“Good,” said Tom, though he knew that his air of certainty and control was a complete sham, because deep down, he understood that there were only a limited number of outcomes here, and he didn’t like any of them.

CHAPTER 38

Nothing much seemed to happen for quite a while. The tinny music continued from the bunkhouse, together with laughter and occasionally raised voices. There was the smell of cooking too, of meat, the aroma gnawing away at their own hunger.

But the air of normality only created a more heightened sense of unease. The atmosphere seemed volatile, and the mood of the men sounded more and more unstable, as if at any moment they might explode into violence.

One of the men came out with a plate and a bottle of beer, giving it to the young guy on guard duty before heading back inside. They watched the young guy eat, and so did the dog. When he’d finished, he walked over and tipped the scraps onto the floor before taking the plate back into the bunkhouse.

There was shouting and the young guy came back out, calling back an angry response but looking chastened. The mood in the bunkhouse sounded ugly now. The guard sat back on his crate, looking miserable.

Now that Tom looked at him, he guessed the guard wasn’t much older than them, but his olive complexion and sleek dark hair were matched with a soldier’s solid physique. Then there was the gun that he handled, in the relaxed and confident style of someone who’d learned how to use it a long time ago.

So even if the others drank themselves into a stupor, Tom didn’t like their chances of overpowering the guard. And given the way they’d shouted at him, presumably for leaving his post, it looked more and more likely that no opportunity would arise, and that sooner or later they’d have to accept they had no choice but to leave them behind—and hope.

More time elapsed, and once again, with nothing really happening, Nick became more agitated. He whispered, “This is pointless.” They looked at him. “They’re probably already dead.”

Tom had been increasingly sensing the pointlessness of it himself, but if anything, Nick’s doubting only strengthened Tom’s determination to find a way, and he said firmly, “You don’t guard dead people.”

“Anyway, we’re staying,” said Alice. “But feel free to walk back on your own, any time you like.”

“I’m not saying that. But… we can’t just sit here forever.”

That was a truth Tom couldn’t deny, but he said, “They think Chris and Joel are on their own, so they’re not expecting anyone else, and they’ll have to sleep sometime.”