Chương 179: Chapter 177 – Found You!

Roxie and Illianna were not sure what to expect when they pressed the updated key fob, but it sure wasn't this. When they had told Shirley to take them to Illianna's house, they expected to arrive in the vicinity… not literally standing in her living room… but there they were, in the blink of an eye, taking in the chaos that was once the older woman's home. Illianna looked around the room and gasped.

"My house!" she screamed, surveying the damage. Roxie grabbed Illianna's arm and put a hand over her mouth. She mouthed, pointing to the kitchen, "There is someone here." Illianna hadn't noticed the sound; it was barely audible, but there it was again. An odd crunching, just on the other side of the door. Roxie motioned for Illianna to get behind her. She unsheathed her dagger slowly, heading for the door. Illianna looked from one side of the room to the other, family photographs were slashed…

family heirlooms, smashed, her whole life… obliterated. Roxie reached for the swinging door just as it popped open, causing both women to jump back. Roxie raised her arm, her dagger glinting in the early morning sun. A large white cat pushed its way through acting like it owned the place.

"Mister Tuttles!" Illianna squealed excitedly as she picked up the feline.

"I am so glad you are alright," she muttered into the cat's fluffy white fur. Roxie turned to Illianna and gave her a look that said all it needed to say. Illianna immediately realized her mistake. The house was not secure, they had no idea if whoever had done this was just behind the door, and here she was squealing like a stuck pig over her cat. Roxie shook her head before silently heading toward the door. She pushed it open slowly, then resheathed her dagger.

"It's a mess in there, they destroyed everything. Seems Mister Tuttles was helping himself to the food."

"Ill, you need to let me do my job before you start announcing to the world that we are here," Roxie snapped.

"What if someone was still in there?" she admonished.

"How many more rooms do you have in here?" she asked softly.

"There are two more upstairs," Illianna replied, far more quietly, embracing the cat.

"I say we just leave. Someone is sending you a message, and it's not a nice one. I say we go see your friend, the bumbling Sheriff, and let him know that Sheera's house wasn't the only one trashed," Roxie said, her hands on her hips, surveying the destruction.

"What about Mr. Tuttles?" she said, stroking the cat, causing it to purr loudly.

"Leave him. We can't very well go traipsing around town carrying him with us. Besides if he survived this, I'm sure he knows to go hide or leave if they come back. Cats are good like that," she said, giving the cat's head a scratch. Illianna looked down at her beloved pet, unsettled by the thought of leaving him to his own devices, but Roxie was right. Mister Tuttles was probably safer than they were at this point.

"Fine," she muttered, placing the cat on the floor reluctantly. Roxie took the lead, making sure Illianna stayed behind her. She opened the front door slowly, surveying the area for any of Illianna's destructive house guests.

"All clear," she said, softly, waving Illianna on.

"Leave it open," Roxie said.

"That way Mr. Tuttles can get out if he needs to." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. She gave Illianna a small smile.

"Got to give the guy the advantage," she sighed.

"Something feels off. I just can't put my finger on what. It… it just seems too quiet," Illianna said, looking up and down the street.

"You know what I mean?" Roxie turned to face the older elf, her eyes narrowing.

"I know exactly what you mean. I know your neighborhood is quiet, but… but this sounds like everyone just packed up and left. There is no one outside. No one doing yard work, or enjoying the day. No nosy neighbors peeking out their curtains… nothing." Roxie frowned. The pair continued down the street, a sense of dread growing between them.

"Once we go talk to the sheriff, I say to hell with this and get back to HQ," Roxie said, unable to shake the unease.

"I don't like this, Ill, I don't like how it looks." She paused.

"But more importantly, I don't like how it feels," she added.

"I'm with you there, the sooner we get out of here the better," Illianna agreed.

"Besides, there is nothing left for me here now. Once we leave, I don't think I will be coming back," she said, causing a strange shiver to run up her spine.

"I think I will go join my family. That's where I should be, not out pretending an old woman like me can save the world," she sighed.

"What do you mean?" Roxie asked, trying to set the older woman's mind at ease.

"If it wasn't for you, and your quick thinking with the sheriff, we wouldn't have gotten as far as we did when we came looking around the first time."

"We still don't know what happened to Joe," Illianna sighed.

"I know that man can be difficult at times, but what they did at his place, well, that was…" She paused, not knowing a good word.

"Overkill," Roxie finished for her.

"It was overkill, plain and simple," Roxie said, disgust in her voice.

"That wasn't anything more than a sicko enjoying himself. This guy Jimmick, he's bad news. He doesn't kill because he has to, he kills because he enjoys it."

"I don't doubt that after what I saw at Joe and Rosie's. I'm just glad we weren't at my place when they showed up," Illianna said, feeling like someone was watching her.

"Roxie, is it just me, or do you feel eyes on us?"

"No, I feel it too. Let's just get to the sheriff's office so we can get out of here. The longer we're here, the more my instincts are telling me to run." Both women continued down the abandoned street, silently hoping for someone to come out and sweep a walkway, shop, do something… anything. Each step was met with the same eerie silence from every house, every store. There wasn't so much as a window open to let in the fresh spring air, or a child playing in the yard.

It seemed as if even the birds had ceased their springtime songs as though in fear of what wrath they may incur. Walking up the steps to the sheriff's office, the smell hit Roxie and her heart sank. She couldn't make Illianna face what she knew was most certainly waiting inside.

"Ill, do me a favor, stay out here. I'm going to go check things out inside," Roxie said, giving Illianna a worried glance.

"I smell it too, Roxie," Illianna said.

"It's like you said at Abernathy's place. Once you smell it, you know it… forever." She sighed.

"I'm sorry, Ill," Roxie said, giving her a sympathetic glance.

"Let me go have a look-see, and then… then… well, I think then we get the hell out of here and never look back."

"I'll be right here. Trust me, I'm not going anywhere without you," Illianna said, her voice heavy with sadness. Roxie turned the handle on the door and gave it a push. It opened only a few inches before hitting something. Roxie pushed harder and could hear the object moving with the force. Once the door was open enough for her to squeeze through, she gave Illianna another worried gaze before sliding in and shutting the door behind her. She was not prepared for the sight she beheld.

She now understood where the town was, they were all here. It was like a grotesque town meeting; bodies were everywhere. It was a jumbled mess of varying degrees of rot and decay. She could see mothers clutching their bloody infants, children with missing hands. She saw all she could stand to see. She needed to get Ill out of here now. There was no helping these people, but she could save… A loud thud came from outside, making her jump. Her head whipped toward the door.

Through the frosted glass she could see a large figure looming on the porch. She rushed to the door, but in her haste to get outside to Illianna she forgot about the obstruction on the floor. She struggled to move the body blocking her exit, costing precious moments her friend may not have. She finally made it out onto the porch, but there was no one there. Just a puddle of blood where Illianna had once been standing.