10
High pitched screaming awoke me, and I jerked awake from the shock. I sat up wondering what was going on. I saw darkness around me and looked around wondering where I was. It took me a few minutes to remember I was in Thomas' room.
"GET HER TOMMY!" I heard Charlie screaming, and I blinked and looked up toward the nearest window to see the black curtains over the window, but I could see light creeping in through the holes of the old fabric. I heard loud footsteps running all through the house and I sat up quickly, wondering what was going on. Did we have guests? I got up and did a quick stretch before moving to the door and opening it slowly. I looked into the hallway and saw nothing happening. I didn't hear anymore screaming and so I moved down the hall making sure to pull my gown up so I looked decent. I turned the short corner to the stairs only to have the life, it felt, knocked out of me. I yelped as I fell to the ground as a body was trampling over me. I looked up to see some white guy with brunette hair looking down at me. He was covered in sweat and wore a grey t-shirt and blue jeans. We stared at each other for a split second before he was on his feet and running down the hall. I rolled over on my stomach, my hair blocking my view a bit as he ran down the hall disappearing into my room.
I heard footsteps coming up behind me, and before I knew it, I was hoisted into the air and placed on my feet by Thomas. Charlie was right behind him.
"Which way did he go?" he asked quickly, his shot gun in hand. I pointed to my room and Charlie was charging in that direction. Thomas looked down at me and I just looked up at him.
"We can't let him escape." I said my tone laced with guilt, but I doubt Thomas could sense it. Thomas gently ran the tips of his bloody fingers over my cheek and down to the bottom of my chin.
"Tommy come on boy!" Charlie called out. Without saying anything, Thomas moved after the old pretend sheriff. I watched them run down my room and kick open the door. "He's gone out the window!" Now they were running past me again and moving down the stairs then out the front door. I followed calmly after them and walked past the living room, to see three people tied up on the ground and sitting side by side. They were all roughed up with blood on their faces and gags in their mouth. Once they saw me, they muttered and cried out in my direction, and I stopped and looked at them. They were young, around my age. One was a red headed girl with a big bust and she wore a black small tank top that pushed up her chest, and blue jeans. Beside her was a dirty blonde female and a black-haired guy. They moved their tied together wrists at me and I almost took a step toward them.
"Tati! Breakfast!" Luda Mae called from the kitchen. I couldn't ignore her call. I turned and moved into the kitchen ignoring the three stranger's screams of panic. I moved into the kitchen and saw Luda Mae putting a plate of food down at the small square table. There was eggs, bacon, toast on the plate. I smiled as she put what looked like tea down on. "Good morning."
I smiled at her and sat down at the table.
"More trespassers?" I asked now poking at my food with the fork she gave me. She nodded.
"Yeah. Charlie already ruined his last toy. Now he's looking for food and a new play thing." She said with disapproval. I nodded chewing on my food.
"Do you approve of what they are doing?" I asked. "What we are doing?" She sighed and sat down across from me, placing her hands on her cheeks.
"No I do not. It ain't Christian what we doing. But we can't leave our home, and we need to survive." she said and I just stared at her for a moment.
"Am I going to die here?" I suddenly asked and her entire face soured up in shock.
"O'course not. You are this family and you have been a very good girl, but why would you even want to leave? Thomas has been so happy since you've been back. Who knows you two may get hitched- may even have some grandkids! Oh the thought." she said joyously. I arched a brow and gave a curious smile hearing screams from the living room.
"You want me to have kids?" I asked and she smiled.
"Oh yes. Little mixed breed kids running around here. It would bring nothing but joy to this family." she said. Charlie then came into the kitchen almost calmly, wiping his brow with a white cloth.
"Whoo wee. We had us a fighter there for a second." he said sitting down beside me. "Well don't you look pretty today." I rolled my eyes.
"Always." I said finishing up my breakfast. Luda Mae took my plate and moved it to the sink.
"Charlie, we gone need to run into town to get some more medicine and bandages for the house. You're gonna have to run down to the hospital and see if they'll give you any." she explained. I arched a brow at the sound of that small hospital that was close to an abandoned church. I couldn't remember the name though.
"That hospital is still running?" I asked and Charlie nodded.
"Oh yeah. We ain't the only people living in Newt. We still got family scattered all over these parts. There's a police station, an old grocery store, a gas station and the hospital. Only the big companies shut down but naw things are still moving along." he said. I looked out the window in thought of his words. So I didn't have to be cooped up in this place after all. Thomas was walking across my vision. He was outside carrying the body of the guy who ran into me earlier. His head was gone and blood dripped from the hole in his neck.
"What are we gonna do with our guests?" I asked looking now at Charlie who smirked.
"Well first of all, one of them is mine. I'm digging the red head. She's real nice. The rest we can prepare for Sunday dinner." he replied getting up. I nodded slowly.
"If you want I can go get these supplies for you." I said and now Charlie and Luda Mae looked at each other as if having a conversation with their minds. So they still did not fully trust me.
"Yeah well I'll think about it." he said and left out into the hall way. I watched as he dragged the red head by her feet down the hall toward the stairs. She screamed through her gag and was grabbing for anything she could. I groaned and turned back around. Luda Mae was drying a cup with an old dish towel.
"Don't worry darlin'. I know you wouldn't run from us. If it was up to me, I would let you go." she said. I only nodded before getting up.
"I'm going to get dressed." I said lightly before moving from the kitchen. I forced myself to ignore the remaining two captive's screaming and moved up the stairs. Just as I was reaching the top, Charlie had successfully dragged the red head girl into his room. I knew what he was going to do, and I didn't want to be in the house for it. I hurried to my room and looked around to make sure none of my stuff was taken by the guy. I moved over to my briefcase and put on an old black dress. I slid on my white slippers and hurried from the room. I moved down stairs and just walked out the front door. Everything was damp and gross and muddy. I winced in disgust and moved down the right of the porch and looked around toward the barn. I then had a thought and cleared my throat.
"Thomas!" I called out to him. I didn't see him for a second, and slowly I see him peak out from around the barn door. "Thomas, I need you." Thomas moved from the barn and moved to the front porch. His boots sloshed in the mud and he didn't seem to care how dirty the bottom of his pants was getting. His clothed mask was wrapped tightly around his face, and his hair covered parts of his eyes. His hands were caked with dry blood and dirt and I smile
"I want to watch you work, but it's too muddy for me to walk to the barn." I replied and he just looked down at the mud and his eyes scanned the ground with blank eyes as if not really bothered by the mud. I caressed his cheek causing him to look up at me with wide eyes. I fluttered my eyes lashes innocently at him. "Carry me?" He blinked multiple times before suddenly wrapping his arms around my back and legs and swooping me off the ground. I laughed as he gave a quick twirl of playfulness, and I held on to him as he carried me to the barn. I heard a heightened scream of pure pain, but while staring at Thomas, I was able to block the noise out completely while we entered the barn.