Chris

Instead of just finishing me off on the deck, the Butchers took me to the captain’s bridge. On the armchair in front of the equipment was a woman with a burned face, which I saw yesterday. The chair itself resembled a throne hung with human bones. Before this throne, a naked fat man in a leather collar stood on all fours and licked his hostess's bare feet. At the sight of visitors, the woman frowned.

“Get out,” she ordered her pet.

Not getting to his feet, the fat man went on all fours somewhere in the corner, where he lay down.

- Where did you find him? The woman asked, putting on her boots.

“He found us himself.” Arrived on a Ralph motorcycle, - answered one of my escorts.

- sure? - clarified the woman.

- The number is the same.

The woman sighed wearily and looked at me.

“Two of my guys were supposed to be back an hour ago, but they never returned.” What have you done with them? She asked, looking into my eyes.

I did not immediately find what to answer. To say that I dealt with the owner of the motorcycle and its passenger was tantamount to suicide, and the simple answer that I found the motorcycle would hardly satisfy those present.

- Why are you silent? Did not come up with a more convincing lie? The woman asked, as if reading my mind.

- Not. I think it would be more subtle to tell the unpleasant news, ”I replied, trying to gain time.

One of the Butchers who stood behind me hit me on the legs, and I fell to my knees.

- There is no need to think about my tender feelings. What's up with my guys? The woman asked again.

“They were killed by the military.” Shot before my eyes. When the army team left, one of yours was still alive. Before he died, he managed to tell me the name of the ship, ”I explained confusedly, knowing that the Butchers would not be able to verify my words.

The woman narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“You mean you found the ship, knowing only its name?” Even so, why did you forget here?

- Don't be a fool, Alice! You do not believe this goat? Grumbled one of the Butchers.

- Not your damn business, you moron! Fell on deck, and look like someone else here is not pinned! - raised Alice's voice.

- Bitch stupid! - grumbled through his teeth, and then left.

His departure gave me confidence.

- I found the ship because I had been here before. And I came here to report the fate of your people, - I found a plausible answer.

Alice grinned.

- And how long have you been here? - She asked.

- A few months ago. I bought provisions and some supplies.

Having received the necessary answers, Alice, after some deliberation, ordered me to take me to the others. Hearing that there are other prisoners, I was delighted and alerted at the same time. I wanted to believe that my father and at least some of the former owners of the ship were alive. On the other hand, the Butchers left people alive only in order to then put them to stuffing, and this did not inspire much optimism. As I expected, the Butchers drove every single prisoner into the ship's hold. In addition to the familiar merchants, there were a few dozen people whom I had never seen before. As soon as the escorts left, I began to peer into the faces of the captives, trying to find my father. Judging by the stench in the hold, the Butchers did not let the locked people even go to the toilet. Passing forward, and almost plunging into a puddle of fresh vomit, I still noticed my father. He was sitting on the floor, leaning his back against the wall, and muttering something to himself. He looked tired and haggard. When I approached him, my father slowly raised his eyes.

“Oh, it's you,” he said with undisguised indifference.

- What happened here? - I demanded an answer.

“We all died and went to hell.” Although something tells me that even in hell is not so shitty, - grumbled his father, and then began to cough.

Stop coughing, he slowly rose to his feet, holding his hand to the wall.

“I have no idea where you have been hanging around all this time, but you'd better stay there, you ungrateful little bastard!” - He grunted, and then with a lame gait walked to the opposite corner.

When he reached him, the father stopped, lowered his pants, and began to relieve himself. All my attempts to start a conversation with him, my father stopped at the root, repeating that I should not have come back here. But one of the old acquaintances named Harry was not averse to chat, although he also looked not too happy. Butchers appeared on the seashore a little more than three weeks ago. Having quietly eliminated one single sentry, the bandits seized the ship without a single shot. Using the "Queen of the Seas" as the main base, the Butchers almost every day brought here more and more new captives. However, for a long time the prisoners in the hold did not linger. Every day, the Butchers took 3-4 people from the hold, and no one else saw them. Under the distribution were not only newcomers, but also those with whom I was well acquainted. Apart from his father and Harry, only four people remained from the initial composition of the ship's settlers. The prisoners were fed mainly vegetables, which is not surprising, since the current owners of the ship preferred meat, though not the first freshness. The leader of the gang was a big man named Duncan, but after he did not return from the next raid, Alice became the new leader of the Butchers. Being the only woman in a gang of cannibals, Alice did not concede to Duncan in cruelty, and she often participated in forays. Therefore, the change of leadership had no effect on the captives, who were still sent for slaughter. While Harry was telling all this, I once again carefully looked at the few captives, afraid to see Emma among them. Fortunately, no one even remotely like her was here. I could only hope that Emma would understand that her mother was not here, and would give up the idea of ​​reaching the ship. Trying not to think about when it was my turn, I sat down next to Harry and looked again at my father. Maybe he lowered his hands, but not me.

“I don’t know how, but we’ll definitely get out of here,” I promised.

Harry grinned bitterly.

- All of us sooner or later get out of here. Through the asses of these scum, ”he said sadly.

Ben

(Note: Events no longer evolve in parallel. Chronologically, Emma overtakes Ben and Cynthia.)

The changes were visible to the naked eye. From the resigned and limp litter Cynthia overnight turned into a battle-woman, ready for her daughter to cut the throat of anyone. Not wanting to check how deep Cynthia entered the new image, I lied that Emma and I were divided, but agreed to meet at the appointed place. Judging by the gloomy incredulous look, busty mom did not fully believe my vague explanations, but still lowered the weapon. The car, tucked a little more than half, and besides, full of weapons, in our times was worth its weight in gold. Even if Cynthia allowed a whole company of soldiers to use her holes, the army team would hardly be so rewarding. So, she found the jeep, what I could hardly believe, since fully serviceable cars, and even with the whole arsenal inside today, are not lying on the roads, or drove away. To confirm or refute my guess, Cynthia did not, but only ordered to get into the car. She did not take me with herself out of pity, but because she wanted to make sure that I did not lie to her about the venue. After 40 minutes of driving, I felt bad, and the matter was not at all with motion sickness. Trying not to give out my true state, I moved to the back seat and examined my hand. If previously swollen veins did not even reach the elbow, now the infection has spread to the very shoulder, and the skin has started to become covered with some kind of crust.Deciding that Cynthia had no need to know about my illness, I found a first-aid kit in the backseat, and bandaged my arm.

“At that moment when you broke up, was Emma all right?” - Cynthia asked, unaware of what condition ...