Page 5 of Dead By Dusk

“I’m not sure of anything right now, honestly. But it’s the only window on this whole floor that will open. I don’t trust it, but we might have to.”

I know he knows I’m right. I can see it wash over his features, mingling with the doubt from before. But unless they found something on the first floor, we may not have a choice. I watch as he tilts his head towards the living room but keeps his eyes fixed on me, only glancing away when he has to. I don’t hear anything, but it may be because the newly-awakened people are still getting their bearings.

He looks back at me and gives me a slight dip of his chin before saying, “Okay, yeah. Someone go out there and investigate. Not everyone though. Just one of you until you know it’s safe. Then let someone else know so they can relay the message. I’m still trying to explain what I can to one of the other two down here. The other one hasn’t woken up yet.”

I just give him a tight smile and nod before walking back to the bathroom to let Carmen and William know, deciding to offer myself up. Concealed or not, I am the only one with any sort of weapon, and it gives me a better chance of defending myself if I need to fight. Something tells me we will have to fight. We are here for a reason, and whatever reason that is, was enough for someone to make us forget.

No memories. No weapons. One way out.

We were not meant to survive whatever waits for us, merely given the illusion.

The taste of a possible freedom.

My steps are cautious, easy and calculated. We have scoured every square inch of this floor with the exception of what lies behind the impossible door, and I still don’t feel safe. I refuse to let my guard down even though I know the only other people up here won’t hurt me.

You don’t know that,says a small voice in the back of my mind, and I stop for a second to fully come to terms with the fact that my subconscious is right. I believe it, even though I don’t want to. I don’t know them, not really. Just their names, if thoseare even true. Maybe I should remind myself of that a little more. I don’t have to be rude, but I don’t have to act like their friend either.

I try to listen for whispers between them as I get closer to the bathroom, but instead am met with complete silence. I take one heavy step to make myself known to them and open the door to find them facing each other from opposite walls. Carmen, slightly crouched, leans against the left wall while staring at her tightly clasped hands sitting in her lap. William is sitting on the sink countertop to my right, back against the mirror, his legs swinging around like he’s bored with the entire situation.

“Nathaniel said one of us should go down, and I agree. One person checks out the immediate surroundings, makes sure everything is okay, and tells the other two up here. Then, a second person can head out while the third lets the others know. It makes sense,” I say. They both share a look before turning towards me and nodding.

“I think it should be me.” I say with a sense of finality and confidence. I hope they’ll agree with me, but William just huffs a laugh before looking at me like I’m a child telling their parents I have super powers because I dreamt I could fly. I can’t do anything but cross my arms over my chest defensively and shoot him a glare that—I’m hoping—screams, “elaborate before I stop telling myself that killing you wouldn’t solve any of my current problems.”

He smiles arrogantly and shakes his head. “For the sake of not coming off as an asshole, I just think that if there’s anything dangerous out there, the odds of me being able to fight it off might be better than your odds. What’re you going to do if someone my size comes at you? I don’t think begging for your life would help much, considering our situation.”

“This is you tryingnotto be an asshole?” I scoff incredulously, looking to Carmen for support, but she just gives me a sheepish look and resumes staring at her hands.

“Maybe just let him go down there? He’s an asshole, yes, but heismuch larger than you. Maybe he would have a better chance if something happens?”

For the sake of my pride, I roll my eyes and gesture toward the window in surrender. He looks like he can hold his own for sure, so there’s no need for my ego to take another hit from Bobby boy over here. Even if he seems to have already forgotten the throat punch from earlier. I should remind him, but that would be rude of me…very very rude of me. And not necessary at all.

“I didn’t realize begging for my life is what stole your ability to breathe earlier.”

He goes slack jawed for only a moment before closing his mouth and grinding his teeth together. He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply.

“Glad to see you’re doing better,” I say with a mock smile.

He exhales sharply, but he can’t seem to cool himself entirely as his face reddens and fists clench.

Not necessary, but definitely fun. You have to keep men humbled. He seems to have forgotten that all those muscles didn’t protect him when I had him doubled over in pain not too long ago.

He jerks the window up all the way and begins climbing through. Once he’s found steady footing on the roof, he ducks down to look at us before saying, “I’ll call up here and let you know what I see when I get down there. Don’t leave.” Straightening, he turns his back to us and starts taking measured steps down the slight decline of the roof. I count three steps before he loses his footing and slips.

He lands on his shoulder with a loud thud and grunt before his body starts rolling of its own accord, sending him down down down, and just when I think he’s given up and will allow momentum to carry him the entire way down and just brace for the impact of the ground, I hear it.

I hear gears turning, the sound of a lock clicking. A second later, large metal spikes shoot out from the entire perimeter of the roof, sprouting up from the eaves. The spikes impale three different points of his body, and it’s all I can do to not think about how his little nickname is more accurate than ever.

Bobby got kebabbed.

I almost laugh at the thought, even though it’s possibly the worst time ever to laugh, and realize just how desensitized to death I must be in my day to day life. Then, an ear piercing scream rings out from behind me. I flinch away as I turn to see a horrified Carmen shaking like a leaf, her eyes locked on the scene in front of us.

Dismissing the stupid joke my brain conjured up, I turn to fully face her and shepherd her against the wall. Guiding her to a sitting position, I try to gently calm her down while concealing his body from her view. Once she’s fully seated, I grab her face and force her to look at me. Slowly, she focuses on my soothing words instead, and it works. Instead of screaming, she is now taking large gasping breaths as if she had been drowning and finally resurfaced.

Or if they just watched someone be killed in a truly barbaric way.

“Just keep taking de—”

“Is everything okay? What’s going on up there!?” I hear yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

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