Fatal Attractions

Chapter Fourteen: Gone Berserk

Juliet did not know if it was night or day. Hours had passed since they first laid eyes on the berserkers. Dr. Cross's blood had seeped under the doorsill.

Ransacking the room hadn't amounted to much. The only edible thing in the doctor's office was a pack of gum, which the children smacked on greedily. It was all they had to appease their growing appetite.

Juliet was shivering. Since her shirt had been donated to Dr. Cross's bleeding wrist, she had nothing to warm herself with, and the AC was relentless. The doctor kept a spare suit in his office; a white shirt with heavy, dark pants, but Juliet refused to wear a dead man's clothes, leaving her shivering on the floor.

Chase didn't seem to mind, though. While Juliet looked away, Chase struggled into the pristinely clean suit. He gave Juliet his hospital gown to cover herself with. Leaning back against the desk, Juliet looked at him contemplatively. Chase looked ridiculous. Dr. Cross had been a big man, and Chase was skinny. The suit looked like it was being worn by the doctor's skeleton. Chase was lost in the abundance of material.

The doctor's dead body was close enough that Juliet could thrust her fingers underneath and poke his leg. Not that she dared do that. There was no way of knowing if the berserkers were waiting for a chance to grab onto her hand. No matter how much time passed, blood kept coming.

After the third hour the grumblings of the berserkers had dissolved, but the smell of their skin still hung in the air. They couldn't stay in the confines of the office forever. They needed to get out and check on the rest of the hospital, but thinking about what dangers lurked beyond the door was daunting.

What was going on in the outside world was a mystery. Phone signals had been cut, and when they lifted the receiver all they heard was a deadpan stutter. Juliet wanted to solve the mystery of the berserkers, but Chase wanted to stay hidden. If they waited long enough, he told himself, the cops would show up and order would be restored. The same way it had at Waylord.

"I am getting hungry," said Juliet, looking down at her stomach. It looked especially slim.

"You can live two weeks without food," hissed Chase in response.

Juliet didn't believe help was coming, and if help was on the way, it would soon be eaten by berserkers. But until Chase was ready to go, Juliet would wait. Forcing him out there wouldn't be good for either of them. Eventually, his fear would be overcome by basic human desires; food and water. Then, they could leave this freezing cold office.

Chase tucked a blazer jacket around Juliet's shoulders, pulling her into his lap. She didn't resist him. With Juliet resting against his chest, Chase began to become nervous. He didn't like how cold her body felt against him.

"Well this feels familiar," said Juliet, thinking back to the woods surrounding Waylord. Except this time, for whatever reason, she was more peaceful. Unlike last time, Chase was healthy and safe. There were no life-threatening injuries she had to fix.

Nestled in his arms, Juliet fell asleep. Chase tousled her glossy black hair. Her breathing was calm and warm against his neck. Usually, she was serious and scowling, but here, lying against him, she could relax. Chase knew that Juliet didn't trust people easily, and though their relationship was built on unusual circumstances, it was nice to be her one exception.

He would enjoy these quiet moments while they lasted. These could be their last moments together. The world out there could be in very bad shape. Making sure she was fast asleep, Chase swiped her hair from her face and kissed her forehead. She could never know he had done so. Loving wasn't possible in this world, and Juliet had been hurt so many times before. Her tough exterior didn't fool him. She was sensitive, and Chase couldn't love her, couldn't promise her forever, then die a week later. It would break her.