Ruby Glass

Chapter 3

Even during the day, it's dark and brooding. The sun makes things hot but not bright, like the depressing aura from the lonely city drained any sunshine to make anything feel more at peace. This world is sick already, but now it's cancerous.

It seems almost every time I face these demons, my life flashes before me like a blinding projector. My mind goes into a philosophical wonder just like it always has when peering into the blackened eyes of death. I try to shove my fear into the back of my brain as I hear the doors shatter. My gun at the ready I aim at the crawling crowd as they bared their saber teeth with bloodlust. I fire at will and my ear shattering gun vigorously blasts the lead through the flesh of the monsters with ease. I watch as they all fall like dominos one by one with each shot. This is the strongest gun I have, but the amount of ammo I carry may not be enough. I grab Axel's arm quickly and try and pull them. They won't budge. I feel something cut through my arm and I see a growling monster trying to grab me, slicing through my jacket in the process. I slam the sniper into its face and kick another who was right behind it. I pull on Axel harder, frantically losing my grip from my sweating hands.

I start to really panic once some of the insect cages were being knocked over. The Ruby Roach terrarium wobbled from the force of the monsters meaty and deadly legs slamming the floor as they scurried toward me and my fallen friend. I tried to think as I looked around for anything I could do, which made me notice something peculiar. The sparks coming from the lights of the room were startling the Infected. I had one last shot in my gun and I saw a loose cord of wire keeping a giant lamp barely hanging on. I frantically looked at the second group of infected beasts that started to come in and I aimed my gun at the cord and with all hope in the world for a miracle, and pull the trigger. It grazed the wire just a hair causing it to rip the cord. It was now hanging on by small stems and with no bullets left I just grab my knife and glare at the horrible monsters pretending to have no fear.

As they approached me with their saber tusks, I closed my eyes for a moment and prayed in my head that I die today being my strongest. Then it goes quiet. I slowly open my eyes and see the beasts that were once hungry and hostile, now in fear of whatever they were looking at. They were no longer looking at me, they were looking at whatever was behind me. I turned around and saw demonic beastly eyes. They were not like the infected but different. More human, but still unholy and full of darkness. My vision went blurry and faded to black but I could still hear the sounds around me for a couple seconds. As I fell to the ground, I heard an animalistic scream that slowly faded into nothingness.

I awoke on soft service that did not feel like a familiar place. I appeared to be on an old mattress in an alleyway. The foam of it was pouring out through tears in the fabric and a few springs were stabbing through the plush. I looked around and seemed to be in a more private district that looked like a small ghetto. I looked at myself seeing I was completely nude other then an old quilt but I had bandages on parts of my body and what smelled like essential oils. Then I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I spun around and saw a figure sitting by a small fire. They wore black clothes, a face mask, and their hair was a platinum blonde, almost white. Their eyes had a glint to them and one of them had a patch. They appeared to be a man but I wasn't sure. I then looked next to me and saw Axel on another bed resting also completely nude. Axel had their legs bound with bandages and a small bowl full of what looked to be herbs next to them. Their face was also covered with some sort of different helmet similar the military ones.

The figure then looked at me which startled me. I covered my body with the ragged blanket and glared at the suspicious figure. "Who are you?" I asked firmly. They said nothing so I asked louder "I said... who are you?! Where are we?"

The figure stood up and walked over to me and I frantically kept myself covered. They knelt to me and reached out a hand. I was confused but the figure's eyes seemed genuine. So I relaxed myself and they gently grabbed my arm with the open cut from the monster at the lab. They grabbed the bowl by Axel with herbs and crushed the leaves with their hand. Then they took out a jar from their small pouch on their belt and poured out the thick clear sap from it. They took bandages and lathered the mixture onto them and carefully wrapped up my wound with the stripes of fabric. After that they sat down in front of me just staring. I gulped and just smiled at them feeling uncomfortable from their gaze.
"Umm thanks..." I mumbled awkwardly
They nodded acknowledging my thanks and I sat up straighter trying to be more polite.
"I haven't seen you before...are you a traveler?" I asked with a kinder tone than before "I'd like to at least know who you are since you've given us your hospitality"
"District S" they said with a muffled voice under their mask
"What?"
"You are in District S" they said a bit louder "It's a hideout from the Inhuman"
"Inhuman?"
"The Infected as you call them"
"Oh I see. How long have you been here?"
"About four years now" they said as they stood up and walked back to the fire
"Four years? How have I not seen you?"
"I keep a low profile"
"I see..."I said nodding sadly as I glanced at my scarred chest "Do you always do...what you did for us? Are there others? If you don't mind me asking of course! I just don't see why you'd be judged. Heros like you are are seen as a ray of hope"
"What hope is there?" They said abruptly which startled me "Humans are cruel, all they care about is themselves, money and being better than everyone else. So what hope do we have? When all they will do is ignore you and what you need, and criticize you before hearing your story?"
I thought about their harsh words and my heart sank to the floor. They weren't wrong, and I knew what they meant. Not being born in the right body was something I struggled with for so many years. My parents and Axel were the only ones who knew and who accepted it. I had a lot of questions for the stranger but when I tried opening up about my gender dysphoria the only thing people would do was ask questions that were just uncomfortable, so being too forward isn't something I wish to be. I guess my harsh nature wasn't any help for them either so I asked my first question again but with a kinder tone "I apologize for asking again and for my rudeness beforehand but I would like to know your name. And pronouns too if you don't mind"