((Sylvia Veneski continued from Anti-Cinderella))
She had waited too long.
Sylvia sat against the wall where she had been sitting for more or less the last twelve hours, moving around only when her legs fell asleep. Trying to be constantly alert was exhausting, but she had at least made it this far. The house was still secure, and none of her classmates knew she was here - for all she knew, they had forgotten her entirely.
The announcements had just come on. There had been so many names, so many killers and so many dead, and if she had needed to kill someone (but she would only need to rob people if she was careful enough, not counting the end), it would have been best to do it before this announcement. So many dead. So easy to hide amongst the names, to be forgotten despite having killed.
No. She could still do this. She could still steal the things of people that were sleeping, she could still do a lot to help herself win this. She was still alive, and as long as she was alive she could adapt.
So she still had her chance... but really...
Sylvia closed her eyes, and let her fingers curl around the handle of the frying pan next to her for a moment before letting go again. She wasn't safe here, even with all her precautions. There were still her plans, and so many things to be done. But maybe she was safe enough just to mourn for a moment.
Okay. She would admit it, only to herself. Of all the names, of all the horrible things that had probably happened, most of all... she was quietly devastated by JB's death.
She had liked him. Like, like-liked him. And only ever from afar. JB was always high on life, always making stupid jokes. Basically a kid. She wasn't even surprised that he'd gotten himself- she wasn't even surprised that he was gone. He could never have taken things seriously, even here. And she was... you know, she was Sylvia. Serious all the time, frowning all the time. Nothing could have ever happened between them.
His death would have happened anyway. Only one person was getting out alive. This was nothing - nothing, nothing at all.
Sylvia pressed her hands against her eyes and refused to cry.
Stroke of Midnight
Phase 2 (13-24 Hours)
Stroke of Midnight
This signature intentionally left blank.
It was some time later now. She wasn't sure how long. She couldn't just keep sitting after the announcement. She had to occupy herself somehow.
Sylvia stood at the kitchen sink, darkness all around her, and felt the water run through her fingers, a small but steady trickle. On the counter to her right was the soap from the first-aid kit she'd been given; reaching over, she rolled it between her now wet hands before putting it back.
She had used the hand sanitizer in her kit before she'd eaten (what felt like a long time ago, before the announcement), and that had probably been the wiser choice. No chance of contamination from the water. She had no way of boiling this water, no guarantee that it was safe. But her hands had been grimy and sweaty from moving the furniture and from just sitting around for so many hours. Hand sanitizer only felt like coating her hands with another layer of slime. Washing her hands would get rid of how this bothered her, would help her refocus on what was important.
She began scrubbing, rubbing her palms together, cleaning between the fingers, under the fingernails.
When it was almost dawn, she would begin the search for supplies. It was too risky now, heading out into deepest night. With a flashlight, she would be too obvious. Without, she doubted her ability to see, to keep herself from falling down or hurting herself accidentally some other way. After spending this long here, she could navigate this house in almost complete darkness. Outside was a different story.
The sky was black and twinkling with distant stars and a waning crescent moon. She wished it was raining, not for any real, logical reason, but just because the sound of rain was comforting to her.
She told herself she was strategizing, but maybe she was just making excuses for hesitating.
It wasn't okay to steal and kill in regular society - the government said so, and punished those who did. That was a good thing, because otherwise she would never feel safe, would always feel like she did now, on edge for an attack that had yet to come.
It was okay to kill in war. The government said so, and it felt right because the enemy was the enemy, was someone who hated America and wasn't anyone she knew.
It was okay to kill here, too. It was allowed. Encouraged. Almost necessary, to win.
Then why did she still recoil from the thought of doing it, of bringing that frying pan down once, twice, again and again, cracking the skull, spilling the brains, seeing someone she knew at her feet in a expanding pool of blood-
She was confusing the process of killing with the morality of it. Something could feel wrong but still not be wrong.
But when she turned off the tap, she could hear her own breathing, quiet and a little too fast.
Sylvia stood at the kitchen sink, darkness all around her, and felt the water run through her fingers, a small but steady trickle. On the counter to her right was the soap from the first-aid kit she'd been given; reaching over, she rolled it between her now wet hands before putting it back.
She had used the hand sanitizer in her kit before she'd eaten (what felt like a long time ago, before the announcement), and that had probably been the wiser choice. No chance of contamination from the water. She had no way of boiling this water, no guarantee that it was safe. But her hands had been grimy and sweaty from moving the furniture and from just sitting around for so many hours. Hand sanitizer only felt like coating her hands with another layer of slime. Washing her hands would get rid of how this bothered her, would help her refocus on what was important.
She began scrubbing, rubbing her palms together, cleaning between the fingers, under the fingernails.
When it was almost dawn, she would begin the search for supplies. It was too risky now, heading out into deepest night. With a flashlight, she would be too obvious. Without, she doubted her ability to see, to keep herself from falling down or hurting herself accidentally some other way. After spending this long here, she could navigate this house in almost complete darkness. Outside was a different story.
The sky was black and twinkling with distant stars and a waning crescent moon. She wished it was raining, not for any real, logical reason, but just because the sound of rain was comforting to her.
She told herself she was strategizing, but maybe she was just making excuses for hesitating.
It wasn't okay to steal and kill in regular society - the government said so, and punished those who did. That was a good thing, because otherwise she would never feel safe, would always feel like she did now, on edge for an attack that had yet to come.
It was okay to kill in war. The government said so, and it felt right because the enemy was the enemy, was someone who hated America and wasn't anyone she knew.
It was okay to kill here, too. It was allowed. Encouraged. Almost necessary, to win.
Then why did she still recoil from the thought of doing it, of bringing that frying pan down once, twice, again and again, cracking the skull, spilling the brains, seeing someone she knew at her feet in a expanding pool of blood-
She was confusing the process of killing with the morality of it. Something could feel wrong but still not be wrong.
But when she turned off the tap, she could hear her own breathing, quiet and a little too fast.
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((Zeke Brant continued from Keeping Up With the Joneses))
The night was pitch black aside from the illumination of Zeke's flashlight. He had set off without a clear direction in mind, with Laurie trailing behind him. Maybe it wasn't smart to wander around with such poor visibility, but Zeke hardly cared. He had a burning need to fulfill the goal he had made for himself, and he knew that he would have gone crazy if he had forced himself to stay in the house until morning. Besides, playing it safe had just gotten him into his current mess.
From what he could tell about his surroundings, they had wandered into the shittier part of town. The houses looked downright pathetic compared to the ones he had entered earlier. As they had earlier, Zeke and Laurie wandered in and out of various buildings. Zeke hoped that he could find some idiot who had fallen asleep and take them out quickly, but his luck was looking as bad as ever.
Zeke's rushed searching came to an abrupt halt when he tried to enter a nondescript house, only to find that the door wouldn't budge. He tried a couple of more times to push it open, but something on the other side was clearly blocking his entrance.
"It's blocked." Zeke whispered. "Let's check the back. Be prepared for trouble, alright?"
The night was pitch black aside from the illumination of Zeke's flashlight. He had set off without a clear direction in mind, with Laurie trailing behind him. Maybe it wasn't smart to wander around with such poor visibility, but Zeke hardly cared. He had a burning need to fulfill the goal he had made for himself, and he knew that he would have gone crazy if he had forced himself to stay in the house until morning. Besides, playing it safe had just gotten him into his current mess.
From what he could tell about his surroundings, they had wandered into the shittier part of town. The houses looked downright pathetic compared to the ones he had entered earlier. As they had earlier, Zeke and Laurie wandered in and out of various buildings. Zeke hoped that he could find some idiot who had fallen asleep and take them out quickly, but his luck was looking as bad as ever.
Zeke's rushed searching came to an abrupt halt when he tried to enter a nondescript house, only to find that the door wouldn't budge. He tried a couple of more times to push it open, but something on the other side was clearly blocking his entrance.
"It's blocked." Zeke whispered. "Let's check the back. Be prepared for trouble, alright?"
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Primrosette
- Posts: 902
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
((Laurie Moran continued from Keeping Up With the Joneses))
Laurie had been pretty much following Zeke without making a noise, just in case someone was around and had heard them. The darkness felt like a disadvantage to her, but that might mean the same for someone else if they tried to attack her and Zeke. She seemed to be more paranoid than normal, but that was her nature as a human being forced into killing people that she had known growing up around all her life.
Laurie let out a small sigh as Zeke said that the door was blocked off and that they should be careful and prepared. She felt a tingle in her body as if she was getting a bad feeling and her hand gripped more tightly around her weapon.
She gave him a small nod of the head with a serious expression on her face. "Alright." She whispered back to him quietly.
Laurie had been pretty much following Zeke without making a noise, just in case someone was around and had heard them. The darkness felt like a disadvantage to her, but that might mean the same for someone else if they tried to attack her and Zeke. She seemed to be more paranoid than normal, but that was her nature as a human being forced into killing people that she had known growing up around all her life.
Laurie let out a small sigh as Zeke said that the door was blocked off and that they should be careful and prepared. She felt a tingle in her body as if she was getting a bad feeling and her hand gripped more tightly around her weapon.
She gave him a small nod of the head with a serious expression on her face. "Alright." She whispered back to him quietly.
The beam of a flashlight. A rattling at the doorknob.
Sylvia dropped into a crouch, grabbing the frying pan from the other side of the counter as she did so, then crept towards the door. Her breathing was even faster now, and she could feel her heart pounding without even putting her hand to her chest.
She had prepared for this, had a plan, but it was still a shock. She wasn't ready. She didn't know how it would turn out. She wanted a guarantee, but there was no such thing as a guarantee here, no matter how hard she tried. All this time, all this waiting - there was no more time to doubt.
The flashlight circled the house, casting shadows behind the furniture.
The other door. Quickly.
The back door was jammed by a single chair that fit snugly beneath the doorknob. She crawled across the room, dirt and dust sticking to her just-washed hands, easing the chair back to allow the door room to move. Then, hidden by the wall, she waited, almost not daring to breathe.
Sylvia dropped into a crouch, grabbing the frying pan from the other side of the counter as she did so, then crept towards the door. Her breathing was even faster now, and she could feel her heart pounding without even putting her hand to her chest.
She had prepared for this, had a plan, but it was still a shock. She wasn't ready. She didn't know how it would turn out. She wanted a guarantee, but there was no such thing as a guarantee here, no matter how hard she tried. All this time, all this waiting - there was no more time to doubt.
The flashlight circled the house, casting shadows behind the furniture.
The other door. Quickly.
The back door was jammed by a single chair that fit snugly beneath the doorknob. She crawled across the room, dirt and dust sticking to her just-washed hands, easing the chair back to allow the door room to move. Then, hidden by the wall, she waited, almost not daring to breathe.
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Zeke crept around the side of the house, coming up to another door on the opposite side. He turned the doorknob and gently pushed, letting the door drift open. There wasn't anything blocking it. If there actually was someone still in there, they clearly weren't very smart... either that, or they were leading them into a trap. A possibly more likely explanation, though, was that someone had been there earlier but had eventually left through the back door. Zeke certainly wouldn't have wanted to stay in this hovel for very long.
With the peacemaker in his right hand and the flashlight in his left, Zeke nudged the door to open further. He pointed the light towards the entrance, revealing nothing aside from a chair and some other dark shapes of furniture in the background. Keeping both his light and his gun pointed forward, Zeke stepped into the entrance.
With the peacemaker in his right hand and the flashlight in his left, Zeke nudged the door to open further. He pointed the light towards the entrance, revealing nothing aside from a chair and some other dark shapes of furniture in the background. Keeping both his light and his gun pointed forward, Zeke stepped into the entrance.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 902
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
Laurie just followed Zeke's lead and she was trying to make sure not to be afraid, hoping that she would be safe and more cautious for Zeke. She stared at his back and she wondered how much more of this she could bear. She was doing a lot better than she thought she would and she wondered if she could make it through this together with Zeke.
Her hopes were too high for a happy ending out of this. She was delusional if she thought that everything would turn out to be fine and that she wouldn't look at the possibilities that she could die or Zeke could die at any moment. She needed to come to the middle. The good and the bad mixed together.
She watched Zeke start to enter the house and her feet paused on the spot. She glanced behind her to make sure that no one was lurking about and ready to ambush them. No. No one was there. She let out a sigh of relief and then she took a step forward towards the door, making sure that she had her weapon ready just in case.
Her hopes were too high for a happy ending out of this. She was delusional if she thought that everything would turn out to be fine and that she wouldn't look at the possibilities that she could die or Zeke could die at any moment. She needed to come to the middle. The good and the bad mixed together.
She watched Zeke start to enter the house and her feet paused on the spot. She glanced behind her to make sure that no one was lurking about and ready to ambush them. No. No one was there. She let out a sigh of relief and then she took a step forward towards the door, making sure that she had her weapon ready just in case.
The door opened slowly towards her, and around it Sylvia saw something almost foreign ease itself into view.
Seeing the gun was like having a bucket of cold water dumped over her head.
After so much time alone, the first thing she saw of others was not a face, but hands and a gun and a light.
She could feel both her hands on the pan, her grip tight, the metal of the handle having warmed to her skin. She had only wanted to hide here for a little longer. They were invading her house, her rudimentary fortress, her only place of semi-safety.
Then this was just self-defense.
Sylvia took two steps to clear the door, and swung the pan as hard as she could.
Seeing the gun was like having a bucket of cold water dumped over her head.
After so much time alone, the first thing she saw of others was not a face, but hands and a gun and a light.
She could feel both her hands on the pan, her grip tight, the metal of the handle having warmed to her skin. She had only wanted to hide here for a little longer. They were invading her house, her rudimentary fortress, her only place of semi-safety.
Then this was just self-defense.
Sylvia took two steps to clear the door, and swung the pan as hard as she could.
This signature intentionally left blank.
Zeke thought that he heard a tapping sound to his side, and a shadow move in his periphery vision.
In the next moment, he felt metal crash against his head
He could feel the cool tile against his cheek. He could see a bright light in front of him, but it was moving farther and farther away.What was happening? He tried to focus, tried to think, but the pain overpowered everything else. His head felt like it had split open. He just wanted to lie there; maybe if he did it would go away eventually. But he was in danger, wasn't he?
The light stopped moving. It was a beam, he could see, shining onto a... wall? Wait...
Zeke forced himself to think. To focus. To see. His eyes drifted to the source of the beam. His flashlight. It had fallen out of his hand and rolled away. Where was his gun? Zeke felt around the floor, but he couldn't find it. His head hurt so much. How bad was it? He would check later. He needed to find the gun now. But he couldn't see, couldn't think.
The flashlight. He had to get to the flashlight. The first step. Then he'd be able to see.
Zeke turned onto his stomach and began to push himself up.
In the next moment, he felt metal crash against his head
He could feel the cool tile against his cheek. He could see a bright light in front of him, but it was moving farther and farther away.What was happening? He tried to focus, tried to think, but the pain overpowered everything else. His head felt like it had split open. He just wanted to lie there; maybe if he did it would go away eventually. But he was in danger, wasn't he?
The light stopped moving. It was a beam, he could see, shining onto a... wall? Wait...
Zeke forced himself to think. To focus. To see. His eyes drifted to the source of the beam. His flashlight. It had fallen out of his hand and rolled away. Where was his gun? Zeke felt around the floor, but he couldn't find it. His head hurt so much. How bad was it? He would check later. He needed to find the gun now. But he couldn't see, couldn't think.
The flashlight. He had to get to the flashlight. The first step. Then he'd be able to see.
Zeke turned onto his stomach and began to push himself up.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 902
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
Laurie watched it all happen, Zeke getting attacked by someone and it was pretty hard to make out who had attacked him. She was rooted on the spot, her body wasn't moving due to fear and she was feeling very helpless and useless. She felt angry at herself for being such a coward and not willing to conflict someone in a horrifying situation.
Zeke need her to help him. He didn't need someone who was going to be a burden to him. A load. A liability. He needed someone to have his back. Protect him no matter what.
Laurie's feet started to move on their own and she raised the wrench in her hand, just to knock down whoever the enemy was. She didn't want to kill them, she just wanted to put them in a out-of-the-moment state. Just be unconscious.
She blindly swung the wrench.
Zeke need her to help him. He didn't need someone who was going to be a burden to him. A load. A liability. He needed someone to have his back. Protect him no matter what.
Laurie's feet started to move on their own and she raised the wrench in her hand, just to knock down whoever the enemy was. She didn't want to kill them, she just wanted to put them in a out-of-the-moment state. Just be unconscious.
She blindly swung the wrench.
Whoever it was went down, the flashlight bouncing against the floor before rolling to a rest. Sylvia barely gave herself the time to register it before she was aiming at where the gun seemed to have fallen, lashing out with her foot to catch it and send it skittering off into the darkness. Then, conflicting emotions rushed to fill her. She was afraid she'd killed, even though this was self-defense, even though that was what she hadn't been trying to avoid anyway, and she was relieved that the gun was out of the picture, that the ambush had gone exactly as planned.
But there had been someone else there in the doorway.
She turned with the pan in her hand, already lifting it, and suddenly, all that mattered in the world was the sight of the wrench coming down in a brutal arc.
Sylvia jerked back a moment too late, the wrench smashing into her just below her shoulder. The pain was almost disproportionate, shooting down her arm and sending her stumbling back - and she knew this fight's outcome.
She'd lost.
There were two of them and she'd half expected one, and she hadn't expected at all that taking out one of them would cause the other to keep fighting without even a pause.
She had to retreat. She might have killed the first person, but that wasn't for sure. She had been thinking strategy almost as if this was one of her games, but the stakes were too high; her life was the only core objective and to push her luck here in this skirmish might mean losing it all.
Sylvia fled, half retreat and half rout, swinging the pan in a Parthian shot and hitting nothing but air. She was moving through the house as pain almost wiped out the layout she'd etched into her mind, grabbing her bag, yanking her sweater and hanger down from the closet bar.
She made it to the bedroom, and all the windows were locked.
But there had been someone else there in the doorway.
She turned with the pan in her hand, already lifting it, and suddenly, all that mattered in the world was the sight of the wrench coming down in a brutal arc.
Sylvia jerked back a moment too late, the wrench smashing into her just below her shoulder. The pain was almost disproportionate, shooting down her arm and sending her stumbling back - and she knew this fight's outcome.
She'd lost.
There were two of them and she'd half expected one, and she hadn't expected at all that taking out one of them would cause the other to keep fighting without even a pause.
She had to retreat. She might have killed the first person, but that wasn't for sure. She had been thinking strategy almost as if this was one of her games, but the stakes were too high; her life was the only core objective and to push her luck here in this skirmish might mean losing it all.
Sylvia fled, half retreat and half rout, swinging the pan in a Parthian shot and hitting nothing but air. She was moving through the house as pain almost wiped out the layout she'd etched into her mind, grabbing her bag, yanking her sweater and hanger down from the closet bar.
She made it to the bedroom, and all the windows were locked.
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Zeke pushed himself onto his hands and knees. He heard something in the background. some shuffling, a few loud thumps, then... running? His attacker was running away.
"Laurie," he growled "Don't let him go."
Did the bastard take his gun and flee? Maybe, maybe not. Zeke wanted him dead either way. The pain was still searing, but Zeke tried to concentrate on the light. He had to get to the light. His hands reached around in the darkness until they found a surface. He managed to grab hold of what felt like a tabletop or counter and he pulled himself back to his feet. He leaned onto the counter top, gripping his head. Goddamn it hurt, but he had to keep going. He couldn't just keep suffering one embarrassment after another.
Zeke pushed himself back upright and stumbled towards his fallen flashlight.
"Laurie," he growled "Don't let him go."
Did the bastard take his gun and flee? Maybe, maybe not. Zeke wanted him dead either way. The pain was still searing, but Zeke tried to concentrate on the light. He had to get to the light. His hands reached around in the darkness until they found a surface. He managed to grab hold of what felt like a tabletop or counter and he pulled himself back to his feet. He leaned onto the counter top, gripping his head. Goddamn it hurt, but he had to keep going. He couldn't just keep suffering one embarrassment after another.
Zeke pushed himself back upright and stumbled towards his fallen flashlight.
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Primrosette
- Posts: 902
- Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:59 pm
- Location: In Her Dark Abyss
Laurie was relieved when she heard Zeke's voice and that meant that he was alright. She had been blinded by the urge to just take the other person out for the count and now Zeke was counting on her to be able to not let their attacker get away with what they did. She had to take this more serious and do the right thing.
So that was what she was doing right now.
She hurried after the attacker and she wasn't sure where to go as this house was unfamiliar to her. But she had heard where the person had been running and she tried to catch up. Laurie wasn't known for her sense of direction, but she had to rely on it now.
And it helped lead her by chance to a bedroom. She stopped in the doorway and she held the wrench in front of her, staring at the girl that was in the room. Was it her who had done it? She wasn't going to take any chances and she didn't want to mess this up.
"S-Stay where you are...!" She stammered out nervously.
So that was what she was doing right now.
She hurried after the attacker and she wasn't sure where to go as this house was unfamiliar to her. But she had heard where the person had been running and she tried to catch up. Laurie wasn't known for her sense of direction, but she had to rely on it now.
And it helped lead her by chance to a bedroom. She stopped in the doorway and she held the wrench in front of her, staring at the girl that was in the room. Was it her who had done it? She wasn't going to take any chances and she didn't want to mess this up.
"S-Stay where you are...!" She stammered out nervously.
This wasn't what she'd planned. It wasn't supposed to go like this.
As one of her opponents pursued her into the room, as the other girl tried to stop her with words, Sylvia had managed to unlock a window. She flung it open, cool night air on her face for a moment before she turned to raise the pan as if to defend against the wrench - but nothing came.
She made to dive out the window. That was when the other girl closed the distance.
Even as she forced herself through the opening, Sylvia felt hands grabbing at her legs, clutching at her feet. She let out a choked cry as her shin slammed into the windowsill, only momentum and gravity carrying her forward. She didn't have time to tug free or even think before something loosened and she was outside with one left shoe less, scraping her hands on the gravel as she fell, pan clattering away even as jagged pain lanced through her shoulder once again. She limped three steps and ran without picking it up, clutching her injured arm, bag and hanger and sweater thumping against her side and trailing along the ground.
She was running on one shoe and one sock and all her plans had fallen apart. But she was gone. She was free. She was alive.
((Sylvia Veneski continued in Someday We Won't Remember This))
As one of her opponents pursued her into the room, as the other girl tried to stop her with words, Sylvia had managed to unlock a window. She flung it open, cool night air on her face for a moment before she turned to raise the pan as if to defend against the wrench - but nothing came.
She made to dive out the window. That was when the other girl closed the distance.
Even as she forced herself through the opening, Sylvia felt hands grabbing at her legs, clutching at her feet. She let out a choked cry as her shin slammed into the windowsill, only momentum and gravity carrying her forward. She didn't have time to tug free or even think before something loosened and she was outside with one left shoe less, scraping her hands on the gravel as she fell, pan clattering away even as jagged pain lanced through her shoulder once again. She limped three steps and ran without picking it up, clutching her injured arm, bag and hanger and sweater thumping against her side and trailing along the ground.
She was running on one shoe and one sock and all her plans had fallen apart. But she was gone. She was free. She was alive.
((Sylvia Veneski continued in Someday We Won't Remember This))
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Zeke reached down and plucked the flashlight off of the ground. He had to remind himself that it wasn't some great achievement. Stupid. He used the light to scan around the room, finally getting an idea of his surroundings. He could see a sitting room and a kitchen, but he avoided dwelling too much on the decor. He needed to search for his gun. He didn't know if the attacker had the time to take it before running away. He checked the surrounding floor and found nothing.
Zeke felt a lump in his throat. What would he do if he actually lost the gun, on top of everything else? He'd have nothing then, except for Laurie and her wrench... shit, did he trust Laurie enough to believe she would stay with him?
To his relief, Zeke eventually found the gun against the wall. He felt a weight lift from him as he held the revolver in his hand again. Alright, where were they?
He took off in the direction where he thought they had went, still stumbling a bit. The pain was still there, of course, but he could move. He didn't think the injury was too serious. Or he hoped, anyway. Zeke made a turn through a doorway and ended up in a bedroom. Laurie was next to an open window, holding a... shoe.
"What... what happened?"
Zeke felt a lump in his throat. What would he do if he actually lost the gun, on top of everything else? He'd have nothing then, except for Laurie and her wrench... shit, did he trust Laurie enough to believe she would stay with him?
To his relief, Zeke eventually found the gun against the wall. He felt a weight lift from him as he held the revolver in his hand again. Alright, where were they?
He took off in the direction where he thought they had went, still stumbling a bit. The pain was still there, of course, but he could move. He didn't think the injury was too serious. Or he hoped, anyway. Zeke made a turn through a doorway and ended up in a bedroom. Laurie was next to an open window, holding a... shoe.
"What... what happened?"