SurvivorZ: Grave Harbor

13

JUDITH

Judith crossed herself and stood up from her morning prayers next to her cold bunk. Despite the signs all around them, entrenching unbelievers in their conviction that God didn't exist, the faith drummed into her from childhood by her ultra-religious single parent remained unswerving.

Cora Montgomery had been a true believer. On the rare occasions that Judith dared step out of line, her wrath almost put His to shame. Before she acceded to her dying, bedridden mother's demand to slit her wrists with the grooming razor Judith kept at her bedside, she lived in mortal fear of doing any wrong in her eyes.

Even now, years after her death, Judith could still feel her disapproving stare from her place by God's side, heating the partially faded scars cobwebbed across her back. The former teacher was old school. The only thing she believed in as much as the Almighty was in not sparing the rod.

Since the end times began, Judith would often entertain the notion that her mother's corpse might be out there somewhere, roaming the lands in search of living flesh to consume. The thought wasn't as horrifying as the possibility that God might have resurrected her with her health and faculties intact.

Shrugging off such disturbing thoughts, Judith shivered and tugged the lapels of her jacket tighter around her neck. The tent she shared with Robin and Danielle was freezing, despite the portable heater meant to keep it warm. It was no wonder everyone in Hanscom was dying of pneumonia.

She suspected the others were probably regretting ever listening to Maureen now. Her foolish decision to trade the warmth and safety of Judith's farmhouse for this frozen, overcrowded campground had lost any luster it might have had after the evening frost set in. A few more bad decisions like this one and the rest of the group would be screaming for someone else to take over.

She sat on the edge of the bed and blew into her hands for warmth. Once everyone saw Maureen for the incompetent fool she was, she supposed Drew would be the person everyone turned to next. He was an easy-going sort. Smart and brave too, when the occasion called for it. Not like that shiftless weasel, Brent. Drew's popularity with the others made him the obvious choice for second in command.

That was okay by her. She didn't need to be the one everyone looked to in times of trouble. She had been tasked to protect the innocents of their little band, and by God that's what she'd do. As long as Lee and Emily remained safe, she didn't care if everyone else went skinny dipping in a lake of fire.

Maureen continued to be a thorn in her side, but perhaps not for much longer. Once she fell out of grace with the others, arranging a little "accident" to remove her from the picture would be child's play.

She was almost there now. All Judith had to do was keep pushing her, making her look like a jealous, unhinged bitch in front of everyone. The others already were starting to side more with her over Maureen. It soon wouldn't matter what she suspected about Brent's death. Nobody would believe her anyway.

Judith rubbed her chin. Perhaps there might even be something I can do to help speed along her downfall, she mused.

Drew was the key to taking her down. With him on her side, Maureen's illegitimate rule over them would crumble like a house of cards.

When she first met them, she thought there might have been something going on between Drew and Robin. Then she learned that Robin didn't swing that way. The revelation shocked her at first, but she soon warmed up to it. It left Drew's bed freed up for her.

There was no better time than now to cast her iron in the fire. He wasn't normally her type, but he was still a fine looking man. She could use him to scratch a few of her itches while he inadvertently helped to bring down the woman she hated more than anything else in this world.