The Demon Inside, page 22
Over at the sisters’ house, Alec and Mac stood side by side in the pantry doorway, looking up at the nest in the corner of the bottom step, swarming with spiders. Hanging back, Darcy went up onto her tiptoes to peek over their shoulders, one hand braced on Alec’s back. Immediately she drew back, her skin crawling at the sight.
“Can you get them out?” Rebecca asked anxiously, standing further back in the middle of the kitchen, twisting her hands together.
“Or kill them?” Kate stood beside Mac, staring at the nest with hard, unfeeling eyes.
Stepping back, Alec shook his head as he shut the door. “I saw pictures of what those little fuckers can do and there’s no way I’m goin’ near them, especially when there’s no ambulance service on call.”
“What do you propose we do then,” Kate snapped angrily, crossing her arms over her flat chest, “continue to coincide with them and hope nobody gets bitten?”
“No,” Alec said slowly as if talking to a petulant child, “I propose you move into one of the empty houses until the snow clears and I can go get something to poison the buggers with.”
“You want us to move out of our home?” She was aghast, her eyes widening before narrowing once more into tiny slits.
“Yes,” his answering tone was falsely pleasant, even as his uncompromising gaze met the older women’s and held, “unless you’d prefer to take your chances.”
The very next day they helped the pair to move into the vacant house to the right of David and Joanne’s; it was slow going, because they had to wade through the snow to the other end of the street, weighed down with boxes since it appeared Kate and Rebecca were unable to pack light. Of course, Kate complained the entire time, but they quickly learned to block her out. Exhausted by the end of the day, Darcy curled up beside Alec on their mattress in the living room, tucking the duvet around her.
Grumbling, Alec pulled it back. “You always hog the damn covers.”
“Do not,” she argued, wriggling around until she was comfortable.
“Are you done yet?” He asked once she’d stopped moving around and she looked over her shoulder to see him lying on his side with his head propped up in one hand, brows drawn.
“Yep,” she popped the last letter, laying her head back down on the pillow, before having a final wiggle just to annoy him and drawing her legs up to her chest.
“Jesus,” he hissed, jumping, “you’re feet are freezing!”
Pressing her face into the pillow to smother her laughter, Darcy tucked her frozen toes more securely against his calves, as Callie yelled across the room, “Will you two shut up, you sound like and old married couple.” Situated beneath the window, Hope snickered, cuddling with Rory. “You can’t laugh,” Callie pointed an accusing finger out of her cocoon of blankets, “do you realize we can all hear what you two are doing at night? Seriously, tone it down.” That shut Hope up promptly and her face flooded with colour, before she hid it in her pillow.
“Thanks, Cal,” Alec muttered sarcastically, “that’s a mental image I want before I go to sleep.”
“What,” she sneered back, “afraid you’ll get a...”
“Don’t say it.” Darcy warned, at the same time Hope shouted, “Shut up, Callie!”
“Hey, you two look practically the same, so it’s not like it would really be cheating.”
Whipping it out from under her head, Darcy flung her pillow across the room at her friend. It hit with a soft thud and mutinous silence fell over the room, until Darcy said sullenly, “Toss my pillow back.”
Snorting, Callie reached out and nabbed the pillow, tucking it beneath her head, “No way, it’s mine now.”
“All of you can shut your pie holes,” Mac snapped from where he was laying by the door, slightly apart from the rest of them as usual, “you’re actin’ like a bunch of children.” Once more, the room went silent. Slowly, Darcy lay her head down on Alec’s shoulder, using him as a makeshift pillow.
Her eyes were just closing when Callie’s voice sounded, “Technically, we are a bunch of children.”
In the middle of the night, Darcy was awoken by the not so distant howling of the creatures who had nearly wiped out the human race. For several minutes, she simply lay there, listening to the sound of the room breathing, the crackle of the fire and the bone chilling noises from outside which sounded over the roar of the wind. After a while she realized that she really, really needed the toilet. She tried to talk herself out of it; it was cold and, quite frankly, she was terrified of walking through the dark house all alone at night. She knew it was irrational, she knew that the creatures were outside and the house was secure, but she couldn’t help thinking that something was going to grab her the moment she stepped out into the hallway. Biting her lip, she glanced over at the door in the dim orange light cast by the fire and pushed back the covers.
Briefly, she considered waking Alec, but he looked so peaceful in sleep that she forced herself not to be such a baby and slid off the mattress. The laminate flooring was so cold that it actually stung the soles of her feet, as she picked her way across the room, walking between the mattresses. The door rasped slightly as she pulled it open and Mac stirred, his eyes opening to look up at her briefly before they drifted shut once more. The click of claws on wood proceeded Lucy’s arrival at her side, however, despite the warning, Darcy still jumped when the dog’s lean body brushed against her leg, still warm from where she had been lying close to the fire.
Out in the hallway, the shivers that wracked her were part fear, part cold, as she gave her eyes a moment to adjust to the total darkness. Instinctively, she reached for the light switch, flicking it several times before remembering that the power was out, had been for several weeks. That realization, though she had already known it, made her heart kick into overtime. Fear of the dark, of the unknown, was an age old fear; humans liked to see what was coming at them, liked to know what they were defending against. Without the basic sense of sight, Darcy felt totally defenceless as she felt her way up the stairs to the second floor bathroom, though Lucy’s presents at her side was a slight comfort. Once inside, she shut the door and felt around for the lock; the simple sound of it sliding into place made her feel safer and locked inside the small room her fear subsided marginally, at least until she had to make the return journey. Hurrying back to the living room, she found that it was the last few steps in which her panic reached its’ height. By the time she was back beneath the covers, wrapping them securely around her, her heart was trying to punch a hole through her chest and her breath was coming out in heavy pants. Reaching out a hand, she stroked the top of Lucy’s head as the dog nuzzled at her, as if to make sure she was really alright before heading back to her bed by the fire. Watching Lucy trot away, Darcy almost screamed when strong arms curled around her, jolting up.
“Easy, babe,” Alec tightened his hold, turning her in his arms to face him, “it’s just me.” Leaning forward to pepper her face with soft, reassuring kisses, he held her until her heart stopped hammering and her manic, uncontrollable shivering subsided. “Where’d you go?”
“T-toilet,” she answered through her chattering teeth, snuggling closer and tucking her feet against him, prepared for the quiet cursing that followed.
“God, girl, you need to start wearin’ socks to bed.”
“Sorry.”
Chuckling softly, he shook his head. “No, you’re not.”
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she admitted, “You’re right, I’m not.”
Finally, after what seemed like months of snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures, the snow began to melt, however, very few of their problems went away with it; the roads were still too icy to drive on and every morning they found new footprints in the slush around the gate. The creatures knew they were here now. The thought was a leaden ball of dread settling in her stomach; they were no longer as safe as they had thought. As soon as they was able, Alec and Mac, with Rory in toe, went around inspecting the perimeter of each house to make sure the walls that surrounded the properties were impenetrable and adding barbed wire, which they had left over from when they had decorated the tops of the walls and gates, to the bars on the windows and fixing it to the ground in large coils at the foot of the walls so that the creatures couldn’t try to scale them. Once done, their hands bloodied by the sharp spikes, they stepped back to admire their work, glancing up and down the street from where they stood in the middle of the road. Having been heading home after visiting Lydia, who was once more suffering with her pregnancy, her feet having swelled up so much that it was excruciating for her to walk, Darcy headed towards the group when she spotted them, linking her arm through one of Alec’s and following his gaze along the rows of large houses.
“It looks like a prison,” Rory commented, a strange note in his voice, and she glanced over at him to see a frown creasing his young face. He was probably remembering how this place had once looked, manicured and perfect, so different from the ramshackle battle front they saw now.
“Well,” Mac clapped the boy on the shoulder with enough force to make Rory stumble, “we might just live another night.”
“Why is he so happy all of a sudden?” The boy asked, glancing over at them as Mac walked away, a spring in his step.
Shaking his head, Alec rolled his eyes, muttering derogatively, “He’s probably imagining he’s still in the army, on some secret mission. That’s the only time he was ever happy.” She squeezed his hand and he shot her a grin, before looking back at Rory, saying, “Wait till spring and we can stick flowers on the spikes, that’ll make it look prettier.”
“Seriously?” Rory laughed, the shadows chased from his eyes by a bright flash of amusement.
“Yeah, why not?”
“It would look awful!”
“Do you have a better idea, smart arse, ‘cos I think this place is rockin’ the prison look.”
They were still talking about ridiculous ways to brighten the neighbourhood up – such as painting the houses pink and stringing up the Christmas tinsel – when they walked into the house. Heading upstairs to their bedroom to change her trousers, since the bottoms were soaked through, Darcy almost got whiplash when Callie suddenly appeared from her room and grabbed her arm, yanking her inside and slamming the door shut behind them.
“Where have you been?” She hissed, “I’ve been waiting for ages.”
“Jeez, Callie! Have you gone nuts? You almost pulled my arm out of its socket.”
“Don’t exaggerate,” she snapped. “I need your help.”
“You’re going about it the right way,” Darcy said sarcastically, arching a brow at her friend’s sharp tone as she rubbed her shoulder.
“I need the keys to Alec’s van.”
“Please, would be nice,” she muttered under her breath, before realizing what Callie had said and looking up at her with a frown. “Why do you need his keys?”
“Because I need his van.”
“Well duh,” she rolled her eyes, “I gathered that much, but why? Where are you going?” Expression obstinate, Callie grit her teeth, so hard that the muscles in her jaw ticked. “Callie!” Darcy’s voice rose in exasperation, “I won’t help you unless you tell me.”
“You’re not going to like it,” Callie warned.
Setting her own jaw, Darcy braced herself, though she thought she might already know what her friend was about to say, “Tell me anyway.”
Tossing her head defiantly, her hair rippling down her back – freshly shampooed, conditioned and rinsed with snow they melted and heated in a bucket over the fire – Callie lifted her chin as she said, “I’m going to see Will.”
“Of course you are,” Darcy breathed out, lifting a hand to rub at the ache starting in her temple, “how did I guess?”
“I don’t need your approval. God knows you didn’t care about mine.” Callie snapped, defensively and Darcy’s eyes widened in hurt surprise, before she scowled.
“You hated Alec right from the very beginning for no reason, at least I have a reason for not wanting you to see Will. He has a monster in his backyard, for Christ sake! I know she’s his sister, but it’s not right, Cal, it’s not safe. I’m just thinking of you, I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself,” Callie said, but her voice had softened, as had her defensive position, her arms falling from where they had been crossed over her chest. “Please, Darcy, I know the dangers, but it’s a risk I’m prepared to take. Please, just help me out, you’re my best friend...” She paused and then played her ace, “I’d do it for you.”
Sighing, shaking her head despairingly, Darcy said, though she wasn’t holding out much hope, “At least let me come with you.”
“I want to go on my own.”
“Come on, Callie, be sensible, anything could happen. What if you breakdown?”
“If I breakdown at least only one of us will freeze to death before getting eaten by cannibals,” she arched her brows, her tone determined as she repeated, “I’m going on my own.”
Still hesitant, Darcy handed over Alec’s keys, which she’d found in his coat pocket; out of habit he still took them with him whenever he went out. She couldn’t help the feeling that something bad would come of Callie’s involvement with Will Mackenzie, but Callie was right, she was a big girl, big enough to make her own decision and her own mistakes. All Darcy could do was hope and pray her best friend didn’t come to any harm.
“Just be careful, alright?” she begged as she tipped the keys into Callie’s waiting palm, “And be back before dark. Oh, and Alec keeps a spare gun in the glove box.”
“Okay, okay,” Callie held up her hand as she took several steps towards the van, parked out on the front drive, before turning around and hurrying back to give her a quick, hard hug, whispering in her ear, “Thanks, Darcy, you’re the best.” Snorting, Darcy hugged her back momentarily before Callie pulled away and all but ran over to the driver’s side, flinging open the door.
“And don’t crash,” Darcy yelled as the tyres squealed, lifting a hand in farewell.
A moment later, Alec rounded the house, having obviously heard the vans engine rumbling to life. Wide eyed, looking visibly panicked, he pointed a finger at his van lingering at the end of the drive as the gates slowly opened.
“Where’s my van going?”
“It’s going on a little road trip with Callie.”
“Callie’s driving my van?”
“Yes,” she turned to face him, almost laughing at his shell-shocked expression, “what’s the problem, she’s driven it before?”
“Supervised! She’s driven it supervised. Have you seen her driving? It’s terrible. My poor baby,” he groaned, scrubbing a hand down his face.
Laughing, she reached over to pat his shoulder as she passed. “Stop being silly. I swear you love that van more than you love me.”
“That’s not fair,” he grumbled, staring longingly down the drive for several long seconds, before trailing after her, “I love beer more than you, maybe football, but not my van.”
“Nice,” she muttered, shooting an annoyed look over her shoulder, even as relief shot through her; perhaps he wouldn’t ask where Callie was going, “I feel so loved.”
“So you should, third place isn’t bad.”
For a while, Darcy thought maybe she’d got away with it and that she wouldn’t have to lie to him; after all, she couldn’t tell him the truth because he’d blow a fuse. However, when the sun disappeared behind the horizon and Callie still wasn’t back, Darcy began to get seriously worried, as did Alec, though he was probably worried for a totally different reason.
“Where has she gone, Darcy?” Alec asked and she turned away from the living room window to be met by three anxious sets of eyes.
Shrugging, she shifted guiltily, dropping her gaze to her twined fingers. “I don’t know.”
“You’re lying!” Hope exclaimed, her blue eyes overly bright as Darcy’s gaze flew up to hers where she was sitting cross-legged beside Rory on their mattress.
Looking between them, Alec’s eyes narrowed as he stopped pacing and turned to her, “Think how bad you’re going to feel if something happens to her. The roads are dangerous as hell, they’re covered in ice, why do you think I haven’t been out yet?”
“Nothing is going to happen to her. She’s fine. She’s just running late.” Darcy bit out in short, sharp sentences, shooting Alec a dirty look. She felt strangely betrayed; he was supposed to be on her side. His attempt at emotional blackmail felt like a betrayal. Turning back to look out the window, she wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing at the goose-bumps prickling her skin, as she stared out at the road.
Hours later, Darcy saw a pair of headlights coming up the road from where she stood vigil by the window. Leaning propped up against the wall, with Lucy sprawled across their outstretched legs, Hope and Rory had tried to stay awake with her, but had eventually fallen asleep, their heads bent towards one another. Mac, on the other hand, hadn’t even tried to wait up, he’d wrapped himself in his covers and fallen straight to sleep as soon as the tense silence became too much. Now he was snoring loudly, twitching occasionally as he dreamt. On the mattress by her feet, Alec was spread out on his back, one arm over his eyes. His breathing was deep and slow, but she didn’t think he was actually asleep, he was too still, too silent, brooding.
The first set of headlights was followed by another, but when the first turned into the drive and headed towards the house, the second stopped outside the gate. It waited until the other lights had switched off before turning around and heading back the way it had come. Picking her way through the room, she prayed nobody woke up as she pulled open the door and slid out into the hall to open the front door before Callie got the chance to knock.
