Novels by Phil Joses

MAREN“Let me speak to her.”Ronan lowered the radio. “You know her?”“She was my supervisor.”He handed it over and showed me the button to hold down.“Nadia? It’s Maren.”For a moment, only static came through. I pictured Nadia standing in her office, listening while she decided whether knowing me mattered more than the report beside my name.“Maren Ellis?”“Yes.”“Your scout mentioned you. Is the alert true?”“No. I wasn’t bitten.”“It says your husband saw it happen.”“He lied.”“What happened?”I glanced at Ronan. He stayed beside the counter, letting me answer for myself.“Grant transferred my evacuation pass to Celeste Mercer. When our infected neighbour came towards us, he pushed me into our garden and locked the gate.”Nadia did not reply immediately.“I climbed out, but the neighbour grabbed my ankle. I got away before he could bite me.”“Where is Grant?”“At the settlement beyond the eastern checkpoint.”“We supply them. Their registry updates come through here.”“Then you

MAREN“They’re refusing entry to the entire convoy if you bring Maren Ellis.”I looked at Ronan, waiting for him to tell the man there had been a mistake. He had seen my ankle. Tessa had checked every injury and written down what happened.“Our medic examined her,” he said. “There are no bites.”“The report says her husband witnessed one.”“Then let them read the examination record. She can stay in quarantine while they review it.”Ronan stepped outside, but I could still hear the radio through the open door. Another man answered. “Only our intake officer can overturn an infection alert.”“Put me through.”“They’re no longer accepting referrals.”“So who reviews a false report?”“You’ll have to try another centre.”I lowered my eyes to the blanket covering my legs. Grant had stopped answering my calls, but people who had never met him were still listening to what he said about me.Outside, someone asked Ronan what was happening. He answered quietly, and more voices joined the conversa

MARENGrant had reported me infected while I was still trying to reach him. I read the notification again, checking the name and identification number. Both were mine. Beneath them, my husband claimed he had seen our neighbour bite me before we separated.Separated. That was how he described locking me inside the garden and driving away.“Please stop,” I said.Ronan glanced at the phone in my hands. “We’re almost there.”“I know. Stop before we reach them.”He pulled onto an empty petrol station forecourt, and I handed him the phone.“He lied.”Ronan read the report while I pulled up my trouser leg. The fabric caught against the swelling, but I kept tugging until the bruises were visible.“You checked it. He grabbed me here, but he didn’t bite.”“I remember.”“I can show you the other leg.”“Maren, you don’t need to hurt yourself.”My hands stopped moving. He had noticed before I did that I was pulling the fabric against my injured ankle. I let go and watched him pick up his radio.“T

MARENMr. Henshaw pulled my ankle, dragging my foot off the crossbar before I could swing it over the gate.I hooked my elbows around the upper rail and held on. His fingers tightened as I kicked backwards with my other foot, catching him near the forehead.“Let go!”He opened his mouth and lunged towards my calf. I pulled my knee up, but he held on to my shoe until my heel slipped out of it.The sudden release nearly made me fall. I dragged myself over the top rail and dropped onto the pavement, landing with my ankle twisted beneath me. I felt unbearable pain throughout my leg.I tried to stand, but my foot would not take my weight. Through the bars, Mr. Henshaw reached towards me, still holding my shoe in his other hand. I pushed myself away from the gate and struggled upright.The evacuation vehicle had turned the corner, but I could still hear its engine. Perhaps the driver would stop if he heard me. Perhaps Grant would finally look back and realise what he had done.“Grant!”I li

MAREN“Your evacuation pass has already been used.”I looked at the scanner in the driver’s hand, then at the vehicle waiting behind him. “That’s not possible. I just came outside.”He checked the screen again. “Maren Ellis?”“Yes. My husband brought both our passes out a few minutes ago.”That had to be the problem. Grant probably handed them over together, and the driver scanned mine before I arrived.I adjusted the bag on my shoulder. “He’s already inside. Could you ask him?”The driver turned towards the open door.“Grant,” I called. “They think I’ve already boarded.”My husband appeared, but before he stepped down, I saw the woman sitting behind him.Celeste Mercer.Her daughter was tucked against her side, and Grant’s jacket lay across her knees. I stared at her. She was supposed to be miles away, staying with relatives. At least, that was what Grant told me when I asked why she kept calling.“What is she doing here?”Grant stepped onto the pavement. “Maren, come over here.”“Th