The Regulator (Complete First Draft)

Chapter 21: Monica - Contemplations

Monica stood on the deck of her private cabin, right on the edge of Lake Fireside. She lived there year round, and the cabin was perfectly built for it. Fully furnished, a full kitchen, a dining room, a living room, two bedrooms, carpeted floors, insulation... the cabin had the whole nine yards. It was really more of a house than a cabin. A cabin sized house. She stood out on the deck, leaning on the railing with her head in her hands, crying. The full moon’s moonlight reflected of the lake onto her as she did. What a f***ed up day it had been. What a f***ed up situation they were in. Everything was so f***ed, and she couldn’t stand it. She’d worked her whole life putting smiles on the faces of children in the summer, her staff smiling all along as well. Too see them dying one by one was destroying her, tearing her apart from the inside out. And to make matters worse, Brad just didn’t seem to care. They had worked together for ten years. They had seen these campers grow into staff members, how could he not even bat an eye lash when they died. It was f***ed up. f***ed up, she thought.

“Um, Monica, you alright?” Monica heard from below her. She looked off the porch and a little to the right to see Brandon standing on the beach.

“Yeah. Yeah I’m fine. Everything taken care of?” Monica asked, trying to regain her composure.

“Well, we’re burning all the bodies and took Zach to the nurses office. Ivan’s a mess and the rest of Nick’s group isn’t feeling any better. I just overheard Andrew, Nick, and Brad having a huge screaming fight about what to do about Zach too. It wasn’t pretty. The only real good news is that the Gabi girl seem’s okay, since she’s been reunited with her group.” Brandon reported. Monica sighed, none of it was news she wanted to hear really.

“And our people?” She asked, referring to the survivors who had died in the attack.

“Prepping them for burial. Johanna and Annaliese volunteered to make them look nice. Gavin’s digging graves.” Brandon said, solemnly. Monica nodded.

“What are they gonna do about Zach?” Monica asked.

“Nick and Brad were saying kill him. Nick can’t stand seeing him in pain and Brad thinks he’s a danger with no cure.” Brandon said, quickly.

“Of course.” Monica said, sighing and putting her head in her hands again.

“Andrew’s gonna give him a choice though.” Brandon then finished. Monica looked back up.

“What do you mean?” Monica asked, a sense of hope had suddenly entered her body. It didn’t fill it, but it was there.

“Brad and Nick put Andrew in charge of whatever he’s going to do. Andrew is gonna ask Zach what he wants, and we’ll see what happens from there.” Brandon said, rather matter-of-factly. Monica noticed that he didn’t seem very phased at all, but she didn’t dwell on it.

“Let’s hope he chooses the right thing.” Monica said.

“What’s the right choice?” Brandon asked. Monica was taken slightly a back. “Not to sound rude, but what is the right choice? How would we even know we were making it?”

“The right choice,” Monica began, “Is the one that doesn’t take away our humanity.” It got quiet. Monica could tell Brandon was pondering what she said. He leaned against a nearby tree and scratched his chin.

“You have a weird way of looking at the world, Monica, but i’ll be damned if it’s not a good way of looking at it.” He finally said. Monica smiled.

“Good night, Brandon.” She said, turning to walk back into her cabin.

“Night, Monica.” Brandon said, doing the same and walking back home.