The next morning came with no surprises. Almost everyone was suffering from some level of hangover. Sal and David were busy in the back cooking eggs, pancakes, sausage, and brewing coffee for the group.

Byron woke before Julie. He quietly disentangled himself from her and strode over to Sal, still completely naked. His face looked ten years younger, and he was almost glowing. To say he looked happy would be an understatement.

“Goddamn son, put on some briefs.” David joked.

“Glad you finally made a move, Byron. I knew she was into you. She’s been eyeing you for a while.” Sal said.

“Cool. Yeah, it was a good night. I was worried, cause it had been a long minute, but riding bikes, you know?” Byron was almost bouncing up and down. He acted like a heavy weight had been lifted off him.

#

Edward and Elliot went upstairs to talk to the quarantined group. The plan was to let them out this morning. Elliot knocked and was almost instantly greeted by Seth.

“We getting out soon, warden?”

“Right now, I do believe. Early release for good behavior.” Edward said, laughing.

Seth opened the door and stepped out, embracing Edward. From the look of Seth, the stay had been rough. He looked tired. His five o’clock shadow was closer to a beard, the bags under his eyes had apparently ordered some extra luggage, and he appeared to have lost a few pounds, even though he couldn’t afford to lose any to start out.

“It’s been…tough. Some people aren’t built to stay in confined spaces with others for more than a few minutes.”

Holly stormed past them and flew down the stairs.

“Like her, for example. She’s not made for the indoor world at all.”

Trisha came out next, a look of relief on her face.

“Hi, guys! Thank god that’s over!” She sounded mostly happy.

“Where did the C u next Tuesday go? I’d hate to get in her personal space again.” Maggie said as she tentatively stepped through the door.

“Downstairs. Hopefully, she left already. Probably not, though, knowing our luck.” Becka said. She had been standing just beyond the doorway.

Julia came walking out, a look of disgust and rage mixed with self-pity on her face. She had obviously been crying uncontrollably. All the tell-tale signs were present: ruined makeup, puffy eyes, runny nose. With her, though, the runny nose was accompanied by full-blown snot. She hadn't tried to clean it up at all. She didn't bother with tissue, nor did Maggie try and help her.

“Do you need some help, Julia?” Elliot asked with a childlike kindness in his voice.

“Go to hell. Where is she? Did she leave?”

“Downstairs,” Seth said and pointed to the staircase.

Julia stormed off much as Holly had before her.

“There goes a self-obsessed cunt if ever I’ve met one,” Maggie said.

“My god, Maggie, we’ve been waiting a year to hear you say that. Welcome back to your senses, sister! Let’s get coffee and food in you people, and you can tell Uncle Edward all about the bad, bad women. I think we have a teddy bear that you can use to show us where the bad person touched you.”

Everyone laughed. The mood lightened considerably. Maggie punched Edward in the arm.

“You think you’re so funny. Are you still trying to write the “Last Great American Novel?” How’s that going for you? Hmm? Cat got your tongue? Oh, that’s right. You gave up when you realized your writing was shit. Comedy might be a better path.”

“Damn, Maggie, that was a bit harsh. What the hell went on in there? Y’all seem a bit on edge.”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Yeah, sorry. We’re a bit wound up. Food and coffee, stat. Plus some separation from the rest of the freaks we’ve been locked in with. Particularly Julia and Holly. To hell with those bitches.”

Everyone headed downstairs and was welcomed back into society with a buffet-style breakfast. Sal and David had just finished setting up.

There wasn't much talking while everyone ate. Afterward, Holly took her plate into the back room and didn't return. Nobody seemed to mind.

Jesse, Mikel (who was super hungover and wanted nothing more than to vomit and go back to bed), Julie, and Elliot cleaned up. When they went into the backroom, Holly wasn't there. There was no sign of her, but the back door was still barricaded shut.

#

After everything was cleaned up and people had gotten themselves ready for a day of sitting around, Sal went up to the apartment to assess the damage they had done. Once satisfied, he invited David up, and the two took naps while the rest stayed downstairs and talked.

Time passed, and soon it was mid-afternoon. Sal came down and was greeted with a fresh cup of coffee and a sandwich, courtesy of Seth and Becka. He ate it happily. David joined a few minutes later to the same welcome.

As everyone was preparing for another evening of drinking and games, a knock came at the front door.

Sal held a finger to his lips in the universal hush sign. The knock came again. This time it was followed by a hushed voice.

“Hello? Is there anybody in there?”

Jesse was made to stand up. Julie quickly put her hand on Jesse's arm, keeping her in her chair.

“Please, if there’s anyone in there, please let us in. It’s just me and my daughter. We just need to get off the street.”

“Let them in,” whispered Jesse. Elliot and David nodded in agreement. Mikel kept silent. Seth and Becka voted to let them in, along with Maggie and Edward.

“Damn,” Sal grumbled. He walked to the door.

"Walk around to the back. Tap out the tune to row, row, row your boat. I'll let you in. Be quick about it." If it's possible to shout and whisper at the same time, that's what Sal did.

He stepped away from the door, picked up the AR-15, and pointed at Elliot and David.

“You two assholes want them in here so bad, you’re coming with me. Take this.” He handed Elliot the shotgun. He then turned to Byron and gave the handgun to him.

“You hold down the fort.”

“Why not Mikel?”

Sal just grunted and walked off.

“Should I be offended?”

“Na, we all know you’re not really a gun guy.”

“True. I don’t really like guns.”

A few moments later, there was a loud commotion in the back room. Sal came through the door in a rush.

“We might have a problem,” Sal said all at once. He looked worried. Sal never looked worried. His expressions ranged between happy and shit's happening, and I need to take charge. Worried was never one of them.

“Did they come to the back?” Mikel hadn’t heard anything from the back since Sal burst through the door. Elliot and David hadn’t come back out with Sal, either.

“Something sure as hell did. It knocked at the door. I asked them to tap the right thing, and I’d let them in.” He faltered.

Elliot and David came through the door just then. David was holding a kitchen towel to his forearm. Blood had already soaked through and was running down to his elbow, leaving a trail of blood behind him as he walked.

"What the hell? Are you okay?" Byron jumped up and ran to David. He was taking charge as only a trained medical professional could. He took David by the wrist and led him to a table, where he started to address the situation, calling for more towels and hot water. Sal grabbed a first aid kit and brought it over to him.

“What happened?” Julie asked as everyone congregated around the new makeshift triage center.

“I’ll tell you what just happened. That…thing… it… it just tore a hole through the door and grabbed him. Like the door wasn’t even there.”

“What do you mean, thing?” Byron asked. “Like what we saw on the news earlier?”

“Best guess is yes. I’d estimate that by the strength of it and the size of its claws, it would be at least eight feet, maybe more. It could have torn the door off the wall without a problem. It was just letting us know it was out there.” David spoke calmly and without any sign of shock. He obviously had training in dealing with trauma.

Sal spoke up.

“I’m not about to give up my bar to anybody or anything. And I have come to know and love each one of you. Some more than others. I’m looking at you, Elliot.” Everyone gave a half-hearted laugh. “Anyway, I’d lay down for any one of you. Including you, Elliot. We are not about to give up. This isn’t the end of Sal’s, nor is it the end of us. We’ve got this.”

Sal’s pep talk didn’t fall on deaf ears. They needed to hear something positive after witnessing the events of the last few minutes.

“We need to take a look at the back door,” David said, trying to get up from his chair.

"You're not going anywhere," Byron said as he was preparing to clean the wounds on David's arm. There were three deep cuts on his forearm with another more superficial wound where a claw didn't gain purchase.

"I'll help." Mikel stepped forward. Sal and Elliot stepped up with him. Elliot still held the shotgun, and Sal had the AR. Mikel went behind the bar and picked up Sal's baseball bat. Sal used it to break up rowdy crowds. Usually by slamming it down on the bar and sending people scattering.

Sal led the way and pulled the door to the back room open. They followed him in.

#