IT BEGAN POURING as the group rushed to Colony House. All Caroline could think about was getting back to RJ. It was dark just like that, thunder and lightning all around as the group ran as fast as they could

"It's right up there, come on. We're good" Ellis said. Caroline could see the lights inside of Colony House

"Come on! Go, go!" Kenny yelled

"Wait, where's my mom? Mom!" Julie yelled as she ran back to be with her mom

"Let's go!" Caroline yelled. She was completely soaking wet. Jade ended up slipping and falling which really wasn't all that shocking considering he wasn't sober

"Fuck! Pick him up!" Ellis yelled

"Hey, I need help here!" Father Khatri yelled causing the group to turn around

"Should we go back?" Julie asked

"Kenny, Care, take them! Take them inside!" Ellis yelled. Caroline nodded as she grabbed onto Tabitha and ran with the other three. They were so close to the patio

"Who's in there?" Tabitha asked

"Friends! Let's move!" Caroline yelled. When they made it to the door Caroline began pounding on it. Ellis, Jade and Father Khatri were right behind the rest of them

"Open the door!" Kenny yelled

"Hello?!" Julie cried

"Open the fucking door!" Caroline screamed as she kept pounding on it but no one was opening the door

"Donna! Donna, let us in!" Ellis yelled. If they didn't get inside those creatures were going to kill them

"For fucks sake!" Caroline screamed as she kept pounding on the door

"We have people out here! Open the door!" Kenny yelled. Caroline turned to her right to see one of those things

"Fuck! Over there!" Caroline yelled catching everyone's attention. Everyone backed up. They kept approaching. One of them waved at Julie and Caroline was quick to yank her away. Kenny pulled out his gun and began shooting the creatures. The door opened and everyone rushed inside. Caroline was panting as the door shut behind them. She pushed the hair out of her face as she looked around to see everyone staring at them

"Care, check on Jade. He's out cold" Father Khatri said. Caroline nodded before she sat beside Jade and began checking his vitals

"On the floor now!" Donna yelled at the newbies. Caroline checked Jade's pulse and he was fine. There was no obvious injuries other than the nick on his temple. Possible concussion could be determined once he woke up

"No, no, no, no. You don't have to get down! No!" Ellis said

"You shut your mouth! I said, get on the goddamn floor!" Donna commanded

"Why?" Tabitha asked as she held her daughter closely

"Just do what she says" Fatima told them

"Now!" Donna yelled. Tabitha and Julie got on the ground. "Tie them up"

"Hey, Donna, come on" Ellis said

"We have a protocol" Donna said and Caroline agreed. It was for their own good. Accepting what happens here was not something easy. Caroline moved away from Jade as Ellis began tying up the mother and daughter duo

"Why are you doing this? We're not gonna do anything! Please?" Tabitha asked. Julie was crying as she leaned into her mother. Annie walked down the steps with RJ

"What's going on?" She asked. Caroline's eyes widened as she saw RJ. She rushed over to him and took him from Annie before kissing his forehead. "Oh, they just arrived?"

Caroline held RJ closely, glad she made it back to him. They were this close to dying out there. She couldn't imagine leaving her son by himself. She then went up the stairs holding her son. Annie followed after

"Darling you're soaking wet. I'm sure you're freezing.. oh, this is the perfect opportunity for you to try that sweater I just finished making" Annie said. Caroline hadn't even noticed she was shivering until Annie had said something. Once they were up the steps Annie ushered her into Caroline's room. They let her have her own room since she had a baby. "Now you stay put while I go fetch that sweater"

Annie closed the door behind her and Caroline set RJ down on the floor so he was resting on his stomach. RJ cooed as Caroline began undressing. Everything was soaking wet. She dropped her wet clothes to the ground and opened a drawer. She put on some undergarments right before the door opened

"I've got the sweater" Annie said as she walked in not even bothered by the fact that Caroline was in a bra and underwear. Annie held up the sweater before handing it to Caroline. It was a beautifully knitted sweater

"Oh, it's beautiful, Annie" Caroline said making the older woman smile

"Go on, put it on" Annie ushered. Caroline complied and put on the sweater which was rather soft and comfortable. It was a beautiful lavender color. "Oh, you look so pretty"

"You think?" Caroline asked as she put on a pair of pants

"I know, darling" Annie replied

"Annie, come get Victor!" Fatima could be heard yelling. Annie clapped her hands before smiling

"Well that's my cue" Annie said before she left leaving the mother and son by themselves. Caroline picked up RJ before pressing a kiss to his forehead. She then left the room with RJ and went downstairs into the kitchen where she saw Father Khatri and Kenny

"Oh, let me see the little guy" Father Khatri spoke. Caroline obliged and gave RJ to Father Khatri. She then grabbed a glass and poured herself some water

"My mom's- my mom's probably worried sick" Kenny said as Caroline took a drink before sitting besides Kenny

"She'll be fine. So I, uh, stopped by the clinic the other day" Khatri said as he bounced RJ up and down gently

"Let me guess, my dad tried to rope you into a game of chess" Kenny said

"He's too good at that game, you know" Caroline spoke up

"No kidding" Khatri said making Kenny chuckle

"Even when it gets bad, um, you show him a chessboard and he doesn't always remember how the pieces work, but he does remember the game. You know, he used to make me play for hours when I was a kid, and I hated it" Kenny said

"Probably because you always got your ass kicked" Caroline chuckled causing the two men to laugh as well

"That was part of it for sure.. now I, um.. Uh, anyway, Kristi, I mean, she's just- I mean, she just takes such great care of him" Kenny said

"Look, Kenny, they're gonna be okay- Boyd, Kristi, all of 'em. We're just gonna go out there first thing in the morning. We're gonna pick 'em up and bring 'em home" Khatri said

"I'm not going" Kenny said

"What?" Caroline asked confused as she stared at the man

"I can't. I- After what happened to Lauren and Meagan, I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread here. I can't find any more bodies. I just can't" Kenny said. Caroline wrapped an arm around Kevin in attempt to give him some comfort

"It's gonna be okay" Caroline whispered to him, but they all knew that was a lie

☆♡☆

THE NEXT MORNING arrived and a group went back out to see the RV. Caroline left RJ with Annie who was happy to be with the baby. Caroline got out of the car and saw Boyd helping Kristi up the hill. They had survived. Jim was carrying his son Ethan. Tabitha and Julie rushed over to their family. Kristi and Kenny hugged one another and Caroline smiled at Boyd

"It's good to see you breathing" Caroline said

"No kidding" Boyd said with a smile

"Um, Care.. I did my best with Ethan's wound but I'd like a second opinion considering you're more flesh wounds and stitching whereas I'm more CPR and medications" Kristi said. Caroline nodded

"Yeah, of course" She said. The group got back into the car and drove to the clinic after dropping off the Matthews family and Boyd. When they got to the clinic the door was open. That was strange

"Why is the door open?" Kenny asked. Khatri stopped the car and immediately the group got out. Kenny ran inside

"Kenny! Kenny, wait!" Kristi said as she rushed after him. Khatri and Caroline followed in after. The first thing they noticed was the talisman on the ground. They went to the basement and saw a dead body. It was Gina

"Oh, fuck.." Caroline said. The door to the boiler room was open

"Hey. Let me go first" Khatri told Kenny as he put his hand on Kenny's shoulder. "It doesn't have to be you"

Kenny didn't listen as he began approaching the boiler room. They all knew what was in that room. Caroline bit back tears as she looked away. They followed after Kenny and inside the boiler room was Kenny's father. Kenny began crying. He had been ripped apart. It was a truly gruesome sight. Blood splattering the walls. His chest ripped open and his legs mauled to death. Kenny walked further in as Caroline had her mouth covered. Kenny kneeled beside his father as he sobbed. Holding his father's dead corpse. Caroline looked away as she sobbed. Kenny's cries broke Caroline even more

(1544 words)
11/04/24