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Nobody speaks up. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.354797 | 7.1 |
"Okay," Biddy yells to the people whose lives are on the line. "Your kids can come to us. Whatever happens to the rest of you, they'll be safe. If you want to keep them with you, that's your right, we won't use force to take them. But in that case they'll be subject to the same judgment as the rest of you. Choose now." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.35565 | 7.1 |
There's a round of hushed conversation. Lots of children start to cry. Many of their parents sob too. A few scream for justice and mercy, but are quickly shushed by their companions. Most of those under guard look as guilty as Emma and seem prepared to accept whatever comes their way. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.356503 | 7.1 |
Almost all of the children start moving across the square. Some are reluctant and are only stung into action when their parents roar or even hit them. They come weeping and trembling, gathering in a pitiful huddle, ignoring the attempts of the adults on our side of the divide to comfort them. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.357356 | 7.1 |
Some of the parents hold on to their kids, unable or unwilling to release them. I think they're selfish, yet I pity them. It must be horrible to abandon your young and face the threat of execution in front of their innocent eyes. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.358209 | 7.1 |
Declan is clinging to Emma. He's normally quiet as a mouse, but now he's shrieking, the sound of a siren's piercing wail, desperate to stay with his mother. Emma moans, pries his fingers loose and passes him to an older boy, who drags the kicking Declan out of the crowd of ghostly-looking adults. Emma turns away and wails. I feel wretched. If we hadn't brought them here, they would never have had to face this. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.359062 | 7.1 |
When all of the young have been sorted, Biddy addresses the crowd again. "First we have to ask ourselves whether this settlement can continue with so great a loss. Can... what... four hundred–odd of us hold New Kirkham?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.359915 | 7.1 |
"That won't be a problem," someone huffs. "It'll mean more space, food and water for the rest of us." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.360768 | 7.1 |
"Supplies aren't an issue," Biddy agrees. "We can easily support a thousand, and more besides. But what happens if there's another attack like today's, if enemies like the Klan breach our defenses again? We might need the extra support." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.36162 | 7.1 |
"That lot weren't any help this time," a woman shouts. "What makes you think they'd fight in the future?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.362473 | 7.1 |
"Today caught us all off guard," Biddy mutters. "None of us expected an attack of this nature, to be turned on by our own people. We're alert to the threat now. I think they'd show more courage next time." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.363326 | 7.1 |
"I do not care about _next time_ ," an Indian man says. He's been holding a young boy in his arms. Now he raises the child and I realize the boy is dead. "My son has been taken from me. Those people stood by and let it happen. They must pay." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.364179 | 7.1 |
There are angry murmurings. The issue is discussed further, but the mood has swung. Most are in favor of retribution. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.365032 | 7.1 |
"Okay," Biddy says. "If we're going to punish them, we have three options. We can construct a prison and keep them locked up for a period, maybe have them work for us while they're under lock and key, to pay their way. We can drive them into exile. Or we can hang them." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.365885 | 7.1 |
People start muttering and arguing, but Biddy raises her voice to silence them. "We could toss this back and forth for the rest of the night, and maybe that's what we'll end up doing, but let's have a show of hands first. Think hard for a minute, then vote. If we have a clear majority, we can save ourselves a lot of time." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.366738 | 7.1 |
A hush falls again as people get their heads in order. Then Biddy calls for those in favor of imprisonment to show their support. Surprisingly, only twenty-six hands go up. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.367591 | 7.1 |
"Exile?" Biddy asks, and a forest of hands is instantly raised. "Looks like we don't have to bother with the final option," she says, and I can see she's relieved. I am too. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.368443 | 7.1 |
"It's not right," someone bellows. "They should be killed for what they did." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.369296 | 7.1 |
"This is a democracy," Biddy thunders. "If you don't want to abide by the decision of the majority, you can join that lot by the wall." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.370149 | 7.1 |
The challenger falls silent and there are no subsequent outcries. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.371002 | 7.1 |
"Okay," Biddy sniffs, calming down again. "We'll keep them here tonight, then release them in the morning. Where they go after that is none of our business, as long as they don't try to come back." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.371855 | 7.1 |
"You're sending us to our death," a woman in the crowd of neutrals says. "You might as well just execute us and have it over with." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.372708 | 7.1 |
"That can easily be arranged," Biddy says stiffly. "Step forward if you'd rather face the noose." Nobody moves. Biddy waits a moment, then smiles twistedly. "I figured as much. Right, you can lie down and rest. We'll give you water and food in the morning, and make sure you can exit clear of any undead eyes. After that–" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.373561 | 7.1 |
"–they're dead meat," Jakob cuts in, taking everyone by surprise. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.374414 | 7.1 |
"I don't think you lot have the right to get involved in this," Biddy scowls. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.375267 | 7.1 |
"If we stand by and say nothing, aren't we as guilty as they've been?" Jakob retorts, nodding at the condemned. "If their neutrality is a crime, surely we must be punished for it too?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.376119 | 7.1 |
There's an uneasy silence. We're all staring at Jakob. Those of us who know him are more stunned than the others. He normally wouldn't say boo. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.376972 | 7.1 |
"Sending them into exile is the same as execution," Jakob says, moving forward to stand close to the mayor, saying all the things I wanted to say, but couldn't get clear in my head. "You're trying to kill them without staining your hands with their blood. They can't survive out there in that large a group. They'll attract attention and be killed." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.377825 | 7.1 |
"Then let them split up," Biddy says. "They can leave in small groups, even individually. I'm not saying it will be easy, but some will make it to safety. Don't forget, we all had to find our way here in the first place." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.378678 | 7.1 |
"If the zombie's that worried, let him guide them," someone shouts, and lots of people laugh. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.379531 | 7.1 |
"I'll happily guide as many as I can if you drive them out," Jakob says quietly. "But who'll guide those of you who stay? When you lie awake at night, unable to sleep because of the torment you feel, who will offer you help? If you banish your friends, family and colleagues, you'll morally cut yourselves off from the world. How long can New Kirkham stand if everyone here hates themselves? How long do you _want_ to stand in isolation and shame?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.380384 | 7.1 |
"They're the ones who should be ashamed!" a woman screams. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.381237 | 7.1 |
"Yes," Jakob says. "And that shame is punishment enough. If you let them stay, and they have to work beside the rest of you every day, remembering that they let you down..." He turns in a slow circle. "How can they make right their wrongs if you don't give them a chance?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.38209 | 7.1 |
There's a long silence. Then a black woman says, "How could we trust them? How could we live with them, knowing they would have let us be taken?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.382942 | 7.1 |
Jakob frowns and thinks about that. Then he grimaces. "I have cancer. It was eating me away when I was alive. It stalled when I became a zombie, but it's still inside me. I can never cut it out. It's part of me. It hurts all the time. But I've learned to adapt. I carry the pain around, I contain it, I control it. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.383795 | 7.1 |
"We all have weaknesses," he continues. "Life's a struggle for everyone. We can only overcome our flaws if we train ourselves to live with them." Jakob steps back and lowers his head. "That's all I have to say. My apologies if I've spoken out of turn." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.384648 | 7.1 |
I'm half expecting a round of applause, but the silence holds. People are staring at Jakob and I doubt that most of them entirely know what to think. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.385501 | 7.1 |
Biddy Barry breaks the spell by shouting gruffly, "Another show of hands. Who wants to keep them here and carry on as we were before?" | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.386354 | 7.1 |
After a nervous pause, hands start going up, isolated at first, then a flood of them. It's not as big a majority as the pro-exile voters had a few minutes earlier, but it _is_ a majority. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.387207 | 7.1 |
"Seems like we've had a change of heart," Biddy chuckles. Her eyes narrow and she studies Jakob intently. "But, as mayor of this lice-ridden hellhole of a town, I'm attaching a condition. If it isn't met, I'll push ahead with our original plan to exile the whole sorry lot of them." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.38806 | 7.1 |
"What sort of a condition?" Jakob asks. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.388913 | 7.1 |
"I want you to stay and serve as my deputy mayor," Biddy says, and if Jakob was capable of fainting with shock, he'd be out cold. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.389765 | 7.1 |
"What are you talking about?" Jakob splutters. He's not the only one who looks bewildered. The rest of us are also staring at Biddy Barry as if she's had a sudden mental breakdown. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.391471 | 7.1 |
"I want you to be my number two," she says pleasantly, as if it's no big thing. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.392324 | 7.1 |
"You've got to be joking," Jakob says. "I don't live here." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.393177 | 7.1 |
"You can move." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.39403 | 7.1 |
"But I'm a zombie," he reminds her. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.394883 | 7.1 |
"That's kind of obvious," she snorts. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.395736 | 7.1 |
"You don't let zombies stay here. We're dangerous. We could infect one of you, maybe set off a chain reaction that would wipe out the town." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.396588 | 7.1 |
Biddy shrugs. "What's life without a hint of danger to spice things up?" As Jakob gapes at her, she faces the survivors of New Kirkham. "I'm shocked and sickened by what happened today. I thought we'd put the old hatreds and fears behind us. I didn't think anyone could be worried about color or religion at a time like this. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.397441 | 7.1 |
"I was wrong, and it's not often you'll hear me admitting that." There are some rueful chuckles. "We need to protect ourselves against those who would drag us back to the barbaric ways of the past. We're all equal here in New Kirkham–at least that's how I see it–and we have to make sure we keep sight of that." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.398294 | 7.1 |
"How will taking in a zombie help us?" someone asks, glaring at Jakob. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.399147 | 7.1 |
"It will remind us that we can never afford to be prejudiced," Biddy replies. "I don't know about you, but I'm mortified that it took one of the undead to help us find mercy in ourselves. I assumed I was morally superior to every type of zombie, but how wrong was I?" She points at Jakob and the rest of us. "When our lives were on the line, they risked all to help. They knew we mistrusted and disliked them, but that didn't deter them. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.4 | 7.1 |
"I never thought of myself as being a racist," Biddy sighs. "But I see now that I was. I hated zombies, and that's no different than those creeps dangling above us. They hated blacks, Asians, Muslims. Ultimately it boils down to the same thing—hatred of those who aren't the same as us." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.400853 | 7.1 |
"It's not the same thing at all," an Asian woman growls. "I've had to deal with hatemongers all my life. But I _do_ deal with them. You can work around a racist, turn a blind eye to their insults, strike out if they push things too far. You can't do that with a zombie. If a racist hits me, I can hit back. But one scratch from that guy and I'm damned." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.401706 | 7.1 |
"So we'll tread carefully around him," Biddy says. "It'll be good for us. It will drive home the fact that we need to be on our guard all the time, that we can't sail through life without paying attention to those around us. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.402559 | 7.1 |
"I can't force this on you," Biddy tells the crowd. "This is a democracy. If you're not with me, you can vote me out. But if you want me to stay on as mayor, you'll have to accept... hell, I don't even know his name." She raises an eyebrow at Jakob. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.403412 | 7.1 |
"If you want me, Jakob's part of the package," Biddy declares. "I've always governed as I see fit, regardless of whether my policies are popular or not. That's paid off so far, so I'm hoping you'll trust me on this one too. We need this guy to keep us on the straight and narrow, to remind us why we put up with the suffering and fighting and fear, to help keep the bigots and racists at bay. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.405117 | 7.1 |
"Show of hands again," Biddy booms. "You're either for me or against me. If it's the latter, I'll step aside without a word of complaint and leave New Kirkham, because it won't be the sort of place where I want to live. If we're going to restart society, we might as well try to do it the right way. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.40597 | 7.1 |
"If you want me to stay, and if you're prepared to accept Jakob Pegg as my deputy, stick your hand in the air to show that you care." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.406823 | 7.1 |
Nobody responds for a few seconds. They stare at Biddy, then at each other, not sure what to make of her startling ultimatum. Then a couple of hands go up. A few more. Then a wave of them, at least three-quarters of the people assembled, not just those who fought the KKK, but the neutrals too. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.407676 | 7.1 |
"That's what I like to see," Biddy chuckles. "People with their heads screwed on. So, zombie boy, it looks like you don't have a choice." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.408529 | 7.1 |
"I could refuse," Jakob says quietly. "Just leave with the others and return to London." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.409382 | 7.1 |
"You could," Biddy nods. "But if I'm any judge, based on that speech you gave, you won't." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.410235 | 7.1 |
Jakob licks his lips–old habits die hard–then looks to the rest of us to see what we think. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.411087 | 7.1 |
"No point running this by us," Carl smiles. "This is way over our heads." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.41194 | 7.1 |
"What will Dr. Oystein think if I don't return?" Jakob asks. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.412793 | 7.1 |
"He'll be glad to be rid of your cancer-ridden carcass," Rage snorts. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.413646 | 7.1 |
"Ignore the big idiot," I growl, elbowing Rage in the ribs. "The doc won't mind. He'll understand when we tell him how it happened." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.414499 | 7.1 |
"I think he will be proud of you," Ashtat says. "I know that I certainly am." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.415352 | 7.1 |
"But don't feel under any pressure," I add. "You don't owe them. If you don't want to do this, feel free to turn them down." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.416205 | 7.1 |
"You don't think the doc will see this as a dereliction of duty?" Jakob asks. "There are so many battles to be fought..." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.417058 | 7.1 |
"Yeah," Shane grunts, "but he's always said that we're fighting for people like this. If we get the better of Mr. Dowling, we'll hand power back to the living and let them rule the world again. I think the doc will be delighted if you help these guys hang on in there, so that they can take over from us once we're done kicking arse." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.41791 | 7.1 |
"That was almost poetical," I murmur. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.418763 | 7.1 |
He shoots me the finger and laughs. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.421322 | 7.1 |
Jakob thinks about it some more. "I'll miss you guys if I stay," he whispers. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.422175 | 7.1 |
"We will miss you too," Ashtat says, and the rest of us mutter similar things, except for Rage, who rolls his eyes and makes a gagging gesture. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.423028 | 7.1 |
"We'll see you when we bring newcomers," Pearse says. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.423881 | 7.1 |
"We'll keep you up-to-date," Conall promises. "Tell you everything that's going on back in County Hall." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.424733 | 7.1 |
"And you can always leave if you get sick of it here," Carl notes. "You're not signing up for life." He chuckles. "You're dead, so you can't." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.425586 | 7.1 |
Jakob nods slowly, then faces Biddy Barry again. "In that case there's a condition of my own that you'll have to meet." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.426439 | 7.1 |
"Fire away," Biddy scowls, not sure what to expect. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.427292 | 7.1 |
With a straight face, Jakob says, "I'll only do it if I get a badge. I was a big fan of Westerns when I was alive, and I've always wanted a deputy sheriff's star." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.428145 | 7.1 |
We retire to a quiet corner of the square for the night, leaving Jakob and the humans to deal with the dead and start the job of getting their town back in order. The neutrals who have been spared exile slot sheepishly into place, parents like Emma gratefully reuniting with their children before wiping their tears away and buckling down to try to make good. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.429851 | 7.1 |
Shortly before eleven, Dan-Dan yawns. "I never was much of a night bird," he says. "And we have a big day ahead of us. So I'll wish you all sweet dreams." He blows us a kiss, rolls over and is asleep within minutes. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.430704 | 7.1 |
"That guy's unbelievable," Shane laughs. "You've got to admire his guts. It's like he doesn't care that we're zombies." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.431557 | 7.1 |
"He'd care if he woke up to find us tickling him," I snarl. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.432409 | 7.1 |
We pass the time resting and chatting. I feel agitated after the battle for New Kirkham, but I calm down as the hours slip by. I keep reminding myself that we did a good thing today, saved many lives, wrestled control of the town back from the Ku Klux Klan. It doesn't feel like a real victory because I failed to rescue Vinyl and the others who were being held in the trucks that got away, but this is definitely one for our side. Hundreds of people are free tonight because we fought for what was right. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.433262 | 7.1 |
Jakob comes to see us shortly before dawn. He still looks dazed. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.434115 | 7.1 |
"Should we bow, Your Worship?" Rage smirks. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.434968 | 7.1 |
"If you like," Jakob says with a thin smile, then sinks down next to us and shakes his head. "I can't believe I let her talk me into this. It's madness. They'll never accept me as one of their own. I should sneak out with you guys." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.435821 | 7.1 |
"Dr. Oystein would not like that," Ashtat says. "This is the first time that one of us has made a bridge of this sort. It could be the start of a new relationship between us and them. If things work out, maybe other communities will see the benefit of having an Angel on their team. This could help draw the living and the undead closer together." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.436674 | 7.1 |
"Or it could backfire and drive us even further apart," Rage chortles. "I'm glad I'm not in your shoes." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.437527 | 7.1 |
"As supportive and sympathetic as always," Jakob murmurs, then smiles at the rest of us. "I meant what I said earlier. I'll miss you. You've been my family since I found my way to County Hall. Things won't be the same without you." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.43838 | 7.1 |
"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Pearse asks. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.439232 | 7.1 |
"One of us can stay with you if you want," Conall says. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.440085 | 7.1 |
"Thanks, but I'll be fine," Jakob says. "They were going to send the brains from the corpses back with you guys, but you need to move swiftly, and such a load would slow you down, so they're going to freeze and store most of them here for the time being, meaning I won't go hungry." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.440938 | 7.1 |
"Maybe you will fatten up now," Ashtat grins. Jakob doesn't have to reply. He knows she's joking. None of us can ever bulk up or slim down. Those days are long behind us. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.441791 | 7.1 |
"Is there anything you want us to bring the next time we come?" Pearse asks. | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.442644 | 7.1 |
"No," Jakob says. "Nothing there really mattered to me. Except you lot." | Zom-B Clans - Darren Shan | 0.443497 | 7.1 |