Everyone just stood and stared at Dave. Annaliese couldn’t believe the gall of the man. What made him think he had any right to order them about?
I’m sure he’s just doing what he thinks is right, but jeez, take a chill-pill.
After a while, Dave shook his head and almost spat at the floor with rage. He was bright red. “Nick, are you going to back me up here? You know, that since I picked you all up, I have only had this group’s interests at heart.”
Nick sighed and stared down at the ground. Then he began shaking his head. “You know what? I don’t know what your motivation is, Dave, but I do know that we are all getting pretty sick and tired of you assuming that you have any right over the rest of us.”
“Nick, you need to understand-”
“We’re playing basketball, Dave. Either join us, or go away.”
Dave’s eyes narrowed and he glared at Nick as though he was trying to burn a hole through his forehead. Then he spun around in a huff and marched away.
Annaliese took a deep breath and let it out through her nostrils. “I think you just made an enemy there,” she said to Nick.
Nick grabbed the basketball and began bouncing it. “I’m a big boy,” he said. “I can handle Dave.”
He threw the ball through the air and made another perfect basket. Nobody picked it up again, though. Suddenly, they didn’t feel like playing games anymore.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The evening was tense, particularly between Dave and Nick. Nick had felt the man’s angry gaze fall upon him several times throughout the night, and he was getting quite sick of it.
Guy needs to let it go.
The whole group were now in the restaurant, including Jan and Renee. They were all eating burgers and fries that Pauline and Michelle had prepared in the kitchen. They had done so by lighting a fire in a large pan and using an improvised spit to roast the meat. They boiled water for the fries. The food was horrible, but made everybody’s hunger go away. Seeing how much food they had consumed for just one meal made it dauntingly obvious that their supplies would not last forever. The bleak knowledge seemed to add to the tension already in the air.
Shawcross sat alone in a corner, eating his meal with his head down. He was a broken man, obviously unused to violence, and the ease with which it had stripped him of his self-respect. Nick felt guilty for having been the one to punch the man, but Shawcross had certainly brought it on himself.
He would have killed Dave if I hadn’t done something. The more time that goes by, the closer we become to those things at the bottom of the hill.
After they had finished playing basketball earlier, everyone had got back to work with their various tasks. Nick had returned to the restaurant to clear the air with Shawcross, but the man had been nowhere in sight. He’d only reappeared an hour ago. He told no one where he had been.
Probably just moping about somewhere.
To Nick’s great surprise, Jan and Renee had chosen to sit with Dave while they ate. They even shared a few beers. Perhaps they appreciated his lobbying to get them out of the cellar; although they should have been thanking Cassie more.
Maybe they just want to be with the guy who makes the decisions.
Nick finished the last of his lukewarm burger and stood up from the table. He felt a headache coming on and the growing darkness inside the restaurant was making his mood low.
“Where are you going?” Eve asked him, a concerned look on his face.
“I just fancy a walk and some air.”
“You want me to come with?”
Nick shook his head. As much as he enjoyed Eve’s company, right now all he wanted was a bit of solitude. “I won’t be long,” he said. “You just stay here with Pauline.”