Wasteland

Truth and Lies

I tried to force my stomach to not make a reappearance when Dad unravelled her bandage. It was gruesome. It looked like her leg was rotting rather than trying to mend itself . That's what we usually do isn't it?
Her leg looked like it wanted to gobble her whole. Almost like a parasite.
When I was five, my mom used to tell me that humans were the greatest monsters on earth, and I would disagree by snuggling close to her saying that she was no monster. She would just shake her head and plant a small kiss on my head. 

The boy with blue eyes sat next to the blonde and put her head on his lap ,stroking her hair gently. I realised that these two were closer than they seemed.
A sharp thorn stabbed at my heart as I looked away. What the actual hell. I haven't seen this guy in my life!
An unfamiliar cold anger bubbled inside me. Since my mother, nobody ever spent time with me ,or talked to me. After her  funeral I ran as fast as I could, away from the glossy black coffin, and shut myself in a room for a week crying my heart out. Those days I felt no hunger or thirst but only the desire of her presence. She was everything to me.
My Dad, didn't shout or force me to come out. He used to push a plate of food ,three times a day through a small hole near the door that I had now covered. Maybe that time he understood the pain.

" It's worser than I thought. It has been spreading all over her leg. It's surprising that she hasn't turned into one yet".

" What do you mean by that?" I asked.

Dad remained silent. He took a small wet cloth and dabbed it on the wound. He shook his head , his hand shivering slightly as it dabbed the wound.
" You don't want to know " my dad said after a few seconds, before turning to Nathan.

" I think it's too late.".

Nathan looked at dad sharply, his eyes wide with fear. His eyes were ever so blue. Like the wide blue Pacific , They were infinite, nesting under his long dark lashes.

"She must cut her leg".

" What?"

I looked at Dad, surely he must be joking . He was serious than ever.

" It would spread , until the virus has complete control on her brain , and then the consequences ...".

" Is there any other way?" He asked, his voice desperate.

" No. I  know what would happen to her, well.. a creator should know the consequences and I know what happened when we tested it" My father said .
My thoughts were in scatters.

The boy's  jaw immediately  tightened. That's when I connected the dots. My dad not being home for a month, the antidote being released, the party he kept at home where he got drunk even though he finds alcohol disgusting. All this mess that was going to end the world was because of my father. The man sitting right next to me.

My father turned red  as a red velvet. "I couldn't create the treatment immediately. All these could have turned out different-"

The boy got up so fast I was knocked backwards. He shoved dad towards the wall , his hands around his windpipe.

" Leave him! "

I screamed and pulled the him back. We both fell wrestling in the ground while dad spluttered and gasped. Soon , we gave up and He moved away.
 
"If it wasn't for Frost... " He said roughly  as I pulled dad into the kitchen.

" Explain", I said exasperated ,wiping a bit of blood from my lip with the sleeve of my t-shirt.

"He could have killed you!".

He adjusted his glasses and looked beyond the window where once a beautiful scenery now strange creatures staggered through the streets occasionally feasting on a dead body lying on the pavement. I placed my palms on the windows to look closer. Was this the walking dead or something?

" What are these things? How did all these things happen, Dad!"

" We were researching for a solution for the disease that inflamed America. I was the head of the team. You know something? Your mother used to tell me that everything I did wasn't right." He hung his head .

" It was the biggest mistake I had  done in life".

My father- The. Biggest. Asshole. Ever.

"If Mom was alive , she wouldn't have let this happen".

He turned around his eyes swimming with tears. I had never seen him cry, but I didn't care.
"On second thoughts , I should have let him handle you . You are no different from those zombies on the road. Heartless. No wonder mother didn't want to live with you."

I turned around and walked out ignoring him.

But somewhere in my heart I felt free. He was a liar and cheat. He just put human civilisation into serious danger.He knew that because for the first time ever he didn't fight back.

" Hey."

Nathan looked up and gave me a small smile. I sat down on the carpet, next to him .
He studied me closely , deciding whether to trust me or not. Sweat trickled down my neck as I decided to break the silence.

" Umm...so how's life?"

He raised his eyebrows quizzically. I felt like slamming my head into the wall, what a stupid question to ask when she was hurt. God Caleb, have some feelings.

" Caleb Thorn." I stammered as stretched out my sweaty hand.

"Nathan Frost. I officially welcome you to the survival team.",He said shaking it.

His hand -warm and rough.

" May I ask how you know my dad?" I asked, hoping to understand why I had never seen him before.

He opened his mouth but at that exact second the blonde stirred awake.