red hill - jamie mcguire

Skeeter nodded. “I’ve hunted over there. That’ll be a good place for you.”
• • •
GARY RETURNED FROM THE HALLWAY, hammer in hand.
Everyone settled in as best they could. Doris comforted the mother and her children, Skeeter
alternated between checking on his wife and checking the windows in the other room. They all gasped
and traded glances when a new person was seen ambling around outside with the rest. Fairview was
a tiny town. It made sense that they all knew each other. I wondered who the woman on the floor was
to Skeeter, and what her life was like before she was bitten. Even with her sweaty, bluish skin, and
the dark around her eyes, it was obvious that she was beautiful.
The man they called Bob pointed to the next room. “The sanctuary is in there. Plenty of places to
sit.”
“Thank you,” I said, accepting his invitation.
Two more women, quite a bit older, were seated in pews. I chose one in the front and sat nearest
the center aisle, farthest away from the broken windows. Even if they were boarded, hearing the dead
ones trying to get in was unnerving.
Bryce sat on one side of me, Ashley on the other. Cooper sat beside my sister, and took her hand in
his. We all let out a collective sigh of relief.
I let my head rest against Bryce’s shoulder, and he rested his head against mine. After everything
we’d seen, and everything we’d been through, I didn’t think I would be able to sleep, but the longer I
sat on the hard, cold, wooden pew, the more comfortable I became—and the harder it was to keep my
eyes open. I shifted, prompting Bryce to turn his head slightly to kiss my temple.
“It’s okay. Go to sleep. We’re safe now.”
“It’s never going to be safe again,” I whispered, trying not to let the words trigger more tears.
“Safe enough to get some rest,” he whispered back. “Now close your eyes, Miranda. We’ve got a
long day tomorrow.”
“Once we get to Red Hill, we’ll be all right, right”
“Your dad is probably there now, scared to death, wondering where you are. He’s going to be so
happy to see you and your sister. We’ll be far away from everything, with a stocked pantry and your
dad’s crazy gun collection. We’re going to be just fine.”
With his words, I let my eyes close and the heaviness of sleep engulf me.