Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 56: Run, Golden!

Chapter 56: Run, Golden!

The words of forgiveness were there, but Garvin’s tone carried a hard edge, and the look in his eyes hinted at something darker brewing beneath the surface. The storm raged on outside, rain falling in heavy sheets, accompanied by loud claps of thunder that shook the ground.

Garvin sat alone, separated from the group, his heart weighed down by Scarlett’s death. He couldn’t shake the morbid thought that if he dug her up, brought her out of the soil again, she might somehow come back to life.

Larry, Louise, and Maya sat together, their expressions equally grim. The tour lights in their hands did little to lift the oppressive gloom that had settled over them.

"Do you think Garvin would be okay?" Maya asked, her gaze drifting to Garvin, who sat with his back to them, his figure a shadow against the dim firelight. She sighed, looking back at the group. "He won’t even talk to us. It’s like he’s completely shut us out."

"What do you expect?" Louise replied, his tone edged with frustration. "Garvin and Scarlett were close. Too close, maybe. I’m guessing they knew each other from back on Earth, even though they never talked about it. Then, that motherfucker show up kills her." He shot a sharp, accusatory glare at Ethan, who sat apart from the group, his head bowed in silent anguish.

"Louise," Maya said, a warning note in her voice. "You can’t just...."

Louise cut her off. "I’m not wrong, Maya. Ethan said it himself. Scarlett turned before he killed her. But maybe Garvin can’t forgive that. Hell, I’m not sure I can, either."

Larry, his expression more thoughtful than angry, broke the tense silence. "I’ve got a bad feeling about Garvin tonight. If he decides to sneak out while we’re asleep..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "With the injury to his arm, he won’t survive. Not out there. Not with the monsters roaming around. I’ll make sure there’s enough security," he added firmly. "I’m not letting him throw his life away."

"If he wants to go, let him," Louise said, his words dropping like a stone into the conversation, shocking both Larry and Maya.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Maya snapped, her voice rising in anger. "You want him to get himself killed?"

Louise sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "It’s not that. I just... I get it, okay? He needs to see Scarlett’s grave for himself. To know for sure. If it were me, I’d probably feel the same. Besides, I’m not convinced Scarlett’s really dead."

"That’s ridiculous," Larry said, though his voice held a tinge of doubt. "You’ve seen what these monsters can do. Powers or not, we’re still human. We can still die."

"Exactly," Louise countered. "But what if...."

"No." Larry cut him off. "Ethan said Scarlett turned. That’s it. Powers don’t stop you from turning if you’re bitten. They don’t make us invincible I guess. Atleast that has been confirmed by Scarlett transformation and death."

Maya, her expression worried, chimed in. "If people with powers can still die, then how many of us are even left? How many have already turned? How many more will die before this is over?"

Louise set his jaw, refusing to back down. "I don’t care what Ethan said. I’ll go with Garvin if he tries to leave. Maybe seeing her grave will help him move on."

Larry sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Fine. If you’re both going, then I’m coming too. Someone needs to make sure you idiots don’t get yourselves killed. The area’s crawling with monsters, and you never know what you’ll run into out there."

Louise clapped him on the shoulder, his expression one of genuine gratitude. "Thanks, man. I feel a lot better knowing you’ve got our backs."

As the night deepened, the group attempted to get some rest, though the oppressive tension made sleep nearly impossible. Maya, Larry, and Louise took turns keeping watch, their eyes flicking toward Garvin every so often to ensure he didn’t slip away unnoticed.

Garvin, however, sat rigidly by the window, his gaze fixed on the storm raging outside. His mind was a storm of its own, consumed by thoughts of Scarlett. He couldn’t shake the irrational hope that she was still out there, waiting for him.

Hours passed, the wind howling and the rain pounding relentlessly against the building. Visibility was nearly zero, but Maya, who was on watch, suddenly stiffened, her voice barely above a whisper. "Guys... I think I saw something moving out there."

Larry and Louise were on their feet instantly, their eyes scanning the darkness. Even Garvin stirred, his heart racing as he joined them.

"What is it?" Garvin demanded, his voice low but urgent.

"I don’t know," Maya said, her eyes narrowed as she strained to see. "It looks like... a figure."

"A figure?" Garvin echoed, his voice barely audible. He stepped closer to the door, his heart pounding.

A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the clearing, and Garvin’s breath caught. There was indeed a figure, standing just beyond the treeline. "Scarlett?" he whispered, hope surging in his chest.

But as the figure stepped closer, his hope crumbled. It wasn’t Scarlett. It was a young girl, no older than twelve. Behind her, shadows shifted, and Garvin’s blood ran cold as he spotted the creatures pursuing her.

"Wait! That’s Golden!" Garvin exclaimed, his eyes wide with recognition.

"Golden? Are you sure?" Louise asked, already moving toward the door.

"It’s her!" Garvin said, urgency lacing his voice.

"Open the gate!" Larry barked orders, and two burly men rolled the iron gate upward. Garvin, Louise, Maya, and even Ethan rushed out into the storm. The girl was running as fast as her small legs could carry her, but the monsters were gaining ground.

Ethan and Larry acted quickly, hurling flames toward the creatures. Some were engulfed and fell, their dying screams echoing through the storm, but more kept coming.

"Run, Golden!" Garvin shouted, his voice carrying over the howling wind.

Golden stumbled and fell, a monster closing in on her. Ethan moved like a flash, severing the creature’s head with a blade of flame, buying her enough time to scramble to her feet and keep running.

The group fought fiercely, their powers barely holding the monsters at bay. Finally, Golden reached Garvin, her face lighting up with relief. But before she could embrace him, an horror long tongue shot out from the shadows, piercing her frail body and lifting her off the ground.