Liz and Selina both got up, Liz escorting Selina away, along with the medical supplies, as Alex continued to recount the tragic events in the recent past.
He told of how Bryan had escaped thanks to the stick of dynamite, but was overrun anyway. The recounts of having to shoot the dying man were almost too difficult to relive, but he did so anyway. Then he explained to Kelly how the side came loose on the boat that they’d spent days making, and saw how that too affected the big man. It was lost a bit as he explained how Selina had almost tragically died on the way back, too. It was uplifting to have a portion of the tale that wasn’t completely catastrophic, thought Alex, as he conveyed those details.
“And so, Selina and I were discussing heading south, maybe,” he said, waiting for a reaction, but getting no response immediately. “I appreciate your hospitality here, Nick, but we really don’t want to deal with another harsh winter, and your food supply is dwindling. No disrespect to you, I hope. Our absence will make it easier to feed everyone. And we’ll stay for as long as you need to help restock whatever supplies, too, if you want.” Nick simply nodded, clearly having an issue processing all of the negative facts. There was a very long silence that followed, no one saying a word.
“We’ll have a memorial service for them tomorrow in the morning. In the meantime, get some sleep. It’s been a harrowing day,” Nick said, pushing aside his bowl, untouched as it was, and walking out of the room ,disappearing into the darkness of the castle halls. It seemed to Alex as if the gloom swallowed the man whole.
“C’mon, Alex, I’ll take you to Selina,” Kelly said, standing up and gesturing for him to follow.
“She took her to see Hannah, right?” Alex asked, though he already knew the answer to that question. They navigated a hall and stood before a door where Hannah was resting. He opened the door and nodded for Alex to look inside. Liz and Selina were on either side of Hannah, setting up the IV bag and trying to make the girl as comfortable as possible.
“What’s got her so sick?” Alex asked meekly, truly concerned for the woman.
“Dunno. Might just be the flu. I think she has what Tom had. She insisted on staying in the same room, ya know?”
“Yeah, I can understand the need for that… reminder ,” Alex said, again placing his hand absently over his wallet, wherein could be found a photo of Sara. “I know very well indeed.” Kelly nodded and began to walk away.
“Hey, Kel,” said Alex, tapping the man on the shoulder as he passed. He turned around, staring sorrowfully at Alex through his glasses. “I'm truly sorry about your friends.” He said nothing, nodded once again to acknowledge the offering, and disappeared down the hall. There was certainly a black cloud hanging over the castle these days, Alex admitted, taking in a deep breath.
Alex stood there alone for a long time watching the ladies through the sliver of an opening, as they helped Hannah get comfortable, and now and then joking or crying collectively.
After feeling a cramp in his leg, Alex eventually strode back into the Great Hall once again, taking a seat at the dining table there, alone and full of grief.
“Maybe it is time to go,” Alex whispered aloud. He looked around as if searching for a sign, but ended up just reliving the nightmare of people dying over and over in his mind.
“So, you are wantin’ to go?” it was the voice of Selina. Alex almost fell out of his seat, lost in the terrible memories of the past.
“I'm leanin’ that way,” he said with a smile. “They have minimal food, supplies, and such. It’s up to you though. And what about Hannah?”
“She seems to be in better spirits. We’ll see how the fluids and the new meds help when she gets up in the mornin’. How ‘bout you and me get some sleep, eh?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Alex said, getting to his feet. He didn’t even realize
He told of how Bryan had escaped thanks to the stick of dynamite, but was overrun anyway. The recounts of having to shoot the dying man were almost too difficult to relive, but he did so anyway. Then he explained to Kelly how the side came loose on the boat that they’d spent days making, and saw how that too affected the big man. It was lost a bit as he explained how Selina had almost tragically died on the way back, too. It was uplifting to have a portion of the tale that wasn’t completely catastrophic, thought Alex, as he conveyed those details.
“And so, Selina and I were discussing heading south, maybe,” he said, waiting for a reaction, but getting no response immediately. “I appreciate your hospitality here, Nick, but we really don’t want to deal with another harsh winter, and your food supply is dwindling. No disrespect to you, I hope. Our absence will make it easier to feed everyone. And we’ll stay for as long as you need to help restock whatever supplies, too, if you want.” Nick simply nodded, clearly having an issue processing all of the negative facts. There was a very long silence that followed, no one saying a word.
“We’ll have a memorial service for them tomorrow in the morning. In the meantime, get some sleep. It’s been a harrowing day,” Nick said, pushing aside his bowl, untouched as it was, and walking out of the room ,disappearing into the darkness of the castle halls. It seemed to Alex as if the gloom swallowed the man whole.
“C’mon, Alex, I’ll take you to Selina,” Kelly said, standing up and gesturing for him to follow.
“She took her to see Hannah, right?” Alex asked, though he already knew the answer to that question. They navigated a hall and stood before a door where Hannah was resting. He opened the door and nodded for Alex to look inside. Liz and Selina were on either side of Hannah, setting up the IV bag and trying to make the girl as comfortable as possible.
“What’s got her so sick?” Alex asked meekly, truly concerned for the woman.
“Dunno. Might just be the flu. I think she has what Tom had. She insisted on staying in the same room, ya know?”
“Yeah, I can understand the need for that… reminder ,” Alex said, again placing his hand absently over his wallet, wherein could be found a photo of Sara. “I know very well indeed.” Kelly nodded and began to walk away.
“Hey, Kel,” said Alex, tapping the man on the shoulder as he passed. He turned around, staring sorrowfully at Alex through his glasses. “I'm truly sorry about your friends.” He said nothing, nodded once again to acknowledge the offering, and disappeared down the hall. There was certainly a black cloud hanging over the castle these days, Alex admitted, taking in a deep breath.
Alex stood there alone for a long time watching the ladies through the sliver of an opening, as they helped Hannah get comfortable, and now and then joking or crying collectively.
After feeling a cramp in his leg, Alex eventually strode back into the Great Hall once again, taking a seat at the dining table there, alone and full of grief.
“Maybe it is time to go,” Alex whispered aloud. He looked around as if searching for a sign, but ended up just reliving the nightmare of people dying over and over in his mind.
“So, you are wantin’ to go?” it was the voice of Selina. Alex almost fell out of his seat, lost in the terrible memories of the past.
“I'm leanin’ that way,” he said with a smile. “They have minimal food, supplies, and such. It’s up to you though. And what about Hannah?”
“She seems to be in better spirits. We’ll see how the fluids and the new meds help when she gets up in the mornin’. How ‘bout you and me get some sleep, eh?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Alex said, getting to his feet. He didn’t even realize
Similar Books
