DEFEATISM

26

Tempest knocks on the door, slamming her fists.

Benedict wakes up. He can hear the water rushing. He searches his bed and finds the flashlight. He flicks it on and sees the water on his floor. He bends over to the other side of his bed, grabbing his housecoat and his rain boots.

"Coming!" he manages, wrestling on the rainboots, without socks. He gets to his drawer and shoves some socks in his pocket.

Benedict looks out, and sees Tempest, raincoat soaking wet, eyes thin as she winces away from the light. He shines the flashlight down the hallway.

"It's flooding on fourth!" she shouts.

He moves the light to the ceiling. Nothing is dripping from down here. Sixth will be fine. The building doesn't go higher than sixth.

"Okay, no flashlight?" he asks.

When she shakes his head, he passes her his flashlight. He can use the one on his keychain, which his parents made him take given his proclivity for late-night walks. It is barely as strong as a reading light, but Tempest won't know.

"Go wake up the people on sixth," he tells her. "You wake up everyone on the west side. I'll handle the east."

With the flashlight in her hands, Tempest tightens her grip. She nods at Benedict, and then again.

"You'll be okay?" Tempest asks, looking him over.

Benedict's jaw tightens, "yeah. I've got this. Go!"

Tempest doesn't need anymore of an answer. She trudges through the water, her path now lit, heading upstairs.

In his room, Benedict grabs his keychain. He puts his socks on and then starts to move. It's entirely too dark. The water will slow him down to get to Elodie's floor, and they need a Deus Ex Machina now.

The closest thing they have is Marcellus, who lives on the east side of the second floor.

Benedict turns and heads to the western stairwell. He hurries down the stairs, nearly tripping all over his clunky boots. He gets to the second floor, which is entirely dry, so at least the water hasn't hit the second floor yet. He darts past Callie's room, since maybe he won't need to wake her for a while in Marcellus can fix their problem.

He knocks on the door.

On the other side, Marcellus wakes up with a sharp breath. Elodie clings onto him tightly.

"What time is it?" he asks, blinking.

He tries to move but Elodie melts into him. It's Christmas morning, and she would rather sleep in. As always, her mother and father aren't waiting downstairs. This year, there isn't even cinnamon buns for breakfast or her brothers.

"Stay with me," she asks.

Marcellus rubs his fingers along her skin. She's prickly. It's getting colder without the power. He doesn't think he can make himself get up, nevermind she wants him to stay. It's too cold.

The pounding increases. Marcellus hears Benedict's voice, "hey, I'm not playing around. Let me in your stupid fucking room."

Marcellus groans. He sits up. Elodie feels herself freeze, crawling tightly beneath the blankets. He makes his way to the door, wiping at his eyes.

He opens the door, staring at Benedict, wincing away from the light.

"Are you seriously answering the door in boxers?" Benedict asks. "You're so unprofessional."