She proceeded down the two flight of stairs, but haltered her steps, when a voice came into hearing; it was a man, sounding rather distressed, his tone low and quivering.
"Just a room... for the night-" The man pleaded. "I'll pay whatever you want- I just... I-I need some place to stay..."
She climbed back one flight, her back against the wall, each of her footstep as light as possible. She heard another voice, calm and collected, and most likely that of the owner, but could only pick up a few words: 107 - First Floor. She shimmied around the railing, and remained in cover. There was a thumping sound, growing louder as she noticed an approaching shadow; someone was coming up. She leaned out, took a quick glance, and noticed a man in a disheveled lab coat: soaking wet with dirt and blood, a shivering frame, and hair like porcupine quills. He stopped at the first landing, took a quick look behind him, before heading right, down the corridor to his room. She waited a few minutes, and then proceeded back down; a warm smile and quick hand wave from the owner, she replied in kind and exited the building.
That guy... Her mind ran through countless memories, as she ran to the small diner, keeping under the awning, which struggled under the pouring rain. She ordered up, and returned to the room. She found Billy on the couch, arms crossed and seemingly lost in thoughts.
"Here-" She handed him a cup, before taking a seat on the edge of the bed, both hands tightly around her cup, as to absorb its heat. "I saw someone-" She paused, her words still being processed by her thoughts. "Downstairs- he seemed very anxious... had a dirty lab coat on, and begged for a room... he was given 107."
"Do you know him- did he see you?" She shook her head.
"I stayed hidden... but he did look familiar..." She squinted her eyes, as she tried to recall where she might've seen him before. "I only had a quick look at him... but his voice- and his hairstyle..." He lifted an eyebrow.
"You said he sounded anxious-" He took a sip. "Could he have made it out of the hospital, when hell broke loose?"
"..." Her expression frowned. "It's possible." She still had so much on her mind, this newest thread only adding to the tangled mess. "But there's one thing I need to focus on first, above anything else-" Shepulled out her journal. "To get Liam out of Raccoon City." His eyes narrowed.
"And how are you planning on doing that?" The way to Stoneville was far from easy, a trek unsafe for someone as young and unfit as him.
"I'll start with a phone call..." Her answer was laced with uncertainty.
"While I finish up the laundry." He sprung up and headed for the door; he saw it fit to give her some alone time. "I'll come back later- you stay here, and be careful, alright?" She replied with a smile. He left her side, and returned to his duty.
This would take a while, so he took a seat on wooden crate; his eyes wandered across the small room, his mind a constant loop of thoughts. His future remained uncertain, his life chained up to chance. He closed his eyes, fighting against his inner turmoil, a part of him desperate for some heartsease.
Peace of mind... He winced at the idea. Anaka deserves that more than anyone... after everything she went through... He self-reprimanded, considering his need rather selfish. He leaned against the wall, and focused on nothing but the strangely soothing sound of the washing machine.
Minute after minute, he simply laid there; waiting for one task to be done, and the next to begin, his mind feeling like auto-pilot. Waiting and waiting, and nothing else. And then, came a noise and a scream, followed by another; more and more, the sounds grew louder, the screams amplified like screeches of agony. He could see faces, their faces, distorted by fear, soaked in a crimson mess. The unbearable heat, the bloodshed, the flashes. Those screams.
"!?" His eyes opened wide, his breathing pained his chest, his heart pumped like it was about to explode. Drops of sweat ran down his whole body, yet a chill seeped through his every pore.
"Billy..?" A voice reached out to him, like a tranquil melody. He felt warmness on his shoulder, a touch real and placid.
"..." His eyes traveled to the voice, and noticed Anaka kneeled next to him, a hand on him, as to wake him up from a nightmare. He rubbed his face, a small quiver in his movements. "Sorry... I must've dozed off..."
"No worries... I took care of the load- should be dry soon." She gave him a reassuring look. "This..." She hesitated. "It happens a lot, doesn't it?" His creased expression answered her.
"I... I keep seeing the same thing..." He struggled with words. "Not just what happened back in Africa... but everything that's happened since... the things I've seen - that we've seen..." He averted her eyes. "Those people... those kids..." Those kids... His fists tightened.
"I know what you're going through..." She stood up; arms across her chest, she leaned against the wall. "The same thing happened to my brother..." Her heart felt heavy. "Night after night, he'd wake up from the same nightmare with a terrible migraine..." She locked eyes with him. "Went on for two years... until he could no longer handle it..."
My brother was a marksman in the army... She didn't need to finish, for he recalled her words. Was...
"I won't let that happen to you-" Her tone expressed mournful determination. "Liam's being taken cared of... and that leaves me with you." A silence waved across the room; the mundane task at hand had come to an end. With a clean stack of clothes, they returned to their room.
