Alive

20

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~~~~~~⚫️Chapter 20⚫️~~~~~~
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Dominic led me through the camp, pointing out various areas with the air of a man giving a tour, though his tone was laced with something cold, almost clinical. He showed me the fortified cabins, the storage sheds where supplies were kept, and the few makeshift bunkers that served as places to hide if the infected ever breached their defenses. His explanations were efficient, devoid of any warmth, and his gaze never lingered on any of the other camp residents for long. It was as if they were little more than pieces on a chessboard to him.

We stopped near the medical tent, and he turned to me with a scrutinizing look, his eyes narrowing as he studied the red veins pulsing faintly under my skin. "You know," he began, his voice taking on an almost mocking tone, "cases like yours are rare. Most people who encounter the virus either succumb to it completely or die trying to resist it. But you... you're a bit of an anomaly."

I bristled at his tone, crossing my arms defensively. "Anomaly? Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Not exactly. You see, Aisha, what you are isn't... natural. The virus, as you know it, is more than just a sickness—it's a mutation, a reprogramming of the body's cells on a fundamental level. When the virus takes hold, it essentially rewires the brain, triggering an extreme fight-or-flight response and making its host incredibly aggressive. But in rare cases..." He paused, his gaze cold and calculating. "In rare cases, the virus merges with its host, creating something new. A hybrid, if you will."

I frowned, feeling both intrigued and unsettled. "And you think that's what I am? A... hybrid?"

Dominic chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. "Oh, it's more than just a thought. Look at yourself. Those veins, the unnatural strength, the lack of pain in places where you should be feeling agony. You're not fully human anymore. Part of you belongs to the virus now, like it or not."

I swallowed, the weight of his words pressing down on me, filling me with a strange mix of horror and disbelief. "So... I'm infected, but I'm not... gone?"

He nodded, his expression almost smug. "Precisely. Think of it as the virus partially integrating with you, enhancing certain physical attributes while preserving enough of your original mind to keep you in control. But make no mistake—you're not like the rest of us. You're a walking contradiction, a mix of human and something... other."

I felt a chill run down my spine at his words, and I looked down at my hands, my fingers curling into fists. "You make it sound like I'm a science experiment," I muttered, a flicker of anger rising in my chest.

Dominic raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Well, in a way, you are. Cases like yours are exceedingly rare, almost unheard of. And while your little... survival trick may seem impressive, it's not exactly reassuring. Who's to say you won't turn on us one day?"

His words stung, and I could feel the anger building inside me, my hands clenching tighter. "I'm still me," I said firmly, though there was a hint of uncertainty in my voice that even I could hear. "I'm not some mindless creature. I still have control."

He scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Control is a fragile thing, especially when dealing with something as volatile as this virus. You may think you're in control now, but that could change. You're unpredictable, Aisha, and unpredictability is dangerous in a place like this."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off, his tone growing colder. "Look, you may think you're special because you survived, because you're different, but don't mistake that for anything more than-"

Dominic's words lingered in my mind like an unwelcome weight as we made our way to the area set up for breakfast. A few camp residents milled about, each person taking their meal and retreating into small groups or isolated corners. I took a bowl of food from the serving table, though the sight and smell of it made my stomach turn. It was a gray, unappetizing mush, a sad mix of canned beans and some dried meat that had clearly seen better days.

Sighing, I took a hesitant bite, the bland taste doing little to make me feel better. I spotted my father across the camp, watching me from a distance. Our eyes met briefly, but I quickly looked away, the sting of last night's encounter still fresh. I could feel his gaze on me, but I forced myself to ignore it, focusing on the food in front of me despite the nausea that rose with each bite.

I was halfway through choking down another mouthful when someone grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the meal table. I nearly dropped my bowl as I stumbled, looking up to see Jay's familiar face, his expression twisted in frustration.

"Come on," he muttered, glancing over his shoulder with a scowl. "Before that old man starts filling your head with any more of his crap."

I let him pull me along, feeling both relieved and curious as he steered us away from the breakfast area. Once we were out of Dominic's sight, Jay let out a breath, his expression softening a bit as he led me toward a quieter corner of the camp.

"What's with you and Dominic?" I asked, glancing back to make sure he wasn't following.

Jay rolled his eyes, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That guy? He thinks he's some kind of genius because he knows a few scientific terms. Acts like he's the only one here with a brain." He made a disgusted noise, shaking his head. "Don't let him get to you. He's all talk."

I couldn't help but smile a little at Jay's frustration, feeling a small spark of warmth at his protectiveness. "He was... pretty harsh," I admitted, my gaze falling to the red veins on my arms. "The way he talked about me, like I'm some kind of ticking time bomb..."

"Don't listen to him," Jay interrupted, his voice firm. "You're stronger than he'll ever understand. And he's just scared. People like him, they don't know what it's like to actually survive something like this. They only know how to stand on the sidelines and watch."

I nodded slowly, appreciating Jay's words even though a part of me still felt shaken by everything Dominic had said. The idea that I was... other, that I was something people couldn't fully trust—it gnawed at me, filling me with a sense of isolation I couldn't shake.

"Thanks," I murmured, looking up at him, grateful for the distraction he offered.

Jay shrugged, glancing away, though I caught a hint of a smile. "Hey, someone's gotta keep an eye on you. Besides," he added, casting a look back toward where Dominic had been, "it's about time someone told that old man to shove it."

His words made me laugh, a sound that felt oddly freeing after the heaviness of the past few days. As we walked together through the camp, I found myself relaxing, the weight of Dominic's judgment fading as Jay's easy presence pulled me out of my own thoughts. He didn't press me with questions, didn't treat me like something fragile or dangerous. He just walked beside me, swearing under his breath about Dominic and the camp's paranoia.

For the first time in what felt like ages, I felt a sense of normalcy creeping back in, a reminder that I wasn't entirely alone in this place. And as we made our way to a quiet corner of the camp, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was finding a new kind of family here—one that wasn't perfect but might just be enough to keep me grounded.