Brie stepped into the steamy shower. A big sigh escaped her as she felt the water hit her back and she watched as it turned a dark shade of red, running down her legs and washing away the collected blood she'd been stuck with for the last week. She scrubbed at her hair, feeling it untangle and finally come free from the prison of mats.
Finally able to relax, Brie found herself spiraling into a train of thought.
Could they trust John? He seemed friendly, but there were moments when he'd seem different. His personality was almost split.
She shrugged to herself in silence. Whatever was going on, it was better than their last situation.
She didn't stay in the shower for too long. She carefully stepped out onto the cold tiles and grabbed a towel, skillfully covering herself and searching for the spare clothes John had supposedly left them. She hated the clothes they wore before. The uniform was uncomfortable and tight, yet it was all they had.
She spotted a neatly folded pile of clothes draped off a bench. The bathroom was huge for a police station. It had 2 showers, a few stalls, lockers, and a bench. She picked them up and glanced suspiciously at the style.
He'd grabbed what could possibly be the edgiest clothes possible. There was a grey cropped jumper, ripped jeans, and cargo boots fit for a goth. Brie had to admit, as she glanced in the mirror she looked good.
She walked out and spotted Melissa playing with a wooden doll that fit into her small hands. It bounced along the floor as she spoke to herself, creating imaginary fantasies to hide the horrors of reality. Brie noticed that she was wearing a dress, that fit her perfectly. It was a red and black polka-dot that reached her knees.
"Hey, where'd you get this beautiful dress from?" Brie crouched down to her level and watched as Mel did a small twirl to show off her new look.
"John gave me it! I look like a princess." She perched back down onto the floor and continued to play.
It was oddly strange that John had picked out what seemed to be a perfect match of clothing for the group. Maybe there was a clothes store nearby.
As Brie wandered back into the main room, she spotted Adam stretching. He also had fitting clothes. A jumper and joggers. This was too coincidental.
"Hey, John," Brie spoke up, catching their attention quickly. "Where'd you get these clothes from?"
John's face seemed to freeze for a second before he responded. "I got them from other people." He smiled, his eyes gazing into hers with an unspoken hostility. He was daring her to say more, yet the fire in his eyes told her it would do her no good.
"Sweet. I like them, thank you." She blinked away from his threatening gaze and looked at Adam who had a confused expression. He hoisted his knife in his palm, weighing it.
"What's our next move?" He looked to John and Brie with expectations but received nothing back.
"I want to stay here so we can regain our strength." Brie nodded confidently, looking to John for approval. He scratched his chin, scraping at the small stubble he had.
"Of course," He grumbled and stretched. "I'll be on watch tonight in case anyone tries to break in. You lot should get some sleep." John turned and began to walk to the entrance of the building.
Brie lay down on the settee and they dimmed the lights. She sighed, sinking into the cushions. Closing her eyes, she found herself drifting away almost instantly.
~
Brie stood in a closed-off room. No door was to be found, yet bright lights blazed down at her with a forceful buzz. "Hello?" She looked around, squinting to see if there was more to this room. As she turned, she spotted a body on the floor. She gasped.
"Adam!" She fell onto her knees and grabbed at his cheek, trying to check if he was alive. He opened his eyes. His iris was a bright red. It reminded Brie of some kind of demon.
"What's going on?" She held his face softly as his eyes searched hers. He opened his mouth, but only blood came out. He choked, gagging out lumps of red and climbing onto his knees for ease.
His eyes seemed to roll back and a feeling of deja vu washed over Brie. He was transforming into a walker.
She cried out, unsure of how to react. If he turned right now, she'd have to kill him for her own survival.
He stood, swaying on his feet but staring straight at Brie. His mouth opened once again, and he managed to speak.
"Kill me, please."
~
Brie's eyes opened quickly. She nestled into the cushions of the settee, wiping her sweat and glancing into the darkness. She was only dreaming.
Down the hallway, she spotted a figure. His eyes glinted from a flicker of light through the window. It was John. He stared straight into her soul, a grin planted on his malevolent face.
"You woke up." He spoke with an tone that made Brie shudder with disgust.
"Can I help you?" Brie spoke politely, watching through the shadows as he stepped forward.
He paused for a moment, his grin faltering. He then let out a big sigh, turned around, and left without responding.
Five whole minutes of silence felt like an hour for Brie. What just happened? She lay her head back down and closed her eyes. John seemed sketchy, but she couldn't pinpoint what he was doing that made her think that. Sure, staring at her while she slept was a bit creepy but she might've been sleep-talking. Anyways, who gave him so many options for clothing?
She needed rest, desperately. The thinking would have to wait until tomorrow.