Out of everything Cleo had been expecting to find, it wasnāt this.
It had been about two weeks since everything went silent. Oakhurst was so quiet now, just Cleo and Pearl. No more screaming, no more fighting, no more pointless violence. Cleo still hadn't quite gotten it in their head that it was over, that they had survived, that the plan actually worked. Now, she and Pearl had begun work on cleaning up the town.
Against their better judgement, Cleo started with the doctorās old home.
It seemed the easiest to start gaining momentum on, for all his time spent working Doc had managed to keep the place fairly tidy. It was the outside that had suffered the most damage, scarred by all the conflict it had borne witness to. But when she started searching, she found it. A small box, hidden away under his bed. A recording device of some kind. It clicked.
āSeptember ninth. My travels through the countryside, to study and treat the ailments and afflictions of the commonfolk, have led me towards a derelict townā¦ā
Cleo dropped it. It fell through their fingers as their whole body suddenly went weak. His voice. It was the doctorās voice. It was Legsā voice. The last time she had heard it was when sheā¦ when sheā¦
Cleo rushed to pick it up again, searching it for any signs of damage. It seemed alright. There was a button on the side that they must have pressed when they picked it up. Click.
āSeptember sixteenth. Any and all attempts to leave the immediate area surrounding Oakhurst have failed. A dense fog has rolled in, making navigation almost impossibleā¦ā
Tears ran cold down Cleoās face in silent, choking sobs. Why hadnāt he told her about this? Why hadnāt he told anyone? Their hands shook but they were determined not to drop it again. They couldnāt risk damaging it, losing this little shred, losing his voice.
They pressed the button again, but it was only static. Had she broken it? Noā¦ There it was, the sound of him breathing, and another pause. Thenā¦
āVampires are real. End of log.ā
Cleo kept clicking. The last recording was dated October eleventh, days before the end.
āBut Iām still hopeful. If not inā¦ if not in helping those who are potentially too far gone, but just trying to save whatever there is left.ā
Cleo didnāt notice the sound of the door opening, or of Pearl coming in, but suddenly there was a hand on their shoulder and a silent question. Is thatā¦?
Cleo nodded. Tears began to make their way down Pearlās cheeks. They spent the rest of the day standing there, in silence, listening over and over and over.
amandla
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