The Dead Among Us

80. The Truth Always Comes Out

Another bonus ❤️

Manny's POV

The door creaks open, its hinges groaning in protest, and I instinctively hold my breath, feeling my heart race in my chest. In the fleeting moment I have to think through my plan, I dart to the side, pressing myself against the cool wall, hoping to evade detection. The light from the hallway spills into the room, casting shadows that dance around me, and I can't shake the nagging doubt that my hasty move may not be enough to keep me hidden.

I brace myself for Craig's arrival. Except it's not him. It's Isaiah, a completely unanticipated twist.

His gaze is directed towards the floor, lost in his thoughts. As soon as he catches sight of me, his eyes widen, and he jumps back in surprise. His face quickly transforms into an unexpected laugh.

"What ya doin' in here, Manny?" the amusement in his question instantly puts me at ease, a wave of relief washing over me—enough for me to think through an excuse.

"I was looking for the bathroom," I blurt out, wishing I could snatch the words back the moment they leave my lips. That was probably the stupidest excuse I could have said. I can feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

His bewildered look is comical as he spreads his arms and declares, "Yup, you found it."

I roll my eyes and shake my head with a smirk, then try to slither past him into the hall.

"Wait, hang on, Manny," he urges. He then jogs towards Craig's desk to set a piece of paper down and then jogs back to me, asking, "Hey, is Benji okay?"

The question instantly put me on guard. "W-what do you mean?" I stammer, feeling the tightness of anxiety in my chest.

"She's been a little off lately... I'm worried about her..." he reveals while joining me out to the hall. He casually places his hands in the pockets of his slacks while we walk, his head down the whole time.

I'm not sure how to answer him without revealing her deeper worries for Craig and Kenji, so I shrug my shoulders.

"Bri's death hit her hard," I mumble, which isn't a lie.

"That's true," he agrees, his head lightly tilting. "I sense that from Kenji too."

I nod my head up and down, confessing something I didn't realize I needed to get out until it left my lips.

"She was a sweet girl... we all miss her a lot..."

He stops at a door, grabs my shoulder, and says, "Bathrooms here."

"Oh, thank you." A faint smile flickers across my face, though it's laced with awkwardness as I turn and make my way into the restroom.

When I've finished and step back into the hallway, he's gone. Making my way back to the worksite, Max is standing there at the door, his arms crossed across his chest and a scowl on his face.

Oh boy, what did I do now? 

***

Fabia's POV

The entire day, I clean, and all I can think about is Eliza.

Every recollection of what she shared with me and what I witnessed sends my stomach churning in pain. Now and then, I just break down on the floor, weeping in a fetal position. I'll sob until the ache in my chest subsides, and when I finally gather enough strength, I pull myself back to my feet, forcing myself to pick up the rag and continue my work.

By the end of the day, I'm exhausted, partly from the sneak-out but mostly from crying.

To make it worse, Sabin never comes back to work on the stall. So, I never get a chance to talk to him.