Infected

Chapter 7

After a short conversation with Linda, I walked towards Parker. “Hey,” I started off quietly not knowing why I was behaving like a shy little girl.

                “What’re you doing?” I asked him as I watched him stare out the window with fury in his eyes. Again, he stayed like that for a few moments before responding to my question. “I’m figuring out a way on how to get out of here when the time is needed.” I nodded mostly to myself then to him.

                I know figuring out a way out of here in one of our priorities, but it’s not the first one. We need to learn how to defend ourselves if we want to get out of here. “Um…Parker…Sorry to disturb your moment of creepiness, but umm…we have much more important things to do then looking out of a window. Teach us. Teach us show to survive in this apocalyptic world now.”

                That caught Parkers attention and he give me a look that if which looks could kill, I would be dead. We were in a staring contest for about a minute or so before his facial expression softened. “You’re right...We should get started now.” I was surprised he even agreed with me. From what I observed, Parker was an arrogant jerk.

                “Y-yea.” I said firmly, looking him in the eyes making him understand that I mean business. “Now we just need to tell the others.” Parker nodded in place and walked away. I watched him as he grabbed a crate from one of the ruined offices and placed it in the middle of the room.

                “Everybody, listen! I have something to tell y’all!” I watched as everyone, including Linda, walked towards him engulfing him in a semi-circle. Once everyone was in place, Parker continued. “We are going to get out of here and for us to get out of here; you need to learn to defend yourself!”

                “But how are we going to defend ourselves if we have no weapons!” Shouted a masculine, yet with a hint of feminine voice from the semi-circle which I took was Jace. Parker looked directly at him, then at me. I didn’t know what he meant by that, but I quickly figured it out. I went towards Parker and stood next to him, addressing the crown but looking at Jace.

                “It does not matter what type of weapon we have, the only thing that matters is that we have to make it hurt.” Jace took a minute to take that in then nodded when he understood. I looked at Parker and nodded at him.

                “Starting today, I will teach you to fight, to defend for yourselves because we never know if we might get separated one day.” I watched Linda as Parker said this and I could see she was about to cry again but I couldn’t comfort her, she had to be strong, if not for me then for herself.

                “Anyone have any problems with this?” Parker asked them, which they did not respond. “Okay, everyone stand in a line!” Parker then shouted at them. They obliged without hesitation, they broke from the semi-circle and stood next to each other. I watched them and then I watched Parker as he gave me a glare. “Wh-what?” I asked him curious as to why he was staring at me like that.

                He pointed his head towards the line and I didn’t know what he meant. “What?” I asked once more when I didn’t figure out what he wanted me to do. “Get.in.LINE!” the way he talked to be had me scared to my bones. I quickly went to the line not wanting to upset him.

                “As of today, you’re mine. You will do what I say, when I say it. Understood!” Parker continued; we all nodded simultaneously.  Parker then pointed to me, “Austin, would you kindly step forward?” He asked and I obliged. I went and stood next to him awaiting further instructions. “Today I will show you how to defend yourself from a punch.”