Page 31

Michael served the noodles – a meal she had not had since university. Even so, Steph found the food comforting and was surprised at her appetite considering the turmoil unfolding around her.

She wondered how things had become so bad so quickly. Had she anticipated this happening? No. No, she had not. She had been pretty sure things weren’t right and that a potential disaster was looming, but never had she imagined this. After one tragic death, she would have imagined that procedures would be put in place to prevent further slippage. In theory, things had been put into action, except that none of the decisions really allowed for chaos or even considered the worst-case scenarios. Had Kelvin realised these things might not work? Maybe. Perhaps he had put them down as worthwhile risks. However, it would clash with his need for control, so possibly he was just na?ve.

“So what do we do now?”

Steph asked, getting up to put her bowl in the sink.

“Try the radio again I suppose,”

Kelvin replied.

“Although perhaps that’s pointless as someone would have tried to get in contact with us if they were able to.”

Somewhere in the distance clouds crashed together causing a clap of thunder to rumble over the land.

“I could go back to the house,”

Michael suggested.

“Try and collect a few weapons and check whether the house is clear. I could lock the perimeter fence to the house again and come and pick you up.”

“Perhaps,”

Kelvin replied, looking at the floor.

“You could keep in contact with me,”

Michael continued. He headed over to the radio on the small side table and detached something small and black from it, holding it up to Kelvin.

“It has a full eight hours of charge. I can just turn it on if I have anything that I need to report.”

“What if I need to contact you?”

“We can agree on set times,”

Michael suggested. There was something in his voice that reminded Steph of a teenage boy trying to persuade their parents of something. There seemed to be an overly convenient answer to everything despite the obvious perils that appeared to be wrapping themselves tighter around the situation.

Again, Kelvin said nothing, instead looking up at the ceiling. There was a part of Steph hoping that Kelvin would agree to it so that she would be alone to question him. However, her gut suggested that going with Michael – even in the face of logic – was what she needed to do. Besides, she doubted she’d get much from Kelvin. After eating and getting four walls around him, he seemed to have regained his composure and was very much the boss again – in his eyes.

“I suppose Michael could check on Martina,”

Steph said, risking putting a hand on Kelvin’s shoulder as she came to sit down beside him once more. It was an awkward hand. She was not the most accomplished person when it came to displays of care or affection. Then again, from the twitch in Kelvin’s shoulder, he was not the best at receiving them.

“I could even go with him.”

Kelvin turned to face Steph.

“But it’s not safe!”

“Was it ever safe out there?”

“True, but what is in it for you?”

Kelvin’s bluntness took Steph back for a moment. Not only because of the question but also because of the lack of an answer she had for it.

“Nothing is in it for me apart from sorting things out, but two pairs of eyes will be better than one,”

Steph replied, looking at Michael who narrowed his eyes slightly. She turned back to Kelvin.

“I suppose, in theory, it would be safer,”

he replied thoughtfully.

“Although shouldn’t you wait until tomorrow? It’s only going to get darker and waiting will allow for the storm to let up.”

“The weather might play to our advantage if anything,”

Michael said.

“Heavy rain and thunder will mask the sound of us moving.”

“And what about the wolves we heard earlier?”

“Probably moved on by now,”

Michael replied, although he didn’t sound wholly convincing.

“Fine.”

“Right then,”

Steph said, turning to Michael. Michael gave a small shrug and then went to raid Thomas’s fridge.