Dead Eyes Watching

Chapter 11;Secrets Beneath the Surface

The sun was sinking low in the sky, casting a dull orange glow over the crumbling city as they set up camp for the night. Venus found a spot near the remains of what used to be a bus stop, the shelter providing just enough cover from the elements. The group had been walking for hours, and the weight of the day was pressing down on all of them.

As they unpacked, Venus glanced at Izzy. The little girl was sitting quietly beside Jun, her small fingers tracing patterns in the dirt. There was something about her silence that gnawed at Venus, something that didn't sit right. Izzy was usually more talkative, even in the worst situations.

Venus knelt down beside her, her voice softening in a way it rarely did. "You alright, kid?"

Izzy looked up at her with wide, tired eyes. She didn't say anything at first, just stared at Venus like she was trying to figure something out.

"You know," Venus continued, her tone almost teasing, "I don't bite."

Izzy's lips twitched into a small smile, but it faded quickly. She looked down at her hands, her little shoulders slumping. "Auntie Venus... are we going to be okay?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Venus's heart twisted at the words. She wasn't one for emotions, but there was something about Izzy—something about the way the girl looked so small, so fragile—that made Venus feel a pang of protectiveness she hadn't felt in years.

"We'll be fine," Venus said quietly. "As long as you stick with me, I've got you."

Izzy glanced up at her, her eyes wide with something like surprise. "You'll stay with me?"

Venus hesitated for a second before nodding. "Yeah, kid. I'm not going anywhere."

Izzy's face softened, and she moved closer to Venus, her little hand reaching out to grab the hem of Venus's jacket. "Do you promise?"

Venus looked down at her, her chest tightening. She wasn't used to making promises, not ones that she could keep anyway. But something about Izzy made her want to try.

"I promise," Venus said, her voice low but firm.

They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them heavy with unspoken things. Venus wasn't good with feelings, but for some reason, she felt the need to say something more.

"You know... when I was a kid," Venus began, her eyes fixed on the horizon, "I didn't have anybody to look out for me. Not like you do. But I got through it. And you will, too."

Izzy stared up at her, her little face full of wonder. "You're really strong, Auntie Venus."

Venus snorted, shaking her head. "Not strong. Just stubborn."

Izzy giggled, and for a brief moment, the heaviness in the air seemed to lift. Venus glanced at her, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Alright, enough with the feelings," Venus said, standing up and brushing the dirt off her pants. "Let's get you cleaned up. Don't want you smelling worse than the zombies."

Izzy giggled again, but there was something in her eyes that made Venus pause. It was a flicker of discomfort, something she hadn't noticed before. Her heart skipped a beat as she knelt back down, her eyes narrowing.

"Come here," Venus said, her voice quieter now. "Let me see your arm."

Izzy hesitated, glancing nervously toward Jun, but Venus didn't notice at first. "Why?"

"Because I said so," Venus replied, her tone firm but not unkind.

Izzy slowly extended her arm, and as Venus gently pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, her stomach dropped.

There it was—a bite. Old, but unmistakable. The skin around it was slightly swollen, the flesh a strange color, but the worst part was that Izzy hadn't turned. She should have turned.

Venus's blood ran cold. She quickly covered the bite back up, her eyes darting to Jun, who was standing by the fire, avoiding her gaze. It hit her all at once—Jun knew. He had known the whole time.

Venus stood up, her movements slow and deliberate as she walked over to Jun, her voice tight with barely contained fury. "You knew."

Jun flinched, but didn't look at her. "I—"

"You knew she was bitten, and you didn't say anything?" Venus's voice was low, but it carried the weight of a knife pressed to his throat.

Jun's shoulders slumped, and he ran a hand through his hair. "She didn't turn. I didn't—"

"You didn't what?" Venus snapped, stepping closer, her eyes burning with anger. "You thought if you just ignored it, it would go away? That she wouldn't turn?"

Jun finally looked at her, his eyes filled with guilt. "I didn't know what to do, okay? She got lost before everything happened, before the zombies. When I found her, she was sick, but she didn't turn. I thought—"

"You thought you'd just pretend everything was fine?" Venus interrupted, her voice sharp. "You were willing to risk all of us because you were too scared to face the truth?"

Jun's face twisted in pain, and he glanced over at Izzy, who was sitting by the fire, unaware of the conversation. "I didn't want to lose her, Venus."

Venus's jaw clenched, her hands balling into fists. "And what about the rest of us? What about me? What if she had turned while we were asleep? You didn't just risk losing her, Jun. You risked all of us."

Jun looked down, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know."

Venus stared at him for a long moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but there was no time for that. Not now.

"She's immune," Venus said, her voice flat. "That's the only reason we're not dead right now."

Jun's eyes widened. "What?"

Venus took a deep breath, her mind racing. "She's immune, Jun. That's why she didn't turn. But if anyone finds out about this, they'll take her. Experiment on her. We can't tell anyone. Not even Nina."

Jun swallowed hard, his face pale. "Okay. I won't say anything."

Venus nodded, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. This was bigger than she had imagined. Izzy being immune changed everything. But it also made everything so much more dangerous.

As they walked back toward the campfire, Venus's mind raced with possibilities. Izzy was immune, but at what cost? How long could they keep this secret before someone found out? And how far was Venus willing to go to protect her?

One thing was certain—nothing would be the same after this.