Hollow Veins

Chapter Four; The Past

Jasper couldn't stand to her leave. He wiped the tears from his eyes and turned away. His stomach plummeted with guilt. She didn't understand. How couldn't explain without leading to questions he couldn't answer. Jasper sighed. It wasn't his fault that he had to leave her. He hadn't had a choice. A movement caught his eye. Aaron had returned. Not that Jasper had authorized his leaving. He had walked away from where they'd stopped and muttered something about going up ahead and to try and see anything. Aaron already seemed to hate Jaspe, so he hadn't interfered much. It couldn't do much harm. No doubt Alice had told Aaron about how Jasper had left. Her initial reaction to seeing him again had hurt him. Not shock or anything of the sort. She hadn't thought him dead but instead settled on the thought that he'd intentionally left. Of course, he had, but it still hurt. Maybe they hadn't been what he thought they were. Jasper regretted leaving, but it was what had needed to be done. Aaron was talking to Alice, who was keeping her face turned away to hide her tear stained face. Another pang went through him. She'd cried too much because of him. Alice gestured to Jasper, and Aaron shook his head. She said something else, and Aaron sighed. He approached Jasper, who stepped back a little. He had a feeling Aaron would like nothing more than to hit him. Aaron clenched his fists and glanced back at Alice. "There's a town. I went up ahead and caught sight of it in the distance, mountains too," He spoke through gritted teeth. Jasper nodded, thinking for a moment. Hearing his words, the others gathered around him, Alice keeping her distance. "We should move on and try to make it there." Ari said. Ren looked at her, slightly confused. Prince glanced at her and put in, "If we do that, we won't have enough energy to fight." "Well they don't have unlimited energy. Infects have to 'recharge' at some point," Ari folded her arms. "Yeah, but not all of them." "Ok enough," Jasper looked around at them all, "Stop. We'll go a little farther, getting closer enough to get there in the morning but far enough to be away from the Infected." They started walking again in silence. Jasper's mind filled with images of the long once human creatures. Not your classic zombie. In fact, he would have preferred the green skinned yellow toothed undead to the horrors of the Infected. Red bloodthirsty eyes that seem to always be hungry. Jaws wrenched open, ready to spread the horrible disease with a single bite. Many parts of the bone structure had stretched out into a more "convenient" position to chase. They never seemed to feel injuries. Only a strong determination to infect. Like they were virus particals themselves. Jasper had watched his family suffer the same fate. All except his mother. Some people took a while for the infection to spread, while most took a minute or two. His mom had been a slow spread. Too slow for the infects that had attacked his family. Jasper could still hear her screams as she was ripped apart. Screaming for him and Alice to run, for her husband to resist the influence of the infection, for it to all end.