Chapter 31: Run

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by AST3RUSSY

by AST3RUSSY

R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́ ̴͔̳͔̩̦̺̽̐͐̋̓͗̿̎̇͝R̸̸̰͖̩͕͈̲̳̳͎͔̠̽͑͆̉̇͂͘͠͠ͅU̷̷͍͎͙̦̽̌̈͛͂̆͐̒͒͘͝͝N̵͎̊͗̾͊̈́!

They booked it immediately. They weren’t risking it.

***

They ran out of the lab, Jesse leaning against the door after blocking the lab door with planks, breathing heavily. “The hell happened? Where’s Ivor?” Jessica asked, seeing them breathlessly. “IVOR’S INFECTED! WE NEED TO RUN!” Jesse answered frantically. He banged on the door violently, Jesse trying to hold it closed as long as he could.

He kept banging ruthlessly, not stopping for one second. Jesse kept leaning against the door, breathing heavily. “GO! I’LL HOLD IT BACK!” Jesse yelled, terrified. “I’m not leaving!” Axel insisted. “Same here.” Olivia pitched in. “What!?” Jesse replied.

“We’re not leaving you. You sacrifice your life for ours, we’ll do the same with you.” Axel replied. Jesse smiled. “Jessica, Lukas, go! We’ll catch up!” Jesse added. Lukas nodded, running to the staircase to the exit with Jessica.

***

They finally made it outside, breathing heavily. “So many stairs!” Jessica panted, wiping sweat from her forehead. “I-I don’t think it was a smart idea for us to run...” Lukas added. “It was easier than fighting about it. Plus, they’ll be fine... right?” Jessica smiled, not so sure herself.

***

Jesse was terrified, trapped in a corner, panting heavily, a broken blade in hand. He looked at the infected in front of him, forming into a sickening creature. Bones were cracking as he formed a giant smile, his hands holding him up, big horns coming out of his head. For once in his life, Jesse didn’t know what to do. He had no plan or plan B.

He just simply was going to stab it. He was thinking of his life choices, the decisions he made. He knew this was going to be the end. He was so lucky before, but now his luck was up. He was going to be one of them, infected. As it prepared to swing its claw hand at Jesse, he closed his eyes, ready for the worse.

Jesse screamed in pain as it hit, scratching his eye. A blood wailing scream was heard before a loud thump. Jesse opened his eyes, seeing the thing in front of him, an axe through its head. “Oh no...” Olivia replied quietly. Jesse looked up, seeing Axel and Olivia.

Olivia had her mouth covered, obviously shocked and worried, Axel’s eyes were widened, shocked. Jesse noticed his blind eye, seeing the blood drip to the floor. “I-I’m so sorry...” Axel added silently. Jesse just stared, speechless. Tears started to form.

“Don’t leave me here... please.” Jesse begged. Olivia looked at Axel, scared. Axel shared the same look, looking back at Jesse. “Please...” Jesse begged, sniffling. “I swear I’m not infected! I swear!” Jesse answered, smiling reassuringly.

“Jesse,-” “Really!!” Jesse interrupted. “Jesse.-” “I-I’m perfectly fine!” Jesse continued. “Jesse, please-” “I am, I swear! Y-you guys wouldn’t leave me, right!?” Jesse asked. Olivia began to walk away, Axel slowly following, looking at Jesse. “G-guys! Please!” Jesse begged. Jesse watched them abandon him.

“Please! D-don’t leave me here!” Jesse begged, trying to follow them. They shut the doors so he couldn’t follow. Jesse banged on the door. “PLEASE!! C-COME BACK!!” He yelled, bawling his eyes out. “Please...” He said quietly, reaching his hand through the hole of the iron door, seeing them exit the stairs, leaving him there.

“Come back.” Jesse cried, banging his head on the door. Jesse slid his arm from the hole, sinking to the ground, banging on the door, not as loud. “Don’t leave me alone. I don’t want to be one of them.” He whimpered, breaking down. He truly knew what Lukas felt at that moment. Alone.