My a frappyas teyr gweyth war baros an kert – hemm re via ow sinell ragordenys dhe Bowl ha Charles (hwath salow y’n kab – po salow dre gomparyson dhyn ni). My a omdreylyas troha Jude, lemmyn berr hy anall. “An termyn re dheuth rag igeri an gwerthji, Jude. Ny yll Dav’ na fella aga gwitha hardhva a-dro dhodho,” yn-medhav, berr ow anall ow honan. “Hwi a yll dehweles diwettha – my a wra gasa an kert. Ha ni ow kows a-dro dhe’n traow, y fydh dhywgh nebes gwestoryon.” Meur hy marth, Jude a viras orthymm: “Gwestoryon?” Y’n tor’ na, y teuth worthyp dh’y hwestyon yn furv a Bowl ha Charles ow hoedha dhiworth to an kert – lettyes aga hoedh gans eseli an kadonyow denel esa hwath owth oberi yn-danna. “Ryeleth” hogen re ervirsa forsakya kommendyansow formel rag krambla a-ugh eseli an kadonyow (esa lemmyn ow koedha dhe demmyn) ha tremena uskis dre dharasow an lyverva hag yn salowder komparek. Y’n tor’ na, gwask an zombis a dorras dre an defensow ha grudhow ow krakkya a-dheuth dhiworth yn-dann leghow darasow delergh an kert (hwath apert). An kadonyow denel a weskis an tambour rag an kildenn ha my a herdhyas Jude yn harow yn-mes delergh an kert. Hy hoedh ynwedh a gevis pluvek dre geynow an re erell. My a lammas dhe’n dor ha degea fast darasow an kert-yeynell gans tros bras. (Nyns esa skians vyth dhe asa ayr toemm ynno, a nyns esa?) Yth esa an jynn- disel hwath owth oberi – hag ytho an yeynell keffrys – mes dres pes termyn? A-dhistowgh, dew yntra’n zombis ogas dhymm a settyas dalghenn warnav ha, dres pols, my a ombrederi mar worfennsa ow chons vy. Ny worfennsa ev. Furv Davydh a dardhas der an wask (yn hwir, a-ugh an wask) bos uskis dhe’m tu, ow frappya orth an re neb re’m dalghennsa. Ev a vedhyglas gans nerth nowydhhes – hag, unnweyth arta,yth heveli an dor shakya. Davydh re salwsa ow bywnans – arta. Gonn meur ras, ‘vata. Jude o an diwettha yntra’n dreusvyworyon Baillieu dasentra a-bervedh. Hi a daryas yn aswa an darasow-gweder apert. “’Beder!” a armas hi. “Deus a-bervedh.” Ny allsa hemma hwarvos – heb Davydh.
I banged three times on the inside of the truck walls – this had been my pre- arranged signal to Paul and Charles, who were still (relatively) safe inside the cab. I turned to the now-breathless Jude. “Time to shut up shop now, Jude. Dave can’t keep them at bay for much longer,” I said, breathless myself. “You can come back later – I’m leaving the truck. And, by the way, you’ve got guests.” Jude looked at me in amazement: “Guests?” Paul and Charles answered her question at that moment by tumbling from the truck’s roof – their fall broken by the human chains still working beneath them. Even “Royalty” decided to dispense with formal introductions and clambered over the members of the now-disintegrating chains, passing hurriedly through the library doors to comparative safety. At that moment, the zombie press broke through and snapping jaws appeared beneath the sills of the truck’s still-open rear doors. The human chain sounded the retreat and I pushed Jude roughly out of the cargo section of the truck. Her fall, too, was cushioned by the backs of the others. I jumped to the ground and slammed the refrigerated truck’s rear door firmly shut. (No sense in letting the warm air in, was there?) The diesel engine was still running – and so was the refrigeration unit – but for how long? I was abruptly seized by two of the closest zombies and, briefly wondered if my luck had run out. It hadn’t. The figure of David burst through (actually, over) the press and was swiftly at my side, beating at those who had seized me. He roared with renewed vigour – and, once again, the Earth seemed to shake. David had saved my life – again. Thanks, mate. Jude was the last of the Baillieu survivors to get back inside. She lingered at the open glass doors. “Pete!” she yelled. “Come back in.” This wasn’t going to happen – not without David.langbot langbot