Fester

We didn't have time to waste. I pulled my pack over to me and pulled out a knife.

"We don't want to make too much noise."

We made our way into the hallway and almost tiptoed to the back room. I could tell Addy wasn't sure about this.

Neither of us made a move to open the door. I'd guessed she - it - was on a leash or something.

"You can open it. She won't hurt you." The defensiveness in her voice made me anxious.

I grasped the handle and pulled. I heard the thump again.

There was nothing in the room. It was all starched white, save for a long, reddish-brown line that led to the closet. The closet knobs were wrapped with something. I started to unwrap the cloth and a hand clasped over mine.

"Wait. Just wait a sec." She offered no explanation as to why she wanted me to stop. "Now go."

I pulled what seemed to be a scarf off the knobs and stood back. One door creaked open, then the other followed.

The mother was still beautiful, but her eyes were glazed over with a light shade of blue, and her skin was tinged greenish-grey. She hadn't been hurt at all, except her forehead was a little bloodied. She growled, irritated. Her hands twitched and her arms went up as she moved closer to us.

I looked to Addy to see that she was frozen. She made no move to grab her gun. Her mouth moved but no words came out.

"Move." Her eyes shifted towards me.

"I- I can't!" The mother stepped closer, dazed. "Kida!"

I didn't say a word before I slipped behind her and slid the knife into her hands.

"I'll stop her if you won't. But I won't kill her, Addy." That's your job. She grimaced.

The mother's pale mouth hung open as she neared the two of us. The closer she got, the more grotesque she appeared. I could see the rot spiderwebbing from her mouth, nose, and eyes. The veins on her temple were near black. She was the image of subtle fear.

I stepped forward and grabbed the back of her head and pushed her to the floor. I kept her still and looked at Addy.

"Now." She dropped the knife and I felt myself begin to scowl, but stopped it. She slid to her knees, less than a foot from her mother's head.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to suffer at her hands." I hated what I was saying. I didn't know her. I didn't know her mom. But it made her pick up the knife.

I took one of my hands from the mother's white-blonde hairs to grab Addy's hand. I directed the knife and placed it on the temple. The mother wriggled beneath me and I felt Addy's grip loosen on the knife again.

I lifted our hands together and the knife sunk into her temple. Her hand yanked out from under mine.

Addy crawled over to a wall and vomited, staining the white carpet. She hacked and pounded a hand into the wall. A moment of silence passed.

She swiped at her mouth with her shirt and breathed in.

"When are we leaving?"