The Dead Among Us

54. Being honest

Fabia's POV

I lace up my tennis shoes and follow Jessica. Her confident stride and head held high, leading the way.

It's quiet when we step inside; the boys are at school, and Jason's working.

She leads me to the back of the house and opens a door, unveiling a set of stairs descending to a dark, shady basement.

At the sight of it, I freeze in my tracks, shooting her horrified eyes.

What the fuck is her plan?!

At my reluctance, she rolls her eyes and mocks, "You are such a dramatic baby."

She then switches on a light and walks ahead of me down the stairs, and I follow her slowly.

Before me lies a disorganized room, a chaotic space that pales in comparison to the torture chamber my brain was developing. It appears to be a combined laundry room and storage area. The floor is strewn with boys' toys and clothes, while various boxes hold an assortment of miscellaneous items. The further I step in, the more cobwebs and dirt I find.

She walks towards the middle of the room, whirling on the heels of her feet til she's facing me. "I've been putting this off for a while, and Jason's getting upset."

Okay?...

"So imma have you knock it out," She adds with a sick grin. As she starts walking back towards the stairs, I groan internally and roll my eyes.

When she stops on the first step and turns to face me, she says, "Oh, by the way, I want this floor and walls hand scrubbed."

"Wouldn't it be easier and quicker with a mop?" I detest, turning to face her, unable to hide the twisted look of disgust at her.

She smirks at my anger, "Hand is better; you can get all the nooks and crannies."

As she walks away, I can't help but watch her with burning hatred in my eyes, listening to the clicks of her dainty shoes as they go up the wooden steps.

This room is a disaster, and God knows how much she's gonna micromanage how I do it.  

Sabin's POV

This morning, I've been called to meet with Finn and Disciple Jasper, the reasons for which were left unspecified. I presumed it's regarding my near capture and any information I had gathered.

As I make my way into the hallway of the security office, I maneuver through the bustling crowd of men, my gaze fixed straight ahead. Approaching the door, I take a deep breath, gathering my resolve before finally knocking.

"Enter," comes the commanding voice of Disciple Jasper from within.

I push open the door and step into the room.

I find Disciple Jasper absorbed in a map at his desk, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, a cigarette between his fingers, and a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Finn stands to the side, his usual disheveled, reddish-orange hair giving him a wild appearance, a thumb hooked in his belt, and his piercing green eyes locked onto me.

I approach the desk, carefully avoiding Finn's unsettling stare as I speak. "Disciple Jasper, you summoned me," I say, trying to maintain a composed tone.

"We have some questions, Sabin," he replies icily, his eyes fixed on the map in front of him. "First off, Billy."

"A devil snuck up on him—" I begin to explain.

"Where were you?" he interrupts sharply.

I swallow hard, "I was only a couple feet away."

"What were you two doing off the post?" he demands, finally lifting his eyes from the map to pierce through the haze of his cigarette smoke, locking onto mine.