Hollow Veins

Chapter Seven; An Explosive Personality

Without a second, though, Alice wiped a knife from her belt and flung it. There was a sickening, fleshy thud. Its dying screech was met by others. But these sounded hungry. Aaron grabbed her wrist, "Let's go!" Alice tugged away from and dashed for the Infect, "Go on. I need to get my knife." She jerked its head up. Its eyes looked almost... sad. She closed out those thoughts. The human once in there was dead, and the disease used their body as a puppet. The sounds of the creatures grew closer. She ripped the knife from its head. Blood sprayed her face. Alice turned tail and rushed towards Jasper, who had stayed behind. "Go!" She caught up, and he started running, too. The others came into view, turning and getting nearer to the heart of the town. Alice glanced back. Still about thirty, thirty-five yards. The Infects were practically on top of each other, scrambling and scratching. Each trying to get to them first. "What do we do?!?!" Prince shouted. Jaden pulled something from his belt. It was a grenade. "Jaden! Don't," Aaron yelled. But he did. He jerked the pin and flung it behind them as far as he could. Ari shouted as she rushed on, "Five! Four! Three! Two! Down!" Alice threw herself on the ground and could only hope the others had done the same. BOOM!!!! Smoke filled the air and glass shattered. And suddenly, Jaden was grabbing Alice and pulling her to her feet. Her ears rang, and the sounds of the others yelling were muffled like she was underwater. She glanced back. A building smoldered, the lower windows blown out. And bloody twitching bodies litered the ground.

Alice's hands were scraped, and dried blood streaked her face. "What were you thinking?" Aaron ran a hand through his blonde hair. "It was just a knife." She took a long breath, "I thought I had time, and we shouldn't waste a weapon." He threw his hands up in desperation, "Then what the frick do we have throwing knives for?" "A weapon's a weapon, and if I can get it back, I get it back." He sighed, "Except you didn't have enough time." Alice didn't answer. She wouldn't have cared if Jasper hadn't stayed back. If he'd gotten hurt... it would be her fault. She couldn't let him do that. Alice looked at him, sitting at the entrance to the cave. They'd hiked pretty far to get away from the town. The sunlight reflected off his hair. Jasper's eyes always seem to be smiling. Comforting. Alice squeezed her eyes closed. No. He'd lied to her, left her. Abandoned her to the Infected. Flown away in that helicopter. She couldn't trust him. Once she'd cared. Thought that he had, too. Aaron wet a cloth, "That your blood?" "No. I'm fine, thanks." "You sure." Alice glared. "What? You were 'fine' when you tore your leg on that glass a couple of months ago," He handed her the cloth. Slightly annoyed, Alice pressed it to her face, working the dried blood off her face, "Whatever." Aaron smiled, "In a different situation, I would be concerned that that wasn't your blood." She laughed a little and squeezed out the rag. Alice fluttered her eyelashes, "Am I beautiful again?" "What do you mean, 'again'?" "Hey!" She flung the rag at him. He caught it and threw it back, "Finish cleaning your face, maybe you'll look halfway decent." "Where are you going?" "To talk to Jaden about his explosive personality." "Don't be cheesy!" "Cry about it!" Rolling her eyes, she continued cleaning her face.