I tried the door to the bus, the side door. But it was no good. So then I tried a window, and the next, but none would open. Alice was shivering in the cold, her cardigan too thin.

It wasn’t until I had done a full bus walk-around that I found a window that would shimmy. I called her over, and we both found refuge inside Marshall’s bedroom.

A set of bunk beds on one side. A master bed on the other. A damaged poster of Metallica and Megadeth stapled to his closet door. The whole room reeked of a foul odour, but I couldn’t quite put a name to it.

I brought her through to the lounge area, through the beaded curtains. She sat down beside me. Suddenly she gasped and I realised I’d forgotten completely about the sex doll that Marshall had taped to his wall.

“What the fuck is that?” She gawked, as her voice began to break into twisted laughter.

“Ah, shit. That’s the owner of buses. He says it’s a Christmas decoration.” I reply, my eyes locking on the monstrosity.

“More like Christmas cake, because he’s probably got his icing all through it.” She laughs.

“Euuuugh.” I dry-wrenched, “That’s actually fucked aye. He’s just got that thing sitting there for the whole world to see as soon as they come in. Can’t imagine what would happen if he brought a chick back here.”

“I can’t imagine he’d be getting much action, he’s that old guy that wears that battle jacket right? How old is he? Like 50?” Alice asked.

“I guess so, he could be 30 and just done a shit tonne of drugs,” I answered.

My heart felt like it skipped a beat when Alice pulled a cigarette from her handbag and slipped it between her lips, a lighter bearing its end. “Don’t light that thing,” I warned, grabbing the lighter from her.

“No smoking inside?” She asked.

“Yeah nah, this place is a lab. Don’t want the whole building to go up in flames.” I responded.

“What kinda lab? Meth?” She asked further.

“Nah, nah, I think it’s Acid. I could be wrong though. It seems like that guy dies everything.” I clarified.

“Can I light it outside and then bring it in?” She queried.

“What would be the point of lighting it outside if you’re just gonna bring an ember back inside?” I replied, wiping away sweat from my forehead.

“The ember from a durry isn’t enough to light gasoline. I’m pretty certain it wouldn’t matter regardless with an acid lab, but I mean, my dad used to smoke cigs while he syphoned gas out of cars.” she continued.

“How do you know that?” I asked her.

“Because it’s how he got gas to drop me back home to mum.” She answered.

“A ciggie can’t light gas on fire? I don’t know if that’s true…” I stated.

Alice shook her head, “Nah, I’ve seen him drop his entire ciggie into the gas can and nothing happened. The liquid is too dense inside it. The smoke ends up just going out.” She insisted.

I contemplated her words. I still didn’t buy it, and I preferred not to test her theory. “I’ll grab us a jacket each and we can go back outside for a smoke,” I said, moving back behind the beaded curtain.

I fished around in the closet and found a pair of matching retro skiing jackets, one was purple and yellow, while the other was pink and baby blue. Both had a sort of jagged patchwork quality to them.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

I grabbed them both off of their hooks and introduced them to Alice, “Which one do you like better?” I asked her.

“Hm. Give me the pink and blue.” She answered, rising to her feet.

As I handed it to her, I noticed her bare legs, and couldn’t imagine she’d be much better off without some leg coverings. At the same time, I doubted that she’d wanna wear a pair of Marshall’s crusty denim jeans; so I gave her both jackets and told her to wrap the other one around her legs. “It might help a bit,” I said.

“Yeah, slim chance.” She laughed, as we moved back out into the cold again.

I lit her cigarette and she drew her first drag. For the first time in days, I felt a tug at my mind, like a cerebral string drawing me into the sweet soothing sensation that that cigarette would bring.

“Do you want a drag?” She asked me, reading the room.

“Oh, no, that’s fine. I’m all good.” I lied.

“Are you sure?” She continued, offering the cigarette.

I knew if I took one puff, everything that I had accomplished would unravel. But at the same time; we’d snorted meth. Which made this cigarette pale in comparison.

So I plucked the cigarette from her shuttering fingers and I took a long lung-fufilling puff. It was everything that I had hoped for. But was pretty rough. I hadn’t smoked a dart in yonks. They’re too expensive.

Needless to say, I took a couple more and then we moved back inside. And another thought began to cloud my mind, “Do you reckon those lunatics down there will try and stand Maverick over for his Acid?” I asked Alice.

“What do you mean?” She asked, looking around the room.

“You know, those addicts down there. Mavericks probably sitting on close to 10 grand worth of acid. I don’t know how long he can go for before he ends up getting robbed.” I stated.

“You’re worried about Maverick getting robbed?” she asked further.

“Fuckin oath I am,” I answered, tapping my foot.

“Maverick sells crack, Hunter. Those customers are the ones that’ll rob you. Not some trust fund hippie people wanting to party in the snow.” Alice assured.

I felt her words wash over me, like a contorting blanket. It was as if everything she had said struck home. I wouldn’t say it alleviated my heightened panic, but it was somewhat of a counterbalance to it. The kind that almost gave me a twisted smile. But still, I felt like going back down there to make sure Maverick was all good.

“We should go back down there.” I began,

“What makes you say that?” She asked.

“Maverick, I need to make sure everything’s all good. What kind of guy throws a rave in a sealed vault in a random part of the woods? Who does that?” I spoke bitterly, raising to my feet. “I gotta go.”

“What? No, just stay here.” She insisted.

I looked at her, her eyes hissing like that of snakes. She was looking deep into me, her soft hand resting upon the bus's door handle.

I was unsure of what to make of it all. Whether she was a nurturing angel meant to save me from this hellish nightmare, or if she was a distraction to keep me from saving my brother's life.

And then something clicked within me, something that incited horror and war inside my mind. Perhaps she had dragged me out here because her friends had told her to get me out of the room before they jumped Maverick, bounced his head off the concrete floor, and left him for dead.

“I think we should go back to the bunker.” I said shortly, pacing back and forth.

“I think you need to learn to relax. Everything’s fine,” she replied.

“What do you mean?” I asked her, running my hands through my hair.

“Maverick’s fine. He’s been through a lot worse than what’s happening at the moment. I don’t even think you know the half of it.” Alice stated, with a condescending laugh.

“I think you're the one that doesn’t know the half of it. This last week has been absolutely gut wrenching. And what was that about you wanting to join the Green family? I wouldn’t say you have the best common sense.” I spoke, matching her energy.

“What does the Green family have to do with any of this? I didn’t even end up going.” Alice replied.

“Yeah, and that’s a good thing too. Those people are absolutely feral. They eat hitchhikers and fuck each other's wives. Complete nuthouse they are.” I ranted, fidgeting with a set of dice.

“What are you on about?” she asked, completely puzzled.

“That little cult you wanted to join; is getting a Netflix documentary soon. Mark my fucking words. It makes Gloryvale seem like a tea party.” I answered, rolling the dice.

“All I’m trying to do is get you to calm down and relax because you’re the one that’s acting crazy. There’s no need for all of that.” She stated, crossing her legs.

“It’s a bit hard to calm down when I’m on the same stuff that caused me to hate my brother. It’s like everything’s come full circle.” I scowled.

“How do you think I feel? My mum has been on the stuff for as long as I can remember. Try being raised by someone that can’t even afford groceries most weeks.” She spat at me.

“I just don’t know what to do with him. I’ve tried everything I can to help him but nothing ever works. It’s all for nothing. Being around him for a week has started to chafe off on me. And now that I get to what feels like the end of it all, I end up doing the same shit that’s fucked his life up.” I vented.

“How about you stop trying to control his life and just let him destroy it if that’s what he wants to do.” gritted Alice.

“Because he used to be the man. He was my favourite person in this world. And sometimes it’s like he’s still in there.” I replied.

“Yeah, but, it’s not like that’s happened so far has it?” she retorted.

I shook my head, “Nah.”

“Exactly. Give up. Realise that it’s not worth destroying your own mind to save someone who doesn’t wanna save themselves. It’ll do you no good.” she finished.

I chewed on those words but didn’t quite swallow.

“I’m gonna go back to the bunker. You can stay here, or you can come with,” she said, taking off the skiing jacket, and walking back into the snow.