A Blessing and a Curse

Chapter 22

   Screaming.

   Flickering light.

   It was all like an echo and a blurred out world until finally seeing the bodies that surrounded me. A familiar looking giant, gray foot stepped in front of my face, barely inches away. I wanted to look up and see if my suspicions were clear but stayed frozen to the ground. If my suspicions were correct then playing dead was the right way to do this.

   There was something breathing on my neck, giving me chills. My heart pounded out of my chest, to afraid to move. I wanted to scream.

   Something rough slithered on my back to my leg. It was an unsettling position until a scream came and whatever it was shrilled and ran towards the scream.

   I gulped and when feeling safe, I twisted to see that the thing of my suspicions was correct. An Infected, but bigger than the ones back at Lothal. It and its friends chased after a man into the woods. I carefully looked around to make sure the coast was clear before quickly standing.

   The scene around was horrid. The giant fire still burned but the screams from the victims had silenced and the other people that cheered. They laid on the floor dead and still. It must of been some bloody horror show which I thankfully missed. Chills ran up and down my spine, tears of fear formed at the sight of what was left of a massacre.

   Devastating.

   Out in the woods, a shrill from an Infected echoed in the air. There were going to be a lot more surrounding this place and waiting in the shadows for more prey. I had to hide but first...

   I turned to see Leader's body with a hole in his head, blood still flowing down into the black grass. In his clutched hands was my bag.

   Another shrill came from the trees, getting closer. I quickly took the bag into my hands and pulled. There was a problem. Leader's hand was gripping the bag tightly that it wouldn't release. I pulled again and again and again.

   Another shrill even closer that I could hear the sound of running. I pulled and pulled until finally pulled his fingers so that they wouldn't be holding the bag. I pulled again and the bag was finally released. A smile formed on my face and thought that I'll make it out alive. The running became louder and a shrill came. The running stopped.

   I stood frozen clutching my bag tightly in my hands. Slowly, I twisted my head to see an Infected at the entrance where the heads were. It stood there like it was watching and waiting for my next move. Messing, toying, or playing a game with its prey.

   I inhaled a shaky breathe and held it. I felt something wet run down my cheek. Eyes were glassy and I knew that this was it.

   Yet, it just stood there staring. I tilted my head to the side a little and it copied my movement.

   A few feet away was the cage that I was locked in. Maybe...that can help. Being out in the open with an Infected was never a good idea. Once it sees you, your dead and that's it unless you fight back or outsmart it. Yet, if what Zeb told me was correct then the odds of fighting or outsmarting it would only bring devastation. I had to get into the cage.

   Three...

    Two...

    One!

   I ran. The Infected let out a shrill and began to run faster than a regular one ever could. I quickly hopped into the cage and backed into the corner. It jumped onto the top and tried the fit its head through the gap in the bars but its head was to big. I celebrated my short victory until the Infected got smarter.

   It removed its head and slithered its tail into the gap, slowly navigating where to strike. Soon, the point of its tail was aiming at me. When it struck, I dove out of the way, getting its tail stuck in the bars. It shrilled in anger trying to free its tail from the trap.

I watched it struggle, hopeless to do anything else. I'm trapped but admittedly, better than being one of those things. Maybe it will soon get tired of me and run away?

The Infected's tail came loose enough to the point it bent the bars, freeing its tail.

Cold sweat ran down the side of my head and stomach twisted uncomfortably. I felt sick.

The Infected reached a clawed hand into the cage and swung it back and forth. As the claws came closer, I huddled further into the corner, each swing getting closer every time. Soon, there wasn't anything left to scotch any further, leaving me stuck. This was it. This is how I go out?

I could feel the air rush by from its arm and knew that the next swing will surely hit. Everything will be over and I will truly become a monster with one purpose in life. One game or sport they love to play. Murder.

   I closed my eyes and waited for the claws to scratch. The cage suddenly jerked and shook violently, rattling my bones until going still. I opened my eyes to see the the Infected was gone but shrills from the beast still rang in my ears from the left. I turned to see the Infected fighting...another Infected?

   The other Infected was smaller and green compared to the one that was about to turn me. From my experience and acknowledgment of the Infected, they never turn on each other. In fact, they work together in groups but they are also just gray, light or dark. Not green. What was special about this one? Why was it protecting me?

   The gray Infected decided it had enough. Giving one last shrill, it ran back into the trees. The green looked over at me tiredly huffing and puffing. I backed away into the other corner. Yet, it didn't attack, instead it fell to the ground.

   The sun began to rise as the green Infected began to change. It's claws became fingers, head shrunk, color changed from green to pale skin, hair grew, eyes formed, tail disappeared into the body, and teeth were not sharpe. The Infected had changed into a man and not just any man.

   "K-Kanan," I stuttered and stared shocked at the figure laying with the other bodies. Kanan began to wake up, his hair not in its usual ponytail. Scratches and bruises scattered on his exposed skin.

   He slowly began to stand up but fell then tried again. He held his arm in pain, blood rolled down from his lip. He heaved for air like he had ran a marathon.

   I understand now. I understand why he kept this secret. Guilt settled at the pit of my stomach.

   Kanan's eyes widen.

   "Ezra, get out of that cage now," he frantically said. I blinked for a moment until feeling the cage being lifted from the ground. I quickly looked up over my shoulder to see some sort of giant flying magnate latch onto the top of the cage. I tried to climb out but the bars shocked me.

   They weren't electrical before. Did it have something to do with the magnet? I turned back to see Kanan looking helpless.

   "I can't get out," I shouted and noticed I was getting higher.

   "Be careful!" He shouted.

   "You too!" I replied and a sudden force pushed me as we began to fly faster, high over the trees. I hit the bars, electricity coursed up and down my body. I screamed in pain and wanted it to stop. Wanted all the agonizing seconds of waves to go way and end.

   The bag was still clutched to my chest as the world around me finally began to go out. Black dots invaded my vision and felt the magnet slow down and lower into a tunnel. My head spun as I finally blacked out.

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