Live Another Day by Baileigh Higgins (reading in the dark .txt) 📗

Julianne laughed. “As long as you let Anne and Jenny have a turn too, sweetie. Don’t hog the crown.”

“Why not?”

“Because real Princesses aren’t selfish or mean.”

Meghan wrinkled her nose. “All right, if you say so.”

“I do.” Julianne kissed her on the brow. “Now you be good, you hear me? Do what Michelle tells you, no matter what.”

“Why?” Meghan asked with the sixth sense for trouble all children possess.

“Because I say so. Now play with your friends. I’ll see you later.”

“Is something going on?” Meghan lingered, reluctance keeping her frozen in place.

Julianne sighed and dropped to her haunches. “You might hear some noises, later on, sweetie, and I don’t want you to be scared.”

“What noises?”

“Well, you know the sick people?” she asked. Meghan nodded. “We think some of them might come here later tonight, and we’ll have to chase them away. You understand?”

“Is that why we have to stay here tonight?”

“Yes. So I need you to be a good girl and listen to the grownups. Be a proper example to the other kids, okay?”

“Okay.”

“There’s my girl. See you later, sweetie.”

Julianne watched Meghan go back to her friends before she walked over to Samantha. She picked her up and kissed Sam’s chubby cheeks while making a silent vow. I will not let anything happen to these children. Not today.

“You’ll look after them, won’t you, Michelle?”

“With my life, ma’am.”

“So will I,” Ruby added.

“We all will,” Erica said, and Tumi nodded.

Julianne felt tears well up but swallowed them with a bright smile. “Thank you. See you all later, I promise.”

She left the schoolroom with a feeling of regret, but while some of them couldn’t fight, the rest of them had no choice. Every available gun was needed on the wall, including her own. “Please, God. Don’t let my children come to harm tonight. I’ll do anything.”

At the armory, she met Max who handed her extra ammunition for her pistol and a shotgun with shells. “Here, Mom. Take this.”

She hefted the gun with a smile. Never the best shot in the world, the weapon was perfect for someone with limited range like her. “Thanks, Max.”

He paused and reached out a hand. She took it, and he pulled her into a hug. “Be careful out there. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”

“Same here, Max. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Don’t forget about the lot in the infirmary. They need weapons too, just in case.”

“I won’t.” He waved as she left. “See you soon.”

After leaving Max behind, there was very little else to do but wait. All the buildings were shut down except the schoolroom, infirmary and one cottage with a bathroom and beds for those that needed it. All spare power was routed to the floodlights positioned along the inner wall, and food and water was stationed at intervals. People walked around with nervous energy, while others dozed in the sun, catching up on lost sleep.

Julianne did a quick circuit of the inner walls to familiarize herself with the overall strategy Max had implemented with the help of Michael. The small gate leading outside to the reserve had been sealed and barricaded by an earthen embankment. But only after the goats were herded into the sanctuary, and it was cordoned off as well by a wall of dirt.

“Do you think the animals will be safe?” she asked Joseph who was just about to go to the infirmary.

“They should be. The primary fight will be here by us. As long as their fence holds and Ke Tau concentrates his attack here, the reserve should pass unnoticed by both the living and the dead.

“Unless they try to break in through there again as they did with the tree.”

“Not likely. Too much trouble. They could just come straight here through the outer gates. It’s the biggest weak point in our defenses.”

“You’re right as ever, Joseph.”

“I wish to God I weren’t,” he replied before hurrying off to fortify the infirmary.

An argument at the main gates drew Julianne’s attention, and she walked over. “What’s going on?”

Elise turned to her, her face beetroot red with anger. “They want to leave. Can you believe that? They’re running away.”

“Who?” Julianne asked though it was pretty obvious.

“Nick and Sharyn,” Elise exclaimed.

Julianne looked the couple over with shrewd eyes, noting the backpacks and guns they carried. Their faces were set, eyes hooded, though Nick had the decency to blush beneath her gaze.

“You want to leave? As in permanently?” she asked.

Nick nodded. “Yes, we want to go.”

“Why?” Julianne gestured around her. “You’d abandon us at a time like this?”

Nick averted his eyes, but Sharyn answered for him. “We never signed up for this fight, and you can’t keep us here. Let us go.”

Her voice was shrill, and Julianne recognized the rising signs of panic. She lowered her voice to a soothing pitch and reached out. “Sharyn, please. Can’t we talk about this? I know you’re scared, but we can figure something out.”

“No!” Sharyn backed away like a spooked horse. “I want to leave.”

Nick sighed and shot Julianne a pleading look. “Please, just let us go. She can’t fight. Neither can I. We don’t want to stay here.”

Julianne mulled it over before waving them away. “Go then. I hope you find what you’re looking for out there.”

“”Thanks.” They turned to go, ducking through the gap in the gates which still stood open.

Elise rounded on her. “What the hell? Why did you let them leave?”

“Because what good would it do to force them to stay?”

“But…”

“I get it, Elise, I do. But I’d rather fight alongside my friends, than some coward who runs at the first signs of trouble.” She laid a warm hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “A friend like you.”

“Elise sniffed. “Same here, Julianne. I just wish…”

Elise left her wish unsaid, but Julianne thought she knew what it was because she had the same one. Dear Lord, please let us live through tonight. Unharmed and protected.

Chapter 19 - Max

Max stood on the wall like a sentinel, his keen gaze taking