by Trimboli, TJ
CHAPTER THIRTY
BOBBI’
“Check out over there. Turn every room inside out,” a voice shouted.
Taking cover in a janitor’s closet, they waited for the voices to die down. Bobbi left the door open just enough so she could see if anyone approached. No one did, but they could hear them. The noise was deafening. They broke cabinets, tables, turned over beds, tore clothes from closets. They searched every nook and cranny, regardless of the size or the space. They turned out tiny drawers, small enough not even a mouse could hide in. It didn’t matter to them, she could tell, they were just enjoying the chaos.
She turned slightly to check on Trent. He flipped over a mop bucket to sit on, sulking in the corner. He hadn’t said a word since they left that abandoned room. Whatever it was that he thought he saw in there, he clearly felt it to be real. It pained her to see him like this. It reminded her of her grandmother and the battle she had with dementia. By the end, she could barely remember her own name let alone anyone who loved her. She sat in her chair in those days very much how Trent sat now, arms cradling her body, gently rocking back and forth, staring off into space devoid of any thought, or any thought as far as she knew. The only difference were the eyes. In those days, she would often visit her grandma just to sit with her and keep her company.
Bobbi would stare into her eyes for any sign of recognition.
Her translucent eyes would stare back at hers but she always looked distant, as if her head had been hollowed out. She sat as if all thought had left her body, almost catatonic.
Trent had none of that. He sat staring at the ground, his eyes darting back and forth throughout the room a mile a minute as if he was anxiously counting the tiles on the floor, messing up, cursing himself, and beginning again. Where her grandmother had no thoughts, Trent had thousands.
His brain is trying to process too much and failing. If I don’t get him off this ship soon.
“Hey! Stop!” a voice shouted.
She turned back to the hallway to see a disciple push a gifted up against the wall.
The gifted man had his hands up, blood seeping down his forehead.
“What’re you doing out here huh? Everyone is supposed to be in the auditorium,” the disciple said.
“I-I didn’t know—I fell asleep,” the gifted nervously defended.
“Don’t you lie to me. Are you aiding the criminals?” he asked sternly.
“Who? No—I have no idea what you’re talking about. Please, I just fell asleep. I came out to see if there was any water for my wife—”
The disciple clocked him with a right hook. The gifted went down yelling out in pain. The disciple grabbed him picking him back up. He pulled a knife out sticking it right up against the gifted’s neck until it drew blood. “Now I am going to ask you one more time. Where is the Sheriff?”
“I don’t know,” he cried. “Please.”
“LET GO OF ME! YOU ANIMALS!” a woman screamed.
From what little view she could manage, she saw three more disciples approach, dragging a half naked young woman down the halls.
The wife. Bobbi surmised.
The gifted tried to break free when he saw her but the disciple kneed him in the gut and so ended that plan. The group of animals stopped and threw the girl at their bosses’ feet.
There’s always a pecking order. She mused.
The disciple knelt down admiring her beauty. He tussled her hair. It made Bobbi sick. The woman refused his advance spitting in his face which brought a smile to Bobbi’s face. To her disgust, the disciple licked the spit off his lip. He rose turning back to the husband. “So here’s the deal. I think you know where they are. You see, the announcement made earlier by our leader’s was mandatory, which means you have to go, no exceptions. And we carry our leader’s bidding to a tee, meaning that there wasn’t a soul on this ship who didn’t know about it…She also stated to us, privately for that matter, that anyone not in the auditorium at the time of the baptism is considered an enemy and should be arrested immediately.”
Bobbi turned to Trent, she knew where this confrontation was heading, and it wasn’t good. If they didn’t do something, those two will die.
Trent sat stiff as a board, eyes racing a mile a minute.
“Trent.”
No response.
“Trent,” she said lightly slapping him.
He snapped out of his trance looking at her.
Staring into his eyes, she could see that old fire return. The Trent she remembered from what felt now like centuries ago. “Do you hear what’s going on out there?”
He sat silently for a minute listening in on the outside world. The disciple rambled on. “…I have no interest in arresting you. Bringing you in doesn’t get us anywhere closer to the Sheriff and her murderous leech of a husband, so I’m going to give you one final chance to spare yourself the heartache of what comes next. Where is the Sheriff?” “What about it?” he asked.
“There’s four of them.” She pulled out a switchblade from her ankle holster. She held it out for him.
He gazed at it but never once made a move to pick it up.
“WRONG ANSWER!” The disciple shouted.
Bobbi turned back just in time to see the disciple grab the man’s right hand stabbing him dead center on his palm. The man screamed in pain grabbing at his hand. The disciple took a step back to revel in the squeals of agony echoing down the halls. His wife crawled towards him but the jackals surrounding her pulled her back. The man tried to pry the knife free but the pain was too agonizing.
“I really wished to avoid this friend but what happens next is all on you, I want you to remember that. You see now, were each going to take a turn having a go at your wife there. One by one, like a train, until she’s all dried up and you are going to stand there and watch and we will not stop until you tell us where they are hiding…and even then we may keep going just as penance for all the time you’ve wasted here today.”
“DON’T! PLEASE. YOU CAN’T DO THIS!” the man pleaded.
“Look around you boy, I can do anything I want.”
The jackals tore into the wife’s pajama’s tearing the shirt clean off. Her exposed breasts bounced in the light and the men went wild. They grabbed at her, pinching her nipples and slapping her boobs against each other.
Bobbi grabbed her hatchet but before she could charge out of the room, Trent grabbed her.
“Let go of me Trent!” She said.
“It’s not going to stop anything.” Trent shook his head. “You can’t stop them. Do you want to get it too?”
“The only way they’ll get inside me, is if I’m good and dead. Now let go of me,” she said angrily.
“No,” he replied.
The woman’s screams turned to cries. Peering through the slit in the door, she could see them tearing at her panties. One of the jackals had his cock out, stroking it softly.
“We couldn’t stop that piece of shit from raping Kevin. What makes you think we are any more equipped to do it now?” Trent asked.
“Because I have a hatchet and a still beating heart,” she seethed tearing herself free of
Trent’s clutches. “And we may not have stopped that piece of shit from what he did to Kevin but I damn well made sure to repay that man back tenfold for what he did. Now sit there and try and tell me you wouldn’t have done the same if you could.” She kicked the door open walking into the hallway.
The woman was spread eagle on the ground with two of the jackals spitting on her pussy. The third held her arms down and the head honcho stood over them, a shit eating grin across his face. She held the hatchet in her left and her revolver in the right. She walked right up to the leader pointing the gun point blank against his temple. “Now listen up,” she said.
The jackals all froze staring at her like deer caught in the headlights.
“I will give you five seconds to pack up your dicks and get out of here. If you don’t, I will blow his brains out and hack your cocks
up into little pieces and let her feed it to you. ONE…” She started to count.
The jackals grabbed their robes putting them on as fast as their fat little sausage fingers could muster.
“Hold it. Relax boys. I’ve watched this broad. She doesn’t have enough bullets to take on all of us,” the disciple said.
“TWO.” She continued.
The wife took the distraction and slowly backed away from the trio of savages.
They slowly approached Bobbi.
She put the hatchet up against the disciple’s neck forcing him to step back with her.
“What’re you three waiting for? Charge her. If she had enough, she’d have shot us already,” he shouted.
“THREE,” she stated as convincingly as she could. She stepped back passing the janitorial closet Trent resided in. Another few steps and the trio would be lined up perfectly with it. She just hoped she managed to light the fire under his ass that he needed.
Behind the trio, the wife leapt up prying the knife out of her husband’s hand. He collapsed and holding him steady, the two backed away.
Bobbi locked eyes with the woman and saw her mouth, Thank You. “FOUR,” she said stopping dead in her tracks.
The trio did as well, lined up with the closet.
“Last chance boys.”
“She’s got nothing. Kill her ass,” the disciple shouted.
The trio each pulled out a long steak knife and charged.
“FIVE,” she said as she pulled the hatchet back slicing open the disciple’s throat. Blood sprayed out blinding the trio.
They stopped covering their eyes with the knives.
The janitorial closet door broke open, Trent charging through it like a linebacker. He plowed straight into the largest jackal tearing him off his feet. They collided into the wall denting it in.
The knife flew out of the fatso’s hands.
Bobbi took advantage of the distraction and leapt to action. She launched her hatchet connecting with the smallest jackal’s chest tearing it open.
He screamed snapping the last jackal out of his trance.
She ran up to the small one digging the hatchet out of him. Blood sprayed as he went down. The last jackal sliced at Bobbi cutting at her forearm. She blocked a shot hacking away at him. He jumped back evading her strikes. He backed up against the wall, at least what he thought was a wall. Trent wrapped his arm around the jackal’s neck snapping it in one clean swipe.
They stood staring at each other, both painted in blood, the only sound the screams from the jackal with the chest wound. She waited for Trent to say something, anything but he never did.
He looked at the blood on his body shrinking back to the nervous wreck she knew him to be now. He walked away.
She looked down at the jackal crying.
“Please, help me. It hurts. I—I want my mom.” He cried.
Looking at him now, she could see that the lad was but a mere boy, mid twenties if she had to guess. Poor kid. She thought as she opened his throat with her blade. His cries were no more and she raced to catch up with Trent.
She caught up to him outside just beyond the pool deck. He stood against the railing looking out towards the moon. It rained hard enough that he was soaked by the time she caught up to him. The rain felt good. Not since the storm that wiped out the power had she seen rain and even longer since she stood outside in it, it calmed her. “Are you okay?” She asked placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
He winced against her touch. “Where did it all go wrong for me Bobbi? I used to be confident, I used to be strong, I used to be a man.”
“You still are Trent. This life, everything that’s happened. It’s a lot to process. Back on the force, no matter what we came across, there was always some form of normalcy that we could return to at the end of the day. That’s what you needed. It’s what made you a good detective, but here…Here, there’s no out and your brain can’t handle that. And that’s all right.”
At first, he said nothing, simply stared out into the night sky but after a minute or two, he reached out intertwining his fingers with hers, rubbing her hand with his thumb. “Thank you Bobbi. For not giving up on me. I don’t deserve someone as strong, and beautiful as you.” “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. You know, about Kevin,” she said. It was the only thing she could think of to say. His candor had struck her off guard and she worried that if she said the wrong thing, he may take it as a meaning of true love. She knew she would always love Trent for he was there for her at a time when she needed it most but now, she had returned that favor and the true ecstasy of love that she once felt for him was gone, replaced now by more of a love you’d have for a brother.
“It’s okay. You know I think about it and in all honesty, it was probably the best thing for you. It prepared you for this place. You might be the only one on here that was prepared.” “Bobbi? Is that you?” Richard shouted appearing in the distance.
“Yeah, it’s me,” she answered as he approached.
“I heard voices, was worried it was one of Kendra’s goons.” “Just this goon,” Trent spoke up.
“Everyone is waiting,” Richard said ignoring Trent’s attempt at light heartedness. “We feared the worst when you didn’t show up on time but I assuaged such fears. I knew you’d come.”
Bobbi nodded. “Thank you Richard.”
The three walked towards the back of the ship to find everyone hiding.
“It’s alright everyone. It’s just me,” Bobbi shouted to them.
Everyone came out from their cover to greet her. The sick were surprisingly in high spirits.
The four men that Richard had brought earlier stood by, waiting orders.
She studied the escape pod as it hung off the side of the ship. Let’s hope it holds up. Nodding at the men in the crowd, she found Becky sitting against a crate of boxes.
Joe stood nearby making sure all the sick had a blanket or some form of covering to block them from the rain.
She walked over to Becky. “Hey you. How’re you feeling?”
Becky looked up at her, only able to muster up the faintest of smiles. “Hey. We were beginning to think you wouldn’t show.”
“And miss your big send off. Not a chance,” Bobbi said.
Becky violently coughed spewing forth a mixture of bile and blood that made Bobbi cringe. She grabbed a blanket from nearby wrapping it snuggly around Becky’s shoulders. “Not too much longer now and everything’s gonna start looking our way. Just think about all the stuff you’ll get to do when you get back to land. There’s going to be more food then you know what to do with, beach front property—”
“That is if the zombies don’t get us first,” Becky sputtered.
“Don’t even think of those guys. I’m gonna give Trent a map and he’s gonna make sure you make it somewhere safe. Somewhere those things can never get you,” she confided in her.
“Promise?” Becky asked. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” “WHAT’S THIS?” Joe shouted.
Bobbi turned to see Joe approaching Trent. Shit. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Joe yelled.
Bobbi made it just in time to block Joe from reaching Trent. She grabbed at him holding him back.
“What is this Bobbi! We had an understanding. He’s not supposed to be a part of this. He’s fucked in the head. His being here jeopardizes all of us.” He bellowed.
“Listen up! The sick need someone to get them to safety and they’re going to need someone to look out for them on land. Now I thought that’s what you signed up to do.” “It is,” he replied.
“Then do it. Trent may not be coughing up a fit, puking up blood, passing out left and right but he is still sick. He is just as sick as the rest of them if not more. His brain is failing him and he needs someone there to help rebuild it. Now are you a doctor or not?” Joe stood seething for a few moments.
Bobbi worried he was going to wind up and attack Trent but he didn’t. He pulled himself away from her walking away. She knew h
e wouldn’t like it but at least now, she knew that he’d respect his position as a physician. She turned to Trent.
“You were never planning on coming with me, were you?” he asked.
“No. I will always care about you Trent but I can’t leave this ship. Not yet. Not without Valentina. Not without Richard and not without dealing with Kendra. It’s like you said, I’m the only one prepared for this. I’m the Sheriff, and the Sheriff doesn’t abandon the town when the going gets tough.”
Trent walked towards her pulling her in tight.
She hesitated at first but returned the hug, squeezing him up in a big old bear hug. “This isn’t goodbye, we’ll see each other again.” “I know…I’m proud of you,” he said.
Richard approached. “Bobbi, we better get a move on.”
She released her grip on Trent. “Alright, listen up. Once all the sick are on board, we’re going to slowly lower them down to the seabed. The sea is choppy, so we’re going to have to take it slow. Anyone fit enough to walk, help someone who can’t onto the ship. Let’s work together and get these people to safety.”
Everyone set off to work. Two at a time, sick people made their way onto the pod. It creaked, rocking back and forth making the task slow work, but eventually the weight of the people held it steady.
Bobbi helped Becky up, slowly walking her to her seat at the edge of the boat. “Look at that kid, you got a window seat.”
Becky smiled, giggling to herself. “I’m going to miss you.”
Bobbi held back her tears best she could. “I know. I’m going to miss you too. For the longest time, you were my only friend here and if doing this means it’s going to save your life, then I’m happy to be alone now because I know that you’re safe.” She kissed Becky on the cheek stepping away from the boat.
With the sick boarded, all that was left was for Joe and Trent to take their places. The few sick staying behind took their spots by the rope. Some of them wore blankets over their bodies covering their appearance to everyone.
The four men Richard called upon stood at the back as the anchors on the ropes.
So far, so good.