kindred

Chapter 33 : I'm going home

Addie eventually stood up, backing away from his frozen figure. His ring was still slightly clutched in her hand, she unfurled it, tracing the edges were his finger had been. 

Sliding it onto the end of her necklace chain, she clasped them both around her neck for safe keeping, keeping him close to her. 

Her body was numb, she couldn't feel the shards of glass from the windows embedded in her bare knees, or the large gashes that littered her face and arms through the torn up jumper. 

She turned to face the 3 cars, only 1 looking like a car, the other 2 an undistinguishable mess of metal, soot, flames and smoke. 

She approached the car, almost tripping over something on the floor. Looking down she realised what it was, their gun. 

She nudged it with her foot, it was heavy. Bending down Addie slid her hand across the smooth metal, she hoisted it off the floor, pointing it at a random tree. 

Pulling the trigger a bullet shot out, knocking her backwards off her feet. At least she knew it worked. She fumbled for the safety, eventually finding it and clicking it on, just so she didn't shoot herself. 

She dragged it with her to the rest of the car. The dark-haired man was dead as well, lying on the floor, his body even more mangled that Joe's. She couldn't see Shane, the fire too thick. 

She didn't even bother going to look at the other blasted car, knowing there would be no survivors. Her heart rate picked up as she crept towards the only standing vehicle.

The man in the front seat was slumped over the dashboard, eyes wide open, a hole in his temple. It didn't faze Addie, she had seen far worse. 'He deserved it' she told herself, but she wasn't kidding herself, no-one deserved death. 

The man who had shot the weird rocket thing in the back was also dead, she didn't even look at him. She opened the passenger door, climbing into the passenger seat, blood drying from the mans head on the seat. 

She fumbled through the glove box, looking for something, anything. There was nothing useful. She found 2 granola bars and a bottle of water, which she shoved in her pocket. 

She couldn't find a map, and didn't dare to touch their SatNav. She hopped out the car, retreating back to Joe. 

Gently she unfurled his hand from the knife, covering the clasp and putting it in her shoe, just like him. His handgun was still in his waistband, she hesitated but took it anyway. 

Wind whipped down the road, freezing Addie to the bone. She needed warmed clothes, and she knew where she could get them. But she didn't dare. She wasn't about to stoop so low as to take clothes from the dead. 

A thick droplet of water splashed onto her head, trickling down her skin. Rain. On seconds thought, she did need the clothes. 

The man Joe had shot outside the car was wearing a coat. It was a thin rain coat, but a coat all the same. Addie stared at him for a minute, asking herself is she could really touch him. 

His skin was warm as she pulled his hands out of the sleeves, the blood had matted his shirt, leaving a hole in the jacket. But she needed it. 

Once she had pulled the jacket off him she tipped it upside down, emptying the pockets. A pack of mint, some cigarettes and a lighter fell out. 

She didn't bother closing his eyes or saying sorry. He killed her brother. 

And she hated the stranger for it. 

She tugged his coat on, shoving the lighter back inside. It was then that she saw dots in the distance. 

Tiny little yellow lights far down the road, probably 6 of them. They were getting closer and it only took her a minute to realise it was 3 cars.