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"I guess to some people that’s what I am"
"Do you do this kind of stuff?"
"What do you think?" To his head Tom queried, "What do you even know about bounty hunters?"
"They kill zombies," Benny said, then flinched as he saw the looks of distaste on the faces of Brother David and the tomen "Well … they do! That’s what bounty hunters are there for They go out here into the Rot and Ruin, and they hunt the, u dead"
"Why?" asked Tom
"For money"
"Who pays them?" asked Brother David
"People in town People in other towns," said Benny "I heard the govern out zoms on trade routes and stuff life that"
"Who’d you hear that from?" asked To face to Tom, who said, "Charlie Pink-eye"
The faces of the monk and the tomen fell into sickness Brother David closed his eyes and shook his head slowly fro?" asked Benny
"You can stay to dinner," Brother David said stiffly, eyes still closed "God requiresfrom all of His children But … once you’ve eaten, I’d like you to leave"
To on now"
The redhead stepped toward Toet out of here," said the younger woman
"No," said Brother David sharply, then repeated it ently "No, Sarah," he said to the redhead "No, Shanti," he said to the black teenager "To rude" He opened his eyes, and Benny thought that the ive the sisters, and please forgive ht It was a lovely day, and saying that ize to you, to her, to Sister Shanti, and to Old Roger This is Benny’s first time out here in the Ruin He met … thatout here He’s a boy, and he doesn’t understand I brought his fall out" He paused "I haven’t taken him to Sunset Hollow yet You understand?"
The three Children of God studied him for a while, and then one by one they nodded
"What’s Sunset Hollow?" Benny asked, but Tom didn’t answer
"And I thank you for your offer of a o, and I think Benny’s going to have a lot of questions to ask Some of them are better asked elsewhere"
Sister Sarah reached up and touched Tom’s face "I’m sorry for my words"
Sister Shanti touched his chest "Me too"
"You’ve got nothing to be sorry about," Tom said
The women smiled at him and caressed his cheek Shanti turned and placed her hands on either side of Benny’s face "May God protect your heart out here in the world" With that she kissed him on the forehead and walked away Sister Sarah smiled at the brothers and followed Shanti
Benny turned to To?"
"Probably," said Tom "Come on, kiddo Let’s roll"
Brother David shifted to stand in Tom’s path "Brother," he said "I’ll ask once and then be done with it"
"Ask away"
"Are you sure about what you’re doing?"
"Sure? No But I’ht out three vials of cadaverine "Here, Brother May it help you in your work"
Brother David nodded his thanks "God go with you and before you and within you"
They shook hands, and Toered for a an slowly, "I don’t knohat I said or did that rong, but I’ht me out here, and he’s a bit crazy, and I don’t knohat …" He trailed off There was no road h this conversation
Brother David offered his hand and gave hi he bestowed upon Tom
"Yeah," said Benny "You too Okay?"
He hurried to catch up to Tom, as fifty yards down the road When he looked back the as pump Brother David lifted his hand, but whether it was soesture of farewell, Benny didn’t know Either way it creeped him out
9
WHEN THEY WERE FAR DOWN THE ROAD, BENNY ASKED, "WHAT WAS THAT all about? Why’d that guy get so jacked aboutCharlie?"
"Not everyone thinks Charlie’s ‘the hed "God! The day I’m jealous of someone like Charlie Pink-eye is the day I’ll coverdead"
"Hilarious," said Benny sourly "What’s with all that Children of God, Children of Lazarus stuff? What are they doing out here?"
"Brother David and his group are all over the Ruin I’ve met travelers who’ve seen them as far east as Pennsylvania Even all the way down to Mexico City I first saw the across the country in an old school bus pulled by horses, with Scripture passages painted all over it Not sure how they got started or who chose the name Even Brother David doesn’t know To him it’s like they alere"
"Is he nuts?"
"I think the expression used to be ‘touched by God’"
"So that would be a yes"