Hush

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

It was Bill's third day in the lair, and he was still trying to chip his way out of the room, even though he knew it would never work. But he had to try. The pain in his stomach hadn't subsided. After what felt like hours, there was the familiar creak of the door. Bill whipped around. To his surprise, it wasn't Tom standing in the doorway. It was the guard. He gestured quickly at Bill to come to him. Out of curiosity, Bill followed. The guard left the room, and walked up the passageway, Bill inches behind him, desperate to leave the dark and depressing room behind.

They finally reached the door out of the passageway. 

"Keep your head down." the guard whispered.

It was the first time Bill had ever heard him speak. His voice was deep and raspy. He nodded, bending his head low, looking at his worn-down sneakers. The guard led him to a room even smaller than the one he was in before. He shoved his backpack and some clothes into Bill's arms. 

"Change into these." the guard ordered. 

Bill stared at him questioningly.

"Quickly!"

Bill took off his shirt and changed into the red and white plaid, button-up shirt the guard gave him. He changed into black jeans as well. The guard hadn't given him any shoes, so he kept his sneakers on. He slung the backpack over his shoulders, all the while wondering what the hell was happening. Was the guard actually sneaking him out?

"Come on."

Bill walked behind the guard, keeping his eyes averted to the ground. The guard took Bill through a back door. 

"Go! You're free!"

Bill stared at the guard in disbelief. Surely it wasn't that easy to escape.

"But what about you? Won't you get in trouble?"

"Don't worry about me. Just go!"

Bill gawked, dumbfounded, at the guard for a second, before straightening himself up.

"Thank you."

"Go!"

Bill nodded, before running away from the place as fast as he could. He searched the streets for any landmarks he knew, and was surprised to find out that they hadn't took him far from where he collapsed. Grandpa's house is just a few hours away. Now that he wasn't bone tired and famished, his pace was much quicker than before. He walked nimbly through the streets, all the way until the sun had set and the streetlights flickered on.

He passed by a couple of cafes and bars, and the enticing smells wafting from them was almost too much for him. He made an effort to stay away from those as best as he could. 

Finally, at around midnight, he walked onto the familiar street. He smiled in relief, and made his way to the door of number 21. The windows were dark. Of course they would be, he thought. It's past midnight. He rang the doorbell, hoping with all his might that his Grandpa would answer the door. Finally, after what seemed like a long time, the door creaked open, and his Grandpa stood, squinting at the door. 

Bill smiled, happiness and a sense of security flooding through him. Grandpa would know what to do. He always did. He smiled wider. Home at last.

-----

"Bill escaped?!"

"Yes, sir. I was on my break and when I came back he was gone."

Tom's fists clenched tightly, shaking. He felt fury like never before. No one, no one, had ever escaped the Hush before. And his... twin, no less.

"You will be punished."

The guard closed his eyes, as though he knew what was coming. Tom took two steps so that he was directly in front of the guard, withdrew his short, but sharp knife from it's sheath in his pocket, and stabbed it into his heart. The guard collapsed onto the floor, blood gushing out from his wound. Tom looked down at his victim, satisfied. He swept away from the dying guard, leaving him to suffer in his last moments alone.

-----

Grandpa had been shocked when he first saw Bill at his doorstep, but was quick to invite him in. He immediately took his blanket from his room and draped it around Bill's shoulders, ushering him into the living room and making him sit on the sofa. He fussed around Bill for a few minutes, until Bill finally convinced him that he was fine. After Bill managed to tell the entire story of why he was there, Grandpa nodded resolutely. 

"Of course."

They stayed silent for a few moments.

"What should I do now?"

"Obviously, you can't stay here. It's not that I don't want you here, but they'll come looking, I know they will. You have to run. And keep running."

"What, for the rest of my life?"

"No, don't be silly. Just until you get to the next safe place."

"And where is that exactly?"

"To tell you the truth, it's quite far away."

"How far?"

"Well, in another country actually."

Bill sighed exasperatedly.

"Why isn't anything ever easy?"

-----

It was two days after Bill had first come to Grandpa's, and he was leaving for the next safe place on that day. He was to be accompanied by a friend of his Grandpa's, Jake, for safety reasons. Jake was tall and thin, and looked like he could barely defend Bill from anything, let alone the Hush. But Grandpa assured him that Jake's defenses were excellent. Bill went along with it. He repacked his backpack. The only things he had left were his change of clothes, his toothbrush, and the crumpled picture of his family. He said goodbye to Grandpa with a hug.

"You'd better come and visit again soon."

"I will. I promise." Bill said with a smile. He hoped with all his might that he could stick with that promise.

He slid into Jake's car, and buckled up. Jake climbed into the driver's seat, and drove off. 

"So, where are we headed?"

"The mall."

Bill turned to Jake in disbelief.

"For real?"

"Yes, for real."

"Um, why?"

"We'll need winter clothes."

"Again, why?"

"Coz we're going to Siberia."