The Ranch (Road to Babylon, Book 9) by Sam Sisavath

Author:Sam Sisavath
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Road To Babylon Media LLC
Published: 2019-12-25T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

They dragged the remains of dead ghouls that the morning sunlight couldn’t reach outside to let the sun take care of them. When they were finished, they brought out four of the horses and used them to drag the windmill to the back of the house. By the time they were done cleaning out the place, there were bones scattered across the front yard and they both reeked of spoiled vomit. The smell was everywhere—on their clothes and in their hair and clinging to their skin.

As they worked, they kept an eye on the horizon—toward Carlos’s place. There was still smoke in the air, drifting from where the ranch would be. Bunker, more than Keo, kept looking over there.

“Once we’re done, I’ll make contact on the radio,” Bunker said. “Hopefully they’re okay.”

Keo nodded, even as he thought, I’m not sure okay is the word, Bunker. Otherwise there wouldn’t be smoke coming from their place.

Afterward, Bunker remained topside with the sisters, Wilson and Gummy, who insisted on helping him clean the place while Keo headed back down to the shelter after taking a long, hot shower and changing clothes. He shoved his old shirt, pants, boots, even his socks and underwear, into a bag, cinched it up, and tossed it out the bedroom window to be burned later.

When Keo returned to the shelter and the infirmary, Thuy was awake and eating breakfast. Lara stood nearby, listening to her talk. When Keo entered, Thuy’s eyes immediately went to him, and he saw obvious fear in them.

You should be scared, he thought but didn’t say.

“Where are the girls?” Lara asked him.

“They’re helping Bunker with the cleanup,” Keo said.

“They volunteered?”

“Uh huh.”

“Wow.”

“I know.”

“What about the horses?”

“They left them alone.” Then, off Lara’s surprised look, “Yeah. I was surprised, too.”

“Bunker must have been relieved.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Lara turned back around to Thuy and saw the way she was staring at Keo. If she could hide underneath her blanket, the woman would have.

“It’s okay,” Lara said. “We talked about what you did last night. We both agree that you didn’t have any choice.”

Thuy looked over at her, before returning to Keo as if to ask, Is she right?

Keo nodded as he took a seat next to the door. “You did what you had to do. What we want to know is why, and how we can help.”

“Why would you want to?” Thuy asked.

“Like I said: You did what you thought you had to do. We’ve both been there. Lara and me. So has Bunker. So have the girls. We’ve all done things that we didn’t want to in order to survive.”

He wasn’t sure if she completely believed him—hell, he wasn’t sure if he completely believed himself—but she did look slightly relieved as she went back to eating her meal—mashed potatoes and bread with pieces of bacon. She ate with one hand, her right still encased in the brace that covered almost her entire arm from shoulder to wrist. The protective device was designed to keep her from moving, to allow the fractured bone underneath to heal.

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