Singing of the dead (Novel one)

CHAPTER THREE: THE 18TH OF DECEMBER

Isabelle woke up before Jessica and lifted herself on to her feet and slipped her shoes back on and couldn't help but look at Jessica and admire how peaceful and pretty she looked. Isabelle walked out of the bedroom her head pounding from the hangover having to stop halfway down the staircase in order to compose herself before continuing to move. She walked into the open planned kitchen/living area and saw that Jim was still fast asleep and atlas was sat upright on the sofa next to him chugging back some water. He shifted his aching head towards Isabelle and huffed out: "My head is fucking pounding".

"Yeh. Same here." Isabelle said as she walked on over and grabbed the glass of water from his hands and drank it.

"Have you got Jessica anything for Christmas?" Atlas said snatching the now empty glass back.

"Nope, I was thinking of going to the waterstones in town and finding her a new book."

"I haven't got her anything yet either, I was thinking we should probably go there today, we could do with the walk to clear this hangover up."

"Maybe we should go when we are not hungover? It's already dangerous going into town, its fucking stupid going into town for a Christmas present, even more fucking stupid to go into town hungover for a Christmas present."

"Izy, I need to talk to you, away from everyone else, and I need to go and get Jessica something. I'm going with or without you, and you know the rules that you made, you say we must go in pairs. So, you are coming with me."

Against Isabelles better judgement she agreed with her brother but first they should wait until Jessica is awake so she can keep an eye on their grandad. An hour or so later Jessica had woken up and so had Jim, of course Jessica had no problem staying in with Jim after all she didn't want to do anything apart from wallow with her hangover in self-pity. Atlas and Isabelle geared up for their trip into town, Atlas armed with a baseball bat and Isabelle armed with an axe. They took one of the two radios even though by the time they reached the town they would be out of signal range and set off on the five-mile journey.

The town of Wheelback wasn't much of a town, closer to a village in its size. A few shops occupied the high street with two residential areas located to either side. At the end of the high street was a three-way road, two of which looped back around to the residential houses and the third leading back into the countryside, and with some turns and a few miles led you to the long driveway leading to Atlas and Isabelles family home. Along these backroads one lead off to the church and graveyard which could also be accessed via road via the housing areas. Apart from this there wasn't much more to the town bar the lake off to the side and a couple of stores and restaurants along the main road that ran parallel to Weelback.

Atlas and Isabelle walked through the countryside making small talk always on high alert just in case they ran into any singers or any other survivors, which was very unlikely as the majority of people moved up to the supposed safe zones further north or were dead.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about Atlas?"

Atlas paused his walk for a moment before he continued.

"Atlas?" Isabelle questioned.

"It's hard for me to ask this but, did anything happen with you and Jess last night?"

"What! No of course not!"

"I woke up last night for some water and then went up to go to bed and saw you with her."

"Jesus, Atlas it doesn't mean we fucked! We were hammered and I helped her to bed and then fell asleep next to her."

"It's just I don't know Iz, it feels like sometimes you two get along so well and I'm just a spare part."