizzie replied, turning to her. “I've got an even better idea.”
     
    ***
     
    “Wallace is going to kill you when she finds out you ditched your job,” Laura pointed out as she limped along on her crutches. “I like it.”
    A few steps ahead, Lizzie fought her way through a patch of dense weeds as she continued to lead Laura through the forest.
    “I can't spend my time cleaning a bunch of toilets,” she replied, “when someone might be in trouble. Screw Crystal Wallace. What if Beth's hurt? What if she's out here, terrified and alone, desperately waiting for someone to come and find her?” She stopped in a clearing and waited for Laura to catch up. “She's been gone too long for this to be anything else. Something's wrong.”
    “I can't believe Kirsty just left her in the dark like that. I mean, that's like the meanest thing she could have done. Beth's blatantly scared of her own shadow.”
    “What's done is done,” Lizzie replied, looking around in the hope that she might spot some sign of Beth's location. “This place is overgrown as hell,” she continued. “If someone had collapsed and was unconscious, they could