|TPEC|Glowing Embers Book 1|

Chapter 23: Findings

Samantha guided for a while, and then switched with Jess. They chattered away, ignoring Damian, sort of like a 3rd wheel thing. Not that he minded. He didn't much care about girl talk. There was silence besides the talking. No other background sounds.

There used to be cars zooming across the roads, people walking on the sidewalks, chatting, texting, there were planes, birds, trees, amazing smells, so much used to happen. Now it was just silence. That's it. All the liveliness is gone.

"Guys, do you see that?"

Jessica pointed. Damian snapped out of his thoughts. Samantha looked too. There seemed to be a figure. It was hard to see in the dark.

"Hello? Is that you Gavin?"

Samantha called out.

No response.

"Shush for a second, that could be an infected person."

Damian interrupted the silence. The girls looked at him, curious as to why he shushed them, they weren't speaking, but didn't question anything. The figure moved, as if it was turning its head. It walked away, and out of sight.

"Weirdo. Maybe a wandering infected dude who probably doesn't even know what's going on."

Jess said aloud. The teens turned around.

"But seriously, that was creepy."

Samantha blurted out. She flipped her hair in a sassy manner. Damian felt tense, sort of like he was being spied-on.

Calm down Dami. There was a random person, of course I'm gonna feel like we're being watched.

Suddenly, there was a low voice.

"What do you want from Carusos?"

The teenagers screamed and ran off, they each realized they had to split up. The man chased them, his face smiling, he looked like a happy mask from a  theater signal. In his hand was a pizza cutter, smeared with blood. He followed Jess.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU MURDEROUS OLD HAG!"

He showed no reaction. The man aimed his pizza cutter and threw it, precisely, it hit one of Jessica's fingers. Her screams felt as if they could be heard from a mile away. Maybe they could. Gavin, Fritz and Judie came running with a few stumbles here and there. The kids signaled each other a plan. Gavin went to Jessica's assistance.

"Now look at who the baby is."

"Oh shut up man! I just lost a finger for crying out loud."

"Well then hush so I can help you."

Gavin snatched up a nearby rag, and some tape from his bag, along with a few bandages. He applied each item carefully and covered up Jessica's scar.

"Anyways, what happened guys? How the h*ll did Jess lose an entire finger?"

Fritz asked suddenly. The man was nowhere to be seen. He disappeared, magically. Even though Gavin didn't see the man attack Jess, he knew.

We're next.

We're next.

W e ' r e n e x t .

"Gavin! Wake up!"

Jessica shoved on Gavin. The teenagers were still in Carusos.

"I remember this place."

Gavin looked around aimlessly, like a duck searching for bread in a toy store. He looked like he was the most clueless person on the planet. It's not like he had a concussion.

"Why didn't you say that earlier you idiot? Maybe we would've left by now. If you've been here, you could show us around. None of us know what this fancy place is."

Fritz blurted, interrupting Jessica before she could speak.

"I've been here before."

Judie didn't look at them, instead she was looking at a picture book.

"What's with the books? Those things are for babies. At least step up to chapters. Wimp."

Samantha sassily said. Judie didn't show a reaction, just like the man.

"You and Gavin said you've been here. If you have, what do you guys remember?"

Fritz asked. Judie turned towards them.

"I remember.. A man. This man was jolly, big and kind. He didn't stop doing his job much, but when he did he waved to the kids waiting for their meals. He had super messy and curly blackish brown hair, a big stomach, a green t-shirt, and an apron. He liked wearing Jets hats. He wore the team's apparel a lot. The man also had glasses, a beard, and black shoes. That man is the only employee I remember, the restaurant is so destroyed and dark though, I can't remember it much. Sorry."

Judie took a deep breath after all that. Gavin explained the layout of the building, carefully, he drew a small sketched map, and handed it to 4-fingered Jessica.

"Now that that's over, let's focus on getting back to camp. That guy that attacked us might still be here."

Jessica said. Gavin chuckled.

"I thought you wanted to explore. Guess we have a new wimp in the group."

"Shush guys. Let's just go, I'm hungry, and this place has nothing edible."

Samantha snatched up Gavin's hand and yanked him up. He gained his balance and the teenagers started out of the restaurant.

"I need a special ingredient for my pizza."

That's you.