“Perhaps, but I find that I am interested in understanding more about the pitiful creature that is the shambler. How could such a mindless ghoul wreak such havoc? What is the nature of this menace the Lord created to test us?”
“It matters not, my dear. It is God’s wrath for our sins.” The sheriff lights his cigarette and looks out at the horizon. “The dead never walked until brother fought brother. Until we penitent folk betrayed one another.”
Katherine makes a choked sound, but when the sheriff turns back to her she is all smiles. “Yes, sir, thank you for explaining.”
He just nods. “Well, then, enjoy indulging your curiosity. Why don’t you and your girl join me for supper? I know you haven’t gotten your rations yet today, and I’d hate to see a lady such as yourself go hungry.”
“Thank you, Sheriff. I look forward to the company.” There’s not a hint of fear or doubt in Katherine’s words and the sheriff rides off.
I step nearer to Katherine. “Do you think that was wise?”
“I don’t think I have a choice. And besides, we’re looking for an opportunity to take him out, aren’t we? You have your sickles now—”
“Ain’t much use against guns,” I hiss. “Surely, he’ll be armed and probably have a few of his boys in attendance if he knows I’m going to be there.”
“Well, I suppose you’d better think of something else, then!”
I open my mouth to argue and quickly snap it closed. The set of Katherine’s jaw warns that she’s sorely vexed, and I ain’t one to tempt a tiger. I once saw Katherine thrash a girl soundly who had the bad fortune to slander her name. I have no intention of getting on her bad side, especially not now when I’m going to need her help. She might be highly unreasonable, but she’s still my friend and we are in this together.
So I say nothing as we walk through the bodies of the dead toward the outer wall. I move off to examine a pile of them. From what I can tell most of them were recently turned. There’s little of the decomposition you see on most long-dead shamblers, none of the older clothing or loose hanging skin. But I don’t recognize any of the faces, either. Where’d all these folks come from? Gideon’s theory is looking more likely every minute.
“Jane,” Katherine calls for my attention, kneeling next to one of the dead. “Did you know this one? She’s wearing the same clothing as you had from working the patrols.”
I move over to see what she’s looking at, a surprising bubble of sadness welling up. “Well, that ain’t no good. Yeah, I know her. Knew her.”
Lying on the ground, her head a few feet away from her body, is Cora. I didn’t like the big girl, I ain’t never been a fan of snitches, but turning shambler is not a fate I’d wish on anyone, not even the girl who got me whipped.
I look around at this group, and gesture with my hand. “It’s half the fence team, as well as a few folks from the patrols.”
“Oh God, Jane. That’s Mr. Spencer.”
I look over to where Katherine points and swear loudly. Katherine doesn’t reprimand me, just purses her lips.
We keep walking, our hearts growing heavier with every person we recognize. There are a few more white folks in finer clothing, and I’m starting to wonder why they ain’t storming the sheriff’s office, asking where their loved ones are. Sure, no one is going to miss the Negroes from the fence team, but Mr. Spencer and these other white folks? They have families here.
“Kate.”
“Hmm?”
“The fence team was turned and they work out on the fringes. How did townspeople from the good part of town end up out where the fence-mending team usually works? No one would leave the inner safety of the town willingly.”
Katherine’s brows draw together. “What are you thinking? That the sheriff dragged them out to the edge?”
I nod. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe the white folks in the nice side of town were getting restless. Alan said the drovers are looking for greener pastures . . . What if the sheriff had his boys drag a few malcontents out there to the fringe to teach them a lesson and something went wrong?”
“You think they got overrun?”
“If the sheriff’s boys had taken a large group of people to the wall to show them why Summerland was their only hope, it might’ve been enough to make the dead swarm. Like bees detecting a threat, but in this case food. When we patrolled the wall we worked in groups of two, but there are at least twenty well-dressed folks out here.”
“So?”
“That many folks loitering about may have put the dead into a frenzy. What if there’s more on their way as we speak? The prairie looks clear now, but Gideon said the attacks would get more frequent and larger, and we have two unrepaired breaks in the exterior wall.”
Katherine stumbles to a stop. “Jane, this is bad.”
“I know.”
“We need to go and speak to the sheriff, convince him to barricade the town before it’s overrun. Consolidate everyone into a few defensible buildings. We’re too vulnerable, waiting for the next attack.”
“Kate, that’s suicide. Besides, you know there’s no way that he’s going to listen to us.”
She sighs and purses her lips. “Maybe, but we have to try.”
Katherine stalks off back toward town, and I look to the pale blue sky for strength before following after her.
Return to me, Jane. Please. As soon as you are able, come back to Rose Hill. We need you.
Chapter 36In Which All Hell Breaks Loose Once More
Once we’re back within the city limits, Katherine heads straight
