The Midnight Cleaning Company

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

I woke at sunset. The windows had been boarded up as much to keep the lamp light inside from exposing the building's occupancy, as to keep daylight out, but there was a few cracks in the wood, through which the amber light of sunset streamed through in narrow beams. The light splashed against the wooden door. I lay on top of the comfortable dust covered bed and watched the blood-orange puddles of dim sunlight slide slowly down the door as day turned to night.

Having still not replaced my lost watch I was unsure of the exact time. I clambered out of bed and left the room, keen to share my plan with the others. On the way through the old fashioned and crumbling hotel hallway, I knocked on Andre's and George's doors to rouse them for our rendezvous back at the VIP lounge.

"Out in a minute", Andre's tired voice rang out from inside, sounding irritated at being woken. Whilst I waited for Andre, George's door swung open. Josephine sauntered out, buttoning up her silk blouse.

"Bonsoir", she greeted me as she strut past.

"Good evening", I replied.

"Who knew George had such game!" laughed Andre from where he leant on his door frame.

"Those two used to be married... I suppose they still are considering she is not actually dead", I mused.

"Cleaners marry each other?" Andre asked, astonished, "it's hardly a romantic lifestyle".

I laughed until the dust in the air made me cough.

"They were married before they were turned", I told him. "They were turned later on in The War than me. George fought in the British army and was wounded at Ypres. He met a nurse at the field hospital, they fell in love, married, and settled down in her village after the big Human war ended",

Georges door opened again and he emerged.

"If you are going to take it upon yourself to tell my life story, at least get the facts right", he interrupted with mock sternness followed by a rare smile. "It was The Somme, not Ypres".

The three of us walked down the dingy corridor to the entrance to the club while George took over telling his story to Andre. The light hearted sarcasm quickly disappeared.

"We lived in her parent's cottage in a village in Normandy... we were still newly-weds when the Cleaners came and turned the entire village to bolster their ranks".

"Everyone in the whole village?" Andre asked.

"Yes... and the three nearest ones too, under the guise of the Spanish Flu epidemic", George replied.

"What happened to Josephine's parents?" asked Andre.

"They were old and did not survive the first battle that we were forced to fight. I had been a soldier, and you have seen how tough Josephine is. We fought hard against the Rogues that had killed her parents... I suppose we should have instead sought revenge on the ones that put us in that situation..". George's voice trailed off as he came to that realisation.

We reached the VIP lounge where both Vincent and Josephine were waiting. On a silver tray sat five steaming mugs of coffee. The Rogues that had lounged around the cavernous building the night before, had yet to wake. The club seemed much larger in their absence. We took our seats on the white leather sofa opposite our hosts.

Vincent poured blood from a small white milk jug into his coffee. The scent caught my attention so I did the same as soon as he replaced the jug onto the table. The blood turned black as it mixed into the hot coffee. The last of the dark scarlet swirl faded into the steaming black liquid as I stirred the drink with a teaspoon. My two favourite scents combined into the perfect stimulating and refreshing concoction.