The Dead Have No Shadows Read Online Free Page A

flickering light.  His feet were sore and his calves were protesting at the amount of work they’d been asked to do.
    There was a deep throated growl from somewhere in the foothills of the mountains.  That sounds big, thought Mickey.  He based this theory on the natural history programmes he’d seen on the television.  Every time he’d seen a big cat at the zoo it had been silent; either sleeping or prowling along their perimeter fence.  The sound came again but was suddenly cut off in a yowl of pain.  That meant that something bigger was out there.  Mickey spotted the odd bone here and part of a skeleton there. He decided that his legs didn’t hurt quite as much as he first thought as he quickened his pace towards camp.

Chapter 3
     
    Pester was roasting a small animal on a spit.  It looked to be rabbit sized but it could have been anything.  Mickey didn’t care what it was or where it had come from.  His stomach rumbled in anticipation of a meal.  He hadn’t eaten since . . .  He began thinking it was his first meal since breakfast.  He actually ended up thinking that it was his first meal since he’d died. 
    “The food’ll be ready soon,” said Pester.  “Make yourself useful while it’s cooking and gather some firewood.”  He pointed at some bushes just on the fringe of the ring of light cast by the fire.  “Make sure you stay in the light.”
    Mickey sighed.  He’d just sat down and was easing his trainers off.  He rubbed his aching feet then slipped his shoes back on.
    “Why do I need to stay in the light?”  He didn’t think he really needed to ask thequestion – he remembered the animal and its howl of pain.
    Pester smiled.  “You must have seen the bones along the way.”  He left the rest unsaid.
    Mickey nodded.  “How much wood should I gather?”
    “Enough to keep the fire going all night,” said Pester.  “We need to make sure them beasties don’t get too interested in us.”
    “Are they...?
    “Dead? Aye,” Pester replied.  “They’re just as dead as you and just as hungry.”
    Mickey went to collect the firewood.  He made sure that he always faced outwards from the camp and kept glancing out into the darkness looking for signs of movement amongst the deepening shadows.
    When Mickey got back with the firewood the meal was ready.  Both men ate insilence – Mickey through sheer hunger and Pester just happy to let his charge settle and adjust to his new condition.  There would be difficult times and questions ahead.  Better to let Mickey handle them in his own time. 
    They both made short work of their meal.  Pester took two water bottles from the pockets of his leather jacket and passed one to Mickey.
    “Only drink what you need,” said Pester.  “There’s not much drinking water along the way.”
    Mickey nodded and took a small sip of water.  He swished it around his mouth before swallowing.  He offered the bottle back to Pester who indicated that he should keep it.  Mickey slipped the bottle into one of the pockets of his Army store combat jacket.
    “What were all those bones I saw back there?” Mickey pointed back the way they had just walked.
    “The remnants of more of those who gave up before they’d even started,” Pester replied. “Plus one or two who just got unlucky.”
    “Do a lot of people come this way?” said Mickey.
    “Oh, aye,” the guide replied.  “There are always plenty of people passing this way – it’s one of the start points.  That’s why the animals wait around here; it’s easy pickings for them.”
    Mickey stared back into the darkness, too shocked to speak.  It hadn’t occurred to him that he was just part of the flow of the dead.  Another layer of sediment settled on his mind.
    “Do you want to talk about anything else?” Pester asked when Mickey had been silent for several minutes.
    “Such as?” said Mickey.  Now that he’d rested and been fed Mickey began to feel defensive.  He didn’t know