"Brittany..." Lexi started quietly, taking a few steps forward as if approaching a dangerous animal, "what happened?"
She looked down at herself with a sigh, eyes tired. "Let me get this stuff off me first, please. I've been walking in it for like an hour."
Without so much as a word of explanation, the woman unceremoniously set the three bags on the ground and left the room with three water bottles from her group's box. Well...now just her box, Lexi thought to herself morosely. It left her with an uneasy, tight feeling in her chest.
She stared down at the packs on the ground, recognizing them as Candice's and Natalya's. One of the straps was frayed and nearly ripped off from where it had been sewed into the back, dangling by several threads. That hadn't been there before they'd left on their mission this morning.
They were also flecked with blood of both black and red, but these clues didn't really tell the brunette anything about the events that had taken place. All they had to go on was what Brittany eventually told them, unfortunately.
Law's group grew eerily quiet while the other woman was away. They didn't like the reminder that going out there could mean their deaths, and they were all trying to process the fact that the two other women they'd been hanging around with were just suddenly gone. They may not have trusted them entirely, but they were still people. To know that two lives were just snuffed out...
"I can't believe they're gone." Shachi muttered unemotionally, still trying to wrap his brain around it.
Penguin let out a breath. "That's the world as it is now, I guess...never know when you'll see someone for the last time."
"She just lost her whole group. I wonder what Brittany is feeling right now." The redhead went on to say.
Law scoffed under his breath, but no one remarked on it. Clearly, they didn't need to ask to know what he thought. Without much else to say, they descended into another silence.
She emerged from down the hallway about ten minutes later, her skin devoid of any remnants of blood. Her clothes were a different issue, and would probably never really be clean again. The unfortunate effect of not being able to do laundry anymore. She sat down next to the bags and looked around at the others.
"Candice and Natalya are dead. I'm sure you've gathered that." She spoke blandly, as if she'd distanced herself from the truth. "They were eaten."
"What happened?" Lexi urged, not liking how unemotional she sounded when it came to the loss of her two friends.
Brittany crossed her arms and leaned back against the way. "We went to a hardware store I saw when you and I got all that water. Thought there might be something useful inside. Maybe some propane or something.
"We searched around a bit but didn't find much. Then we found this locked door, and Candice thought it would have good stuff on the inside that others couldn't get to. We used some of the metal shelving to break it open, but there were a ton of zombies on the inside instead."
She shook her head. "We'd broken the lock and knob, so the door wouldn't shut. We ran out as fast as we could, but there were a lot of them. Candice got caught, and when Natalya went back to try to save her, she got bitten too. The only thing I could do was run. They were being torn apart behind me, there was nothing I could do."
"Jeez, Brittany..." Penguin started, shaking his own head sadly. "That's terrible."
Lexi glanced at Shachi and saw a similar sympathetic expression. They believed her. But part of Lexi was still wondering how she managed to come back with all three bags. That scenario didn't leave room for explanation.
Law must have been thinking the same thing, because he pointed to the bags beside her. "How'd you retrieve their packs?"
Brittany glanced their way, then shrugged. "I was already holding them when we had to go. They gave them to me before trying to break open the door. I didn't have time to give it back to them after that."
"Hmm." Law hummed, not sure whether to believe it or not. He decided that questioning her further wouldn't get him any further, so he dropped it. If she was lying, she'd just continue to lie. But he would certainly be keeping a closer eye on her than he had before. There was no way he'd trust her alone with any of his people from this point forward.
Lexi's own mind was working overdrive, trying to fit all the pieces of her story together. She supposed it was possible. Law's group had often found hidden pockets of zombies in buildings, despite having no idea how they'd gotten like that. And they too had been chased out from where they'd tried to search. None of that sounded unrealistic. The rest seemed plausible, but something still didn't feel right to her. She couldn't put it to any one thing, though.
Brittany looked tired, but not necessarily all that upset to have just lost her two companions. But maybe she'd become so used to loss, that it no longer registered properly. This world could definitely change you emotionally in negative ways. Maybe this was just the result of years of living in life-or-death situations.
Maybe Brittany was lying to them. Or maybe Lexi was just being paranoid.
She felt terrible that her friend had just gone through something horrifying. Lexi wanted to sympathize like she had when they had cried over the passing of Brittany's favorite uncle, or her break up with the one boy she'd actually genuinely seemed to love. Lexi had always been the more emotionally charged between the two, often crying during those heartfelt hallmark movies or anything that had a dog in it.
However, the logical part of her brain told her to reign it in because something felt off, her instincts nudged at her thoughts that something wasn't right, but her emotional side wanted to sit next to Brittany and offer her a shoulder to lean on. The mental tug-of-war was confusing and exhausting.
"I'd like to rest a bit if you don't mind. Sorry to kick you out of the room, but I'm fucking tired after today..." Brittany said, rubbing at her eyes. "I'm sure you understand."
"Of course." Law replied shortly, catching his group's eye and nodded towards the stairway. "Let's go."
"I don't believe a word that came out of her mouth." Law declared quietly, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to his sleeping space. The others were in a similar position, facing him in a sort-of circle in front of him. "It all sounds plausible, but she seems to be hiding something."
"I mean...we don't have anything else to go off of but her word." Shachi shrugged, neither siding with or against what he'd said. He simply didn't know what to believe.
"Penguin, what do you think?" Law questioned, crossing his arms. He wanted to hear everyone's opinions.
"Hard to say..." He took off his hat for a second, smoothing down his rumpled hair before replacing it. "As far as we know, she hasn't lied to us before this. Is there any reason we should doubt her now?"
None of them really offered up an answer to that, but Law noticed Lexi kept her eyes on the stairwell, lost in thought.
"It's one of those things I can't explain, but I feel we shouldn't trust her." Law went on to say.
"Gut feeling?" Shachi asked, and their leader nodded. "Well, I think we've learned by now that you're rarely wrong with those. Maybe she is dangerous. After today, maybe it would be a good precaution to see her that way."
"What reason would she have to kill her friends though? It doesn't make sense. Why get rid of people who help you?" Penguin pursed his lips, shaking his head in confusion.
Law noticed Lexi's wince, and the way she lowered her head. He wondered what she was thinking, but turned to Penguin instead. "Like I said, Natalya mentioned that there was still some distrust between them. Perhaps it just came to a head."
Shachi rubbed at his chin in thought. "Maybe...if so, we'll definitely need to keep a watch on her."
"Unless you already have an idea?" Penguin guessed, seeing Law's expression.
He nodded. "We should pack our things tonight and relocate in the morning."
"Already?" Shachi questioned. "We only just decided this morning, and we haven't gone looking for a good place yet. We'd be searching blind."
"It no longer feels safe here with her around. Anything would be better at this point. We should act now while we have the chance, before something happens that gets someone hurt or worse. We don't have enough time to leave today before it gets dark, but we should go at first light tomorrow." Law recommended, watching everyone else's expression. Lexi was still looking towards the stairwell and hadn't said anything yet. He sighed. "Lexi, what are your thoughts? You're part of the discussion as well."
She let out a breath, and spared him a quick glance. "I've been listening. And I'm fine with leaving, just...a lot on my mind right now, sorry."
He understood she was probably struggling to accept the fact that her friend may still be a cold blooded killer, but Law had no such problems. He nodded, accepting that everyone else was on board. "We don't have much, but make sure everything is compact and easy to move. We aren't making a return trip for more stuff."
"What about the water?" Shachi asked, sticking a thumb towards the 3 packs of water they still had. "I'm not sure we'll be able to take those with us in addition to the food."
Law chewed the inside of his lip, trying to figure out what they should do. "Load what you can into the box of food, see how heavy it is. We could have two people carry it between them while the other two watch for danger. The rest we will probably have to leave behind."
They all began the process of packing what little they had taken out of their packs since settling here. Other than a blanket and some food and water, they wouldn't need anything else for the rest of the day or the next morning. They tried to make things quiet, not wanting to wake up Brittany and have her suspect something was going on. Having her walk in as they were obviously putting things together to leave would be an awkward conversation.
Law had Shachi and Penguin sweep the upper floor one last time to see if there was anything else they missed and could bring with them. The building wasn't small and it would take them awhile, leaving Lexi and Law by themselves once more. He didn't want to stray too far from the stairwell, in case Brittany decided to come looking for any of them or tried anything funny when she thought they weren't looking.
They searched through the desks and cubicles still left over, opening the drawers for anything that may have been forgotten or left behind by those who came before. There wasn't much but it gave them time to think while they waited for the boys to return.
Neither of them had anything to say over the course of the next hour, both painfully aware of the elephant in the room between them. Lexi would have thought that it wouldn't feel this awkward after a few days, but she'd been mistaken. She honestly felt like such a fool. Part of her just wanted Law to be a man and resolve the issue by saying something first, but that wasn't exactly fair. She was just as capable of clearing the air as he was. It all just came down to whoever was brave enough to make the first move to start the slow fix to what they had before.
The other part, the one that mainly held her back from apologizing for her awful behavior, didn't actually regret their night at all. It had been way too soon and way too fast in whatever relationship they did have going on, but in the end, she didn't mind that he'd been so eager to reciprocate her feelings. Even if he was drunk, some part of him must have thought she was attractive. That was a good sign, she supposed.
The only problem was she didn't know how to go from here.
Deciding it was a waste of her time to think about it, she stopped, shaking her head sadly and started packing the bottles of water into the food box. There was something much more sinister on her mind anyway. Something she wanted to deny but just couldn't. Her friend had lied to them all.
Did Brittany really kill her friends? Was she capable of something like that? And the part that made Lexi feel chilled to the bone was the growing suspicion that it all had to do with her. Suddenly the way her friend had looked rather thoughtful that day made eerie sense.
"So, it's because of the others that you won't come with me?"
Lexi hadn't paid her friend's words much thought until Penguin had questioned her motives earlier. Her heart had sank as the pieces were slowly falling into place. Brittany decides out of nowhere to go on a scavenge outing, and returns with all of the supplies right after Lexi rejects her offer to join because she wouldn't fit in with the group. Problem figuratively solved. There was technically nothing stopping her from joining up with her now, just as she'd wanted her to...
Oh, god...if Lexi was right, this was all her fault. Right from the beginning, she'd left her to fend for herself. She'd abandoned her best friend and hadn't looked back. She hadn't even tried to go back after the guilt kicked in the next day. Just a letter as way of goodbye, instead of facing her upfront like a decent human being.
It all compounded to this. If she had only promised Brittany she'd go with her, they'd still be alive. They wouldn't have been lured to their deaths because of what Lexi had said. If she hadn't been so selfish-
"Lexi, just breathe." Law said gently, crouching next to her and holding her by her shoulders. His fingers were warm, even through her shirt material. "You need to calm down."
Feeling the wet of tears streaming down her cheeks, she realized that her whole body was shaking and her breathing was coming out in shallow, uneven breaths. Her hands, which had been tightly clenching the sides of the box, slowly let go and covered her face in shame.
"It's..." she sobbed, "It's my fault..."
"What is your-"
"I told Brittany I...wouldn't go with her...on our run." She sniffed, wiping away at her tears futilely. "She thought it was because of the others that I wouldn't join her and now they're dead...she killed them because of me, I just know it..."
"How could that possibly be your fault?" He questioned sternly, squeezing her shoulders to get his point across since she wouldn't look at him. He felt slightly powerless to help, as he no longer trusted himself around her. He was afraid that if she looked him in the eyes this close, he'd want to kiss her again, so he didn't try to make her look at him.
Her crying hadn't ceased, and her voice wavered. "If I hadn't abandoned her like that...if...if I had told her yes, they'd still be alive."
"Lexi...she is a psychopath." He spelled out slowly. "Anyone else wouldn't resort to killing because someone told them no. You had no way of knowing she'd do this."
"I just..." Her voice trailed off, but he didn't let her continue.
"You are not to blame." He urged. "This is exactly why we're leaving. She's dangerous and unstable. She gets those around her killed. Natalya told me as much, they both probably knew something like this would happen eventually. If she hadn't been triggered by you rejecting her offer, something else would have down the line."
He left it at that, still holding her by the shoulders until she nodded emphatically, using her shirt to wipe away the wetness on her face. She still sniffed, holding back more tears and somewhat failing, but she no longer shook as severely as before and her breathing had mostly evened out. He released her, giving her some distance but still remaining close by for support.
"Thank you." She murmured miserably, smoothing down her shirt for wrinkles that weren't there. "I'm sorry I'm so emotional."
"Don't be. We understand." He replied patiently, not entirely able to relate with her turmoil, but clearly seeing how much it affected her. He didn't like seeing his companions in pain or anguish, Lexi included. "I think we forget to actually take a second to feel emotions like we're supposed to. Don't feel like you need to keep them hidden. Honestly...we could use the reminder sometimes."
The brunette looked up at him, but they both glanced away a split second later, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.
It took a moment to get herself back in order, wiping away at the tears with the hem of her shirt. Her eyes would be red and puffy for a little while, but hopefully the boys wouldn't return before then. She didn't want to have to explain why she'd been crying. They might misinterpret it as Law making her upset in conjuncture with their...'argument.' No need to cause more confusion.
"I'm good now." She said in reassurance, going back to packing a few more water bottles in the box. Law very much doubted that she was back to 100%, but at least she appeared a bit more put together than a few minutes ago.
"It's not much, but it's something." Shachi said, as he and Penguin re-entered their sleeping space with a box in hand. "Take a look."
Law and Lexi had finished the majority of the packing, including the food and water box, and had opted to relax until their friends returned. They perked up when they saw the small cardboard box of stuff they set on the ground.
Lexi was the first to rifle through it, picking up what stood out to her. Several packs of cigarettes, lighters to go with them, individual hand sanitizer bottles, a few water bottles with varied amounts of water left in them. They'd found a handful of assorted granola bars and packs of single-serving cookies that you'd find in a vending machine of some kind. Each went in their own separate pile to category.
"Nice, guys." Lexi said, grabbing the food and water they'd found to add it to the box of their edible items. "Where'd you find all this?"
Penguin shrugged, smiling. "I don't know what sort of office this was, but it seemed like most desks had a secret compartment in one of the drawers to keep things hidden."
"Probably hiding guilty pleasures from the managers." Shachi guessed.
"I'm surprised so much was left over." Law remarked, appraising the contents. In addition to everything else they'd gotten just from staying at this office building, he was surprisingly pleased with just how much they'd come away with. He thought this place wouldn't be more than a temporary shelter while they moved onto somewhere more secure. He wasn't always right, as this had just proved.
"Just looked a little harder this time around I guess. Since we're clearing house and all, didn't want to miss anything by accident.."
"Is that what you've been doing?"
All four survivors turned towards the stairwell, where Brittany stood leaning against the frame. Her hair looked mussed from her nap, but she seemed wide-awake and somewhat...amused. They hadn't even heard her come up the steps, and had been so caught up in what they'd found they hadn't seen her enter. Law internally cursed himself, feeling idiotic for not paying more attention.
"What?" She shrugged, stepping away from the doorway and seeing their surprising expressions. "No need to hide it, and it's not like I could stop you anyway. Things have gone to shit, and I probably look a little suspicious, don't I?"
Law's eyes narrowed, confirming her question.
She let out a breath but smiled. It didn't quite reach her eyes. "I get it. You only have my word to go on. People don't trust each other nowadays, and for good reason. Trusting the wrong people can get you killed."
"What is it you want? You came up here for a reason." Law said suddenly, standing to face her. His stare would have made others nervous.
She matched his gaze without flinching, however. "I'd like to talk to Lexi. In private."
Law's answer was immediate. "No."
Brittany's eyes narrowed. "I don't really think that's up to you. You'd really take away the chance for her to say goodbye to someone she cares about? Is that the sort of leader you are?"
"Of all the people, you're the one questioning my leadership?" He asked with disdain, but she waved the insult aside, turning instead to look at Lexi.
"Speak for yourself, Lex. I want to talk to you. Please."
Law was irked, and turned to his female companion. He didn't trust her not to try manipulating the brunette. "Lexi-"
"It's fine." She said, looking him in the eye so he knew she was serious. They were filled with this hardened resolve that hadn't been there before, and he wondered if she'd actually have the heart to deny her friend for a second time, especially after her small breakdown earlier.
Eventually he nodded, knowing that Brittany was somewhat right. He couldn't take away Lexi's choice, even if he wanted to. She'd probably resent him for it if he did, just a bit more than she probably already did. Her gaze settled back on Brittany. "Just give us a moment. I'll be back."
Feeling extremely uncomfortable, the leader watched as Lexi and her friend went back down the stairwell, disappearing from sight. He paced back and forth, knowing that Shachi and Penguin were just as uncomfortable.
Several stale minutes passed. They couldn't hear what the girls were saying, as they were speaking in hushed whispers below them. He had a feeling that Lexi was trying her hardest to deny her friend once and for all, but she was a very sympathetic person. It wouldn't be easy. And Brittany seemed very capable of swaying Lexi to her side if given enough time.
Finally, Law's thinning patience snapped. "Stay here." He instructed the other, stalking towards the stairwell to listen in for himself.
He took each step very slowly, not wanting his shoes to squeak or echo through the stairway for the girls to hear. He inched down, hoping that they were within a relatively small distance to the stairs so he could hear clearly.
He neared the bottom entryway of the stairs, flattening himself against the wall and grew still, listening intently. Their words were faint, but for the most part, he could hear them talking.
"...shouldn't be a hard decision. I'm your best friend. We have history. I care about your well-being. Don't you see that?"
"That's not what I'm arguing with you about. I'm not questioning the fact that you have my best interests in mind-"
"Then that alone should make your decision!"
"Brittany, they care just as much about me as you do."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I've survived with them for months! I'd think I know them well enough by now to be sure I can entrust my life to them."
"Ugh, you're so naive, Lexi. You're too trusting. You always have been."
"They came to rescue me when they had no obligation to, and they very well could have lost their lives while doing it. Don't tell me that I'm being naive."
Law was pleasantly surprised to hear the force with which she responded. He knew she was loyal to the group, but the fact that she bristled up when their loyalty to her was questioned was reassuring. She'd finally realized that she was part of the group and not an outsider they'd allowed to join.
He heard his name and his interest was piqued.
"Is it Law? I mean, I know he's a pretty face, but he seems-"
"Brittany, seriously. He has nothing to do with this."
"Oh, like hell it does."
"Stop patronizing me! I'm not a child! And unlike you, I've never been some horny, boy-toy that had to be attached to a man."
"Call me what you want, I'm not apologizing for who I am."
"Then neither am I. I'm staying with them."
"No, no no...this is the first time we split up all over again. You really gonna walk away and leave me alone...again...and live with yourself? You told me the guilt ate at you for weeks!"
"Don't make this about me."
"It's got everything to do with you! Just make the right choice..."
"No, Brittany, this has everything to do with you. I know you just lost your friends, and I'm sorry. I really am, but that doesn't mean I'm obligated to take their place. You don't want to be alone. I get it. But I'm not willing to just leave them behind."
"Then convince Law to let me join them!"
Law shook his head, thinking that she was just delusional now. Desperately holding on to some sort of way to stay together with her. Lexi was doing a good job of holding her own, though.
"They don't trust you, and no amount of me vouching for you would fix that. Even I'm finding it hard to believe what you say anymore."
"Really? Do you not see how they are manipulating you? Turning you against me because of how they feel? If not for them, you wouldn't be saying the things you are right now."
"You seem to be under the impression that I'm just some pawn everyone yanks around for the hell of it. Is that all you see me as?"
"Of course not!"
"Then stop assuming I can't think for myself and consider that these are my real feelings."
"Heh...So that's it then? You're just...gonna shove me aside just like before? Leave me alone after I've suffered from so much loss?"
"You're strong, Brittany. You've survived a long time on your own already. You'll fight through it. It's what you do. It's what you've always done, even back in college. I don't know of anyone else who's better at succeeding through sheer willpower. I'm not doing this to cause you pain. I don't want to watch you put yourself in danger by going out there alone, believe me. It's the last thing I want to do."
"If you're trying to make this conversation bittersweet, you're failing at it. Don't try to flatter me just to ease your own selfishness."
"That's not what I'm-"
"Who supported you with college after your grandmother died? Emotionally and financially? Me. Who backed you when that psycho Logan guy sued you for the death of his parents? Me. Guess who saved your ass from being eaten the very first day things went to shit? I did. And you throw that all in my face by abandoning me again."
Law couldn't quite tell who, but he assumed it was Lexi who took a steadying breath.
"I'm telling you no. I'm not going with you. I've found others I feel safe with, and I'm no longer willing to take the chance of leaving that behind to try...'us' again. It didn't work the first time, and I have no guarantee it will this time around."
"I can't believe I never saw you were such an awful friend...Figures. Loyalty died a long time ago, I guess."
"I'm sorry."
"Just go."
Law made his way quietly back up the stairs, glad that the conversation hadn't turned violent and he didn't have to step in. At least she'd finally put her foot down and stuck with her opinions, rather than let herself become emotionally swayed.
He made up the stairs before Lexi could see that he'd been eavesdropping.
The night was cold and windy. Somewhere, a broken window allowed the sharp breeze inside of the office, but Lexi knew it was a waste to try to find it. There wouldn't be much they could do to stop it, as everything they had was already packed up and ready to be moved when they left the office the next morning. Plus, she didn't want to move from her spot.
Her eyes followed the shambling figures down below from the window, idly wondering if any of them down there had once worked in this office. It was highly unlikely, as she was sure after 3 years they would have been distracted by one thing or another and wandered away, but it at least passed the time to wonder about it.
The boys snored quietly from their spots on the floor, Shachi having already passed out five minutes after waking her for watch half an hour ago. They were all getting in as much sleep as they could for the dangerous task they had ahead of them. Lexi was struggling to put her mind at ease, her conversation with Brittany on repeat within her own ears.
It had hurt so much to deny her like that. Even now, her chest ached, feeling like she was making a grave mistake, or that she was causing such pain to her once-friend. But she knew deeper down that Law's group was where she wanted to stay, and that if she had ended up taking Brittany's offer, the regret would build and build until the day she died.
The boys were her safety and comfort. They took the time to make her feel comfortable, to ask her opinion, and to make sure she felt included. Law's comment about her being manipulative had been filtering through Lexi's thoughts during her talk downstairs, and she'd come to the very sad conclusion that he was right.
All this time, what she mistook as Brittany looking out for her was just a long line of emotional string-pulling to get what she wanted out of her. It was a strange thing to realize, as she had so many happy memories of their time together before the world had ended. Two friends blissfully ignorant of the awful future they had awaiting them and everyone else they knew and loved.
Because Lexi did still love her. Like a sister, she loved Brittany in the full capacity that she could, and that only hurt worse.
They'd hung out and confided in one another, and supported each other where they could. College had brought them closer, creating what Lexi had thought to be a life-long friendship. Having it all tainted with the reality that Lexi had been nothing but someone Brittany could puppet to agree with her was sickening and almost too much for her to accept.
The moon was high up in the sky, and a menagerie of stars speckled in the blackness around it. Her closest approximation to what time it was was about midnight or 1 in the brunette pulled her knees to her chest on the rolling chair and leaned her forehead against the window, letting out a sigh. Her breath fogged up the window, and she watched as the edges slowly disappeared, the circle growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely.
Brittany was a killer. She hadn't dared ask the black-haired woman directly, but the facts weren't adding up to the story she'd told them. And every sign screamed that this was an intentionally attempt to convince Lexi to join her through guilt. Just another tally on the manipulation list.
Soft footsteps in the distance made her heart drop, and she grabbed for the handgun at her belt, standing from the chair.
They slowly ascended the steps, and Lexi was nearly in tears as Brittany emerged from the top, stopping when she noticed Lexi standing there, pointing the gun in her direction. The knife in her hand gleamed against the moonlight that filtered through the window.
So this is what it would come to...
"Why?" She whispered with quivering lip, the first tear sliding down her cheek as Brittany smiled.
"This is what you wanted, right?" Brittany said just as quietly, gesturing with the knife to the sleeping men nearby. Her smile was content, almost smug, despite walking closer to the gun. "To just get rid of me?"
Lexi's head shook adamantly, feeling the gun shake in her hands. She didn't want to do this. "Brit, please don't do this."
"I should have realized it sooner. You already wrote me off as dead, found yourself some new friends, so I guess you never really needed me all that much to begin with. You want to walk away from me again? Ok. Fine." She spread her hands apart and shrugged, her smile fading. "But I'm not making it easy on you. Not like last time."
"Please-"
"No." She interrupted, finally stopping with her chest pressed against the barrel of the gun. "If you're going to abandon a friend, leave her to die alone, then you're going to do it now. You're gonna shoot me in the chest, and you'll have my blood on your hands, and you'll see my face for the rest of your life because I'll make damn sure you feel guilty about it."
The barrel wavered as Lexi shook with anxiety and grief, but stayed fixed where her heart sat, inches away. Her vision was going blurry with the tears, but she simply blinked them away.
"I don't want to kill you." She sobbed in a harsh whisper.
"I know. That's why I'm still gonna give you a choice." The knife lowered, pointing towards Shachi's head several feet away. "I'll take him out first, then his friend, and then Law. Quick and silent. You won't have to kill a soul. And then we can take their stuff and survive together. Just like we used to. You and me against the world.
"Or," the knife eased back down next to her leg, "you kill me to save your new friends, the ones you've replaced me with."
She stated it so bluntly, as if her death was of zero importance to her. Did she care so little about herself? Or maybe she was just that confident that Lexi couldn't pull the trigger on her. Lexi wasn't even confident of that herself.
"So, what's it gonna be, Lex?"
"What really happened out there?" She questioned suddenly, trying desperately to try to stall for time. For what purpose, she still wasn't altogether sure. "To Candice and Natalya?"
Brittany rolled her eyes. "Does it even matter?"
Lexi nodded, fingers adjusting themselves on the grip of the gun. The woman sighed, but smiled ruefully.
"You've always been smart. I should have figured lying was a waste of breath."
"You killed them, didn't you?" Lexi guessed, and Brittany nodded.
"I had to, so you would come with me. But that was a waste of time too." Her expression never changed, never fluctuated or displayed any sign of guilt whatsoever. "Natalya tried fighting back, but it didn't do her much good."
The brunette didn't know what to say, her mouth dry. She blinked away more tears, unable to think of anything else to ask in order to stall this further. Part of her debated making a loud noise to wake the others up, but she wasn't confident that Brittany wouldn't get to one of them before she could shoot her down in all the confusion.
An impossible choice; choose the lives of the companions she'd come to know and love over the past months, or choose Brittany. Well...whatever was left of her. The woman that stood in front of Lexi was barely recognizable as the bubbly, outgoing, and confident woman from college. Only the outer shell remained. She had Brittany's face, but someone else stood in her shoes, desperately holding on to Lexi's emotions and refusing to let go.
"Come on, don't leave me standing here all night. Are you with me?" Brittany asked, smiling hopefully.
Lexi couldn't look away from her face, memorizing the way she looked one last time while she could. It was obvious to her, now that she really took a closer look. Brittany had died a long time ago. It was time to let go. Time to move on.
She adjusted her aim and squeezed without thinking about it further. The shot was loud in the enclosed space of the office, and the boys startled awake the instant she'd pulled the trigger. Shachi and Penguin yelled out in surprise, still unsure of what was happening, while Law immediately went for his sword laying nearby.
Brittany's body collapsed to the ground before they got their wits about them, the clear bullet hole in her forehead leaking blood into the short carpet. The larger exit wound began spreading a rapidly-widening puddle of blood underneath her. The knife lay beside her where it had fallen.
At least she won't come back as one of those...things.
Lexi lowered the gun, eyes affixed to the body. She couldn't really hear what the others were saying to her, it all was a fog. Or maybe the loud sound had popper her eardrum. But those dead eyes, and the slack jaw...it was too horrifying to look away from.
She vaguely felt as someone gently took the gun from her hands. The moment she no longer felt the metal, reality seemed to snap itself back into place, and both Shachi and Penguin were talking to her all at once.
Law chastised them for something, and the incessant talking went away She felt his warm hands on her shoulders again, standing to block her view at Brittany. He looked distressed.
"Are you injured?" He asked slowly, trying to break through her thoughts, eyes trailing her body for any sign of harm. She shook her head mutely, tears still leaking from the corners of her eyes. He winced, swiping the moisture from her cheeks away with his thumb.
She saw Shachi and Penguin bring one of their blankets over to the body, most likely to cover it so she wouldn't have to see. Law guided her to a chair and she sat numbly, eyes stuck to the sheet that was quickly being stained with red.
"What happened?" Law asked quietly, drawing her attention.
"She didn't give me a choice." Came her miserable reply, the dam to her crying slowly breaking. It shattered a second later, and he didn't hesitate to draw her into his arms, allowing her to let out her sobbing as long as she needed to into the fabric of his shirt.
Law caught Shachi and Penguin's eyes, but they were already preparing to move the dead woman's body before he had to ask. The brunette clung to him for dear life, her muffled cries painful to his ears. This was exactly what he'd been hoping to avoid.
He spent a long time just holding Lexi, not minding that his right shoulder was soaked because of her tears. Shachi and Penguin came back from taking care of the body, using one of Brittany's own blankets to cover the spot on the floor that was now stained deep red. They weren't sure what to do after that, and simply sat, waiting for Lexi to settle.
Eventually, she had spent herself to depletion, both in tears and energy, and her pitiful sobs had quieted into grief-stricken whimpers, until finally her breathing evened out and she fell into a deep sleep.
Law shared a concerned glance with his two friends, worried what this might do to her psyche. It had been an emotionally taxing day for her, and this had just exacerbated it. The sense of urgency to leave the office disappeared too, as there was no threat to distance themselves from anymore. But one thing was still certain, especially after all of this.
They weren't staying here any longer than they had to. It was time to move on. Somewhere that didn't hold painful memories for the brunette.
ns 15.158.61.5da2
