Bloodlines of Survival

Chapter 8: Descent into Darkness

Gwen's breath was ragged as she leaned against the door, her mind reeling from what she'd just witnessed.

The sight of those pitch-black eyes, the savage hunger in their twisted faces-it was enough to drive anyone to the brink of madness. But deep inside her, something had snapped. The fear that had once gripped her was now coiled into a tight knot of resolve. She couldn't afford to be afraid anymore. Not when her family's lives were on the line.

She felt it then-the darkness inside her, the virus that had been slowly creeping through her veins, tightening its grip on her mind. The part of her that still clung to her humanity recoiled in horror, but another part—a deeper, primal part-welcomed it. If this was the only way to protect the people she loved, she would embrace it, no matter the cost.

"They're almost here," Jamie said, his voice barely concealing the tremor of fear. He stood by the window, watching as the mutants closed in, their twisted forms silhouetted against the fading light.

Gwen's eyes hardened as she stepped away from the door, her body thrumming with a strange, newfound energy. "I'll deal with them," she said, her voice low and steely. She didn't wait for Jamie's response, didn't give him a chance to argue. She
knew what needed to be done.

She grabbed the largest knife from the kitchen and moved towards the door with a sense of purpose that she hadn't felt in days. The door flew open, and Gwen stepped outside, her eyes locking onto the approaching mutants. The darkness within her surged forward, sharpening her senses,
heightening her instincts.

The first mutant lunged at her, its mouth open in a feral snarl. Gwen moved with unnatural speed, dodging its attack and driving the knife deep into its chest. Blackened blood sprayed across her face, but she didn't flinch.

She twisted the blade, feeling the creature's body go limp before it collapsed to the ground.
Another mutant charged at her, but she was ready. She sidestepped its clumsy attack, slashing at its throat with brutal precision. The creature gurgled, clutching at its neck as it crumpled to the pavement.

One by one, they fell. Gwen fought with a ferocity she didn't know she possessed, her movements fluid and deadly. The darkness within her guided her hand, turning her into something more than human. But with each kill, she could feel it taking more from her-another piece of her humanity slipping away.

Finally, the last mutant staggered towards her, its eyes glinting with a mixture of hunger and malice. It was larger than the others, its body twisted and grotesque, as if the virus had taken extra care in warping it into something monstrous. Gwen charged, her knife aimed straight for its heart.
But the mutant was fast-faster than she expected. It lashed out with its clawed hand, raking it across her arm.

Pain exploded through Gwen, but she didn't falter.
She plunged the knife into its chest with all the strength she had left, driving it down to the hilt.
The mutant let out a final, wet gasp before crumpling to the ground at her feet. Gwen stood there, panting, blood dripping from her wounds. The street was littered with bodies, the air thick with the stench of death. But she had won. She had protected her family.

Or so she thought.

"Gwen!" Jamie's voice broke through the haze of victory, and Gwen turned to see him running towards her. Relief washed over her-until she saw the blood on his arm. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she realized what had happened.

"No..." she whispered, the knife slipping from her fingers. She rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she examined the wound. It was a deep scratch, jagged and raw, with the telltale blackness beginning to creep around the edges.

Jamie looked at her, his face pale but calm. "It's just a scratch," he said, trying to reassure her. But they both knew what it meant.

Gwen's mind raced, the horror of what she had done crashing over her like a tidal wave. She had embraced the darkness to protect her family, but in doing so, she had doomed the one person she had fought so hard to save.

The virus was in him now, spreading its poison through his veins, and she knew all too well what would come next.
"Jamie... I'm so sorry," Gwen choked out, her voice breaking.

Jamie cupped her face in his hands, his touch gentle despite the growing darkness in his eyes. "Don't," he whispered. "You did what you had to do. You saved us."

But Gwen could barely hear him over the sound of her own heart breaking.

She had thought she could control the virus, thought she could use it to protect her family. But the truth was, it was uncontrollable, a beast that would consume everything in its path.

And now, it was inside Jamie.

"We don't have much time," Jamie said, his voice steady despite the pain. "We need to get back to the kids. We need to... prepare."

Gwen nodded, the weight of what she had to do settling over her like a shroud. She couldn't let the virus take him. She couldn't let him become one of those things. But the thought of what she would have to do to stop it-to stop him-was unbearable.

Together, they made their way back to the house,
the twins' worried faces greeting them at the door. Gwen forced a smile, though it felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest.

"Daddy's hurt," she told them, her voice trembling. "But we're going to take care of him, okay? We're going to keep him safe."

Samantha and Kohl nodded, their eyes wide with fear. They didn't fully understand what was happening, but they trusted their parents to make it better. Gwen only wished she could live up to that trust.

As they settled Jamie on the couch, Gwen knelt beside him, her heart breaking with every second that passed. His skin was growing paler, the veins around the scratch darkening with every beat of his heart. There was no time left.

"Jamie..." Gwen began, but her voice caught in her throat. How could she say goodbye? How could she let him go?

But Jamie shook his head, cutting her off. "No goodbyes, Gwen," he said softly. "Just... do what you have to do. Keep the kids safe. That's all that matters now."

Gwen bit back a sob, tears streaming down her face as she nodded. She leaned in, pressing a final, lingering kiss to his lips, memorizing the feel of him, the taste of him, knowing it would be the last time.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice breaking.
"I love you too," Jamie replied, his voice weak but full of the same unshakeable resolve he had always had. "Now go."

Gwen stood, her hands trembling as she picked up the knife she had used to fight off the mutants. The knife that had protected her family-and the knife that would now be used to protect them again.

She steeled herself, focusing on the one thing that had driven her from the start: keeping her children safe. She couldn't let Jamie turn into one of those monsters. She couldn't let him become the thing he had fought so hard to protect them from.

With a final, heart-wrenching glance at Jamie, Gwen stepped forward, the knife heavy in her hand. And with a single, swift motion, she did what she had to do.

The darkness inside her screamed, but she pushed it down, refusing to let it take control. She had made a promise— to herself, to Jamie, to their children.

She would protect them, no matter the cost.
Even if it meant losing the man she loved.