The Infection: Survivors

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Three days passed and it was now mid July.

The air was heavy with tension and no one had a smile on their faces. Charlotte, Ryan and Samantha were in the front, leading us. Ace was the last one, pushing Alana so she didn't stop walking. Alana was a mess, tousled hair and dark circles under her tear stained eyes. She was also thinner and her skin was a sick shade of grey. In the middle of the group, was me and Kane, walking side by side, hand in hand. Kane knew that I felt guilty because of Alana, despite knowing that I had to tell them, so he tried his best to comfort me. I was glad he was there.

The last few days had been terrible.

Alana cried, pleaded, shouted and cursed but no one released her. Samantha was torn and, despite our feelings of dislike being mutual, I didn't enjoy seeing her so sad. She was like a whole new person. Charlotte had lost her usual liveliness and didn't talk as much. At night, she would tug my arm, when everyone was already asleep, and would ask me to go to her side. She felt bad for the way she treated Alana and, as much as I told her that we didn't have a choice, she would still cry. Kane would woke up in the morning, looking for me and, when he found me, sleeping hugged to Char, he would get up, kiss my forehead and then start to prepare our things.

On other hand, the boys were mad. Really mad.

They felt betrayed and there was nothing worse, for a man, then disloyalty. Ryan despised Alana, barely looking at her, and Ace, well, Ace only spoke to her when strictly needed and, when he spoke, it was never politely.

Despite all the drama, we weren't attacked once. I didn't knew if it was the dark aura hovering us or the fact that we were extra careful, but, beside hearing some fights, a few miles away, infected didn't cross our path. Until that one dark day.

It had been a little over a month since the epidemic spread through the United States.

The tension between all of us was still there, but not as evident. Alana had accepted her fate and was alway silent now, not one word escaping her mouth. She had apologized to Samantha countless times but she couldn't forgive, not after a betrayal like that, remaining in silence since then. It was obvious that Alana loved her friend, and so did Samantha, but their friendship would never be same.

In the last few days, we had crossed Idaho. We had to get another car because the jeep had ran out of gas, so we found a minivan that was big enough for all of us. It had been fairly fast crossing Idaho, only two days and a half. We were now in Montana.

It was when we were driving through Dillon that they appeared.

The largest group we had ever seen was blocking the road. They were at least twenty and they were snarling at us.

"We can't pass through them." Charlotte whispered, fearful.

"Not with the car, at least." I agreed with her.

Kane hid the growl that touched his lips when he spoke. "We'll have to fight them. You'll get the guns. Me and Samantha will shift."

"Do you think we can fight them all?" Samantha said, turning in her seat in the front to look at Kane, that sat behind her.

"Do we have a choice?" He asked, raising a brow.

No, we hadn't.

Ryan, who was driving, stopped the car a good half mile away from them. Carefully, we opened the trunk and started loading our guns. My arm was all healed, with, fortunately, only three thin and white scars. After a few training, I could move the arm at will and was pretty much ready to fire a gun. I got my shotgun, along whith Ace and Ryan, Charlotte had a 9mm that could do big damages and, after a quick discussion, we handed another 9mm to Alana, so she could protect herself.

I was loading my gun when I felt something wet touching my neck. Craning my head to the side, I saw Kane watching me intently. He was scared, not for him but for me. His eyes were cold and cautious, however, I could see that tiny spark, his inner strength that wouldn’t allow him to give up as long as we were not safe. I was worried about him, I couldn’t stand the thought of him being hurt but I couldn’t be overpowered by it, I had to be strong.

I took his grey snout in my hands and kissed it gently.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry." I assured, before turning and continue to load the gun. He nuzzled my back once more before walking up to Samantha, who was carefully watching the angry mob.

The noise of the mob of infected moving towards the car startled us, making us hurry. Finally, we were ready.

Samantha and Kane were snarling at the group and, when they were just a 100 yards away, they lunged. We hid against the car and made bullets rain over them.

Shots echoed in the air, along with fierce snarls and the disgusting sounds of flesh being torn apart. The wolves were killing them quickly, efficiently. Our bullets were hitting them in vital points, head and heart, killing them on the spot. However, they were too many and were gaining on us. They were close, too close. In a matter of minutes, we were surrounded and it was then that panic settled in us.

We were frenetic, trying to push them away. I was focus on killing the three of them who stalked after me when a scream shattered the air. I turned quickly and my heart broke. Charlotte was on the floor, screaming as she tried to push the infected man that was trying to bite her. Without a second thought, I ran to her.

I passed through Ace, Ryan and then Alana, not stopping despite the shouts. When I reached Charlotte, I started shooting against the creature hissing at me. I managed to kill him before he hurt her.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?" I asked, checking her body for wounds.

"No, I'm fine. You arrived just on time." She assured me, out of breath.

Nodding at each other, we turned to help the others and released fearful gasps. We were completely surrounded. Ravenous infected were forming a tight circle around us. We were going to die. Charlotte grabbed my hand, when we ran out of bullets, and we closed our eyes, waiting our fate. I hand touched my arm but, as fast as it touched, it was ripped off. Bullets sounded around us and we opened our eyes. Kane and Samantha killed half of them and the boys killed the other. Me and Charlotte sighed in relief, running to the car to reload. However, our relief was short lived.

A pained and tortured cry shattered the hot morning. Like the time had slowed down we all looked at Alana who was being bitten by 5 infected. The time they had took to save Charlotte and me was all it took to Alana be unprotected by the group that was atacking her. The details sank and the time unfroze. We all ran to her.

The wolves killed the last ones as the rest of us kneeled by Alana. I started crying and holding the contents of my stomach.

She was mutilated and already half dead. Samantha howled when she reached us. She shifted and kneeled, holding Alana in her arms, while crying in agony. Loud sobs shook her body, as she screamed at her.

"Don't you dare die on me! I swear I'm going to bring you back and beat the crap out of you! Don't you dare!" She shouted at her.

Charlotte was crying almost as heavily, leaning on Ace and Ryan to comfort. Despite everything, she liked Alana. And me? I was also crying my heart out. Large tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to muffle my cries. Kane quickly hugged me, doing his best to soothe me but I was beyond any chance of sooth. I felt so guilty, she was left alone because I was reckless enough to save Charlotte on my own. It was eating me alive.

"D-do you for-give m-me?" Alana stuttered, holding on to Samantha's hand.

Sobbing, Samantha nodded fiercely. "Yes, I forgive you. You're my best friend and I'll always love you."

And then Alana smiled and her lungs took one last breath as a heartbroken howl rang through beautiful blue sky.