18

I walked up the stairs with my bow raised. I had a little over a dozen arrows left that were in good condition, but I had to make sure I was safe before I could call out for help. My phone didn't have service, but nine one one should work anyway. I found that the upstairs was in much better shape then the downstairs. Besides one smear of blood in the hall I didn't find any obvious signs of destruction. 

I opened the bedroom doors to see a few suitcases, and signs that most of the rooms had been occupied when whatever this was happened. Then I got to the last door at the end of the hall. I pushed on the door only to find that it resisted. I got a good look at the doorknob, and realized it was one of those cheap bathroom locks. It didn't take much effort on my part to get a thin piece of bone in through the pinhole, and unlock the simple mechanism. 

I opened the door, and stepped in. My guts dropped out when I saw the small bloody handprints on the bathroom counter. I walked into the room slowly. Noticing the towel across the bottom of the bathroom door. I heard a quiet rustle at the end of the room. 

The bathroom was small, and opening the door you were met with a short counter. The toilet was at the end of the counter. Beyond the counter at the end of the room was a bathtub. The curtain was closed. There was another small bloody print on the edge of the tub. 

I closed the bathroom door, and shoved the towel back under the door. It was probably blocking any scents from getting out of this bathroom. I pulled the curtain back only to be hit with some kind of plastic bottle. When the bottle fell to the ground I looked down at it then at the kid that threw it, and laughed nervously. I reached out, and gently placed my hand atop the head of the younger of the two kids. 

They both broke down, and started crying. I picked up the younger one, and held him in my arms as he cried quietly into my chest. I patted the head of his younger brother as tears silently streamed down his face. 

"It's okay," I lied, "I'm here." 

I pulled his head in too. Allowing him to cry into my shoulder as his brother cried into my chest. 

"It's okay," I lied, "I'm here."

I patted the top of his head gently as I rubbed his little brothers back. I smiled gently. These boys needed some comfort. I just sat there, and gently let them cry for a long time. I looked up to check the window above the toilet. 

Making sure that window was closed as well. I set down the younger brother before grabbing a towel to cover the window with several towels to make sure no light made it outside. 

"Stay in the tub for now," I whispered, "I'm going to turn off the lights downstairs before it gets dark. I don't want anything to know we're here."

The older brother who was about twelve swallowed nervously as he grabbed my sleeve. The younger brother was about six maybe seven. 

"I'm planning on coming back," I handed the older brother my phone, "Try to call the police while I'm downstairs. Don't stop calling until they answer."

I settled the younger boy back into the bathtub, and picked up my bow. Leaving behind all the materials. I left the bathroom with only my bow, quiver, and the clothes on my back. I paused briefly at the door. 

"My password is two two seven four," I smiled at the older boy as I closed the door behind me. 

It was in that hour of twilight before it actually got dark so I needed to hurry. I didn't want this house lit up like a beacon as we hid in the upstairs bathroom. I rushed downstairs flicking lights off as I went. Briefly checking the bedrooms for a working C type cable. I didn't care if they were headphone cables or cheap shit cables.

The one in my car wasn't an option a this time of night. The charger might still be working, but the cable had been hopelessly pinched underneath the smashed dash. Plus the cord had shocked me through a cut in the cable. There was no way I'd be able to trust that cord to keep working the whole night. I found a base in one of the upstairs rooms. 

A cord under the game console in what looked like a game room. It was a short two foot cable. Beggars can't be choosers. I knocked on the door of the bathroom gently before opening the door. The older boy rushed over to hug me when I came back. 

I'd grabbed a wad of blankets out of the last room I'd been in before bringing them back into the bathroom. I dropped the wad of blankets, and closed the door. Pulling out a good number of towels, and spreading them out on the floor so the blankets could be used to keep us warm. Not soften the floor. I was glad the room was well stocked with towels. 

Maybe it was because there was some kind of family gathering. I sat down on the floor, and gathered both boys into my lap up against the tub. The older boy didn't settle until the bathroom door was locked, and my phone was firmly back in my hand. I called the police. I relaxed a little when I heard the phone start ringing. 

My phone informed me that the line was busy, and I was kicked off the call. I called family next. My phone beeped angrily, and then cut out because I had no service. 

"Does this place have wifi?" I asked the older boy. 

"Yeah," he replied in a quiet voice.