Alien Isolation: Sevastopol Invaded

Chapter 21

I couldn't remember the last time I had slept. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet, and I couldn't stay awake. I had fallen asleep while stroking Evelyn's fur. I was suddenly awoken by a mournful wail. I jerked up, looking around. The door was open and two people were dragging in a dead body. I stood, turning to my right to see Houston with his arms crossed watching the scene. The door was shut and locked once again. Houston and I joined the group of people that had gathered around the corpse. I squeezed through the crowd to get a better look and gasped when I recognized the face of Jess.
"No!" A woman shrieked, shoving her way through the crowd. She collapsed onto her knees beside Jess.
"Oh god, why?" Another girl cried from the crowd.
"Jess, my baby girl!" The woman shrieked. I slipped to the floor beside the crying woman. I looked at Jess, her eyes were peacefully closed, you would almost think she was asleep if it weren't for the bloody bullet wounds scattered across her body. There were at least six or seven bullet holes. I felt tears falling down my face. The young, the ill, the elderly, they need the most protection yet they are sent to their deaths by Noah.
"That's it! Listen to me, friends!" Houston said, stepping onto a box like Noah had before. Noah was passed out drunk in one corner, oblivious to the fourteen year old that was dead on the floor. Everyone turned to Houston, wishing for him to speak.
"This girl, Jess, is dead right now. She was killed while searching for supplies for all of us to live off. This girl was the youngest member of this group, why was it that she was sent out? Alongside her was an elderly man, and extremely sick woman. Where are they? Searching for supplies, like Jess was. Why are the sick, injured and weak being sent out to meet their deaths?" Houston began a long speech.
"He's right!" One man called.
"Noah has sent people to their deaths while he sits and gets drunk. Has he ever done any work at all? His smiles are all fake, he acts innocent but he is not. Why are you following him?! Tell me, why?!" Houston asked the crowd. They murmured and whispered amongst themselves.
"Because they're afraid. That's why I'm so strong, I control their fear. They fear me, as they should." Noah interjected. He had stood, approaching the crowd with something hidden behind his back. I carefully and slowly pulled out my revolver, things could get messy. Before anyone could say a word, a gun was fired. I saw Houston drop to the floor immediately. I let loose a bullet and heard a scream of pain as I hit my target. I had never used the revolver Rocky had given me, and I had hoped I never found the need to. Noah stumbled back, looked at the bullet hole in his chest and collapsed.
"Houston!" I cried, rushing over to him. The crowd was gasping and talking and shouting, but I ignored them. Houston had fallen off the box and was now sprawled across the floor. The bullet had hit almost exactly where I had hit Noah. I knew that neither of the two would be alive for long, so I took the time to quickly lean Houston up against the box.
"Houston, I'm so sorry." I cried.
"Don't be. You've done nothing wrong... Jemmy." He coughed a beat, taking shaky breaths.
"I'm sorry." I cried again, unable to think of anything else to say. Tears were streaming down my face.
"I'm the one that should be sorry... You've suffered.... So much. Rocky, Storm, everyone... It's time for me to join them. I'll see you... On the other side..." Houston's eyes slowly drifted shut. Just like Jess, he could just as well be asleep. Evelyn had stuck beside me during the entire thing. She finally made a noise, a quiet and gently whimper.
"Noah is dead." A man said, coming up behind me and putting a hand on my shoulder.
"You avenged him. You saved us all from our fear of Noah. Thank you, and we are all so sorry." The man said.
"I'm leaving, choose a strong leader for your group now. Whoever leads must be strong and caring. Good bye." With that, I left with my loyal dog companion following beside me.