Chapter 7: Scavenge
A soft hum echoes through the sewer camp and, because of the tense nerves of all the survivors, is enough to rouse everyone from their restless sleep. Father David’s snap open and sees that Henrick is already putting his backpack on. "So, we’ll have to scavenge huh?" the priest says as he stands and prepares himself, his face set in grim lines.
Henrick simply nods and wakes Elly up. "Elly, get up. Is there somewhere you can hide while we’re gone? Somewhere that Grant doesn’t know?" he asks as he watches her groggily rub her eyes. "Yes...a kind lady lets me sleep in her tent when I need to." she answers, getting up swiftly. Elly looks around and scrunches up her face in worry at the gathering scavengers, then quickly gives Henrick and Father David a hug, before scampering off.
Henrick watches Elly run off and shakes his head with a laugh. "Spirited girl. Let’s go, Father." he says as they make their way to the main tent. They arrive and the soldier scowls at the scent of unwashed bodies and the tang of fear floating through the air. A few minutes pass as the survivors fidget with their belongings, clearly terrified of going out.
Bobby steps out from his large tent and stretches as carefree as can be, grinning at the gathered survivors. "Nice, nice, you guys are up nice and early. Remember to grab as many canned goods as you can. Shoo, go be useful." he waves them away and is about to go back in, but is interrupted by a melodious voice.
"Aren’t you forgetting something Bobby?" Selene says as she appears from behind a tent. Bobby pauses and gives the survivors a smile filled with false sincerity. "Ah of course, breakfast, how could I forget." he says as he gestures for his guards to distribute cans of food. He turns away and scowls as he enters his tent. Henrick simply watches the exchange with a hint of amusement as he grabs a can.
He quickly consumes the cans contents and walks towards Selene, his face impassive. "You might be pushing a little hard. He doesn’t look like someone to forgive easily." the soldier says as he crosses his arms and waits for a response. Selene calmly eats her breakfast and derisively snorts at Henrick’s words. "Neither am I. He’s keeping my little brother hostage, the least he could do is give us breakfast. That bastard..." she spits out, venom dripping from her every word.
Henrick merely shrugs at that and follows her as she walks deeper into the sewer. Father David speaks up as they arrive at a manhole cover that’s dripping with dark purple liquid. "Do you think that the thunderstorm is gone?" he asks as they climb a ladder. Henrick shakes his head as he reaches the top of the ladder. "I don’t think so, but we don’t have a choice." he says as he pushes the manhole cover open.
Viscous dark purple liquid immediately pours down as Selene and Father David dodge out of the way. Henrick, however, was not so lucky. He braces himself on the ladder as the liquid soaks his clothes. "Damn it!" the soldier shouts as his grip slips from the ladder and he falls onto his back. Selene covers her mouth as she gives a light chuckle while Father David laughs out loud.
Henrick immediately gets up and glares at the both of them before he watches in fascination as the liquid seeps into his very skin, leaving him dry. Electricity courses through his body as the liquid enhances his strength to new heights.
With faintly glowing electric blue eyes, Henrick leads the way out of the sewer. Hurricane force winds still buffet the world above ground, but the rain seems to have stopped. The trio carefully make their way out of the manhole cover and Henrick peeks outside the alley for any hostiles. Selene signals for the both of them to follow as she leads them to a tall mall.