The Suburban Dead (Book 2): Emergency
Page 34
‘Plenty of room on the busses then,’ Hale sighed, ‘is anyone still coming to Sydow, or just me?’
‘Most of the medical team,’ Claire said, ‘most of the cops too, and I’m guessing all of your soldiers?’
‘I checked, no deserters, Captain.’ Bailey said.
‘Civilians?’ he asked.
‘Just the ones with kids staying. We’ll have more room in the busses, but it’ll still be worth taking them all.’ Bailey said.
‘Leave us one, will you?’ Mrs Lowe asked.
‘Yeah, I lost me truck to the fire, think you owe me a ride, Captain.’ Rob said, toasting him across the table.
‘We’ll do a headcount, properly organise things in the morning. Give people time to think it over.’ Hale added, looking to me.
*
I slept on it, and in the morning, got into one of the front passenger seats, sliding in next to Claire. Emile was at the wheel. It was the kind of bus where you fit three people up front, and a dozen in the back.
‘So how’d the autopsies go?’
Claire gave me the rundown on the way to Sydow. This time, I was choosing to go with her, not forced into the back of an ambulance and driven away against my will. I wasn’t looking to jump out.
Laurel and Dani, I had to hope they’d be okay somehow. Maybe the city wouldn’t be ravaged as badly as I thought, or maybe they’d find some way to survive, somehow.
Kelly, I knew he’d be safe up in his tower block with Morgan. He’d be able to wait things out, ration his food and water, he wasn’t stupid.
I told myself these things as I went in the opposite direction, and I’m not sure if I believed them. They made it easier, whether they were true or not. They helped me swallow the harsh reality that I was better off in Sydow than anywhere else.
Was I too scared to risk it all for love, to go back and save them all? Would I even be able to save them if I were there? I don’t know. But they said that I could help in Sydow, and after everything I’ve learned so far, they were right. I could learn more about the virus in Sydow, maybe use that knowledge to save a lot of lives. I went back to Greenfield, I might not even be able to save three.
As Claire told me about the autopsy, these thoughts drifted in and out on a tide of nausea, eventually drowning her out. I finally let the dam burst, holding back everything I’d been trying so hard to ignore. I began to cry, my face going red and the hot streaks running down my cheeks. Full on, emotional ugly-crying.
Claire gave me her shoulder, and I let it all come flooding out.
Afterword
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Acknowledgements
You know what? It sucks that I can’t remember everyone who helped me along the way. There are some obvious people however. Here they are.
The two most important women in my life; Anna and Laurie. The former is my other half, my best drinking buddy, confidant, and will be upset that a fantasy book isn’t coming next. The latter is my mother, and is probably my biggest fan. My crowning achievement as a writer is when she told me “I can’t believe my son is writing books that I actually like.”
To my brother, who cleared up some confusion about radio protocol so I could get by with just skim-reading the Airwave handset guide. He also did the Photoshop job for the front cover.
The D&D group. We’ve had a lot of names over the years, some of them more inspiring and memorable than others. Through it all you’ve encouraged my creativity, indulged my ranting and allowed me to share in all your own 1s and 20s. May we continue to roll oddly shaped plastic for many more years to come.
Special mention from the D&D group to Ally, who has been my chief proof-reader on both Left Behind and Emergency. Time will tell whether she wants to put up with me on a third book. Even so, I owe her more mead than I can ever repay.
Marie, for information on NHS infectious disease procedure.
UK Paramedic Humour and UK Firefighter Humour, for little practical questions about ambulances and how a petrol bomb works. To be honest, I think UKFH though I was planning on blowing something up, so I actually didn’t get a full answer out of them. I feel as though I should also mention UK Cop Humour so they don’t feel left out, though I didn’t have to pump them for information this time around. Maybe for the next book.
Finally, I’d like to say thank you to the people out there working for the emergency services – in whatever country you’re reading this. Your jobs are tough, you’re often underpaid, overworked and seldom thanked.
In many ways, this book is my half-arsed tribute to you.