The Cure, стр. 26
As they walked down the center of the road, they all had that feeling of being watched from the doorways and windows. The breeze in the air started making garbage move and the group started getting jittery. Tallulah started seeing people at the windows of the shops and on double take they were gone. She took Logan’s hand and gripped it hard.
At the end of the road a man in a long brown coat casually walked around the corner. He was followed by a group of five others. Then another group came from the side road and stood waiting for Logan and the others to reach them. They slowly scattered across the road blocking any passage through. Logan’s hand fell from Tallulah’s and closer to his handgun.
‘Hello,’ he shouted to the first man. ‘We’re looking for the police station. Can you tell us if we’re close?’
The men looked at each other. They were nauseatingly thin, but somehow almost healthy looking compared to the thing that had killed Brad. They were clean and relatively well-presented bearing in mind the circumstances.
‘Isn’t no Police Station around here son. Not no more,’ the man said.
‘We need to get to the Police Station to get some important documents,’ said Logan, unsure what to say to the man.
‘You look like you’re hungry son. Why don’t you come join us for dinner?’ said the man smiling.
‘We’ve just eaten thank you,’ said Xander, clearly from the back of the group.
‘Look, that’s very kind of you, but we’re just passing through. We just need to get to the Police Station and then we’re gone again. Can you point us in the right direction?’ said Logan.
They heard footsteps and another group of men had come up behind them pushing them further forward. ‘I insist,’ said the man.
Logan drew his gun from its holster, but he felt the click of a gun against the back of his neck and he holstered it again ‘No need for that now son. We’d just like to get to know you all. Find out what a lovely bunch of kids like you are doing in our city.’ The man behind Logan took the gun back out of its holster. ‘Follow me,’ he said.
They followed the group of men to the entrance of building and one of the men pulled up the shutters.
It opened to reveal a large warehouse which was housing many families under tents, tarpaulins and homemade housing. Families who had left their own homes looking for food, unable to return due to the dangers of being separated. They had built a community where they were working together to feed themselves. Food was obviously in short supply but as they walked through the building the smell of cooking was obvious.
‘What’s your name?’ Logan asked the leader.
‘They call me Samson,’ said the man ‘On account of my hair,’ he added and shook his long mane. He was a giant of a man and not someone you would mess with. ‘As you can tell, we are not use to seeing strangers around here.’ The families, particularly the children stared at the group, with some of the younger ones coming up and cupping their hands out in front of them. ‘They see people like you, looking the way you are, and it gives them hope. You understand? Dressed well. Fed well. But I’m guessing there’s more to it than you just found a decent place with supplies. Am I right? Let me guess. Government?’
‘Yes, kind of,’ Logan said, not wanting to give anything away, but also wanting to gain his trust.
Tallulah knelt by a girl who had held out her hand. ‘I’ve got a candy bar,’ she invited, and the little girl nodded gleefully. Then was joined by five more children. ‘I’m sorry, I only had one,’ and the children dispersed into the crowds of people.
‘Where do you get your food from?’ she asked Samson.
‘Wherever we can. We scavenge, we hunt animals, we also have an outlet that helps us. The one rule we have is that we do not hurt human beings and we do not turn anyone away who wishes to be part of the community. Everyone has something to offer. You may have seen what we call Savages out there. Men and women who have forgotten what it is to be human. Creatures who have lost their minds to the madness of hunger. That’s not us. We are a community and a family. So, you’ll understand that when a group of well-fed teenagers, with guns, turn up in our neighborhood that we could be concerned,’ said Samson.
‘We’re not here to hurt anyone. We’re here to help,’ said Tallulah.
‘She’s right,’ said Logan. ‘We are here to save lives.’
Logan went on to tell Samson about the plan the government had put into place to poison the water supply and to roll out the system to supply any survivors with self-sustaining crops and breed animals.
Samson stopped him mid flow and raised his eyebrows at Logan ‘So on top of everything we have had thrown at us and endured, now we have to be concerned about our own government killing us off, so that the mighty among us can flourish? Can’t say it surprises me son,’ he chuckled. ‘But water is our main commodity here. It’s keeping us alive and sustaining what supplies us and our benefactors have. We cannot let this plan happen. Come into my office.’
They had reached the end of the building and an office which was Samson’s home and planning room. Building schematics lined the walls and notes on where they could find food and build their own supplies. While they were not feasting every