Fairly Normal People

-Chapter Twenty Four-

Andy climbed to his feet and stretched out. The sprinklers must have turned off long ago as the water had come to a stop. He felt amazing, all of his wounds were healed and he felt that burst of youth back in his system. Stroud was fast asleep at his feet, he was leant against the wall and his face was contorted into an expression of pure horror though his chest moved with every breath. Andy looked around the room and spotted Stroud's zippo on the ground where it had fallen. He picked it up, looked at Stroud's twitching immobile form, shrugged and pocketed it. Andy climbed the stairs to the ground floor and stepped out from beneath the stairs. Maddie was gone which was more of a relief than a worry for Andy. Krundle was sat up against the nearest wall and his breathing was still heavy.

"You alright big guy." Andy asked as he walked over to his friend and knelt beside him.

"I'm so sorry Andy, but no more beauty pageants for me. At least for little while." Krundle said through a mouthful of broken teeth.

He winced with pain after he spoke and gently touched his jaw.

"Did you see the girl leave?" Andy asked. "Give me the short answer though, don't hurt yourself."

"Kind of." Krundle said. "I heard her run away."

"And where is Tim?"

"Tim sleep in car."

"Hm." Andy grunted. "You stay here, I need to go check on Lucy."

Andy walked up the twisted misshapen stairs and stepped onto the top platform. Lucy was sat against a motionless Darren. Who had fallen face up when the sprinklers had gone off. His skin was a terrible lifeless colour.

"Lucy?" Andy said cautiously.

"He's dead, Andy." She said quietly.

"I know, buddy." Andy said as he moved around the body and sat next to her against it.

"I didn't want this." Lucy said with her face in her knees. "I didn't want any of this."

"Nobody did, Luc. Nobody but Stroud." Andy said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"And now they're all dead." Lucy said.

"The dryad is okay, probably. And Stroud is still technically alive."

"What do you mean Maddie is okay?" Lucy looked up and leant her head into his shoulder.

"I mean she's gone. Krundle heard her running away this morning." Andy said.

"Good. She seemed the least crazy. And the least stupid."

"Love makes crazy stupids of us all." Andy said as he stood up. "I need to make a phone call."

Lucy laid her head back down in her knees.

"You probably want to move, that's a dead guy." Andy said as he walked away.

He heard Lucy shuffle away and gag and then scramble to her feet to follow him. Andy walked towards the door but his path was blocked by another dead body.

"Oh no, Howard." Lucy said from behind him.

"If you had seen what it was like in his head. This is more mercy than manslaughter." Andy said as he gingerly walked around the body and stepped outside.

It was just before dawn and tiny strands of the beginnings of morning light were peaking through the clouds. Andy walked over to the payphone across the street and reached into his pocket for the damp handful of coins. He slotted the coins in and waited through the dial tone.

"Oh um hey, it's Andy... Yeah I know it's pretty early but something's gone down... You know the Mosswater warehouse... Yeah that's the one. I'm here. Come quick before the cops do... Yeah see you soon." Andy said before he hung up the phone.