42nd Country Road

Say Goodbye to the Bunker

"Pretty, what are you doing?" Mark asked, now on his knees. I walked over to him, tracing his jawline with my finger.

"Playing your game," I smiled. The normal returned and I collapsed onto the ground. Mark went normal next and collapsed next to me. I heard Jack fall and the empty whiskey bottle breaking. I rolled over and sat up. I was still wearing the damn dress. I stood up and got changed into my original clothes, taking the shock collar off, and came back to the living room. I checked Mark for any other cuts. I then checked Jack. There was nothing new on either of them. I laid down next to Mark, his breath staggered. I stared at the ceiling in all of its emptiness.

"I'm leaving," I said to the dark, "And I am never, ever, ever, coming back," A tear rolled down the side of my skull. A voice came from inside of my head.

"You think you can leave?" It called, "That's funny, you are never going to leave,"

"Fight me," I choked out. The dark hit my chest briefly, then disappeared. I stood up and started to gather supplies, I shoved everything in bags and set them near the bottom of the ladder. I went back to the kitchen and waited for the boys to wake up. I grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water.I then sat on the counter taking small sips from the cold water.

After a few hours I heard shifting from the living room. I hopped off the counter and placed my glass in the sink. I grabbed a pan from the lower cabinet and started to wander into the living room. Mark was pushing himself off the ground and moaning. I rushed over to him, holding his shoulders.

"What did I do to you?" He said leaning against the couch behind him.

"N-nothing," I said.

"Please don't lie to me," He said, placing his hand lightly on my neck. I winced a bit.

"I'm fine," I lied.

"It was a shock collar, wasn't it?" He said, "I saw it a few days ago and I was hoping that they didn't find it,"

"I said I'm fine, Mark," I said, calmly.

"No, your not, there are bruises," Mark said, sitting up and inspecting me. I pulled him into a hug.

"I'm okay," I whispered into his ear. He wrapped his arms around me.

"I hate hurting you," He said through a whimper. I ran my hands through his soft black hair.

"I know," I replied. We sat there for about fifteen minutes before I let go of him.

"Why'd you let go?" He asked

"Because.... We're leaving," I replied. His eyes softened.

"I was hoping you would say that," He replied. I smiled weakly at him.

"Get Jack up, I'll go start pulling stuff outside," I said standing up and heading over to the ladder I put on the leather backpack and started to crawl up the cold metal rims.

"You think you're leaving?" the dark called into my head, "I told you that you were funny, but I didn't think you were serious,"

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block the awfulness spinning in my head. I felt the dark swim into the veins in my hands. I kept trying to undo the lock as fast as I could.

"How about, we don't do that," The dark said into my skull. I let go, falling onto the cold hard concrete below me. My body hit the floor knocking the air out of my chest.

"Ev!" Mark yelled to me. He was holding Jack's week arm over his, while Jack stumbled on his own feet in drunkenness.

"Mark stay...there," I said, trying to catch my breath. I could see the fear in his eyes.

"But..." He stuttered out.

"Trust me..." I choked, "You need to trust me,"