Episode 29: No Bones About It (Part 2)
As I reached the bottom of the steps, I thought about Gemma. She was in the kitchen now tied up in a chair again. Thankfully we all came to an agreement on that being the best option for now. Regardless, it still wasn't a permanent solution and I certainly wasn't breathing a sigh of relief just yet. Tied up or not, she was still here. Still a threat. Also still creepy as fuck.
I peered into the kitchen and immediately saw her bushy red hair. She was seated and all tied up with rope as I expected. Wade stood on guard beside her just in case she managed to wiggle free. Nothing usual about that, but someone else was with her. I looked over her shoulder and there was Aaron kneeling down in front of her. He appeared to be stitching up her arm.
"Aaron?! What are you doing?" I gasped staring down at the doctor.
"What do you think I'm doing?" he murmured refusing to meet my eyes. "I'm...I'm stitching her up."
"Wade," I fumed. "Did you put him up to this?"
Wade scoffed. "No. Why would I?"
"I have my own mind, thank you. No one made me or put me up to it," the doctor shot back. "DJ asked me about Gemma's wound and I as a doctor decided to have a look at it. Good thing too since it needed a few stitches."
"Are you kidding me?! After what she did?"
"I'm a doctor. I took an oath and refusing to see her would go against everything I believe in."
"So fixing her arm is more important than you telling us about what happened earlier? Or did you take some bullshit oath for that too?"
"Don't be crass, Parker."
"She threatened you and her presence threatens our lives. If it was me, I would let her bleed out," I snapped eyeing Gemma as she stared up at me. I shook my head. "You’re either really stupid or a coward."
I stormed off feeling the heat of anger rise up to the surface. I exit out the door and sat down outside on the bench. I looked up at the night sky thinking back to just a few hours ago. Aaron could barely speak. He looked terrified and broken. Now he was stitching up her arm as if it was nothing.
I sat there for a while trying to make sense of that while having Lin's words echo through my brain. I then heard the door creep open and looked over to see Aaron. He came over and sat down beside me. He folded his arms and crossed his legs looking downcast.
"Parker. I didn't do it because I wanted to, but I had to. Besides, her wound wasn't life-threatening. It would have just got infected at the most and I doubt she would have let herself decline to that point. She knew what she was doing when she cut herself."
"Oh?"
"It’s quite obvious it was self-inflicted. Audrey wouldn't do that. She didn't. Gemma..."
"Aaron?"
He seemed overcome with emotion pausing for a second, but he continued. "I have a confession. I've been drinking way too much, but you know that I guess from my abhorrent behavior. What you don't know is I've been self-medicating. I've been using some of the medicine DJ brings back from supply runs. Pain pills. Sleeping pills. Anything to selfishly numb my own inner pain."
"God, Aaron. We needed those. Matthew and Lin especially. Why would you...," I sputtered. I calmed myself. "Aaron, why are you telling me this?"
"She threatened to expose me. She knew. You know it's weird, but I do feel like someone is watching us sometimes. She said as much at least."
I looked around out into the darkness wondering if that was true. The hairs stood on the back of my neck just thinking about it. "What else did she say?"
"She told me if I say anything about what happened, that she would kill me. Maybe let me turn and watch how many of you I could infect. She made it seem like it was something fun. Like a game or something. Then she said if she really wanted to, she could have us all dead in a second with a snap of a finger. All she would need to do is signal her group." he said trembling. "But she told me if I keep my mouth shut and be a 'good little coward', she might spare me. Even after she's done with you all."
"Holy crap, Aaron. Why didn't you tell us that before?"
"Because frankly, I'm a coward, Parker. She scares me. You don't know how she is. How she is truly. She acts sweet, but she's terrifying."
I smirked. "Well, I got a taste of that the first night she came here. I have sort of an idea."
"I should have just told you, but I was afraid. This whole us vs. them thing. I don't know if I can do it. I feel so powerless. So worthless."
"Nah, you're not worthless. I can't even say you're a coward really."
"But the pills and the drinking..."
"We..we all make mistakes. It's all in how we handle them and you telling me shows me you're not a coward. The fact that you're still here and not packing your bags shows me that."
"Where am I going?" he scoffed. "Pack my bags and go where? Surviving in an apocalypse isn't exactly my forte."
"No, but you have your own strengths, doctor."
"Like what?"
"Like saving our asses. Do you think we would have survived this long without a doctor on hand? I'm pretty sure we would have been in rough shape right now if it wasn't for you."
"I guess I've contributed in my own way. Gemma did say she might spare me at end of this because I was useful."
"Well, you're more than just useful to me. To us. Your our friend and hopefully will see the end of this because of you," I said smiling. "Hey, maybe you'll be one to find the cure."
"I doubt that Parker but thank you," he sighed. He sniffled. "So you're not mad at me?"
"No. I mean you messed up, but I'm not mad."
The doctor grinned and grabbed me into a hug. I froze as he seemed overtaken by emotion. He whimpered, "I...I don't know what I do without you. If something was to ever happen. If...if..."
"Nothing going happen. We're going be alright," I insured him pulling away, but I paused staring at him. He looked so small. So sad and fragile. I gave him earnest smile. "We're going get through this together."
"Together?"
"Yeah. You. Me. Everyone."
He laughed bitterly. "Of course. I should have known better. I'm a fool to think... nevermind."
"Aaron..."
"You're a womanizer and I'm just an idiot. You also have Lin. You've always fancied her. I don't even know why I'm talking about this. Then there's no way you're -"
"Aaron. Shut up please," I moaned. "First off, I'm not a womanizer. Secondly, me and Lin aren't together and we will never be together at this point. Thirdly, I'm not entirely sure what you're going on about. Am I missing something?"
"You really are dense, Parker. Nevermind."
"You like me? Is that it?" I asked catching him off guard. He stared back stunned. "I know. I've always known. I tried my best to ignore it, but not because I don't like you. Because I don't know how to really feel about that. I do care about you. I wouldn't rule it out."
He then looked over to his left looking strange and gasped. "Nathan!"
I placed my hand on his. "Aaron. A relationship like that is not a foreign concept to me. It's just it's not entirely something I'm used to or been open about, but life is too short to worry about those things. Especially now right?"
He said nothing. I finally noticed he seemed focused on something. Not me as I expected, but something in the darkness. I frowned. "Aaron. I'm pouring my heart out to you and opening up to you and you're-"
"I heard something!" he whispered. "I swear."
"Ok. Probably just a walker. I'll kill it in the morning," I said. I leaned in inches away from his face. "Now I'm willing to take this seriously. Only if -"
This time I lost focus. I stopped immediately as I saw someone run past. It was a blur, but it was something or someone. A walker? No, they weren't that fast. A deer? No. It had to be human. The height. The size. That shadow was human.
I stood up, grabbed my handgun from my back pocket, and turned to Aaron who was in panic mode again. "I'm going to take a look."
I headed out into the darkness and made my way towards the bus. The shadow seemed to run towards that direction. I stood by the bus looking around, but I saw no one. I scratched my head trying to figure out how something like that could just disappear. Then I heard someone scream from inside the house and I looked up spotting it. A skeleton? No. A man in a skeleton mask. On top of the bus. Right below Lin's window.
Before I could utter a cry, he jumped down barely missing me, and ran off towards the garden.
I ran after him and to my surprise, I heard Aaron following closely behind me breathing heavily. I wanted to tell him to stay back or go back in the house, but it was no time. I just hurried after the stranger ready to confront or tackle him if need be.
Then the man abruptly stopped in the middle of the garden. Despite almost colliding, we both stopped to stare at the man's back. It felt like a standoff. I moved forward. Finger on the trigger ready to shoot.
"Who are you?" I shouted. "You're trespassing."
The man turned around and the terrifying red-eyed skeleton mask stared blankly back at us. He folded his arms and cocked his head as if he was mocking me. Then without warning, he ran towards me full force.
It was all a blur after that. I remembered pulling the trigger, but the gun didn’t hit its target as I pictured it. No. Instead, I saw it go flying up in the air as he kicked out my hand, and then his other foot was the last thing I saw. I felt it smash into the side of my face and I found myself laying flat on my back on the ground disoriented. The wind knocked out of me. My face and hands throbbing. My brain trying to catch to what just happened. He had run, kicked the gun up in the air, and kicked the side of my head like a soccer ball apparently. I wasn’t sure if I was dealing with Bruce Lee himself, but I sure as hell didn’t expect that.
The skeletal masked man then ran past me and pushed the doctor out the way as he bolted out the garden. Aaron then came over to me after making sure the close was clear and peered down at me expressing concern.
“Are you alright?"
"Yeah just peachy," I mumbled. "What the fuck was that?!"
"I don't know, but it looked like something out of an action movie just now," he said sounding excitable. “It was sort of awesome! He did some cool karate move on you. You should have seen it!”
"Aaron."
"Yes."
“Just shut up and help me up please.”
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