Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come Read Online Free Page A

feed the horses.”
    Charlie was relieved that Ceara involuntarily gave him the reason Alden had given her for his long absence. “Yeah, well you aren’t the only one that can talk to the horses. Maybe I just needed a little alone time myself.”
    The look on Ceara’s face told him she took that the wrong way. “FINE, you all want to avoid me then I will make it easy for you. I don’t need to be around any of you anyway.”
    Charlie threw his hands in the air as Ceara ran around the other side of the house, “Women!” Charlie joined the others in the house, he decided that Ceara needed to figure a few things out for herself; he had already told her everything he could. It was up to her to choose to believe it.
    Alden looked at Charlie coming in the back door alone. Taking a bite of one of the peach slices, he got up and grabbed his crutch.
    Charlie looked at him “I didn’t do anything boss, she’s just in a mood.”
    Alden waved his hand and walked towards the front of the house. As he opened the front door and stepped out on the porch, he saw Ceara sitting on a yard swing. Limping out to her, she looked up. Before she could say anything, Alden grabbed the swing, “I’m old and wounded and I want to sit next to a pretty young girl.”
    Ceara stopped swinging, with her arms crossed she looked up at him. Her eyes were red from crying.
    Alden sat down placing his crutch on the ground. Stretching his bad leg out, he looked out across the desert as the sun was setting over the horizon. “Those colors are truly wonderful this time of night. The orange to blue to purple, the clouds look like waves coming into the beach off an ocean.”
    Ceara leaned her head on his shoulder. Alden wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
    She spoke softly into his chest, “Why is everyone against me now? Tabitha hates me. Charlie lies to me all the time. Beth and Colt try to avoid me because they think I’m overly protective. I’m sorry for all that happened and what’s more I’m scared we’re going to lose more before this is over.”
    Silence settled between them for a few minutes before Alden spoke. “Sweetie I hate to tell you this but there’s more truth to your last statement then we all want to admit. The thing is this, I’ve been in this position before; you cupcakes haven’t.”
    Ceara sat up and looked into his eyes. She suddenly realized what Alden’s life had been like. For most of his years, he had faced death and dying many times. More times than she really wanted to think about and certainly more times than the whole group put together.
    Alden went on as he looked out across the desert, “We all face death every day. You just never realized it before all this crap happened. Every time you stepped into a bathtub, you risked death. Every time you got in your car, your risked death, hell every time you stepped out your front door, you risked death. The difference between then and now is you know what the death is bringing and how it’s coming at you. What you need to do now is come to terms with death.”
    Ceara pulled back. “Come to terms with death. What the hell does that mean? With everything I’ve been through and seen, I think I’ve come real close to terms with death, thank you very much.”
    Alden placed his hands on his knees looked to the ground then to her.
    “Cupcake, what you’ve seen is a lot of death. Coming to terms with it is entirely different. Coming to terms means you accept the fact that you’re dead already.” Ceara eyes went wide but Alden kept talking and the next line stunned her. “When you realize you’re already dead, as is everyone you know, it is then that you can truly start to live and enjoy life. For time and life at that moment will become the most precious thing you have and one you will not want to waste.”
    Alden reached down and picked up his crutch. Pulling himself up, he looked down at her and rubbed the top of her head, “You think about that kid. Then come on in,