Episode 7

David Benson:

"The drugs keep me sane. Keep me ticking like a clock, like a machine. They make it all easier. The drugs give me strength. I need them. . ."


Fast asleep. Samuel lay still, his chest rising and falling gently, back to the wall. His brother david stood watching him from across the room for a while before turning and stepping out onto the balcony. They were safe here, high off the ground in an abandoned apartment. Above the heads of the "Stiffs", above hell. As he looked down into the street below, there was no sign of movement. Nothing was there but darkness.

He glanced over his shoulder again as he heard a sound, Samuel was twisting, turning in his sleep. David watched, waiting until he was settled again. Finally Samuel settled down and his breathing became heavier.

David closed the door and turned back. He sat down, his back resting on the glass, and reached into his coat pocket.

When he unclenched his fist, he revealed a small collection of pills, and a little bag of white powder.

"I need to find more soon."

He stared at the collection of drugs before making his choice. He pocketed the bag and most of the pills and tossed afew into his mouth. He closed his eyes and sighed, waiting for the effects to take hold.

"That's better," he thought.

Next thing he knew he felt a jab in his side, followed by another. He opened his eyes, only to clamp them shut again due to the sunlight.

"David." Samuel kicked him softly again and he sat up.

"Damn, must've taken a sleeping pill," he thought to himself.

"David!?"

He looked up, realising Samuel was speaking to him. "What?"

"I said why were you sleeping out on the balcony?"

"Oh," He said. "I couldn't sleep."

"You seemed pretty heavily sedated to me." Samuel laughed, slapping him on the back. "I found some spam, it's horrible, but I'm starving. You want some?"

But his mind was on other things. "Nice going," he thought to himself, "sleeping pills? You almost got caught!" He realised it had been a long time since Samuel asked the question. "Y-yeah," he stammered, "I'll eat anything right now." He forced a smile.

As they sat there, eating and laughing he slowly forgot about what had almost happened and he slowly reverted to his natural self again.

"Anything worth taking?" He asked, glancing round the room.

Samuel shook his head, "Not in here anyway, I haven't checked the bathroom yet."

"The bathroom," he thought, "Perfect." He smirked and swallowed down some spam."I'll go check."

He locked the door behind him and made his way towards the row of cabinets on the wall. He searched them franticly, with every empty cupboard he grew more and more agitated and frantic.

"Why is there nothing. I need something."

He slammed the last cabinet shut.

There was a pause, then he heard it. A sharp growl, more like a bark than anything. Almost as if in response to the sound of the cupboard door. Almost as if something was stirring.

He turned to face the direction of the noise, his heart in his hands. "The shower."

He made his way towards it, arm outstretched towards the curtain, ready to pull it open.

He flexed his fingers and licked his lips, he could feel his heart beating, pounding in his skull.

There was another growl.

He swept back the curtain and-

Just a wall, the tub was empty. He sank to his knees, overwhelmed with relief. Until he heard another growl. Followed by a tap on the wall. And another slightly harder. And another. . .

Dust fell from the wall as something threw its entire weight at the wall again and again.

"Run!" he thought, but he was stuck in place. "You're never afraid of them! Never, why can't you move!?"

The walls and roof began to shake and crumble as whatever was behind the wall used more and more force. How was it possible that it could have so much strength? unless-

His eyes widened and his voice was but a whisper; "Theres more than one."