Chapter 2: Safe House 2.0
Day one after Star Fall
The sun rays into Tiger Alley, revealing the aftermath of the shower. Slowly Mr.Walker stirred wake. He turns to get up but sees bloody eyes staring back at him.
"Eh?!" He bounces to his feet, noticing the body in crips.
Sky-blue scorches covered the body like dipping a chicken drum into the frier. No hair nor skin left of it.
"Kirishima." Mr.Walker said in utter disbelief.
He scans his environment.
A dead meteor crushed the hood of Nick's car while three other scorched skeletons lay dead in the dirty alley.
His eyes stayed locked on the scene. No cars humming, people; talking, shoes clanking, babies cooning, or crying. The environment was quiet while the gentle breeze whistled past his ears.
Mr.Walker threw his raincoat aside into a puddle. Exit the alley.
His eyes widen, eyeing the wasteland before him.
He backtracked into the alley.
He returned and collected the five clips and pistol(Colt) from the Dealer and bodyguard's corpses.
He turns to the scorched-painted black SUV down by Kirishima's body. He checks the truck, but only to find a tire iron.
Mr.Walker got into the SUV and had trouble starting it up.
"Come on...Come on...." Mr.Walker said under his breath. The SUV crackles while Mr.Walker bites his lip. He checks the windshield and notices someone standing at the end of the alley.
"Hello?" A curious voice entered the alley.
Mr.Walker clutches his Colt from his lap. Seeing the person on the head mirror disappear only to appear by his closed window.
"You seem to have a little problem there...need a hand?" A jogger appeared. She wore tight black shorts, an active bra, and her blonde hair in a ponytail.
She cocked a brow at Mr.Walker, who only stared.
She took a step.
"No." He said firmly.
"Well, My father is a mechanic. He taught me everything that I needed to know. We can go together."
"I said I'm fine." He cranks the SUV once more, watching her every move.
"It's dangerous for me out here. Going with you is my only hope." Her face grew near the window while Mr. Walker snapped his aim.
The Jogger stood a few feet from the window with a fearful expression. She raised her hands.
"I'm not here to hurt you! I wanna help!" She goes to take another step.
"Take one more. I dare you." The SUV came to life. "In front of the car."
"I'm serious! You don't know what I have seen out there!" Mr. Walker's hair shadowed his brows while his sliver eyes pierced her soul.
A few uncomfortable seconds went by.
"Fine!! J-JERK!!!" She stepped in front of the vehicle while the SUV backed out of the alley. Mr.Walker kept his sight on her until he left the path, leaving; her behind.
He kept his eye on the road, maneuvering around meteors, vehicles, and the scorched, glowing skeleton on the streets.
He kept slow but with care.
The streets were a complete disaster. Trash littered the streets from the knock-over trash bins and rubble from the meteor-filled buildings, from old businesses to apartments, Mr.Walker remembered the other day.
"HMM!!!" He clenches his chest.
The SUV rocks to a stop.
He grunts, clenching his heart that raced. He remembers his death clearly, and repeats it over, Over, and OVER!!! The flames- touching his skin and engulfing his eyes.
He leans on the wheel, feeling his heart about the burst.
He slowed his breathing as his heart pulsed slowly while his eyes regained his sight.
The window burst. Mr. Walker shields his face from the glass, and a hand, tries to grab him, but Mr.Walker scrambles his arms, about letting it not get a chance.
"You asshole!!! You left me!!" The Jogger shouts while Mr.Walker stomps on the gas.
He took off with her on the side of the drifting SUV.
"I'm trying to be kind to you, and this is what I get?!!" Mr.Walker grips the tire iron on the passenger and smacks her in the face.
She rolls onto the streets while Mr.Walker dodges an abandoned car.
He pants and checks the head mirror. She gets up, blood dripping from her broken nose and a bruise tire iron imprint across the left blood eye and her right cheek.
She crouches and leaps from the mirror, causing Mr. Walker's heart to jump out of his chest. The SUV dodges while the Jogger's shoes click on the road.
She continued. The SUV dodges incoming trucks, debris, and an ice cream stand. She leaps on the rooftops like a grasshopper keeping her eyes on Mr. Walker's stunned eyes.
He focuses on a close call from a spike of rubble in the center of the road.
The stranger took this chance. She pounced from a building onto the SUV, causing it to bend due to her weight.
"HAA!!" She punches through the roof and chokes Mr.Walker that struggles against her and the wheel.
He pulls his Colt and blast to the roof. She drew her hand back while the SUV drifted around a meteor.
His ears ring, blocking all sound while he winces.
The stranger rips a hole in the roof while Mr.Walker stomps on the brakes. She flies and crashes into a car's side door.
He stares in sweat while he slowly regains his hearing.
The Jogger slowly climbs out with bruises while her legs shake like noodles. Her solid black eyes were oozing hatred and rage.
Her mouth gaps open abnormally, and her jaw breaks and snaps while it reconstructs her teeth, sharpening like daggers. Her chest builds and releases an ear-piercing screech.
Mr.Walker stomps on the gas. The SUV roared its own, barreling towards it, hitting the stranger head-on against the same abandoned car on the road.
The car pushes back a bit.
Mr. Walker's head rocked forward, and he noticed; her on the hood of the SUV while blood rushed from her abnormal gap mouth. He backs out while her body and the SUV bumper drop.
He took off, grasping his neck.
-----
Smoke sizzles as egg bubbles in the pan.
Amber hair dangles.
Ms. Yugi slowly stirred awake while a satisfying aroma swirled into her nose.
"She's. Awake." Nami states while Ms. Yugi's eyes wander around the living room, noticing Jean in the kitchen cooking up a storm. "We should've left her where she was."
"We can't leave her out there." Jean paused before peaking over his shoulder. "Especially in that."
"Let's forget about the fireball, why don't you?"
Ms. Yugi looks at Nami on the couch with her feet kicked up on the coffee table while eating an omelet.
"Ms.Castro?" Ms.Yugi winces, slamming her eyes shut. "I can't see."
"Nami." Nami rolls her eyes and walks out of the living room. "Luckily, my mom taught me how to cook when times like this happened..." He stays silent, putting the pan into the sink filled with water that hissed and steam.
"Mr. Kasama, What's happening?" She squirms in the metal tube of water. She felt the water brushing her legs, and her wrists and ankles zip tied.
She shook as a figure sat on the coffee table.
Nami returned, handing Jean something.
The boy leaned toward Ms.Yugi with something pointy.
"We're going to. Whip you into shape." Jean states.
Her breath quaked while she forced her eyes close.
Something brushed her ears and settled on her face.
Her vision began to clear, seeing Jean.
He leans back on the coffee table with a slight smirk.
"They are my mom's, luckily. She always leaves an extra if her original break. Is that fine?"
"Y-yes, it is." She gazes down at her undergarment before hugging her body close.
Jean looks away with a blush.
"I'm telling you this is a bad idea." Nami voiced, sitting back in her original spot.
"You know, I can't do that. Ms.Yugi was our teacher."
"Teacher or not. She'd attacked us. Does that ring any bells?"
"I know, but she wasn't in her right mind...especially that night."
Ms. Yugi's head dropped.
"That night?" She said under her breath before biting her lips.
Her breath grew ragged.
The water in the metal tub stream, gaining the teen's attention.
"Ms. Yugi?" Jean voiced while Nami raced to the kitchen. "Ms. Yugi." She jumps while Jean focuses her eyes on him. "Breathe, 1..2."
They continued while Nami returned with a flying pan.
The boiling water ceased while Ms.Yugi blinked, her blue eyes locked on his.
"Everyone has to be ok. It has to!"
"Even when the disaster is over. No soul walked down this street." He said, leaning back into a sitting position.
"There's. Somewhere." Nami said under her breath with her weapon still in hand. The two look to Nami. "When there. Sirens. There's the military. I'm not going anywhere near them."
"Why not?" Jean questioned.
"They're loud as much firepower. They have. They'll attract unwanted attention. Besides, I hate people."
"You hate me?"
"That's different."
"But, we were not trained for this." Ms.Yugi adds.
"We?" Nami cocked a brow. "There's no we."
"Nami." Jean joins.
"Jean." Nami gazes blankly at the boy.
They stared silently at each other while Ms.Yugi only kept silent.
Jean sighs.
"I'm going to find out. What's happening." Jean states before rising from the coffee table.
He approached the remote sitting on the other end of the couch.
Jean turns on the Tv to get static. He presses the button, not getting a reaction.
"Crap." He flips the remote, seeing double A's batteries.
Tossing the remote back onto the couch, he heads into the kitchen.
Jean opened a drawer only to find Chinese restaurant pamphlets.
Dragon House
Open Mon-Fri 10:30 am to 11:00 pm
'That sounds good, but that's not happening.' He slides the pamphlet aside to find another.
A robot with a feminine face was smiling in an apron carrying a child.
Babysitter Kaitlyn.
An android made for caring for children and sharing the responsibility applied now.
'I remembered calling her mom when I was young. Mom threw her out the next day. I can't blame her.'
He searched the drawer before closing it.
"You still have that walkie-talkie?" Nami voiced.
"That old thing?" He looked over the counter.
"Not like we're using it. Mine's collecting dust back at home."
"Wait! You think your parents are there now?"
"No. Business trip. Remember?"
"I hope they're safe where there are." Jean exits the kitchen while Nami only avoids his gaze.
Jean walks through the living room, listening to the static of the Tv. He passed Ms.Yugi before standing at the entrance of the house.
His sneakers pressed against the wood tile floor; his eyes wandered to the barricaded door of the house before climbing the stairs to the top.
Facing the hall consists of three entries and a clothing closet at the end blocking the window.
Jean enters the right door, appearing in his room again.
He approached his desk beside his bed, searching each drawer, finding comics like Among the Stars, Hero, and Willam.
He pushes aside his school and Art supplies, finding nothing.
Jean check under his bed and found a box, pulling it out and opening it.
There was an old handheld Gamekid—a pack of condoms and a Walkie-talkie.
He takes the walkie-talkie, turning it on with a hiss. He flipped it and found the batteries.
"Sweet!" Jean said under his breath.
He put the talkie back before eyeing the condoms. He quickly shakes his head, closing the box.
He climbed downstairs, sitting on the couch in front of Ms.Yugi.
Nami was currently feeding her while Jean messed with the TV remote.
He flipped the channel, getting static. Surfing through static, the Tv buzz.
"This is not a drill." The alert program states. "Stay indoors. Until further notice." The buzz continued causing the three to cringe at how loud it was. Jean shut it off.
"That was useless." Nami comments. She sat the empty plate on the coffee table.
"I'm hoping we don't have to experience what's out there." Jeans sighs, dropping the remote.
"What about the supplies?" Ms.Yugi questioned.
"A week. Give it a take."
Ms.Yugi stared at the curtains, biting her lip.
"Can I go to the bathroom?" Ms.Yugi gazes at Jean.
"You sure?"
Ms.Yugi avoids her gaze, shaking her head.
"Alright. I'll come with." Nami voiced, getting their attention.
"Is that bit much?" Jean squinted his eyes.
"I'm not looking forward to dying." Nami stands to her feet. "Are you?"
Jean only nodded while Ms.Yugi stared between the two.
---
Staggering footsteps touch the cement, tattered clothes covered with pondered dirt flatters with the gentle wind while the person pants.
The figure leans on a wall before sliding onto his butt in an alley.
And that figure is Shaun.
Shaun touches his back, only to feel a rough patch. He used a broken mirror by a dumpster only to notice a bullet scar.
"What the hell?" He pressed his back against the wall again, looking at the barely-lit sun.
Shaun's head snapped to a roaring black SUV driving by while A stranger was on the roof trying to choke the driver.
He jogs out while the stranger leaps after the racing SUV like a grasshopper. His eyes widen.
He gazes at the deranged streets, confused.
He stumbles through the street, gazing around for any possible attacker.
Shaun stumbles onto a car hood, getting as much air as possible before coughing.
"Help! Help!" The boy looked over his shoulder to see a man running down the street at him. "Run! Just run!!" Shaun noticed a four-legged figure climb a Meteor on the road and roar, revealing a three-headed dog as big as a car.
Its fur was blacker than coal, while its demon eyes and mouth shared the rock glow.
Shaun eyes pop from his sockets before exploding into a quick limp.
The Cerberus jumps onto the road-racing after the two.
The survivor and Shaun ran until he pushed Shaun aside.
He hits the ground while The guy gets away, turning into another street.
The dog grew close, his sharp black nails clicking along the street with the weight on its paws.
Shaun crawls underneath the nearest car before the dog bites into it.
"Fuck!" The Shogi worker curse while turning on his back.
The Cerberus middle head sways his head with the help of the left and right heads biting into the car like a Chew toy.
Scraps fly while Shaun takes this chance to break it into the abandoned gas station 'Whiplash' down the street.
The three heads rip the car into pieces before hurling it into a coffee shop. The Cerberus barks filled the silent streets before racing for Shaun's blood.
The dog walks through the automatic door, glancing around the surprisingly clean store.
It's heavy paws and nails pound and clank; onto the tiles while its nose twitches.
Walking through the candy aisle, it reached the end and snapped around the corner to find no one.
It growls and swats candy and chips onto the floor.
The right head of the Cerberus glance at a corner mirror on the ceiling, seeing Shaun crouch behind a liquor aisle holding his breath, only for him to see his mistake.
"Shit!" He shouts, running into the employee-only door nearby while the dog runs around the aisles, giving chase.
The room was dark as the abyss, yet the Cerberus could see clearly.
Inventory of drinks and liquor surrounds the closed room where the ones preset to customers viewed the mess of the Gas Station that the creature caused.
Its green eyes glance around the room filled with shelves until familiar scents whirl into his snout. It follows it into a freezer revealing Shaun's sweaty yet dusty shirt.
The door closes while Shaun sighs in relief, his back pressed against the door.
"Stay." He remarked before the door jumped. The door remained undamaged. "I'll stop."
He races through the store, snatching a few snacks, and out the door, but notices a red and black striped bike on the bike rack.
Shaun smirks, riding the bike from the station with a bag of snacks.
Back on the road once more.
He rolled past victims either in skeleton form or still attached.
His eyes roamed about rapidly. He swallowed his spit. Shaun pushes forward.
...
The Shogi worker rolled down the street of the ruined neighborhood.
The road was empty. Only a few vehicles, clothes, and suitcases litter it.
Shaun slowed to a stop seeing a house caved in. He drops the bike, the bag of snacks in hand.
"Grandma?" He whispered, throwing debris aside. "Grandma."
He continued before his breath shook.
"No." His lip shakes.
Before him was a frail arm.
Shaun grasps his mouth, choking on his cries.
He brushes his eyes, keeping his volume to a minimum.
...
The grave of the worker's grandma stood before Shaun.
He remained silent, his eyes puffy and his hands and arms covered in dirt.
He glances down at a quarter in hand before clenching it tightly.
----
-5:36 pm-
Mr. Walker darted from the clock of his vehicle, eyeing the road once more.
Driving through rows of metal containers, he passes each crack revealing the large body of water separating the dockyard from the ruined city.
The damaged black SUV came to a dead end.
He took out his phone and dialed in some numbers, opening the container doors, revealing darkness. He drove in, feeling the SUV hit a bump before rolling down the sloop.
Silence filled his ears while he watched the headlight lead the way.
A light flashes. Mr. Walker's sight returns.
An underground parking lot has four spots in front of a metal door.
He parks and enters the door revealing his safe house.
A leveled king-size bed sat on the far side of the room with a dresser and lamp on it.
A foot from it was a couch facing a flatscreen Tv placed on the concrete wall.
And the small kitchen sat beside the door Walker came from.
He sighs, looting the refrigerator for a bottle of water. He took a swig.
Mr.Walker flashes his teeth before going for half the bottle.
He entered a door by the kitchen.
...
He washes his face and looks back at the mirror at himself.
A bruise on his throat.
He grunts, coughing up a storm. Mr.Walker grabbed painkillers in the hidden cabinet mirror and took one returning the rest.
He looks back up, seeing his glowing veins pulse until disappearing.
Mr.Walker leaned forward, scanning his face. He pulled his eyelid to see his veins blue.
"The hell?" He states, scanning his eyes before leaning closer.
Hidden deep between his silver pupils were blue particles before they vanished.