Chapter 43: Trigger and Cue in the Safezone? pt 1

The follow him hesitantly through the gates, every step hesitant and ready to bolt.

“Keep the gates unlocked!” he shouted, then turned to the women, “I’ll give you a few hours to decide if you feel safe enough to stay here.” He smiled warmly.

Too warmly, Trigger thought. Knowing this had to be too good to be true. He seemed almost… normal. She didn’t let go of Cue’s hand, and they walked deeper into the hospital's safezone.

“Is he for real?” Cue asked, looking over at where a few women stood huddled, talking to one another. “Is any of this real?”

“I don’t know, “ Trigger whispered, tucking Cue closer and further away from the other women. “Stay with me, okay?”

“I’ll never leave your side,” Cue promised.

“Just in case we are walking into our deaths, I need you to know I love you,” Trigger said, swallowing a lump of emotion in her chest.

“I love you, too.” Cue stopped Trigger in the open area and kissed her soundly on the mouth, letting everyone around them who froze to watch know exactly what the situation was.

“Oh, sorry to interrupt,” the man said. “I just realized I forgot to tell you my name.”

He waited until they parted, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m Hunter, or that’s what they call me. I run everything outside the hospital, including supply runs and food service. I’ll take you inside to meet Doctor Victor, he manages everything inside.” he paused, turning slightly and leaning in closer. “Don’t stare,” he warns them.

“Stare at what?” Cue asked boldly, not ashamed for a minute that she had shown everyone who she belonged to.

“The burns,” was all he said before walking through the broken doors.

“I’m Cue, and this is Trigger,” Cue said. “We don't stare at people's injuries.”

Hunter just laughed and nodded.

Cue and Trigger followed him, frowning and alert. They shielded their eyes as the bright white lights bathed them. Inside, everything was white, too white, making them look like animals in comparison.

They watched in shocked awe as women ran by them in a hurry. Their clothes were pristine, and they wore masks and hats over their hair. They even had coverings on their hands that made their skin look as blue as their clothes.

“How is this possible?” Trigger asked.

The man turned on a heel with a theatrical flair and smiled widely at them. “Im about to show you something like you’ve never seen!” He bit his bottom lip, rocking on his heels. “Have you ever heard of water being hot?”

“Like on a stove? For food?” Cue asked, confused.

“Of course, we’ve heard of hot water/” Trigger rolled her eyes.

“But have you ever seen it falling from the roof and not stopping until you want it to?” he asked, leaning in and trying not to breathe. “Let me show you, alright?”

“Cue, baby, I think he’s lost his mind.” Trigger said, taking a step back and pulling Cue with her.

“Listen, I know it’s hard, but you can trust me. You can trust this.” He leaned against a door, much like the reinforced room they had stayed in the night before.

“Hey, you have a safe room with the thrones, too!” Cue said, grinning. “IS this what they are supposed to look like?”

Hunter barked a laugh, leading them into the clean, white tiled room.

There was one throne and a large open area with a metal pole sticking out of the roof. Around this was a curtain that dripped water onto the floor. The air was thick as they walked in, almost feeling wet somehow.

“This is what we call a bathroom,” he said, walking over to the throne. “This isn’t a throne, it’s a toilet, it’s where you’re supposed to piss and shit, pardon my French.”

“Why would you do that?” Trigger snapped. “It would build up and the stench… better to squat outside.”

“Ahh, but wait!” He said, still laughing, as he touched the metal on the side.

The roar that came from the ‘toilet’ scared them both so bad that they jumped and almost ran out of the room.

“What the fuck is that?!” Trigger demanded, hand on the hilt of one of her knives.

“That’s where the shit goes,” he’s laughing hard now. “If you think that's cool, watch this.”

He went to the other room and grabbed a lever on the wall. Instantly, a torrent of water started to fall from the pipe in the roof in a fine spray.

Trigger and Cue gasped in unison, approaching slowly as Hunter made a couple of adjustments to the spray and collected some bottles from a nearby cabinet.

Soon, the water began to steam and thicken the air in the room.

“What is this for?” Trigger asked, reaching out and putting her hand in the stream of the water. She sighed when the hot water touched her skin, but what really caught her eye was how it started to wash the dirt off her fingers.

She rolled her hand in the water, watching in come clean, then grabbed Cue’s hand and did the same. They giggled as they watched their hands get cleaner than they’ve ever seen.

“That’s what it’s for, but for your whole body!” He said, putting the bottles on a shelf inside the magical water space in order. “This bottle is to clean your hair, get it all bubbly before you wash it out. This one is to make your hair soft. Put it in second, and let it sit while you use this bottle, and this rag, to wash off your entire body.”

“What do you mean, our bodies? Are you trying to see us naked? Are you going to rape us?” Trigger snarled, taking out a knife and aiming it at him.

“Not at all, not at all,” he held his hands out and backed away. “I only wish to offer you both a shower. If you leave your clothes by the door, I’ll have fresh ones brought to you.”

“And you will not stay to watch?” Cue asked, putting her hand on Trigger’s arm and pushing it down slowly.

“I will not touch the door until you are ready to come out,” he promised.

“Then go!” Trigger barked, waiving him away with her knife.

Hunter chuckled. His eyes are a bit darker than before without his smile. “Absolutely, the bathroom is all yours!” He started to leave, then stopped. “Don't get the soap in your eyes. It burns.” Then he left the room.