1151 Words, this chapter
Chapter Four, Zombie
"Yeah, oops."
"At least this room has color," she said. The room had a lighter feel, probably meant for children. It had a soft sage green carpet and lightly lime colored walls. Instead of dead fish there were paintings of an old-time carnival, a farm, and a charming scene of a family eating ice cream on a front porch. The bedspreads were newer, done in multicolored stripes.
"Well, uh...this is unexpected," Jess said, blushing deeper.
Becker laughed. "Don't worry. I'll sleep out there on the sofa."
She shook her head. "No. Don't be silly. This is...fine."
His eyebrow shot up. "Are you sure?"
She nodded, maybe a little too quickly. "Yeah. It's fine."
He looked unconvinced. "I don't mind sleeping in the living room."
"Becker, don't be stupid. We're here on a mission. You need your sleep, in a real bed. I won't even know you're there. Wait. You don't snore do you?"
"No. Do you giggle in your sleep?"
She giggled, quickly stopping, with an embarrassed look. "No," she said, "I can control the giggling."
"I'll believe it when I hear it, Jess." He laughed.
"So...are we good?"
"I am if you are," he answered.
She nodded. "Which bed do you want?"
"I'll take the top," he said. "Wouldn't want you to fall out."
She dropped her mouth open. "I would not! Look, I may be a woman, and small and...
"Sparkly," he said.
She laughed. "Yes. It does not mean you have to pander to me. I'm not helpless. I'll take the top bunk."
"Jess, you don't have to prove yourself to me."
"I'm...not."
"You've stared future predators down, disarmed a bomb, and even ran from a dinosaur inside your work space but still came back to work the next day."
She laughed.
"Helpless' is not the first word that pops in my head to describe you."
"It isn't?"
He shook his head.
"What is?" she asked, a bit bashfully.
He stared at her with a soft grin. He couldn't utter any of the words he was thinking: perfect, adorable, precious, delicate, loving. "Stubborn."
She burst into giggles. "Yes! I am! So this is settled too. I'll sleep on top."
Becker smirked, raising his eyebrow. "On top? Be more specific please."
She turned red. ""Of the bed, uh, the..bunk beds!"
He laughed.
"Shut up!" She turned and and ran back down the hall.
"Where are you going?"
"To move in, Silly!" He heard the front door open. A short time later it opened again. She then reappeared, carrying not one, but three heavy, jam-packed bags.
"Who do you think you are, Super Woman?" He chuckled as he jogged down to grab them.
"Thank you."
He nodded, easily carrying the bags into the room.
"OK. We've wasted enough time," Jess said. "I want out of this...fish cemetery."
He laughed as she opened one bag and pulled out computers and equipment. "You should unpack too."
"Later. I want to scout around."
"Good idea. This place feels creepy enough to hold some surprises."
"I hope not, Jess."
"Me too, believe me."
"I'll be outside."
"Right."
He nodded and left the cottage. First he walked around the perimeter of the building. He surveyed the front yard. It was wide open, hard for anything to hide. There was no access from behind the cottage, the cove ending behind it in a thick rock wall.
There were no other buildings to search so he headed toward the shoreline. It was a short jog away, lined by rocks and uneven ground. It also held few hiding places.
He frowned. There was an unpleasant smell, dank and...rotting. He headed closer to the water. He could see several dead fish bobbing on the surface, plus more on the shore. "Nice."
He headed back to Jess.
"Becker?" she called as he entered the cottage.
"Yeah. No pirates, sorry."
She chuckled. "I'm not into them, they're usually dirty and use bad language."
He laughed, coming down the hall. "The village definitely has a fish problem. Lots of dead ones out there."
"Ew! Also not in the pics on the website!"
"I guess carcasses don't sell rooms."
"No, they would not." She turned back to her laptop and the portable ADD. "I'm getting some uneven, weak readings. There is anomaly activity, but it's either very sporadic, low intensity, or over a large area."
"It has to be low, or we'd pick it up, being this close."
"You would think. I don't know. It's weird."
"Goes with the ambiance."
"It does," she said. "Matt called. He wants you to join them at the fish market."
"Let's go."
"No, I should stay and monitor."
He looked uneasy. "I'm not leaving you unprotected."
"I'll be fine. We don't have any evidence of creature incursion, other than in the water. I promise I won't go swimming." She smiled.
"I don't know, Jess."
"Becker, we each have our jobs. I'll be fine. Go."
He sighed. He nodded and left abruptly.
She heard the door slam. "Could have said goodbye," she muttered. The she heard it open again and he ran in. He held a small EMD.
"I don't want to hear any protests," he said as he handed it to her.
She smiled slightly. "No protests. Thank you."
"You yell if you need me."
"I will. The comm signal isn't strong here..." she began, but he interrupted.
"Then you aren't staying!"
"Becker, I can handle it! Gosh!" She giggled. "You're so overprotective. Put your comm in."
"Jess, I'm serious."
"So am I. Just humor me. Put your comm in."
He sighed and shoved the comm in his ear. The static was horrible.
"Hold on," she said, pushing buttons on the laptop. She smiled as the static in her ear immediately evaporated. "See?"
"I still don't like it."
"Becker, I'm fine! I have to coordinate all the new readings, look for new sightings, and just do some recon web-wise. I need a base of operations and this lovely place is it. Besides, you won't be far away. I can get you here in a matter of minutes."
He sighed again. She made sense. He was on a mission. They both were. Still...
"You call if anything gets strange. Anything. The slightest noise..."
She rolled her eyes. "Get out of here, Captain. I'm a big girl." She regretted those words instantly as he smirked. "You know what I mean."
He laughed and nodded and reluctantly left.
Suddenly she felt alone. Then she started hearing every creek and groan of the centuries old place. "I'm a big girl," she muttered.
End of Chapter Four