To Be A Killer

Chapter 53: Leave My Brain Alone

I sigh, starring down at my feet. Caleb stands beside me, silent. These last three days here have been hard. After Caleb and Maxine and Ed's decision to stay, Paula and I decided to stay here a little longer. This could be the last time we'll see them for weeks, months! I couldn't make myself leave after only a day.

Plus the extra time here gave Caleb more time to talk with the kids. Milo and Penelope were more devastated than I was at his choice to stay, and I did try to use that to my advantage in getting him to change his mind. Of course, I know that it's manipulation, and I know that it's wrong, but... I'm feeling pretty desperate right know. I really, really don't want to leave him here, not after all this effort we put in to finding him and thinking of a way to bring him home.

Riiiiinnnng!

Caleb and I both look up at Paula, who sighs heavily. "Plasmapheresis alarm. I'm sick of being on the clock all the time."

"How long until you need a treatment?" I ask.

"Six hours."

There are footsteps of the person who's coming down the stairs. And in a few moments, Maxine appears. Her curly hair is done up in a ponytail, and she isn't wearing a lab coat today. Strange. That's all I've seen her wear on this boat.

"That's New Canton people gone on the first boat. They'll be back for you, Runner Five and uh..." She takes a look across the room. "Wow. What've you found?"

"An old tour boat," Paula replies. "Glass bottom. We're anchored right over the reef."

She looks down at the fish swimming around. "What's that dark green fish with the white lines?"

"Cole fish."

"And the flat one with the orange spots?"

"Plaice."

Maxine grins. "Your place or mine?"

Caleb and I roll our eyes, while Paula laughs. "That was lame, even for you."

"I'm trying to draw attention away from all the zombies. Not that the way they stare up at us with those unblinking eyes bothers me or anything."

"They follow vibrations. Look." Caleb walks around on the glass, and the zombies follow, even the eyeless ones. I shudder at the thought that I was swimming around in the dark with those things only a few days ago.

Paula chuckles as Caleb continues to prance around, hopping and skipping with the zombies trying to get to him, and being unsuccessful. Then her face turns somber as she looks at her girlfriend.

"I was going to take you to Greece before the outbreak. I had the guidebook and a list of places with these boats. Just never seemed the right time. You should see the fish in those seas-all the shapes and colors. You could even find an octopus."

Maxine's eyes soften, and she grabs Paula's hand. Caleb looks at me, and I force a smile. I'm leaving today... and he's not coming with me. He knows how much that hurts, especially after I invited him to come with me to America when I thought we might actually be able to end the apocalypse.

God, that seems like such a long time ago.

"Five," He mumbles, "there's... there's something I need to tell you."

I look at him curiously, one eyebrow raised, but before he can speak, we hear another pair of footsteps, and the person they belong to shuts the redhead up rather quickly.

"Hello," Albert greets. "I see you've found our aberita, or aquarium. I'm never sure which."

"Keeping tabs on us, Albert?" Maxine deadpans as she crosses her arms.