The light was on in the basement, and Ianto could see just how despondent everybody was. Owen was rocking back and forth, lost in his own little world. Sue was also staring into space, which was not surprising after losing her seven year-old son, and others looked shattered, on the verge of tears.
"This is doing nobody any good, being cooped up in here," Jack spoke out.
"If you wanna go and watch more TV or go to the bathroom, I'll come with you to keep a lookout." Gwen was sympathetic to the cabin fever some individuals were feeling.
"Jack did say earlier that we should use the amenities of the house before the power goes, but we need someone to keep guard." Rhiannon spoke up as she covered her sleeping son, the little baby girl still at her tit.
"Do you think the power will go out?" asked Sue.
"Yes."
"If they don't get this thing under control, this country will be going to the shitter," Owen said coldly.
"I'm scared," Tosh blurted out.
Her short confession silenced the group and Ianto decided to appease her. "We're all scared, Tosh. Every single one of us. Hang in there, sweetie. I need you."
Her eyes were brimming and she nodded her head, almost as if she was thanking Ianto for his kind words.
Stripy Steve got to his feet and brushed the back of his trousers.
"Going somewhere?" Jack questioned with suspicion.
"I need the toilet," confessed Steve.
Ianto pointed to the two buckets in the corner. "I'll empty them down the sink before the evening kicks in."
Steve cleared his throat and said, "No; I mean, I really need to go."
Ianto got to his feet and grabbed the shotgun. "Okay, let's go."
"I can go on my own, you know." Steve looked to be a little agitated, and ran his fingers through his short grey hair. "I'm not a fucking baby."
"Relax." Ianto held his hand up, showing Steve his palm. "If ever anyone wants a number two and use the bathroom upstairs, I'm gonna go with them and stand by the door. It's just because I've got the gun."
"let him go on his own. I'm sure he'll be fine." Sue agreed. "We haven't heard anything for ages. I don't think anything's gonna happen in the next ten minutes. Even if it did, that would be rotten luck."
"I'm not stupid," Steve spoke up. "If I hear anything when I'm in the bathroom, I'll stay put."
Ianto looked at Joan and Sue. Noticing this, Steve bellowed, "For Christ's sake, I'm forty-six! Who made you leader of the group anyway? I'm fucking going!"
"Shut your mouth," Jack scolded. "Keep the noise down and bloody language please!"
Stripy Steve stormed off and Ianto walked behind him.
Steve turned around and snarled, "You're not coming with me. I can have a shit without adult supervision."
"I was just going to bolt the door after you'd left."
Steve lowered his head apologetically. "Oh."
"You still got your knife?"
Steve laughed and pulled it out. "It's just a steak knife."
"It'd do the damage, if need be."
"Probably." Steve then looked back at the group. "I won't be long."
He turned and went through the door and into the kitchen. Ianto bolted the door behind him. Ianto then went back down the steps and asked if they wanted a drink of water, or even a hot beverage.
"I could murder a coffee," Jack said.
Sue smiled. "Me too."
"Fine," Ianto chuckled. "I'll make coffees. I'll make Steve one too."
Ianto left the basement, went into the kitchen and switched on the kettle. His nose twitched as the smell of the decomposing bodies from the living room tortured his snout.
We're gonna have to get rid of them eventually.
With the shotgun in his hand, he checked the ground floor and then took a look outside whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. Everything seemed clear, and the fog had now disappeared. He went back into the kitchen and waited for the kettle. He made the drinks and headed to the basement, leaving the shotgun in the kitchen.
He had forgot to ask what the girls took in their drinks and just made coffee with milk in all cups. He returned to the basement and put the cups on the floor.
"He's taking his time," said Jack, referring to Steve.
Ianto looked at his watch. Steve had been away for eleven minutes so far.
"I'll see if he's okay."
Ianto exited the basement once again, took the shotgun from the kitchen, and called Steve from the bottom of the stairs. "Steve; I've made coffee."
Ianto called a second time before pulling his T-shirt over his face to reduce the stench coming from the living room. There was no response, so Ianto crept up the stairs, and as soon as he made it to the landing he gently knocked the door.
"Steve?"
He gently knocked the door again, and he was beginning to get an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. He told himself that he would knock one more time before going in.
He knocked. There was no verbal reaction. He went in.
"Oh Steve."
Ianto gazed helplessly at Steve as he lay in an empty bath, eyes closed, with both wrists cut downwards. He had bled out copiously. His T-shirt was covered in blood, and with his arms resting on his lap, the crotch of his trousers was saturated in crimson and there was plenty of blood slowly trickling its way to the plughole.
Ianto crouched down and felt his throat getting tighter. He placed his hand on Steve's head and said with sorrow coated in his speech, "I'm sorry, Steve. I hope you're in a better place."
Ianto thought that Steve would have stayed strong for the possibility of being reunited with his two girls. It appeared that the hope of seeing his daughters had disappeared, and that the father of two was certain that he was never going to see them again.
Ianto was unsure whether Steve thought that he was going to be infested eventually, or had a strong feeling that his girls had already been infested.
For the time being, Ianto decided to leave Steve in peace. He said a prayer, then left the bathroom and slowly trudged down the stairs. He was heading back to the basement.
They were all about to receive some sad news.