The Virus

Chapter 1

Emily strides across the hallway the same way she had seen her own father do so many times. The familiar sound of her brown leather boots hitting the wooden floor in a consistent rhythm almost calms her down. Almost. She pushes down her building fear and replaces it with determination.
The first thing Emily notices when she walks into the living room is Max. The second is Shawn. That is, the absence of Shawn.
"Shawn left a while ago. I'll go get him for you mom", Victor says sweetly.
He must have noticed me looking around, Emily thinks to herself.
"Thank you sweetie", she says fondly. She feels the weight of her anxiety lighten a bit at the soft smile of her son. She watches him as he runs out to get Shawn. She is instantly pulled back to reality when Max speaks up.
"What did we do this time", he practically hisses. His pale blond hair is pulled back into a low ponytail. His army green eyes coldly glare at her partial heterochromia brown and blue eyes. His sickly pale skin makes him blend perfectly into the white couch.
"No one has done anything. That's the problem", Emily explains vaguely.
Keith looks up at her with his blue and green puppy eyes.
"I'm sorry miss Emily", he says quietly. Emily's heart melts at Keith's dejection. She makes her way to the khaki brown couch and sits next to Keith. She gently strokes a strand of his light brown hair out of his face.
"I'm not mad at you Keith. I'm not mad at anyone", Emily expounds.
"Hard to believe", Max notes.
"Max, please", May says in exasperation.
"We're here! Sorry for keeping you waiting for so long", Victor cheerfully announces.
"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault", Emily says softly.
"So, what do you need us for?", Shawn questions.
"We need to get moving. We've been here for too long. The infected will be patrolling this area soon. If not, other survivors might try to rob us", Emily explains
"I really like this house", Keith mutters with a pout.
"I'm sure that we can find one that is just as good, if not better", Emily reassures softly.
"Will it also have two couches?", Keith asks.
"We'll see what we can do", Emily responds.
Keith seems satisfied by that answer.
"Alright. Pack your bags. We're leaving in ten minutes."
"Ten minutes!", exclaims May.
"Better start packing", Max says with a smirk.
May sticks her tongue out at him before running off.

May huffs upon arriving at the door of her room. Well, her previous room. As the only teenage girl, she got a room to herself. Keith, Shawn and Max share a room together while Victor shares a room with his mom. When they stay at a house with only two bedrooms, May shares a room with Emily while the boys share the other room. If the house they call home for that week has a couch or a sofa, Shawn will claim that as his bed. Sometimes he'll even sleep on the floor, all just to avoid Max.
None of that matters right now. Their fights don't bother her unless it starts getting excessive. She needs to focus on packing her things. If she ends up accidentally leaving her jacket behind again, Emily isn't going to take it well. Not that she took it well the first time it happened. Or the second. That doesn't matter right now! Snap out of it! May slaps her cheeks with both hands at once in frustration.
"Need help?", a medium range voice offers from behind her.
May flinches ever so slightly.
"Sh-Shawn! You scared me."
Shawn grins at her. There's a mischievous glint in his eyes. It's weird to think about how Shawn never smiles around anyone else. He keeps his face neutral unless he's around the Niels siblings. One brings out his good side, the other brings out his bad side.
"Sorry. I couldn't help but overhear you hissing at yourself. Thought you might need a hand", Shawn says nonchalantly.
May's eyes widen and her cheeks become flushed. Shawn's grin widens.
"I said that out loud!?"
"Yup."
"Damn it!"
Shawn chuckles in delight.
"How have you finished packing already?" May desperately tries to change the subject.
"I don't have much to pack", Shawn answers with a shrug.
"Right. Well, if you really have nothing to do, then you're welcome to help me", May says.
Shawn kneels next to her and starts folding the few clothing items that were spread across the floor.
"You have no need to have this many clothes."
"It's better than only owning two T-Shirts, one jumper and one pair of jeans."
"How is that better?"
"We have other more important priorities."
"Like your favorite black blade, your favorite pocket knife, your favorite butterfly knife and your favorite katana? Which each get their own case?"
"Yes. They'll save us from the infected. Clothes won't."
"The infected are just that; People who have been infected by a virus. They're just like us, Shawn. They don't willingly attack us. We can't kill them."
"It's self defense, May. Besides, have you ever seen me actually kill anyone? I just injure them enough to be able to escape. You do the same thing with your peashooter."
"Fair point."
"As always."
May scoffs, but can't hide her smile. Shawn smirks back at her. Their argument shifts into casual conversation as the two of them continue packing May's clothes and her two guns.
"Isn't this gonna be a little too heavy?"
"Aww. Are you worried about me?" May teases.
"Of course I am. You can barely take care of yourself", Shawn responds without a second thought. He stands up and dusts off his pants. He then reaches out his hand to May. May accepts it and is pulled up by Shawn. The two of them stand in front of each other for a while, not letting go of the other's hand.
"You done May?" Max's voice suddenly enters the room. He freezes at the door frame, blankly staring at Shawn and May holding hands. Max glares at Shawn as May quickly pulls her hand away.
"Hey there Max! I'm just about done. I-I'll be at the entrance in a minute!" May's usual naturally cheerful tone now sounds forced.
Max doesn't say anything. He just continues glaring at Shawn. The latter calmly walks out the room, going past Max at the door, with an annoyed facial expression. Shawn follows him with his eyes until he's out of sight. He snaps his head back at May.
"Why was he here? What did he do?"
"Come on Max! I can take care of myself! I don't need you constantly babysitting me!"
"Clearly I do."
"He was just helping me pack my stuff!"
"That's not what it looked like."
"You just came in at a bad time."
"A bad time? If I had come in any later, it would have been a horrible time!"
"Why on earth do you keep on suggesting that there is something going on between Shawn and I?"
"May, anyone with even one working eye can see that there is clearly something going on between you and Shawn."
"Are you sure? Your eyesight is pretty bad after all."
"May, can you please just listen to me?!"
"What else is there for you to say? We've had this discussion so many times, I'm losing track!"
"I am just trying to keep you safe! You're all I have left in this maddening life of never ending struggle! You're the only one left that I care about! And you're the only one left that cares about me. I can't lose you."
The atmosphere shifts as the debate comes crashing down to a sudden halt. May stares at her brother in shock.
"Max...that isn't true. The others care about you too."
"No. Not in the way you do."
"That's because I'm your sister. Our relationship with each other is going to be different from your relationship with the others. But there's still a connection there. We wouldn't be in this group if that wasn't the case."
"Emily never wanted us to be part of this group. Shawn and Keith are the ones that convinced her to let us join. And that was just because they liked you and your never ending enthusiasm. You are the one they care about. Unfortunately for them, we come as a package."
"Sure, you didn't give a good first impression, but you grew on them. Emily loves you now! You're second in demand for a reason. Not to mention, you're our best shooter. You taught me everything I know! Keith looks up to you the same way I look up to you. Victor respects you and takes your advice. The two of you literally spend hours together. No one else is that close to Victor, not even Emily herself. And sure, you and Shawn tend to bicker a lot, but you bicker like siblings. Your competitiveness clashes with each other most of the time, but when it really counts, you've got each other's backs. At the end of the day, in this life we live now, isn't that all that really matters? That you can rely on those who are around you?"
Max looks down at his hands. He's wearing his tea green fingerless gloves. He grabs one of his hands tightly, thinking over what May just said. He seems to relax a bit, until Emily's voice suddenly rings through the hallway.
"Kids! We're leaving right now!"
Max's grip tightens even more around his wrist.
"She sounds distressed."
"Really?"
"The infected must be approaching us."
Max grabs May's backpack and swings it on his back.
"We need to go. Now!"