VINDICTIVE

Episode 15

Holding a hand over my aching arm I ran down the weaving hallways. Passing by countless motionless bodies. The lights came back on. Only to fizzle back out again, struggling and sputtering they tried to light the ship to no avail. “Liam please where are you?!” I called out. My shouts were only met with the hollow moan of the ship. It's rumblings vibrating the walls and floor around me.

My feet would take me no further. Fear gripped at my very soul, hot tears streamed down my face as I leaned against the wall. The weight of it all dropped me to the floor, curled up on my blood speckled satin gown. “Please…” I whimpered. “Liam..” It was all I could do to sit there and pray to god, he could find me.

I've never felt a fear like this.

The wails and cries of people haunted the ships halls and I covered my ears from it all. “Go away!”

And maybe it's luck or god himself heard me but the lights managed to come back on. “Julie!” A voice called from down the hall, fading up the way.

“Julie! Answer me!” He called again. My body sprung up in a flash, tripling over my dress as I ran towards him. “I'm here! Liam, I'm over here!”

He called out once more from out of sight. “Julie!”

Stopping a moment I tried to determine where the direction it was coming from. “Where are you?!” I cried

But he simply called out for me again, sounding farther and farther away. Panic welled up inside my legs shook as I ran blindly towards him. The hallways all looked the same, the lights failed me once again. His voice no longer called for me. I stood alone, lost. “Where?”

I panted, out of breath. Searching for any sign of him.

“Stop… please” A voice choked out, burbling as if underwater. I glanced around, seeing no one.

“Where are you?” After an agonizing silence she managed to reply. “Here..” It came from my left from inside the kitchens. My mind could only imagine what horrible things must have happened in there. I dread the thought of opening those swinging doors. And continued on, stopping in my tracks as the ship moaned out again. I covered my ears. “Please..”

He begged again. I swallowed thickly, knowing now I have to help this woman and pushed on the door. Calling out as its hinges creaked and screeched.

“H-hello?”

Food was all over splattered and smeared all around. Utensils lay all about. Knives great and small littered the tile floor topped off with the jagged shards of freshly broken plates. Besides the mess, to my relief the room was relatively empty, but I know the voice came from in here. “Are you in here?” I whispered, voice shaking as badly as my nervous hands.

Searching for the voice I reached for the lightswitch. “S-stop!” She called, coming from my left.

“My god woman you'll blow us all to hell!” Immediately I rushed to her side. More happy than words can attest to see another living soul. “What do you mean?” With a finger she pointed to the stove. Highlighting to my waving attention the hissing noises coming from below. “If you turn those on-“ she continued, pointing to the broken lights above. Their wires judded out, split and hanging from the bulbs.

“You may as well just kill me now” She groaned. It was then I noticed her leg, the bone clearly snapped.

“It's broken. We have to turn the gas off and get out of here.” Never in my life have I used a stove or any kitchen appliance. “I just.. h-how do I do that.”

Her side eye shot straight through me before pointing again. “The knob is over there underneath, you have to hurry” Still unsure, I nodded. Crawling in its direction.

“Ow.. damn it” I hissed. Now having a small cut at the base of my palm. A tiny shard of glass stuck to the wound. I rolled my eyes, sitting back on my knees and tore another chunk from my dress. “Good thing I didn't like this thing anyway” I chuckled nervously, sucking in a sharp breath as I tore it out and wrapped my hand.

“This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy.” The words repeated in my head round and round. The closer I got to the stove the stronger the smell of gas became, making me anxious. My body froze once more.

Mere feet from my destination. Between us was a sea of blades and broken glass.

“What are you doing!?” The woman grunted. “It's right there! Turn it off” Feeling my heartbeat pick up I still found myself unable to move. “I c..I cant” My jaw chartered edged on by the tanks hissing. “Lady are you serious right now?!” The woman cried. “Snap out of it!”

I bit my lip in frustration. “Common Julie” I whispered to myself. Willing my good arm to reach out. “Just..a little”

My fingertips grazed it as I reached with all my might.

“Hey! Oh my god please, can you help her?!” The woman said from behind. I couldn't look as to who she was talking to as I continued to reach, finally with a faint squeak of metal. The hissing stopped and I released the heaviest sigh of relief. “Thank goodness”

The woman behind me screamed suddenly. A real deadly terrified scream that turned my skin as whote as my dress. “What is-“ I turned over to see her slumped over, throat slit from ear to ear. Her assailant kneeling beside her body, staring at me as he stood.

It was a dark figure, dressed like a grim reaper. The hood covered the majority of his face but all I could see were glowing red eyes from within what must be a skull mask. He spoke no words but merely stared. Both of us, unmoving. The knife in his hand dripped with the drops of what was that woman's life blood.

Shaking uncontrollably I didn't know what to do. “P-please..please don't. I'll do anything I-“

Silently he raised a finger, placing it over his mouth.

I shut my mouth real quick. Nodding.

In a flash he twirled the knife handle in his fingers, slipping it expertly into a pocket. As silently as death itself he turned, leaving the kitchen. The thick dark fabric of his cloak trailing behind. My breathing picked up, unable to stop the panic. No words came to mind. I merely sat in the dark, only the women’s slumped over corpse for company. I didn't even know her name.