I stood there in stunned silence. Both horrified and mystified by the ghastly scene. I didn't understand why she was showing me this or why no one had put the poor guy out of his misery. Sure he was dead, but he had came back and was slowly rotting away hanging here like some sick decoration.
"Isn't it glorious?" Jade giggled marveling at it like it was some sort of art piece.
"No. This is sick!" I said blurted out feeling absolute disgust. "Why? Why are you showing me this?"
She laughed. "Because I thought you might find it neat. I think it's pretty neat. Sometimes I even talk to him. I don't think he can hear me though."
I shook my head. "What is wrong with you?"
She cocked her gun and aimed it at my face. "Plenty of things, but I'm the one in charge. Remember? Now turn around."
I knew as soon as she said this I was fucked. Turn around? She was planning to kill me. Right here and right now. I hesitantly turned around. My mind scrambling for ideas to get out of this somehow. Then out of nowhere, I heard music. Not the faint sound from the boom box outside, but from inside. The jukebox?
"What the fuck? Billy?!" she shouted. She tapped me on the shoulder and pushed me out of the office. "Billy?"
The jukebox was blaring jazz and Billy was indeed the culprit as he stood beside it. Jade stormed over to him and shot it with her gun silencing it. She then aimed the gun at Billy and fumed. "You idiot! Why would you do that?!"
"I didn't think it would be so loud," he murmured.
"Well it was and now those rotters are probably surrounding this place again. You doofus!"
The gun was no longer on me and she was busy arguing with him. This was the opening I needed to escape. I grabbed my bag and started for the door, but I stopped as I could feel her eyes on my back. I knew the gun had to be on me too.
"Hey, you! Where you think you're going?" she shouted. She came over to me and snatched the bag out of my hand. "I want the bag. What's in it?”
"Personal items."
"Personal items can be useful."
"You... you can't."
"Why? Why can't I?"
"Because they’re for my little girl," I lied lowering my head. "She needs those things."
"You have a daughter?"
"Yes."
"That's sweet. Well, you can find her new stuff."
"You don't understand. We can't survive without that stuff. She can't survive. We'll die."
"Well, that too bad but I'm taking it," she said coldly. "I do hope she won't suffer for too long. Hopefully, she'll go quickly. You on the other hand..."
She aimed the gun at me. I was scared, but I stood my ground. Any second I was expecting her to pull the trigger, but I saw Billy lurking behind her. I had almost forgotten about that twerp.
He had a beer bottle in his hand. He came right up behind her and raised it over his head. Then bam! He hit Jade over the head with it. It shattered on her bald head and she turned around staring at him. Her eyes blank. She staggered backward and then she fell to the floor.
Billy still holding the remainder of the beer bottle looked down at her and I joined him. She appeared to be knocked out cold. We both looked over at each other.
"Wow. I didn't think that would work,” he gasped.
"You didn't think that would work?!"
"Well, I always see it done in the movies and most of that stuff is faked."
"Yeah and what if it hadn't worked here, huh?!"
He furrowed his brown. "Well, I hadn't thought about that."
"Jesus. You're crazy kid," I groaned. "But you saved my life, so I guess I owe you one. Thanks."
I held out my hand and he shook it. "You're welcome. I'm just glad I was able to stop her. I turned the jukebox on because I was afraid she might kill you in there."
"She was about to kill me. I thought I'll be joining Eddy for a minute," I said. "But aren't you going get in trouble?"
"Not necessarily. I can make up something. I could say we were ambushed. I'll make something up."
He reached down grabbing Jade's gun and headed in the direction of the office. I grabbed my weapons off the far left side of the bar and followed keeping eyes on Jade.
"Hey. Where are you going?" I whispered.
I followed him into the office and I found him staring up at Eddy. He sighed addressing the corpse. "I've been meaning to do this for a while. You don't deserve this. No one does. I'm sorry"
"Billy? What are you doing?"
He looked back at me. "Showing him pity."
He aimed the gun at Eddy, squinted one eye, and took his shot. The first shot missed, but the second hit him in the side of the head. Just enough to damage the brain. Eddy went limp and the poor creature was no more.
"You're a shit shot you know."
"Yeah, I know. My sister is much better than me. Take it," he said handing me the gun. "It's better used to you."
"Why? Don't you need it?"
No. It's too nice of a gun for me. I'm also terrible at moving targets, so it's pretty useless to me."
I rolled my eyes. "Everything's a moving target."
"I know! If only they would stay still."
We shared a laugh and both headed out of the office. Thankfully, Jade was still knocked out cold. He stepped over her and bent down giving her a once over. He frowned. "You should go. Take your bag and get out of here before she wakes up."
"I will, but I was hoping I could ask you something."
"Now? I don't know if we have time for that."
I persisted. "It's just I was wondering if you knew Gemma. Do you know her?"
"Who? It does sound familiar."
"She has-"
Before I could finish my sentence, I heard Jade moan and turn over. We both froze, but she remained unconscious. Billy stood up and took a deep breath. He whispered, "Look, I want to talk to you. Maybe we can meet up somewhere. There’s the cemetery up the road. It's overgrown now but it's called Ashfield cemetery. Maybe we can meet there tomorrow sometime.”
"That’s fine with me."
"Then it’s settled. Meet me there at sundown and make sure you come alone."
"Alone?"
"Yes. It's safer that way. Trust me. The Vultures have eyes on everyone around here and it less likely you'll be spotted that way. One person isn't going ring any alarm bells,” he said. He then sighed. “Now I need a favor from you.”
“Sure. I owe you one remember?”
“No. I just need you to hit me.”
“What?!”
"I need you to hit me. Like for real. She'll wake up and believe we were attacked if I look like I got beat up. It just needs to be hard enough to leave a mark."
"No. I mean...I can't."
He groaned. "You said you owe me!"
"Yeah, but-"
“Just do it before I chicken out."
“Ok, but you’ll be alight, right?"
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.” He leaned over presenting the side of his cheek. I raise my fist hesitantly. He cut his eye at me and mustered a smile. "Not too hard please."
I gave him a good hit across the face and he fell over falling over on his ass. He rubbed his face peering up at me.
"Sorry."
"It's fine. Now go. Out the front. Should be still clear.” he nodded. “Now I’ll see you at the cemetery. Don’t worry.”
I took one last glance at Jade’s motionless body and back at him. I grabbed my things and I squeezed out just as I had entered. No corpses insight. I could hear their moans, but I also could hear 80s music blaring somewhere behind the bar. They were drawn to it. So I ran and I ran with my bag of supplies. I hid them in a tree and waited out a few stragglers. When I made it here I was exhausted. Also scared that Jade or one of them may have followed me.
Back in Lin's closet...
"Woah! Audrey gasped. "So you're going to meet Billy? Can I come?"
"Yes, I'm going to meet Billy. He can give us the information we need to get rid of these Vultures assholes I hope. Also, confirm who Gemma really is. But hell no to you coming! No way!"
"Why not?"
"Because he said to come alone."
"No fair!"
"Life isn't fair. Now storytime is over knucklehead. Get out!"
She glared at me, but I didn’t wavier. No way she was coming. I had put her in enough danger. Before she could hit back with more excuses and whining though, she paused holding up her hand. She then frowned her face and appeared to be listening to something.
“Do you hear breathing?”
I cocked my head and listened. Yes, just outside the door. Breathing. Someone was listening to us. Before I could answer her question, another sound entered our ears. A gut-wrenching scream. Lin? We immediately jumped up and rushed out of the tiny closet. There Lin sat up pointing towards the window.
"I saw someone! I swear! I saw someone at my window!"
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