Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 10

Benjamin sat in one of the two bedrooms upstairs. The room had even more floral decor than the living room downstairs. The bed was covered with a floral comforter and the pillows in floral pillow cases. A tall and healthy-looking snake plant sat in a corner of the room. Even after staying there alone for about a month, Benjamin was almost certain the house was occupied.

He stared out the window facing the bed. The rain had stopped. He thought about what Joseph had told him about possibly finding a weapon capable of killing Ulysses Morrison. Benjamin had been running for over sixty years. The thought alone was invigorating. But Benjamin doubted that such a weapon existed. Morrison was an undead legend. He's said to have been around since the fourteenth century. He was the most feared and respected undead man in the world. If such a weapon had existed, it would have been long destroyed by Morrison himself or his followers. Or at least in his possession.

Benjamin suddenly sensed another dead walker.

"Benji! Benjamin where are you?" he called from downstairs.

Benjamin made his way to the staircase landing.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Your girlfriend's school. Let's go."

"What?"

"There's a dead walker in the area," Joseph said quickly. "Let's go."

Benjaim eyed Joseph skeptically.

"So you came all the way here to tell me instead of trying to find whoever it is?"

"Well I wouldn't want to be caught off guard."

"You've wasted time," Benjamin said as he made his way down the steps.

* * *

"Somebody's trying to kill me?" Lainey asked apprehensively, backing away from Rita. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I have to get you out of here before he shows up!" Rita exclaimed. "I'll tell you everything you want to know then."

Fawn exited the school building.

"Lainey! I was trying to tell you to wait up --" she stopped dead when she saw Rita. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your friend's life," Rita replied.

"What are you talking about?" Fawn asked.

"Who, exactly, is trying to kill me," Lainey asked. "And why? And how do you know this?"

"Whoa, whoa, kill her?" Fawn said. "What the hell is going on?"

"Because he sent me to do it," Rita said, ignoring Fawn.

"Who's he?" Lainey asked.

"His name is Joseph and I don't know what his agenda is or why he sent me to do it but I'm sure he'll take care of you himself if he has to." Rita was speaking very quickly. "Which is why I have to get you out of here before he shows up."

The three of them stood in silence as a gang of students exited the school building.

"I don't even know a Joseph," Lainey whispered anxiously. "How do you know him?"

"I'll tell you everything you want to know," Rita said. "Just not here. You have to trust me."

"Lainey, please don't tell me you're going with her," Fawn said. "She sounds crazy!" Fawn turned to Rita. "If what you're saying is true, why not just call the cops?"

"The cops can't help!" Rita snapped. "Nobody can! Only I can protect Lainey!"

"I don't get it. What makes her safer with you than with anybody else?" Fawn asked. "And how do we know you aren't lying."