Indead-ted To You

VI

BENICIA

Cori bagged up her few belongings and we went back into the living room after she was done, hand in hand. Joe was at the table with Leigh and Don while Tommy stood nearby.

“How we doing, honey?” Joe asked Cori. Cori gave a small smile, “I’m fine.” Joe nodded and turned back to Don and Leigh. “We have, amongst us four, spoken. And we all agree it’s safest to leave than stay.” Don shook his head.

“I understand, but we have decided to stay.” Don reached for Leigh’s hand, confidence in his words. But Leigh didn’t look so confident. She even said she didn’t want us separating.

“Is that what you want, Leigh?” I asked before thinking. Don gave me a glare that was a bit too hostile for my liking. I ignore him. Leigh keeps her eyes on me, “Like I said, I’m fearful of separating… but I’m with Don.” Liar. I thought. But I simply nodded. They concluded the meeting and that we’d leave in the early morning.

I eventually was able to sneak outside alone to the mini stone wall that was at the edge of the property. I sat with the Louisville bat in hand. I couldn’t help but also be anxious about leaving the cabin. I especially felt weird leaving Leigh here. I know Don was her husband but since we’d been here I’d noticed little things. How he reacts and talks to her. But he isn’t bold enough to be exactly the same with Tommy and Joe.

The crunching sound of shoes behind me made my body quickly stand and turn, ready for whoever or whatever! Relief washing over as it was Tommy approaching. But then a whole new set of nerves set in.

“Hey,” I said. “Hey.” He greeted me back, “What are you doing out here?” Tommy sat on the stone wall in a straddle position. His long legs touching on either sides ground. I hopped back up to sit back down by him, “Thinking.” “Yeah? About what?” His husky voice was so… Beni, stop. “Leaving. What’s going on beyond here.” I paused, staring at my healing, blistered palms, “If we’ll make it.” I morbidly admitted. Tommy sighed, swinging a leg over so both were on the same side as mine. “It’s going to be okay. It won’t be perfect. But we’ll be together.” He reassured. “I’m a little worried.” Tommy admitted. Weirdly, the brawn admitting he was also concerned wasn’t earth shattering, but comforting. “Thank you. That makes me feel less useless for future possibilities.” We both gave small laughs at that. The quiet that came over us was a little awkward but not bad. I swallowed hard, “Thank you, though. Seriously… For being so kind and there for me. I don’t want it to feel like a chore for you. But it’s appreciated.” I looked at him, surprised to meeting with his eyes. “It’s not a chore for me. I want you to be okay.” He shrugged. “Well, thank you. Either way. For being there.”

“Of course.” He gave me a small smile, clearing his throat. Tommy turned his gaze to the ground. I just watched him. A suspicious look forming on his face. He stood and walked a few feet in front of us. I leaned my body to try and look around him but I couldn’t see. Tommy crouched to the ground near a huge oak tree. Rising slowly. I stood, taking a few steps to him. “What is it?” I asked. He turned to face me finally, a dagger with a dirty, used-to-be light green flag around it. Tommy then looked to the cabin, lining up with the tree. I followed his gaze. My heart dropped because from here you could see free and clear through the dining window, where we convened many of times within these last few weeks. Where we slept…. I felt Tommy’s hand wrap around my wrist and he pulled me behind him. We urgently walked the perimeter, searching trees bases for other flagged daggers. We found four others! Each wrapped in a different flag color. Each one aligned with a window or main entry. “Someone is targeting us.” I said, breathlessly. Tommy cursed under his breath. “Come on,” He grabbed my hand and we ran inside to warn the others.

As we ran in, everyone was going about the day, instantly alert as we ran in. Tommy threw the daggers onto the table on the local map Don had been looking at. “These were all aligned with the entrances and largest windows around the cabin.” Tommy seemed pissed, “it’s not safe to stay here.”

“You’re sure?” Don asked, and that sent Tommy off! “Am I sure? We just found them! They weren’t there before. Are you dumb or slow, Don?” Joe stood, eyeing Tommy, “Okay, okay!” Don stood now, “You’re an asshole, Tommy! How dare you disrespect me!”

“How dare you try to make us stay here and you don’t even pay no mind to your surroundings that’s how people end up dead!” Tommy’s body was tense and flexing, I’m sure from the adrenaline and heated conversation. I felt the tension thickening so much, I almost couldn’t breathe. I reached for Tommy’s forearm, pulling him back gently. He didn’t look at me but he let me, taking it back just a step in front of me. I slowly removed my hand and he stayed.

Don rubbed his head, “It could be harmless.” “I doubt it.” Leigh said. Don’s head whipping to face her. She didn’t look at him. Tommy noticed and intercepted, “Don, I don’t want to argue. This ain’t a pissing contest. This is survival. And clearly we’re not the only ones… we’re more likely to survive together.”

Don looked defeated, “Fine.” He then trudged down the hall into his room. It felt like everyone could finally breathe.

When night came, the men were outside making sure to pack up any necessities we could take and making sure the van had what was needed. We sat in Leigh’s room while she loaded two duffels for her and Don. She was quiet while Cori chatted to us about her ex and where she wondered he may be in all this. “I don’t care, per se, but this all gets you thinking.” She finished. Leigh chuckled, “I wonder about my family. They’re all the way in New York.” I gave a small smile, “Mine are hours away and I still haven’t spoken to any one of them since this all started.” Leigh continued packing. Cori then interrupted the short silence with another thought she had. I listened to her go on while walking around the room, when I peaked out of the window of their room, I was going to let the curtain fall back when… I focused my eyes in the darkness outside. There was the tree that we’d picked one of the daggers up from earlier. There was an odd look to it. I squinted. Maybe it was the darkness and distortion of the trees limbs. Until… oh my God! Suddenly the odd figure moved abruptly! Moving into the moon’s light, it was the silhouette of a man!

I instantly back up from the window! Turning to the girls, “Get the guys, now! Go!”

That’s when glass shattered from behind me from the very window I was just at!

TOMMY

Glass? We all turned toward the house as I closed up the van. We had made sure we had fluids replenished in the van and gas. Threw some handy items in the van as well for any fixings or protection. That’s when the screams filled the quiet in the trees from inside. The three of us ran toward the front door! Barging in and looking around!

“Hey!” I hear Joe to my right, and the sudden sounds of a scuffle disappearing into the kitchen! I ran over to the kitchen entrance, where I see Joe fighting a strange man I’d never seen before. I jumped in, kicking my booted foot into the guys knee cap! He called out in pain, and Joe began pummeling him until he was limp. “Go check the girls!” Joe ordered. Pinning the stranger into the kitchens floor. I nodded, turning and heading through the living room, down the hall, and followed into where the soft glow of one of the lights was coming from. Don and Leigh’s room. The window was busted and curtains torn. Then I heard a crunch of glass, turning around fast to the sound. And luckily because then another stranger was standing behind me, a lamp in hand. “s**t!” I exclaimed! Ducking the hit from the lamp. I left hooked the stranger and came back with a right! Repeating the motion. And when he toppled over, I grabbed him by his hoodie and shoved my knee up into his face, then again in his chest until I threw him onto the floor, against the dressers corner! I grabbed my gun from my waist band, pointing it at the stranger who groaned on the floor before me. “How many are here?” I asked. Hearing a crash from the living room. I pulled the trigger, shooting just beside the head of the man and into the floor. He hollered, weakly backing up against the dresser now, I kicked him in his chest, “How many or the next is in your head.” Pointing the gun at his forehead. Another crash from the other room!

He was taking too long. With all my strength, I used the butt of my gun and knocked him clean on his head and unconscious. Running to the living room!

Don had two at gun point, sitting on the couch, and Joe had the man he had pummeled on the floor and another on his knees by the table. I looked around the room, “where are the girls?” Joe nodded to the hall. I held my gun up and ready to scope out the hall, bathroom and guest room. The small bathroom was empty, the guest room door closed. I knocked on it, “Ladies? It’s me, Tommy.” I slowly turned the knob, and pushing the door open. When I was through the door, relief washed over as I saw all three women, but a fourth body on their knees took me by surprise. Leigh and Beni stood behind a man-no, a boy… he looked terrified. Beni was holding one of the daggers to the strangers neck, while Cori appeared behind the door.

I pulled my hat off, “Jesus.”