I’ll just call you Nun,” Garfield taunted. “This way.” He led them into a series of underground flats that stank of human waste and garbage. “Welcome to where we live. We call it the dungeon, but beggars can’t be choosers. You’ll get used to it, we all have.”
The halls were dimly lit and crowded with people. Following the archer, they made their way through the underground labyrinth. Several people were cooking on open fires in the corridors and a few children ran from room to room.
At least someone was having fun . “How many of you live down here?” she asked.
“Forty-three,” Garfield informed her. “You and Nun will make forty-five.”
The dungeon dwellers glared as the two newcomers made their way through.
“Don’t mind them. We haven’t had a new person down her in five months. You’re going to give us all something new to talk about for a while,” Garfield said.
“So, where were you before you ended up down here?” she continued.
“Up north. I’m from Bolton. Came here for a week with the lads. That was three and a half years ago.” Taking them to a room at the end of a hall, Apartment 104, Garfield knocked once and then the door opened as Sammy appeared.
She hadn’t noticed him slip away before.
“You’re meeting Mackenzie now,” Sammy ordered.
“Who’s Mackenzie?” she wondered.
“Get in here,” a man called from inside.
They went in and saw the rundown living room of apartment 104. A woman sat in a chair, tending to a potted plant. Unlike the scraggly dungeon dwellers, the woman’s flaxen hair was tied back in a neat bun. Her skin looked fresh and smelled of soap, and she looked almost happy. Placing the plant on the uneven coffee table, she wiped her hands on her filthy apron and walked over to the two teenagers. “Welcome to our home. I’m Jessica Mackenzie.” Offering her hand, she beamed at the pair. “You can call me Mackenzie.”
“Thanks for taking us in,” Wisteria answered and noticed a diploma from Oxford University hanging on the wall.
Apparently, Mackenzie had a PhD in something and from other pictures on the wall she had run the marathon for breast cancer and received an award from the Queen.
“Wow!” Wisteria gasped.
“Images from an old life.” Sighing sadly, Mackenzie offered her hand. “So, what are your names?”
“Wisteria.” She shook the woman’s hand.
Mackenzie went to shake Bach’s hand, but he just stared at her. “Why were we brought to you?”
“You were right, Sammy. This one is a bit of an ass,” Mackenzie teased. She sat on her sofa while she fanned herself. “Garfield brought you here because I need to see who’s joined the family.”
“Family?” Bach scoffed.
Wisteria shot him a dirty look. Here they were at these people’s mercy, and he was acting like a fool ? “Sorry, we’ve just had a stressful day.”
“You survived a horde of crazies. I can imagine that would be stressful,” Mackenzie acknowledged. “Especially since you’re only wearing a night dress and Nun here has no shoes.”
Wisteria thought of how they’d just managed to escape with their lives and stopping to get properly dressed hadn’t been an option.
“You don’t need to explain. It’s not the first time survivors have been robbed,” Mackenzie surmised. “You were both very lucky you didn’t get infected.”
“It’s a miracle,” Wisteria answered.
“Would you like some tea?” the woman offered.
“No, we just need to rest,” Bach answered.
Wisteria knew he was struggling to stay composed.
“I understand. Garfield will make sure you both get checked for bites, and then we’ll find some space for you somewhere.” The woman smiled warmly.
“We really appreciate this.” Wisteria started to leave.
“But you’ll need to surrender your knife.” Mackenzie pointed to her sword. “I’m not trying to be difficult, but we’ve had all sorts of people show up here.”
Uncomfortable as she was parting with the
The halls were dimly lit and crowded with people. Following the archer, they made their way through the underground labyrinth. Several people were cooking on open fires in the corridors and a few children ran from room to room.
At least someone was having fun . “How many of you live down here?” she asked.
“Forty-three,” Garfield informed her. “You and Nun will make forty-five.”
The dungeon dwellers glared as the two newcomers made their way through.
“Don’t mind them. We haven’t had a new person down her in five months. You’re going to give us all something new to talk about for a while,” Garfield said.
“So, where were you before you ended up down here?” she continued.
“Up north. I’m from Bolton. Came here for a week with the lads. That was three and a half years ago.” Taking them to a room at the end of a hall, Apartment 104, Garfield knocked once and then the door opened as Sammy appeared.
She hadn’t noticed him slip away before.
“You’re meeting Mackenzie now,” Sammy ordered.
“Who’s Mackenzie?” she wondered.
“Get in here,” a man called from inside.
They went in and saw the rundown living room of apartment 104. A woman sat in a chair, tending to a potted plant. Unlike the scraggly dungeon dwellers, the woman’s flaxen hair was tied back in a neat bun. Her skin looked fresh and smelled of soap, and she looked almost happy. Placing the plant on the uneven coffee table, she wiped her hands on her filthy apron and walked over to the two teenagers. “Welcome to our home. I’m Jessica Mackenzie.” Offering her hand, she beamed at the pair. “You can call me Mackenzie.”
“Thanks for taking us in,” Wisteria answered and noticed a diploma from Oxford University hanging on the wall.
Apparently, Mackenzie had a PhD in something and from other pictures on the wall she had run the marathon for breast cancer and received an award from the Queen.
“Wow!” Wisteria gasped.
“Images from an old life.” Sighing sadly, Mackenzie offered her hand. “So, what are your names?”
“Wisteria.” She shook the woman’s hand.
Mackenzie went to shake Bach’s hand, but he just stared at her. “Why were we brought to you?”
“You were right, Sammy. This one is a bit of an ass,” Mackenzie teased. She sat on her sofa while she fanned herself. “Garfield brought you here because I need to see who’s joined the family.”
“Family?” Bach scoffed.
Wisteria shot him a dirty look. Here they were at these people’s mercy, and he was acting like a fool ? “Sorry, we’ve just had a stressful day.”
“You survived a horde of crazies. I can imagine that would be stressful,” Mackenzie acknowledged. “Especially since you’re only wearing a night dress and Nun here has no shoes.”
Wisteria thought of how they’d just managed to escape with their lives and stopping to get properly dressed hadn’t been an option.
“You don’t need to explain. It’s not the first time survivors have been robbed,” Mackenzie surmised. “You were both very lucky you didn’t get infected.”
“It’s a miracle,” Wisteria answered.
“Would you like some tea?” the woman offered.
“No, we just need to rest,” Bach answered.
Wisteria knew he was struggling to stay composed.
“I understand. Garfield will make sure you both get checked for bites, and then we’ll find some space for you somewhere.” The woman smiled warmly.
“We really appreciate this.” Wisteria started to leave.
“But you’ll need to surrender your knife.” Mackenzie pointed to her sword. “I’m not trying to be difficult, but we’ve had all sorts of people show up here.”
Uncomfortable as she was parting with the
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