Asking Kaley who was wide awake and staring out the window where she had gone the girl told her that Stacie had gone to patrol the area before leaving to make sure no nasties had crept in overnight. After quickly eating something they decided to walk to the truck as she knew that Stacie would sense where they were, they left the strange altar room and took to the still dark halls. Albi took point and showed them the way out, Kaley was in the middle and Monique at the end wielding her blade ready to strike if need be. Coming out to where the camp of the cult had stood where the old fast food restaurants used to be they noticed how it had all been torn down, to Monique it looked like Stacie had gone crazy and shredded it all in the hope of finding something but what? She caught a flash of movement in the corner of her eye, an old fire exit door was swinging open blowing gently in the breeze, telling the other two to wait there and lay low she took off and peeked out of the exit, it came out onto a small fire escape balcony with stairs that climbed down to the lower level of the building and came out down a small alleyway. Looking down she saw no sign of Stacie so she turned and caught sight of her sitting atop the roof, the snow had fallen on her in the night and she looked like a shimmering white snowman.
Watching her footing Monique climbed up and slowly made her way over the old rickety roof to her old friend, kneeling down next to her she saw that she had been crying and that her tears had frozen in small lines down her chilled face. Looking out over the snow covered town she saw how empty the world had really become. The world really did look so different now, if people could see it now they wouldn’t believe their eyes, the town around them was an empty, dead space.
“Stacie? What are you doing up here your freeze to death”.
“That’s the point Monique, I won’t freeze to death, I won’t fall to my death, I won’t be shot or stabbed to death, I am death itself because death never dies it keeps on coming”.
“Stacie you don’t want to die though right? You might never see Cain or Ollie again”.
“I can’t see them anyway Monique, I’m too dangerous to have around. I saw the way you looked at me last night like I was some monster and your right, I am”.
“You’re not a monster”, she paused, “You’re just different now”, but the words came out unsteady like she didn’t really believe them herself.
Stacie laughed, “I know you don’t think that and it’s fine but I don’t want Ollie or Cain to see me this way”.
“What about the others?”
“What?”
“Kaley and Albi, don’t they need somewhere to go?”
She shrugged, “They can stay with you guys, I’ll go back to my home”.
“And where is your home”.
She smiled, “That’s for me to know”, she stood up and shook the snow from her chilled to the bone body, “Shall we get you and that milk back home”.
“Oh my god the milk it’s still in the car”.
Stacie pointed to a small bundle in the snow, Monique pushed the snow off and found both the bags full and another bag filled with more from the store room. She went to say thanks but Stacie had already jumped down and was in the shopping centre ready to go. Picking up the bags and following close behind Monique followed Stacie as she led them to the old car park where the truck was waiting for them.
Monique jumped in the driver’s seat.
“I thought I was driving”, Albi said.
“Yeah I’m feeling better now and I know the way and we need someone to open the gate”.
Whilst he went to open the gate she looked in the mirror to see Stacie had already climbed in the bed, shovelling out some of the snow with the butt of her rifle. Kaley climbed in the back behind the driver’s seat and Albi took front passenger. With the milk in tow with Kaley in the back and Stacie sat down ready with her weapons to keep watch Monique started the old truck firing the engine to life and ploughing ahead to home.
Oh how times where a changing.
Chapter 5 …
Ollie was sick out of his mind with worry and what made it worse was that Callum was a nervous wreck, he had stayed at the gate the whole night keeping watch to make sure to open it up as soon as he spotted any headlights or the grumble of an engine but it never came, the truck never arrived.
The doctor had told them as soon as they got home how she had gone out to get milk for baby Charlie which made Callum flip out in a fit of rage and fury, she had gone alone and left the idiot that is Dwayne in charge, yes the camp needed protecting but Dwayne? And why didn’t she wait for them to come back they could have gone together and then the snow hit.
Callum had wanted to go out after her but they couldn’t get the other snow worthy car going, the battery was dead and the only place that might have one that could work needed the truck to go and get it. He did debate on walking but as Ollie pointed out he had no idea which way she took to get there and whether she had to detour due to any obstacles and in the dark it would be suicide. So with heavy hearts they waited and waited until Ollie had enough and was readying his bag and weapons to try and walk somewhere just to see if she had broken down on the way. Just then Dwayne shouted from the gate, “The truck…She’s here!”
Callum and Ollie both raced to where Dwayne was now opening the gate, the front end of the truck burst through and relief flooded his body, then Ollie saw the two other survivors in the cab with Monique looking bewildered but happy but then he saw her…Stacie.
His heart done a double take as he spied her long blonde hair all dirty and damp from the snow, a new scar lined the top of her face and she looked older but not by much, it was her, it was really her. Running forward to the truck he looked in at Monique with questioning eyes, she nodded and smiled to him before he dashed off round the back to see her but she had already climbed out and was walking away from him to the still open gate.
His heart skipping like a kids when they had been lost but just found their parent he called to her, “Stacie it’s me Ollie”.
She paused for a moment before carrying on walking.
He felt confusion ripple through him before grabbing her should and spinning her round on the spot, “Stacie it’s me”.
She placed a hand on his shoulder, “I know Ollie, I know it’s you”, her voice cracked and he could see tears well up in her eyes, “I just need a moment”. She ran off out the gate and hid behind the wall. Dwayne called out that he was shutting the gate and Monique Ok’d it.
Ollie’s heart beat so heavily as he waited, why had she run off like that?
“She’ll come in when she’s ready”, a young girl about Ollie’s age said to him from the door of the truck as she climbed out.
He nodded and took in the girl, she was a pretty little thing, soft dark hair that she kept tied out her face, her eyes held mischief but a grown up haunted look but then so didn’t all their eyes now? He helped her carry some bags of baby milk and took them over to where Charlie’s mother stood weeping at the relief of seeing Monique home. As Monique passed her she thanked her to no end and Monique held the weeping woman before she ran off with the milk to feed her hungry baby.
They all bundled into Monique’s house where the doctor also arrived to check them all over, apparently Monique had had quite the adventure in her small journey. She relayed all to an ecstatic Callum until his face dropped at the mention of Stacie.
“Where is she?” he asked looking around.
“Out the gate, I think it’s too much for her”, Ollie replied.
The look on Callum’s face was something Ollie knew would hurt Monique, it was the look of a lover who had lost someone but now they were back, relief, hope and love. Monique’s eyes dipped at the sight of his face and carried on with her story none the less, how she met Kaley and Albi, how they were all infected but not a threat like Stacie…then she paused at her name and shook a memory away.
As if on timing of her name Stacie came to the door and stood there like a ghostly mirage, she shouldn’t be here, she was dead? Ollie had seen her
with the others, broken and gone. He couldn’t help it he ran to her and flung his arms around her, “You came home, you returned to us. How did you find us?”
“Uh…”
“She didn’t, I found her”, Monique smiled giving Stacie a look.
Stacie nodded, “Yes she found me”.
“Well you must stay we will find you a home here we still have a few houses going spare and your friends too”, Ollie muttered.
“I can’t stay Ollie”, she said but he didn’t hear her.
Inside he suddenly felt like the young boy who had first seen her all those years ago at the hospital with....with…Sian…But he couldn’t, wouldn’t let the thought in, “You can come over for tea here with all of us and Cain oh my god Cain, he needs to see you”.
“Ollie I’m not staying”, she repeated and with that he looked at her.
“Why not?”
“I…I’m…”
Monique cut her off, “She is staying and we will show her to a new house later on. Why don’t you fetch Cain now Ollie”.
Ollie wasn’t stupid he knew something was up but he was so thrilled to have her back with them that he took off to find Chantelle and Cain.
~
“Why’d you tell him that?” I said to Monique who was cuddled up to Callum on the sofa, Callum’s eyes stared into mine.
“Because you can Stacie, you don’t have to hide anymore. We need you here with us, you belong here with all of us and Cain. Don’t you think little Cain needs his aunt?”
“But you know what I…”
“I know nothing Stace, all I know is that we need you”, she said, her eyes giving me a stop it now look.
Callum looked puzzled, “Hang on, is there something we need to know about?”
“No nothing”, Monique said pleading with her eyes for me not to tell.
I looked to Kaley and Albi who said nothing but stood there watching.
“Fine but if…”
“We will be here for you”, she replied just as Ollie came in holding a very cute little five year olds hand.
“Cain?” I gasped tears already rolling down my cheeks, he was the spitting image of my sister Tanya at that age just with short hair and a few more freckles. His dark hair was cut neatly into a boyish style.
“Who are you?” he looked weary.
“You remember that photo on your wall of your mummy, Aunty Stacie and their mum and dad?”
The boy nodded.
“Well this is your Aunty Stacie”, Ollie grinned, for him this was just one huge happy reunion.
Cain looked me over at first not entirely sure what to do, then he walked slowly to me and hugged me. My heart melted in that moment and I knew I couldn’t leave, not now, not ever.
“Well who’s for lunch?” Ollie said and started for the kitchen, within the hour they were all sprawled out on the kitchen table and chairs and the sofa, Ollie had made a thick vegetable soup with some homemade bread. The food tickled my stomach and I felt full but no longer satisfied and that’s what was now scaring me, the feeling of truly being full and satisfied was bliss but I couldn’t do that again, I hated myself for what I did at the shopping centre, I vowed that I wouldn’t let it happen again. Ever!
A few days soon passed us by and the snow fell heavier at every passing minute, the children in the camp were excited and were building snow men and snow creatures smashing the creatures with twigs as makeshift swords and stones that were pretend bullets. The camp was alive with people, so many people it made my skin crawl with all the endless possibilities in my head of how I could accidentally end up killing them, I tried to hide away as much as possible but with Cain and Ollie both coming to my new home it made it difficult to not be around someone.
They had put me up in a house near the back of the estate which had a view over the swollen and now frozen lake, the forest called to me as if willing me to run from the human race, as I looked out I sighed and gently closed the curtain. I missed my flat.
A knock at the door awoke me from my miserable daze and I put on my best happy face so as to not offend the people I did care about. It was Ollie and he had Kaley in tow, behind them stood little Cain with a drawing for me he had done at his little school. I sat them down and gave them some warm black tea as that was all I had in my home, I didn’t want to take the supplies off the other people so I was living off the bare minimum. Cain was happy sitting playing with some toys Chantelle had kindly left with me but what caught my attention was how well Ollie and Kaley got on, Ollie being the older gentleman he now was made casual talk, jokes and had even taken her out to show her some basic hunting skills. Kaley had really taken to him, I guess finally being around someone the same age as her was a blessing and she finally had someone who understood her teenage self.
“So Kaley you fancy coming hunting again later?”
“You bet I do”, Kaley grinned from ear to ear.
It was funny watching them together and it pulled on my heart, I remembered how young he had been when we first met, him and Sian.
“Stacie you gonna come this time?”
I looked up from watching Cain, Kaley was watching me, “I think it would do you good to get out”, she smiled.
It was true I did need to get out, if only for the fresh air, “Sure I’ll come”.
“Great, Stacie used to be the best hunter I knew”, Ollie grinned, “That was until I got older”.
Kaley giggled a full on girly giggle.
Before we left for hunting I decided to take Cain for a walk, we had seen each other every day since my arrival but I still didn’t feel like I completely knew him. The snow crunched under foot as we made it to the small playpark, it was in view of most of the houses which was great for when the kids just wanted to have fun. Cain went on the swing first of all, the metal chains squeaking as I pushed him higher and higher, then it was the slide and the round a bout before back to the swing. Just as we were finishing up Albi came over to me, “Hey we’re heading out for the hunt”.
“Ok I’m just coming”, it was funny even though Kaley had been out with Ollie to learn, Albi had never left her side, he was like the albino older brother she never had.
Taking Cain back to Chantelle I promised I would bring him something back, I didn’t know what but I would find something. Giving him a hug I then left catching up with Albi who stood at the gate behind Kaley and Ollie.
“Hey mind if I join?” Callum asked joining us from behind, he held his pistol in one hand and knife in the other.
“Sure thing”, Albi said even though I knew he meant to ask me.
The person on the gate opened it wide letting us out into the wild before shutting it sharply behind us. The snow had stopped falling now but it had settled into a thick, white blanket all over the land. The forest we were aiming for was only a small walk away, Kaley and Ollie ran ahead laughing and joking around which made me smile.
“They’ve got really close”, Albi said looking at my smile, “I don’t think I’ve really seen you smile before, not a true smile”.
I felt my cheeks blush a little, “Well in this world what is there to really smile about? But I guess now I have Cain and Ollie in my life again and now Kaley it makes it worth more, you know?”
He nodded, “I think I do”.
“So Stace how you been?” Callum asked from my other side as we hit the tree line trying to cut Albi off.
“Ok…How’s Monique?” I asked, I hadn’t seen her since the day we arrived the doctor had said she needed bed rest, she had a slight fever and the chills from her water outing the other day and it had made her weak and tired but it could have been worse.
“She’s getting better, I can’t believe she found you after all this time?” he said but it was a question, ever since me and Monique had that strange conversation at their home he had been badgering Albi and Kaley to find out what it was but both had kept quiet.
“I know, small world huh”.
“Yes it is Stacie…And I don’t
believe she just stumbled upon you”.
“Well what do you believe?”
“I think you’ve been here a while and that Monique knew and tried to get you to come but she got in trouble and it forced your hand to help her”.
He was far from the mark but it held some truth, it had forced my hand to help her, “Well believe what you want”.
He fell back as we carried on walking, ducking between low branches dusting us with snow as we plodded on through, “Why won’t you tell me the truth?”
“Because there is nothing to tell”, I replied turning to face him, for the first time since I had come here I finally looked deep into those Irish eyes.
“What happened to you Stacie?”
“What do you mean?”
“You aren’t you anymore, I can see it, Monique has seen it but Ollie hasn’t seen it, he just thinks you are still you…What went wrong?”
“Five years is a long time Callum, things happen, people change”.
He looked shocked by my words but held whatever it was he wanted to say in.
“And nothing went wrong Callum, I’m just used to being on my own now”.
I gave him nothing else as I stormed off further into the woods, I passed Ollie and Kaley but they let me go they knew I needed the space. I heard them rush off to hunt with Albi close behind, I sensed Ollie showing her how to set traps and forage for whatever food might be hidden under the snow. I sulked off through the trees and came to a small frozen river that led to the lake, I could see the fish underneath swimming around underneath the ice. Callum followed me but said no more, he just kept look out for food. As we padded further inland I sensed something animal up ahead and took to my hunting stance, Callum followed suit and watched me as I took out my new bow and arrow, I hadn’t had the time to use it properly and now was the perfect opportunity to try it out.
I spotted the animal presence up just past a few trees and behind a snow covered bush, it was a fox sniffing around in the snow, lifting my bow I carefully breathed in and out taking aim. I knew fox meat was not the most appetising but with desperate hungry bellies to feed any meat was better than no meat. I had eaten it before and although wild in taste and tough to chew it was edible. I let the arrow fly from the bow making a swishing noise in the air, the fox heard it and its head spun to look but it was too late, the fox went down and the arrow lay still sticking out from its chest. Making sure there was nothing else creeping by I went for my kill pulling out my arrow and wiping the blood off. I then grabbed the fox and tied some rope around it and slung it over my shoulder ready to carry home.
Alone (Book 2): Lone Page 10
