OUTBREAK

Yosemite Valley Pt2 #44

After Hugo had left, Carmen leaned against a tree and faced Chris. "You stay there. Do not try me," she said to Chris.

"Fine, whatever," said Chris. He sat and leaned against his own tree.

Jacob sat at the base of another tree and spread out his legs.

"What's going on with you?" said Jacob. He was looking away from Carmen, observing the pitch black road where Gunman's body rested.

Carmen furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?" she said.

"You just do what he says? Not even-"

"Again? Really?" Carmen interrupted.

Chris spoke, "He's got a point you know." He turned his head to Carmen.

"Shut up," Carmen snapped back.

Chris shook his head as if to say 'nevermind'.

"And you," Carmen turned to Jacob. "You don't get to judge me. You don't get a say."

"Jeez what is he, like your boyfriend?" said Jacob smugly.

Carmen raised her gun at Jacob.

"Oh yeah, go ahead. You're the one he trusts, right?" Jacob continued. "Oh I know, it's because he got you out of Six Flags. I know what they did to you in there."

Carmen's eyes narrowed at the memory of Six Flags. Her lip curled into a disgusted frown.

"So all I gotta do is save you, then you're all mine," said Jacob, looking up at Carmen.

Carmen stepped forward and swung her right foot at Jacob's face. He moved his arms in defense and the foot hit his right humerus.

"Ah!" Jacob yelled. He held the arm in pain. Carmen put her foot on Jacob's shoulder and pushed him to the ground. "Nrgh!" he said through the pain. He looked up at Carmen and she punched him across the face. THUMP went Jacob's head against the dirt. Three more times she bashed Jacob's face. THUMP THUMP THUMP. He was motionless, but breathing.

Chris watched and a smile crept on his face. "Alright, Carmen!" he praised.

Carmen jerked her head at Chris. Strands of her hair fell over her face, and her eyes glowed scarlet with the light from the fire. She breathed like a hungry beast, who had just had her first kill.

She got up and walked over to Chris. He shivered as Carmen towered over him. She swung her fist, knocking Chris to the ground. "Lady! Stop!"

THWAK THUNK WAM

Chris was alive but motionless.

Carmen stood up again. She turned around to see Lila still sleeping in the middle of the road. Carmen took the dry clothes from Mordecai, Genesis and Gunman's bodies and placed them on a nearby patch of dirt, where she then placed Lila and covered her with a couple shirts.

Carmen stepped closer to the fire, where the warmth engulfed her body. The roaring crackles drowned out her violent sobs.

—

Hugo glared at the judge through his eyebrows. Through his teeth he said, "fine."

The judge smiled, "Very well," she said. She looked to some officers beside her, "Give him a suit and an extra for Chris."

Some of the officers started walking to Hugo. Hugo reached for his knife but realized it was gone. He quickly glanced around and saw it was in the hands of one of the camouflaged people. They swung it around their finger like it was theirs.

Hugo exhaled through his nose and kept his mouth shut. The officers came up behind him. They grabbed his wrists and handcuffed him. He was walked out of the building to a nearby bench outside of the courthouse. Two officers stood to his left and right while the rest went to fetch the suits.