22. Picking up pieces

When Casper and Hunter turned back to the apartment, Loki sat with Lilly and Nick on the couch, Momo was drawing something on the floor. 

The hysteric woman was sitting there like before, and Jack was crouching against the couch wiping his axe. 'Ah yeah I left it in the corridor when we came here yesterday.' Hunter thought. He had to think of a way to get his red jogging suit clean, Jack looked really good in it with the axe.

Casper perceived this chaotic bunch of people with a sigh. 

Sean was tugged along by Lenny. The old man had not left his room, besides getting his breakfast.

"Who's going with us?" Casper asked.

Jack pointed to Loki, himself Hunter and Casper. "And you?"

"I know the way." Casper regretted jumping in Hunter's conversation with Amanda.

They made their way upstairs and it was still only possible to see about two meters wide. With no wind they felt relatively safe, they could hear if somebody came near. Because the 3 boys went missing everyone felt it was better being safe than sorry, so they didn't speak and concentrated on their hearing. 

Casper was sure of the way so approximately twenty minutes later they were there. It wasn't a place much different than everywhere else, sand and rubble, cement . Because they encountered nothing threatening while going around, they felt much safer. "Let's look separately." Loki suggested.

"Isn't that how the horror films begin..." Jack mumbled and Hunter chuckled at that "It's faster." 

"To die?" Jack joked and Hunter turned to Loki "We go there." He pointed in a direction across from him.

The other two nodded and went in the other direction.

Jack and Hunter went ahead till they came in front of a wall. They saw a window on th first floor, but there was no door. 

Give me your back. Hunter crouched down without thinking. Jack thought of stepping on his back but then he would be a flat little chick, so he sat with his legs around his neck. "Can you stand up like this?"

"Yeah" Hunter was feeling a bit awkward with this position but stood up without a problem. Jack steadied himself and gripped the window still. "I think I could have just run up and then jump with a cool stunt."

"Na, teamwork makes us at least both cool." Hunter replied.

When Jack lifted himself up he could see through the window frame he became alarmed and his tone turned serious. "I get in, get the others. now." 

"Is there immediate danger?" Hunter wanted to make sure. 

Jack concentrated on hearing noises, there were none. "No."

Hunter passed him the axe and went quickly to the direction the others left for while Jack landed on the floor, looking at the bit of blood that had drenched through the closed door. It came from the room behind the one he was standing in, so they didn't smell it before. The nearer he went the clearer that rusty scent was.

He tapped the door open with one hand, while holding the axe in his other.

The door opened with a creak, this room was much bigger, there were a few cupboards, and some shelfs. It looked as if something was stored there before, he moved between the shelfs, following the blood on the floor. 

A boy was half laying on the floor, half leaning on the shelf behind him. His head was split open, with the white brain chunks on the floor and his clothes. Jack paused for a moment. Then he went to feel his breath and pulse. There was none. His thoughts raced. 'Fuck....there has to be a way' he thought of the films and novels he knew. He didn't remember the titles but the scenes. His ability is immortality right? He cut with the axe through his left arm before putting it on the floor. Jack waited forever till finally the bloodshock went away and the blood poured, he first spilled it over the boy's brain, then he opened his mouth to pour it in. He waited while holding his breath. He put the axe down pressed on his arm to stop the bleeding. 

Nothing happened. 'Maybe because his brain matter was everywhere. " He picked pieces up, one after another, and stuffed it back in his head. When there were no more, he poured his blood again and pressed the boy's head together. 

"Come on, little guy."