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I smiled tiredly and when sound of her energetic steps disappeared, patted the spot beside me. Ruby looked at me with the weight of the world and sat down, turning his gaze away. He was tense. I knew he'd lied. He knew I knew. He also didn't want to bother me with this. But I wasn't going to let him carry the burdens alone. It's not how any of this worked. 

I bumped his shoulder, familiar gesture meaning I'm always there for him. With him. Whatever he'd decide or needed to do. Regardless of my reservations. Whether it was wrong or right. He relaxed considerably, but one of the hands was still hidden from sight.

Ruby's decisions have never steered us wrong. Well, okay, they have – but we were alive. And through all of those we'd learned not to give out cheap second chances. Scorned will always harbour ill will. Mercy only invited open wounds. So I knew he'd be removing the problem with the root. I understood it. Just... those decisions didn't come easy to me. And that was why he was the one who carried us forward. He kept houseful of discarded people alive and therefore deserved someone to have his back. No matter what. And I always would. Regardless of everything. Even if Amber would wonder. Even if the kids would miss their caretaker.

Logically I knew this had to be done. Even if the snake was completely unrelated to people at the mansion now, she could still seek them out for whatever vengeful reason. Could alert them that I was back. She'd need to disappear tonight. But why did I feel so shitty? I don't even like the chick... but I still thought of her as family. Hell, it wasn't all bad or we wouldn't have taken her in. Kids loved her and she'd braided hair for everybody. She even nursed me that one time I had fever. Why did it even turn out so sour?

Reoriented myself, remembering what she'd done to Cherry and Lime. They're probably locked up in a cage in that cold damp basement. Hurt. Maybe dead.

"You've been at that man's mercy for a month," Ruby finally spoke after a long silence of us just sitting in the dark. Our thoughts ended up in same exact place, although I knew the paths we took were different. He wasn't trying to psych himself up. He never averted gaze from the deplorable, no matter what it was. He did it so nothing would bother or surprise him. And nothing did anymore.

I sighed and rubbed my face. "He was there for only few days. But the company he keeps... or, kept him was more of the same."

My friend knew first-hand - he had been badly battered in just few hours. Ruby was tense again and I forced his fists unclench to hold my hand.

"It wasn't that bad," I said. "Not all the time. Sometimes they'd just lock us away and forget for days." And that's when the bodies started to drop. Turned out, people needed water. And bandages. And clothes.

"That's not any better," he'd responded and I shrugged, not wanting to argue. I didn't know which way was preferable either. I hated just waiting for anything in general, but add some darkness, cold, hunger, corpses, stillness and expectations of something terrible coming – and oh boy was it a treat. "I should have killed him then," my best friend spat out, but that man with all his jewels was bound to be missed.

"Wouldn't have stopped the other assholes from enjoying their debaucheries out in the boonies. And we can't go around murdering everybody we come across," I said brushing his branded cheek with fingertips. K would end up killing him, especially if we stayed near other people. And he wouldn't leave the rest to fend for themselves, nor bring them out beyond fortifications into the danger.

"That reminds me. I wasn't there for the entire time. Escaped few weeks in?" Told him about unlikely assistance from a monster and the village of cultists. Ruby seemed to slightly relax again, listening enraptured.

"If you've managed to get away, perhaps we can sneak in and get the others?"

I shook head sadly, "It's actually well protected against the monsters. Guards, walls, ditches, guns, flamethrowers. They went all in to protect for their slice of paradise."

"Then how..?"

I shrugged, "I talked one of the shyer guests to go out for a stroll for some fresh air and privacy." He was nicer than the rest. Still young, still naïve, genuinely believing prostitute whispering sweet nothings. I'd bludgeoned him with a rock. The gullible scion did a mistake of mercy that Ruby was adamant of not committing now. There was just us or them. No room for half measures. The young dirtbag blurred the line and ended up dead.

Lean man shook his head energetically and choked up speaking, "I'd never been happier for your silver tongue."

He's right, it all could have gone entirely differently. I shook off the grimness with memoirs of raunchy misadventures, "Really? Not even that time..."

He knew exactly where I was headed and shut me up effectively with a full-mouthed kiss. "Not even that time," he said breathily after pulling away and squeezing me so tight it hurt, but I'd said nothing in protest. This felt like I was really back. At some point we fell down onto the bare bedding and just enjoyed the moment, gripping each other.

"How's our finances?" I inquired.

"Uh... A bit wiped after getting kids all the stuff for school, but nobody's starving. Bakery lets Amber take some of the stale bread, for one."

"Bless that man," he had to be a little sweet on her, because even decaying food was being traded away. Didn't change the fact he'd helped us out. And it permitted Amber to have a normal job. All in all, I secretly rooted for something to blossom. "We'll need to... I don't know, bring our meagre business his way more often?"

"Don't worry, I'm taking care of it."

I crooked an eyebrow at him in the dark but he knew exactly what face I was making and rolled his eyes. I didn't see it either, but felt the indignation. "I'm promoting the place with the clients, who do you take me for? One even promised to discuss business of supplying food items."

"Ohh," having witnessed a certain village doing just the supplying in question I got several ideas about the matter as well. Though they traded for gasoline and ammo rather than useless paper. Hm. I'm sure I had to know people involved in that. None specific came to mind right at this time. File thought for another time. "In any case, I might need to dip into my savings if that's okay? If there's any left. I've certain debts to reimburse."

"Yeah. Fuck, take everything that's left and all I earn from now on too to return that debt. You need help with anything?"

I pondered. Stealing from clinics would be hard, even if that was just authorisation stamps... but I used to know a guy who could forge prescriptions. "Does the pharmacy near park still have Chunky Freckles? Then I've got it." It would cost me money – the actual price of the drugs, on top of the bribe then also cost of materials - and favours for time to come, but that's nothing out of ordinary. Then I'd just post younger kids to wait for the van and pass everything along. Easy.

I caught Ruby's face with both of my palms, "What do you need help with?" His skin was wet. I rubbed man's cheeks with thumbs. He shook his head, not speaking. He hadn't cried since we were kids because tears never changed anything. I hadn't quite ever managed that level of stoicism.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm so sorry." I wanted to tell him this wouldn't ever happen again, but we both knew better. This was our fate. One just wouldn't walk back. He thought this was it and it broke the strongest person I knew. He would have been fine. But I was so glad I clawed my way out of there. It was worth it to hold on, no matter how much I desired to expire on the spot time and time again there.

"I better go," he whispered. "Before she finds out she'd fucked up and gets skittish. You stay here and rest," Ruby stopped me from getting up.

"I'll have you know I'm very handy with this," shook my crutch in the air like a club. It was neither heavy nor was I a brute who could wield it so. Despite his wishes and protests and attempts to stop me I got up and followed the man. It would be two of us or neither.

"You are not putting a foot outside the perimeter," was his absolute demand and I relented. I'd just be in the way if some animal gave chase whist we were dumping the body. Which meant the kill landed on my hands. Not necessarily a rule, but I decided so.

I waited in a distant abandoned house near the exit we used. It was taking a while for Ruby to find the troublesome girl, so I drifted back into the good old times whilst gripping this damned brick. I never had to kill somebody I lived with for years. Girls will miss her. Ask about her. To some she was closest they had to a mother. Fuck, it's not like I wanted to do this either. I will miss her, the snake that she was. Is, for little while longer. Peach is just like a moody little sister who never quite grew out of her teenage caprices.

When did things go this wrong?

I heard them coming. She was talking about something giddily. Ruby's posture was tense and he seemed stern. Which wasn't unusual for him. He was a gloomy kind of guy, but some people paid to love misery. Or kick it in the teeth. Who'd be smiling after that? Besides me, but I was whole other kind of beast and this isn't even an introspection about me.

Peachy wrapped herself around his arm and practically hung off on it, not least bit suspicious of her surroundings. Why would she be? Ruby would kill to protect his own. As I watched them approach however, a realisation wriggled into my mind. She wasn't jealous of my things or the amazing personality. Cherry was mother to what could have been Ruby's child – we were all dumb kids who would rather have something to eat than get condoms. So verdict on paternity was a coin toss and they weren't even a couple or anything. Moreover, that was ages ago! And little Anna was now short by one actual mom. Was this why? This?

I lodged the stone into her skull as soon as they reached the doorway. The blank stare watched my dark silhouette and I wondered if she even knew why or who, or whether it was a peaceful passing. Ruby held the deceased woman from behind and closed her eyes carefully.

His calloused hand brushed my cheek to reassure, but there was only frost inside me. Without saying anything as though we've done this every single day, he hoisted the dead body over his shoulder and ran off through the window I'd unbarred before. There were plenty of such unclogged passageways, if one knew where to look.

The night was dark with but a young moon lighting the way. He would be unseen by the sentries, or if noticed nobody would bother way out here.

Somebody started up a bonfire on the plains. Which was bad. Terribly, dreadfully ominous. Not a single human would be sitting out there after dark, camping. Not when there was perfectly fine city shouting distance away. It got worse when the fire started moving. And it was clearly something burning, for it flickered and dimmed and I even scented smoke. Smelled like burnt meat. But not one of this world. It sickened me.

"Whoah," Ruby slammed right into my face from his frantic run back.

"Ow," I rubbed my nose whilst splayed on the floor, momentarily forgetting about depressing reality and horrors from another world. Then I remembered and did frantic waving in that direction. "Did you fucking see that?!" I whisper shouted.

"Sure did. So did sentries, people are about to show. Let's get moving," his wiry strength shoved and rearranged the trash to mask our presence. Corpse couldn't be dumped far enough in this situation, which was even more of a reason to hurry. His bouncy impatience showed he really wanted to throw me over his shoulders and run, but it was impossible with the splint. Small miracles.

"Do not panic, we have all the time in the world. I'll let you carry me piggyback later," I quipped lightly, trying to match my hobbling to the pull of his arm around me. He just hissed in response, never a fan of comedy. "And this is where you say it would be cold day in hell when you'd let me ride you like that," I went on without missing a beat.

He was looking around and over his shoulder, and gave no reaction to me. I rolled my eyes and kept on talking to myself, "And then I'd ask about other ways to ride you, we'd go into nitty gritty, the pricing and book the appointment..." Silence. "Oy, nothing? I'm feeling a bit ignored here."

Redhead turned his dimples towards me and I broke out in a smile too. There were lights in the windows now so I saw his tiredness up close and clearly. Ruby said, "I missed this so much I'm never shushing you again."

"I'm giving you three days tops," which was unfair. He was so stubborn he might as well be the mule himself. But then again, I could get pretty annoying. It was a close bet. Everyone around us will be wishing me gone again for sure.