Chapter 4: Liminality. Part 3

Chapter 4: Liminality. Part 3

Unknown man: Hello. Welcome.

They had arrived at the settlement. They were greeted, and those on the other side of the door welcomed them as if they had met any neighbor.

A warm welcome; the man waved his hand repeatedly, his wife smiling behind him. The proper way to receive new visitors.

After long seconds, the man stopped.

Unknown man: What can we do for you?

The man adjusted his tie. He was dressed formally, with a black jacket and long pants. They did not match.

The woman, in a beautiful long floral dress and wide-brimmed hat, stood at a distance while occupying her arms in carrying some sheets. A baby covered in them.

Shaun: U-Uhm...

The young man moved his hand away from the door, giving space to his companion at his side.

Garwin: Excuse the intrusion, —he said, placing his hand on the door frame—. We volunteer for a shelter a couple miles from this neighborhood.

Izzy: Have you heard any emergency alarms recently?

The couple paused for a second to exchange glances, and the man turned to the group.

Unknown man: We haven't heard any emergency alarms recently.

Izzy: ...

Garwin: I understand. There was an incident a few days ago. The police have their hands full, so we're helping them evacuate residents in these areas to a safe shelter while the emergency passes. We have food, drinks, shelter, whatever you need. It seems that —he looked around, before continuing with the eloquent explanation— your neighbors have already evacuated. We were wondering if you'll do the same by coming with us.

There were no more homes lit up. Yes, they should have evacuated.

Unknown man: We have what we need. We have a month's supply. But you can come in and tell us more about that incident and the shelter. It's cold. Are you cold? —he said without interruption.

Garwin: Uh... Yes, a little.

Unknown man: Come in.

There was some discontent in the group but they felt some relief at finding someone else in the area, so they decided to enter the house. A slight creaking sound was heard under their feet as they did so, crossing the threshold by pushing open the plank door.

This home, made of aged wood and walls painted in shades faded by the sun and humidity, stood tall in the coastal neighborhood with a tropical air. Its interior was decorated in the same way.

A few wicker sofas covered with blankets leaned against the walls of the living room. Scattered on the carpet on the floor were abandoned plastic toys; racing vehicles, transforming robots and puppets.

At the back of the room, the kitchen area was barely visible, and next to it, a main hallway that connected all the rooms.

The darkness was almost absolute, barely broken by the flickering of a few candles. Their dancing light created shadows on the wooden masks and fishing nets on the walls.

The young Izzy Rylee looked at said shelves with her attention fixed on the pictures and paintings.

There was one particular painting resting on the shelf, covered in specks of moisture and dust that barely allowed the image behind its glass to be seen. It would have been inappropriate to just pick it up to see it up close, so she just leaned over and strained her clear eyes.

It was a family photo. In it, the man and woman dressed formally while posing with a long smile. In front of them was a child sitting in an elegant chair next to his dog.

Unknown man: Take a seat — he extended his hand toward the sofas, waiting.

Unknown woman: Are you hungry?

Garwin: We appreciate it but don't bother. We won't be staying long.

Doger: Honestly, I am hungry —he raised his hand.

Garwin: ...You just ate, Doger.

Unknown woman: I'll prepare something for you right away.

The woman showed a big smile before handing the baby into her husband's hands and retreating to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, being illuminated by the candles present, the group sat down with the exception of the curious Doger. He was able to see through the darkness of the hallway. At the end of it, a figure with bright eyes was visible.

Doger: Do you have a dog!? Oh, man! —he jumped out of his chair, running excitedly towards the hallway.

Seeing the hyperactive boy disappear from sight, Garwin settled into his own seat, not surprised by his behavior and leaned slightly towards the owner of the house.

Garwin: Do we have the pleasure of speaking with...?

Joe: You can call me Joe. Tell me more about that... shelter.

Garwin: It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Joe. My name is Garwin Stanford —he shook his hand firmly— You see, my friends and I helped the shelter collect supplies from the town for all the refugees. You've probably heard about the riots due to the war outside.

Joe: No

Shaun: ...

Garwin: Well, there have been. It's been dangerous outside lately. So the idea is to wait a few more days, hoping the situation calms down in the safety of the government shelter.

Joe: Oh. The baby is fine with us.

Another brief answer.

Garwin: But are you really sure about that? We have enough room for all of you.

Joe: We don't have formula for the baby —he clarified—. If you bring us formula for the baby you can take all the supplies you want.

The man didn't take his eyes off the baby in his hands. While Garwin had no desire to force them to follow him, he couldn't help but worry about their well-being. He decided then to trust that they knew what they were doing, and opted to at least offer them a favor.

Garwin: ...Okay. Where can we find more formula? —he placed his hands on the knees.

Joe: There.

He had finally looked up. This time he was looking out the window. From it he could see several neighboring settlements in the distance.

Although they were numerous, one of them stood out in particular. The man did not need to make an effort to specify which one he was referring to; in the center he could see a square building, without any decorations or picturesque buildings characteristic of the province, only what would be best visualized as a "big gray cube with windows" a few miles away.

Joe: The gray building. We bought the formula there.

Audrey: It seems to be a warehouse —the girl mentioned when she looked out the same window.

Izzy: If we're going to do this, we should do it as soon as possible —she added, looking up at her companion.

Garwin: Good. Mr. Joe, we'll be bringing the formula soon —he got up from the chair—. Any specific brand?

Joe: Any formula is good formula for the baby.

Garwin: Heh, so be it then. I'll make sure it's the healthiest one. Hey, Doger, —he turned— we're leaving.

No answer. The lack of light made it impossible to see any figure at the end of the hallway where the young man had slipped away.

Garwin: Where has he gone...?

Izzy: Garwin, we don't have time. We'll bring baby formula, it's unnecessary to take everyone.

Garwin: Hm... Gitta, can you stay and wait for us?

Gitta: Sure. Please don't take long.

Garwin: We won't —before turning to leave, he raised a thumb up for him.

The decision was made, the group began to move, picking up the backpacks and bags they were carrying, and the sound of their steps on the wood disappeared once they closed the door of the settlement.

Gitta saw this and with a look of clear concern, he turned around.

Mr. Joe continued to care for the baby in his arms, now gently rocking him back and forth.

The woman continued to chop vegetables, the sound of the cutting board being hit by a knife could be heard repeatedly from the kitchen.

Gitta: Uhm... If you'll excuse me, I'll go find my partner.

The man continued to rock back and forth without paying attention.

Assuming he nodded at some point, Gitta then headed into the hallway.

The gloom was more evident. Only three candles lit the place; two in the living room, one in the kitchen. The other rooms were hidden within absolute darkness.

Being careful with her steps as she walked, Gitta regretted not having brought at least one candle from the living room, but then again, it would have been inappropriate in someone else's home.

After crossing in front of some closed doors he arrived at what looked like a backyard.

No bigger than a room, surrounded by concrete and some vases decorated with wilted flowers. Even this place remained with a closed roof that prevented any light from entering.

Squinting his eyes in an effort to see, he had finally found the young man he was looking for.

He was crouching, silent. He seemed focused on the collar the animal wore on its neck as he stroked its head. And the animal had a fixed gaze on the new visitor.

Gitta: ... Does it bite?

The young man was startled to hear someone other than himself. He quickly answered.

Doger: You've given me quite a scare, man...

Gitta: Excuse me.

Doger: It's all right. It doesn't bite. Well, it wouldn't come near you, actually. It doesn't move from here.

Confused by the last comment, Gitta cautiously approached the duo waiting on the grass.

Bright-eyed. Its slow, controlled gestures made it appear to be a docile dog that did not require special captivity, rare to see these days. However, it was panting constantly and its nose was dry to the touch, signs that could indicate some dehydration.

Doger: His name is Benjamin. Who in their right mind calls their pet "Benjamin"? —he released the collar.

Gitta: It seems like them.

Doger: What about the others? I heard Gar calling me but I was too busy as you can see.

Gitta: We will do Mr. Joe a favor and bring some baby formula. At... a nearby store, on the way to the coast.

Doger: Ah, the coast... The coast... Why didn't you tell me? I wanted to see the beach!

Gitta: Uhm...

Doger: He he. I've never visited a beach in my entire life. I've always been surrounded by the concrete jungle. You?

Gitta: Hm... On one occasion. And it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Doger: What happened? Tell the gossip. It'll stay between the three of us —he continued petting the dog at his side.

He took a moment to think about it, but decided not to comply with his whim.

Gitta: Sorry. I couldn't. It was very embarrassing —he breathed and adjusted his beret—. I can only say that since that day I never went near a coast again.

Doger: Bruh... You're leaving us in doubt, huh? Me? Him? He's dying to know —he played with the animal's ears.

It was starting to get cold, as the previous sensations had already predicted when arriving at the settlement.

The boy adjusted his black coat and took a few steps to the side, approaching the entrance again.

Gitta: I think it will be better to go inside. We have to be ready for when they return.

Doger: Heh, oh well... It's almost time for lunch anyway —he shrugged his shoulders and said goodbye to the pet— See you, buddy.

They both entered back into the home, leaving the animal waiting in the yard.

It was not on a leash. It was thirsty, probably hungry too. It was no longer panting and its tail was still, curled up. There was no reason for it not to want to go inside the house, at least to find shelter from the cold.

He just sat at the entrance, far away. Gitta had noticed him, and so he chose not to look back.

-[Ø]-

The afternoon had come to the town and it didn't seem like one.

By this time the gusts of wind that resonated against the palm trees had completely ceased, not a leaf or branch was moved by it in the air. Instead, a gray blanket permeated the scene.

The air felt dense, loaded with the humidity of the fog that crept between the abandoned settlements. The sunlight filtered through, projecting long, distorted shadows of them.

It gave a strange feeling of dryness, or so it was for the young Izzy Rylee, who drank from her water bottle.

The fog had finally reached them. It had advanced faster than the group had estimated, and now considerably reduced their range of vision.

Through the thick cloud cover, Izzy, Garwin, Audrey and Shaun made their way to the place the man had indicated. They could hardly make out the large building that had been pointed out to them, but thanks to Audrey, a resident of La Quilla and an explorer, they were able to find it.

It was a huge grey cube. This was a warehouse taller than any other building in the area.

Two large lower windows, two small upper ones. Without graffiti or promotional posters, the walls were smooth, giving the image of a prison rather than a food warehouse.

The huge metal doors were kept slightly ajar, as if the last person who entered had left in a hurry.

The silence was evident and therefore it must be abandoned, so they did not bother to ring the bell. Garwin stepped forward, cautiously pushing the door open and causing a creak that broke the stillness of the moment.

Audrey: Hello!?

No answer.

Everyone stood at the entrance looking around the place.

Disorder. Shelves overturned, boxes opened with their contents scattered on the floor, including fast food wrappers and alcohol bottles now in pieces of broken glass.

Izzy: ...

The liquid they contained, although dried in sections, was still in the form of fluids. Izzy noticed that right away. It meant that not too much time had passed since whatever happened there, had happened.

Garwin: Well, let's get started.

Audrey: You say that but I don't see where to start first. Just alcohol, alcohol and more alcohol. That's all I can see —she clarified, taking a look around.

Izzy: The food section must be in a different room.

Watching their steps between the objects on the floor, the group went further in the direction of the connected adjacent rooms.

Shaun: I'd rather stay here and wait for the owner of this place to return.

Garwin: Alright, buddy —he turned to the young man at the exit in a friendly tone— Let us know if he shows up. Just yell loud.

Shaun: ...

Crossing into the next room, the trio dodged the remains of crushed cardboard boxes as much as they could, their feet crunching shards inevitably echoing in the small space.

The further they went, the less light allowed them to see where they were walking. Fortunately for them, even under the dense fog the sun's rays managed to enter through the large exterior windows, although this could change once night fell. If that happened, they wouldn't be able to see anything but their own feet on the ground.

Now the group was busy checking the shelves for the formula.

Audrey: I was wondering, —she said as she pulled aside some curtains in her path— did you also notice that that family was acting strange?

Garwin: Mm... I don't want to offend but you guys in La Quilla live alone most of the time. I would understand that you don't have the best social skills.

Audrey: He he. Not everywhere, just in some towns —she clarified—. But I found it a little strange how they behaved, even for me. And that's even though I've dealt with all kinds of people in my day to day life as a waitress.

Izzy: It's better not to meddle in their affairs—the girl intervened—, especially if they're going to help us.

Garwin: Iz about that... We're not going to take away their food reserves.

Izzy: ... What? —she stopped.

Garwin: We'll just bring them the formula for their baby. Just that.

Izzy: Garwin, do we seem to have time to do favors for strangers?

The boy turned to her. He couldn't help but curl his lips at the annoyance marked on her small companion's face.

Garwin: Haven't we been doing that all along?

Izzy: ...

Garwin: Calm down. We'll be fine. Look around. If we need supplies...

Izzy: We do.

Garwin: ...we can talk and negotiate with the owner of this place. I'd feel bad if I snatched food from a couple caring for a newborn. It would make us look like villains from a cartoon.

Not liking the answer, the young woman sighed heavily.

Izzy: ...You forget their son.

Garwin: Who?

Izzy: Maybe he could have helped them run this errand instead of us.

Audrey: Did they have a son? Oh, look.

Their brief whispering ended when they found a blue sign on the wall. It said “Dairy” written in white letters (the correct section) attached to an arrow symbol pointing to the room they were looking for, near a set of stairs leading to a lower floor.

They descended immediately.

There were two things they noticed first upon entering the room, attacking their sight and smell; a nauseating smell and a shadow that enveloped the place.

Audrey: Gah. Gross. It smells terrible —she muttered—. It must be those refrigerators.

They could barely make out a set of open refrigerators against one of the walls, clearly out of order for an unknown amount of time.

Just like outside, they had to watch every footstep; taking advantage of the occasional flashes of light reflected off of groceries and furniture they found to guide them.

Izzy covered her mouth with her handkerchief and pushed aside the refrigerator door that was blocking the way.

The smell of rot was sharp and aggressively invaded her airways. A stench too strong to tolerate for long. It got worse the further they went, forcing Garwin to cough from time to time.

Garwin: Cough... If I could see something...

The smell was a clear distraction, but even under it Audrey could remember something. They didn't have candles but she did have something better.

Searching through her bag, she quickly pulled out a flashlight. And after a few repeated taps against her wrist, she managed to turn it on, and could finally see through the darkness.

To what was in the darkness.

To what was hiding in it.

…

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Attention. Attention.

This is a warning from the La Quilla Emergency Department.

This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill.

A virus has been detected spreading at an alarming rate in the population of La Quilla and its surroundings. The number of affected people is unknown.

Among the common symptoms that have been reported are:

• Strong episodes of hallucinations.

• Loss of muscle control.

• Erratic and aggressive behavior.

• Difficulty speaking.

• Drowsiness

• Loss of consciousness.

• Confusion.

Other effects have been reported but not confirmed.

If you come into contact with one or more individuals who you suspect have been or are affected by the virus, do not confront them. I repeat, do not confront them.

Stay calm and follow the instructions below to keep yourself and those around you safe:

• Do not leave your home.

• Turn off the lights and cover windows with dark curtains.

• Do not block entrances. Emergency services are on their way to your location.

• Stay accompanied. There is safety in numbers.

• Keep constant conversations with your family and friends. This will help them stay calm.

• If you are outside when you hear this broadcast, please enter the nearest settlement as soon as possible and follow the instructions mentioned.

We are still studying how the virus spreads and its symptoms. Further updates will be communicated as soon as they are available.

Remember, do not leave your home.

The police will continue to work day and night to ensure the well-being of you and your family.

Thank you for your attention.

Stay together, stay healthy and stay safe.

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A digital radio delivered its last message before its battery was consumed.

To be continued...