✧Eccedentesiast✧

✦Together we stand✦

"Hey Lyric," Kai'veon sat across from her.

"You ok?" Kamari crouched to inspect her neck.

Lyric just looked ahead, leg bouncing, "They died too easy," she mumbled.

As Kamari expected, instead of fear or shaken nerves, Lyric's demeanor exuded anger and hatred, her emotions fueled by the humiliation she experienced at the hands of the family.

"I wish we had let them get eaten alive," Lyric seethed, her voice laced with venom as she spoke.

"I'm sorry" Haven apologized.

"Next time we'll handle it however you want," Kamari stood.

Lyric finally turned and looked up at her, "Promise?"

"Of course,"

As they continued on their journey, the group accepted that they had transformed into something cold and twisted, a far cry from the compassionate individuals they once were.

Lyric's reaction was normal and justified to them, that was how she should feel about what happened. Instead of recoiling from her anger and hatred, they found themselves nodding in agreement, their own emotions mirroring hers. At the time they were just so angry they wanted them dead immediately, now that they've cooled off they regret not making them suffer.

"I think this change is good for us," Sha'vante spoke, "It'll keep us alive,"

They all nodded in agreement, "We can't afford to care," Melissa added, finally understanding why Kamari stopped her before.

They were now in a world where compassion and empathy was a luxury they could no longer afford. Dante started to hand out food and drinks as it was now noon, everyone thanking him. A small group formed in the back, watching movies Kiana downloaded on her phone before the cell towers started to fall. Kamari moved up front talk to Darius and Jordan while everyone else talked about the facility.

In the face of danger and uncertainty, their loyalty to one another remained unwavering, their compassion and care serving as a guiding light in the darkness of their new reality. Together, they moved forward, bound by the unbreakable ties of family and strengthened by the support and understanding they shared.

"Yo, I've been thinking," Darius started.

"That's new-"

Kamari punched Jordan, "Wassup?" she asked.

"You think the reason we're so close is 'cause we got infected together by the same zombie? That's the only way this shit makes sense, when this started the only ones I gave a fuck about were you two. Three days together is not gon make me suddenly give a fuck about niggas I ain't even look at before,"

"Yeah, I know what you mean, before we went to sleep that night you and Lyric where the only ones I cared about. I don't even remember falling asleep, I just blinked and started feeling like I need to protect all of you with my life," Kamari revealed.

"Yeah it's not normal but the shit feels right, I don't want it to stop, it makes me feel safer," Jordan shrugged.

"I don't want it to stop either, I just thought it would be good if we actually understood or at least had an idea what happened to us," Darius clarified.

"The infection changed us in ways we don't understand," Kamari sat down "Maybe we're becoming something new," she shrugged.

The notion that they could be an entirely new species filled the group with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Though they had all experienced the changes wrought by the infection, the idea that they were on the verge of a new evolution was exhilarating.