Warped

Burning

Laura woke with a gasp, face pale with dripping sweat. Her eyes glowed a piercing green and her gasps turned into a slight rumbling growl. She bared her teeth, knawing them together. The sheets that draped over her lower half were being torn as her fingers gripped and claws began to form. All that echoed in her ears were the sounds of her family's screams.
After a moment, the glowing green in her eyes slipped to a peaceful baby blue and her breathing evened out. She unfurled her hands and pulled them away from the sheets. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, trailing the wooden beams that held the roof uf her hut together. Laura swallowed, her throat hoarse from the inhuman growls she made minutes before.
Laura sat up, using her arms as support and gently removed the ruined sheet from her lap. Slowly, she turned and let her legs dangle off the edge of her bed and she stared at the black veins that have yet to disappear. Once they had, Laura trailed her hands over her knees and gripped them tightly, fighting off the sudden urge to cry.
The sound of knocking caught Laura's attention and she swiftly stood up, straightening her black tank top and gray boxers. In four long strides, she was at the door to her hut and unlocked it. She took a step back and a moment later, opened the door. On the other side was a man that made her lips quirk into a small smile. He smiled back and his brown eyes seemed to shine, "may I come in m'lady?" He asked jokingly.
Laura snorted and moved to the side, opening the door wider for him to enter, "only if you never call me m'lady again," she joked right back, not meaning a word.
He laughed a little and slipped past Laura, opting to walk and sit at the small, wooden table for three next to the small window to the right of the door instead of retorting. As he sat, he took a quick glanced around the hut, which was only one large room and his eyes fell on her torn sheets. The smile fell from his lips and he sighed, "again?" He asked solemnly.
Laura's eyes followed to where he was looking as she closed the door. Not bothering to lock it, as they would be leaving in a few minutes, she sighed as well and frowned, "Caleb, it's fine, just another nightmare," she crossed to the seat opposite to Caleb and sat down, "nothing I can't handle."
Caleb's lips tightened together and he ran a hand through his red hair. He brought his other hand up to grab one of hers and held it over the table, "I know, I just worry okay?"
Laura looked down at their hands and hesitantly pulled hers away, looking away when she saw the hurt in his eyes, "I know," she replied.
After a moment of silence, Caleb pushed himself up and started towards the door. He stood there a moment with his hand on the knob and before turning to Laura, "I'll wait outside. Go on and get dressed, we're speaking with the Mayor today, remember?" He then opened the door and slipped outside, shutting it behind him without waiting for her response.
Laura sat there a moment before taking a shaky breath. She stood up and made her way to the trunk at the end of her bed and unlocked it. Pulling out a pair of blue jeans, Laura quietly slipped her torn sheets into the case. After standing up, she locked it and quickly pulled the jeans on her, over the boxers.
When she was done, she pulled her old, torn up pair of boots on and swiftly moved to the door, only taking a moment to grab her switchblade and shoving it into her pocket and in one quick movement, pulling a black leather jacket on. Already having her key in her hand, she opened the door and greeted Caleb with a tense smile. Returning the favor, Caleb grabbed the key out of her hand and locked the door behind them.
Laura took a look around, making eye contact with some of the people bustling around and nodding to them in greeting. Some of the kids running around gave a quick hello with an innocent call of her name and a wave before they carried on with the game of soccer they were playing. She took a moment to drag a ponytail out of her jacket pocket and pulled her long brown hair in a high ponytail.
She felt a hand on her back and her key was dangled in front of her face, "you ready to go?" She heard. She smirked and reach to snatch the key but wasn't quick enough as Caleb held it out of her reach, "ah ah ahh," he said tauntingly, "come and get it."
Caleb then took off down the street to the left and Laura, forgetting about why she was so tense, ran after him. He jumped over carts and through crowds and she followed, her agility an advantage as she caught up to him within two minutes. By that point they were already at Town Square, where they were meeting the Mayor and Laura came to a startling halt at the sight before her.
In the center of Town Square, a man stood at a stake, log upon log beneath him. Tears swam down his face as Laura heard him beg for mercy. Laura took a step forward to stand next to Caleb and she absentmindedly grabbed her key from him. "What did he do?" She quietly asked.
"He's a Carrier," a voice came behind her and both her and Caleb turned around quickly. The Mayor stood there, not looking at the two, but at the man babbling at the stake, "Mrs. Whittemore saw him at the base of the old willow tree down by the lake, clawing at it. She said she called out his name and he turned, his eyes a neon green and teeth as long as sewing needles."
Laura looked at him, not saying a word, knowing what would happen next. She was proven correct when the Mayor said the very words that haunt her dreams, "let him burn."
Behind her, she felt a whoosh of heat and felt more than heard the pain filled screams of the man. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before the Mayor addressed her, "let's go inside Laura, we have much to talk about."
Laura held her breath before letting it out and she began to follow the Mayor, who had begun to walk. Behind her, she felt the presence of Caleb, blocking the heat of the flames, and the screeches of agony from the now unrecognizable creature that surely turned in the process of being burned. At least it wasn't her.