Welfare and Warfare

Chapter 42

Day: 3380

Days Left: 2100

Lives Saved: 18

Fortunately, Kai did not have any nightmares again that night or any other night. Just in case, Henry stayed by his side and helped him have only good dreams until it was evident that his help was no longer needed. Kai still saw the hound now and again; however, it was only as small as Alfreda's usually was. Meanwhile, Sumit's was still the same size, sometimes fluctuating smaller or larger.

The guards of The Warren sent out more notices concerning the hound and outside the city walls. Talon was the lead of the investigation outside of the walls, liaising with refugees who were up for talking to guards and spreading the word that a dangerous monster was going around targeting those suffering mentally. However, there was a slight backslash as protests began, arguing that no one would be hunted if everyone had proper food and shelter. Talon tried to explain that it was targeting people inside of the city, too, but it fell on deaf ears.

After days of investigating, Talon found only one person who had seen the hound and to their surprise it was someone living in the built shelters.

It was a woman who had been one of the lucky chosen to live in the first refugee built shelters; the shelters themselves were the same size as Talon's studio apartment, only it was occupied by ten people, all of them sleeping in simple bunk beds and a shared porter potty outside. Whilst this living situation was of course not the best, it was far better than those having to sleep in tents, or having no shelter, so Talon was confused by how no one living in the tents were being targeted, yet someone in the shelters was.

After speaking to the woman to learn by the hound would target her, they discovered that the woman was feeling guilty about being chosen after only being in The Abyss for a shorter time compared to everyone else, as well as not being chosen alongside her partner and friends.

"I'm so glad I can finally talk about it, I thought I was going mad!" the woman sobbed, clutching Talon desperately. "I couldn't even mutter a word and tell anyone. It's real, isn't it! It's really real?"

"Yes, it is," replied Talon softly, chewing their bottom lip as they didn't know how to comfort the stranger. "A few other people have seen it too and we are working out how to defeat it. So far, we know that it targets those with severe negative emotions. In the meantime, just... try to think happy thoughts, stay positive, as much as that sounds stupid and useless."

The woman shook her head. "I... I've tried and I-" She choked and let out a shuddering breath. "Please, I just want my partner and my friends to be here too. I shouldn't have accepted without them."

Talon straightened, wincing. "We'll eventually get everyone shelter-"

"Why not now? We could take turns sleeping on the floor? There's plenty of room-"

"If we can do that, then my friends should stay too," piped up a nearby refugee.

"Mine too," said another.

And before Talon could intervene, more people started yelling suggestions at them, how it was unfair that the woman's friends could stay and not theirs.

"I never promised her that," Talon said, unable to speak loud enough over the forming crowd. They starting grabbing them, pleading, fighting each other to be heard. "Enough!" Talon yelled, reaching for the fake gun holstered at their hip.

They all quelled into shocked silence, staring at the gun, not knowing it was just a novelty cigarette lighter.

"Accommodations will be made for everyone in time," Talon said quietly but firmly. "You just need to be patient, we are doing all we can." They looked to the woman. "We will assign a guard to assist you and keep you updated."