Infinity

Chapter Two

Waiting for three A.M. makes my skin crawl. Patience has never exactly been a virtue that my people have possessed. Once, a man broke someone's arm because they weren't cooking his dinner fast enough. They, in turn, stuck a fork in his eye. This is about as patient as the Infinites get.

I jump out of bed, my clothes and shoes already on. I didn't bother getting changed into my bed clothes. Getting dressed again would just slow me down. I leave my house, my footsteps nearly silent as I run from my room to my door, and then outside. This is a stupid idea.

I breathe in the crisp, cool night air and smile. I love running. It makes me feel like a predator. Fast, and strong.

I start to run through the woods, a smile curling up around my lips. The wind whips my hair out of my face and away from me. I feel completely weightless, and want to cheer. I don't. It would be dangerous to call that much attention to myself.

I run the entire way to the circle of stones, slowing only when the stones come into sight. When I finally reach the circle I stop, bending over, gasping for air with a smile spread wide across my face. The patch on my side aches, and I love the pain. It takes the world around me away and gives me an escape for a moment.

But, that moment ends when I hear it: A twig snapping as someone steps on it.

I twist around, my eyes scanning the dark treeline. I search the darkness for any movement. The woods have gone silent.

My eyes burn brighter, illuminating the trees on the outskirts of the clearing. There still doesn't seem to be anyone there.

"Infinity? That is you, correct?" A voice says. It's high and clear, and reminds me of the tinkle of broken glass.

"Yes," I say stiffly, my blood pumping faster. "Where are you?"

"Don't worry. We won't hurt you." Another voice. Male. Low and slightly sluggish, as if he was drunk or on drugs.

"Show yourselves," I demand. "Where's Lucas?"

"I'm right here," he says, coming out from the shadows. His skin is sickly pale, his eyes sunken and dim looking.

"What happened to you?" I ask, taking a step toward him, shocked at his changed appearance. "Why can't I see them?"

Lucas sighs. "Guys, come out. She's not going to listen to us if she can't see you."

"Finally!" cheers the male voice. He flickers into existence in a millisecond. His skin is a light blue color, and I can feel the coolness coming off him.

Someone else scoffs. "Fine," the girl says. She doesn't seem to happy to be revealing herself to me.

Finally, she comes into view, flicking into existence like a candle flame that could melt her blue icy skin.  My breath goes out in a puff when I realize who it is: The Extra who had taken advantage of Lucas to invade our land. The same girl that killed thousands of our people. I look at Lucas, my eyes turning red with fury.

"How dare you," I whisper. "How dare you!"  I scream the second time and charge at Lucas, hands outstretched. The only thing I can think about is how he's going to do it again. He's going to betray us again, but I'm not going to let him. I'm going to kill him before he can do it again.

He jumps back, flipping over one of the rocks in the circle of stones, putting it in between us. "Infinity," he says, his voice urgent, "please, just listen to what I have to say. Then, if you don't believe me, you can report me."

I laugh, a sharp barking sound with no humor in it. I take a step toward him, my eyes flaming up, turning the forest to scarlet. In a quiet, deadly voice I say, "You'd better have a damn good excuse for being with this piece of shit. You tell me exactly what you think you're doing, and maybe I'll let you live." I jab a finger at him. "But if you make one wrong move, I'll rip your head off and hang it on my wall."

He stares at me for a second, his eyes flickering a light yellow, then back to green. He swallows visibly and nods.

"Very well," the girl says. "Let us begin."