Hollow Veins

Chapter Two; The Others

Aaron entered the small sound proof bunker and scanned it, and there was Alice. She was safe. He sighed in relief. "What?" He shrugged, "Nothing." She was breathing very slowly as if trying to calm down and for the first time he noticed her reddened face. "You ok?" She took a deep breath, "Jasper... I ran into him." His eyes widened, "Jasper? Like the two faced lying jerk Jasper." She nodded and recounted the story. Aaron's scowl deepening with every sentence. "You're not going right?" Alice sighed, "I hate him, but..." "But?" She rubbed her head, "But if there are others... we might, we by the way because no way am I leaving you, might stand a chance. Trying to get there alone or even just the two of us would be impossible but with more people..." Aaron cocked his head, "How many?" Alice shook her head, "He never said." "Figures." "Well I was threatening him at the time so he didn't have enough time for details." He folded his arms, "Don't tell me you're defending him." " Emphasis on threatening him." He rolled his eyes, "Alice, he might be lying to you so he can steal your supplies or something." She glared, "Do you think that hadn't crossed my mind?" Alice paused, "I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated." He nodded, "It's fine." She thought for a moment, dread filling her as she realized it. She groaned, "Aw man, I think we should. Or at least, scope it out to see if anyone else will show up."

"I still can't believe we're going through with this." It was the evening of the next day. Alice ran her hand through her chin length hair, a nervous habit. "I don't like it anymore than you. He's a jerk and a liar but if this is genuine..." She trailed off. "I heard they weren't letting anyone in anymore.'' Alice huffed, "Who knows? But getting there us is our only hope of survival." Aaron ruffled his own blonde hair and murmured, "Cheery thought." She glanced up at him as she packed her bag, "You know he did save me." Alice rubbed at the incrusted blood on her face. He stiffened, "Probably part of this whole setup to steal from us." She shook her head. "He had a shot gun, he could have made me give up our stuff so easily then some elaborate trap." Alice shoved her arm forcefully into the bag, angered at herself for... for... what? Defending him? No, those were genuine facts. No, she was angry at the hope. The idea that he could be a better person. Alice had been close with him, firmly believing he was a good person. It was not going to happen again. Aaron's face darkened and he turned away from her. She glanced at her watch, the glass cracked  across the face. "We should go, it'll be sundown soon." He didn't look at her, "Yeah, we should."

Jasper leaned against one of the tower's huge legs. This town was crawling with the Infected but this part of it was much more mild, and the water tower area seemed to be infected free. Slightly far off from the buildings enclosing the city. It was these facts that had made him chose this location as a meeting spot. Footsteps. He turned. A dark haired guy was approaching him. His skin was nearly white. He was gripping the backpack straps over his arms. "Huh didn't think you'd show up." He glared at him, then shrugged. He looked around and cocked an eyebrow. Jasper shrugged, "They're not here." Jaden gave him a sarcastic look. "Yet. They're coming, ok?" Rolling his eyes, he fell into a sitting position crossing his legs. A girl leaped down the from metal stabilizers of the water tower. Jasper stumbled back and then laughed, "You were watching me?" She nodded. The girl, Ari, had black hair pulled up in a ponytail. Her golden brown eyes were thin and sharp. Ari looked Jaden, "Is this all?" "Not everyone's here." "If they're coming." Jasper didn't answer. Jaden's hands moved quickly, signing something, probably an insult, but Jasper didn't try to translate. Ari leaned against the metal leg, the same one he had. Jasper had a feeling it was purposeful. She tensed, "Listen." Jasper heard nothing for a couple seconds, then hissing whispers. And he saw Alice, emerging from a wreckage of a old truck on a hill above them. Her hair danced around her head in the wind. "Hello there, thought you weren't coming?" Another person stepped out behind her still hissing warnings but he stopped when his blue gray eyes met Jasper's green ones. His tan face flushed. Alice folded her arms, "How does your noes feel?" They both were a few feet from the water tower now. Jaden had his computer out of his bag and was not paying them the slightest attention. Ari was. As if she was going to attack and was merely waiting to see whether they would kill each other or not. An oddly calculating look, too old for someone her age. "Eyyy!" They all turned, except Jaden who seemed to not care. A guy with dark brown hair was approaching them. His hair was wavy and slightly long, a little shorter than Alice's. Tan skin and sharp gray green eyes. He held up a sharp piece of blood stained wood. He grinned and spoke in a french accent, "Sorry about the hold up I ran into some trouble," he laughed, "Three of them." His tone went serious, "I staked them." Jasper smiled slightly, "Just glad you made it." He turned to see a girl standing behind Jaden, still as a statue, watching his computer screen. "Ren?" She looked up, her red hair falling in her eyes. She studied all of them. Jaden looked offended and jerked his computer away, signing furiously. "I thought you were-" Jasper smiled "Lying?" She shook her head, "Actually I thought you were telling the truth." He raised his eyebrows, "Well, thanks for the support." Ren looked at Jaden, "And you should watch your language." For the first time Jaden's expression shifted slightly from anoyed to surprised.The new expression died quickly and he scowled. Jasper looked around at the six of them, "Alright then, introduction time."

Alice glared. He continued, gesturing at the dark haired kid with the laptop, "Jaden, he can hear but can't talk. Pretty good with electronics." His finger went to the red headed girl, "Ren, ran into her while searching a gas station." He pointed at the dark haired girl, "Ari, caught her stealing from me." Ari shrugged, "You left it. Didn't know it was still owned." Jasper raised his eyebrows, "I'm just gonna ignore that lie." Ari smirked as he aimed a thumb at the french guy, "Prince, a narcissistic psyco." Prince winked at Alice, and she rolled her eyes. "Alice, she may or may not have hit me in the nose." He winced a little then looked pointedly at Aaron. "What?" "I don't know your name." "What is this a youth group?" "Well I'm not gonna say the blonde guy when I'm talking to you." "Fine, I'm Aaron, happy?" Aaron sighed. "Crystal... wait." Prince pushed between the two of them, "Well the sun is going down so we should go, yes? We are making far too much noise." Aaron looked like he might hit him. Instead he rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Whatever." . Jaden stood, his laptop back in his bag. Jasper looked around, "Well let's go."