crimson, chapter seven

After not having had a drink in a while jack was feeling grumpy and irritated. It had been just over a day since they had left the town and they had not stopped more than they had to so they could switch drivers and re-fuel. They were now coming upon Georgia and the deathly mist was still behind them. they could not see a thing behind them or to either side the only view was infront of them. Martin was in the front passenger seat and Pamela was in the back with molly resting on her knee. Jack suddenly pulled off the road and into the parking lot of a hotel. “What are you doing” martin asked as jack got out of the jeep and turned towards the mist. “I’m tired and need a rest” he said to martin as he also got out of the jeep. “I can drive for a while” martin offered. “No, I need a good night’s sleep and a proper meal” jack told martin who was about to speak when jack began shouting at the mist. “We need a rest so we are going to spend the night here and then we will continue on to wherever you are taking us”. His voice was husky and raw it held no patience. Jack opened the boot and took out some things then he walked into the hotel. Martin and Pamela followed him after they woke up molly. Inside the hotel was the same as outside abandoned, jack was behind the front desk finding room keys. Pamela asked him “what’s going on jack”. Jack turned around and explained. “This thing whatever it is has a reason for keeping us alive so it’s not going to kill us now. We need a rest and what better place than a five star hotel”. He handed Pamela and martin a key each then he went for a look around. Martin went for the bar and Pamela took molly for a look around in the hotel shops. Jack found Pamela in the hotel shop looking at some clothes for molly. He walked over and picked up a swim suit and handed it to molly. “How about a swim” he said. Pamela looked at him. “I found a pool and I think she needs some fun. I think we all do” he explained. They picked up a few items including swim suits, towels and flip flops. They also picked out a new outfit each and molly had chosen a teddy bear with a jumper that had the hotel name sewn on the front. They headed to the

pool and jack spotted martin in the bar. “Ill catch up” he said as he went in to the bar. Sitting on a stool with a glass and a bottle of whisky martin was quiet; he didn’t even look up when jack entered through the swinging doors. Heading behind the bar jack helped himself to a beer. Opening the bottle he sat down next to martin. “You ok” he asked. “What you said about this thing being alive” martin said then took a swig of his whisky. “It’s not a government experiment is it” he continued. “I don’t think so. It is more likely to be an alien life form then the government” jack told him astonished that he had just said that, he didn’t believe in aliens or at least he hadn’t before all of this. They sat for a few minutes in silence then jack told him about the pool and they grabbed a few drinks and some soft drink for molly then they went to join the girls at the pool. Molly was splashing around holding onto an inflatable dolphin and Pamela was sitting on the side of the pool with her legs in the water. Jack and martin sat down at a table by the side next to Pamela. “Would you like a drink” jack offered Pamela who agreed to a soft drink and took one for molly too. Martin and jack continued their conversation whilst Pamela kept an eye on molly but also paid attention to the conversation. “I think what this thing is doing is rounding up all of the survivors and taking us to one place but I’m not sure why” jack told them. “Why is it keeping some of us alive and not others” martin asked. “I don’t know” jack said before he told them about his dream he had had in the town in Tennessee. Once he had finished both martin and Pamela told him they too had had the same dream. Once molly had played enough she got out of the pool and Pamela got her dried and changed, still she never spoke they wondered if she had had dreams too. He watched the child as she played with her teddy at the table, her silence was deafening to him. “Ok boys I’m going to find us some dinner ill come and get you when it’s ready” Pamela told them and she and molly left them alone. “I think this thing is old, like as old as the earth is” jack told martin. “From the dream it seemed like I was this thing it was horrible” he continued. “I really hope that molly didn’t have the dream too” jack said not really to martin but just out loud. He watched the child as she played with her teddy at the table, her silence was deafening to him. It wasn’t long before molly came back into the pool room, she tugged at jack’s shirt and he took that to mean that dinner was ready. Martin and jack followed molly to the dining room. The large room was filled with a great smell, Pamela had been busy. Molly took them to a table that she had set herself by the look of it. After sitting down molly left them and went into the kitchen still clutching the teddy. Pamela had found a gas stove and some food that was salvageable. She gave molly a jug of juice and they both took the food through to the dining room. Placing the plates of bacon and eggs, beans, toast and fried toast in front of jack and martin molly gave a small smile then sat down. They chatted about light hearted issues avoiding the mist topic. Trying a few times to get molly to talk but unable jack settled with a few small smiles when he told some jokes she understood. After eating they all headed to their rooms for some rest. Molly went with Pamela who made her brush her teeth and hair then tucked her in with her new teddy bear. Fast asleep they all dreamed the same dream again.