Summer of the Grey Snow

The day was July 22, 2021 and it had turned exactly one year after the end of the world at 6:28 A.M. eastern time in the United States. Those who knew what they it was did not celebrate it, there was no cause to celebrate but rather to mourn for what they lost. Some did celebrate though but not of the date but rather on themselves and the tenacity of people. For one year they had proven they were strong enough to survive and for one year they had endured hardships unimaginable. These people only focus on the past of the event, of their past accomplishments, but they refuse to acknowledge the future and the long years ahead and the very real and very certain death. Before the disaster that ended the world scientists came up with a proper name for such an event, a sort of general term to describe the numerous names and theories of the apocalypse. It was quite simple what they called it, Omnicide, the prefix meaning everything and the suffix meaning death. Quite general and even tame by calling it something so mundane, perhaps they had hoped to make the whole affair of Ragnarok to be quite docile. Seemed foolish to even consider the idea of the world being wiped out but those same people that only looked to the past thought differently, they thought how foolish it was to even consider the world not coming to an end with the amount of nuclear weapons we had and destructive forces at our command, the moment the world ended was because we lost command of these forces, and they sought to do their purpose. It makes sense but then again this thought was those who sought to make sense of the apocalypse, of the word Omnicide.
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Seattle had been a bustling city in it's time, serving as the home of millions of people and considered by most to be the largest in city in the Northwestern section of the United States. It was a center of travel, action, and sound. It felt strange how hollow the city had become.

When the world ended by nuclear weapons, Seattle had been spared the major blasts unlike other cities nearby. The city quickly emerged from its hiding once they thought it was safe and instead of panicking they attempted to stay calm and try to wait for the National Guard to appear, it never occurred to them this was happening all over the world. In the distance across the pacific ocean people could just barely make out the visage of a massive dark grey cloud that sprouted up from the ground up to the very top of the sky. People quickly realized it to be not a cloud but the debris from a massive explosion. Geographers placed the cloud the be exactly where the Korea's are, or were since they realized a mushroom cloud of that sized would of annihilated the land. People paid it very attention though, after all it was across the sea and though it was a frightening thought it was nothing more then a boogeyman to them. Unbeknown to the though it was a danger, wind current shifted across the sea towards the western coast, bringing with it bits of debris from the massive cloud completely saturated in radiation and poisons. It swept across the Berring strait, into Anchorage, down to Vancouver, and finally to Seattle. The results were all the same for each city but each had different reactions. Seattle, simple died, no one could make the connection of what was happening to the people of the city as grey snow fell from the sky to coat the streets. They breathed in the toxins and as soon as they did they were already dead. In a matter of days the populace was dead from inhalation with few survivors, the city had become a dead and silent city. Covered in ash and soot the city was in disrepair with buildings beginning to crumble, ash continues to fall from the sky to bring poisonous death to people though the animals were able to survive, at least the hardy ones. Scavengers picked their way through the carcass like carrion though careful not to wake the sleeping monsters within. There might of been slavers and bandits in the city that preyed on scavengers and travelers but they were only a minor danger to what compared in the city's sewers, though the city was a treasure mine of supplies and salvage no one dared stay long for fear of what came out at dusk.

The man shook these thoughts from his mind, it calmed him to recall the history of the city but it struck fear into his heart to recall the danger of being in the dead city. Nervously he crept on one of the city's many streets, his eyes would dart in all directions in fear something might find him trespassing and though he hugged one of the building walls that stood on both sides of the street he still had the tendency to look behind him for fear something would reach through the wall and grabbed him. He was used to bandits and slavers and the usual ilk, he knew how to avoid them and how to handle them after all they were just people. People could be easily fooled, but what was here was not human and that scared him. He could feel his heart pounding and his breathing within the old scratched gas mask sounded so loud he feared something would hear him. Behind him he could still see his trail in the fluffy ash that coated the ground, he prayed the still falling ash would cover his tracks.

When he finally came across a suitable building to take shelter in he still nervously looked around the front of it and into windows to see if it was truly clear. Once he was sure of himself he took one more backwards glance quickly behind him, had he heard rustling just now? Quickly he went for the door but found the handle would not budge. He couldn't stand it, his back felt so vulnerable to anything, what if that rustling was real? At this very second something could be stalking, he contemplated which he would rather do: to see his death coming or to remain oblivious. Finally though his panicked attempts to open the door broke the handle and the door opened. Jumping in, he quickly shut the door. Looking around he spotted a couch sitting next to the door. Sliding it over he made sure his barricade was sufficient before exploring the inside of the building. It looked like it was an old cafe, maybe even an old Starbucks though he saw the telltale sign in the front. Gripping the axe in his hands he crept around. Had it been a day previous to today's date last year he would of been instantly recognized as the firefighter he was though just a bit mangy. He wore the traditional turnout coat made up of Nomex and Kevlar fibers as well as cotton to protect against infernos. it also did wonders to keep him warm during cold temperatures. Though the coat had lost it's original clean tanish brown color into a dirty grey covering the still tarnished brown the emergency photo-receptive straps sewn into the coat's sleeve ends and lower part still shined a bright white. He had long lost the helmet but had kept on to his most treasured possession that had saved his life before even entering the city, the SCBA mask as well as the hood around it made of Nomex. Though the tanks were gone the mask was designed to be able to work without it by filtering out the contaminants, it was his most prized instrument next to the fire axe he always carried in the city. He had had a gun before but that was before he met the city's inhabitants.

Once he was finished searching the cafe he sighed with relief before going over to a dusty table. Looking outside he figured he was safe enough from the outside since the glass had not broken. Hesitantly he stripped the mask and breathed in the dusty air though it was a welcome respite to the musty smell of the mask. Plopping down in an overstuffed chair he set the large bag he had been carrying on his back next to it and quietly sat there in the dark, contemplating taking whether it was safe to take out a lantern from the bag to give himself some light. It would dusk soon and he did not know how safe it would be.

A howl in the distance confirmed his fear and so he sat stock still in the chair, knowing full well this was going to be another sleepless night. He could hear them out there and they were hungry. He hoped to some God out there that the ash had covered his footprints, that the grey snow covered his scent, and that his cautious nature served him well. Suddenly a very funny thought occurred to him.

It was snowing, and it was July.

The slight click click noise of the Geiger count held in the masked man's hand began to pick up in pace as he pointed it forwards, he moved it left and found the geiger count calmed down a little. He waved his partner leftwards, "Come, it's not as bad this way."

The man's voice was thickly accented but somewhat muffled behind the gas mask, hiding his features. His hair was kept short but was covered in dust and around the edges of the gas mask some stubble could be seen. The man was not physically dominating and his clothes let him blend into the dust buildings but the creature alongside him stood out. It was furry and vaguely black underneath all that dust but it's face was some sort of curious mixture between dog muzzle and what looked like a completely ruined gas mask. It'd taken Evgeny hours to make a gas mask that would fit Morgan so he would not stand to hear the dog whine.

Evgeny walked forward slowly, his rifle raised. The city felt dead, more empty then any other city he had been into, but not quite abandoned. The sun was setting but it made Evgeny unsettled, not least about the blasted flying things. This place felt more dangerous, more animalistic. There was something here and it hungered. He turned back to regard his partner, "Malorie? Hurry up, we need to find shelter soon."

A figure in a second gas mask, clearly feminine and probably young by her stance and movements, crept along behind Evgeny and nodded to him. She'd gotten the same creepy feeling he had; something wasn't right here. They'd been on the hunt for this place since they'd met, but now that they were here, it sent shivers down Malorie's spine. Second thoughts threatened her mind but she pushed them away.

They were here now. They might as well get what they'd come for.

The girl made thin tracks in the soot that continuously fell to the ground, though they would soon be covered by darkness anyway. One of the most noticeable aspects of the apocalypse was the lack of lighting. No one lit fires or turned on lanterns. Unless they were foolish. Giving away your position was almost always a death sentence at night. If the bandits and looters didn't get to you, the predatory animals would.

"What about over there?" she muttered, trying to make herself voiced clearly through the gas mask while still keeping quiet. It was no easy feat, and she wasn't quite accomplishing it successfully. She settled for pointing instead.

Across the street was what looked like an old Starbucks, though the only letters able to be read on the sign were "St___uck_."

Fitting.

Evgeny pointed his geiger counter towards it and gave a satisfied nod when it did not increase in frequency suddenly. "It's good, let's go."

He walked forward slowly, his rifle raised. About now he'd get Morgan to sniff around and confirm if there was any foreign smells inside the coffee shop but the dog was no use with the gas mask on his face. Instead Evgeny stood on one side of the door, waiting for Malorie to take the other side as they had practised. Evgeny pushed against the door lightly with the barrel of his gun but felt resistance towards the lower part of the door; something was blocking it. He held his hand up to Malorie and fingered the torch on his gun. Although it would give away his position it would also blind his opponent with any luck. He nodded once at Malorie, she would breach the door first before Evgeny poked his head around.

He had total trust in her, a not insignificant act.

As Malorie was about to go through the motions they'd rehearsed a hundred times before, she was promptly interrupted by Morgan's insistently frantic barking and a rustling noise getting closer by the moment. Fear struck the girl and she quickly moved to open the door, all caution aside for whatever dwelled within, as it was clear something worse was heading toward them.

The knob refused to turn, so she tried to kick at the door. It bent inwards slightly, but the lock held fast. "Aw hell... Evgeny help me bust it down." Morgan's barking would have alerted whoever was beyond of their presence anyway, so they may as well make as much noise as they could if it meant they could get in. Likely it would be easier to take whatever was inside than whatever mutated creature was behind them.

Evgeny gave the door a few kicks urgently, pushing the sofa back enough to get inside. He moved through the gap, his rifle and light passing over the firefighter who Evgeny was pleased to see did not seem to have a gun. "Don't attack me and I don't attack you, deal?"

Evgeny tried to look out of the corner of his eye for Malorie and when he saw her and Morgan get through the door he pushed the sofa back into position to trap the door shut.

He heard them outside, their steps and their breathing. He could hear them through the door, and he heard them spoke. Did mutants speak? He wasn't sure but could he trust what he heard. No, he heard it wrong he was sure of it. Ever since Vancouver he couldn't trust what he heard and saw, it was just mutants out there trying to trick him by opening the door. Trying to convince him that he was too far gone to realize he was being tricked. Putting his gas mask back on, he stood up and gripped the axe in his hand, the leather squeezed under his grip. Going over to the door he was prepared in case they got in but behind the shaking of the door he heard another sound.

A rustling, behind them, but how did he hear it? He felt his resolve dissolve and his will to kill vanish. He listened carefully to the door, trying to hear what was being said. They were panicking. He could hear it and he was sure he wasn't crazy. Just in case he moved the sofa out of the way but no sooner had he budged it did the door burst inward. Out of reflex he gripped the axe tight in his hand. Preparing to strike but luckily before he could he realized they were people. One was a girl, young but other then that he could not tell. The man was tall, strong but not as large in mass as himself. He looked at both of them and then at the dog that followed them. He liked dogs.

Wasting no time he helped to close the door and barricade it with the couch again. Standing up he checked the windows, listening for the rustling. He appeared oblivious to his new guests but he was quite painfully aware of them. His hand still gripped the axe, clearing intent on using it if needed.

"Thank you," Malorie breathed through her mask, catching only the briefest glimpse of the other man's eyes behind his. Clinging to her weapon, she went silent, waiting for the thing to pass by.

"Please don't try to get in, please don't try to get in," drummed through her head on repeat as she strained to listen, wishing her heartbeat would stop making the blood rush so loudly to her ears. Even Morgan was still now, though he was baring his teeth towards the window, crouched low with his tail between his legs.

Evgeny was eying the door, probably considering how a mere couch wouldn't be an adequate barricade against any of the mutant animals that lurked in the city. Not to mention the fact that they'd already damaged it a little while trying to get in themselves.

The man stayed close to the window, standing stock still and listening. There wasn't a sound outside but he knew they were there. Every so often a soft rustle and a fleeting shadow darker then the rest of the darkness. He could tell they were out there and he could tell they were hungry. For a while he stood there before finally the shadows seemed to dissipate and the forms disappear into blackness. It could be a trick, another try to lure unsuspecting prey out from safety but he wasn't going to fall for it. Even if they were gone they'll be back.

Finally turning he stared at the new comers with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. Faces hidden behind masks like his and even the dog was wearing one. Makeshift and maybe ineffective but anything helped to stem the poison ash that littered the city. He couldn't tell what the pair were, she spoke with no accent but the other spoke with a thick east European accent. Were they married? Brother and sister? Perhaps just two people that found themselves working together. Not uncommon, but it still did nothing to relieve his suspicions.

That could wait though, in Seattle people in their right mind work together during the night to survive and in the morning return to what ever futile conflict or business they wished to partake in. " Upstairs," he spoke quietly but enough to be heard from under the mask," no longer safe to be at ground level. The barricade put up won't hold."

With that he wandered back to his pack and clipped it shut. Hefting it over his shoulder he made for the back where the staircase was. Searching up there earlier he found nothing of interest other then two empty rooms. No doubt the cafe might of been actually a house or family owned store in its time, or it might of even been in the design to infer a sort of homely look to the starbucks. What ever the reason it could serve as a safer place then downstairs.

Going into the room with the only couch, the man set his bag down and rummaged through it.

When the girl came in he was still rummaging through the bag in search of something but at her arrival he thought of saying it was okay to take off her mask. Once looking up though he noticed the Geiger counter. One of those was like an artifact from the old days now, very few got their hands on a working one. He assumed she knew enough about it to know how it worked so he remained silent.

She settled onto the couch though as she sat a plume of dust rose up, a testament to how long it had been left in here without use. Much of the city was that way. Finally after much searching he found what he was looking for. Taking out an old plastic bag with white lumps in it he took it out and continued to rummage through the bag.

"You can call me Connor, get introductions out of the way on my end and you can tell me your name when you're ready." He spoke though still preoccupied by the search in the almost endless void that was the bag.

"I'm Malorie," she volunteered easily. By now she'd gotten over her fear of associating with anyone. Evgeny had at least helped her through that part. She didn't want to consider where she'd be now without him. Actually, she knew where she'd be. If not dead, at the very least she'd be living a miserable slavery in some wasteland creeper's truck or basement or whatever other contraption her "greeting party" in Oregon had constructed.

Malorie suppressed a shudder. Sensing her mild discomfort in the way that only animals can, Morgan padded into the room and hopped onto the couch, creating a second plume of dust that the girl had to cover her mouth to avoid inhaling. She waved it off. "And this is Morgan," she explained, scratching behind the dog's ears affectionately. For a moment she considered introducing Evgeny, but decided it was best if he introduced himself. He was the kind of guy you didn't make assumptions with. Usually, it was the wrong one.

Now that the dust had settled elsewhere in the room, Malorie was able to see more clearly. "What the heck is that?" she asked, jabbing a finger toward the bag with the unidentified white lumps. She wouldn't be surprised if he was on drugs or something, only that he had managed to find some out here.

Connor made an audible chuckle as the dog created yet another cloud of ancient dust. Back in the day he loved dogs though sadly at the time he couldn't keep one of his own. Having one now though was more then an edge in survival, it was also the ability to retain at least some shred of sanity. A dog could do wonders for the morale in these dreary times. Sadly for the canine they were on par with humans at the bottom of the food chain in this new world.

Finally the inevitable question came about the bag though somehow he didn't think the answer would please her very well. Still she did want to know and there was no point in dodging the answer," Bat Guano, ground mutants like the rats here won't come anywhere near it if they think one of those bats live here. They've got their own hierarchy working here and the bats are at the top. Some of this on the stairs and they won't come up. Finally taking out a bag of blood he tossed to the ground with the guano. Noticing her reaction the bag he put up both hands," Don't worry it's mutant blood. I took some from when I first entered the city and dealt with the things, give them something to distract them to keep them downstairs. Sorry if I freaked you there."

Standing up he went over to the door but stopped to peak out to see if anything was out there,

Malorie relaxed a little once Connor had explained the strange ziplocs, though the thought of something breaking in and rummaging around downstairs during the night was still quite unsettling. The only thing her particular group had encountered so far was one of the giant bats, so she understood why other creatures would be keen to stay as far away from any signs of them as possible. She'd only seen them fly overhead, but the sheer size of their shadows was incredible. Not to mention the mess they left behind.

If bats could grow to the size of a flying cow, she could only imagine what else might grow that large.

As Connor moved to the hallway and paused at the doorway, Malorie caught a glimpse of Evgeny and shrugged. She knew he was probably wondering what she thought of the guy, but it was hard to say yet. So far he seemed okay, and obviously knew a good bit about what he was doing. That counted for something, but it by no means meant that he was safe to be around. "So uh, what's with the firefighter get-up?"

Even if he had been a fireman by profession prior to the bombings, she didn't understand the reasoning behind keeping onto the probably heavy coat, as well as keeping an axe on hand versus a ranged weapon. It had been a year since the chaos started. Surely he'd have been able to scavenge a more suitable weapon if he'd tried.

Moving out of the way of the girl's companion, Connor moved to the stairs but turned at the girl's question but shrugged. Getting down on a knee he Opened the ziploc bag and thanked god he was wearing a mask to keep the smell out. Tossing the lumps down the stairs he made sure to keep it on one side of the stairs so when they leave they won't have the unfortunate scenario of stepping in the stuff. Once finished he responded," Well I was a firefighter a year back and I figured it'd be the best stuff to keep. I've already got the mask, the coat might be heavy and hot but it serves some really good protection from bites and fires," from the doorway he held out his arm where the fabric was ripped and it looked like something had tried to chew through," small guy did that but still would of hurt a lot if he got through. As for the axe... well I used to have a gun until I met these things. I've been in the city for two weeks now scavenging, I've long run out of ammo and it's good to have something rather then nothing. Besides, you don't need to reload an axe."

Standing back up he said," I'll be right back," before descending the stairs. Going to the front he check the barricade and the windows again before opening the bag and spilling it on the floor. Turning it inside out he flung some on the nearby wall before tossing the bag into a cabinet. No doubt they'd find it if they came.

Going back upstairs he spoke up loud," You two can get some sleep tonight. I'll take watch since I won't sleep tonight though I'm not sure how well you'll sleep too."

"You have a good point," Malorie had to admit. Nevertheless, while there was ammo to be had, she preferred her rifle. If a hostile got close enough to her to where the use of an axe would be beneficial, that only meant she wasn't doing her job right. Ever since Evgeny's concussion incident a few months prior, Malorie had pushed herself extra hard to do better. Luckily it had paid off.

When Connor ventured back downstairs, she set about checking the upstairs windows. After all, it was well and good to have the lower level safely set up, but the key things about bats was that they could FLY. She doubted they'd have any trouble busting through a thin glass window. Thank goodness corporate America had seen fit to throw in some stylistic window shutters. They were actually quite thick, if not easily secured.

Eventually the firefighter returned, his plastic bags mostly emptied. "I'll sleep fine if I know Evgeny's on watch, and vice versa as far as I know. We've been a pretty good team these past few months," she replied, not thinking about the fact that she'd sort of unintentionally given up her companion's name. Honestly though, there was no way that the both of them were going to sleep at the same time. It wasn't like they meant offense to the man, but they'd just met him. And they had a routine down by now.

The routine had kept them alive.

Connor nodded to her," I understand though also think I'm in a similar situation. After all I was just fine until you guys came and busted my door." He chuckled as he reached behind his head removed the mask. Taking it off he breathed deep of the dusty air. Using a sleeve to dry off some beads of sweat he went on," the main rule of Seattle is for people to work together until the morning when the mutants are gone. Of course that doesn't apply to slavers, bandits, and those religious zealots that roam around here. Since neither of us have tried to kill the other and you don't sound like religious zealots or slavers then I can assume you're safe enough until morning then we'll hopefully just go our separate ways but we'll see.

Closing the door he placed the axe next to it before leaning against the wall. Reaching inside his pocket he took out a pack of old cards. Taking them out he began to fold them over and over in one hand as he watched the door.

" So what brings you to the dead city?"

When Connor took off his mask, Malorie was surprised to find a somewhat handsome face behind the sweat and grime. Blinking, she quickly shifted her attention away and down to where he was shuffling a deck of cards without really looking at them. Curious behavior, but everybody had their quirks.

Then he asked the inevitable and she felt she may as well oblige him. "Well, there wasn't much but a whole lot of open land between here and home. Someone told me there were supplies a'plenty in Seattle, so this way I headed. Met up with these two and we've been making our way ever since. Not really sure where to go from here though. Obviously it's no good to stick around for longer than necessary."

She was tempted to ask him if he knew any card games, what with him bothering to carry around a deck and all, but curiosity got the better of her in another way. "How about you?" she asked, referring to how he'd managed to make his way to the gray town.

Connor smirked and smiled," I guess you didn't ask how come everyone was going in the opposite direction of Seattle. Well, I guess you sort of see the reason now though underneath the ash there is treasure and supplies to be found here. As for me." He though for a moment about telling them he was from Vancouver. He was hesitant to say so since many people in this area knew the stories about Vancouver and the people that come out of there. He couldn't tell what they would do or react to the knowledge that they were in the presence of a potential madman and perhaps he really was one but didn't know it.

Finally he answered," I guess you could say I come from up north, from Canada. Winters are getting rough up there there's been little to no food left so people are migrating south. I decided to try my luck in Seattle do some salvaging before moving on." He was glad he was able to tell most of the truth. People were moving south due to the harsh winters up north and Seattle was a good spot to get supplies. The only part he left out was what part of Canada. Or rather what city. He shuddered to think of the place again.

It was clear that Connor didn't want to delve into the subject of where he'd come from much further. The look he gave even at the mention of his homeland alone was enough for Malorie to get the picture. Everyone had a past to contend with. How well each person did so was another thing entirely.

Perhaps it was best to change the subject and mention the cards after all.

"So, know any good games?" she asked casually, nodding toward the deck in his hands. Hopefully he had a full deck with him; otherwise, most games would be unbalanced. "I know I'm not going to be tired for a while, because Evgeny had last watch. If you're not going to sleep any time soon, we may as well be social. Goodness knows how mind-numbing being alone can be..."

Her voice told him that she spoke from experience.

Connor smiled and looked down at the cards," I've got everything except the jokers and the ace of spades, I have no idea where that went." Honestly he could speak must about feeling alone. He never understood the dislike of being alone and really it never bothered him and in some ways it felt comforting. By the look she gave at the mention of being alone he didn't think it would be good to ask why she felt that way.

Taking the cards he placed them on the floor and slit them in two. Folding them together he shrugged and spoke," Well I won't sleep at all tonight so I'll be good. For games, well theres always go fish, there's war but that's quite boring, umm cribbage, liar, and... huh can't think of anything else, heh."

"Canada is a fucking mess," Evgeny said as he took off his gas mask. "Just like Seattle. We should not have come here Malorie; we should have stayed in countryside. This whole place is mistake."

Evgeny pondered for a while why his accent became more heavy around strangers but decided to ignore it. "Everyone hears stories about here but still I let us go. Stupid, stupid!"

He sighed and patted his pocket for his drink canister, not relinquishing his grip on his rifle. "But here we are. So here we stay."

A cigarette was produced and Evgeny took a puff of it, grunting slightly. "Before you ask: No, I am not Russian."

Morgan looked at Evgeny and whined and Evgeny waved at the dog, "I am not in bad mood. Just tired. Be quiet dog."

Morgan looked at Evgeny then at Malorie and put his head down, resting.

"Too bad we don't have more decks. I'd say we could play Sequence. Used to love that game. Then there's always Spoons, but that needs all three of us and I don't know if that's such a good idea," Malorie contemplated, giving Evgeny a pointed look. She couldn't see him doing well in a competitive situation. Things might get ugly.

As Evgeny directed some grumblings her way and then shifted on to berating the dog, she spoke up again. "If you're tired why don't you go catch some sleep then? No need to take it out on poor Morgan," she said, smirking to show that she was being facetious while her hand gently patted the dog's side. "And don't worry. We'll get what we need in the morning and head out again. No clue where we ought to go now, but that too can be figured out tomorrow."

Turning back to Connor, she smiled and shrugged. "Crazy Eights?"

Connor thought about suggesting his idea for them to get some sleep but the thought died fast since he knew he'd do the same thing after just meeting someone. Really no one could be trusted in desperate times, a sad concept but one that was all too true. Especially those with family, you wouldn't think about them as dangerous but some of them he knew could be willing to do anything since they had something to lose. He spoke to keep such thoughts from prevailing in his already fractured mind," I always thought Canada would be a safe haven from the rest of the world since there isn't much but wilderness out their. Plenty of game and plenty of room, but the truth is we can't get anything to grow and the entire west coast is just like Seattle."

Folding the cards again he went on," I haven't heard much news out of Canada but I've got to assume its better down south away from the freezing winters up north and the starvation... though how about we stay off the subject, times are bad enough without putting miserable thoughts in the air." He offered a weak smile and dealt the cards," Alright Crazy eights it is. Not sure if you want to join in, I guess your name was Evgeny right? Don't worry about downstairs... well not just yet."

"I am not good at cards," Evgeny said truthfully. "But I am sure there is no one around to collect gambling debts."

He picked himself up and sat near the other two, giving Malorie a half hearted glare. "You spoil him. He will be a chubby dog."