The Aliveagainers

2 - Key

I open the door and use my foot to push it open. It swings out partway then stops, blocked by somethin' inside. It's dark in here – no windows – which makes it even more dangerous. I pause and listen, strainin' as if it might make me hear better. Nothin'. It's completely quiet.

I get down and shimmy over to the openin' and look inside, reachin' around to find what's maybe blockin' the door. I want to be quick and not leave my back turned out to the open room. That Aliveagainer won't have gone far. They tend to stick around the one place. Last thing I want is to have it sneakin' up on me.

I reach around to feel what's blockin' the door. It's metal. Cold. I move in a bit and shift it over, sensin' it's probably a microwave oven or some little cooker.

Someone must've tried blockin the door. Not that it would've helped any.

Movin' it out of the way, I manage to get the door open and the sick sunlight finds its way back in. Fills up most of them dark pockets that might've been hidin' away all this time. I look up and around. I'm almost certain there's been someone in this room; couple of open cans of soup are up on a table along with a bunch of water bottles.

I shut the door most of the way, leavin' just a sliver of light to slip in. Who was in here? And where are they now? Whoever it was, he must've been one hell of a neat freak. All them little bottles is nicely lined up in perfect rows. Maybe he was the bartender, keepin' his house clean right to the end. A little bit of order served up in this chaos.  

The door was blocked from the inside, so no one could have gotten out, at least not without movin' that cooker. And there ain't no windows... That suddenly makes me think. Whoever was in here had sat here in total darkness, all on their own. Now they're gone...

My skin tingles.

Far off somewhere, I hear a strange noise, then recognise it as the caw of a crow. The room is freezin' cold and a shiver runs through me. I try to make myself focus.

I look around in the dim light. There, up on the wall, I see it and I let out a deep breath.

What I came for.

On a small pin board hangs a bunch of keys. Some look to be for doors and locks, but there's two that I wanted to see. Car keys. Kept here for them patrons that had a few too many. I reach out to grab 'em when I notice it.

A Dallas Cowboy's cap, hangin' there from a nail banged into the board frame. It's seasons old and all faded n' greasy lookin' but it punts me right back.

She'd worn that cap just like it that night in August. We'd been out partyin' up at the lakes, gettin' way too loose with her friends. Smashin' bottles and shootin' guns up in the sky. Ended up we all slept out in the woods, no blankets or tents or nothin, just a few bottles of Jack till everyone shut up or passed out. It was a warm night, but that next mornin' we both were up early and I remember feelin' chilled and dull, cold and hung-over. She took my hand and led me away from the others, clamberin' over rocks and roots all wet and dewy.

She took me down to a lake, and I remember how still it was. A silver mirror wedged in amongst all them trees burnin' brighter as the sky bled up above.

She sat and touched the water just so and the ripples flowed out, barely makin' a sound as they bounced off the reeds and edges and tumbled into each other. Some birds were startin' to call out and she came over to me, half smilin' with those green eyes. She wrapped her arms round me and I remember just wantin' to keep kissin' her forever. But when I kissed her lips my forehead bumped into her cowboy's cap and it fell down to the ground.

She'd laughed and I felt happy.

A darkness darts in the corner of my eye. The air burns and I taste the metal. 

Lookin' out in the bar I see a shadow sweepin' across, through them upturned tables and chairs, its inky mist spillin' and bouncin' like water. Goosebumps flare up on my arms and it comes right at me and I see its face all twisted up in anger. It glares at me with those empty eyes and I feel myself fallin', tumblin' like I'm goin' off a cliff

Then it's here and its whispers seem to spill and echo all around me.

You took him. You got him. You stole him and hurt him. I'll take you and break you and—

Just as it passes the doorway, I flick the lighter and push down on the nozzle and the can of bug spray spews out a fire that strikes it right in the face.

The flames spit out and fill the air before me with a mighty hiss and a stench of burnin' hairspray. 

It don't scream or nothin, but its whispers seem to change and I swear it's got tears pourin' down its face.

I know it's comin' but I can't do nothin' about it and as the Aliveagainer starts to burn up I fall to my knees, droppin' the can and lighter. Then I feel it, smashin' into me like a wave, and I fall to the ground, curlin' up and rollin' as I'm swept away.

A lady walkin' out with a shoppin' trolley filled with stuff, some little kid bouncin' around. She hears the screamin' and is lookin' around. Somewhere a car crashes and people are yellin'. She's grabbin' for her keys when she looks to see her kid and he ain't there no more. "Thomas? Thomas?" she's yellin'. "Thomas, where are you!?" She starts to wail and there're sirens and then a huge bang thunders from somewhere nearby and she's cryin' and falls to the ground and all she keeps sayin' is, "Thomas."

Thomas.

Thomas.

Thomas.

Somewhere, far away, I think I hear the crow. Its call is faint and distant but I hold on to it, clutchin' at it. My hands ache and my fingers feel weak, dusty and cold.

I close my mouth but my body still wants to say his name. I have to use my hand to hold my lips closed tight and I try to think about somethin' else. I think about work, think about how I'd pack the shelves and sing to myself to pass the time.

It takes me a long time before I sit up. My whole body's shakin' and my eyes sting from tears. Acrid smoke hangs in the air. 

It's gone and, as usual, there ain't nothin' left to see it was ever here. I stand up and steady myself against the counter. There's a few more filled bottles of water left so I grab one and drink about the whole thing, then grab two more and stuff them in my pockets. I take the keys. A Toyota and a Chevy.

It's been a while now and so I head across the bar and start walkin' back up to room 503. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHORS NOTE

Thanks for reading, hope you like the tale so far. If you want to do me a huge favour I'd love it if you posted a message on Twitter or Facebook about this book. Here's a draft post you can edit and use. Thanks!

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