E52

by Shawna Stewart Lowther

  Forgetting to close the trash lid both men walk away. When I feel it is safe I lift my head from the muck and wait silently for a few more minutes before I sit up. The thought that I am still sitting among body parts disturbs me, but I must wait until it is safe. There is no way I am going to go through the torture of lying in this bin of death just to panic now and give away my position.

  I peek over the edge of the bin and glance around. The area appears to be vacant so I wait a few more minutes and then crawl out and hide behind the container for a few minutes longer.

  My gown and every inch of my body is now drenched in the blood of others. I smell like death so I know the smell alone will give my whereabouts away. I grab handfuls of dirt and rub the sand all over my body in hopes that the dirt will mask some of the smell. I am now a dirty, bloody mess.

  Chapter Six

  Hours go by before I am finally able to reach the building that Bill had told me to hide in.

  The doors are locked leaving me with only an entrance through a back of the building. I slowly open the window, ensuring that I do not make a sound. At first sight the building appears to be empty so I quietly sneak my way through the window. The fit is tight but I manage to squeeze my belly through the narrow opening.

  Once inside it quickly becomes obvious that the building is unoccupied by anyone. The hallways are dark and the only sound I can hear is water dripping in the background.

  I decide to sit down and rest for a bit before I venture into the darkened rooms in search of the kitchen. For the first time in hours I feel safe and can relax enough to stretch my legs. I sit down with my back resting against the wall and stretch my legs out in front of me. I am tired, sore and covered in vomit, dirt and blood.

  “I wonder what the chances are that somewhere in here will be something I can change into?” I ask myself with a slight chuckle. Or a sink that I can clean up in.”

  Although I would love to change into something cleaner and wash up I know more than likely I will have to wait until I am far away from this place.

  “Well that was enough rest,” I think to myself. “Time to get up and find that kitchen before someone comes in and find me,” I think to myself.

  Every building I had passed was huge and this one is no different; my journey is not over. With my muscles tired and sore I have to force myself to stand up. The short resting period has cause havoc on my body. My legs instantly cramp, making it painful to walk. Stopping for a moment I take the time to stretch my muscles in hopes that some of the tension will release.

  “That is a little better,” I think in my head.

  The darkness makes it difficult to see any further than a few feet in front of me.

  The first room I enter is brightened by a dim light allowing me to see that it is a room like the one I recently was in, except the beds are all empty and there are more machines then I had seen in the other.

  Being a nurse for over 10 years I become curious to what all the machines are and take my time looking around. To my amazement each area contains a life support system and a bed.

  “Why would they need all the life supports?” I wonder to myself. “The other room did not have them. Who are they trying to keep alive? The babies?”

  I scratch my head..

  The site is chilling. Goosebumps encase my skin. I shiver, and then continue on my way.

  There is only two doors that enter this room; the one I just entered and one at the far end of the room. Although there are doors and hallways other than this one on both sides of the building I decide to continue my way east.

  The door is plainly marked with a small sign that says caution and by the looks of it is heavily secured with several chains and a padlock.

  “Is this to keep people out or in?” I wonder to myself.

  “Curiosity killed the cat” is what my mother always said, and with me curiosity has always been one of my worst downfalls.

  “I have to see what is in the other room,” I think to myself. “It could lead to the kitchen.”

  I grab a small crate that rests against the wall and carry it over to the door. Climbing cautiously up, I hang onto the handle of the door and place one foot onto the crate then the other.

  The room is bright, allowing me to see what is inside.

  “What in the hell?” I ask myself.

  In rows of ten are what appears to be hundreds of incubators. But these incubators look like they could support a middle aged child and all possess multiple tubes and machines, some of which are similar to the ones in here.

  “Why are they so big?” I question in my mind.

  David had mentioned that the babies were being used as part of the experiment, maybe they are using older children also.

  “What a bunch of sick bastards,” I think in my head. “I hope they all die.”

  I continue to stare in the room, when suddenly I hear someone whistling.

  Glancing to the right side of the room I see a man who appears to be busy cleaning some of the machines. I look closer at the man in hopes that it is Bill. It is not. This man is much older and looks to be in seventies.

  “Oh shit!” I think to myself.

  Quietly as I can I get off of the crate and pick it up. I want to make sure I place it back exactly where I found it, leaving no indication that I have been here.

  At a quickened pace I walk to the door I had came in and head into the darkness. I must find the kitchen before I encounter another person or possibly heard by someone else working in this building.

  I search within every room, most of which are either empty or contain a massive amount of computer screens and guns that are all locked behind cages.

  Everything about this building screams BAD! I wish I would have been told to go somewhere else or would have never came in here at all.

  “If only the guns were not locked up,” I think to myself. “I could take a few and feel a little more safe.”

  In my heart I know that it would impossible for me to conquer as many people that are on this compound, but the thought of killing at least some of the people who are involved in such a horrific plan is intriguing.

  “Find the kitchen and wait in the pantry like Bill told you,” I try to convince myself. “You are going to be okay.”

  My only option is to do what I was told. If I go back outside without help I know it will only be a matter of time before I am caught. I am not sure how far it is to the area David wants me to meet him but I do know when I was outside I could not see the end of the buildings. This leads me to believe the compound goes on for miles.

  There are only two doors left down the hallway I am currently walking down. If one of these are not the kitchen then the kitchen is in the hallway to the west of the building. I open the first door and instantly a light comes on. At first I am stunned by the suddenly brightness, but then realize that the light is automatic and comes on whenever someone enters the room. I smile. Although it is not the room I am looking for I am gracious that it is a bathroom. Being nine months pregnant a bathroom is always a welcoming site.

  I reach over and turn the light off in fear that the man in the other room will see the light. He would know someone else is in the building and might come looking to see who it is.

  Walking cautiously I make my way to the stalls and feel around to one of the middle stalls. I do not want to use the first one in case someone comes in. I know I always enter the first stall that is open, so I figure most the population does the same thing.

  After closing the door I lift my feet and place them against the door, reassuring that is someone was to walk in my presence will go unnoticed.

  Relieving my bladder feels better than one could imagine. But I am still afraid that since I had only seen one bathroom so far this might be the only one in this building. It is just a matter of time before someone else has to use the facilities. I push as hard as I can trying to finish relieving my bladder. It hurts my stomach a bit but the pain I feel now I am sure is much less than th
e pain I will feel if I am caught.

  The light comes on. Instantly I refrain from allowing any further urine to escape. I do not move, not in the least.

  The song that I heard the man whistling in the other room echoes through the bathroom.

  I look around. There is nothing here that I can defend myself with. Toilet paper is the only thing in the stall and that will not do any damage. I listen closely until I hear a stall door shut. I lower my legs and lean forward.

  Holding the lock between my index finger and thumb I turn it slowly. The mans whistling drowns out any sound that the mechanism makes.

  With great caution I open the door and walk to the edge of the wall. Slowly I walk across the room and to the front door. I open it.

  The door creaks. The whistling ceases.

  “Woo someone smells,” The man states. “Who is there?”

  Petrified I do the only thing I feel is the best thing to do.

  “Oh sorry I did not know anyone was in here,” I state. “I will come back later.”

  “Who are you?” He inquires.

  I am afraid to answer, but at the same time more afraid not to.

  “My name is Dawn,” I answer, lying. “They sent me over to help you.”

  “It is about time,” The man states. “I have been waiting all day and they are suppose to start bringing the babies, I mean little monsters over in the morning and there is still much to do.”

  He grunts.

  “What is that smell?’ he questions. “It smells like death.”

  I think up an excuse as quick as I can.”

  “Oh it is me,” I answer. “ They had me working on cleaning up some of the trash bins. I guess I did not get all the smell off.”

  “You could say that,” the man snickers. “You might want to wash up a bit more and then meet me in the incubator room. I will be right there.”

  The man grunts.

  “Oh by the way you should use the far east door because the one coming from the feeding room is locked.” He continues. “If you pass the kitchen you went to far.”

  “Okay thanks,” I state and hurriedly walk out.

  Rushing my way down the darkened hallway I come to the room where I had entered through the window.

  I continue down the west hallway. The first door is the one that leads to the feeding room. So I pass it up and open the second door. The room is bright and at first glance it appears to be anything but a kitchen. The only indication that any food preparation occurs in the room is a large chopping board that sits in the middle of the floor. The only other objects are a large mixer looking gadget, a refrigerator and a large sink. There is no stove…no microwave… nothing that anyone could cook with.

  “This kitchen has is obviously not used anymore,” I think to myself.

  As I walk in I notice a door to the right of the room. It is the only door in this room so I feel it must be the pantry.

  “I better hurry before that man comes looking for me,” I think to myself.

  Anxious to get the dried blood off of me, I grab a wet towel that I spot on the sink and rush to the pantry.

  “This has to be it,” I think to myself.

  The pantry is big but consists of nothing more than a few boxes of crackers, a few bottles of water and a loaf of bread.

  “Bill said no one would be here until tomorrow and the man in the bathroom confirmed that,” I think in my mind. “Maybe they will be bringing in food for the babies then.”

  I walk in and close the door behind me.

  “I hope Bill comes for me before they come,” I continue.

  I glance around.

  “I need to find somewhere in here that I can hide,” I think in my mind.

  The pantry is bigger than I originally thought. The room is as large as the kitchen, housing many shelves all in a row and all marked according to what food should be there, most of which are marked “baby formula”.

  “Hey are you in here?” someone yells from the kitchen.

  It is the man from the bathroom.

  My heart plummets. It is as I feared. He is now looking for the woman that he had heard in the bathroom. I need to get to the end of the pantry and look for a place to hide.

  Quiet like a mouse I hurry to the far end of the pantry and walk to the furthest corner. There is nothing to hide me except the shelves that are in front of me.

  In hopes of not being seen I lay down. The bottom shelf barely hides my stomach.

  “Are you in here?” The man asks, opening up the door.

  The hardened heels of his shoes echo as he enters the pantry.

  “Hum, I guess not. But, by the smell of the room you were at one time,” he states, walking out and closing the door behind him.”Pew.”

  Taking in a deep breath I relax, sit up and lean against the wall. It moves. I leap forward, turn and look at the wall. There is no indication that the wall has moved.

  “That is weird,” I say in my head. “I could have sworn I felt it move.”

  Certain that I felt the wall move I turn around and push the area with my foot. An area of the wall moves. I push harder. A door the size of a large dog door opens up.

  I glance in. There is a stairway that appears to lead up to another room. The stairs look old and by the layer of dust on each step it is obvious that they have not been used in a very long time. I crawl through the small opening and look up the stairs. The room above is not as dark as I thought it would be and by the looks of it there is at least one window.

  “Maybe I should stay in here and wait,” I whisper to myself. “I am sure no one knows about this room. I wouldn’t have known if I did not lean against the wall.”

  I walk back over to where I saw the box of crackers, take a bottle of water I had spotted on another shelf and make my way back to the hidden passage. I crawl inside and close the door behind me.

  “Maybe I should leave the door cracked,” I think in my head. “That way if anyone comes in the pantry I can hear them.”

  I reach down and slightly open the door, then turn and walk up the staircase. Each step that I take causes the old wood to crack loudly so I slow my pace. It takes much longer than it should but I manage to get up the stairs without making another noise.

  To my delight the room is much larger than I had expected, so large in fact that it appears to be the entire length of one side of the building.

  “I wonder what this room is for?” I ask myself.

  By the looks of the exposed wooden frame where drywall should be the room is unfinished. Everything is dusty and there is an abundance of cobwebs housed in each corner of the walls. There is chair, table and a small cot scattered around.

  It is obvious that although at one time this room was used, it is now long forgotten. I feel safe.

  I dust off the cot as best I can and sit down. The corroded metal beneath the bed creaks loudly so I decide it would be best if I lay the mattress on the floor.

  I yawn.

  “I think I will take a quick nap while I wait,” I think to myself. “I am sure I will wake up if I hear anything.”

  Taking the cloth I had stolen earlier, I wash my hands and face. Within seconds the white towel becomes brown from the dried blood and dirt. I set it aside and lie down on the mattress.

  The makeshift bed is not very comfortable and the floor is unforgiving to my aching back, but it only takes seconds before I fall asleep. My slumber is not that of peace. My sleep bring nightmares, replaying the events of earlier today. I toss and turn as I dream of men being devoured… devoured by me. The dreams are so real that I can taste their flesh in my mouth; I begin to drool at the memory of their mangled bodies. I try to wake up but my unconsciousness is enjoying every bit of the tantalizing dream.

  “They said that they are going to have to use all the shelves for baby formula,” I can hear someone say in the distance.

  My dream changing, I now dream of monster-like babies, ripping out from their mothers womb. They turn and look at me as they exp
ose their razor sharp teeth and sharp nails. My presence is known only for a second, before they continue to devour the flesh of their mothers.

  “Hey are you going to help or what?” I hear someone yell.

  “Just wait a minute,” Someone replies. “I think I see something over here.

  The voice wakes me from my sleep. I am sweating and my heart is beating at a fastened pace. I lie silently and listen.

  “What is it another mouse?” the man chuckles.

  The voices are familiar to me. It is Bill and the man that he was with earlier.

  Remaining dazed from my interrupted nap I take my time and ease my way down the stairs to the door. I must not make a sound. Step by step I place one foot down and then there, always conscience of any sound that I possibly might make.

  Although I believe that Bill is one of the men in the pantry, I can not be certain.

  Just as I reach the door I see the shadow of someone. They are directly behind the door. I stop.

  “Please let it be Bill,” I pray.

  Hiding behind the door I hope that if it isn’t Bill that the person will not see me.

  My arm brushes against the door causing dust to rise. I sneeze. My heart skips a beat. There is no way someone has not heard me.

  “Mryna, is that you?” the man whispers.

  There are only two men on this compound that would call me by my name. One being my husband and the other Bill.

  I am relieved.

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  “Are you okay?“ he asks.

  “Yes,“ I whisper back.

  “Good, stay here and keep the door closed,” he whispers. “I can't take you right now but I will be back for you around midnight when everyone is gone.”

  I bite my lip and sigh. My hopes of seeing my husband tonight have just been shattered.

  “I am sorry,” He continues. “I thought they were going to be using another building for this.”

  “For what?” I ask.

  The sound of footsteps overtakes our whispers.

  “Close the door,” Bill demands in a whisper. “Sam is coming!”