The infected

Prologue

The rain is comming down in sheets and it's doing more damage to the once dusty roads. Elena has to drive carefully to try and avoid her wheels getting stuck in the mud. Her forehead is still bleeding and behind her she can hear Jacob breathing heavily and the baby crying in his arms. She sneaks a glance back and sees her husband leaning his head on the window his shirt soaked in blood flowing from his left arm while he cradles the baby in his right.

"Jacob!" She screams to make sure he's still alive.

Jacobs eyes open only slightly and he smiles.

"Not dead yet sweetheart" he says.

Elena shakes her head confused on how he can joke right now.

"The baby, Is he okay?" She asks.

Jocob coughs painfully and looks down at the screaming infant.

"He's fine. But if he cries any louder they're going to find us" he says.

Elena bites down in her lip as hard as she can and tries to focus on driving. This was meant to be a fun trip. 8 months helping a struggling community in a country plagued by war may not sound like fun to most people but this is what they did. Who would have thought that after only 3 months the married couples trip would turn into a nightmare.

"Elena..."

Elena looks back at Jacobs horrified expression.

"They're comming" he says.

Elenas blood turns cold as she spots three Jeeps effortlessly ridding over the same road she's trying not to sink into. The babies crying growls louder and the car begins to shake slightly.

"Hold on" Elena says and plants her hands harder on the wheel.

Praying for the first time in her adult life she slams on the gas and the car starts to move faster. They're making good time and the bourder is right in front of them. For a moment she really believes they'll make it. That is until one of the Jeeps slams into them and the car stops moving.

"Shit!...Shit,shit" Elena yells as she tries to get the car to start again.

The bourders walls are visable now and if they run maybe they'll make it. Behind her the Jeeps have stopped aswell and soon men in green uniforms will begin pouring out of them. Elena unbuckles her seatbelt and turns to Jacob.

"We have to run" she announces and opens the door.

Running to the backseat Elena takes the baby from Jacobs arms. She holds him as best she can he's cries still piercing the air. Jacob hobbles out of the car and they start running.

There's shouting behind them as the soldiers begin to make chase. Jacob may be hurt and Elena may feel weak but they both know that being caught is not an option. So they run slashing up mud and dirty water. The soldiers won't shoot in fear of hitting the baby.

But they have military training and besides going to the gym every week the young couple are not as fit. Elena's chest burns as her body fights to continue. There's a thud as Jacob falls to the ground. Elena stops and runs to his aid. He's eyes are barely open and he's skin is hot. The infection has spread and caused a fever.

Elena can't leave him, she won't. The soldiers surrounded them their guns aimed at them.

"Give us the child doctor" one of them says.

Elena looks down at the baby. He's still screaming his head off, he's big brown eyes shut and his radiant skin wet with rain and tears. She hasn't known him long, she didn't know his mother for that long either. But in this moment looking down at him she knows that she would rather die than relinquish him.

Jacob's in a bad state but she knows he would agree.

"You will have to kill me" she says.

The man who spoke smiles a sinister and terrible smile. He aims his gun right at her head.

"Galdly...doctor" he says.

Elena takes Jacobs hand and hold the baby closer. Shutting her eyes she lets out the tears she's been fighting for the longest time. The mans gun clicks and Elena braces herself for death.

But just seconds before he can fire the babies crying grows so loud it's enough to make ears bleed. The crying is accompanied by a strong force that shakes Elenas insides like dice. But as she prys her eyes open she sees the soldiers bodies being thrown through the air like rag dolls.

Some of them hit walls and go through windows. But the one who spoke, Maxwell is the name he introduced himself as when he met Elena 3 months ago, he slams into an exposed metal rod and is impaled through the chest.

The world calms down and once again the only sound is of the rain and the babies now quieter crying. Elena as to sit still for a second to try and process what just happened. She looks down at the baby and watches as a small white light dims in his eyes.

Choosing not to let the soldiers recover Elena jolts Jacob till he opens his eyes.

"We have to go now, while we still can" she says.

Jacob nods and gets up slowly. The two of them make their way to the bourder as quickly as they can. Once they step over the old fence Elena looks back at where they just were. It seems bizarre and fake but it was real, she was there to witness it.

Jacob falls to his knees and sits on the wet grass. Elena joins him and holds the baby closer to her.

"You think they'll follow us?" She asks.

"No. We're not in they're country anymore, they have no say here." Jacob responds.

In the distance a car approaches. It's the bourder control they were promised. It will be a long plane ride before they can reach home again.

"What do we do with him?" She asks.

Jacob reaches over the blood in his shirt mixing with rain water. He puts his hand on the babies head and strokes the 5 tiny black curly hairs he has.

"He's too special to be left alone." He says.

Elena nods a sense of need to protect the baby boy growing inside her.

"Some day people will come for him" she says.

"When they do, we'll be ready for them" Jacob says.

Elena gently rocks the baby in her arms.

"We'll call him Jason. In memory of his mother" she says.

Jacob nods and rests his head on her shoulder. Together they sit waiting in the rain for help to arrive.

"Don't cry baby. You're a part of us now." Elena wispers.