OUTBREAK

Yosemite Valley Pt4 #46

Carmen and Lila walked up from behind Hugo.

"What now?" Carmen asked.

"We meet the village," Hugo answered. He took Lila's hand and began following the road.

As they walked, the sound of the burning house got quieter and quieter until it was out of sight and out of mind.

It was almost pitch black. The moon shone through the treetops.

The road passed by some of the abandoned shops, cabin-themed dining areas, and the museum. Hugo recognized the Yosemite Valley Lodge through the trees.

"I've always wanted to spend a night there. What do you think?" Hugo asked Lila.

"Okay," she said softly.

Hugo noticed the condition Lila was in, and realized how hungry each of them might be.

"We'll find a room, and I'll get us something to eat," he assured them.

They walked through the lobby, finding some of the furniture and carpeting was scratched, but the structure itself was not destroyed. Through the halls, examining each room, they found one not as trashed as the others. It had two queen beds, almost stainless.

After Carmen and Lila got settled into their beds, Hugo left the hotel and wandered through the forest.

He followed the road to the collection of tents. As he entered the area, he could hear the villagers in their tents, crying for their dead members. No one was outside. Hugo walked to one tent where he could hear a man crying.

"Excuse me," Hugo whispered softly from the outside. His shadow from the moon casted onto the tent.

The man sniffed up his sobs, "Yes?" he said weakly. He stayed inside the tent without looking.

"Can I please have some food? I have to feed two more people but I have nothing," Hugo said.

"Sure," the man answered. A shuffling came from inside the tent and the front zipper opened slightly. "Here," he said. Three saran-wrapped sandwiches slipped out and Hugo caught them.

"Thank you," Hugo said.

"No problem," the man answered.

Hugo walked away and slight sobbing came from the tent once more.

At the hotel, Hugo, Carmen and Lila ate and went to sleep.

The next morning, Carmen woke up to find Hugo leaning on the windowsill, looking out to a grassfield right outside the window. Lila was still asleep. Carmen got up and looked out the window with Hugo. In the grassfield was a deer eating the grass.

"Cool," said Carmen.

"Yeah," Hugo answered. He took a deeper than usual breath. "I have to go," Hugo said. "Can you watch Lila?" he asked.

Carmen exhaled from her nose and coldly glared at the deer. "Sure," she said.

Hugo grabbed his gun and knife, and left the hotel. The morning was gloomy, and a fog filled the gaps between the trees. He walked to the village to find the people sitting around a single great campfire. It was quiet among them.

As he approached, one young woman noticed him and turned her head to him. The others quickly looked at him as well. As Hugo saw the eyes pop up, he stopped and looked down at himself. His shirt was stained with blood, Mordecai's knife was in his hand and the gun could be seen through his pant's pocket. He looked back up slowly, then turned his head to look for something to stand on.

A few feet away was a picnic table. He climbed onto it and stood on top, facing the village.

"I'm not here to kill you. Your leader was cruel and selfish," Hugo said.