1
He saw her about 5 seconds before disaster. Unlike him, the monster wasn't planning on giving her time to get up and escape. That's what they'd done since David Crown had entered their world. They'd taken any possible company from him in hopes that he'd give up.
This one's not going anywhere, He thought, charging at the monster.
Unfortunately, it saw David before David attacked. The monster dived on him, but unlike the first time, David was able to fight back. The monster knew this prior to attacking him. That's why the human was still there.
The monster ran away, knowing that there was no hope of taking the human on that day. Hopefully the new one would make him vulnerable. That's what the last one had done. The monster scowled at the thought of how close he'd come. The human had been left crawling away. Crawling! He shook that unhappy memory out of his head. He'd take the human home, someday. Just not that day.
David turned to the girl laying on the grass. She was starting to come to. She slowly looked up at him.
"Hello," she said weakly. David Crown held his hand down to her. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.
"My name's David Crown. What's the last thing you remember?" he said. She frowned for a moment.
"Going to sleep," she said. He nodded. She would have no clue she was dead. She wouldn't be throwing herself at the monsters, like some of the other people he'd met.
"What happened?" she questioned.
"I'll explain it to you once we're inside. The forests aren't very safe.... what's your name?" he asked.
"Marley," she answered. He save a small nod.
"Let's go, Marley, before another one shows up," he said.
"What are those things?" she asked.
"I'll explain once we're inside," David repeated, "follow me."
He turned around and started to walk, and she followed. Questions filled her mind, but whatever ones she asked, he would just say, "I'll explain later," and keep walking.
"This is it," he said as they approached a house.
"You live here?" she asked.
"I live everywhere," he answered, opening the door. It wasn't locked.
"That much be nice," she said.
"It's not. It's lonely," he answered, glancing back at her, "are you coming?"
The door closed behind her, and David locked it.
"Wouldn't want the monsters getting in," he muttered.
"Why don't they just wait here for you?" she asked.
"Waste of time. Like I said, I live everywhere. I noticed you're in your PJs. I'm pretty sure there's a dresser in the bedroom. I don't know what kind of clothes there are, but see if there's anything you can make use of," he said. Then he pointed to a door, "That one's the bedroom."
Crown was right about the dresser. She ruffled through the clothes inside. All of them were a little small for Marley, but she was still able to get into them. Anything was running around in PJs. The shoes were a size too big, but Marley liked her shoes too big. It gave her toes room to breathe.
When she left the bedroom, she saw that David had started a fire.
"We'll probably spend the night here. Maybe a bit longer. I prefer a different house, but this one's nice," he said.
"Alright, now will you answer my questions?" she asked.
"Come sit down," he said. Marley did as she was told.
David Crown sat down on the couch opposite of her. As the questions flowed out, he answered them. Most of these answers weren't truthful, but Crown had spent years thinking of things he would say. The general story had worked on everyone else: the monsters killed almost everybody and survivors were rare.
"Like zombies?" she asked.
"No, the people they kill don't turn. They just die," he answered.
"Where are their bodies?" she questioned.
"The monster's homes. I think they eat them," David said. He knew all too well how much he was lying. He'd planned on it. Now, saying it to somebody's actual face, he was surprised she believed it. I guess people will believe anything if they see no other alternative, David thought.
Once she ran out of questions, Marley went quiet. David stared at the fire and she stared at him, wondering what she was going to do. Overnight she had lost all of her friends and family. She understood that, but it wasn't sinking in.
Hours past, and the sun set.
"It's dangerous at night," David commented, taking his eyes off the fire.
"I bet," Marley answered.
"The monsters might try to get in. I don't like all the glass windows in this place. In the morning we're going to the other house," he announced. Marley nodded. Then David got up and sat next to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked. She saw worry in his blue eyes. When she didn't answer, he continued.
"It was hard for me when this first happened. I didn't really have anybody to miss, but you know, switching from living a normal, peaceful life to survival mode was kind of hard," David told her. She frowned. It was starting to sink in. David was the only company she'd have. She thought her family and friends were dead. She looked away from David and at the fire, determined not to let this stranger see her tears.
"It'll be okay," he said softly.
"I'm going to bed," Marley announced. She hated how her voice had sounded. He'd know.
"Goodnight, yell if you need anything," he said. Marley nodded and hurried to the room before her sobs became audible and her shaking shoulders became visible.
Marley cried herself to sleep that night. Faces of the people she'd never see again flew through her dreams. She'd woken up from these dreams once and had cried even harder.
David listened from the other room.
He didn't sleep that night. All he did was watch the fire. David wondered how much of the lying he'd done was really necessary, and how much of it was just to fulfill his creative needs. David heard Marley crying in the other room, but didn't go. She wouldn't want the comfort of a stranger. All he could do was leave her be with her feelings.
David kept assuring himself she would be just as upset with the truth, but he couldn't believe it. Marley might have believed his lies, but he would never believe his own lies. He would always know. He would always have that guilt.
"At least I won't be alone," he finally said to himself, but the comment only made him feel like a greedy dirtbag.
We're all headed for the monster's homes,
whether they drag our bodies there, or our minds.
