Defensive Instinct (Survival Instinct Book 4) by Kristal Stittle Page B

couldn’t relax if he was in the container yard too long.
    Once the food had been eaten, and all but one of the lights turned off, the group of six made their way into their sleeping bags. Bryce was given the van seat that night, as well as first watch. Danny’s was in the middle of the night, his least favourite time, but then no one liked taking the middle watches and so they rotated. Curling up, Danny held the corner of his pillow with both hands, remembering an old stuffed animal he had lost when the Diana sank. As he closed his eyes, he tried to think of bright sunny days in the container yard, as opposed to the pitch-black murk of the sea.
    In the moonless dark outside, things moved in the shadows. This was the case every night, but something was different. Something stayed still, its eyes upon the garage where the scavengers rested inside. The watcher’s gaze was filled with intent.

5
Riley’s Concerned
     
    While the canoes were being loaded, Riley sifted through her packed bag again, making sure she had everything she needed. She wanted to go through the coolers as well, but once they were pulled out of the cold water of the large bay, it was a bad idea to open them.
    “Mom, did you grab my hair brush?” Hope asked, going through her own bag.
    “It’s in the side pocket,” Riley said, gesturing to her daughter’s bag. She watched as Hope found the brush and packed it in a different pocket. Although she still left the bag packing to her mom, Hope had begun having her own ideas about what went where. Riley was glad her daughter had decided to come with her.
    “Five more minutes!” Karsten called out in his German accent. He was in charge of the canoe voyage, currently making sure that all the supplies they were giving to the people at the Black Box were properly loaded. All along the end of the large cement dock were people making last minute preparations. Riley had intended for this to be a small journey, but apparently Karsten had other ideas. He had been overdue for a shipment, and when Riley had requested some boats, he thought now was as good a time as any. Riley couldn’t begrudge the man for doing his job, for turning several trips into one, but it did mean they were leaving considerably later than she had wanted.
    Hope didn’t mind the delay at all as it meant she got to spend the morning with her friends. Her hair was still damp and soaking the back of her shirt from their swim that morning.
    “Once your hair is dry, remember to put your head gear back on,” Riley reminded her offhandedly.
    “I know, Mom,” her daughter responded with a roll of her eyes, a habit she had no doubt picked up from Riley herself: those eyes that were the exact same as her father’s.
    “Are you excited to see Peter?” Riley changed topics.
    “Yes!” Hope grinned at her, showing all of her teeth which were a mix of adult and baby, with a gap along the bottom where one had recently vacated. “It’s been years!”
    “It’s been four months, actually,” Riley told her.
    “Which is like years when you’re not an old fogey,” Hope retorted.
    “Are you calling your mom an old fogey?” One of Riley’s patients was sitting nearby and overheard the conversation. “Because I don’t know what that would make me.”
    “You’re a cool old dude, Mr. Bill,” Hope told the white-haired man who liked to tell pre-zombie stories to the kids.
    “I’m a cool old dude,” Bill said to Riley in a proud voice, yet lifting his eyebrows in a knowing way that made Riley chuckle.
    “All right, gear’s packed up. Everyone prepare to board,” Karsten called over everybody’s heads.
    Riley performed a quick head count of her patients, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anyone and that no one had run off to grab a last minute item. They were all present. Forming orderly lines, those that were taking the trip to the Black Box began to board the canoes. The cement dock was very high, which meant they had to climb down