Survive the Night

18

Victoria was delirious. Kevin could see it in her face as she writhed gently beneath the covers of his bed. As he'd been coming upstairs, he'd heard commotion coming from Sasha's room. Maybe he should go check it out, he thought momentarily. He looked at Victoria again. She'd lost so much weight since he last saw her. And her hair was warped and greasy, looking like wet vines floating in a swamp. He knew she'd pissed herself, because the smell was eminent. Either way, he was overwhelmed with joy that he'd found her. I saved her life, he thought cheerfully. I did something good in this house of evil. A spit to Abner's face.

He rose from the bed and glanced back, thinking about Sasha again. She needed him too. Maybe his presence might save her life in the same way. Ok, he decided. Only for a minute, though.

He walked out of the room and could hear noise coming from behind their closed door. Voices trying to calm her tantrum. He didn't bother knocking and opened the door. Sasha was on the bed weeping, or laughing, he couldn't tell. Ashley and Winston were looming over her, rubbing her hair and back gently. They looked up.

"Oh man. What happened to your leg, Kev?" Geo said, concerned.

Kevin ignored his question. "How is she?" he asked.

Winston nodded and side-glanced sadly at Sasha. "I think better. We're not sure."

Kevin nodded also and combed his fingers through his hair. "Winston, can you watch Sasha for a sec? I need to talk to Ashley alone."

Winston's suspicion flickered away as soon as it came and he nodded. "Sure."

Ashley looked more suspicious as she rose to follow him out of the room.

"What is it?" They were outside of the room. Kevin was resting his arm on a statue, keeping the weight off his leg.

"It's good news. But brace yourself anyway, because it's big news."

Ashley's eyes lit up, but confusion was apparent in her face. "Go ahead," she said.

"Vicky's alive. I found her."

Ashley didn't say anything, but began to stumble in waves. Kevin caught her.

"Tell me..." she said, her voice stiff with speculation. "Tell me this is the truth."

"It's the truth," Kevin said, even as she began to cry.

"Where is she?"

Kevin took her over to his room. Vicky was on the bed, asleep now. Ashley was trembling slightly. Her heart felt as if it was on a fiery skillet, being burned. Her mouth was dry.

"I swore she was dead," she said softly, afraid that Vicky might hear. "I heard voices, Kevin. For days I heard voices. They all laughed at me, they kept telling me she died. When I slept, I would see Victoria rotting somewhere underground; her body was bloating and her face caved in with rot. Abner convinced me, Kevin. Convinced me she'd died. I was certain."

Kevin put a hand on Ashley's shoulder. And then he turned her body toward Victoria, who was breathing as calmly as a child, her eyes stirring in dreams behind her eyelids.

"Kevin..." Ashley turned to him and embraced him. She was still crying when she turned her head and kissed his neck, much like Victoria had when he was carrying her away.

"I can't believe it," she said, wiping her tears away.

Kevin smiled. Ashley laughed sobbingly when she saw his expression. They both turned their heads to look at her again. Poor thing, Kevin thought. Bleak deserved to die for doing this. Then again, perhaps not. Maybe that's why Abner made him kill himself. To make sure Bleak would never say a word.