If you ever find yourself lost in the fog, be weary of who you trust, for not every survivor will have your back. If you wind up visiting the old Ormond ski lodge, don't ask about the bar specials if Julie's making your drinks.
Don't cry in front of...
Susie didn't relax her grip, it only tightened around my wrist as she frolicked her way back to the lodge. I gave Amanda a pleading glance but she just shrugged, unbothered, lazily following behind us.
I shuffled to keep up with Susies' skip. The strength at which she tugged me along was brutal.
Our pace didn't slow until we charged into the run-down ski lodge. This pocket of Ormond was a lot different than the one I saw before.
Most of the holes in the walls and ceiling had been patched with boards and plastic, the front room looked halfway orderly, and there wasn't nearly as much blood staining the floor.
"Ayyyye! Susie brought a boy home!" A deep voice filled the large room. A younger guy stepped into sight. He wore a happy-go-lucky expression, and black clothes. Charlotte stood at his side, seemingly smitten in his presence.
Susie released my wrist like she was holding hot coals.
"Oh my God, it is a boy!" She said looking at me like an unmasked villain. "JUUULIE!!"
I rubbed my sore wrist, happy to have it freed from Susies' clutches.
"Susie, please." I turned to see Amanda walking in with another stranger. The new face coming close to rest her hands on Susies' shoulders. "You're gonna scare him off, and I don't wanna spend another month playing search and rescue. Do you?"
Susie looked at me, running simulations in her head.
"Oh no, it's fine, she's not bothering me." I lied. Why did I say that!?
The two looked at me blankly and then began snickering and exchanging whispers. Some agreement was made in their hushed voices. Susie left the room, this time pulling Amanda along and disappearing upstairs.
"Joey, how bout getting our new friend a drink?" The blonde female asks looking over to the man now chatting quietly with Charlotte in a corner.
"How bout he gets it his damn self, Julie? Sorry, but me and Charlotte are heading out to pick flowers for the entity." He replied, titling his head in the direction of the door. He held a hand out for Charlotte to take, "Allons-nous y aller, ma dame?"
I really couldn't tell if the two were romantically involved, or if the guy was just being sweet. Charlotte clearly adores him though.
"Uhhkayy." Julie grumbled as she pushed me towards the bar. I took a seat while she slid over the counter-top and pulled out some glasses.
"What'll it be?" She asked.
How about a double shot of what-the-fuck-is-happening on the rocks!? Why the hell am I here?!
"Any specials today?" I asked, proficiently censoring my own panic.
For a moment, she stared at me, or just in my direction. Her thoughts appeared to be miles away. She wrinkled her narrow nose and smiled as consciousness fell back into her.
"Yes, coming right up.." She finally answered, taking a mysterious tone. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
Julie slid open the cooler door below the bar and reached in.
"Ok, but you really didn't warn me." I reminded her.
She pulled two large bottles from the cooler and slammed them on the counter in front of me. "Yeah, but don't say it."
I should've just asked for a water.
The next ten minutes were spent having two forty ounce bottles of malt liquor aggressively taped to my hands, which were not to be removed until I finished drinking them.
"Do you know why you're here?" Julie asked, popping the tops off my bottles.
I took a swig, deciding to start with the bottle on my dominant hand.
"Uh! Oh God, that's bad." I said wiping the bitter taste off my lips with my shoulder. "I have no clue why I'm here. I actually wondered if you knew?"
Julie looked up and breathed out, unsatisfied with my answer.
"Nope. It doesn't make sense to me." She said. "Frank told us you were a survivor."
"I am." I said, narrowing my eyes, now uncertain.
Julie smirked.
"Hate to burst that bubble sweety, but you being here," she patted the bar in between us, "is proof otherwise."
I took a long swig of a very bitter drink.
"But I guess Frank didn't get everything wrong.." Julie continued, pulling a folded paper from her back pocket.
She straightened the page and smoothed it out on the bar in front of me.
"You look just like the picture."
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