It's another day, there's more work to be done, everything's going according to schedule, by the end of the week, they'll fill their quota, and then they'll have vacation.
Oh, John couldn't wait for his vacation, he's been dreaming of it since the start of the year.
He planned everything from the moment he gotten wind of his scheduled vacation coming up soon and he's ready.
Once that bell rang, out he went, but not alone like one expected in his position, he's met someone working in Durham Industries.
A lovely woman by the name Mary, she worked in the same line as him, that's how they met, they spent time together working and sharing stories around lunch.
Culminated into friendship that further culminated into romance.
Made John turn brighter than the sun itself opening his heart to her, but his poor heart nearly leapt out of his chest when she felt the same.
In a strange way, he never felt nervous when they were alone together in private, he instantly felt comfortable with her.
He should've considering he wasn't buff like most men, but he didn't feel nervous, happy, actually.
They've been together for about three years; John remembers because he made them dinner for their third anniversary.
Saved every bit of money that John's able to spring for a nice dinner with her for their anniversary, worth every pence and burning the tips of his fingers.
Strangely, John wasn't that good at cooking, he feared that he'd burn their dinner, leaving them having to scrounge for food elsewhere, but he was cooking like a world class chef.
Didn't even go to cooking school, either!
He never cut steaks the way the recipe called before, but here he was, cutting them like a champ, cooking them like a professional.
Mary complimented on his cooking, saying it tasted better than any restaurant she's been, that's a high compliment that John's ever received before.
Surprised him more than her, he's good at following the packaging, he was never good at cooking, but somehow, he managed to make a presentable dinner that tasted as good as it looked.
Topped off with dessert.
It's almost like fate had them meet, weird as it sounded, and he's happy that it did, never met anyone like Mary before, he felt comfortable around her, enough to tell her things he never told anyone, and vice versa.
There's some familiarity between them, John couldn't explain it, but it's in a good way, like they've been old friends.
Couldn't wait to go on a vacation with her, somewhere warm, perhaps, nowhere with intense sunlight, though, neither tanned very well, even slathered with a bottle's worth of sunblock.
Somewhere with plenty of food and live music, something colorful, better than the sterile background of Durham Industries.
Today, he's working the line with her, checking the outgoing parcels heading for the trucks, Mary's with him, and she flashed a smile to him as he joined her side.
It wasn't anything strenuous that they couldn't have a conversation as they did their jobs, most times it took minutes for a parcel coming out from another part of the complex.
They talked about anything that came to mind, whatever the mood called for, in between scanning parcels and directing them to the right conveyer belts for the workers further down to load onto the trucks.
When they weren't working the line, they worked in cubicles, filing paperwork, and afterwards, went to lunch, where they sat with each other while eating hungrily from the plate of food.
Today's Monday, the special's shepherd's pie, complete with baked cheddar cheese on top.
John grabbed two of the pies while Mary only grabbed one and some other things from the lunch line.
Among them were their coworkers who worked in different sections of the complex.
Some drove for Durham Industries, some strictly worked in the offices, some worked hybrid between the lines and the offices like John and Mary, some operated the factory side of things, and the rest worked in dock loading, where they operated lifts, bringing in supplies for the complex.
Almost four thousand people, there wasn't any worry about cliques forming, too big that there's no reason for it, no worry about drama, they're good about keeping it civil.
"I'm dreaming of it," John munched on his pie, talking to Mary about their upcoming vacation.
Smiling at him as she broke up the pie under her fork, Mary reminded him that if he kept dreaming of it, time's going slow, making him wait longer.
Sighing, John responded that he couldn't help it, they're getting a proper vacation this year, and he couldn't wait.
No more staycations, they're going somewhere elsewhere for the two weeks for a change. John's saved enough that they'll have a nice vacation wherever they decide and have plenty for the necessities.
Holding a hand over her mouth, Mary giggled, telling John that he's figured everything out, and he admitted that he couldn't help it, it's all that he's thought of since they got word of their vacation coming up.
"Definitely somewhere with a nice suite, overlooking the waters," John pictured their hotel room once they leave the complex.
It's going to overlook the ocean or a lake, whichever's available, complete with some amenities befitting them working hard as they done in the complex on slow days.
A nice plump bed for the both, more comfortable than the beds they have in the complex's dorm.
With good food nearby and some nice spots for them to sit around and lounge, live music if applicable, it'll be worth saving every pence.
"Temper yourself, dear," Mary reminded him not to overdo himself, else he risked disappointment, but he's sure they'll find a nice place for their vacation, and it'll just be what they needed!
Thinking to himself, John noted he'll look up reservations after their shift tonight.
"But I promise from the bottom of my heart, it's going to be a lovely vacation!" John declared that no matter what their vacation away from home's going to be what the doctor ordered.
Gently touching his shoulder, Mary tells him that no matter what, she'll appreciate the effort.
It made John brightly smile and they continued their lunches until it ended and they returned to their posts at the line, checking every parcel going out, sending it to the right conveyer belt.
Sometimes they gone up to the offices and then came back afterward, this continued well on until their shift finished for the evening with them clocking out and returning to the dorm.
Went to John's dorm since Mary's had a leaking pipe that management needed to fix, where they had dinner together and spent time well into the late hours with John slipping out of bed going over to the desktop in his dorm.
He went online, looking for reservations for them, comparing locations, amenities, trying to find the best for their buck.
Don't know how long he's been at it, but he started getting tired, so he saved all the links of places he's considering, before going to bed, snuggling close to Mary.
…
It's another day, there's more work to be done, everything's going according to schedule, by the end of the week, they'll fill their quota, and then they'll have vacation.
Oh, John couldn't wait for his vacation, he's been dreaming of it since the start of the year.
He planned everything from the moment he gotten wind of his scheduled vacation coming up soon and he's ready.
Once that bell rang, out he went, but not alone like one expected in his position, he's met someone working in Durham Industries.
A lovely woman by the name Mary, she worked in the same line as him, that's how they met, they spent time together working and sharing stories around lunch.
Culminated into friendship that further culminated into romance.
Made John turn brighter than the sun itself opening his heart to her, but his poor heart nearly leapt out of his chest when she felt the same.
In a strange way, he never felt nervous when they were alone together in private, he instantly felt comfortable with her.
He should've considering he wasn't buff like most men, but he didn't feel nervous, happy, actually.
They've been together for about three years; John remembers because he made them dinner for their third anniversary.
Saved every bit of money that John's able to spring for a nice dinner with her for their anniversary, worth every pence and burning the tips of his fingers.
Strangely, John wasn't that good at cooking, he feared that he'd burn their dinner, leaving them having to scrounge for food elsewhere, but he was cooking like a world class chef.
Didn't even go to cooking school, either!
He never cut steaks the way the recipe called before, but here he was, cutting them like a champ, cooking them like a professional.
Mary complimented on his cooking, saying it tasted better than any restaurant she's been, that's a high compliment that John's ever received before.
Surprised him more than her, he's good at following the packaging, he was never good at cooking, but somehow, he managed to make a presentable dinner that tasted as good as it looked.
Topped off with dessert.
It's almost like fate had them meet, weird as it sounded, and he's happy that it did, never met anyone like Mary before, he felt comfortable around her, enough to tell her things he never told anyone, and vice versa.
There's some familiarity between them, John couldn't explain it, but it's in a good way, like they've been old friends.
Couldn't wait to go on a vacation with her, somewhere warm, perhaps, nowhere with intense sunlight, though, neither tanned very well, even slathered with a bottle's worth of sunblock.
Somewhere with plenty of food and live music, something colorful, better than the sterile background of Durham Industries.
Today, he's working the line with her, checking the outgoing parcels heading for the trucks, Mary's with him, and she flashed a smile to him as he joined her side.
It wasn't anything strenuous that they couldn't have a conversation as they did their jobs, most times it took minutes for a parcel coming out from another part of the complex.
They talked about anything that came to mind, whatever the mood called for, in between scanning parcels and directing them to the right conveyer belts for the workers further down to load onto the trucks.
When they weren't working the line, they worked in cubicles, filing paperwork, and afterwards, went to lunch, where they sat with each other while eating hungrily from the plate of food.
Today's Monday, the special's shepherd's pie, complete with baked cheddar cheese on top.
John grabbed two of the pies while Mary only grabbed one and some other things from the lunch line.
Among them were their coworkers who worked in different sections of the complex.
Some drove for Durham Industries, some strictly worked in the offices, some worked hybrid between the lines and the offices like John and Mary, some operated the factory side of things, and the rest worked in dock loading, where they operated lifts, bringing in supplies for the complex.
Almost four thousand people, there wasn't any worry about cliques forming, too big that there's no reason for it, no worry about drama, they're good about keeping it civil.
"I'm dreaming of it," John munched on his pie, talking to Mary about their upcoming vacation, he couldn't help but have it on the mind since the announcement.
Smiling at him as she broke up the pie under her fork, Mary reminded him that if he kept dreaming of it, time's going slow, making him wait longer.
Sighing, John responded that he couldn't help it, they're getting a proper vacation this year, and he couldn't wait.
No more staycations, they're going somewhere elsewhere for the two weeks for a change. John's saved enough that they'll have a nice vacation wherever they decide and have plenty for the necessities.
Holding a hand over her mouth, Mary giggled, telling John that he's figured everything out, and he admitted that he couldn't help it, it's all that he's thought of since they got word of their vacation coming up.
"Definitely somewhere with a nice suite, overlooking the waters," John pictured their hotel room once they leave the complex.
It's going to overlook the ocean or a lake, whichever's available, complete with some amenities befitting them working hard as they done in the complex on slow days.
A nice plump bed for the both, more comfortable than the beds they have in the complex's dorm.
With good food nearby and some nice spots for them to sit around and lounge, live music if applicable, it'll be worth saving every pence.
"Temper yourself, dear," Mary reminded him not to overdo himself, else he risked disappointment, but he's sure they'll find a nice place for their vacation, and it'll just be what they needed!
Thinking to himself, John noted he'll look up reservations after their shift tonight.
"But I promise from the bottom of my heart, it's going to be a lovely vacation!" John declared that no matter what their vacation away from home's going to be what the doctor ordered.
Gently touching his shoulder, Mary tells him that no matter what, she'll appreciate the effort.
It made John brightly smile and they continued their lunches until it ended and they returned to their posts at the line, checking every parcel going out, sending it to the right conveyer belt.
Sometimes they gone up to the offices and then came back afterward, this continued well on until their shift finished for the evening with them clocking out and returning to the dorm.
Went to John's dorm since Mary's had a leaking pipe that management needed to fix, where they had dinner together and spent time well into the late hours with John slipping out of bed going over to the desktop in his dorm.
He went online, looking for reservations for them, comparing locations, amenities, trying to find the best for their buck.
Don't know how long he's been at it, but he started getting tired, so he saved all the links of places he's considering, before going to bed, snuggling close to Mary.
…
It's another day, there's more work to be done, everything's going according to schedule, by the end of the week, they'll fill their quota, and then they'll have vacation.
Oh, John couldn't wait for his vacation, he's been dreaming of it since the start of the year.
He planned everything from the moment he gotten wind of his scheduled vacation coming up soon and he's ready.
Once that bell rang, out he went, but not alone like one expected in his position, he's met someone working in Durham Industries.
A lovely woman by the name Mary, she worked in the same line as him, that's how they met, they spent time together working and sharing stories around lunch.
Culminated into friendship that further culminated into romance.
Made John turn brighter than the sun itself opening his heart to her, but his poor heart nearly leapt out of his chest when she felt the same.
In a strange way, he never felt nervous when they were alone together in private, he instantly felt comfortable with her.
He should've considering he wasn't buff like most men, but he didn't feel nervous, happy, actually.
They've been together for about three years; John remembers because he made them dinner for their third anniversary.
Saved every bit of money that John's able to spring for a nice dinner with her for their anniversary, worth every pence and burning the tips of his fingers.
Strangely, John wasn't that good at cooking, he feared that he'd burn their dinner, leaving them having to scrounge for food elsewhere, but he was cooking like a world class chef.
Didn't even go to cooking school, either!
He never cut steaks the way the recipe called before, but here he was, cutting them like a champ, cooking them like a professional.
Mary complimented on his cooking, saying it tasted better than any restaurant she's been, that's a high compliment that John's ever received before.
Surprised him more than her, he's good at following the packaging, he was never good at cooking, but somehow, he managed to make a presentable dinner that tasted as good as it looked.
Topped off with dessert.
It's almost like fate had them meet, weird as it sounded, and he's happy that it did, never met anyone like Mary before, he felt comfortable around her, enough to tell her things he never told anyone, and vice versa.
There's some familiarity between them, John couldn't explain it, but it's in a good way, like they've been old friends.
Couldn't wait to go on a vacation with her, somewhere warm, perhaps, nowhere with intense sunlight, though, neither tanned very well, even slathered with a bottle's worth of sunblock.
Somewhere with plenty of food and live music, something colorful, better than the sterile background of Durham Industries.
Today, he's working the line with her, checking the outgoing parcels heading for the trucks, Mary's with him, and she flashed a smile to him as he joined her side.
It wasn't anything strenuous that they couldn't have a conversation as they did their jobs, most times it took minutes for a parcel coming out from another part of the complex.
They talked about anything that came to mind, whatever the mood called for, in between scanning parcels and directing them to the right conveyer belts for the workers further down to load onto the trucks.
When they weren't working the line, they worked in cubicles, filing paperwork, and afterwards, went to lunch, where they sat with each other while eating hungrily from the plate of food.
Today's Monday, the special's shepherd's pie, complete with baked cheddar cheese on top.
John grabbed two of the pies while Mary only grabbed one and some other things from the lunch line.
Among them were their coworkers who worked in different sections of the complex.
Some drove for Durham Industries, some strictly worked in the offices, some worked hybrid between the lines and the offices like John and Mary, some operated the factory side of things, and the rest worked in dock loading, where they operated lifts, bringing in supplies for the complex.
Almost four thousand people, there wasn't any worry about cliques forming, too big that there's no reason for it, no worry about drama, they're good about keeping it civil.
"I'm losing my mind!" John munched on his pie, talking to Mary about this blizzard feeling he's been having lately, it's giving him trouble and he doesn't know why.
Smiling at him as she broke up the pie under her fork, Mary comforted him that he's probably mistaken, it happens.
"You're not getting sick, are you?" Mary looked at him worrying, but John couldn't tell for sure, he's certain he isn't sick.
Checking his forehead, Mary says that he doesn't have a fever, and asked how he felt, which he responded that he felt like he's having an odd deja vu.
"Well, we've had the same lunch on Monday for three years, dear," Mary tells him that with the reliable lunch menu, no doubt it would've made John feel like he's having a deja vu.
Frowning, John mustered that suppose she's right and then talked about their upcoming vacation.
They're getting a proper vacation this year, and he couldn't wait.
No more staycations, they're going somewhere elsewhere for the two weeks for a change. John's saved enough that they'll have a nice vacation wherever they decide and have plenty for the necessities.
Holding a hand over her mouth, Mary giggled, telling John that he's figured everything out, and he admitted that he couldn't help it, it's all that he's thought of since they got word of their vacation coming up.
"Definitely somewhere with a nice suite, overlooking the waters," John pictured their hotel room once they leave the complex.
It's going to overlook the ocean or a lake, whichever's available, complete with some amenities befitting them working hard as they done in the complex on slow days.
A nice plump bed for the both, more comfortable than the beds they have in the complex's dorm.
With good food nearby and some nice spots for them to sit around and lounge, live music if applicable, it'll be worth saving every pence.
"Temper yourself, dear," Mary reminded him not to overdo himself, else he risked disappointment, but he's sure they'll find a nice place for their vacation, and it'll just be what they needed!
Thinking to himself, John noted he'll look up reservations after their shift tonight.
"But I promise from the bottom of my heart, it's going to be a lovely vacation!" John declared that no matter what their vacation away from home's going to be what the doctor ordered.
Gently touching his shoulder, Mary tells him that no matter what, she'll appreciate the effort.
It made John brightly smile and they continued their lunches until it ended and they returned to their posts at the line, checking every parcel going out, sending it to the right conveyer belt.
Sometimes they gone up to the offices and then came back afterward, this continued well on until their shift finished for the evening with them clocking out and returning to the dorm.
Went to John's dorm since Mary's had a leaking pipe that management needed to fix where they had dinner together and spent time well into the late hours with John slipping out of bed going over to the desktop in his dorm.
He went online, looking for reservations for them, comparing locations, amenities, trying to find the best for their buck.
Huh, that can't be right, John doesn't remember bookmarking these links, why's there duplicates of the same links?
Furrowing his brow, John's baffled at the sight of the duplicate links.
That's… strange… how…?
He felt his eyes heavy and his mind foggy, had to go to sleep. Got up from the desktop and laid in bed, his arms around Mary.
…
It's another day, there's more work to be done, everything's going according to schedule, by the end of the week, they'll fill their quota, and then they'll have vacation.
Oh, John couldn't wait for his vacation, he's been dreaming of it since the start of the year.
He planned everything from the moment he gotten wind of his scheduled vacation coming up soon and he's ready.
Once that bell rang, out he went, but not alone like one expected in his position, he's met someone working in Durham Industries.
A lovely woman by the name Mary, she worked in the same line as him, that's how they met, they spent time together working and sharing stories around lunch.
Culminated into friendship that further culminated into romance.
Made John turn brighter than the sun itself opening his heart to her, but his poor heart nearly leapt out of his chest when she felt the same.
In a strange way, he never felt nervous when they were alone together in private, he instantly felt comfortable with her.
He should've considering he wasn't buff like most men, but he didn't feel nervous, happy, actually.
They've been together for about three years; John remembers because he made them dinner for their third anniversary.
Saved every bit of money that John's able to spring for a nice dinner with her for their anniversary, worth every pence and burning the tips of his fingers.
Strangely, John wasn't that good at cooking, he feared that he'd burn their dinner, leaving them having to scrounge for food elsewhere, but he was cooking like a world class chef.
Didn't even go to cooking school, either!
He never cut steaks the way the recipe called before, but here he was, cutting them like a champ, cooking them like a professional.
Mary complimented on his cooking, saying it tasted better than any restaurant she's been, that's a high compliment that John's ever received before.
Surprised him more than her, he's good at following the packaging, he was never good at cooking, but somehow, he managed to make a presentable dinner that tasted as good as it looked.
Topped off with dessert.
It's almost like fate had them meet, weird as it sounded, and he's happy that it did, never met anyone like Mary before, he felt comfortable around her, enough to tell her things he never told anyone, and vice versa.
There's some familiarity between them, John couldn't explain it, but it's in a good way, like they've been old friends.
Couldn't wait to go on a vacation with her, somewhere warm, perhaps, nowhere with intense sunlight, though, neither tanned very well, even slathered with a bottle's worth of sunblock.
Somewhere with plenty of food and live music, something colorful, better than the sterile background of Durham Industries.
Today, he's working the line with her, checking the outgoing parcels heading for the trucks, Mary's with him, and she flashed a smile to him as he joined her side.
It wasn't anything strenuous that they couldn't have a conversation as they did their jobs, most times it took minutes for a parcel coming out from another part of the complex.
They talked about anything that came to mind, whatever the mood called for, in between scanning parcels and directing them to the right conveyer belts for the workers further down to load onto the trucks.
When they weren't working the line, they worked in cubicles, filing paperwork, and afterwards, went to lunch, where they sat with each other while eating hungrily from the plate of food.
Today's Monday, the special's shepherd's pie, complete with baked cheddar cheese on top.
John grabbed two of the pies while Mary only grabbed one and some other things from the lunch line.
Among them were their coworkers who worked in different sections of the complex.
Some drove for Durham Industries, some strictly worked in the offices, some worked hybrid between the lines and the offices like John and Mary, some operated the factory side of things, and the rest worked in dock loading, where they operated lifts, bringing in supplies for the complex.
Almost four thousand people, there wasn't any worry about cliques forming, too big that there's no reason for it, no worry about drama, they're good about keeping it civil.
"It's not like you eating lunch, dear," Mary noted that John's acting strange. He hadn't eaten his two pies and he hardly touched his drink, there's a look on his face as he's pondering to himself.
Looking over to her, John asks if she noticed anything strange going on, and Mary replied that she doesn't know what he's talking about, but knows that it isn't like him passing up shepherd's pie.
"You're not sick, are you?" Mary looked at him with concerns in her soft eyes as John turned his head to face her, reaching over, touching her hand with his, a gentle squeeze.
He tells her that he doesn't think he's sick, not that he recalled, he didn't feel sick, that much's certain.
Checking his forehead, Mary affirmed that he didn't have a fever, but asked how he felt.
"I'm not losing my mind, I swear, I think we've had this conversation before," John asserted that they've had this conversation and its variants before, causing Mary to remind him that she doesn't remember him not eating his pies.
Frowning, John says that's the problem.
He doesn't remember, he would've remembered something like this and Mary recalled that he's been talking about the vacation since the announcement.
"Yes, but don't you feel a little strange?" John wearily looked at Mary as she's lightly breaking up her shepherd's pie, pondering what he's saying, before answering that she doesn't feel anything off, she feels the same.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Mary worryingly asked him if he's all right, reaching out to touch him, holding his roughed hands with her soft hands.
Thinking, John admitted that he doesn't honestly know, making Mary worried, but he comforted her the only way he knew how, with a kiss, and she giggled.
It made John brightly smile and they continued their lunches until it ended and they returned to their posts at the line, checking every parcel going out, sending it to the right conveyer belt.
Sometimes they gone up to the offices and then came back afterward, this continued well on until their shift finished for the evening with them clocking out and returning to the dorm.
Went to John's dorm since Mary's had a leaking pipe that management needed to fix where they had dinner together and spent time well into the late hours with John slipping out of bed going over to the desktop in his dorm.
For some reason, John felt like going through his desktop, he was going to look for places for their upcoming vacation, but instead, he felt compelled looking through the bookmarks.
Yes, there's links for places, he doesn't remember bookmarking them, and Mary would've said something about it.
Why is there multiple copies of the same set of links?
That doesn't make sense.
Blinking, John's trying to come up with an answer as to why suddenly there's five or so links of the same set of places.
He's noticing that he wasn't as tired as he's normally at this hour, that's weird, too.
It's bothering him to the point that he can't break away from the desktop, he can't understand why there's multiple sets of the same links, that he delved further into sleuthing.
He managed to find the dates they're added to the bookmarks, but, none of it making any sense, why would he have the same exact link saved multiple times a month?
There's no way he wouldn't remember going to the same sites weekly and bookmarking them weekly. That's something he's sure that he'd remember.
Noticing the time, John's forced to leave the desktop, returning to Mary's side on the bed, where he wrapped his arms around her, before falling asleep.
…
"John, what's going on?" Mary eyed with him with worry as they noticed there's no one working in the line, there's no parcels going outward, there's several stuck in the slots going into separate conveyer belts, like no one's been sending them to the trucks and they're backed up on the conveyer belts below.
Looking at the sight, John answered that he doesn't know, and he motioned with his hand for them to head up to the office and see what's happening.
Joining his side, they went up to the upstairs office, but noticed, nobody there.
The computers turned off, no longer turned on, but they have been on for so long, the images were burnt into their screens.
Going into the supervisors' offices, there's no one, checked the meeting rooms, nobody, and they headed back down to check the cafeteria.
Arriving, there's nobody inside, they found the food already out, but looking at it, it's cold as ice, even moldy.
"I… I don't understand," Mary's flabbergasted as she looked at the lunch line, the food's been there for so long, it's started to rot, nobody took the trays out.
John gone into the kitchen, looking for anyone, not surprisingly he didn't find anyone, but he found the food stock expired.
That shouldn't be possible, they just got the stock in the other day, but as he's looking at the labels more, the state of the food stock.
It's been expired for about three years…?
Returning to Mary's side, he showed her the label on a bag of crisps, seeing the expiration date made her baffled, and John tossed the bag aside as he ran a hand through his floppy brown hair.
Was his hair this floppy?
He's sure he trimmed it before he started working in Durham Industries.
"Where's everyone?" Mary mustered as she's worried about their coworkers, they should've saw them by now, there's no way four thousand people just up and leave like this, not without them knowing.
Thinking, John suggested they check the dorms, walking with her, they went through the halls towards the dorms.
It's eerily quiet.
"Sykes? Elise? Greg?" John called out to the people who worked on their line and roomed on the same row as them in the dorm.
They didn't respond.
The couple splint off as they went between doors, trying to open them, expecting someone to pop out at any moment, but no one did.
John knocked on one hard enough, he popped part of the door off, it looked like a… cutout.
It didn't come out of the hole, it slid, and he slid it to the side, peering inside the room for Sykes, he sees the man lying in his bed.
"Sykes, bloody hell, wake up!" John shouted at him, he's always the type that didn't wake up in time, and as John shouted, Sykes didn't move from his bed.
It's a little dark in the room, so John thought if he flashed some light in it, it'll wake him up, and he had Mary get a torch from his room.
When she returned with it, he took it into his hands and flashed light squarely on Sykes' face.
The sudden jolt made him drop it on the ground and Mary let out a yelp, clinging to him.
Sykes…
Wha…
He's…
Skin and bones.
John gently grabbed Mary and kept her close, her face pressed in his chest, as he looked at the horrible sight.