Unable to get in, the Bandits surrounded the hotel, causing all the guests to question what they were planning. “What are they doing?” Vincent, Andy, Keith and Beth all peered through the room curtains outside. “That one appears to be lighting a bottle, and that one too actually. That one as well! Wait…” Keith realised what was happening, “Oh no, everyone back!” He yelled as they all dived in between the two beds. “What’s happening?” Beth panicked. “They’re making firebombs. This hotel is gonna burn.” Andy and Vincent now looked distressed as well, “So what help is hiding behind a bed gonna do for us?” Keith answered, “If the Bandits got in, they could be in these corridors right now.” This lead Andy to a realisation however. “Wait, if the hotel is going to burn from the firebombs, then that must mean the Bandits couldn’t get inside. Therefore… well, Run!” They all sprinted to the door, now taking shelter in the corridor.
The Bandits moved on from the refugee camp, as Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief. She emerged from the bushes cautiously, searching the area around her for anyone alive. She moved through the refugee camp in the same direction the Bandits went, preparing to take a few out from behind while looking for help at the same time. Her attention was redirected however by the sound of glass and an explosion in the direction of the hotel. Down the road, she noticed the Bandits firebombing the building. However, this had also caused the Bandits to turn, exposing Annabelle’s cover. Instantly, she was put into a headlock by Kyle, “How lovely to see you again!” He planted his gun against her head, “Now tell me, where’s your mother?”
The hotel was in complete disarray. Many of the residents ran out into the corridors, screaming and on fire. “We’ve got to help some of these people!” Keith suggested, but Vincent and Andy pulled him back, “Every room is a fiery blaze right now!” The smoke was causing them to cough immensely, “If we try to help anyone, we ourselves will die!” They began staggering to find a way out. “Fire extinguisher,” Keith pointed, choking massively. Vincent picked it up, and sprayed it into the corridor, clearing the smoke away, “Quickly, run!” Andy and Beth put Keith’s arms around their shoulders, carrying him off.
“Slow down Erica!” Price and Olivia followed her. “I can’t! You’ve seen the hotel, what if they firebomb my house as well? My daughter!” She maintained her recklessly quick pace. As they turned a corner, they noticed half a dozen Bandits shooting away with their backs turned to them. Price raised his pistol thoughtlessly, “No Price don’t!” Olivia tried to stop him, but he was set on a path of defence, and opened fire at the Bandits. Olivia and Erica took shelter behind one of the buildings. “Price! Get over here idiot!” But he was outgunned, his body was rifled with bullet holes by the remaining Bandits. “No!” Erica wanted to help him, but Olivia pulled her back, “I’m sorry, he’s gone.” While Erica grieved, Olivia peered around the corner, noticing three Bandits approaching them. Pulling out her revolver, she checked that the barrel had six bullets in it – and luckily it did. She took a deep breath, then peered around the corner again, shooting one of the Bandits dead, taking cover from the return fire. She then peered around again, shooting the second one. “One more.”
Erica stole Olivia’s revolver from her. “This one’s mine,” She exposed herself, and aimlessly shot at the Bandit; but she missed. The Bandit shot her in the shoulder, knocking her back down to the ground. “Erica! No!” Olivia slipped out her axe, waiting for the Bandit to get closer. She saw his shadow coming into view, and let out an enormous war cry and she ran at him while crouched. Plummeting him to the ground, she unforgivingly sliced straight through his neck with her axe.
With his two henchmen behind him and Annabelle in his grasp, Kyle progressed through the streets in an attempt to find Gwen. “Let’s try this one last time: Where. Is. She?” He pressed the gun even harder against her head, but Annabelle didn’t answer him. On a manhole cover up ahead, he could hear someone banging on it from the other side. “Open it,” he ordered his henchmen, who obeyed his command. Opening the hatch, the Bandit offered Gwen his hand, hoisting her up from the ladder. Kyle smiled maliciously.
NOW
“Any last words?” Kyle asked Gwen. “Your father and I always loved you,” she continued to look at her daughter, “We’ll be watching you, forever. I love you so much.” She turned away from her. Annabelle closed her eyes. Then, a gunshot rang out into the night…
Kyle’s malicious smile had changed to a frown of pain, as he twitched all over. He slowly looked down, revealing a gunshot wound just beneath his throat. He gasped for air, but it could clearly be heard escaping through the wound. Two more gunshots followed, both of the henchmen apprehending Annabelle were killed. Flexing her arms, she turned around noticing her saviour – it was Olivia. She held her revolver out, all six bullets fired now. Annabelle nodded to her as if to thank her.
Rising to her feet slowly, Gwen’s look of despair had turned to mercilessness. “You took my husband from me. You nearly took my daughter from me. You nearly took me.” Curled up on the ground, Kyle’s face began to redden and swell up with bulging veins. Gwen crouched down in front of him. “I never planned on killing you, I only wanted to corporally destroy you.” She dragged him by his arms next to the manhole. “My husband went up, but you’re going down. So very far down. You’ll be lucky if the devil lets you in, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were sent further.” She lifted him upright, sending him straight down into the sewers. As he collided with the floor, it was obvious several bones inside him broke just from the sound which echoed out.
Olivia and Annabelle watched Gwen in horror. “I… I saw Elliot… at the gate just now,” she tried to change the subject, but was still terrified of what she had just seen Gwen do. “I got a couple of guys to take him to the hospital,” she continued, “He looked rather grey, and I noticed the wound on his arm. What happened Gwen?” She looked over to her, “Shot… he was shot,” she sounded ghastly, and slowly strolled over to hear daughter. Weaving her hands through her daughter’s hair, she began to smile again, “You’re ok.” They happily embraced. Olivia on the other hand was still suspicious about the circumstances which had caused Elliot’s injury.
In the hospital, Elliot and Erica were both being treated in the same room. “Well, the good news is,” the nurse began, “You’re both going to survive. The bad news is; we’ve suffered a major loss.” They both looked at her strangely, “Who?” Erica asked, but the nurse hesitated to answer, “Just tell us who Tina! Please.” She sighed, and nodded, “Steven.” Elliot’s expression turned into shock and realisation, “Steven?” He had to be sure. “We found him at the gate. There was an open wound in the side of his throat, and blood pouring out his mouth. He either bled to death or choked on his own blood.” Elliot leant his head back, his eyes slightly watering, “Olivia… where is she? I want to see her.” Tina shook her head, “Olivia is fine, she has requested to be alone at this time however.” Elliot jumped up off his bed, “I want to see her… please.” Again, Tina shook her head, “I’m sorry. Look, I’ll ask her, ok? Just wait here.” He nodded, “Thank you.” As Tina left the room, Elliot turned to face Erica, “I heard about Price,” he began, drawing her attention to him, “I’m sorry. I wish I’d have known him better.” She nodded in thanks, as Elliot continued, “Did you find your daughter in the end? Did anyone?” She shook her head as a tear rolled out, “She’s still out there… somewhere. Right? I mean, she has to be. Right Elliot?” He went over to the bed she was on, “I’m sure she is.” As Erica began to let out more tears, he hugged her, patting her on the back. “You’ll see her again. I promise…”
Chapter 5
“How did it happen?” Gwen was telling Annabelle, Vincent and Andy about Steven’s death. “There’s several theories. The most likely one is that one of the Bandits stabbed him in the throat. He would’ve died shortly thereafter.” Everyone felt guilt for what had happened. “It’s our fault you know,” Vincent voiced what everyone else was thinking, therefore no one disagreed,
“The Bandits followed us to this place. We could have gone anywhere, but we lead them into a functional civilisation. Do you know how rare that is nowadays? We just squandered a now once in a lifetime chance.” Gwen tried to reassure him, “We didn’t know they were going to come after us. Annabelle wanted revenge, she took it. That should have evened the playing field.” But Annabelle didn’t try to defend herself, “Mum, Vincent’s right. We came here, we brought hell upon these people. I should’ve killed Kyle there and then. I wanted to make him feel my pain, If I knew it would’ve caused more deaths, I would have taken him out without a second thought.” Gwen comforted her daughter, “Don’t blame yourself dear,” she rubbed her back, “I would’ve done the same thing in your position. I think any of us would, right guys?” She glared up at Vincent and Andy – regardless of what they really thought, she needed them to agree. “Yeah, definitely,” Andy unconvincingly responded.
Inside the city walls, there was a graveyard. It was a small and mostly unfilled graveyard, but it was still a place to respect the dead. Nearly half of the previously available spaces had now been taken up by the death toll of the Bandits’ invasion. The Graves built post-apocalypse were constructed out of wood. Struggling to cope, Olivia stood in front of her brother’s grave: a wooden cross engraved with ‘STEVEN’ on it. Erica and Keith stood with her for moral support. “Every time I think about it… I just think, this can’t happen. Ever. Not to him.” She laid her head on Erica’s shoulder, “How is it possible to lose someone you knew from a different life? Because that’s how it feels. I think back to our best sibling moments before the apocalypse. It feels like another lifetime now.” Erica and Keith looked to each other, lost for words, “I can’t even imagine, I’m so sorry Olivia. You have to stay strong though. It’s what he would want, isn’t it?” She pulled her head off Erica’s shoulder, and nodded through the tears rolling down her face. “He was thirty-five years old. That’s no age for dying at. His life was only beginning. He was a natural leader. In years to come I always imagined people remembering him as an ancient hero. It’s too soon for that, I’m not ready. How can an ancient hero be ancient when you knew them personally? My last words to him, I don’t remember them. But I know they were something meant with anger. I’ll never get to make that up to him now.” Erica embraced her, “I’m sure he knows somehow.”
Elliot was at the harbour again, staring down at the Thames. This time however, he could hear Gwen approaching and would not be startled. “You still think I’m not cursed?” He berated himself, still looking down at the water. “Steven’s death wasn’t your fault, Elliot,” Gwen tried to reassure him. “Except it literally was. I was the one who advised you guys about heading for London. The route I suggested was what caused us to encounter the Bandits in the first place. That’s when Annabelle took revenge, and ever since then I would presume the Bandits had been following us.” Gwen didn’t know what to say, as she partly agreed it was his fault, but did not believe he was cursed still, “Alright. Ok then, you want to play the game of root causes? I was the one who brought you back to my group, therefore does that make Steven’s death my fault too?” He nodded, which she did not expect, “You should’ve just pulled the trigger on me when you had the chance.” Still, she disagreed with him, “Alright well let’s go back another layer then. Vincent caused Steven’s death for driving us to London.” Again, Elliot nodded, but Gwen was persistent. “My husband caused his death too in that case. Him existing meant he would have to die eventually just like everyone. If Kyle hadn’t of killed him, Annabelle would never have taken revenge and thus the Bandits wouldn’t have come to London. Then that also implies it’s my mother-in-law’s fault too for giving birth to my husband many years ago.” Elliot walked away from her, “I’m not doing this Gwen. Not now.” She snapped at him, “You know what Elliot, fine. Just you walk off into the sunset, I won’t chase after you this time! If you’re going to go, then just go!” He turned around, with a conspicuous look on his face, “I’m not leaving, Gwen. I won’t let Olivia down. Not this time.”
That evening at the bar, the mood was very quiet and dull. “Anyone up for a game of cards?” Keith broke the silence, but everyone simply just gave him a look as if to say ‘What do you think?’ He regressed back into silence. Over the other side of the bar, Vincent leant over to him and quietly said, “It’s a bit dead in here. I’m down for playing some blackjack if you are.” He nodded with a look of gratitude. “Meet me in my room,” Vincent poured two beers, and headed off. Keith turned to his missus, “Beth, blackjack upstairs. You coming?” She looked at him puzzlingly, “Upstairs? You mean in the rooms which were burnt to a crisp just yesterday?” Keith shrugged, “And? Could be a fun atmosphere. Please?” Keith smiled at her for a few moments while she frowned at him, but then she gave in and smiled back, “Alright fine then.” They headed off after Vincent.
At the other end of the bar, Andy was discussing the depth of the attack with the nurse, Tina. “So the gunshot on Elliot’s arm, you’re saying it couldn’t have been a bandit who did that?” He was confused by Elliot’s injury. “When I treated him, it was as though the wound had been open for a considerable amount of time. On top of that, the appearance of it, it just looks too perfect. If it was done by a bandit, the wound wouldn’t be as streamlined.” Andy looked inquisitive, “Well what are you saying?” She sighed, “Whoever shot him was aiming for his arm, and clearly didn’t patch it up. My analysis showed that the wound was exposed to the open air for a while. Now there are two possibilities: Either it was someone aiming beyond Elliot, but the bullet just unluckily grazed him. Or, someone wanted him to bleed to death, but by shooting the edge of his arm, it was disguised as an accident.” Andy thought hard, “Wait. So who found him? And where?” Tina finished her drink, “Gwen was the one who brought him in, but I didn’t ask her where she found him.” She stood up, “I have to get back to the hospital. After the attack quite a few people are injured. Nice talking to you though,” she headed out of the bar, almost unnoticed by Andy, who was stuck in even deeper thought now, “Gwen…”
The remaining survivors of the attack had been summoned to the city centre again. The sight of it made Elliot nervous, for the last time he was here he had nearly been executed. There were visibly fewer amounts of residents now. All eyes were on Olivia, “Now I’m not going to lie,” she truthfully opened her speech, “We are in trouble. We are in very big trouble indeed. The Bandits’ attack not only has left us with fewer numbers, but our food supplies are also heavily depleted.” Everyone looked around at each other, whispering in shock. “So everyone now has a choice to make. Without Steven, it will be difficult to recover. But together, we can still survive nonetheless! All the stores in our camp were either raided or destroyed, for some of you that may be incentive enough to leave this place. If so, that is your choice. No one will stop you from leaving,” She looked at Elliot briefly who turned away from her, “However I know that for some of you, this place has been your home for a long time. Should you wish to stand by it, then you may do that as well! The armoury will be open for the next hour. I ask only that everyone takes a minimum of two firearms at the most – regardless if you are leaving or staying.” She prepared to continue her speech, but then gave up on it, and walked off.
Out of care, Elliot had followed Olivia to wherever she was headed; even if she wasn’t heading anywhere. She made her way to the docks just at the edge of the walls where there was a small boat. She climbed down the ladder, and jumped onto the boat. Elliot watched curiously. Just like a standard boat, the driver’s area was sheltered, as she tried revving the engine several times. Catching on to what she was doing, Elliot stepped out from his cover and called down to her, “Olivia!” She looked up in surprise, and tried to start the engine more desperately now, “Olivia stop!” He climbed down onto the boat after her.
Rushing over to her, he stood in front of the steering wheel. “Move out of my way now, Elliot,” She sounded partly upset, but determined as well.
“Just wait, just think about what you’re doing! That speech you just gave; you’re seriously going to run from this place? You’re giving up Steven’s legacy?” She stopped trying to reach for the pull-cord. “How can I stay here Elliot? Every single corner, every single street. Everywhere I look from now on it’ll just be memories of him. This was his safe-haven, this was where he died, and you said it yourself, it’s his legacy. Not mine.” She tried reaching for the pull chord again, but Elliot grabbed her arm, “Please don’t go!” She looked up at him earnestly. He sighed, “Look, if you really want to go, then we can go. You’ll never make it by yourself. Just like the old days, I’m coming with you.” She nodded cynically, “Just like the old days you say? In that case, where is Steven? Where is Charlie? Where is Ryan?” Elliot turned away from her, “They’re not here anymore. None of them are,” he reminisced and faced her again, “We’re the last two left out of that entire group, ‘Liv. We need to act like it and stand together until we go down.” Finally, she showed signs of a smile. “That’s more like it!” Elliot was happier too, “Now, you wait here. I’m going to grab us some weapons from the armoury, and say goodbye to my group. I’ll only be a few minutes, promise.” He headed off, but Olivia grabbed him, “Wait,” She gave him a hug, prompting him to hug her back.
With two shotguns in their arms, Keith and Beth had decided to leave the city. “You’re absolutely certain you want to go?” Vincent had made good friends with both them. Remorsefully, they nodded. “Come here you two,” They all shared a hug, “Good luck out there.” They smiled at him appreciatively, as they got into a saloon car. Driving off slowly, Keith beeped the horn to say goodbye, as everyone waved back at them. “You ready for this?” He asked Beth, as he nodded over her tears, “Let’s go then…”
Human Nature (Book 1): Human Nature I Page 5