After being on the road for around forty minutes, Olivia began to feel queazy. The fluttering in her stomach made her wonder if she was just nervous about being sick or was actually going to be sick. She wound down the window in preparation. "Stop the car," she uttered.
Luke broke sharply, and she jumped straight out the car before it had even stopped. She stood by the side-walk and bent forward, breathing deeply, and willing the sickness away.
Luke jumped out of the driver's seat and ran to her. "Just try to breathe. Don't panic. That will just make it worse." He put a hand on her back. "You can always take another."
"What's going on?" Dana got out of the back seat.
"Nothing to worry about. She's fine. Just get back in the car."
"Doesn't look like nothing."
"I said she's fine." He snapped.
Olivia's stomach contracted violently and acid burned her throat as she hurled onto the road.
"Yeah she looks fine." Dana retorted. "Olivia what's wrong. Do you need anything?"
"Water. Please," she gasped.
"Sure," she grabbed a bottle of the back seat through the open door and passed it to her.
"Sorry. I don't know what came over me."
"I do."
"You do?"
"Yes. You're pregnant. I know the signs."
"But I'm only like at 5 weeks or something."
"Trust me, when I was waiting to get pregnant I obsessed over the signs."
"I'm not keeping it."
"I assumed that would be the case."
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"You're not mad?"
"Mad, why would I be mad. It's not really any of my business, is it? I mean I'd lie if I said it didn't sting, but, you have to do what you have to do. It's your body. If you did change your mind, just know that I would be there for you and help in any way I can."
"This situation sucks. You'd be a great mom, yet I, this steaming train wreck of a person, gets fucking pregnant. I only want the best for you." Olivia felt the sting of tears forming. "I'm so bloody emotional already. It so stupid."
"Yep. The hormones will do that to you."
"Seriously. I mean it. I know we don't always get along, but you're like family to me." Now the tears had started they wouldn't stop. The wetness trickled down, and the salty drops rolled over her lips.
"Do you think you're ready to get back in the car? I can grab an emergency sick bag for you." Dana's concern made her cry even more. Dana smiled and helped her into the car.
***
SHADES OF GRAY
The clouds were a dangerous gray and closing in on them. Shafts of rain revealed themselves in the distance and trees swayed at the side of the road, as if they may snap at any minute. The windscreen wipers swept furiously from side to side as droplets started falling from the sky. Albert had fallen asleep and snored gently, with his head leant against the window, condensation forming where he was breathing. The rising cumulus from earlier in the day was now rolling and rotating as if it were a living beast. A shaft of lightening tore in front of them, striking a power-line. The car stopped with a whiplash inducing jolt as sparks burst into the air.
"Everyone okay?" Luke checked the rear-view mirror.
"I think we just need to push on. We're so close now. What did the last sign say again?"
"I'm on it." Luke put his foot on the accelerator.
They headed to Venice to try to find Albert's son. Last he knew, he was renting an apartment over the tattoo parlor where he worked. As they drove into the city, it was just as much a ghost town as everywhere else they had been through. The sprawling suburbs were a challenge as cars blocked the road. Luke wove between most of the cars until it was gridlock and then mounted the side-walk.
"There is still something so wrong about driving on the side-walk." Zoe looked out the window, watching the buildings flicker past like a photo reel.
The car managed to get all the way to Venice. They parked up near the beach and went to check it out before going to Albert's son's house. Sand whipped up into the air, battering their arms and legs. Palm trees shook as if they would tear themselves out of the ground from their roots. The rain pounded the beach in sheets, and the waves crashed against the sand in white explosions. They could feel the spray from all the way back on the boardwalk. All the shops were open, but empty.
Olivia was saturated, but the air was warm with energy that swirled around her. Another flash painted the sky white, lighting up the sea like a glittering carpet stretching out for miles. The fork started as a single finger and broke off into a road map on the horizon.
"We need to get inside." Dana tapped Olivia on the shoulder.
The wind roared, covering any other noise, and they headed back to the car to fetch Albert. The car door was open, and rain poured in through the opening. Michael slept on the back seat, but Albert was nowhere to be seen.
"Michael." Dana opened the back door and shook him awake.
"What?"
"Where did Albert go?"
"Oh. I don't know. I was asleep."
"Never mind." Dana turned to Olivia. "We need to look for him."
Everyone but Michael fought against the pelting rain and tried to see through the watery mist in front of them. Olivia held a hand in front of her eyes and took cover in one of the stores that was full of clothes and trinkets. Water dripped from her feet and trailed along the floor. Trinkets, souvenirs and Venice embellished clothes lined every wall. The darkness was descending on them already, especially with the storm, and there were only so many shops and restaurants they could look in before they started to lose hope they would find him.
"He could be anywhere." Zoe shouted over the rain pounding on the windows and roof.
Corey's lips looked blue, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. "It's been ages. He could have made it pretty far by now. He's got a lot of places to take cover if he needs to. I really think we should find somewhere to stay and come back tomorrow when this storm clears."
"What if it doesn't clear up? You know you probably wouldn't be so cold if you weren't just wearing a t-shirt, you nutter." Olivia grabbed a sweatshirt off a hanger and chucked it at him.
"I agree with Corey. I mean, why did he walk off anyway?" said Zoe.
"Maybe he has dementia. What if he has no idea where he is?"
"Not every old person has dementia," Corey argued.
"Well, last night he kept saying weird shit and repeating himself over and over. I think he does."
"There are plenty of hotels around here. There is a million places he could have stopped. We can search again first thing."
"Fine." Olivia agreed. She couldn't see anything outside in the punishing rain.
***
The room had an ideal view of the beach, if it wasn't for the fact it was impossible to see anything through the torrents of water running down the glass. There was something about listening to a storm outside, when she was warm and cozy, that Olivia couldn't get enough of. She looked through the suitcase left by the last guest, out of morbid curiosity. A beach towel, flip-flops, denim shorts and summer tops with floral patterns. A straightening iron lay at the bottom, and she longed for electricity again. The rain had soaked her hair and now it was starting to dry the inevitable frizz came. She tied it up in a high ponytail and tried to smooth it down with hand cream.
Michael read through a magazine, but she noticed him reading each paragraph at least twice. She watched his eyes scan the page and go up to the top again.
"Do you want to go see what the others are doing?"
"No, you go ahead." He carried on scanning the page.
Dampness had permeated through her bag and the box of pills had gone soggy. She slipped out the foil and discarded the box in the garbage.
The door to number 15 was a worn red color with silver numbers screwed to it. Dana, Zoe, and Corey's voices softly drifted through the cracks. She tapped lightly.
"Dana."
"Just coming." She opened the door and gestured for Olivia to enter.
"Um, could I talk to you in private?"
"Sure. These guys need to get a room already." She flashed them a knowing look.
"Uh, yeah. See you tomorrow." Corey waved goodbye as Zoe followed.
"So what can I do you for?" Dana asked.
Olivia looked down at her hands and picked the nail polish from her fingernails. "I need to talk some things through and I feel like I need to talk to you."
The howling wind picked up outside and the window shook in its frame.
"Go on."
"Well, I have some more pills to, you know, sort out my little problem."
"You know what, I don't really want to hear this. Can't you talk to Zoe instead?"
"Just listen." Olivia took a seat on the edge of the bed and folder her arms in front of her. "The way I see it is, we both have a possible mutually beneficial situation here."
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"I mean, it makes sense, right? You want a baby. I don't want a baby. You're this lovely caring person and I'm this garbage person."
"How would that even work? We don't know where we are going to be in 8 months. We could all be dead. Or across other sides of the ocean. Anything could happen. It just doesn't feel right. I feel like you're being crazy casual about this too."
"I just thought I would check. Just thinking through my options. I know what I need to do now."
"What are you going to do?"
"What I was going to do in the first place. The logical thing. The thing that's right for me. Thanks for the talk." Olivia got up from the bed and went to leave.
"Wait."
Olivia turned back.
"Are you saying that if I don't agree to this, then that's the only reason you're going to take that pill."
"Well, not in those words. This is not on you and I didn't mean to make it feel like it was."
"Would you give me some time to think it over? Just a couple of days."
"Of course. It's quite a bombshell, I wouldn't expect you to come up with an answer right away."
"I hope Albert is okay. It sounds rough out there."
"I hope so, too. Anyway, I best be off." Olivia made her way out the door and bumped into Luke in the corridor. She gave him a mini wave before heading back to her room.
***
The carpet of Olivia's room was littered with paper airplanes’ and she looked up to find Michael sat on the bed folding paper. She laugher to herself at the things people resort to when they don't have television to watch.
"You know there are other things we could do but make paper airplanes." She slipped into bed and put her head on his chest.
"I'm sorry. There's something wrong with me," he said, setting the paper aside onto the bedside table.
"Don't be sorry." She didn't know what to say. She wanted the Michael back that she knew, but she couldn't turn off her feelings. "I'm here for you." She could handle that he had lost his sex drive, but she still wanted to be close to him.
Shifting on the lumpy mattress, she tried to get comfortable. Normally she liked to lie on her front, but her breasts were tender and sore, crushed under her weight. It was a feeling that turned her stomach and made her feel less human somehow. She felt like a farm animal, breeding, and getting ready to be milked. Her sex drive also plummeted that night. There was nothing like thinking about the actual biological function to kill desire.
YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE IF YOU WERE NEVER THERE
It was strangely quiet as the wind had died down, and the pummeling rain was no longer assaulting her ear drums. She knew it was morning as she could feel the warm light against her face. The comforting white noise of gentle waves washed over her, and she breathed deeply in time with the rise and fall. She could feel the warmth of Michael's body next to hers and she sighed in contentment in her drowsy state. As she opened her eyes, her heart skipped a beat.
Someone stood over the bed. Due to the bright sunlight, she couldn't make out their face.
"Hello." She squinted and sat upright, preparing to jump out of bed. As she shifted, the sun must have dipped behind a cloud as the room dimmed.
"Oh my god, Albert. How did you find us?"
He stood by the bed, staring, with dark sunken eyes, and she wondered how long he had been there. "Are you okay? You just walked off into the storm. We looked all over for you. You scared us."
He didn't speak.
"Albert. Say something."
"They're coming."
"Who's coming?" Olivia got that sense of dread that would hit her right in her chest and in the pit of her stomach when she woke up on a Monday morning. "Albert, who's coming?"
Something was wrong with him. He had that same look her Gran had when she had to move out of her own home, when she could no longer look after herself. When she wandered off and had no idea where she was.
Michael awoke with a wide-eyed look of confusion. "Albert, you're here."
"There's no time." Albert limped over to the window and looked out.
The sound of a vehicle came from outside and Olivia jumped out of bed and grabbed her clothes.
"Who is outside? Michael get dressed." She sprinted to the window and put her face up to the glass as a white van pulled up outside. She dove to her bag, spilled the contents out onto the floor and picked up the knife. "Michael stay behind me." Unlike the old Michael, he complied without protest. She kicked open the door and held her knife out in front of her like a shield and knocked on Zoe and Corey's door.
There was movement inside the room, but no one answered.
"Guys, I'm not pissing around." She shouted, thumping on the door. The metal door number rattled on its screws.
Corey opened the door and stopped when he saw the knife. "What is happening?"
"Those men are here, the ones from the hospital."
"Shit." Corey ran back into the room and shook Zoe awake. "We need to get out of here, babe. Wake up!" Half asleep, Zoe blinked and mumbled incoherently. When she looked up to see Olivia holding a knife, her hazy eyes opened wide as the realisation something was wrong penetrated her sluggish brain. Dana and Luke burst from their rooms into the corridor, half dressed and confused.
"There's footsteps," said Luke, cocking his head to one side. "They're coming up the stairs, it sounds like there are a few of them. What do we do?" He stood there in his crumpled t-shirt and boxer shorts, highly unprepared for what was coming for them.
"Quick, get in my room." Olivia herded them in, closed the door behind her and turned the lock. She moved aside as Luke hauled a chest of drawers and wedged it in front of the door. It was flimsy and cheap and she prayed it would do the job. Not that she believed in god, but now and then, when things got really bad, she would pray, just in case. "Now there is only one point of entry we have more control. We just need to concentrate on the door, and if they try to come it, shoot them in the head. I want to see their fucking brains splattered on the floor." Olivia went to the window again to see what was happening and a loud, hard bang on the door sent a stab of panic through her chest.
"What do you want?" Luke shouted through to door.
"Just come out without a struggle. What we need to do is more important than you know."
"Then tell me why it is so important."
"You wouldn't understand. Not yet."
"No, you're the one who doesn't understand. There is no way we are coming out."
Olivia froze as she felt cold metal press against her neck. "Drop the knife." Albert's voice rasped hoarsely in her ear.
"What?" She stammered. Her body wouldn't cooperate with her brain, and the knife hung loosely in her hand.
Dana raised her gun. "Put the knife down."
"You drop the gun or your friend is dead." He put pressure on the steel blade so it pressed up against the thin, delicate skin around her carotid artery.
"Why are you doing this? Please don't. She is pregnant." Dan
a cried, holding up the gun and wondering if she shot him now would he still have time to slit Olivia's throat.
"That is exactly why we are doing this."
"I can't die anyway." Olivia taunted. "I already tried... twice." She plunged her knife into his thigh, and as obscenities streamed out of his mouth and he loosened his grip on his knife, she forced her head back as hard as she could and the back of her skull cracked against his nose. Albert lost his balance, hitting the floor with a thud.
A deafening crack rang out as Dana took a shot at him but missed. She pulled the trigger again, but the gun just made a clicking sound.
"Check the magazine." Corey shouted to her.
In the second that it took for Olivia to register what was happening, Albert lunged towards her, holding his knife with both hands. She rolled to one side, and the knife missed her and struck the floor. The handle of Olivia's knife still protruded from his leg, and blood soaked into his light khakis. Corey tried grabbing Albert from behind, but he slipped out of his grasp and went for Olivia again.
Unarmed, Olivia's prepared herself for the inevitable pain to come and held her arms in front of her. She heard a thud and a grunt and opened her eyes. Dana had tackled him to the floor and smashed him across the side of the head with the butt of the gun. The strike hadn't affected him, and he crawled across the floor towards the knife that skidded across the room. Corey grabbed it. "It's over. Stop." He shouted. "Don't move or I will stab you in the fucking head."
Arthur was on his knees. A strange smile crept across his face as he pulled the blade imbedded in his leg and blood gushed down his trouser leg. He dove towards Olivia, and she tried to dodge him, but the knife sliced into her side. Corey sank the knife straight into the old man's back, and the man flailed wildly like a rabid dog on the end of a catchpole.
"You're hurt." Dana rushed to Olivia's side.
"It could be worse," said Olivia, clutching her side.
"Let me have a look." She leaned in.
"Dana watch out!"
Dana span around and Arthur stabbed her straight in the chest. She stood there, just for a moment, before collapsing at Olivia's feet.
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