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fifteen

         

I wake up to an empty bed. My head's clear, my strength restored. But Jasper's missing. Did he die?

I quickly get off of the bed to see Jasper bent over a bucket, throwing out black. No, no, no, no.

"Jasper, Jasper!" I rush to his side. Another wave of black blood spills from him. Tears roll down his eyes, his muscles tight.

I wrap my arms around him. It's the only thing I can think of, it's the only thing I can do.

I blink back the tears. The cure is on the way, Jasper will be alright.

"Flo," he croaks. "it hurts."

"I-I'll call in a doctor. T-They'll help you ease the pain." He buries his head into my shoulder.

"They already gave me a dose." Tears trickle down his face, onto my pants, tugging at my heart.

"A single dosage?" A nod. They know damn well they can give more. "Stay here and wait for me, okay? I'll be back in a flash." I kiss the top of his head and grab the gun, bolting out to find Miriam.

I burst into her office, to see her slumped over her desk. Her veins are black, the room stale and musky. The virus got to her.

I run to Kullos' office, where he's typing on his laptop in a hazmat suit.

"Ah, Florence. Nice to see you. Are you feeling better?"

"You could've given Jasper more numbing serum, why didn't you?" I slam my fists against his puny desk.

"Florence, you need to calm down."

"How am I supposed to if he is suffering?" My words come out a near cry.

"You know we'd do anything for the sake of Jasper. But...sadly...all our research has been...for naught."

"What do you mean?"

"We've been smitten, Florence. The virus evolved once more, to a point where we no longer have any accurate research."

"B-But you're still trying to find a cure, right?"

"Of course, with you being the key. But nearly everyone's been infected, and we need to ration the serum."

"Give Jasper the correct serum dosage, otherwise I'll end it for the both of us." I point the gun I kept as souvenir to my head.

"You've always been persuasive. Alright. I'll make the preparations."

We exchange a brief glance, before I leave the tiny office.

How hopeless, how bleak.