I didn’t feel like eating now but I forced the last of it down to keep my energy levels up, I had no clue what we were going to do now, whether I would go alone with Ollie or whether Monique would join us. Either way my body had to be ready for it.
After finishing the food I tidied up and put the rubbish in the corner where they had stacked theirs before then I went over and tucked Ollie in as he had now fallen to sleep. I then went to the other bed nearest me and tried to get some rest. Feeling the darkness of sleep take me I didn’t fight it, I fell into such a light awkward and nightmarish sleep that I knew I might be more tired when I awoke than before but what could I do about it? If my mind wanted to punish me for what happened then I had to let it.
When I awoke I found Monique sitting next to me staring at me, she leant closer on the bed with me her arm sort of cradling my shoulder, feeling a little awkward I spoke first, “Um you ok?” I asked feeling dumb as it was the most stupid question to ask, “Sorry forget I asked that, so stupid!” I mumbled.
“No it’s alright, I’m not ok but I will be…Stacie I have to know what happened to him?” she asked me her dark eyes peering into mine, I felt my eyes dart away from hers, how could I tell her the truth and hurt her? I could lie but Ollie might have seen it and tell her otherwise? “Stacie I want to know, I want the truth, don’t lie to me ok he was my best friend!” her voice was a little stern but it didn’t scare me, what did scare me was how she was going to react once I told her, taking I deep breath I started from the beginning, waking up in the hospital bed, finding Sian and Ollie. What the mad doctor Demetri had been up to, finding that Darren had been turned into a creature for the doctors weird experiment to use him and me to create an evil army of creature children, Sian being killed by the lift exploding, Ollie running off, me going mad at the doctor and vowing to kill him, then the doctor putting me and Darren in a make shift cage to fight to the death…Monique didn’t make a sound as I relayed all this information to her…then me and doctor Demetri fighting, then Ollie shooting him to death before the building then collapsed. When I finished I waited for her to flip out, for her to accuse me of being the death of her friend, for her to want revenge and hurt me for bringing this on them both.
“I don’t blame you if that’s what you’re thinking Stacie”, she said turning to me, “You did what you had to do to survive, he was a creature it’s what he would have wanted to be put out of his misery, he always made me promise if he turned that I would kill him”, she paused for a moment, “I knew weeks ago that he had seen the doctor in the shopping centre but I had never seen him, I never believed him, I never wanted to believe him. I had noticed that the creatures down there were different, the screechers they had suddenly crept in like someone had let them in but I didn’t want to think like that, I didn’t want to think someone was out there watching us and waiting to get us. And now I know that the evil doctor had been experimenting on them and sending them down there to play with us, to see if they were strong enough to be his army! Stacie I’m so sorry you had to go through that”.
“It wasn’t your fault Monique”, I said reassuring her.
“No but maybe if I had believed him then we would have been more careful, we would have avoided the shopping centre and just left then maybe he would still be here”, she said a small sob escaping her mouth, “I knew that hospital was weird it had such a strange vibe to it and I hated it I never wanted to go near it but still I made us stay in Brighton because I was too afraid to move on”.
“Look it wasn’t you it was that weird doctor if he hadn’t done what he did then Darren and Sian would still be here but he has, we have to make sure we live on for them both”, I said feeling like I was repeating myself from my little talk with Ollie but in a more grown up manner one which she would need and understand.
“At least he’s not a creature anymore, he’s at peace now…” Monique said her eyes welling up.
“You two were really close huh?” I asked.
“He was my best friend but he could have been so much more”, she said her voice breaking into a full on cry.
I cuddled her, “Oh Monique I’m so sorry I didn’t realise you two where…”
“We weren’t but I knew I liked him, I knew I could love him but I never made anything of it in case we lost each other”, she said glumly, “I guess I knew it would never work out”.
Ollie stirred a little behind us before going back to sleep.
“I…” I didn’t know what to say to her, I hadn’t really loved a guy like that before so I didn’t know how to comfort her.
She smiled weakly and changed the subject, “So that little man saved your arse then?”
I nodded, “Sure did… I certainly owe him”.
“True little fighter… like us”, she said to me.
“Look Monique I just want to say how sorry I am, if it wasn’t for me coming here you wouldn’t have tried to help me and Darren might still be here”, I said.
“It’s not your fault Stacie, I know I said it would be on you but that mad doctor had been roaming around for ages it was just a matter of time before he caught us or got one of his demons to kill us”, she said, “Honestly I think we needed someone like you to show us we needed more to life than hiding in an old hotel waiting around to die”.
“What happened when you fell down that hole? What happened to Hercules?” I asked her.
“You mean the big foot creature?” she asked.
I nodded, “Yeah the doctor named him Hercules”.
“Wow guess I can see why”, she grimaced, “Well I ended up in a water treatment place with ‘Hercules’, he followed me to a large pool in the place but the ceiling crushed him and washed me out of a tunnel to the sea so all good really”.
I had a feeling she didn’t want to go into too much detail so I didn’t pry, still feeling tired I yawned making her do the same.
“Let’s get some more rest, we’ll leave after the coming storm has passed. We will go and find the big guns and your sister”, she said.
“You don’t have to, I can go alone”, I replied feeling she had done enough already.
“What and leave you and Ollie out there all by yourselves, plus you have no idea where you’re going and I’m kind of sick of this place now, time for a fresh start I think”, she said smiling but it didn’t reach her haunted eyes.
“Thank you”, I replied.
“No sweat”, she said as she lay down to rest on her bed.
I looked up at her, I could see the heartbreak of losing Darren in her eyes and the way she held her slumped over body, “Monique…I” I began but she cut me off.
“Would you hold me?” she whispered.
I opened my arms to her as she came to me and laid her head down on the pillow next to mine, cradling her in my arms I felt her sob herself to sleep. Feeling so awful even though she had said it wasn’t my fault I couldn’t help thinking it was. As I fell back asleep I did dream, Darren was there as a creature his finger pointing at me, his bloodied mouth opening showing his darkened dead teeth that were rasping words at me, trying to speak he coughed up pints of his own blood which flooded down his broken body pooling on the floor, taking his finger and leaning over he moved his blood like paint on a brush and using the tiles as his canvas he spelt out the words, ‘You killed me’.
Bolting upright in bed I found Monique had got up already and was packing another bag to leave with, the cupboards were all open and Ollie was sitting with her discussing plans.
“Morning sleeping beauty”, she winked at me.
“Morning”, I said not really knowing if it was morning there were no windows or clocks to tell me.
“Better get up we need to leave soon, I’ve packed some essentials the camping stove, pots, pans, water, some tins I had hidden behind my bed as emergency rations”, she said to me.
Getting up I went to my bag to pack and make sure I was all set and ready again, “Did you need me to carry anything?”
She passed
me a couple of pans, “Can you manage these?”
I nodded tying them to my bag with some fabric that she had ripped up to tie things to hers.
“Stacie, I noticed you picked up some more guns, can I have one?” she asked me.
Nodding I agreed, “Yeah but I haven’t got any more bullets for them, hopefully we can find some more”.
“Have a look in that box there, Darren found some ages ago and kept them he thought we might be lucky enough one day to come across a gun. If not there did used to be that gun shop that Darren wanted to go to maybe it still has some bullets left”, she replied.
“Ok”, I said walking over to where Darren used to sleep, under his bed was a metal box. Lifting the lid I rummaged inside it looking for any bullets that looked of any use but there wasn’t just bullets there was other things that I was surprised he hadn’t decided to keep on his person when we left before. A lighter which was encased in silver with an inscription engraved on it caught my eye it read, ‘Keep the light to defeat the darkness’ The caption meant nothing to me but it must have meant something to him or to whoever used to own it, flicking it up I watched as the flame danced lighting up my small corner of dimness.
“Hey Monique did you want this?” I said showing her the lighter.
She shook her head, “No I’ve got one thanks what about Ollie?”
I looked at him, “Do you want it, might come in handy?”
He took it from me and put it away in his small rucksack, “Thank you”.
Turning back to the box I found some bullets, some were for the handgun I had taken from the doctor, there were a few rounds which would help out on our journey but the other bullets didn’t fit my rifle or the shotgun so I guessed we would have to go past the old gun shop. I just prayed it wasn’t full of creatures or screechers or demented Doctors for that matter. Taking one last look I found a pen knife hidden under some photos of what I thought to be family members of Darren’s, they looked happy which made my heart break a little but maybe, just maybe he was with them again. Examining the pen knife I saw his name had been engraved on it.
“Here Monique I think you should have this”, I said.
She looked over and quickly examined the knife, “Thanks but I think you should have it”.
“Why?” I asked. “Don’t you want to keep something of his?”
She shook her head, “No I don’t want to but he wouldn’t want it going to waste”.
“No I can’t I would feel wrong taking it”, I said.
“Well keep it safe for me until I’m ready then”, she smiled.
Nodding I put the knife into my bag.
With the handgun bullets I found I passed the handgun to her, she looked over at the shotgun which Ollie clung to like a kid with their favourite teddy, she was obviously wanting that one but I explained that I thought Ollie should have it seen as he killed the doctor with it and that it seemed to comfort him that he had taken the doctor’s life since the doctor had taken Sian’s plus he had been a good shot with it. I think she wanted to protest but when he picked it up to let her know he was keeping it she just nodded and loaded the pistol.
Ollie who was cradling the weapon like a security blanket was trying to look like he wasn’t petrified of what we might run into, from what he had told me him and Sian had been very sheltered since the infection, she had kept them holed up in a block of flats until food had run out. I could see by looking at him he was growing a bond with the weapon like I had my rifle, my dad had given me mine. Yes it had been Terrance’s and Arnolds first but that only made it more sentimental as they had been friends. The shotgun to Ollie was his release as he had killed the person who had taken his sister away with it so it only seemed right to let him have it, plus who was I to tell him what he could and couldn’t do, I wasn’t his mother, I knew I would always look out for him and I would probably put my life in danger for him but I couldn’t boss him around, that just wouldn’t be right of me.
The sun was high in the sky the storm from the day before washing away all the dreary weather making it pleasant and warm, the city around us had changed slightly since yesterday, the hospital was no longer an eye sore, a couple of buildings had collapsed andthe path we tried to take not so long ago was no longer there, a new route would have to be agreed between us. Monique didn’t bother locking the door to the basement but she did scribble a note on the door,‘Safe house inside, please use if needed’ smiling at her I knew she had a big heart, making sure any wondering lost souls would know they could be safe inside if for only a while.
“Right gun shop first then we’re out of here alright?” she said making sure she was taking charge.
Nodding me and Ollie followed as she tried to remember where bouts the old shop had been since the newest destruction of the city it became harder to work out where we were. Keeping my rifle tight to me I spotted my reflection in one of the surviving shop windows, my blonde hair was unruly and scruffy in its ponytail, my clothes a little worse for wear than when I had taken them, blood stains decorated the jeans and flecked on my boots, the rifle looked odd on a girl of my size and age but I needed it.
Crunching over rubble and other building materials we made our way through the dusty decrepit streets, cars that had been abandoned lined one road creating a small blockade which hadn’t succeeded in what the poor residents had tried to stop, their bones and empty soulless skeletons along with ripped bodies were all scattered like discarded rubbish all around. Monique didn’t seem to notice as she walked over one to reach the bonnet of a car to climb over, feeling disrespectful I tried my hardest not to stand on anyone but it was hard as there were so many of them. Reaching the car I lifted Ollie up who jumped down the other side waiting for me. Looking left then right Monique turned left going uphill slightly, passing a few shops she stopped outside a small shop, a weathered old sign with a picture of a gun was hung awkwardly to one side. The windows had been boarded up and someone had spray painted the words, ‘Do not to enter or risk being shot’ the paint looked old and was peeling from the weather beating but the door was closed shut making me feel like we should avoid it all together.
“Do you think they are still there?” I asked her.
She shook her head, “Haven’t seen anyone else round here”.
“Yeah but you didn’t know the doctor was hiding away at the hospital until yesterday”, I said I just didn’t want to walk into another mistake.
“We need the bullets so we have to try”, she responded to me, she then lifted her hand to the handle hesitating a little then she knocked and we waited.
A creaking noise from above the shop alerted us to a person, “What?” a male voice said grumpily.
“Good job you knocked first”, I whispered.
She ignored me and looked up at the man, he looked about late 50’s greying hair and grubby clothes, his teeth were stained from years of smoking, “Sorry to bother you but we were looking for some ammunition for our weapons, could you spare any?”
The bloke laughed a raspy laugh, “And what makes you think I want to share?”
“Please we are desperate”, Monique said.
“No!” the man refused.
“What if we can make a trade?” I asked him.
The man thought for a moment, “You probably don’t have anything worth trading”.
“What about some smokes?” I asked reaching into my bag and lifting the cigarettes I had looted from the East Dean shop.
“Well why didn’t you say”, he laughed, “Give me two minutes”.
We waited for him to come down, the door took a while to unlock as he had made sure nothing and no one was getting in anytime soon, opening the door he grinned, “Come on in, haven’t had visitors in a while so excuse the mess”.
Walking in I jumped as he slammed the door shut behind us and locked it up tight, looking around I noticed how the man had still kept his shop tidy, he had said excuse the mess but there wasn’t any, the glass units still held weapons on display
and they were so clean, posters of different guns lined the walls along with some equipment to use with them. Goggles, mats, scopes, straps, you name it this guy had it.
“So what ammo you after then?” he asked eyeing up the cigarettes, passing him one packet for letting us in he immediately opened the packet pulling out one of the white sticks and lighting up, “Don’t mind do ya? He asked us.
“No go ahead”, I said.
“So ammo?” he asked again.
I lifted my rifle, pointed to Ollie’s shotgun and Monique showed him her handgun.
“Well you came to the right place but all depends on how many cigarettes you have, need to make it worth my while”, he said.
I showed him what I had left and he smiled, handing them all to him he checked them all before placing them on the counter, “I have several rifle rounds I don’t use mine personally so you can have them”, he skittered over to a shelf behind a counter grabbing some small boxes, handing them to me I looked inside to see he had been generous.
“Thank you”, I said placing the rounds in my bag.
He then turned to Ollie, “Hmm you two must have some nerve to let a kid loose with that”.
“He saved my life with that gun”, I replied.
“Sure, sure well here a couple of boxes and that’s all I’m willing to give as I use mine a lot so I need them”, handing me the boxes I took them.
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