Barely Dead

☠ s e v e n ☠

☠ s e v e n ☠

Three.

Two.

One.

"Wake up!" Quietus bellowed as he slammed the door shut behind him with as much force as he could muster. As he walked in, he took in the four bodies. Gunner was stiffly leant against the couch, meanwhile Adriana and Libitina were in their designated beds. Jackson was snuggled into the stained pillow. None of the bodies even twitched. He grunted as he crept up. "Wake up!" he howled. Libitina let out a shrill shriek as she fell off the bed. Adriana groaned, ready to grab the pillow she wasn't using to throw at Quietus. "Throw that pillow and so help me I will shove it so far up your ass you'll taste feathers!" 

"I don't think they'd use feathers for this dump of a hotel," she grumbled back, nestling her head further into both pillows. Quietus grunted and crept up to her bed. He tore the pillows from beneath Adriana's grip and tossed one at Gunner's head with extreme accuracy. His neck fell forward and he screamed as he startled awake. 

"The fuck?" he cried at Quietus before flipping him off. "Asshole!" Quietus grinned slightly, still kneeling on the floor with his head tilting at Adriana.

"That is my middle name," he said before grabbing Adriana's sheets and pulling them off her body. Her body heated up with anger. 

"Fine! I'm up! Now what?" she shouted as she claimed defeat. She sat up straight and rubbed her eyes. Gunner noticed Libitina was still on the floor and walked over to help her back up. 

"Get dressed, Adriana. And meet Jackson," Quietus introduced, gesturing to the still sleeping figure on the couch. Jackson grumbled lowly. "Picked him up off the street."

Jackson growled under his breath. "And by street he means my perfect, cozy, little middle-class home in the suburbs. So much for street."

"Same difference," Quietus shrugged him off. "Get up and don't make me hurt you. Both of you. You'll be prowling the streets with me today so you could learn how it's done. Gunner, take Libitina to get her belongings. Tomorrow, we'll switch rolls," Quietus instructed quickly, shooting everyone stern looks.

"I don't work for you!" Jackson defied. Quietus sighed. Libitina, who had walked beside Jackson, put her hand on his forearm.

"Just follow along; we'll plan our escape after we get his trust," she muttered silently, before adding loudly enough for Quietus to hear, "He's the actual Grim Reaper and could kill you right now! Show some respect!" 

Quietus gazed at her suspiciously. Weird... He ignored it before turning to Adriana, who cleared her throat. She decided she'd wait for the opportunity for escape to arise, and what better time than to actually leave with Quietus? However, she wanted to know why he was giving her the option. 

"Prowling for what...?" Adriana questioned, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Recruits. We need all the help we could get," he explained simply. "Now get your lazy butts up and get dressed!"

Adriana, Jackson, and Quietus left early that morning. Libitina told Jackson what happened and told him the brief plan she had conjured up the night before. They'd make Quietus believe they never wanted to leave before finally running out. 

Nice day, Adriana thought as she hopped into the car willingly. Might as well enjoy her last moments in captivity before having to return to her parents. Gunner, Libitina, and Jackson got into the back seats. 

"Address?" Quietus asked Libitina as he glanced at her icily from the rearview mirror. Libitina hesitated before responding with the address. Quietus clicked it into the GPS since he had no idea where it was and soon, they were off.