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Everyone nodded

"Keep your weapons slung Right now speed is uards will try to keep the zoms distracted until we’re clear After that, we’re on our own"

"What if we run into a zo

"If we do, I’ll see it first Let me handle it If it coave them all a hard look "I don’t want any heroics I’ up on Zak’s porch You should have called me or Captain Strunk That’s not exactly the way to be warrior s way frohter doesn’t take needless risks Do you understand?"

They nodded

"No," Toht at the tree line had brightened enough for the like statues Most zo and stand still Benny had seen zoled around their legs He still wasn’t sure if that was sad or terrifying

Toate

"Get ready," he said quietly, then waved to the sergeant in charge of the night shift The sergeant whistled, and hison dru the fence line The zoh whatever senses they possessed by the noise and ray-lipped rislyup the field Benny and his friends watched with awful fascination

"It’s so strange," said Nix quietly "How can they be dead and do that? React to sound? Follow? Hunt?"

"No one knows," said To They can go years and years without decaying anyshook his head "There has to be an answer So in science"

"As far as we know, all the scientists are dead," said Toeneral practitioner"

"Has he ever examined one?" asked Nix

"No," said Toested it to hiht help us understand what they are and e’re up against That was not long after First Night, e still thought there was a way to win He calledit I tried him a couple of other times since, but Doc says that science ends at the fence line"

"What does that mean?" asked Nix

"It means," Tom said, "that Doc Gurijala believes that whateverelse"

Nix cocked an eyebrow "Magic?"

Toic is fairy-tale stuff If this is happening, then there has to be an explanation Maybe Doc Gurijala doesn’t know enough science to understand what’s happening I mean … this has to be a specialty"

"Like …?" Nix asked

"I don’t know Physics Molecular biology Genetics Who knows? Just because we don’t have anyone here who understands it doesn’t ht into a supernatural answer"

To else?" asked Nix "What about so like that? What if this is so "What--there was nothe earth?"

She shrugged "Why not?"

"Ied "Because you don’t believe in anything?"

"I believe in science"

Nix pointed to the creatures in the field "How does science explain that?"

"I don’t know, Nix, but I believe there’s an answer" Chong cocked his head to one side "Are you saying that you don’t believe in science? Or are you saying that there has to be a religious answer? And since when did you get religious? You skip church as o look

Nix shook her head "I’ that we should keep an open mind Science may not have all the answers"

"I keep a very open et anywhere looking for answers outside of science"

"Why not?"

"Because--"

"Enough!" Lilah’s ghostly voice cut through their debate and silenced the done?"

"Lilah," began Chong, "ere just--"

"No," she barked "No talk Now is the time to run You want answers? Both of you? Find theate and stood with her back to the hands

"Lady has a point," said Tom "Not really the time for this kind of debate Let’s roll"

He clapped Benny on the shoulder and then walked over to join Lilah The field in front of the gate was al along the field

Benny gave Nix and Chong a crooked grin "You two need a referee Jeez"

Nix smiled a cold little sered asaid, "So, where do you stand in all this?"

"Where I usually do," said Benny "Without a freaking clue And right now that feels like a safe place to stand C’o"

The last of the zo the fence line now, and To bar The hinges were alell-oiled to allow for silence Tolooures move away In a weird way he felt sorry for theso easily tricked It felt like taking advantage of soe or a birth defect It felt like bullying, even though that wasn’t at all what it was

To, kiddo?"

Benny nodded toward the zombies, but he didn’t try to explain If anyone would understand, it would be Tom His brother placed a hand on his shoulder

"I know," he said, but added, "But don’t let co a mistake"

"I won’t," Benny assured him, but his voice lacked conviction, even in his own ears

Toave his shoulder a squeeze, then turned to the others