“I think I found my size.” He said before he broke into a wide grin.
Standing straight, she gave him a once over before she chuckled and shook her head, “Yuh got to take it yuh know. Me nah tink me seen yuh in any other shirt den da one yuh wearin’.” She teased at him.
“I have two thank you very much.” Dane quipped back.
He found himself huffing out a chuckle and smirking at her comment. Nodding his head with his eyes cast downwards, he folded the large garment and packed it in his pack. Quinta sifted through the clothes on the floor only for her eyes to land on a used iron tucked in the corner. Her eyes lit up as she quickly rushed over and grabbed it. Looking it over, she wrapped the cord around the iron and pushed it into her bag. Lifting the pack, she tested the weight vs her strength. Last thing she needed was a horde to attack and she was weighed down because of greed.
Upon the last dryer, Dane walked up and down to check the coin slots and found nothing. Soon they were finished and standing beside each other. Dane slung his pack over his shoulder before he slumped against the wall beside Quinta and patiently waited for her to finish her bag. His arms were folded with his bat balanced on the nearest machine. Just as she was about to set out in search for a bathroom, Dane's voice caught her attention.
“Ready to report back to Master Mike? I'm not. If it weren't for curfew I wouldn't mind staying here a bit longer. Really brings back memories, not all are good but it's nostalgic, don't you think?” He questioned.
Sliding a machete from the sling off her back, Quinta turned fully towards him and rubbed her knuckles against her chin, “Yeah it does. Quiet wit out rules. Only ting we missin’ is Addie. But me nah ready to go yet, me got to find a bathroom. Dis looks like it won't be too bad, comin’ wit’ me?” She asked while she made her way across the room and towards the back.
Dane found himself giving Quinta a warm, familiar look as she went about reminiscing. Pointing out the need for a bathroom, Dane was ready to head out and now it all came to a screeching halt for a good purpose. He had their curfew in mind but he was ignoring the fact that he had to use as well.
He grabbed his bat and followed her, “The men's is pretty nice, the woman's not so much but neither have paper.” He said to her.
Leading the way as he took her silence as a “Yes”, he brushed by her with a touched on her arm. Casting a look over his shoulder for her to follow, he pushed the men's door open for her. Putting his bag on the floor, he dug out a thing of toilet paper. The stall door shut before he leaned over and held it out to her.
Grabbing the paper from him, Quinta undid her pants, “Tank yuh.” She answered to him.
The corners of his mouth turned upwards, “No problem.” He replied.
Getting one of the water bottles out, he waited until Quinta started to relieve herself before he unzipped his fly and went in the urinal. Their sounds didn't bother the other for they were used to close-quarter bathroom breaks. They were forced to strip and bathe together when they first arrived at the sanctuary.
Survival had no space for modesty.
Shaking himself once he was finished, he zipped his pants up and poured a bit of water into his hands. Rubbing his hands together, Quinta met with him while he did the same with her and she wiped her palms dry on her shirt. While he twisted the cap back on the water bottle, Dane put the container back within his bag and turned to face Quinta. As soon as she glanced upwards to meet those soft brown hues with his solid blue ones, he broke into a quiet smile and looked away.
Dane's smile was infectious as Quinta looked down and away as well, “What yuh smilin’ about?” she questioned.
Dane huffed out a laugh while he shook his head and grabbed for his bag, “Nothing, nothing at all.” He answered.
In that moment of silence, Quinta bent down to grab her machete before she cleared her throat and licked her lips, “So are yuh goin to show me da boss's room?” She whispered to him.
Dane's gaze lit up as he nodded his head and pulled his bag over his back, “Oh yeah! You've got to see this thing.” He answered her.
Reaching out to grab the handle for the bathroom door, there was a sudden crash in the hallway right outside the door. Dane's body tensed and Quinta's stomach dropped in unison. He was quick to push his palm against the door with one hand. He pointed back to his bat while she reached over and grabbed it for him before she handed it over.
“Me thought yuh said the place was clear...” She whispered to him.
Dane nodded his head as he grabbed his bat and placed his ear to the door, “I did...” he responded to her.
Quinta's damp palms held a firm grip on the end of her blade as she shuffled closer to Dane's body. Glancing down at her, he wrapped his arm around her small shoulders and brought her closer to his side. Huddled close, Quinta mimicked him and put her ear to the door as well. A thick, tense silence filled the room while the sound of shifting paper and a hollow echo from an unidentifiable object knocked into the wall. Blood rushed through their bodies as a cocktail of fear and adrenaline began to kick start their hearts. Quinta's head slowly tilted back to make eye contact with Dane who then nodded his head.
Backing away from him, Quinta cursed herself mentally for leaving her bag at the front, but there was no time to feel ashamed. They would have to work with what they brought. Dane's finger wrapped around the door handle and slowly pulled it open. The first thing that caught Quinta off guard was the sight of spilled paper contents on the floor right by the entrance. Cautiously Quinta peered out and down the hallway to find a tall, metal trashcan rocking gently from side to side on the floor. This only confirmed that someone or something was in the building with them.
With one foot in front of the other, Quinta paced herself a few steps with Dane right behind her with his bat raised. The room that held the machines came into view on her right. They caught sight of her bag and the barricade they'd made; untouched. Holding her breath, Quinta took a glance back at Dane to see that he had noticed as well. Nodding his head to the right, Quinta crouched down and stole across the room to retrieve her items.
Her shaken hands grabbed her bag, pulled it over her arms, and pulled the other machete out of its sheath. Dane hadn't moved an inch as he kept an eye on the hall ahead of him and the room that Quinta was in. Not wanting to risk the possibility of something sneaking up on them had he moved, he pointed to the chairs to which Quinta nodded. As quietly as she could, Quinta lifted one chair off the other and placed it out of the way. Out of her own paranoia she would glance back at Dane to see that he was still frozen in place before she'd continue. Her breath was held in fear that whatever it was would be able to hear her movements.
Seeing that Quinta was on the last couple of chairs, Dane took one step closer to the room only for a loud crash of glass shattering and knocking against each other kicked him into a sprint for the office against his usual better judgment. Quinta's nerves caused her to lose grip on the chair as she took off for Dane. Her own panted breaths were all she heard as she stomped down the hallway and into the office. Prepared to help him fight off whatever stalked them, Quinta skid across broken fragments of brown glass only to find nothing.
At least nothing in the sense of a threat to their lives. Glancing back at all corners of the room, she then allowed her gaze to fall onto Dane's broad back once more. He was standing by the open window whose blinds were ripped, separated, and destroyed. Dane's bat limply rested against his leg while he scanned the exterior of the building from one side to the other. Clenching her jaw, Quinta took a step towards him while glass crunched beneath her boot.
“W-what was dat?” She asked him all while she threw another glance over her shoulder.
Slowly, Dane backed away from the window to show the grim, serious expression on his face. “I don't know.” He answered her truthfully.
Obviously shaken, Quinta swallowed harshly while she licked her lips again, “Yuh didn't see it? W-what are we goin’ to do?” She asked.
; Seeing that Quinta's calm was broken and for the first time in knowing her, she was legitimately scared, Dane grabbed a hold of her shoulders, “Calm down.” he whispered.
Wrapping his arms around her shoulders to bring her into a short yet warm embrace, Quinta nodded her face against his rib cage. In that moment Dane was worried and Quinta's hunch about being watched was proven to be more than intuition. Knowing now that this part of the map was a breeding ground for those things, Dane felt survival mode settle over his shoulders. To protect her, to protect him, and hopefully the ones across the street from them.
Giving one last grip to her shoulders, Dane pulled Quinta away and stared down into her face with this overwhelmed need to save her, “We're going to get out of here. Right now.”
Chapter 7
Dane's hands were still gripped to Quinta's shoulders while he slowly blew a breath between his lips. He tried to instill her with a sense of security with his eyes and pushed his own treacherous thoughts about what possibly followed them away. Wetting his lips, Dane led the way out of the office and into the front room again before he continued where Quinta had left off. Taking the chairs down, beads of sweat slid down the side of his face and jaw.
Quinta slipped her arms through the loops of her bag before she shut her eyes and tried to force herself to relax. If there was one thing that she learned through all of this, was that fear killed people. Death was not an option. This was just an undead that was smart enough and able bodied to stalk them and climb out of a window. Feeling herself lose her nerve just as soon as she'd gain some, Quinta knew she had to do get out of there and back to the sanctuary.
Without hesitation, Dane took a hold of Quinta's hand and she gripped it tightly with her own hold. With his bat in the other hand, Dane gave a light pull while he pushed the door open into the heat. Crouching down on instinct to not be seen, he kept her hand firmly in his, and focused in to find the group. Looking back at her, he pointed to where they were headed and to keep an eye out around them. With one last glance, back at the laundromat behind her, Quinta nodded her head while their silent footsteps were quick to cross the street. Dane's teeth were clenched tightly together and his jaw was taut. He could suddenly feel the weight of unseen eyes on them which only caused shivers to vibrate down his back. Dane's blue gaze darted at windows, cars, and between buildings and still, no matter where he looked, he couldn't find the source of his fear.
Less than thirty seconds later they ducked under the half open garage door to see Mike and the others wandering around the long space. There was no barricade, they were out in the open and didn't even have enough decency to protect themselves. Not that Quinta blamed them, no, she knew that this was Mike's idea to just get the job done.
A job he wasn't helping with.
Mike's ass was perched on a workstation while Tabitha and Thomas grabbed nails, hammers, and other tools along that description.
One could wonder just how Mike was ever considered to be a seasoned hunter to begin with. Or maybe he had finally lost enough of his brain cells by that and he was fearless of all danger. Untouchable and confident. What irritated Dane most of all was how Mike took advantage of the people who just wanted to do their job and survive the day. This supposed power had gone further than just his head and now he used his voice and antics to control them for his own laziness.
Mike, on the other hand, crunched away on an apple and pointed out what else they needed to grab, “Don't make my bag too heavy.” He said to Tabitha.
Tabitha sighed out to herself as she was docked with the task to pack her bag along with his. She did so in fear of her life, in fear of him starting a scene, and making things worse than they already were. Catching sight of Dane and Quinta, Mike rolled his eyes over to them, and finished his bit of fruit.
Pushing himself to his feet, he smirked as he stared at the two of them, “I take that he didn't last long. That doesn't surprise me.” Mike crassly commented. Turning his back to them, he paced away and rolled his finger in the air, “Either way, loot to your heart’s desire, there's plenty to go around.” He stated.
There was no surprise that when they approached close enough, Mike went right into managerial mode and began to boss them around. Though this wouldn't be complete without a hit under the belt and an insult to Dane's love life but thankfully Dane had no mind for that. Tabitha and Thomas noticed the tension and stared at them.
Instead Dane lowered his voice as to not alert the other two into a panic nor to grab attention of the ones outside, “Something happened over there. We don't know what it is but Quinta and I believe that something is watching us. Even following us. We need to go. This area was crowded before shit hit the fan, right? I think we're in a place way out of the league of five people.” Dane whispered.
Knowing that they'd be short-changed for what little they gathered compared to a full day, the clench in Dane's stomach told him to drop it all and move. His inevitably short life and the lives of the other three mattered more than money and pride now.
Giving Mike a dangerously, grim look, Dane did not move, “I'm serious.” He stated.
Dane then looked back at Quinta as though to imply that she agreed with him. They both were spooked for good reason. Quinta adjusted her weight from one foot to the other in anticipation. Listening to Dane explain himself to Mike, Tabitha and Thomas's movements slowed while she looked back at him. He nodded in her direction which showed to her that he believed Dane. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Tabitha blinked multiple times before she blew out and slowly pulled the zipper on her bag shut. Thomas followed suit and did the same while Tabitha pushed Mike's bag closer to the haughty male as though to silently tell him that they were officially finished. Quinta wet her lips and sighed out in relief. Good, they were on board to scrub this mission and turn away from Mike's demands, but the moment she saw Mike's incredulous and stubborn expression she knew that this would turn ugly.
Laughing out at Dane, Mike looked to Quinta for a moment, only for the touch of his bag against his arm caused him to see that it was four against one, “Oh come on, you all have got to be kidding me. You were spooked, we all get jumpy here and there. It's what to expect from someone new in the field.” He said
Quinta shook her head as she stepped towards him, “Dis not a joke, Michael.”
Mike placed his hand up and he was quick to cut her off, “Don’t call me that. We're not going back. So, all of you, put your big boy and girl pants on and let's keep going. We don't even have a decent haul yet.” Scoffing, he grabbed the gym bag and shook his head, “I don't even know why they put some spineless people into my squad. What jokes.” Mike muttered to himself while he tossed the apple to the side.
Dane's silence spoke volumes as Mike went on to berate them like he was the only competent one. He was one step away from crossing the barrier and inciting an argument when Thomas, of all people, made his voice heard.
Rolling his jaw, Thomas appeared behind Tabitha with his hand gripped on her arm, “Why can't you just listen to what they have to say? They've done more than your sorry ass has on this mission. Even if you don't believe them, I do. WE do. And if it comes down to our lives you can keep your glory and stay behind with these things.” He spat out at Mike.
As Thomas spoke the whole opinion of the group, Quinta's stomach churned in surprise as her gaze bounced between Thomas, Mike, and Dane; waiting. Once the truth of the matter came to light, Thomas gained a great deal of respect in Dane's eyes and could see Thomas as an ally if nothing else.
All Mike could do was stare at Thomas with his own eyes wide open. His chews came to a complete stop while Tabitha grabbed her bag and made her way over to Dane and Quinta's side with Thomas. Mike met four pairs of eyes that urged him to think this through and even though he didn't want to admit it, like hell he would, he was out numbered.
“I can't believe this, you all are really serious?” He asked again.
Their silence and serious expressions were his answer. The situation daw
ned on Mike that he was outnumbered and his influence over the group diminished. They didn't want to listen to him any longer and that placed a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I can't believe this.” He groaned out as he pressed his palms over his face. After a moment Mike lowered his hands and grabbed his bag, “Fine, whatever. If you all feel the need to go, then let's go. When we get back to base...” He trailed off and pointed at Dane, “YOU are going to tell them the reason for our failure. It's because YOU fear your own damn shadow and you spread it to the others except me. So, let's go, lead the way. Pathetic.” He scoffed.
The flames of Dane's anger had begun to flick and only flared as Mike pointed his finger specifically at him. This man's normally durable patience wore thin when stakes were high. He glared Mike down and he was one punch away to knock this guy out cold.
Inhaling a deep breath, Quinta rolled her eyes as she bit her bottom lip and tugged on Dane's shirt to catch his attention, “Let’s go. He’s not worth fightin’ right now.”
Dane would tell them why they failed alright and it sure as hell wouldn't look good for Mike.
“Yeah listen to the girl, it’s not worth embarrassing yourself.” Mike quipped
Giving the weasel a look up and down, Dane kept his voice low, “Yeah, I'll tell them all the details. Don’t worry about that.” He rumbled out.
Determined to have the last word Mike snapped, “I'm sure you will and then I'll make sure to enlighten them on the truth when you leave.”
Pulling on Dane again, Quinta took the first steps back towards the garage door and waved for the others to follow. Quinta's extra pull made him back off although Dane to put Mike's obnoxious ass in his place with his bat.
The World We Once Knew Page 14