THE MEDUSA VIRUS: Book one of the Beta Viruses

Chapter 10- Kit Burdine*

I'm shivering. It's so cold in here despite the fact that there are stones all around me. I'm terrified for my life, but I'm more worried about Jason and Jolene. They are out in the storm, probably freezing and cold. Just like me, but at least I am out of the rain. Beside me the stone that pulled me out of the Mercedes is shaking it's head. I've not been this close to a female stone so it's terrifying to see what happens to females. Her hair is wadded up and falling out in most places, her eye are searching back and forth frantically, her arm is covered in stones and she's bleeding from a wound on her belly. But despite all that, there's this odd resemblance to one of the pops I know. And, the one she resembles happens to be as beautiful as this stone is, wait that sounds bad. I mean, this stone is as beautiful as her.

 
I scoot away when on of the other stones gains interest in me, sniffing at me intensely and foaming at the mouth. Beside me the female stone perks up and moves into a crouched position. She lets out a terrible screech as she shoves the other stone roughly. The other stone acts like a dog, backing down and seems like if it had a tail it would be between its legs. The female stone screeches again and then turns to me. I back away to the best of my ability, but am met by a wall. It keeps coming towards me and I can now smell it's bloody wound. I gag and try to look away but the female grabs my face. It opens its mouth, and I think I'm about to die, but I don't fight. I just close my eyes and clench up, ready for it to eat my face. But then she lets go of my face and goes back to picking the stones off her arm. I take a deep, shaky breath, and then lean up against the wall completely.

 
I don't know what to do. I can't make a run for it. All of the stones would chase me and eventually after a fight, kill me. So I guess I'm stuck here until the stones lets me go.
The female stone suddenly stands she turns to me the frantic movement of her eye gone and her face back to a sweet and beautifully put together face.

"Nikala?" I question, I even have to blink a couple of times to make sure I'm actually seeing this.

"Kit." She replies. I can tell she is still mad about what I did to Jolene.

"Hi." At that she smiles.

"Hi Kit." She bends down and touches my arm. "I have to go rescue Jolene." I panic, sitting up and trying to stand.

"What's wrong! Is she okay?" I exclaim as I begin to stand up. Nikala pushes me down and shakes her head.

"Jolene should be fine, I just have to go pull her out of a tree." I raise my eyebrows which earns a frown from Nikala. "Just stay here." She sighs. I watch her get up and exit the cave we are in, out into the weirdly sunny day. You would think that it would still be raining. But just like a temper tantrum, it was bad, but it only lasted maybe thirty minutes. As soon as Nikala left all of the Stones were looking at me with hunger in their eyes. Once again, I'm back to fearing for my life, wishing that Nikala would come back to rescue/protect me.

• • •

All of the stones are around me, cleaning and pruning me like I'm one of their own. At first I was pushing them away so they wouldn't touch me, but eventually I just gave into their wishes. So here I am now. The good news is I now am warmer than I was when Nikala left. Speaking of her, she's been gone for quite a while, which makes me worried about Jolene.

Is she dead? No Nikala would have already been back.
Is she bleeding out? Nikala would have brought her back.
Maybe I'm the one whose dead. That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Actually, I've heard worse inside here.

Nikala walks into the cave and all of be stones begin patting their chest and panting really fast. They all jump up and down and circle around her, welcoming her back from her journey. I stand and smile at her.