Chapter Eighteen: Instant
See, he gave you up because he truly loved you. He didn't want to hurt you, feared beating you. He wanted a better life for you...
The little voice in my head replays this over and over again once I'm shoved back inside the manor by Kai's hand.
A sudden surge of fear overtakes me and I rush upstairs. Something's not right here. In the process of doing so, I spot the couple cops hurried trots. The blast of cool air they create brushes through my clothes and hair as they pass by.
Once at the top of the stairs I watch them sprint out of sight, into what I can only assume is the cold. They're retreading the same path I took, so it's possible.
Heading up the hall, I see Lionel carrying what looks to be a walker out of Kai's bedroom.
Kai was building the walker for him?
I smile at the sweet gesture, feeling fluttery inside. Kai certainly is a great guy, isn't he?
I walk up to, uh, uncle Max's room but don't go beyond the threshold, my feet glued to the floor. Things are noisier than I anticipated.
Sinead and her Nan are helping the man to his wobbly feet, the oldest in the room teaching him how to use the walker from before.
"Is everything okay, Gou?" Sinead sweetly says from her spot by the bed.
Before any sounds can leave my mouth, the hopeful environment is shattered by a loud bang. Lionel and I exchange fearful glances and we race downstairs but are stopped at the base by Agatha's mom, who is holding said girl in her arms. Her mother encourages a trembling Agatha to go with us back up the stairs and she agrees, Lionel leading the way. I, however, don't follow, much to her mother's dismay.
"You need to go back up. Lock the door and stay with everyone until we say it's safe to come out,"
As I'm about to ask what's going on, her radio answers for me. Over it I hear her husband's voice calling for back up because there's an armed assailant on the property. Ok, I figured that much considering the protective shove from earlier... But then, something makes my blood freeze.
Another sound breaks the silence and I'm left alone a second later. My legs gain a mind of their own and before my main brain can process a thing, I'm outside and following Mrs. Fernandez.
In a split second the intruder is ruthlessly tackled by her from behind and on the ground before being disarmed, handcuffed, and hauled off into an awaiting squad car.
While she's over there I rush up to Mr. Fernandez in worry.
"Are you okay?" I ask, seeing that he's on the ground and tearfully distressed.
My eyes catch sight of pooling crimson and follow the trail up to a lifeless body... Kai's body.
"He's been shot, twice," the male cop tells me, his hands doing all they can to stop the profuse bleeding. "One to the left leg and another in the chest,"
Shot?!
My world stops, and for a while my mind reverts to autopilot, going blank for what feels like an eternity.
Come dinner time, reality has settled into my system and I'm more alert. I'm escorted down from my room, which I guess a cop carried me to, and placed at the long table with everyone else who seems just as shellshocked.
Sinead's gran hands out the piled-high plates of mash, vegetables, and fried meat but I don't dig in.
I mumble a somber I'm sorry and excuse myself from the table. Uncle Max reaches out to pull me close but I pivot away and leave the dining hall for... I don't know where. But at the moment, anywhere is better than people.