Mother Fucking Waffles!
Valius was pretty battered when Miles found him in Alex’s house, not too long after, Michael and Clint arrived at the scene. Just as they had talked about on the phone while they drove around trying to keep as little contact with these ‘Nethers’ ,as Clint had come to call them, as possible. In the time that he had spent waiting for the others to arrive, Miles managed to search the house for some first aid items, and was in the process of bandaging Valius up, while he still lay unconscious. Judging by his wounds, he needed the sleep and didn’t bother waking him. He had just got done finishing up his torso when Mike and Clint arrived, flashlights in tow as they crowded the hallway.
“Wow… is he even alive?” Clint asked as he pushed forward trying to get a look at the carnage ridden hall. Miles just gave him a wry look over his shoulder as he continued bandaging him up. “Of course he’s alive you idiot, he wouldn’t be doing that if he wasn’t.” Michael shot back with the authority he tended carry in situations like this. Not that they had ever been in a situation quite like this. He stooped down and whispered into Miles’ ear. “He is alive isn’t he?” He asked Miles with his back to Clint. “Of course he’s alive!” He shouted back at him growing a bit frustrated. “Why don’t you guys check the house for any people… you know, like Alex?” He muttered back at them. “It’s getting darker outside and I don’t want to be here in the middle of nowhere when it gets pitch black. So lets do what we came here for and get out.”
Despite Valius being the leader of the group in most cases, Miles had a knack for taking up where he left off, as were the cases when they would go out and amidst some movie at a friends house or some excursion to the river to set bonfires, they both had the knack for setting the events, and finishing them accordingly, such was the case since their friend Damien left for college last year.
Mike and Clint reappeared just as Miles had finished bandaging up Valius, they paused in the hall peering down at him. Clint stood to the back with a back of chips munching quite loudly, Mike took the stage. “The place seems clear, not a nether in sight.” Mike reported then turned to get a handful of chips. “Clint here found some grub too, we took all the travel ready stuff out to the cars… we put the food in ours and some batteries and such we found in the pantry over in the big guys.” He said pointing down at Valius. “Is he gonna be ok?” He asked wondering partly if it would even be safe to carry him with them. “I mean, do we know if he’ll turn into one of them or not?” He added, presenting the question they had all been wondering in the backs of their minds.
“He came here for Alex… the same reason we came, if that doesn’t make him human, much less our friend, then we’re just the same as them… anyway, if they did this to him, reasoning dictates that he’s not one of them.” Mike and Clint both continued crunching their chips, satisfied with the explanation. “She wasn’t here by the way.” Mike added through his chomping.
“Do you think they got her?” Miles asked as he got off his knees, done mending his fallen friend. The hall grew quiet at this presumption, all fearing the worst, having seen nothing but that, or worse than worse during the course of the day.
“I mean… our families, all of them, they were changed, neighbors, children. I haven’t seen anyone yet other than us that hasn’t been affected by whatever happened last night.” Clint said, hanging his head low. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t make it, it was a miracle we weren’t turned into one of those things.” He finished as he dropped the bag he was holding beginning to choke up at the thought of his changed family, he turned from the rest of them looking down the hall. “Mom, dad… all of them, changed.” Quickly the mood was going down hill as Clint seemed to start to fall apart, Michael and Miles kept quiet yet somber as their own families came to mind, or rather what used to be their families. Each silent as they braced themselves on the walls of the hall, the quiet reality rushing back to them as they tried to hide the gruesome truth in the fellowship they had found with one another.
In a truth they kept only to themselves for fear what the others would think, they wished that even they would have become the very things that now haunted the shadows and took refuge in the haunts that humans once avidly roamed. They wished that perhaps when they woke up this morning they weren’t greeted by altered family members, and chased from their homes by red piercing eyes, that they weren’t made to search for the sole humans left, that maybe they could be one of them, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to had woken up something different, something new. To have went to sleep in a country celebrating its unity against an enemy threat some two hundred years ago, and to wake up in a world so foreign, so cold to them, was a reality none of them wanted to face, but were made to, and to this point had done it the best they could.
Miles and Michael found each other, neighbors of only several blocks difference, they ran into each other only after escaping their homes having found their families turned, threatening them with death, and together they searched out Clint who had went to roam the countryside in hopes of finding them, by utilizing a cell phone Clint so conveniently possessed. The group was united, and decided to search out everyone who was present at the bonfire the night before, seeing it seemed they had been unaffected by whatever had changed them, on the path back into the city was Alex and further in Valius, just by accident did they find him in her home, nonetheless, once they found him it seemed to save them a trip, something they were all thankful for. Once gathered they would decide on what actions to take next. Gathering however was seeming to be more difficult seeing as now Alex was missing along with whoever had pulled a number on Valius, presuming they were the same person. The pressures of the day and the impacts that had been occurring were taking their tolls on them, and despite having each other, the loss of their families were more sorrow than any of them were able to keep hidden through smiles and camaraderie of their fellowship. Thusly, they all wept, fears and sadness pouring out like acid onto the wood floor, threatening to eat away at the foundation that had already brought the three so far.
“No one’s alive anymore, everyone has turned into these damn grey monsters. What the hell do we think we can do? Why should we think finding Alex will do anything?” Mike called out pounding the wall with his fist. Miles approached him putting his hand on his back trying to settle him.
“Come on man, we can’t start talking like this, we need to keep ourselves together. We can’t start acting like this is the end…” Mike swiped away his hand in anger, spittle running from his mouth as grief took his face.
“Why the hell not?! Look what they did to Valius?! He’s a big guy, and they leveled him like he wasn’t shit, there probably wasn’t too many of em either, even if there was, they’re everywhere, every house we pass they peer out at us, they look at us like we’re strange, like we’re the ones who woke up today all fucked up!” He said pushing Miles in the chest knocking him back.
“Mike man… we gotta hold it together.” He said raising his voice slightly as Mike began his rampage. “It’s all bullshit, Miles… there isn’t anything to do other than wait and die, we don’t have homes, and we don’t know what they want… As I recall they ran all of us out of our homes…” He paused beating his fist into the wall. “No, our own damn families ran us out of our homes, threatening us with death. Remember that?! I hope so man, it was this fucking morning!” Clint simply sat in the back and wept as he heard Mike explain the truth so clear cut, pulling no punches as he laid out what he knew. “But we still got each other man. We can help each other out, and there has to be some others out there, I mean if we made it, then maybe this just happened here…” Miles added trying to find some reason to keep a level head, to keep an optimist.
“Captain Optimist here! If that’s true, don’t you think they’re in just the situation we are?! It’s not like we’re dealing with zombies here? These things talk, perfectly good English, walk, and seemingly run when they feel like it. Hell, moms probably over at your house eating breakfast. ‘Oh Rhonda, these are great waffles, how’d you make them so fluffy?’ Going on with their fucking nether lives like we don’t even fucking exist. And there ain’t shit we can do but wait, and die.” Miles couldn’t argue any longer and was ready to break down putting his head in his hands as his face went flush from all the pressure. Mike was near hysteria pacing back and forth in the hall and Clint continued to weep as Miles just stood there, mind racing with sorrow as the darkness took hold inside each of them.
“I want some goddamn waffles.” Came Valius’ voice from the floor, as he set up, cringing as he moved. “And some orange juice too.” He coughed out as he pushed himself to the wall resting against it, they all took a bit of respite from their sorrow to welcome their friend back the world of the conscious.
“Valius… shit, you’re alive!” Miles exclaimed as he shook his friends head like a maraca, the grief melting from his face. Clint and Mike both looked at Miles oddly as he made his statement. “But you said he was fine...” Miles turned to them realizing he needed to explain. “He was warm, I’m not a damn doctor, as far as I knew he was just in the process of cooling off. He’s alive anyway what does it matter?” Content with the fact that he was alive and breathing they put their grief to the curb for the moment.
“I was serious man, do they got some waffles here?” He said as they helped him to his feet. Feeling his body over as he checked for wounds he walked toward the kitchen hesitating on each step breathing sharply in pain with each one. “Shit, they weren’t gentle were they?” He asked Miles, knowing he’d been the only one who would have bandaged him up like this. “That’s fine, I like it rough anyway.” He stifled a laugh knowing they needed one at the moment as he walked past Clint patting him on the shoulder as he saw the tears in each their eyes. Some of sorrow, some of rage, and the others of hopelessness, each walked along the one without tears as he inched toward the kitchen.
“Is she still here?” He asked as memories from earlier ran through his mind, slowly piecing together a frame from which to work with, some semblance of a plan to present as the group seemed to now need some sort of heading. “Alex?” Mike replied as if surprised to hear him refer to her as if she had been here since he had been. “You’ve seen her?” Came from each in a bit of a cascading effect as their eyes came alight at the glint of hope. “Yeah, she was in that hall.” He pointed back as he scavenged through the refrigerator looking for something to eat. “Some monster of a grey face, had her on his shoulder, the hall was filled with the damn things, or else I would have gotten her. Unfortunately there were a few too many of them, and well, here we are.” He said quite matter of factly as he started eating on a stick of summer sausage he found.
“Grey face?” Clint asked as if genuinely confused.
“Yeah, these things that have been popping up all over the damn map since this morning… all over the city, and were all in this house when I was so rudely put to sleep.” He said rubbing the back of his head as the memory of his beating returned.
“I think, we’ve resolved to call them Nethers, Valius. I think that’s why Clint there is looking more confused than usual.” Miles spoke as he pulled a drink from the fridge, popped it open and started to drink it. “Well, the last time I checked, they were grey faced, and thusly named, by me.” Valius retorted to Clint who simply looked more confused than before.
“Hey, I just called them what first came to mind man, potato, patato… you know the proverb.” Clint said doing little to defend his moniker for the new inhabitants of their town.
“Screw that, Nether’s is such a better name for them! I mean you’re the damn writer! Don’t you feel calling them ‘Grey faces’ is a little… redundant? A little lacking on creativity?” Miles said getting up in Valius’ face, giving a heavy emphasis when he came to ‘grey face’ nearly spitting as he used heavy inflection.
“Look… I didn’t sit there and ponder what to call the guys who were using me a freaking rug. I took what came to mind and ran with it, sorry if it’s not fitting for the tastes of…and Clint, I seriously doubt that saying was a proverb!” Finishing, the phone in Clints pocket began to ring, Valius and Miles paused mid argument, and Mike looked up from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine he had began to read. Quickly he pulled the phone from his pocket to see who was calling, flipping it open he answered.
“Brandon? Thank god. Are you alright? Good to hear… Miles, Mike… Yeah, all of us except… What?! Alex is there? But… Are you sure you’re ok? You’re joking man… Brandon… Brandon?” Clint pulled the phone from his ear slack jawed, and was quickly rushed with questions.
“Alex, is alright? Brandon, they’re both safe? Thank god, did they hide somewhere safe?” Miles and Mike both seemed so elated in the news that two more were alive and well that none noticed Valius laying against the refrigerator with a rather sour look on his face. “And that last part you were saying Clint… the part where you said he was joking… Tell me the joke, I want to laugh.” He asked crossing his arms, ready for whatever came from his mouth.
“Brandon has Alex with him, they’re both fine according to him… But they’re with Nethers… Nethers that want to talk to us.” He finished, sighing as the situation grew a bit heavier than it was already, they all followed suit sighing and weighing the situation in their own heads, none speaking as they let the reality sink in, each thinking of ways to deal with the newly presented dilemma.
“How do we know they’re them?” Mike asked, presenting the obvious of questions, yet the most grueling. “Alex was still human when I saw her last…” Valius pulled his cell phone from his pocket checking the time. “That was about 6 hours ago. I don’t know how this shit works, but I doubt that she’s all grey faced now.”
“But Brandon though… we have no idea if he’s human. I mean, my mom sounded like my mom this morning when I woke up… sure as hell didn’t look like her but she didn’t sound any different.” Clint added, Valius averting his eyes as memories returned to him. “You know, when I got here, Alex’s brother was here, and I thought he was normal till he started talking… at first, he sounded like Leon… but then he started fucking with me.” He said turning from them, looking down the hall at his room.
“Fucking with you how bro?” Miles asked walking over to him. “It may had just been my mind fucking with me.” He said trying to shake the memory, to wash away the words he couldn’t swear to, but ideas that he couldn’t shake, his abandonment of his on family for a friend. “What did he say man?” They all gathered around him as he peered down the hall, his silhouette standing the length of the corridor, as started to speak. “It’s not what he said as much as it was how he said it. He sounded exactly like my little sister.” They all drew back at his words confused.
“The kid sounded like your sister… like he was pitching his voice or something?” Valius shook his head trying to remove any doubt from his being. “No, it was like he had her in him… it was the exact voice that she would have had. Francesca spoke through him, and I’m sure of it. I don’t know what all these things can do, but they are capable of mimicking people.” He finished as he hobbled toward the door.
“They could sound like anyone then?” Miles asked as they watched him hop toward the back door of the house. “Where are you going bro?” He asked as he turned the knob on the door, his mind now set.
“I have to go back home… I left them and I can’t just go running off with you guys without knowing for sure. Between them and my family I’ll have too much baggage.” He pulled the door open stepping out. “But what about Brandon and Alex?” Clint asked as he walked toward them seemingly ready to leave with Valius. “Mike over there loves her, why don’t you ask him what he has planned?” Mike looked up with a bit of resentment in his eye moving toward Valius as if ready to hurt him. “Are you trying to say something Val? Cause if you are you should just say it and get it out.” Valius turned back to Mike as he began his charge, Miles standing between them as he approached.
“Hey, not now, this isn’t the time.” Miles shouted as he acted as the only thing keeping them apart. “It’s fine Miles.” He said pushing his hand away. “I’ll tell this to him and be on my way. I made it here first, Michael, before anything else, I came here, where the hell were you at?” He said as Mike’s eyes grew dark and narrow, a sneer crossing his mouth as he spoke the words, keeping silent as Valius unleashed some of his rage. “I’ve always been here first, and you all know what the hell I mean.” He said looking at each of them, as he turned to walk away. “And a lot of good that’s done you Valius.” Mike spat out as he turned. Clenched fist he pivoted to swing but simply bashed his fist into the door frame. “I’m going to my house… I have some things to pick up there, then I’ll head to Brandon’s. I’ll call in an hour if I haven’t made it there yet Clint. If I don’t call, I’m not coming.” He finished as he walked out the door and headed toward his black SUV, leaving the others to speak amongst themselves.
“That went well.” Clint laughed as he walked over to Mike patting him on the shoulder. “You know he gets like that with her, we just let it go.” Mike shook away Clints attempt to lighten the mood, and began to gather the things he had brought along with him. “So, we going out to Brandon’s” Clint asked as he walked to the fridge, and pulled out a two liter of soda. “Yeah, with or with out the self proclaimed first come first serve bastard.” Mike said as they all headed out the back door.
“Wow… is he even alive?” Clint asked as he pushed forward trying to get a look at the carnage ridden hall. Miles just gave him a wry look over his shoulder as he continued bandaging him up. “Of course he’s alive you idiot, he wouldn’t be doing that if he wasn’t.” Michael shot back with the authority he tended carry in situations like this. Not that they had ever been in a situation quite like this. He stooped down and whispered into Miles’ ear. “He is alive isn’t he?” He asked Miles with his back to Clint. “Of course he’s alive!” He shouted back at him growing a bit frustrated. “Why don’t you guys check the house for any people… you know, like Alex?” He muttered back at them. “It’s getting darker outside and I don’t want to be here in the middle of nowhere when it gets pitch black. So lets do what we came here for and get out.”
Despite Valius being the leader of the group in most cases, Miles had a knack for taking up where he left off, as were the cases when they would go out and amidst some movie at a friends house or some excursion to the river to set bonfires, they both had the knack for setting the events, and finishing them accordingly, such was the case since their friend Damien left for college last year.
Mike and Clint reappeared just as Miles had finished bandaging up Valius, they paused in the hall peering down at him. Clint stood to the back with a back of chips munching quite loudly, Mike took the stage. “The place seems clear, not a nether in sight.” Mike reported then turned to get a handful of chips. “Clint here found some grub too, we took all the travel ready stuff out to the cars… we put the food in ours and some batteries and such we found in the pantry over in the big guys.” He said pointing down at Valius. “Is he gonna be ok?” He asked wondering partly if it would even be safe to carry him with them. “I mean, do we know if he’ll turn into one of them or not?” He added, presenting the question they had all been wondering in the backs of their minds.
“He came here for Alex… the same reason we came, if that doesn’t make him human, much less our friend, then we’re just the same as them… anyway, if they did this to him, reasoning dictates that he’s not one of them.” Mike and Clint both continued crunching their chips, satisfied with the explanation. “She wasn’t here by the way.” Mike added through his chomping.
“Do you think they got her?” Miles asked as he got off his knees, done mending his fallen friend. The hall grew quiet at this presumption, all fearing the worst, having seen nothing but that, or worse than worse during the course of the day.
“I mean… our families, all of them, they were changed, neighbors, children. I haven’t seen anyone yet other than us that hasn’t been affected by whatever happened last night.” Clint said, hanging his head low. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t make it, it was a miracle we weren’t turned into one of those things.” He finished as he dropped the bag he was holding beginning to choke up at the thought of his changed family, he turned from the rest of them looking down the hall. “Mom, dad… all of them, changed.” Quickly the mood was going down hill as Clint seemed to start to fall apart, Michael and Miles kept quiet yet somber as their own families came to mind, or rather what used to be their families. Each silent as they braced themselves on the walls of the hall, the quiet reality rushing back to them as they tried to hide the gruesome truth in the fellowship they had found with one another.
In a truth they kept only to themselves for fear what the others would think, they wished that even they would have become the very things that now haunted the shadows and took refuge in the haunts that humans once avidly roamed. They wished that perhaps when they woke up this morning they weren’t greeted by altered family members, and chased from their homes by red piercing eyes, that they weren’t made to search for the sole humans left, that maybe they could be one of them, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to had woken up something different, something new. To have went to sleep in a country celebrating its unity against an enemy threat some two hundred years ago, and to wake up in a world so foreign, so cold to them, was a reality none of them wanted to face, but were made to, and to this point had done it the best they could.
Miles and Michael found each other, neighbors of only several blocks difference, they ran into each other only after escaping their homes having found their families turned, threatening them with death, and together they searched out Clint who had went to roam the countryside in hopes of finding them, by utilizing a cell phone Clint so conveniently possessed. The group was united, and decided to search out everyone who was present at the bonfire the night before, seeing it seemed they had been unaffected by whatever had changed them, on the path back into the city was Alex and further in Valius, just by accident did they find him in her home, nonetheless, once they found him it seemed to save them a trip, something they were all thankful for. Once gathered they would decide on what actions to take next. Gathering however was seeming to be more difficult seeing as now Alex was missing along with whoever had pulled a number on Valius, presuming they were the same person. The pressures of the day and the impacts that had been occurring were taking their tolls on them, and despite having each other, the loss of their families were more sorrow than any of them were able to keep hidden through smiles and camaraderie of their fellowship. Thusly, they all wept, fears and sadness pouring out like acid onto the wood floor, threatening to eat away at the foundation that had already brought the three so far.
“No one’s alive anymore, everyone has turned into these damn grey monsters. What the hell do we think we can do? Why should we think finding Alex will do anything?” Mike called out pounding the wall with his fist. Miles approached him putting his hand on his back trying to settle him.
“Come on man, we can’t start talking like this, we need to keep ourselves together. We can’t start acting like this is the end…” Mike swiped away his hand in anger, spittle running from his mouth as grief took his face.
“Why the hell not?! Look what they did to Valius?! He’s a big guy, and they leveled him like he wasn’t shit, there probably wasn’t too many of em either, even if there was, they’re everywhere, every house we pass they peer out at us, they look at us like we’re strange, like we’re the ones who woke up today all fucked up!” He said pushing Miles in the chest knocking him back.
“Mike man… we gotta hold it together.” He said raising his voice slightly as Mike began his rampage. “It’s all bullshit, Miles… there isn’t anything to do other than wait and die, we don’t have homes, and we don’t know what they want… As I recall they ran all of us out of our homes…” He paused beating his fist into the wall. “No, our own damn families ran us out of our homes, threatening us with death. Remember that?! I hope so man, it was this fucking morning!” Clint simply sat in the back and wept as he heard Mike explain the truth so clear cut, pulling no punches as he laid out what he knew. “But we still got each other man. We can help each other out, and there has to be some others out there, I mean if we made it, then maybe this just happened here…” Miles added trying to find some reason to keep a level head, to keep an optimist.
“Captain Optimist here! If that’s true, don’t you think they’re in just the situation we are?! It’s not like we’re dealing with zombies here? These things talk, perfectly good English, walk, and seemingly run when they feel like it. Hell, moms probably over at your house eating breakfast. ‘Oh Rhonda, these are great waffles, how’d you make them so fluffy?’ Going on with their fucking nether lives like we don’t even fucking exist. And there ain’t shit we can do but wait, and die.” Miles couldn’t argue any longer and was ready to break down putting his head in his hands as his face went flush from all the pressure. Mike was near hysteria pacing back and forth in the hall and Clint continued to weep as Miles just stood there, mind racing with sorrow as the darkness took hold inside each of them.
“I want some goddamn waffles.” Came Valius’ voice from the floor, as he set up, cringing as he moved. “And some orange juice too.” He coughed out as he pushed himself to the wall resting against it, they all took a bit of respite from their sorrow to welcome their friend back the world of the conscious.
“Valius… shit, you’re alive!” Miles exclaimed as he shook his friends head like a maraca, the grief melting from his face. Clint and Mike both looked at Miles oddly as he made his statement. “But you said he was fine...” Miles turned to them realizing he needed to explain. “He was warm, I’m not a damn doctor, as far as I knew he was just in the process of cooling off. He’s alive anyway what does it matter?” Content with the fact that he was alive and breathing they put their grief to the curb for the moment.
“I was serious man, do they got some waffles here?” He said as they helped him to his feet. Feeling his body over as he checked for wounds he walked toward the kitchen hesitating on each step breathing sharply in pain with each one. “Shit, they weren’t gentle were they?” He asked Miles, knowing he’d been the only one who would have bandaged him up like this. “That’s fine, I like it rough anyway.” He stifled a laugh knowing they needed one at the moment as he walked past Clint patting him on the shoulder as he saw the tears in each their eyes. Some of sorrow, some of rage, and the others of hopelessness, each walked along the one without tears as he inched toward the kitchen.
“Is she still here?” He asked as memories from earlier ran through his mind, slowly piecing together a frame from which to work with, some semblance of a plan to present as the group seemed to now need some sort of heading. “Alex?” Mike replied as if surprised to hear him refer to her as if she had been here since he had been. “You’ve seen her?” Came from each in a bit of a cascading effect as their eyes came alight at the glint of hope. “Yeah, she was in that hall.” He pointed back as he scavenged through the refrigerator looking for something to eat. “Some monster of a grey face, had her on his shoulder, the hall was filled with the damn things, or else I would have gotten her. Unfortunately there were a few too many of them, and well, here we are.” He said quite matter of factly as he started eating on a stick of summer sausage he found.
“Grey face?” Clint asked as if genuinely confused.
“Yeah, these things that have been popping up all over the damn map since this morning… all over the city, and were all in this house when I was so rudely put to sleep.” He said rubbing the back of his head as the memory of his beating returned.
“I think, we’ve resolved to call them Nethers, Valius. I think that’s why Clint there is looking more confused than usual.” Miles spoke as he pulled a drink from the fridge, popped it open and started to drink it. “Well, the last time I checked, they were grey faced, and thusly named, by me.” Valius retorted to Clint who simply looked more confused than before.
“Hey, I just called them what first came to mind man, potato, patato… you know the proverb.” Clint said doing little to defend his moniker for the new inhabitants of their town.
“Screw that, Nether’s is such a better name for them! I mean you’re the damn writer! Don’t you feel calling them ‘Grey faces’ is a little… redundant? A little lacking on creativity?” Miles said getting up in Valius’ face, giving a heavy emphasis when he came to ‘grey face’ nearly spitting as he used heavy inflection.
“Look… I didn’t sit there and ponder what to call the guys who were using me a freaking rug. I took what came to mind and ran with it, sorry if it’s not fitting for the tastes of…and Clint, I seriously doubt that saying was a proverb!” Finishing, the phone in Clints pocket began to ring, Valius and Miles paused mid argument, and Mike looked up from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine he had began to read. Quickly he pulled the phone from his pocket to see who was calling, flipping it open he answered.
“Brandon? Thank god. Are you alright? Good to hear… Miles, Mike… Yeah, all of us except… What?! Alex is there? But… Are you sure you’re ok? You’re joking man… Brandon… Brandon?” Clint pulled the phone from his ear slack jawed, and was quickly rushed with questions.
“Alex, is alright? Brandon, they’re both safe? Thank god, did they hide somewhere safe?” Miles and Mike both seemed so elated in the news that two more were alive and well that none noticed Valius laying against the refrigerator with a rather sour look on his face. “And that last part you were saying Clint… the part where you said he was joking… Tell me the joke, I want to laugh.” He asked crossing his arms, ready for whatever came from his mouth.
“Brandon has Alex with him, they’re both fine according to him… But they’re with Nethers… Nethers that want to talk to us.” He finished, sighing as the situation grew a bit heavier than it was already, they all followed suit sighing and weighing the situation in their own heads, none speaking as they let the reality sink in, each thinking of ways to deal with the newly presented dilemma.
“How do we know they’re them?” Mike asked, presenting the obvious of questions, yet the most grueling. “Alex was still human when I saw her last…” Valius pulled his cell phone from his pocket checking the time. “That was about 6 hours ago. I don’t know how this shit works, but I doubt that she’s all grey faced now.”
“But Brandon though… we have no idea if he’s human. I mean, my mom sounded like my mom this morning when I woke up… sure as hell didn’t look like her but she didn’t sound any different.” Clint added, Valius averting his eyes as memories returned to him. “You know, when I got here, Alex’s brother was here, and I thought he was normal till he started talking… at first, he sounded like Leon… but then he started fucking with me.” He said turning from them, looking down the hall at his room.
“Fucking with you how bro?” Miles asked walking over to him. “It may had just been my mind fucking with me.” He said trying to shake the memory, to wash away the words he couldn’t swear to, but ideas that he couldn’t shake, his abandonment of his on family for a friend. “What did he say man?” They all gathered around him as he peered down the hall, his silhouette standing the length of the corridor, as started to speak. “It’s not what he said as much as it was how he said it. He sounded exactly like my little sister.” They all drew back at his words confused.
“The kid sounded like your sister… like he was pitching his voice or something?” Valius shook his head trying to remove any doubt from his being. “No, it was like he had her in him… it was the exact voice that she would have had. Francesca spoke through him, and I’m sure of it. I don’t know what all these things can do, but they are capable of mimicking people.” He finished as he hobbled toward the door.
“They could sound like anyone then?” Miles asked as they watched him hop toward the back door of the house. “Where are you going bro?” He asked as he turned the knob on the door, his mind now set.
“I have to go back home… I left them and I can’t just go running off with you guys without knowing for sure. Between them and my family I’ll have too much baggage.” He pulled the door open stepping out. “But what about Brandon and Alex?” Clint asked as he walked toward them seemingly ready to leave with Valius. “Mike over there loves her, why don’t you ask him what he has planned?” Mike looked up with a bit of resentment in his eye moving toward Valius as if ready to hurt him. “Are you trying to say something Val? Cause if you are you should just say it and get it out.” Valius turned back to Mike as he began his charge, Miles standing between them as he approached.
“Hey, not now, this isn’t the time.” Miles shouted as he acted as the only thing keeping them apart. “It’s fine Miles.” He said pushing his hand away. “I’ll tell this to him and be on my way. I made it here first, Michael, before anything else, I came here, where the hell were you at?” He said as Mike’s eyes grew dark and narrow, a sneer crossing his mouth as he spoke the words, keeping silent as Valius unleashed some of his rage. “I’ve always been here first, and you all know what the hell I mean.” He said looking at each of them, as he turned to walk away. “And a lot of good that’s done you Valius.” Mike spat out as he turned. Clenched fist he pivoted to swing but simply bashed his fist into the door frame. “I’m going to my house… I have some things to pick up there, then I’ll head to Brandon’s. I’ll call in an hour if I haven’t made it there yet Clint. If I don’t call, I’m not coming.” He finished as he walked out the door and headed toward his black SUV, leaving the others to speak amongst themselves.
“That went well.” Clint laughed as he walked over to Mike patting him on the shoulder. “You know he gets like that with her, we just let it go.” Mike shook away Clints attempt to lighten the mood, and began to gather the things he had brought along with him. “So, we going out to Brandon’s” Clint asked as he walked to the fridge, and pulled out a two liter of soda. “Yeah, with or with out the self proclaimed first come first serve bastard.” Mike said as they all headed out the back door.