What’s Past is Prologue

Traveling alone has always brought contradicting emotions in Zooey. The moment she parted from friends and family, that gate that ended physical interaction, was always a moment of held back tears and a big lump in her throat.

Then once the gate was crossed and she was alone she felt suddnly independent, despite her was already 23 years, she felt the world in her hands.

So once she had found her boarding gate, after the one on her ticket turned out to have been changed, she sat on the nearest chair to the boarding gate – she always felt the urge to get on the plane first and secure space for her trolley- opened her science fiction book that seemed to never end and turned on her iPod.

When her red trolley was securely under her legs and her hand bag safe under her arm, she started reading while Linkin Park distracted her from time to time. Occasionally she would look at people passing by or the ones laughing and talking in front of her, thinking she too could socially engage with someone, but would rather not. And since decisions were hers to make, she decided not to.

After reading three pages she shut the book and decided Linkin Park won over science fiction and that reading outside her comfort zone of classic romantic literature and love stories was not working for her. She was enjoying the vampiric apocalypse Guillermo del Toro’s The Strain described and it was a fast read too to start with, but knowing that somewhere in her bookshelf a heroine was waiting to meet her future lover whom she would hate first than tremendously fall in love with, was more intriguing despite its lack of originality.

It was when her mind had gone back to when she was reading Wuthering Heights for the fifth time – and how she had enjoyed it like it was the first time -  that she noticed a man standing in front of her staring. Her whole body went on alert, the hair on her skin standing as she her father’s usual list of many don’ts suddenly came into her mind.

Don’t talk to strangers or take anything from strangers. Even if the ask to guard their bag while they are at the bathroom. Don’t take any kind of food, even if it’s closed.

As she prepared herself to give the “what do you want” look she always reserved for people who approached her unexpectedly. She realized that man looked familiar and Zooey’s face relaxed as the man came forward smiling.

“Zooey?” As the man gently smiled, Zooey seemed to have lost the use of words, her mouth remained half-opened, while her mind was wondering what were the chances of meeting your ex in an airport, after more than five years of no contacts.

“K-Kevin hi!” She blushed and stood to greet him then crossed her arms and forced a smile as her mind inevitably went back to the moment of their break up and how she had screamed to him on the phone not to call her again. Ever.

Feeling embarrassed and uneasy she sat and to her discomfort, he sat next to her.

“How are you doing? You look good!” He rested his elbows on his knees and titled his head to look at her. She looked away and smiled, thankful for the few minutes she spent in the airport bathroom to put some make up on, before heading to the boarding gate.

“I’m good. What about you?” She tried to shift the attention on him, and it worked for he looked away and stared at his clasped hands in front of him.

“Am alright.” As he played with his fingers, Zooey noticed a shining golden strip on his finger.

“You’re married.” She said before she even realized. He smiled and played with it with his thumb before nodding.

“I don’t know if you remember,” he started after a pause still looking at his hands, “but I once told you I had a dream where we would meet after long in an airport…”

“And I had blue eyes., yes.They are still brown.” she added trying to lessen the tense atmosphere. He forced a laugh and nodded.

“Yes. Well, it was a dream.”

Now Zooey had hoped she still had the book open and was reading, for if she was, Kevin would probably not have noticed her and if he did, he might not have even talked to her.  The more silent they remained, the stronger memories come rushing into her head. Memories of when she met him for the first time in high school. Memories of when she realized she liked him. And memories of how they had parted and the harsh words she said and didn’t regret. She also remember how, more than once, her conscience took the best of her and she tried to apologize, never directly, but through messages. And how he had listen to what she had said to him and never replied to her apologies.

“Listen Kevin…” she started then stopped thinking of changing the subject, but the words were already in her mouth. “I’m sorry how it…you know ended…”

Remembering the wedding ring, she felt that maybe this wasn’t appropriate now that he was married.

“Yea…” he said playing with his ring, “well…it happens.” He sighed and forced a smile. ” We were on different stages of our relationship. I wanted to get more serious and you didn’t.”

Zooey raised an eyebrow something inside her snapping; was he putting the blame all on her?

“I was 18…” she said in a matter of fact tone trying hard to sound calm, “and it’s not like we had a…relationship.”

Kevin looked at her smiling and troubled.

“I mean when I moved to college, we only talked over the phone.” she hastily justified, “and even before, we rarely really met alone.”

He looked back at his hands still smiling and saying nothing.

Zooey felt worse now, but decided to continue with her apologies.

“But I shouldn’t have been that hard on you.” She said rolling her eyes without Kevin noticing.

“You know I was really serious about us. About marriage.” He looked at her, his eyes fixed on hers for the unspoken answer he wished for. But Zooey looked away blushing and shaking her head.

“I was serious about us too” she said, “at first at least. I mean I really liked you. Even when I confessed to you and you sent me off to Mike saying he likes me too and I should be with him.”

“That was a mistake. I think I apologised for it.”

“Yes yes you did. But it wasn’t nice anyways.”

Silence seemed to have taken over the airport; Zooey could hear only her thoughts and memories and people’s voices seemed far and distant.

“You know…” he started while playing his ring, “I still don’t know what went wrong between us. Why it ended I mean.”

Zooey sighed for she expected this to come.

“I don’t know Kevin. I was 18 and going to college. You wanted to get married. I freaked out.” She turned to look at him. “I didn’t feel what we had, was a relationship. Don’t get me wrong I was happy.” She quickly added, “But you never even tried to…kiss me.”

He smiled not looking at her and for a moment hid his face in his hands. His ring shining.

“I mean I know we had been together for a short time and I really liked how you respected me and everything.” she shook her head, “but sometimes I wished you could just push me against the wall…” she blushed hesitating as his ring caught the shadow of someone passing by.

Damn it Zooey, shut the hell up. She thought as she stared at the opening gate time and wished two hours would magically disappeared.

“That-that was inappropriate, I’m sorry.”

“No no it’s fine. At least now I know.” He looked at her, “I thought I was do the right thing with you, you know.” he laughed, “I wanted to push you against the wall every time I saw you. And not just to kiss you.”

Zooey opened her mouth but shut it again her body suddenly becoming hot.

“I thought…I was respecting you. Giving you the time you needed. I wanted to do things right with you.”

“I know I know.” Zooey said scratching her forehead. “We wanted the same things but in different ways I guess.”

He turned and looked her “what do you mean?” he asked smiling wryly.

Zooey smiled blushing and scratching her forehead even harder.

“Nothing, so where are you headed?” She asked trying to change the subject.

“Oh come on!” Kevin insisted punching gently her arm. Zooey laughed shaking her head and feeling her cheeks on flames.

“Oh come one! its more than five years ago! We didn’t talk back then, why not do it now?” He insisted and she could feel he was trying to catch her eyes.

“You are married now.”

“What did you want?”

“Kevin…drop it”

“What did you want?”

“Zooey, what did you want?” He repeated.

“Damn it Kevin,” she snapped, she lowered her voice now turning toward him “I wanted you to kiss me. I wanted you to touch me. I wanted to have sex with you. I didn’t want you just to respect me but to want me also. Happy now?”

Kevin remained speechless his mouth slightly opened. Zooey bit her lower lip nervously. Their lives had taken different directions; he was now married and she was to begin her new life in another country. Was all of this necessary?

Zooey looked at her watch and stood up.

“I-I need to get something before I leave,” She grabbed her bag and pulled her trolley, “It was nice seeing you Kevin. Have a safe trip.” Before he could answer she left heading for no place in particular. She headed for the stairs, far from his sight, and decide she would decide then where to go and hide for the next two hours before she could get on that plane and forget this encounter ever happened.

But before she could reach the stairs, she felt her arm pulled backward. She turned around and Kevin was holding her arm. She opened her mouth to protest, rather irritated but he took her face in his hands and kissed gently then passionately.

When they parted he didn’t look at her, instead he took her hand and walked her behind him. Zooey had just the time to rationally remember to get hold of the trolley and pull it with her. Her mind seemed distant, its sounds too faint now that her heart was echoing loud in her ears. Kevin stopped in front of a door, looked around, then pulled her inside, check if there was someone, then locked the door and went to stand away from her.

Zooey stood by the locked door petrified, the trolley still in her sweaty hand, looking at Kevin. He had his hands in his hair, his tormented face fixed on the dark marble tile floor. When their eyes met, he walked toward her. She instinctively stepped back, her head bumping the door first, then her body.

Kevin didn’t hesitate he kissed her again passionately on her lips, her cheeks, her neck. The few times he paused, Zooey was able to think rationally, but the pauses became less frequent and soon Zooey found herself losing her rational mind and kissing him back.

As they kissed, he moved her toward the sinks, and lifted her onto the counter. He started unbuttoning his white shirt and she pulled off her grey t-shirt. He stopped, looking at her then pulled her against him, hip to hip and kissed her as he unbuttoned her jeans. Zooey pulled him closer her hands over his chest, his back, his arms, then again on his chest. He pulled away, his fingertips over her cheek—pausing to circle her mouth—and stared at her before kissing her again, his hands reaching under her bra.

Her legs were on either side of him; her ankles crossed behind his back while her hands busy in his hair, her fingers wrapping in and pulling him closer.

Except for the occasional call for passengers they faintly heard from behind the door, all they could hear was their heavy breathing on each other’s skins.

When they parted, Kevin gently lifted her off the counter and stepped away, his hands in his hair. Zooey entered a cabin taking some of her clothes on her way. She took a moment to breathe, her mind still intoxicated, then pulled up her jeans and went out of the cabin to look for the rest of her clothes. They dressed silently and as Zooey put back on her t-shirt, she noticed Kevin’s wedding ring, shining, despite the dim light.

She was heading for the door when Kevin pulled her back into his arms and kissed intensely. Their eyes met. She kissed him back, then parted without a word while he was still embracing her. She took her bag and her trolley, unlocked the door and exited.

She headed back to her boarding gat and was almost surprised to find her seat still empty. She sat. Turned on her iPod. Opened her book, but didn’t look at it.

Now not even Papa Roach, could distract her. As the tracks shuffled and repeated themselves, Zooey’s mind kept going back to the bathroom. To what had happened.

If it wasn’t for the crowd that formed in front of the boarding gate, Zooey wouldn’t have realized that it was time to get on the plane. In an automatic reflex she stood and waited for her turn. Before handing her boarding pass though, she instinctively looked behind her. But the crowd had also formed behind her and it was impossible to make out his face. If he even was there.

After she was seated and strangely found an empty spot for her trolley above her, Zooey’s mind was still in the bathroom. Maybe she should have stopped him. Maybe she shouldn’t have left him without saying a word. Maybe she should stopped and talked about it. Maybe she shouldn’t have started talking about their relationship at all.

Maybe she shouldn’t have left him five years ago.

The White’s Way

Josh and Matt have been expecting Usha anytime now; they haven’t seen her for one week and hope this meant she had found their father. But when someone appeared it wasn’t Usha but Irene.

“Where is Usha?” She asked annoyed looking around.

“We thought you knew.” Josh replied even more annoyed. “We haven’t seen her in a while.”

Irene eyes narrowed and looked at them suspiciously.

“Any news?” She asked sitting on an old armchair dust flying around her.

The brothers shook their heads.

“Very strange…” Irene started folding her legs and staring at both brothers.

“What?” asked Josh.

“Well I haven’t talked to her in a while, you haven’t. I wonder what she’s been up to.”

Josh frowned. “Research I guess.”

“Yeah. Maybe you are right. I’m just tired today.” She said waving her hand and resting in the armchair. “Still, I think…no forget about it.”

“Irene if you know something in any way related to our father, just say it or leave.” Josh said coldly Matt nodding behind him.

“Well,” she started standing and walking to the window. She hesitated, thought about her words well, then turned to look at the brothers.

“Well,” she repeated, “Haven’t you ever wondered why Usha is related to your father?”

“Our father helped her.” Matt said.

“How? I mean, how could a human help a demon?”

Both brothers remained silent.

“And why hasn’t she mentioned who she really is.” And this Josh stood and went to her.

“You know?”

“Of course I do! We come from the same place!”

“Then tell us!” Josh demanded furiously.

“And have her kill me? No thanks. It’s not like you can force me.” She looked at him, and his weak body and smiled.

Then moved away and sat on the armchair again.

“But I’m sure she has her reasons. Usha has always her reasons. And she really wants to find you father. Alive.” She tried to sound apprehensive but her bored expression gave her away. She looked around noticing the spider webs at each corner of the room, she touched her head just to make sure nothing was on it.

The brothers were silently considering what Irene has just said. Though each immersed in his own thoughts they were thinking the same thing.

“Well I guess she is not coming.” She said standing. “Tell her I said hi.” And without waiting for a reply she vanished.

Josh looked at Matt.

“I’m tired of this.” he said mouth clenched, “I’m tired of being used by these…things.” He said waving his wands where Irene was just standing. Matt nodded.

“We need to change things.” Matt added looking seriously. “We need to make things our way.”

Josh nodded, “Yes the White’s way.”

Desserts

Usha found nothing about Marie. Nothing more than what the brothers told her. As far as she knew, Marie didn’t exist as a human. This meant two things; either she was an angel or demon, or she, as a human, was hiding something and had to erase anything that lead to her.

She entered a restaurant sighing. She chose the table next to the window and opened the menu. She wasn’t hungry for human food, but in order to get the attention of men sitting by the bar in rush hour, she had to play this scene.

It didn’t take long before a man, holding a glass of wine, came toward her.

“May I join you?” he asked with a smile. Usha smiled back. A part of her pitted those men who couldn’t control the attraction they felt for her. She was a temptation they couldn’t resist.

Usha was about to make a better offer when Arech suddenly appeared.

“She already has company.” He bluntly said as he seated himself in front of Usha. The man scratched his head and left without a word.

“That was my lunch.” Usha said annoyed pointing toward the back of the man.

“I know.”

Usha rolled her eyes and went back to look at her menu. Maybe I drag him inside the bathroom, she thought as she flipped the pages of the menu. The waiter came for the orders, but Usha dismissed him.

“What do you want Arech?” Usha snapped closed her menu and folded her arms. Arech gently closed his menu and looked at Usha.

“I said I would help, and here I am.”

“And I should believe that? I think you are only trying to keep me away from my meals.”

“What are you investigating on now?” Arech asked ignoring her remake. He called for the waiter and ordered two caesar salads.

“Something strange happened when I was patrolling with Josh.”

“What?”

“I blacked out and found myself in a motel in bed with Josh.” Arech tensed and raised an eyebrow as his jaw stiffed. Usha smiled as her memories perfectly decoded this posture.

“And what happened?” He asked rather listlessly.

“I don’t know, I don’t usually black out.” Usha said. The waiter came with their orders. As he placed the plate in front of Usha he smiled at her and hesitated more than usual. She smiled back as she imagined what she will take for dessert. Then he was called, and he left reluctantly.

“I didn’t mean that. I mean with you and Josh…” He didn’t change his posture; he remained tensed with his arms folded.

Usha took her fork and started picking at her salad, strangely enjoying this situation.

“You mean..”she started smiling, “if we slept together?” She eyed him but Arech didn’t reply, but his silence was clearly a yes.

Usha shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, maybe.” She left the fork in the plat and rested on the chair. “What? You’re jealous little angel?”

Aresh tensed as he looked outside the window. Usha on the other hand, took the opportunity to look around. The restaurant was empty; everyone had gone back to work and she was only left with waiters and women. The waiter that served them looked at her and smiled. She smiled back. Apparently she didn’t have a choice.

When Usha looked at Arech he was still looking outside the window. Usha took the fork again and picked a piece of chicken. She ate other two pieces before Arech looked back at her and spoke.

“What did you find?” He asked. His mood changed; now he was nervous and irritated.

“Nothing.” Usha said as she put back the fork in the plate. “But whoever did it, it’s not human.” Arech nodded.

“Why would someone do that anyway?” He asked as he took his fork. He held it for few seconds then he placed it back on the table again. Now Usha tensed. No matter how much she knew him, she didn’t trust him. Arech was one of the others, he turned her back on her once and he could easily do it again.

Usha decided not to tell him of her plan once she found Adam. No one knew about it and Arech was the last one that needed to know. He wouldn’t approve anyway.

“Well,” she said as she looked outside the window, “they are Adam’s sons. I got them into all this, if something happens to them, Adam wouldn’t forgive me.” As the words came out, Usha realized she had said more than needed and too near the truth. She thought what would happen when Adam would learn the fate Usha led them to. She only hoped it would be after he saved her.

Arech seemed to accept the reply Usha gave as he nodded then stood up.

“If it involves the safety of humans, we need to give it priority. I’ll let you know if I find something.” And before Usha could tell him that his help was not needed, we walked toward the exit. Usha knew it had nothing to do with humans, but before her thought could go any further the waiter came at her table.

“I hope you like the salad, your friend left rather quickly.” He took Arech full plate and asked if she wanted to order something else.

“I think I’ll have dessert,” she said smiling resting her chin on her hand. “But before,” she said standing up “could you show me where the restroom is.” She took Arech plate and placed it back on the table. The waiter rubbed his hands on his trousers and quickly showed Usha where the restroom were.

Usha checked if the women’s restroom was empty. Then she dragged the waiter inside by his shirt and locked the door.

“I think I’ll have the dessert here.”

Where is Northanger town?

“There are a few things I wanted to ask you, if you don’t mind.” Devon handed the plates to Jess, who placed them on the table, each in front of a chair.

Jess has been living with the Waine for one week now. She still didn’t feel comfortable especially knowing that half of the family wasnt happy she had joined. One in particular Lilly who first thought of Jess as a heavy slowing burden and now as an intruder after her father said she would sleep in Lilly’s room.

Devon, or uncle dev as he asked Jess to call him, had a small 2 story cottage  1km from a highway Jess never heard about. In the first floor was the kitchen, living room and dining room where Jess was helping out. The stair placed in the middle of the floor led to the 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms one of which connect Lilly’s room with Noah and jays. Of all her house, Jess missed her bathroom more as it was the only room in her house, where she could get some privacy. Now that the number of people living under the roof were more and bathrooms less and Jess found herself with no time to sit and think. Not to mention the recent events made her much more irritable and short-tempered and Jess had to resort to her pills more than usual.

“What things?” Jess asked as she placed the forks next to the plates.

“Well, for instance why Northanger town is not on the maps.”

“It is on the maps. Maybe not important ones. It’s a small town.”

“We have almost all maps.”

Jess laughed. “Why do you have all maps?” But uncle Dev didn’t reply.

The two remained silent. Then uncle Dev spoke again. “You see,” he started, “I looked for Northanger town on all maps I have. Even online. But I didn’t find anything.”

“It’s not the number 1 tourists destination.” Jess defensively responded. Uncle Dev nodded and continued cooking.

“But there has to be something.” Uncle Dev insisted. “Anything. A map of the town itself. Something to prove its existence.”

Jess sighed frustrated as she took her pills from her pocket. She swallowed two without water and closed her eyes as she felt the calming effect of the pills prevailing her. She put away the now empty bottle back in her pocket, promising to take another full one from her bag.

“I can show you my ID after dinner.” She said. “Maybe you can find something from there.” Jess smiled as she put the last glass on the table.

“Yea maybe.” Uncle Dev looked at her, then went back to his cooking. Noah came in smelling the air.

“Finally cooked food!” He said as he rubbed his hands. “Is it done yet?”

“Yea almost.” He said as he stirred inside the pan. “Jess, could you kindly go call Lilly and Jay? I think they are outside.” Jess nodded and went outside kitchen. Uncle Dev looked behind him then called at Noah.

“Get her bag and hide it downstairs.” He whispered to Noah as he placed the pan on the table.

“Why?”

“There is something strange about her and her town.” Noah nodded and disappeared from the kitchen.

Few seconds later, Jess came back with Jay and Lilly. Noah came minutes later nodding to uncle Dev.

“I hope you guys are hungry!” He exclaimed as the rest sat at the table, eagerly waiting for their plate to be filled.

Purgatory

Zooey stopped , as the group continued to follow the man named L in the endless fog.

Second Chance? She thought confused. She remembered clearly what happened before she woke up in that strange place. She remembers the pills, the vodka, the music.

“I don’t want a second chance.” She found herself suddenly saying. The group heard her and stopped slowly turning to look at her. The blond woman Zooey had talked to earlier ran toward her and grabbed her arm, pulling her hastily.

“Just walk,” she whispered, but Zooey pulled free her arm. The blond woman looked uncertain around her. Suddenly the group opened and L walked, hands in pockets, toward Zooey.

“What’s the matter? We are already late.” He asked annoyed.

“Nothing nothing, she was still sleeping and she is a bit confused.” The woman started playing with a strand of her hair, obviously nervous. L looked at Zooey waiting for a confirmation.

“I don’t want a second chance.” She repeated slowly. L raised an eyebrow while the blond woman behind him, widened her eyes. L took out a hand from his pocket and scratched his chin looking behind him, toward the waiting group.

“Everyone wants a second chance.” He said annoyed.

“She does, she does…she is confused. Just confused.”

“I’m not confused. I want to go where I’m supposed to.” Zooey asserted irritated she couldn’t understand what was going on. She didn’t care really. The moment she had decided to take the pills, was when she wanted to end everything. And this was not the end she has expected.

“This is where you are supposed to be.” L said with a sigh scratching his forehead. The blond woman looked with anxiety at Zooey and L. And decided intervene.

“I’ll explain everything to her. We won’t bother you anymore. We will follow you.” L looked at her, then at Zooey and without saying anything he walked toward the group. When he disappeared in the group it started walking again.

“Listen to me young lady.” The blond woman said pulling her arm. “I don’t care what you want. I won’t let you ruin this for me. Understood? If you don’t want to do anything, don’t. Just follow.”

“Do what exactly?” Zooey asked trying to free her arm. But this time the woman was holding her tight. She started walking and Zooey found herself following her.

“This is Purgatory. We are given a second chance. We can still go to heaven and I’m going and I’m not letting you take it away from me. Understood? Now follow silently, do nothing and we will all get what we want.” She finally let go of Zooey’s arm and walked quickly toward the group.

Zooey rubbed her arm. Purgatory? Heaven? Second Chance? This wasn’t what she wanted. This wasn’t why she had taken the pills. She wanted to end all the doubts, the questions, the choices that life always offered.

Am I still alive? She thought as she reluctantly followed the group.

Second Chance

Zooey, strangely, woke up looking at a white ceiling. She frowned thinking she hasn’t made it and eventually ended in hospital. She closed her eyes then opened them again hoping for a new vision. But all she could see was the white ceiling.

“Looks like sleeping beauty is waking up.” She looked around her and realized it wasn’t only the ceiling that was white, but everything around her was white. There were no furniture. No walls. Just endless white. And Zooey was immersed in it.

She sat and looked around her trying to find who spoke. As she turned she found a group not standing far from her all dressed in white. They were all looking at her, confused and anxious.

“Where am I?”

“Well sleeping beauty, if you’d waken up early you would have heard the introduction.” None of the people in the group she could see spoke. But someone was trying to make him way through them. A man emerged, dressed in a white suit, and walked to her. He offered his hand.

Zooey hesitated, but accepted his hand and he helped her stand.

“Now if you could gently follow me as we are late and L is waiting for you. And he doesn’t like waiting.” Zooey followed the man that stopped in front of the group. He made sign to her to stand with them and she obeyed confused.

“Wha-” The man held up with hand and Zooey stopped.

“I’d love to repeat, but we are late. Ask your group.” He adjusted his blazer. “Now go.” He smiled, snapped his fingers, and he was gone. The immense white was gone. Instead they were under a cloudy sky. Their feet on hard pavement as the wind gently blew their white clothes.

“Finally.” The whole group turned and found another man standing. Dressed more casual and with a harder, colder look.

“What’s happening?” Zooey asked the blonde woman standing next to her.

Without turning to look at Zooey, she whispered, “we are given a second chance.”

The Wain and Jess

As they drove off Northanger town, Jess held onto her injured arm while she squeezed her bag. The sight of her dead grandma was all she could think off. She shivered as she remembered her grandma’s open chest. It was supposed to be the day they have been waiting for. Finally they found a heart. This day was supposed to extend her life not end it.

“Jess, are you listening?” Jess blinked as her mind was brought back to the car.

“What?”

“Dad asked if we could drop you somewhere.” Lilly said.

“I said, if you have someone to go to.” Devon clarified as he adjusted the rear-view mirror to look at Jess.

Jess shook her head. “No I only had-” she stopped and squeezed her bag harder.

“Come on, not even a distant cousin?” Lilly demanded frustrated. Jess didn’t reply.

“We need to drop her somewhere.” Noah whispered to Devon. Jess her tighter her bag with her injured arm.

“Easy on the arm, or it will start bleeding again.” Jay touched her shoulder, and she let go a little. The thought that she was alone, terrified her more than her grandma’s death. She considered going back to Northanger. She never left Northanger in her life. Eventually someone would come and help the town and everything would go back to normal. At least she would be in her house, where she had always lived.

“Dad, Noah is right. We can’t take her with us.” Lilly said pulling her dad’s shoulder.

“Lilly, I told you to sit properly while in the car.” Lilly sighed frustrated and sat back arms crossed. Jay looked at Jess concerned as she remained silent and held on to her bag.

“I don’t think we should decide this now.” He said sharing looks with Devon.

“Well girl, I won’t drop you in the middle of no where, alone. You can stick with us.” Devon said as he adjusted his hands on the steering wheel.

“What?” Lilly and Noah shouted.

“Dad we can’t. We just can’t. We can’t!”

“She is right, we can’t! We already have to take care of ourselves, we don’t need to take care of someone else.”

“I can take care of myself.” Jess suddenly said.

“Oh really?” Noah said turning to look at Jess. “Like back on the hill?”

“Hey Noah!” Devon said stopping the car. “Listen up you too. I decide, and I decide she comes with us. Now shut up and let me drive.”

Noah sat back properly and crossed his arms. “This is a big mistake, you are putting us all at risk.”

“I need to get out.” Jess opened the car’s door and stopped on side of the highway. She considered running in the woods. But she had no where to go. She would probably try and get back home and wait until someone came to put things back to normal. Someone should have known by now what has happened.

She could hear Devon and Noah arguing in the car. She didn’t know them, but they were the only living people she knew. Someone slammed the door.

“I’m sorry, I apologize, I’m glad you will stay with us.” Noah angrily said. Jess shook her head.

“Now if you could please get back in the car,” Noah continued as he gestured toward the car. “Please?”

Jess looked at him furiously then turned and went back inside the car, followed by Noah.

“Did he apologize?” Devon asked Jess. Jess nodded as she held her bag with both arms.

“Good,” he started the car and continued driving. Jess started feeling her heart racing and looked for her pills inside her bag. She took two from the bottle and swallowed them. She closed her eyes and rested her head as the pills started slowing relaxing her nerves and calming her heart.

Soon she felt nothing again.

Little Dead Girl

“She’s dead, now let’s get out of here.” Noah frustrated looked toward the hallway they just came from.
“Noah we heard you the first time. Now shut up.” Devon lectured him as he went near Jess.
“Jess, I’m really sorry, we have to go now.” He put a hand on her shoulder but Jess didn’t reply, instead she kept staring at her grandma’s corpse.
“She was supposed to get a new heart. The doctors said they finally found a donor.” She almost whispered. Devon looked at the bed next to Jess’s grandma. An apparently young girl was lying, dead too, face covered and chest opened. He made sign for Jay to follow him as he went to the young girl’s corpse. Jay followed trying as much as he could to avoid the dense dark blood that covered the once white titles.
“Poor girl she was so young.” Devon remarked as he saw she was much younger than he presumed. His mind went immediately to Lilly waiting in the car.
“We need to get out of here.” Devon said as he left Jay examining the girl. Jess shook her head.
“I’m staying.”
“Fine let’s go.” Noah said inciting his brother to follow.
“Noah get her. Jay move we are leaving now.” Noah frowned but did as he was ordered; he took Jess by the waist and lifted her on his shoulder and preceded the others out as Jess protested. Jay followed and Devon gave one last look at the small girl then hurried toward the exit.

Grandma

Since yesterday, the hospital hasn’t changed; it had the same peaceful relaxing atmosphere enhanced by the vast green it surrounded. But as Jess took one step closer she could smell death and decomposition, a sign that no one had come to check on the hospital. No one has called for help.

Devon, Noah and Jay followed Jess inside the hospital. Lilly has reluctantly accepted to stay in the car, engine on. As Jess entered the reception, she remembered the day before how she had managed to escape the massacre. The blood that she had to unwillingly step on and the corpses she avoided as best as she could. The smell got stronger as they went deep inside the hospital. Jess had to cover her nose and mouth with her sleeve.

When they finally reached the waiting room, Jess tried to remember which way the nurse had taken her grandma.
“I think she went that way.” Jess pointed to a hallway where she had last seen her grandma. She went and the others followed her steps. There were different doors in the hallways each with plates with inscriptions and names Jess had never heard of. They looked in every door and hallway until Jess opened a door at the end of an adjacent hallway and found her grandma.

Her eyes were wide open staring at the ceiling, her chest open probably waiting for the heart they have been so eager to have. Both her arms were out.of the bed, palms upwards. She was covered in blood. She was dead.

Who is Marie?

“Where is Marie?” Usha asked as she lit a cigarette and sat on the armchair next to the window.

“She is out, she said she had something to do.” Matt said he reviewed a news online on his laptop. Apparently an old woman said she saw some men dragging another men into a cave. The news also said the “men” weren’t humans. Matt suspected it had to do with their father, Usha knew it wasn’t like that.

“Where did she go?” Asked Usha as she slightly moved the curtain to look out of the window. It was winter and everything had shades of grey. The trees had no leaves left and something out there told her time was running out.

“She didn’t say.” Usha turned to look at Matt still scanning the news.

“What do you mean she didn’t say?”

“She always does that, she just leaves and comes back when she is done.” Matt said rather frustrated from Usha interruptions. Usha stood suddenly. She never really paid attention to Marie’s usual errands. She never really cared about Marie. She needed the brothers and thought to dump Marie somewhere when Usha had to go.

But after what happened with Josh, and the risk of her killing him, made Usha pay more attention to her surrounding. Usha knew nothing about Marie, she didn’t care, but now she had to find out who she was.

“I have to go.” Usha didn’t wait for a reply and vanished.

“Just like that.” Mat remarked as he continued to read other related news in search for his father.