help.
Although there is a pall over the group, I
can’t describe how good it is to see Lynn sitting amongst us once
again. She is thinner, and there are definite circles of tiredness
around her eyes, but she retains some energy. It’s likely due to
her relief at being freed from the night runners. I can’t imagine
the ordeal she must have gone through. I haven’t asked her about
her experiences, but I’m sure she’ll share them later. It’s her
story to tell when she feels ready to tell it and not for me to
pull it out of her.
Although everyone gave Lynn warm welcomes on
our return, they mention again how nice it is to have her back.
“It’s been a long day, so let’s keep this
brief,” I say. I detail the events within the hospital and the
capture of the shooter.
“Lynn, I hate to bring up your ordeal, but
do you have any idea why you were singled out and taken?” Frank
asks.
“I haven’t a clue,” she answers.
“You didn’t receive any indication?” he
continues.
“I really don’t know anything. I was kept in
a closed room with night runners for guards, if you can fathom
that, but I couldn’t gather any reason why.”
“I have to say I find it rather
disconcerting that night runners can speak, let alone have the
cognizance to station guards, but what about those last words you
mentioned the female night runner saying?” Bannerman asks,
directing the question at me.
“I wish I knew. This is as baffling to me as
anyone else. The directed attack into our compound only to grab
Lynn and depart doesn’t make any sense. If the night runners
exhibited normal human behaviors, I would say that the female night
runner was psychotic. I would venture that there was some sort of
obsession going on…you know, the crazy, psycho, rabbit in the pot
kind of crazy. It could be that she was psychotic in her previous
life and that stayed with her when she turned. Perhaps the night
runners carry over some degree of whatever mental characteristics
they had and it manifests in odd ways. Either way, I’m not sure
this is an answer we’ll ever know. I’m not even sure there is a
lesson to be learned from it regarding the night runners,” I
reply.
“The scary thing, aside from them being able
plan something like that, is the pregnancy. Are you sure she was
pregnant?” Frank asks.
“As sure as I can be. It could be something
else, and it was a little sporty in there, but she certainly looked
pregnant to me,” I respond.
“She was,” Lynn adds.
“So, we have to believe that the night
runners can breed. That doesn’t bode well. If their rate of
pregnancy is the same as ours, I don’t have to mention what that
means,” Frank states.
“I’m afraid that may be the case. Of course,
with any animal, they’ll only be able to maintain their population
based on their available food source,” I say.
“That may be true, but at what point will
that become a problem for them?” Bannerman asks, rhetorically.
The unstated question left sitting on the
table is whether we’ll be around to find out. We are already vastly
outnumbered, and the night runner population growth will only
increase the threat to our survival. They can afford great losses
and still sustain themselves; whereas we can scarce afford to lose
anyone. If the math from the CDC reports is accurate, there could
be more than thirty thousand night runners in the area compared to
our meager near three hundred. The silence in the group says that
everyone is doing the math and coming up with frightening answers.
The mood drops even lower.
“Okay…well…we’ll just have to keep on with
what we’re doing. We’ve made it this far and we’ll continue to do
so. Where are we with our local projects?” I ask.
“Well, we’re ready to start with the
housing. We’ll gather materials tomorrow and begin construction.
Oh, and one of the people you brought back is a diesel mechanic, so
we may be in luck with our ability to switch over to
Although there is a pall over the group, I
can’t describe how good it is to see Lynn sitting amongst us once
again. She is thinner, and there are definite circles of tiredness
around her eyes, but she retains some energy. It’s likely due to
her relief at being freed from the night runners. I can’t imagine
the ordeal she must have gone through. I haven’t asked her about
her experiences, but I’m sure she’ll share them later. It’s her
story to tell when she feels ready to tell it and not for me to
pull it out of her.
Although everyone gave Lynn warm welcomes on
our return, they mention again how nice it is to have her back.
“It’s been a long day, so let’s keep this
brief,” I say. I detail the events within the hospital and the
capture of the shooter.
“Lynn, I hate to bring up your ordeal, but
do you have any idea why you were singled out and taken?” Frank
asks.
“I haven’t a clue,” she answers.
“You didn’t receive any indication?” he
continues.
“I really don’t know anything. I was kept in
a closed room with night runners for guards, if you can fathom
that, but I couldn’t gather any reason why.”
“I have to say I find it rather
disconcerting that night runners can speak, let alone have the
cognizance to station guards, but what about those last words you
mentioned the female night runner saying?” Bannerman asks,
directing the question at me.
“I wish I knew. This is as baffling to me as
anyone else. The directed attack into our compound only to grab
Lynn and depart doesn’t make any sense. If the night runners
exhibited normal human behaviors, I would say that the female night
runner was psychotic. I would venture that there was some sort of
obsession going on…you know, the crazy, psycho, rabbit in the pot
kind of crazy. It could be that she was psychotic in her previous
life and that stayed with her when she turned. Perhaps the night
runners carry over some degree of whatever mental characteristics
they had and it manifests in odd ways. Either way, I’m not sure
this is an answer we’ll ever know. I’m not even sure there is a
lesson to be learned from it regarding the night runners,” I
reply.
“The scary thing, aside from them being able
plan something like that, is the pregnancy. Are you sure she was
pregnant?” Frank asks.
“As sure as I can be. It could be something
else, and it was a little sporty in there, but she certainly looked
pregnant to me,” I respond.
“She was,” Lynn adds.
“So, we have to believe that the night
runners can breed. That doesn’t bode well. If their rate of
pregnancy is the same as ours, I don’t have to mention what that
means,” Frank states.
“I’m afraid that may be the case. Of course,
with any animal, they’ll only be able to maintain their population
based on their available food source,” I say.
“That may be true, but at what point will
that become a problem for them?” Bannerman asks, rhetorically.
The unstated question left sitting on the
table is whether we’ll be around to find out. We are already vastly
outnumbered, and the night runner population growth will only
increase the threat to our survival. They can afford great losses
and still sustain themselves; whereas we can scarce afford to lose
anyone. If the math from the CDC reports is accurate, there could
be more than thirty thousand night runners in the area compared to
our meager near three hundred. The silence in the group says that
everyone is doing the math and coming up with frightening answers.
The mood drops even lower.
“Okay…well…we’ll just have to keep on with
what we’re doing. We’ve made it this far and we’ll continue to do
so. Where are we with our local projects?” I ask.
“Well, we’re ready to start with the
housing. We’ll gather materials tomorrow and begin construction.
Oh, and one of the people you brought back is a diesel mechanic, so
we may be in luck with our ability to switch over to
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