Talon's Hollow

Chapter 7

(Sorry for the massive delay in the chapter I found myself in a bit of a slump and very busy with my college courses! I promise I have not abandoned this book! Updates will still come and I'm trying for a chapter every month! Every other month if I'm busy! Thank you for your continued support I appreciate it greatly!)

         Justin spent the rest of the morning searching through the open counselors building. Peter had sent Justin back to the concrete cabin they shared with Marcus to rest and clean up. Justin was relieved to be free to go clean up and rest, his head was still throbbing, and his body felt sore and sluggish. The cabin was oddly comforting after the long night and morning he had experienced, unlike the day before the buildings heavy concrete and thick windows on the second floor made him feel safe.

Justin dug around through the kitchen cabinets on the ground floor of the cabin trying to find a first aid kit or some strong pain killers. In the bathroom cabinet, he found a bottle of ibuprofen and the throbbing in his head had started to lessen. Justin bent down and laid on his back on the soft carpet on the floor in front of the couch. He knew there were a ton of things that still needed to be done but Justin couldn't get himself to get up off the floor, his joints hurt, and his heart had finally started to calm down. For the first time, he feared for his life, Justin honestly couldn't imagine a situation in which they would get out of this hell alive, they would be lucky to even survive the night.

He tried to close his eyes and clear his mind but every time he did, he just kept seeing Jessica's dead eyes staring back into his soul. Suddenly the heavy metal door to the cabin creaked open and Marcus and Peter came into the cabin. Justin got up off of the floor confused, "What are you guys doing back here? Is everything ok?"

Peter nodded, "Yeah everything is ok for now, I just came back to grab my tablet out of my bag." Marcus was digging in the kitchen cabinets, he stopped when he found a glass and filled it with water from the tap, "Claire wanted me to come to tell you they found several long hoses and a water hook up on the dining hall. You mentioned earlier that you wanted to help them bury the bodies."

Justin nodded, "I should go meet with them, are we any closer to finding a way to close the main gate?"

"I have a few ideas to override the controls and close the gate but it's going to take time, so I need to hurry." Peter turned and ran up the staircase.

"What are you going to do?" Justin asked Marcus.

"I'm going to go with Sarah and a few of the others to try to find the source of our power and maybe find a phone line." Marcus finished his drink and walked to the open front door, "Come on I'll walk with you to the dining hall."

Justin collected his radio and grabbed a pack of new batteries from one of the kitchen drawers and left the cabin with Marcus. The afternoon air was hot, but a cool breeze was coming from across the large lake next to the camp. The forest was still oddly quiet aside from rustling branches and leaves from the wind but there was no sign of any wildlife. Marcus seemed to be distracted and didn't say much as they walked, Justin didn't try to start a conversation, he needed to focus on preparing himself to go back to the main gate.

Claire and Sydney were screwing a black garden hose onto a spigot on the side of the dining hall. On the ground around them were several long black garden hoses spread out like long snakes in the grass.