Just Survive

Chapter Eleven

- Cody Granfield -

"Go!" I yell, my anger boiling so much that my blood rushes to my face and burns like lava. I glare at Ash through sad and angry tears. The sadness burns at my throat like an exposed flame dancing the tango.

No matter how hard I try, I can't block the little picture of Ash in her lab coat from my mind. I look at her, in front of me right now and all I see is this evil, lying murderer. I don't want to believe it, I don't want to see it. But, my mind floods with images of a woman I barely know. She looks the same, her face just as beautiful and her skin just as soft but the interior corrupt and no longer as sweet as I tasted before. Honey turned to sour candy. Bittersweet lemonade.

"Fine." She spits, her tears have stopped but I can see straight through her clouded eyes, her thin deflated face shows terror and hatred, but mostly heart-ache. I feel her pain as if it's my own, adding to the flames like logs doused in gasoline.

I want to feel bad but, I need to refuse. I can't allow the searing pain of anger in my gut to fade and to forgive someone who started this outbreak and has killed so many people. I block the excuses from my mind, replacing them with all the reasons I should be pissed off.

She looks me in the eye, the contact unbearable. She mutters a harsh retort which I know she doesn't mean before grabbing the stuff I threw at her, causing a racket as she storms out. I stare at the space she stood in, my fury not subsiding but the emptiness inside me grows with every painful second. I hear the front entrance slam shut and then a deafening ring of silence fills my ear. I'm not how I used to be, I'm not that shy kid any more that used to let the bullies push me around. I stick up for what's right and she's not the Ash I thought I knew. She's dangerous. She's a liar and a killer. No matter how much I care for her in my heart, I can't let her stay when she caused so much damage to people's lives, to the world.

"I can't believe you did that..." Charlie whispers, his soft tone sounding harsh as it shatters the tough wall of silence.

My ears ring, my head becomes heavy and my eyes droop as though I'm about to collapse. It's like all my blood is dripping through my fingertips and onto the floor, draining me of everything I have ever known.

I sense the scowl from Charlie, his piercing eyes slicing through the thick air. He's a good kid, but Ashley doesn't deserve forgiveness for what she's done. She killed his family - all of our families for goodness sake.

"Did what? Sent away the woman who was a part of ruining our lives?" Jack bites, his irises burn into Charlie. Charlie ought to be careful or he'll be out there with her.

"I'm just saying... it wasn't all her fault. Plus there is noth-" Charlie tries to stick up for her but I cut him off. I can't hear it. I know they were friends, we all were, but he's being too kind. It'll get him killed and that's another death on Ashley's long list.

"Stop talking." I snap.

"Charlie, she lied. You saw her scar. She got that from Wayne who also wasn't about to forgive her for this. You shouldn't either." Jack persuades.

"Alex?" Charlie begs. "You can't let them do this."

Alex looks up from the tile on the floor he had been gazing at for the past ten minutes. He shakes his head, lost and confused. He apologises before slowly walking out of the room, wobbling side to side as he recovers from the shock.

I listen and watch in agony. Unusual aching pains in my chest force me to look away from Charlie's sad eyes. Charlie shrugs nonetheless and slumps off up the stairs, he knows he can't win this fight. Megan rushes after him, her quick footsteps echoing in the quiet of the large cafeteria.