Yesterday's Gone: Season One

the people didn’t understand the dog’s warnings.
    “Thanks, Jimmy.” Desmond turned to John . “Everything okay?”
    Get the fuck out of my face, Desmond.  
    Sure thing, boss. Just taking a minute to mourn, if that’s okay with you.  
    I’m great, thanks.  
    Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?
    “Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
    “Well, you had a pretty rough night last night, and you seem...I don’t know, off this morning. I’m sure it’s a massive migraine on an empty stomach, but I’ve not seen you eat anything. Like I said last night, I just want to help. You think of a way I can do that, let me know, and it’s half-done already, okay?”
    What’s your endgame, boss? What’s in it for YOU?
    You could pay more attention to getting us out of here than you do to Mother Mary.
    Thanks, Desmond. I’m good.
    I appreciate your concern and will work harder to be one of the team from now on.
    “I appreciate your concern and will work harder to be one of the team from now on.”  
    The dangerous one took a step back, wrestling his expression.  
    Being a human required more than words and motions. John had yet to absorb the subtleties. What he was trying to say wasn’t getting the reactions he expected.
    “How about we get you something to eat. An empty stomach can’t be helping.” Desmond said.
    Is that why I’m burning? Because the shell is famished? How useless — a mind dependent on a bottomless shell for survival.  
    The dangerous one disappeared, then returned a few minutes later with a banana, crackers and a bottle of water. “Here you go,” he said, handing them to John . “Sorry about the banana. Nothing we can do about fruit getting old, except maybe get out of here and start growing our own.” He smiled awkwardly. “Alright, be ready to leave in 10 minutes, okay?”
    You can kiss my ass in 10 minutes.  
    Thanks for the banana. I’ll never be hungry again.  
    Sounds good.
    Thanks for everything, I feel much better now. Ready to go when you are.  
    “Sounds good.”
    The man-boy ran into the lobby. “You guys are gonna want to see this,” he said. He turned, ran back toward the stairs, then sprinted a flight to the window on the other side of the second floor door. The dangerous one, the old man, the mother and daughter, the boy-child and the dog all followed, with John close behind.
    Why am I burning. It shouldn't be this HOT.  
    “Christ on a cross,” the dangerous one said. “When did this happen?”
    “I’ve no idea,” the man-child shook his head. “They’ve more than quadrupled in the past half hour.”
    Everyone stared as what the humans had called “bleakers” had packed the parking lot hundreds strong.
    John smiled. His legion was growing stronger by the second.  
    They know ; that’s why they’re coming. To help usher in the change.
    But he wasn’t ready, not yet.  
    The dog: Growl....BarkBarkBarkBark...Growl...  
    Furious shrieks were followed by a low growl of uncurling hatred.
    Will said, “Looks like Lord Vader doesn’t like them bleakers at all!”
    But the rat wasn’t looking out the window, its snarl was curled at John ; teeth bared, saliva pouring from the open side.
    “Luca,” Will said, “would you mind taking the dog downstairs so we can figure out what to do?”
    “Okay,” the boy buried his fingers in the dog’s coat and led it toward the stairs. The daughter followed.  
    “So what do you think?” The old man, the one who sometimes saw things , was looking at the dangerous one as though he was the only one in the room. The shell’s disdain for Desmond tainted Its perception of Desmond, also. An unsettling realization for John, that the human’s feelings could effect Its perceptions. How limiting, to be so easily swayed by perceptions. Maybe I can use that to my advantage in dealing with these creatures.
    The dangerous one shook his head. “I don’t know. Seems like it’s too risky to leave now. But if they’re growing that fast and have us in their sights, maybe it’s a bigger risk to stay.” Desmond looked out the window again, then tilted his neck and peered as far as he could in the other direction. “Christ, I can’t even see where they end.”
    BARK...RUFF RUFF...BARK...RUFF RUFF
    John could still hear the dog barking a floor below. He wondered why the dog had not just attacked him the moment it noticed the ruse. Do dogs also throttle their desires?
    The room rained with flames only John could