The World's Last Breaths: Final Winter, Animal Kingdom, and The Peeling Page 14

  Danny dove onto a pile of cushions, performing a messy elbow drop like one of his wrestling idols. Joe sat down beside him. “You okay, buddy?”

  Danny nodded emphatically. “I’m super-duper… Dad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Why were you mean to Mrs. Shirley?”

  Joe sighed. How did you explain it to a child? “She’s a bit mixed up, Danny, and I don’t want her to tell you things that are silly. Sometimes adults can get stuff wrong, too.”

  “She was just telling me stories.”

  Joe tussled Danny’s hair. “I know, son. Just promise me you won’t listen to her anymore, okay? If you want a story then just ask me.”

  Danny nodded, but seemed to be thinking about something. “Mommy used to tell me stories.”

  Joe felt a knot in his stomach, tying and untying itself with every breath. “I know she used to. You’re mommy was a lovely lady.”

  Was? Dammit, I should have said ‘is’.

  Danny didn’t seem to pick up on the past tense. “When can I go home and see her? I want to tell her about all of the animals, and how you’ve been saving everybody. Maybe if I tell her she’ll like you again.”

  Joe thought about that. It had been so long since there had been anything but acrimony between him and Jane that the thought of her being proud of him was alien – but the notion was a comforting one. It was fantasy, though, because Joe knew that Danny’s mother was dead. She had to be. No way could she have survived.

  “Dad? When can I go home?”

  “I don’t think we can go home just yet, Danny. At least not for a little while.”

  “But what about Mommy? She’ll be missing me, and she’ll be mad at you. I don’t like it when she’s mad at you.”

  Me either, son. Me either.

  Joe pulled Danny in close across his lap and stroked his soft blond hair. “She’ll understand. She won’t be mad as long as we keep ourselves safe.”

  “She’s dead isn’t she?”

  Hearing such a thing from his son – and so suddenly – was like an unexpected punch to the gut.

  What on Earth do I say? Is it kinder to lie?

  Joe thought about things for almost a full minute before he gave an answer. “Yes, Danny, I think she probably is. I’m sorry. I loved her too.”

  Beneath his breath, Danny began whispering names, sobbing between each one. “Bulldog, Owen Hart, Andre the Giant, Miss Elizabeth, Macho Man, Texas Tornado, Bam Bam Bigelow, Luna Vachon, Earthquake, Bossman, Yokozuna, Mr Perfect, Rick Rude, Mommy.” Joe knew that each name his son said was a wrestling hero that had passed away tragically. And he had just added his mother to that list.

  One hour later, Grace entered the room. Joe sighed with relief. He wanted to know what was going on, to see if Bill was okay, but he wasn’t about to leave Danny alone with Shirley again. Now that Grace was here he could find out.

  “He’s going to be okay,” she said before he even had chance to ask. “At least I think so. The wound looked worse than it was and I managed to clean it up and stitch it pretty well.”

  Joe tipped his head back and let out a long hiss of air before looking at Grace and smiling. “That’s such a relief. We all owe you. How did you learn to stitch wounds?”

  Grace turned away from him and looked at the ground.

  Joe quickly understood. She knows because of having to stitch her own self-inflicted wounds.

  Grace came and sat on the cushions beside Joe and Danny. She placed a hand on his knee. “I hate to ask, after what you did for me, but did you manage to--”

  “I’m sorry,” Joe said. “I had your bag, but they…”

  Grace’s eyes filled with tears and her lower lip quivered. “That’s okay,” she said. “You shouldn’t have even tried. It was horrible of me to even have asked you.” She squeezed at his knee. “Thank you for trying.”

  Joe stared down at the floor, examining each tiny carpet fibre. “I’m just sorry I failed. How did you even know I tried? You were asleep when Bill and I left.”

  “Mason realised that you were gone and woke me up. I made him go after you, although he seemed like he would have anyway.”

  “I owe Mason my life.”

  Grace laughed. “I think a lot of people owe their lives to someone at the moment. We’ll have to make a chart or something.”

  Joe giggled and put his hand on top of hers. “You know, you’re the only thing that can make me smile since this whole thing happened. Well…you and Danny, of course.”

  Grace seemed to blush. “I’m glad. I like it when you smile.”

  Joe suddenly had a thought that knocked away the levity. “What are we going to do without your pills?”

  We? Why do I feel so protective of this girl?

  Grace’s face sagged. “I really don’t know. I’ve never been able to fight the urges in the past. They’ve always managed to ruin my life. Even now they’re beginning to eat away at me. It’s like little shards of glass inside my brain.

  “God…” said Joe.

  Grace smiled and seemed suddenly hopeful. “But in the past I never had you looking after me.”

  Joe felt teary again, the emotional hole from earlier not yet fully sealed. He pulled Grace in close and she rested her head on his thigh. Danny slept on the other. Despite everything that had happened, the feeling of their bodies against his made everything feel better. Made him think that things might be okay as long as they had each other.

  We need to stick together.

  24

  Joe was surprised when Bill entered the room flanked by Mason, Randall, and Victor. He had a heavy limp and his leg was bandaged from his knee upwards. Otherwise he seemed okay. Grace had done a good job.

  Joe would have stood up if it were not for Danny and Grace’s sleeping bodies weighing him down. Instead he raised both hands out towards his friend. “Bill, you’re walking about like nothing happened.”

  Bill smiled. “I’ve been better, but I’ll live.”

  Victor patted Bill on the back and looked at Joe. “Your lass did a good job.”

  My lass? Who says she’s my lass?

  “Yes,” said Randall. “She did us all a great service.”

  Joe scrunched up his face. “Great service? You sound like a politician.”

  “Perhaps in the current circumstances, I am. In fact that’s what we are all about to discuss.”

  “Discuss?”

  Randall perched himself down on the edge of a table. “Leadership, my friend. We need to put some rules in place if we have even a slim chance of making it through.”

  Joe sighed and shook his head. “Let me guess: you’re putting yourself forward?”

  “Not at all,” said Randall. “I suggest a democratic vote. What other way is there?”

  “How very noble.”

  Randall smiled at Joe as if they were best friends. “I will of course put myself forward as a candidate. With my business background and age I feel I would be best suited to the job, but of course that is for everyone else to decide.”

  “Do we have any other volunteers?” Grace asked, pulling her head away from Joe’s lap, not asleep like they had assumed.

  “Not yet,” Randall told her, looking down at her position on Joe’s lap with what looked like disapproval. “Now would be the time for people to put themselves forward.”

  “I think Mason should be in charge,” said Joe. “He’s educated and an expert on animals. Plus this is his zoo.”

  “And it’s my building,” said Randall, “but I digress. I think Mason would be a wonderful candidate.”

  “Except for the fact that I am not volunteering,” Mason said. “I’m not cut out to make decisions. I’m a scholar; comfortable alone in a room full of books. I don’t wish to have that responsibility.”

  Joe deflated. The only respectable contender against Randall for leadership would have been the zoo’s curator. Without Mason, who else was there?”

  “I put forward Joe,” said Bill, trying to take th
e weight off his injured leg by sitting on a pile of cushions. “He’s a risk taker, but he always does what’s right.”

  “I agree,” said Grace. “He’s done nothing but put other people first since this whole thing began.”

  Randall smiled, the expression drenched in condescension. “My dear, Joe has a son to look after, and that would only compromise his ability to lead. I very much doubt that he would want to-”

  “I volunteer,” said Joe, cutting Randall off mid-patronisation. “Politicians have children and families.”

  Randall sighed. “Okay then. We have two candidates. Is everyone ready to vote?” He looked down at Danny, sleeping soundly, and added, “Over-eighteens only, of course.”

  Everyone sat patiently while Victor used a marker to scrawl the words JOE and RANDALL on the seminar room’s whiteboard.

  “Okay,” said Victor. “I’ll chair the vote and ask you one by one to give me your choice between Joe and Randall. We’ll start with you, Shirley.”

  Shirley nodded and allowed herself to think. Joe suspected it was just for show and was not surprised when she answered. “I pick Mr. Randall.”

  “Okay,” said Victor. “How about you, Grace? Should I even bother asking?”

  “Joe is the best man by far.”

  “Thanks for that, lass.” Victor drew a scratch below each of the names on the board.

  A tie so far.

  “I vote for Joe too,” said Bill before he was even asked. Joe nodded a silent thanks to the man.

  “Hold your horses,” said Victor. “I’m in control of this thing, so let’s speak when spoken too, yeah?” Despite his assertions, Victor put another scratch below Joe’s name. He then put another one beneath Randall’s.

  “Hey,” said Grace. “What’s that for?”

  “That’s for my vote, lass. We have a tiebreaker. Mason it falls to you.”

  Joe smiled. It’s in the bag. No way is Mason going to vote for that egotistical prick.

  “I vote for Randall,” said Mason, seeming to choke on the words as they came out of his throat.

  Grace leapt to her feet and threw out her arms. “What? How can you not vote for Joe? We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.”

  “I’m aware of that. Although earlier I saved his life in return, so perhaps that makes us even.”

  Joe shook his head, genuinely shocked. “Why, Mason?”

  Mason couldn’t look him in the eye. “I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt, and as Bill said earlier, you’re a risk taker. I think things will be a little more stable if Randall makes decisions. And after all, this is his building.”

  “Bullshit!” Grace screamed at him. “You’re a spineless bastard. He said something to make you vote for him, didn’t he?”

  “Now, now, Grace. I do not wish to hear any talk of corruption.” Randall wagged his finger back and forth. “Not under my regime.”

  Grace cackled. “Regime? There’re five people here, you big-headed prick. You’re not the prime minister! You’re just a sad little man that wants to be in charge of all the toys because no one will play with him otherwise.”

  Randall turned to Victor. “Control her, please.”

  Victor shot forward and twisted Grace’s arm behind her back. She squealed.

  Joe rushed the Scotsman, ready to take him down, but, before he knew what happened, something cracked against the bridge of his nose. He staggered backwards, blood and snot flowing between his fingers. When he looked up, through blurry eyes, he could see that Victor was holding Martha against Grace’s throat. He’d smacked Joe in the face with the thick handle before turning the blade on his hostage.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Bill shouted, hands on top of his head.

  Randall held a hand up like he was talking to a church full of worshippers. “My first order of business is about the adherence to law and general obedience of the group. Victor is now the group’s Marshall and will deal forcefully with any disruption. From now on he will also be the only person with access to weapons. I took the liberty earlier of dispensing most of them to a secure place.”

  Joe spat bloody-mucous onto the floor. “And why did you do that if you didn’t know you would get the vote?”

  Randall let a smarmy grin creep onto his face. “It was just a precaution. A shrewd one, I believe. Victor will now escort Grace to my office until she calms down.”

  “What happened to this being a democracy?” said Joe, still blinking tears from the blow to his nose.

  Victor answered on Randall’s behalf. “The vote was democratic. Now that it’s been dealt with, consider this a dictatorship. It’s for your own good.”

  “Indeed,” Randall seconded.

  Victor strong-armed a protesting Grace through the door and out into the corridor, disappearing a moment later. Bill limped up to Joe and stood beside him, facing down Randall. “You’re not going to get away with this!” he vowed.

  “With what?” Randall scoffed. “I was voted in lawfully and am leading as I see fit. It is for your own good. With time you will learn to love my regime. I’m certain of it. And if not then you will most definitely respect it.”

  Joe took Bill away from the scene. He could see the man was ready to explode. “Come on, Bill, we’ll deal with him somehow. Let’s not worry for now.”

  “I hope that’s not conspiring I hear, gentlemen. I take a very dim view of plotting.”

  Joe glared. “Oh, don’t you worry, Randall. We’ll play up to your delusions for now, but just remember that when the situation comes that you need our help, you won’t get it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a matter of time until you fall on your fat ass.”

  “Perhaps, but until then you will do as I command, or face the consequences.”

  Joe nodded. “Fair enough.”

  But sooner or later I’ll make sure that the consequences are for you….my friend.

  25

  Things are coming along nicely, Randall told himself. The group was under control and would obey his commands. If they did not, Victor would happily show them the error of their ways.

  After making an offer that Mason could not refuse, and with Bill being injured, there was now only Joe to worry about.

  But there are plenty of options to make that over-sized brute behave. Like his son, or the girl.

  Speaking of the girl, Randall thought he should go see her and explain what was expected of her, going forward. It would not do to have her kicking up a fuss again. It was bad for morale.

  He crossed the room and exited into the corridor. Victor was coming back the other way, jangling a set of keys between his fingers. When he saw Randall, he handed them over.

  “Everything under control?” Randall asked.

  “Aye, she’s sitting pretty in your office. Feisty one, that lass.”

  “Isn’t she just. I’m going to have to keep an eye on her. In fact I’m going to go see her right now.”

  Victor nodded. “I’ll look after things until you get back.”

  “Good man!” Randall walked away. The door to his office was locked and he used the keys to open it. When he open the door, Grace rushed at him. A swift backhand soon put her in her place.

  She fell to the floor, palm against her bleeding lip. “You bastard!” she hissed.

  Randall placed himself down on a swivel chair up against the room’s desk. He folded his hands in front of himself and placed them in his lap. “Listen here, young lady. You better get used to the way things will be running around here or else you’re going to find yourself locked up more often than not. Things here are very delicate and it would be best if you let the grown-ups handle things.”

  Grace climbed back to her feet and scowled at him. “You have no right!”

  “I was given the right by a vote.”

  “A vote you fixed.”

  “Such accusations will not be tolerated – especially ones without substance. Now, if I hear such things again, I will see that you spend an entire week in he
re alone.”

  The girl’s eyes grew wide with fear and Randall had to fight the urge to gloat that his threat had subdued her.

  “You can’t leave me alone in here. Please,” she said. “You have to let me out.”

  Randall’s thin lips stretched wide. “Not until you learn how to behave, young lady.”

  “I’ll behave,” she cried. “Just don’t lock me up.”

  Randall thought for a moment. What on Earth has taken the fight out of her so quickly? Surely it can’t just be the threat of incarceration? Either way, it’s a lot of fun watching her beg. Maybe I can even get her on her knees.

  “Why are you so afraid of being locked up, my dear?”

  Grace looked away, avoiding his attempts to make eye contact. “I…just don’t like being alone.”

  “Then perhaps a day alone will be a suitable enough punishment to teach you some respect.”

  Grace lunged across the desk, the act so ferocious that Randall was in awe of how quickly she was upon him with her hands around his throat. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her back, slamming her down onto the desk and pinning her. He moved his face close to hers, their noses only centimetres apart. “Now listen here, sweetheart. There’s a new mayor in town and you better learn real fast to respect him. You hear me?” He yanked harder on her hair and she yelped. Tears spilled from her eyes. “Now I’m gonna leave you here on your own so you can do some thinking. When I decide to let you out, I hope to see a significant change in your behaviour.”

  Grace began sobbing, but he cut her off by shoving his tongue into her mouth. She struggled and fought to remove him, but he held the kiss a few seconds more until he was satisfied.

  I love it when they fight.

  Randall broke away and Grace spat on the floor, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. He moved towards the door, but turned to face her one last time before he left. “You know, with a mouth like that, I may just make you my First Lady.”

  Randall slammed the door and locked it, leaving Grace alone with her tears.