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Her breath fresh, her teeth clean, her hair tied up in a messy bun, she walked along beside the second Rudy. A silence had fallen between them that neither knew how to fill. But it didn't matter; they were both too busy thinking.
Elsie, about how she would miss this Rudy, even though she had only known him for a few days. He was possibly the kindest, not to mention the shyest, person she had ever met. But he was already leaving, the original Rudy staying behind. It wasn't that she disliked the other Rudy. It was just that, she sort of maybe wished it was him leaving instead.
This Rudy didn't go around bragging about fucking girls up the arse to anyone that would listen. Didn't make crude gestures with his hands and most certainly didn't try to ogle her body.
Rudy Too was thinking about the pretty girl next to him. How she had welcomed him with open arms not freaked out by the fact that he could appear and disappear into his counterpart's body. How, minutes ago, she had visited the man who lived in the flat above her to make sure he was ok. His curiosity getting the better of him, he opened his mouth and spoke.
"Who was that man? The one you visited just now?"
"Mr Johnson?" He nodded and looked down at her from his height, his free hand playing with the zipper of his coat. "He's lived in the flat above for as long as I can remember. When Gran went out for the evening he was the one to babysit me. He doesn't really get out much anymore, so I go up as often as possible to make sure he's still alive." She shrugged, her steps getting smaller the closer they got to the Community Centre. "His family don't visit that much. So I think he appreciates the company." She recalled the smile that had lifted his wrinkled face at seeing her. For years now, she had had her own key for when she wanted to visit, or, as she had said, to make sure he was still alive, to ask him if he wanted anything from the shops. His mind was still sharp though. He still remembered her birthday every year, never failed to slip her some money so she could buy herself some chocolates for Christmas, (though she never did. She always spent the money he gave her on something for him) and even attempted to throw a celebration party when she had finished her Community Service. (He had wanted to decorate his flat in balloons and buy her a big congratulations cake; he even said he had wanted to fill his fridge up with booze for the pair of them even though it hadn't really been that big of a deal to her. But because she was the only one to go to the shops for him, he couldn't exactly have asked her to get those things herself, or the surprise would have been ruined. They had actually ended up watching Murder, She Wrote for the evening and well into the night. Not that she was complaining.) Every time, just before she left, he would always tell her how just her company could make him feel young again.
"I think he's going into a Care Home soon. I think it's just so his family can sell his flat though, not because they want what's best for him."
She wished at that moment that she had bought a jacket. The goose bumps raised on her arms as the cool breeze lifted a few strands of hair away from her face. But she didn't cross her arms across her chest in the hopes of warming herself up, there was no point. The sun would no doubt come back out from behind the clouds soon. She tucked her hands into the front pockets of her jeans, the fingers of her left hand scraping against her mobile.
"What will you do when you get to Wales?"
"I don't...I don't really know." He chuckled nervously and met her gaze. She felt at that moment that he was begging with his eyes, to tell him what he should do. But she had no clue. She had never really left home unless it was on holiday. But Holidays had been with parents and when she was still small enough to sit on her Dad's waist as he carried her. They had been a time when she had to depend on someone else. After moving in with her Gran, she hadn't bothered. Her Gran saved money for the bills, nights out, birthdays and the festive season. Elsie saved up her money so she could leave Wertham, but that didn't mean she would know what do to as soon as the opportunity arose.
"Have you got any money?" Money was necessary if you were going, well...anywhere.
"Only a bit." She wasn't going to pry though. Too much.
"Is it enough to rent a flat, or book a hotel...or something?" Any hope that he had held in his eyes, died then and there.
"Not really." Her shoulders sagged as she stopped walking.
"Couldn't the other Rudy go instead? He seems to know what to do with himself." She flashed him a brief half smile.
"I don't think he'd want to leave someone who lets 'im...you know." He indicated with his hands something that didn't really make sense but she understood it all the same.
"No." She sighed. "Though I've never really seen the attraction of that, I'm sure there are girls willing to do that in Wales."
They had stopped a few feet from the stairs that lead to the front doors of the building. She sat down on one of the benches and patted the spot next to her for him to sit down.
Neither of them noticed Alisha slipping through the doors.
"I could..." She faced forward and looked out at the dirty water. She had stood in that water before, though thankfully the Centre had had the proper outfit for them all to wear so their jumpsuits wouldn't get wet, or filthy. She wondered for a moment, if the can of paint that Gary had kicked into the water all those months ago was still in there. Surely it would have sunk to the bottom with all the other pieces of junk no one else wanted. Not to mention the used condoms, but Elsie shuddered just thinking about those.
"What?" The other Rudy bought her from her thoughts.
"I could lend you some money." But it seemed he had already known what she was going to say. He was already arguing with her before she could even finish her sentence.
"Oh no! I'm not borrowing off you. Never you. You've done enough as it is."
"Like what?" She turned to face him now, tucking her left leg up underneath her, an amused smile gracing her features.
"Well, you...you've cleaned me wounds for starters. And the other Rudy, you've cleaned 'is too. You...you 'elped wit' the lift door, you gave me your address for somewhere to go if I wanted someone to talk to." But she lost him at 'Somewhere to go.'
"How about this?" She waited until he was looking her square in the eyes before she started talking again. "You don't go to Wales-"He opened his mouth to speak but she quickly quietened him by putting her hand against his mouth. "And you move in with me? That way you're not borrowing money off me, you're not in Wales, you have a roof over your head and you can get a job to help pay for rent?"
The silence that fell was practically deafening to Elsie. She had known before suggesting it that he wouldn't agree to it. But it was worth a try. Why she was so desperate for him to not leave was beyond her. Perhaps it had something to do with that fact that she still hadn't worked out where she had seen him before.
"What if 'e sees me? 'e won't be very 'appy 'bout me still bein' 'ere."
"We can cross that bridge when we get to it." She sat forwards again getting out of the uncomfortable position, letting her foot hit the concrete again, feeling slight relief as she felt the circulation returning to her toes. "I'm not saying you have to say yes or no now. But you have until the train station to think it over." He was still watching her. She could see it from the corner of her eye.
"You'd really let me live wit' yer?" H sounded genuinely confused.
"Well yeah." She shrugged. "You don't seem like a rapist, or a bully. I don't think you're a thief either. I like you, you seem to like me. So...why not?" But her question was met with silence again. "Didn't you say you wanted to get something from the Community Centre?"
"Oh...oh yeah. Forgot 'bout that." But he didn't move. So she did instead. She stood form her spot and began to walk away.
"Well come on then." She called over her shoulder. The sounds of trainers slapping against the concrete met her as he ran to catch up with her.
She opened the door and stepped through. But they weren't greeted with the usual haunting silence of the corridor. Instead they were greeted with the sound of screams. And Elsie would know that voice anywhere.
"SOMEBODY HELP US! PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP!"
If Elsie hadn't been on Community Service, she would have thought that perhaps the owner of the voice was being raped, or perhaps robbed. But thanks to the storm and the fact that she knew of the existence of the powers, she knew differently. Something was terribly wrong. Or at least was about to go terribly wrong.
"Oh shit." Elsie mumbled to herself before quickly running towards the locker room. The source of the screams seemed to be emanating from there.
The door was already open, allowing anyone who passed to view what was happening. She paused in the doorway. There on the floor were two bodies. She recognised them both though she deeply wished she didn't. The pretty brunette in her orange jumpsuit lay lifeless, a line of blood had at some point flowed from her mouth, a large splodge of blood covered the abdomen of the orange fabric.
Angry blonde, her feet lying carelessly across the legs of the pretty brunette, wore a crown of red. The pool of blood was still growing, and for a moment Elsie felt sorry for this girl. But the slowly dying screams of the girl she called her friend snapped her from her thoughts.
"ELSIE! HELP US PLEASE!" The voice of Alisha was growing weaker with every second that passed even thought her feet were still barely standing on the back of the chair. Elsie was quick to step over the bodies of the two girls who couldn't be helped, calling for the other Rudy to come and help her over her shoulder, even though he was right behind her, as she rushed to the aid of her friend.
She felt as if her heart skipped a beat when she finally caught sight of Rudy hanging from the ceiling. It looked as if it was too late for him, but he was still swinging from side to side, bumping into Alisha every time, as if the chair had been kicked away literally seconds before their arrival.
The other Rudy wasted no time in running towards Alisha, jumping on the chair she was barely standing on to undo the noose around her neck. Elsie hung onto the legs of the original Rudy, lifting them with all the strength she could muster in the hopes that some air was actually going into his lungs. She focused on a stain on the fabric that invaded her sight, hoping it would help her not panic. What if they didn't manage to get Rudy down in time? Or what if they did, but he would never be able to talk again? Though that might actually be a plus point, at least then he wouldn't be able to give any detail about his sexual conquests.
It was only when Elsie heard the scrape of a chair being pushed towards her did she look away. Alisha was safe, her hands still tied behind her back and a slight red ring around her throat. She was also coughing a little, but she was safe.
With the aid of the others, they managed to set Rudy on the floor. But he wasn't waking up. Alisha, who had successfully achieved getting her hands in front of her, was lightly slapping his cheeks with the back of her hand.
The second Rudy stood beside Elsie who had crouched down on Rudy's other side, looking as if he was about to cry.
She felt out of place. The three other people who were still breathing had slept together, as weird as that sounded, and the looks Alisha was sending her between light slaps felt as if she was asking for a moment alone with the other Rudy.
"I'll go get some scissors." She mumbled and added "For your hands." Standing, she squeezed the arm of the second Rudy as she passed him. She only looked back once, but it seemed as if the pair had already forgotten her. They were already talking in hushed tones.
How long did it take for a private chat to finish? Did it take literally seconds? Or did it take hours? Elsie supposed it really depended on the people who were talking. It was strange how when you were part of the conversation, you never really bothered to see how long it took.
She took a deep breath, scissors in hand, and prayed in her mind that the conversation was over. There were after all, more important things to worry about at that moment.
To her relief, it did in fact seem to be. Though had she been seconds earlier, she supposed she would not have been so lucky. The pair kneeling on the floor were smiling at each other. Alisha looking beautiful as she always did, the second Rudy looking slightly relieved. But Elsie's heart dropped when she realised that the other Rudy was still not awake.
"Hands." She walked over to Alisha who gladly held her hands up to her friend. Elsie knew she had to say it, though she didn't really want to say it in front of someone else. So she tried to convey the word through her eyes. But the way Alisha smiled at her let her know that all was forgiven between them. "I'm glad you're ok." She let her eyes rest on the other Rudy now. "Is he breathing?" She found it odd that neither of them were attempting to wake him up. She received a nod of confirmation. "Good. Turn him over so I can free his hands."
Together, Alisha and the other Rudy gently turned original Rudy over onto his side so she could do her job.
"Are we letting him sleep or...what?"
"Maybe we could throw some water in 'is face?" Alisha asked.
"Maybe we should just leave 'im be for now? Let him wake up on 'is own?" But Elsie rolled her eyes and took a seat next to the other Rudy, crossing her legs and leaning forward so she could get in the original Rudy's face.
"WAKE UP" She had to put a hand on his chest to prevent her from falling on top of him.
"Elsie." Alisha hissed. "Do you really think that's going to work?"
"Did you try it before I got back?" Silence greeted her. "Well then there was no harm in trying it was there?" When Rudy's head twitched the pair turned their attention to him. Alisha leaned forward so she could watch, make sure he was alright, Elsie still bracing herself against his chest. She couldn't help the somewhat smug smirk that she briefly sent to the female opposite her. It quickly fell however when Rudy's eyelids began to flutter.
Gradually, his eyelids opened, the hazel orbs adjusting to the light, the sight of the ceiling and the nooses greeted him.
Alisha couldn't help the smile and relieved laugh she let out when his gaze met hers. She looked up and across at the other Rudy and Elsie. Elsie leaned back to allow Rudy Too to take a look at his counterpart.
With a groan, Rudy pushed himself up a little and leaned on his forearms. "I thought you'd gone to Wales." He said with a smile. The second Rudy simply shook his head in response. The Rudy on the floor took this moment to look down at his chest, feeling the pressure of something there. He found a hand. He followed the arm attached and found that a pretty barmaid was watching the three of them carefully.
"Well isn't this lovely." He flashed her his best cheeky smile, feeling rather pleased with himself that he managed to make her smile brighten.
"What is?"
"I wake up to find not one, but two beautiful women beside me. Maybe I died and went to 'eaven." She rolled her eyes and attempted to take her hand away, she no longer had a reason to have it there after all. But he quickly grabbed it in his own and held it there as he let out another groan and lay back down against the cold ugly tiles. He patted it a few times as if in comfort, though wether it was for his own sake of hers she was unsure.
"I hate to be the one to break up a moment, but what are we gonna do with them?" Elsie nodded her head over towards the two girls, lying in wait though it wasn't as if they had much of a choice. But she was talking more to Alisha than the Rudy's. Suddenly, the smile fell from the girls face. But she still looked beautiful.
"I'll call the others." She sighed and stood, moving away so she could talk in peace. Elsie was glad it was Alisha doing the talking. Elsie would have simply panicked and blurted everything out for the whole world to hear. It was practically a miracle she hadn't already panicked.
"Did I make you panic Sweet cheeks?" She let out the deep breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.
"I'd be lying if I said no." She answered, attempting to sit back. If he wasn't going to let her hand go, she at least wanted to be comfortable.
"Were you worried about me? You're too good to me." He mumbled. His brain must have been lacking oxygen.
"They're on their way." Alisha appeared from behind the lockers.
"I'll go get the shovels." Elsie sighed again and pulled her hand away from Rudy. This time he allowed her.
She had hoped that because her Community Service was over, all the weird shit was too, that there would be no more deaths, no more having to bury people. But apparently, Wertham came hand in hand with weird shit.
The hole they had dug was surrounded by trees. It was far enough from the estate that no one would likely go up there and therefore start digging around. No one in Wertham was really ever interested in what went on beyond their front door, Elsie couldn't blame them.
When the others had arrived, they had quickly put their heads together, planning what to do hoping that the Probation Worker wouldn't walk in and discover what was going on.
Elsie had been quick to suggest Nathans idea: "We give 'em a quick little..." He gave a whistle as he indicated with his hands, a cleanup "We put 'em in those wheelchairs, we wheel them up there, and if anyone sees us we're just a bunch of young offenders takin' a couple of specials for a walk in the sunshine!"
The others had been even quicker to agree. Racing off to find a wheelchair for the two girls and a mop to clear up the blood before it dried onto the floor. The Rudy's had been unusually quiet during the whispered exchange of words, probably because they were both too busy staring at the bodies on the floor, though both for very different reasons.
They had all worked in silence. Kelly and Curtis carrying a shovel each, Simon and Alisha helped each other push the wheelchair whilst Elsie led the way as she attempted to find a spot to dig a grave. Rudy two had gratefully disappeared into the originals body, telling Elsie he hoped to see her soon, though he had leaned down to whisper a word of gratitude for her offer to live with her.
The six now stood in a semi circle around the hole, looking down as if in mourning. Elsie felt as if they should say something. Everyone deserved words at their funeral, (Or in this case burying. To Elsie a funeral meant family and friends knew the deceased and died.) But nothing sprang to mind.
Beside her, Rudy had begun to fidget, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. He looked at each of them in turn catching Elsie's eye when he looked at her. She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to start talking. It was inevitable really.
"I've...I've got to tell you guys, I am...I am kind of freakin' out 'ere," He turned to leave, but Curtis grabbed him tightly by the arm before he could take more than two steps. "all this killin'" He snatched his arm back, nearly hitting Elsie in the face in the process. "and buryin' and dyin. I'm just...I'm outside of me comfort zone."
"You think we're not?" Elise mumbled, though everyone ignored her.
"If it makes you feel any better, we've done a couple of people too." Kelly shrugged as if it was nothing. "Shit just happened. You bury 'em, you just get on with your life."
Her words were true of course. There wasn't really much you could do after killing and burying someone. Not unless you wanted to go to prison. If you constantly thought about the events that led to burying someone you had seen being killed, it would more than likely drive you crazy. Elsie didn't want to turn crazy. The world was already crazy enough. Or at least Wertham was. Elsie constantly had a feeling of guilt. She carried it everywhere with her. It only grew with every body she had laid eyes on. But she wasn't about to snitch on her friends. So she pushed the thoughts of the dead from her mind, and got on with her life.
"I just...keep seein' this image of her cute little face, she's bitin' down on the mattress, there." Elsie rolled her eyes. Had that really been the only reason he liked her? But he hadn't finished. "She absolutely loved it up the arse."
"I don't want to speak ill of the dead or anything, but maybe there was a reason she liked it up the arse. Other than she was just 'posh'." She looked up at Rudy beside her who looked down at her curiously.
"Like...like what?"
She shrugged and pretended to think for a moment. "Thrush?" The Rudy next to her eyed her a moment before looking down at the crotch area of his jeans then looking down at the pretty brunette.
"Don't ruin a beautiful moment here Elsie." He ruffled her hair, ruining her bun all the more and turned to pick up some dirt. With his hand on his leg to keep him steady, he finished his speech, if it could even be called a speech. "Amen."
Elsie looked between the faces of her friends as she opened her mouth to speak. "Is no one else going to ask?"
"Don't." Kelly sighed and began to shovel the dirt back into the ground.
"Say what? Don't what?" Rudy questioned.
"Elsie likes to keep a count of the people we've buried." Curtis answered following Kelly's lead.
"She's morbid like that." Kelly added on.
"It's not that I like to." She huffed. "And you don't find it somewhat morbid how quickly we came up with a plan to bury them. Or the others?" But her question was greeted with silence. Apparently they could find no argument to disagree with her.