Frigid Love

Chapter Three

I'm running, feet pounding the hard floor as I push myself harder and harder. My body is on the brink of exhaustion yet it refuses to fail me. That's when I heard it- an Earth shattering roar that I could feel even in the marrow of my bones. I keep on pumping my arms, in beat with my legs and breaths as I turn a corner in the dark hall to finally see a set of doors with light shining through the cracks-hope. I quickly reach the door only to swing it open to a damp mossy staircase. I can go up or down and decide quickly, down. Skipping steps in twos, threes as fast as my legs can manage, until I hear it again yet louder. The roar from below- they are coming. I pivot and dash again except back up the stairs as the continuous roars fuel the constant adrenaline pumping through my body. I pass the doors and continue upwards and I don't even realize it but I soon start to sob as I think that there is no escape from this living hell of devilish creatures. Suddenly I see my escape, a field of short green grass and what seems to be a long forgotten garden with a weeping willow a few paces from a flowing brook. I lunge for the opening and soon I'm encased in a set of arms that banished the creatures and endless halls. For the first time in my life I felt safe. Then I heard a far off yelling and returned consciousness.

"Hey! Wake up! Wake up!" I was shaken as I groggily opened my eyes and hissed at the incoming sunlight through a nearby window.

"You need to get up, we need to go, NOW" Marlo yelled frantically

I get up and look around to see Marlo running back down a nearby staircase to what I assume is the rest of the Inn. "Get up now! Pack your things! They're here we need to get out of here!" Marlo exclaims shoving numerous things inside a large bag.

I raced to my bag and stuffed the sweater and leftover canisters in my bag and re-dress in my layers before throwing my pack over my shoulder in unison with Marlo as they fled for the back door.

Outside we could hear men's shouts in a dialect I wasn't familiar with but I recognized as the drifters language. The language was used by Americans long ago before the war. I believe it was called English or something like that. Without realizing Marlo stopped I crashed into their pack with an omph.

"Wait here, I think they are in the front. I have this old flare I can set off as a distraction. When I do, you run to that garage and hide?" They speak in a near silent voice but the urgency in the voice is clear. Get to the garage.

"On my mark." Marlo creeps to the side of the building and sticks their head around

"Move, now!" they shout

I take off, sprinting towards the garage in hopes of reaching it. I'm no less than a few paces away when I hear the crack of the flare but as I turned I saw it fly into the air and explode into a multitude of bright sparks- it was a firework like what the older men used to call them! I turned back and sprinted again towards the garage, yanked the side door open and rushed inside slamming it behind me.

I'm immediately engulfed in complete utter darkness. I chase the fear away as my thoughts grow more terrifying as I let them wander. I cautiously start to walk and I feel something cold on my face and immediately jump back. The curiosity wins as I reach forward again this time touching the cold metal strand with my hand. I tried to pull it towards me but I heard a click and suddenly the room was illuminated with light. I looked up at the mysterious object but quickly regretted it as the light source is nearly as bright as the sun itself.

With that I look around the room to find numerous tools strewn about the work tables on the sides. On the back wall however knives and a few other weapons are hanging on the wall. BANG!

The final wall, a metal wall sudders, as a force slammed into it. I look to the middle of the room to where a large vehicle is. I've never seen one before but I quickly move behind it as it is the only place to hide. Just as I ducked down the side door I just came through, swung open and was shut quickly again. I peaked out to see it was Marlo!

"Oh my god you terrified me. Can you tell me now what's going on!?" I shouted getting up from my spot.

"Gas, we need gas. Grab that tank and bring it over here. I gotta try and get her running and fast!" Marlo exclaims, ignoring my question. I get the tanks of gas and drag them over to the back of what seemed to be a truck of some sort.

"Thank you for helping and being patient but right now we have to get out of here alive because they want my head for something that wasn't my fault... entirely. I'll explain later. Just put the tanks in the bed of the truck quickly." they say as they opened the door and climbed into the truck.

I went to work, there were two tanks each of them read on the side 10 gal. I am going to assume that is some sort of telling of how much of this 'gas' is here. As I put the last tank up on the bed the truck made a stirring noise that made me cringe, but soon the engine roared to life. Marlo jumped out and shouted, "Put your pack in the back and get the hell in the truck, let's move!" They frantically were grabbing an array of both tools and the strange looking weapons. I throw my pack in the bed and grab only what I need. As soon as I pulled myself into the seat and closed the door, the large metal wall raised in front of us and I was awestruck. I knew technology was extremely advanced back then but moving walls?

Marlo too got into the truck after closing the hatch on the bed and gave me a wrinkled smile as they started to move. Immediately I was thrown back in my seat as the speed increased. I could see the drifters more clearly now that I was farther away and not in line of the danger.

"They aren't so bad. They just go from settlement stealing what they can and bringing it home for their own families. Well the only difference between them and us is that they are a bit cannibalistic and feral." They say with an uneasy laugh

"I hope to never encounter them again," I sigh resting my head on the window

"Here." Marlo spoke with their hand out and my dagger in it.

"Thank you," I say, taking it carefully into my hand. "Why have you been so kind to save me and even take me in from the night? I appreciate it more than anything but no stranger does this just because they feel like it; at least anymore." I add softly

I didn't think that Marlo was going to answer, until they finally took a deep breath.

"Years ago, right after the government shut down my daughter and I were trying to walk to what was left of a city called Seattle- it's a larger city about four hundred kilometers south, across the American border. That's where I'm from- anyway, my daughter Lily, she was maybe a few years younger than you when she died. We were traveling on foot and a gang of drifters found us. She was always a weaker one, not that it mattered to me. I told her to run, and boy did she move. But I didn't notice a few men getting by me in the chaos. They murdered her just for the sheer fun of it and took everything. I remember burying her in the snow because the ground was too hard. When I saw you, I saw a small piece of her in you. I know I can't bring her back but I thought maybe if I can save you from them I can have some peace of mind." they admit attention still on the flat stretch of highway in front of them.

"I'm sorry for your loss" I murmured not knowing what else to respond with. I rarely saw this much emotion present on someone's faces so I was a bit uncomfortable not knowing what it is to love someone like that. For the next few hours Marlo explained how the truck worked and to my surprise I picked it up fairly quickly. He taught me how the gasoline and fueled the engine and got into details of how the engine worked and even said when we reached the city called Sea-a-tile, Wash-ing-ton he'd show me how to work on it.

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Hey Readers,

This is a new story I'm working on! Let me know what you think!

Hope everyone stays healthy and safe!