Blackout • NH

Chapter 29

It's been about an hour of riding in silence. I begin to hiss in pain. My dad still in my presence.

"What's wrong Jodie?"

"It's my leg. I broke it when I was captured. I fell off a horse and landed at an odd angle and it broke. Now that I mention it, I fell off of this horse." I chuckle a bit, though the pain in my leg is still there.

"Here."

I stop my horse and look at my dad. He walks up to my broke leg and examines it. He takes it in his hands before rubbing it a bit. Suddenly the pain subsides.

"What did you do?" I ask. I was able to wiggle it a little.

"I made your healing process speed up. A broken bone takes forever to heal and I can't stand to see you suffer while surviving in this world. You'll be okay within a week or so."

"Thanks dad. I love you. You know that right?"

"Of course. I love you too."

"I don't know if I can talk to mom but can you tell her that I love her. That me and Ellen love her and miss her?"

"I will, I promise."

"Thank you." I smile.

I kick my horse and get him into a canter or slow gallop.

"I'm going to go now but I'll pop up within a week to see how this leg of yours is doing. I love you."

"I love you too." I start to cry. He blows a kiss and fades away, sparks of blue following his presence, fading after he disappears.

I look up to see I am at the start of the desert mountains. I see a light up there with smoke and a faint sound of laughter and talking. I head to the source, hoping I can seek safety for the night and hopefully a drink of water as well.

I trot my horse up the rocky path. My leg still throbbing with pain, it wasn't as bad as it was.

The sounds of the voices are getting louder which means I'm getting closer.

I begin to pick up on words and their conversation. I slow down and bring my horse to a slow walk.

"Did you hear that?"

"It's coming from down the path."

"What if it's another group?"

"We would have heard them talking already."

"What if it's the glaze?"'

"Oh shit, everyone grab your guns."

Oh no, I hope this doesn't end badly. I continue slowly making my way to the group of people camping behind the rocks. Until one of them shines a light on me and and I stop about 100 feet away. The voice then shouts to me.

"Stay right there and don't move."

They begin whispering to one another. Even though I can still hear them.

"Please don't shoot, I have a broken leg and I need somewhere to rest for the night. My whole group thinks I'm dead and I've been looking for them and haven't had luck finding them. They left their campsite this morning." I say as strongly as I can but fail miserably when I start crying.

"Dude, it's a young girl on a horse and she's alone. She's in bad condition. We can't leave her."

"You know how I feel about taking in strangers. We will not take anymore in. That's final."

"Please, I just need some where to rest. I can promise you, I am not a threat. I don't have any weapons on me. All I have is this horse and a crutch to help me walk. If you need to, you can search me. You have my permission." I shout back.

"Okay we will search you, but if you lied about not having a weapon and actually have one we will make sure you don't see the light of day."

"I'm getting off of my horse okay?" I shout, letting them know of my actions so I don't get shot.

I get off and grab my crutch and wobble towards them a bit before I hear a gun click. The people move closer to me, their guns are pointing at me. One man stays ahead of the group while the rest stay behind him, covering him if anything happens. I look down and start to cry.

"Please don't kill me. I just want to see my group again. If you decide you don't want me to stay that's fine. Please spare my life. It's the only thing I have left to live for." I sob.

The man in the front of the group walks closer to me. He's about 15 feet away now. The rest of the group, still covering him a good 20 feet behind him.

"What is your name?"

"My name is Jodie."

Silence. I look up and see the group of people even closer now to where I can make out their faces. I can't believe it.

"Niall?" My eyes are still wet. I stand there staring at him. He drops his gun out of his hands.the rest of the group are frozen.

"Jodie? Is that really you?" He says, staring in awe like he's seen a ghost.

"Niall." I say. Still shocked. I step forward but I the pain in my leg stops me and I stumble a bit.

Suddenly he drops everything and runs straight towards me. Pulling me in for a long hug.

"It's really you. Oh my god, you're alive." His voice cracks and begins to tear up.

I pull back from the hug and look at him. Tears in my eyes as well. He doesn't say anything but pulls me forward in an urgent kiss. Pulling me to him and holding on for dear life as if I was going to disappear again.

He pulls back from the kiss and smiles, tears of joy both running down our faces. He kisses me one last time before wiping my tears. Suddenly I'm pulled away from Niall and pulled into a hug by Liam, following Harry, then Louis, then Aiden and Marion and finally Ellen.

"We thought you were dead." Marion said.

"So did I."

"Wait, holy shit you're infected!" They all back up.

"No I'm not." I say laughing.

"Why are you laughing, Jodie you could turn anytime soon.

"It's been 36 hours."  I say.

"What?"

"You all turn within 24 hours. And show signs before turning. Look at my arm, the cut is healing, my skin isn't rotted and my eyes aren't bleeding."

"I don't understand, everyone turns within 24 hours!" Marion shouts, unbeliever by what she's seeing.

"That's what I thought too."

Louis interrupts.

"Wait, so everyone who's encountered a glazer turns within 24 hours correct?" The whole group and I nod.

"An infected person starts showing symptoms 10 hours after being cut."

"Jodie hasn't showed any signs. She would have turned by now. Unless... Oh my god." Louis gasps.

"What!" Liam says frantically.

"I'm immune." I finish.