Innova

CHAPTER NINE

Devian's POV:

I pace the room, not really paying attention to it's monotone features. How could anyone stay here? I stop pacing to think about that thought. Everything the same color, everyone the same thing. It's like living in a black and white picture. I would've killed myself long ago.

I continue pacing because if I don't I'll be forced to stare at the dull features of this world, and if I do that I'll go insane. But my other thoughts are just as infuriating as this room. Pacing isn't blocking these thoughts out half as well as it does everything else.

She's been gone too long. She should've been back by now.

Never trust an Innovan.

I should've taken my brothers words more seriously. So what if this particular Innovan is a hungry idiot who doesn't even know the color green? Just because she saved my life once doesn't mean that I should trust her.

Stupid, why'd I let my guard down?

The nervous expression on her face when she left should've tipped me off that something was wrong. ARGH, I'm such an idiot.

Why would I trust her? I don't even know her name!

Maybe you're overthinking this, a part of me whispers, you don't know what she could be doing.

But any reassurance of her otherwise good intentions are erased when the sound of a shrill siren fills my ears.

They're coming for me.

I whip out my knife and place my feet in a fighting stance. And I wait.

And wait.

Nothings happening. Why isn't anything happening? At first the siren was painfully loud, but now it's died down to a more bearable ringing in my ears. I start to relax. Maybe this wasn't about me. Maybe this is something totally normal and not at all dangerous. Until someone burst through the door.

Immediately I spring into action. I quickly slam the door shut and point my knife at his throat. It's then I realize that he's holding a girl.

The girl.

Her eyes are open but I can tell she's not seeing anything. Her body is stiff. Worry worms it's way into my thoughts. I can't tell if she's breathing. I clear my throat.

"Is she alive?" I ask the man who is holding her.

"What's it to you?"

My grip on the handle of the knife tightens and I press it into his neck. Black blood pools out of the small cut on his neck but the guy doesn't even flinch.

"It matters if I'm the one getting killed for her death."

"Don't worry, I'm sure They'll do that to you anyway."

I press my knife further into his neck. More black blood drips down the blade and still, he doesn't flinch. I ask him again. "Is she alive?"

He clenches his jaw which causes my knife to sink further into his throat. Blood drips onto one of the girls hands. It reminds me of when I saw the Infected hovering over her leaning in for a bite. I remember thinking that I should just go, just run, because I knew that They would be there soon to lock me up again. I don't even remember why I decided to save her. But I did, and now I'm here.

"I'm not going to ask again. Is she alive or not?"

"She's alive."

I breath out a sigh of relief. The guy just stares at me confused. I don't have time for his confusion. I've got to figure out what's wrong and fix it.

"Why's she like that?"

The guy clenches his jaw has again.

"Put down the knife and I'll explain everything."

I laugh at him. Put down my knife? He'll have to pry it from my lifeless fingers.

"No."

He sighs in irritation and taps his foot impatiently. "At least let me lay her down on the couch."

I squint my eyes at him, suspicious.

"Fine," I say, "But don't even think about doing something stupid."

The guy moves around me and lays the girl down gently before carefully wiping his blood off her hands and placing them on her stomach.

I watch his movements the entire time. After a while he turns around to glare at me. We size each other up. Suddenly he laughs.

"I can see why she kept you around," he says. "What's your name?" he asks me while offering his hand. I don't take it.

"It's Devian." I don't trust him. I may not know what his ulterior motive is, but I can tell he doesn't give a shit about me or my name.

"My name's Aaron. Aaron Ekton."

I've got a bad feeling about this.